Any compelling new phones out?

[5chn3ll]

I rolled into my friendly neighborhood AT&T store to see if my GalaxyNote 8 and/or Frontier 3 needed an upgrade. After poking around a little, I left with the stuff I already owned.

Any of you guys update recently? If so, what's the killer feature/app that convinced you to take the plunge?

An unexpected benefit from having a 2+ year-old-phone: all of the accessories are now dirt cheap. Amazon sent me an Otterbox Symmetry case for $7 and a pair of tempered-glass screen protectors for $8.99. As ave says on YouTube, that's a sore d!ck deal...you can't beat it!

[gnat]

Last personal phone was my Pixel 3XL. It was an upgrade from my Nexus 6 because it got long in the tooth and I was starting to worry about potential repairs (I had already botched a battery replacement and had to get a new screen). During said botching I found that not having a backup phone handy was un-fun (using Google's Fi service and at the time normal phones were not supported). So I picked up a Pixel 2, but returned it in a few days as I liked my Nexus better.

I can't say there is anything compelling about the Pixel 3 over my old Nexus beyond that it's newer. Certainly nothing that would have warranted a single or even second cycle upgrade. 3rd gen since my Nexus though? Overall I'm happy with it though.

I looked at the Pixel 4 series when they came out and it's not calling to me at all. Maybe when the Pixel 6 comes around...

I don't have it yet, but my company is foisting a Galaxy 10 on me. I've pushed them off for a few years as they stopped offering the plus sized phones as an option and I'd rather hang onto my iPhone 7+ than move to a smaller screen. And I hate Samsung, but that is the only Android option they offer and won't let us BYOP.

As far as recommendations go, mine is more about the service. I was an AT&T customer since they were AT&T before the Cellular One sale. They were finally forcing me off my ancient (like early 2000s ancient) unlimited plan (a real one) that I was only paying $50/month for, so after deciding I liked the switch from iPhone to my Nexus I bailed on AT&T and tried the Google Fi service. I've been happy with it. I'm not a terribly big data user so it's nice to be able to have a cheap plan and not get shafted during the blue moons where I actually use more data. The base plan for unlimited calls and texts is $20. Then you pay $10/gb that you plan to use and that's when it gets interesting. First thing is that if you go over you just pay for what you use at (calculated at $10/gb). So if you us an extra 500mb, you pay an extra $5 that month. No extra fees or paying $10 when you only used $0.50 worth. The next bit is that anything you don't use from your plan is removed. So I only end up using about 300mb/month which makes my typical bill $23 rather than the $30 it is set up for. I know their getting their money in other ways, but it's nice to not feel raped every month when I look at the bill.

Lots of rambling info there, but I would say to look at the Pixel 4 options. I've been happy with their quality and that it is a non-fucked with version of Android is doubleplusgood in my book.

[Dr_Strangelove]

What do you use your phone for the most beyond text & talk? I'd imagine photos? The new cameras on the Pixel 4, iPhone 11, etc. are really, really nice.

I'm a gadget simpleton compared to most of you guys. I'm frugal to the point that I hold onto stuff for so long that by the time I upgrade I'm blown away by how far things have advanced. Like, really, I upgraded from an iPhone 5 to a Pixel 3. (Wanted to try Android.) That's 6 years, nearly 7 years worth of phones between my old and new phone. When I got the Pixel 3 I found myself saying things like "Woah, the Amazon app tells you where the driver is!" and my friends would all groan

Biggest difference I noticed, more so than app integration, battery life, processor speed, is the quality of the camera. Gnat knows I have a love for traditional glass & body shooting - but holy hell do I love my Pixel 3 camera for snaps.

[5chn3ll]

I use the GalaxyNote for normal crap - email, taking photos, Slacking, etc. Voice calls - heh...maybe one a week. I also use it with cheapo earbuds at the gym, so I'm reluctant to give up the 1/8" headphone jack.

The camera on the Note8 is still more than sufficient for my needs. The new phones have more cameras, but the main camera on my existing phone takes awesome photos.

For the first several years of the smartphone "revolution" (i.e. post BlackBerry), I was alternating between Android and iOS every 1.5 years to remain platform agnostic, but this no longer seems necessary.

[02TX996Cab]

This thread *could* be enhanced immeasurably if the proper storage location for said "compelling new phones" in our 996s was described in detail...

