Android Newbie's Guide To Buying An Android
Are you a n00b?
...An Android n00b, a.k.a Newbie, that is. If this is your first time to buy an Android, fear not. The decision-making process is pretty straightforward.
The dozens of Android models on the market may be intimidating for those who hate needing to compare and canvass for the best model to buy. That's why the iPhone is such a hit -- just one item on the list. The only decisions you need to worry about are whether you're getting the White iPhone or the Black iPhone, or if you're getting it in 16GB or 32GB.
With the Android, you'd have to decide which brand to refer to, which model to choose, what "flavor" Android you should get, among other crazy mind-bending questions to answer.
That being said, we created a simple process for you to filter out your Android choices:
1. Look at the tech specs before anything.
While 256MB RAM/512MB ROM/600MHz Qualcomm CPU is pretty decent and standard for an Android, higher specs will always be better, when it comes to gadgets. You'll come face to face with this truth when you're a rabid gamer and you acutely feel the micro lags during a furious session of Angry Birds or Pumpkins vs. Monsters.
Thus, first determine the tech specs that would make you happy, then start looking at the models that have this benchmark. We believe that around 768MB RAM/1GB ROM/1GHz CPU would be a decent starting point. If price is no problem, you can start looking at the Super Droids that are coming our way.
As for Android "flavor," never choose anything released earlier than Froyo (Android 2.2). That way, you will be able to move your apps to your SD Card.
Here's a quick guide to the Android Flavors in the order by which they were released:
- Cupcake -- v.1.5
- Donut -- v.1.6
- Eclair -- v.2.1
- Froyo -- v.2.2
- Gingerbread -- v.2.3.x
- Honeycomb -- 3.x.x
2. Form factor counts.
If you have big, chunky fingers (sorry), forget about the thinner and sleeker models. They'll only make you want to hurl your unit across the room. When you're checking and testing units in cellphone kiosks, try the soft keypad in portrait form. If you can type a whole 160-character message without mistyping, then you're in soft keypad heaven.
If you've reconciled with the fact that you absolutely hate touchscreen phones, forget about the models that are fully touchscreen. Think about the sliders or the Blackberry-type QWERTY models instead.
3. Now you can think about the price.
If money is not a problem, then, as we mentioned, a Super Droid would be a better buy than one of the regular droids. But if price is a major factor, then filter our your picks with this point.
Here are the low-end to mid-range Droids available on the market:
Here is the spreadsheet version of the list:
With this list, we've gotten you started on the low to mid-end Android phones with the best value for money. As you can see, Samsung has opted to keep its phone models with lower internal memory, possibly to keep price points lower. Since all of their models are on Froyo anyway, users can keep their apps in their SD Cards.
Judging from the specs, we believe that the HTC Wildfire S, Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, Sony Xperia Mini Pro, and the Cherry Mobile Magnum offer the most bang for the buck. Also, we recommend the Cherry Mobile Magnum because of its screen size: texting in portrait orientation will be a lot easier because of its screen real estate. And if you're all for dual SIM phones, the Cherry Mobile Orbit is not a bad choice, either. But if the phone's camera quality is also a consideration, Sony Ericsson is known for having the best cameras on cellphones. The Smart Netphone could also be a great buy, if you consider the SmartNet perks. SmartNet services are free until December 31, 2011. So remember, specs first, form factor second, then let the axe fall with the price. And if you care about the brand, factor that in, as well. But the bottom line really is, after you try everything that catches your fancy, it's all about the total package.
***
***We didn't include Android players like LG and Acer because of the dismal specs for their products. Neither did we include the Motorola line because they're not readily available in Philippine malls, but are available via online sellers.
Photos, specs and prices are available on the links provided. Go ahead, click on!
Photo Credits: Quantrimang
No offense, but your dismissal of the LG line is misleading to any readers here.
ReplyDeleteThe LG Optimus One P500 unit can be bought nowadays for 7-8k and has specs that beat every phone under 11k on your list except for the Netphone 701 (similar specs, but more expensive) and the Xperia Mini (more expensive, and has less ROM)
There's a reason Engadget considered it the best budget/prepaid Android smartphone in it's August article.
Hi there. :) Thank you for your comments; we're taking that with a grain of salt.
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, most of us here on the Android Alliance Team are on Cherry Mobile because of the affordability and the specs. However, we also have to be honest that there are aspects of the Cherry Mobile products that leave room to be desired. We aim to be frank, up-front and honest, but we have to admit that we're partial to the Cherry Mobile for one reason: it's a Filipino brand, and they manage their branding very well.
