Since I've come to the end of my three year contract, I'm also up for a hardware upgrade. I try to do both at about the same time t be in the best position to negotiate a new contract once it's up.
After much research I've made my final selection between the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the HTC Sensation. A third model I may be interested in, if the price is good, is the Samsung Galaxy Note.
Before anyone suggest that I go see both phones for myself in a store, as I already stated in a previous post, after travelling to four different stores it has proven impossible to find any with real demo phones, as it has apparently become policy for Bell stores in Quebec not to have any real phones on display for people to try their hands on, presumably because our market is too limited and/or that theft has become a major problem.
***
To give you an idea of my needs and habits, I live at the fringe of the coverage map, so I need a phone with clear reception. I am what you would call a computer geek (although an older one) and customizability is essential. As an older person, I usually find that earpiece volume levels are invariably too low or just bearable at their loudest settings, so good, clear voice is of paramount importance. I also find that I need clear and bright screens, the bigger and brighter the better, hence my interest in the Galaxy S2 and my primary reason to be interested in the Note.
Most of my usage is voice, and for that I almost exclusively use a high quality plantronics bluetooth headset. I hardly use the handset by itself for that any more. My second use is viewing and answering emails first, and text messages second, but for that I need a good text input method so a keyboard, even virtual with good response and excellent text prediction, in both official languages (I need to easily switch from one language to the other), is primordial. I'd be in paradise if I could efficiently answer all my text message using my voice only and in both official languages.
My plan until now included the Unlimited Mobile Browser, but I found after playing around with my phone that after 6 months, I hardly used the browser anymore and don't feel I need it anymore since it's become so expensive and since WiFi has become so widely available. So I need to be able to easily and reliably shut off cellular data as I won't be getting a data plan because of excessive cost for the little use I have (my email usage can easily be covered by texting, especially since I already have video and photo messaging).
The picture taking ability is finally one very important thing for me.
So here you have it. My first choice money wise is the Sensation, which I can get for $100 with my non-data plan and I feel it is probably the most robust of both phones, but I much prefer the Samsung Galaxy S2, which would cost me $300 on my plan, for its screen and seems to be less problem prone than the HTC (dust behind the screen, random shut-down).
***
So my first question is: which is best reception wise and voice quality wise, text inputting wise and customization wise?
My second question is more for Bell Experts: is it possible for me to get a minimal data plan add-on for less than $10 (email only) so that the Galaxy can be had to $0 and how long must I keep the data plan to get the Galaxy at $0 (can I remove data after a year without bell asking me to pay the difference on the phone)?
Another question to both users and Bell experts: how tough and reliable are these phones in real world use? How many people have had to deal with repairs?
Finally, without a data plan or with a minimal plan, is it worth waiting a couple of weeks and get the Samsung Note, whose large screen I would much rather have? Any drawbacks that you can think of with the Note (I wear my phones in my shirt breast pockets and practically never put my phones to my ears)?
***
I hope this post is not too long to discourage feedback. Feel free to answer any or all of these questions, or simply to state your opinion, even if you feel I'm mistaken in my choices and should look for another phone altogether.
I'm fairly certain you'll need a data plan to use any video/photo messaging. I've received MMS messages with my data turned off (quite easy to do with the newer versions of Android) but I have to re-enable data to actually have the phone download the picture message or for me to send a picture message.
I too wish there were some really light/cheap data plan as I never even come close to the 500MB I get for $25/month.
Primary handset: Unlocked Bell Motorola DEXT - Running Android 2.3.7 via CyanogenMod 7
I prefer the Samsung UI to HTC Sense. I don't have a Sensation but I've used my wife's HTC Wildfire S, and I don't really like the Sense UI....The GS2 has louder speakers...reception on the GS2 is good, but not great, so not sure how it would perform in a fringe coverage area...audio quality is good...I can't say how tough or durable the GS2 is. It feels pretty solid even though it's all plastic, but Im very careful with my phones!...I don't think you can get the Gs2 for $0 without a data plan. You can add the $10/100MB data for it, but you won't get full hardware subsidy.
I'm fairly certain you'll need a data plan to use any video/photo messaging. I've received MMS messages with my data turned off (quite easy to do with the newer versions of Android) but I have to re-enable data to actually have the phone download the picture message or for me to send a picture message.
I too wish there were some really light/cheap data plan as I never even come close to the 500MB I get for $25/month.
Thank you for answering, Mark.
Actually, I have Picture and Video MMS as part of my package "Unlimited Picture_Video Bundle", but no Data. I was told that it did not require data, as it was a separate thing. In other words, it may be data but is not counted as data.
Furthermore since I've been on this new plan while on my HTC Touch, I have noticed I still have access to my email. And I still have 'unlimited' listed under data. Go figure!
Actually, I have Picture and Video MMS as part of my package "Unlimited Picture_Video Bundle", but no Data. I was told that it did not require data, as it was a separate thing. In other words, it may be data but is not counted as data.
Furthermore since I've been on this new plan while on my HTC Touch, I have noticed I still have access to my email. And I still have 'unlimited' listed under data. Go figure!
I think that's correct, MMS does not require data. I think it's a bit confusing because MMS needs an APN, but it doesn't really consume data.