Just sayin'

[gnat]

What do you use your phone for the most beyond text & talk? I'd imagine photos? The new cameras on the Pixel 4, iPhone 11, etc. are really, really nice.

I'm a gadget simpleton compared to most of you guys. I'm frugal to the point that I hold onto stuff for so long that by the time I upgrade I'm blown away by how far things have advanced. Like, really, I upgraded from an iPhone 5 to a Pixel 3. (Wanted to try Android.) That's 6 years, nearly 7 years worth of phones between my old and new phone. When I got the Pixel 3 I found myself saying things like "Woah, the Amazon app tells you where the driver is!" and my friends would all groan

Biggest difference I noticed, more so than app integration, battery life, processor speed, is the quality of the camera. Gnat knows I have a love for traditional glass & body shooting - but holy hell do I love my Pixel 3 camera for snaps.

You and my wife would get along great. She had her F150 for 10 years, the 996 is turning 20, the BMW is turning 13, her Canon 10D is 15, she had her Nokia 9820 from the late 90s until the iPhone 5 came out, and when Apple wouldn't replace the screen again she borrowed my old iPhone 6 until she finally caved and bought a new 11 Pro over the holidays. The woman just won't let stuff go (which is probably how I've managed to keep her so long...).

[32wildbilly]

What do you use your phone for the most beyond text & talk? I'd imagine photos? The new cameras on the Pixel 4, iPhone 11, etc. are really, really nice.

I'm a gadget simpleton compared to most of you guys. I'm frugal to the point that I hold onto stuff for so long that by the time I upgrade I'm blown away by how far things have advanced. Like, really, I upgraded from an iPhone 5 to a Pixel 3. (Wanted to try Android.) That's 6 years, nearly 7 years worth of phones between my old and new phone. When I got the Pixel 3 I found myself saying things like "Woah, the Amazon app tells you where the driver is!" and my friends would all groan

Biggest difference I noticed, more so than app integration, battery life, processor speed, is the quality of the camera. Gnat knows I have a love for traditional glass & body shooting - but holy hell do I love my Pixel 3 camera for snaps.

You and my wife would get along great. She had her F150 for 10 years, the 996 is turning 20, the BMW is turning 13, her Canon 10D is 15, she had her Nokia 9820 from the late 90s until the iPhone 5 came out, and when Apple wouldn't replace the screen again she borrowed my old iPhone 6 until she finally caved and bought a new 11 Pro over the holidays. The woman just won't let stuff go (which is probably how I've managed to keep her so long...).

So your saying your old and outdated?

[gnat]

You and my wife would get along great. She had her F150 for 10 years, the 996 is turning 20, the BMW is turning 13, her Canon 10D is 15, she had her Nokia 9820 from the late 90s until the iPhone 5 came out, and when Apple wouldn't replace the screen again she borrowed my old iPhone 6 until she finally caved and bought a new 11 Pro over the holidays. The woman just won't let stuff go (which is probably how I've managed to keep her so long...).

So your saying your old and outdated?

I have "character"

[32wildbilly]

So your saying your old and outdated?

I have "character"

Actually your wife and I have similar issues with keeping stuff. I use a iPhone 5S that I bought used after my iPhone 4 finally shot craps a couple of years ago. Three plasma TV's a 42 and two 50's purchased just before everyone stopped making plasmas. Everybody is trying to get me to buy a 60" OLED...someday...maybe. Just sold our 1993 300ZX that we purchased in 1994 because...well the wife made me. Still own a dvd/vcr combo player that still works(and it doesn't flash 12:00 all the time either). Own an amp, receiver, turntable and floor standing Boston Acoustic 3 1/2 foot tall speakers plus a 5 foot tall cabinet full of vinyl.(see if you keep stuff long enough it comes back into style) My stance is if it works ok and it functions well enough for what you use it for why buy something new!

[gnat]

KEEP YOUR PLASMAS!!!
I had a high end Pioneer Elite 50 from when 50" was rare and expensive. Bought it in 2000 I think and have still never found a rival for quality. I killed it with its own remote and my TV life has sucked ever since. I finally settled on an LG OLED 55 after returning 5 LCD pieces of garbage. The OLED is good and gives you true black like a plasma, but it has the refresh and motion issues of LCDs

Kill anyone that threatens you plasmas and take then to your grave!