Another major feat for the brand has been the fact that it managed to turn whitebox phones and create entire product lines out of it. For us at Android Alliance, this is Filipino progress at its finest.
That is what caused us at Android Alliance to be enamored with the line. We are not official endorsers of the brand, however.
As regards the term "dismal," I would have to say that it was an oversight on my part as the writer of the piece (and editor of this webmag). I still maintain that the specs, on paper, would cause me to look elsewhere.
I did get to try the LG Optimus ME, and I would have to concede that the LCD screen is a cut above my Cherry Mobile Nova.
In time, we will update this list, probably publish an updated version, and we will update the prices and the brands we go on.
We do not mean to alienate any particular brand that carries the Android. I, as one of the writers here, just tend to have a brutally frank tongue. My apologies if it came out with a negative tone.
On a different vein, I WAS considering the Acer beTouch E130, and I was happy that I chose the Nova instead. That one was on Donut yet, and didn't seem to be upgradeable. Today, Cherry Mobile has released the Cherry Candy Chat, which trumps the beTouch E130's specs.
Maybe the Acer deserved my "dismal" comment and LG did not. Thank you for pointing this out, and we'll do our best to be more objective, moving forward. :)
Thanks for approving the comment, and for your response.
ReplyDeleteTo clarify some more, while LG has been criticized in the past for its higher-end Android smartphones (and rightly so), the Optimus One has been generally well-received, due to the 512 MB RAM and 1500mAH battery advantage it has over other smartphones in its price class.
The Optimus Me P350 is actually a lower-end version of the Optimus One, although it performs decently in its own right.
I'm not a spokesperson for LG, just someone who did a ton of research before making his first-ever smartphone purchase, and have not regretted purchasing the Optimus One.
By the way, some suggestions for possible future articles:
1) Quite a few people I know like the Android hardware Cherry Mobile is putting out, but are apprehensive over the reputed bad customer service. If your experiences suggest differently, perhaps an article showing this would help.
2) Have any of the site's writers rooted their phones and generally tinkered around with them? One of the reasons I decided on the Optimus One was the large amount of developer support and custom ROMs on the XDA forums. A couple of phones on your list also have this level of aftermarket support:
a) Cherry Mobile Nova (this is a rebranded Commtiva Z71)
- Well supported by devs; has official CyanogenMod ROM
b) Cherry Mobile Magnum HD (this is a rebranded Huawei U9000 IDEOS X6)
- Good modder support on XDA; Gingerbread custom ROMs available
c) Smart Netphone 701 (this is a rebranded ZTE Blade)
- Well supported by devs; has official CyanogenMod ROM
Perhaps an article detailing your experiences on rooting and customizing your phones can be done.
Hi again, no prob on publishing your comment; we've actually put out an editorial, thanks to this one. :)
ReplyDeleteEditorial: http://www.androidalliance.ph/2011/12/editors-thoughts-love-it-hate-it-theres.html
Experiences: I'll check with our publisher on this, and if it's safe to do so, I may write an entire piece on that. On my end, it really depends on the attitude you bring to the table. I may write a more personal account of what I experienced in the main branch of Cherry Mobile's customer service center (Roxas Blvd/Pearl of the Orient Tower branch). Frankly, I would have to point my fingers at the users themselves. I came to the place expecting that there'll be some incompetence involved, and decided to keep my cool (not to mention occupy my time playing Pumpkins vs. Monsters). Some threw tantrums and ranted. I finally threw mine when one CSR gave me panic by telling me that one part was out of stock and I would have to wait WEEKS. Actually, their tech support "found" a non-problem and a non-concern for me. The part I needed replaced was fine, and was already replaced by that time. They overdid their customer service, in my experience.
Eventually her supervisor sorted things out with me, but not before I already berated her for not having a clue and not being able to trace what my priorities were. I left the place apologizing at the clueless CSR simply because they've had to take crap from the other customers and she shouldn't have needed to take crap from me. THOUGH, if she only checked what my priorities were instead of barging into serving me (two other people were on my concern and I wished they just stuck to those two serving me) without knowing what my unit's problem was.
