Best budget/beginnger Android

JGBR

JGBR

JGBR

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I'd really like to try android and was wandering if anyone had comments on the best budget handset.

I am debating between Contract and pay as your go, so any cool deals, handsets or comments appreciated.
 
The best budget handset is the Orange San Francisco.

However, if you are one of these people who is going to buy a cheap Android phone and then start comparing it to the iPhone 4, please dont bother and get a proper one :p
 
Sales are coming up soon, If you can holdfire you can probably secure something like a galaxy S for ~£15p/m after quidco/offers in a week or two.
 
JGBR said:
Well I have an iphone 4 and wanted to see if android as good as they say it is lol
Click to expand...

If you buy a cheap Android phone it will not hold up to your iPhone 4 unless you can compare it purely on the software merits which are often affected significantly by the hardware.

You need to get at least a Galaxy S, or better a Desire HD if you want to compare it properly to the iPhone 4.
 
What deals do people reckon will come out reference Android in the new year?

Something I don't understand is the diversity of hardware running the same OS and the difference it makes?
 
JGBR said:
Well I have an iphone 4 and wanted to see if android as good as they say it is lol
Click to expand...

Similar to what I did. iPhone 3G --> SanFran --> HTC Desire. I wasn't sure that I could jump from an iOS device to a premium droid phone, so did the SF in between.

Well worth the in between step, not only was the SF terrific value (and resale value as it was OLED) but it gave me a fairly risk free look at Android. The Desire met price/features and dumps on the 3G from tremendous heights. :)
 
Well a lot of people advised against getting a cheap andriod because Hardware specs affects the performance a lot more then the iphone.

Also i read their are different variants of andriod OS?

I only want to try it but don't want to let the software down by poor hardware.
 
JGBR said:
Something I don't understand is the diversity of hardware running the same OS and the difference it makes?
Click to expand...


android is akin to windows vista/7 running on machines from celeron cpus up to high end i7 cpus, its the variety and ability to run on cheaper models that creates issues.

ive never used android all i have noticed is posts in these forums and i understand the issues involved, ios is purpose built on a purpose built device so it gains strengths from that as similar with wp7.
after all these new smart phones are really just micro pc systems in your hand.
 
^ The same is true of iPhones. You can break it down to 3 hardware evolutions atm.

ARM11 (65nm - iPhone 3G, Orange SF)
ARM cortex A8 (both 65nm/3GS and 45nm/iP4)
ARM cortex A9 (Dual core 45nm, Tegra 2 tablets and phones in the new year)

ARM11 devices are still good but there's a big jump to A8. So it's best to compare a SF (Android 2.x) to the 3G (iOS 4.x) Both are adequate but could struggle at times.

Factor in screen res/quality, build, etc and the current best 'bang for buck' standard slate phones are:
ARM11 - Orange SF (£100)
ARM A8/45nm - Acer liquid Metal/Motorola Defy (£200-£250 edit: oops the Acer will cost £300 not £200 :()
 
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My recommendations would go:

Orange San Francisco £100
LG Optimus One ~£150
HTC Wildfire ~£170
Motorola Defy £250
 
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