I prefer the Samsung UI to HTC Sense. I don't have a Sensation but I've used my wife's HTC Wildfire S, and I don't really like the Sense UI....The GS2 has louder speakers...reception on the GS2 is good, but not great, so not sure how it would perform in a fringe coverage area...audio quality is good...I can't say how tough or durable the GS2 is. It feels pretty solid even though it's all plastic, but Im very careful with my phones!...I don't think you can get the Gs2 for $0 without a data plan. You can add the $10/100MB data for it, but you won't get full hardware subsidy.
Thanks for your reply, Rogido.
I had written a nice, detailed response to your nice post, not once, but TWICE, and each time, the bloody forum javascript garbage decided I wasn't logged in anymore, even though I was typing my response in the bloody box, supposedly 'autosaving' my text, so when I went to post, it asked me for my username and password and lost everything I typed.
So, one hour later, I've simply lost patience. But I would like to say THANK YOU for your input
Note to self: DON'T use the forum to actually respond. Use Notepad, it doesn't ask you to login all the time and saves your data in a location that you can actually get back to!!!
So for the third time... THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT!!! And sorry if my response isn't as nice as I could make it, I just lost my train of thought twice too many.
I would hope that HSPA, being a newer technology, would be at least at least as good as 1X when it comes to reception and call quality. Since my present phone is an HTC, how does your wife's HTC compare to your Samsung reception wise? I would presume that if the Samsung is as good as your wife's HTC and if I can assume that call quality does improve over phone generations, that the GS2 should be at least as good as my old EvDO/1X phone. Am I making sense here?
As for the $10 data plan, if there's no subsidy with this plan it's just not worth it. And I'd be nuts to fork out $900 over 3 years for a $25 monthly data plan that I would only use for email, just to get a $300 phone for free, don't you agree?
I think that's correct, MMS does not require data. I think it's a bit confusing because MMS needs an APN, but it doesn't really consume data.
What's an APN if I may ask? OK, I googled it - Access Point Name - does it mean MMS consumes data in the same way the old Mobile Browser did, and could it explain why my 'data' usage appears as 'unlimited' in my plan details and I still get emails on my HTC Touch, even though I don't have a data plan per se anymore?
^ Your data usage appeared as "Unlimited" because you had the Unlimited Mobile Browsing" feature (UMB). It's not a data plan per se, but on Bell, apparently you can use it on a smartphone, so essentially it is a cheap unlimited data plan. So unless you are absolutely sure you don't need it, or there is something else better for you, don't give it up!
^ Your data usage appeared as "Unlimited" because you had the Unlimited Mobile Browsing" feature (UMB). It's not a data plan per se, but on Bell, apparently you can use it on a smartphone, so essentially it is a cheap unlimited data plan. So unless you are absolutely sure you don't need it, or there is something else better for you, don't give it up!
I thought mobile browsing was wap.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using HowardForums
I have the sensation and I love my phone. It's very sturdy and both my wife and my 9 month old dropped the phone and it works fine. Actually my daughter didn't really drop it. More like slammed it against the hardwood floor repeatedly. The loudspeaker could definitely be louder though. That being said you may be better off waiting for the note. With the upcoming auction you won't have to worry about getting another phone since it has 700 and 1700mhz. I doubt reception would be an issue then.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using HowardForums
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using HowardForums
I think it used to be, but not any more. Of course, Bell won't tell people that, because they want people to switch to the expensive data plans. Rogers filters IMEI so you can't use UMB on smartphones, but apparently Bell does not bother.
^ Your data usage appeared as "Unlimited" because you had the Unlimited Mobile Browsing" feature (UMB). It's not a data plan per se, but on Bell, apparently you can use it on a smartphone, so essentially it is a cheap unlimited data plan. So unless you are absolutely sure you don't need it, or there is something else better for you, don't give it up!
Yeah, it seems incredible it's still there!
BUT... Is this feature phone dependent or not? In other words, will I lose it permanently when I get the new phone activated?
Any technical Bell people out there know the answer?
Galaxy S2 > Sensation all day, every day. In every facet the GS2 is better than the Sensation.
Yeah, I'm pretty much convinced this is the phone to get, although I'll want to look at the Note when it comes out and will make a special trip to Montreal when it does!
How is texting on the GS2? I need something that has excellent T9 word recognition/completion as I'm severely typing challenged... I also need to be able to switch language settings on the fly as I have as many French as English speaking correspondents...
I have the sensation and I love my phone. It's very sturdy and both my wife and my 9 month old dropped the phone and it works fine. Actually my daughter didn't really drop it. More like slammed it against the hardwood floor repeatedly. The loudspeaker could definitely be louder though. That being said you may be better off waiting for the note. With the upcoming auction you won't have to worry about getting another phone since it has 700 and 1700mhz. I doubt reception would be an issue then.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using HowardForums
Thanks for your input on the Sensation - It does seem to the tougher one of the two, and this is a definite plus for me, and I've been very happy with the HTC Touch (great reception). It's just that screen is just too small and the text input method is horrible.
As for durability I'm sure the Sensation is the tougher one here, just looking at the backs should be enough to convince anyone! However, I am more impressed by the Samsung's screen and smoothness, but the drawback is the high price. If I could only see both side by side with my Touch and test them in actual use! That was the whole idea of the exercise looking for stores that have them on display!
Samsung Galaxy S2 or HTC Sensation?
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Mark I
Bookmarks