In all fairness, the unit I brought to the table, the Cherry Mobile Trident, IS a known problematic unit. While they still carry the brand, they no longer aggressively promote it. Strangely, I still want another unit. Just because I love its design and its QWERTY keypad. Nevermind that I can get other units. It's the model that I want.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, when I returned to my province, I have had to send the unit in for replacement to their Bacolod Service Center. It was returned a month after, and it runs better than ever. Maybe it's the fact that provincial technicians deal with less volume and possibly less stress from the irate customers. I don't know. But what I noticed in the Roxas Blvd. branch was that there were too many irate people coming in, and it added to the negativity of the place. In all fairness, my last tech support experience was uneventful, even pleasant. All I needed to do was drop off the same unit to the branch where it was originally bought, and they sent it to Bacolod, warning me that it may take 1 to 2 months in the service center. It returned just a month after, a whole month earlier than what they led me to expect. Not bad. As I mentioned in the editorial, it's really about expectations.
Here, I detail the reasons why I love Cherry Mobile despite their foibles: http://techjunkie.whats-hot.org/mobile-phones/why-i-remained-happy-through-my-chinaphones-and-cherry-mobiles
Regarding my Cherry Mobile Nova, the publisher's Cherry Mobile Nova and Cherry Mobile Orbit, and one of his upper-level management staff's Orbit, theirs have lasted months. The publisher actually had his Nova fall several times, to the point of having the back cover unhinged. 6++ months later, the unit is still standing. :) Both this webmag's publisher and the said staff still have their Cherry Mobile Orbits and as of press time, the publisher MAY dispose of his Orbit in favor of another Droid. Still standing.
As for me, I got my Cherry Mobile Nova on August 15 of this year. So this baby is going to be on its 3rd month on the 15th of December. I dropped it just 2 times as of today. Once last week, and the second time was today. It's what's powering my Internet connection as of the moment. :)
ReplyDeleteHere is my detailed article on my first impressions of it: http://techjunkie.whats-hot.org/mobile-phones/cherry-mobile-nova-unboxing-first-impressions-good-and-bad-points
I actually use it more as a MiFi device, Bible, eBook, blog, Yahoo News reader than a phone. I've used it as a phone before but I'm not satisfied with the Internal Storage space. The text messaging contributes to the bulk. That would be the exact same problem on other Droids, no matter what brand, of the same class.
Root. I'm not sure about the Publisher and the management staff I mentioned, but I doubt they ever rooted theirs, as they're very busy people. As for me, I would like to try, but since this is crucial in my life, I'd rather not take the risk of bricking it. If I ever get to it, I'll let everyone know. :)
I did, however, work on my own upgrading. I used the Cherry Mobile ROM on their website: http://www.androidalliance.ph/2011/09/no-fear-upgrading-your-cherry-mobile_15.html
As regards intermediate-level modding and customizing, we may not be able to work on that yet. We're aiming for the middle ground: halfway between the n00bs and the intermediate/uber-geeks like you seem to be. :D Also, the main managers of this webmag are part of the mid-range demographic themselves, so we may be iffy about modding.
ReplyDeleteUNLESS, I find myself upgrading (I'm actually thinking of the Magnum HD next year) and the Nova gets neglected, I might as well root it. ;)
Thanks so much for the factoids! That's awesome to know, especially since I am serious about my Magnum HD purchase next year. :)
And lastly, keep them coming (the comments), they're much appreciated, and teach us the way to go. :)
The Editorial may sound a little on the apologetics-ish or defensive, but we hope they address the question of our (actually *MY*) flippant use of the word "dismal." Thank you for sending in your comments. :) As long as no one takes things personally on this web magazine, we're cool with publishing all sorts of comments. :) We WILL delete the senseless and personal-attack types, though none of that sort have come up yet.
Again, thanks so much for taking the time out to air your thoughts. Indeed, they are much appreciated. :)
Have a great Thursday!
Updated my Cherry Mobile Nova again earlier coz I thought it'd wipe out the files in the Internal Storage. Nothing happened. Here I posted my experience: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150378367506782&set=a.107426146781.104363.726021781&type=1
ReplyDeleteAs I said, there are days when Cherry Mobile is awesome, even better than established brands than LG. Their official ROM for one, works. :D Heheh. :)
Hi, i really like your blog. It is very informative. Iv been surfing the net for an android phone and I came across a Lenovo A60 which is a dual sim android running on Gingerbread 2.3 and costs below 8K. Hope you can run a review on it before I can make a purchase. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi there, Sally. :) Thank you for your kind comments; a spec shootout is on queue, Stellar vs. Lenovo A60. It will be published this week. :)
ReplyDeleteI will ask if The Android Searcher can find an A60 unit and let us know what he thinks of it. Please do Like our Facebook Page, follow us on Twitter and follow us via Google Friend Connect to keep tabs with us! :D Thank you! :D