SGSII vs iPhone 4S

[Gautam]

I would be very surprised to find somebody interested in buying an iPhone on a forum called XtremeSystems.

[Manicdan]

It all depends on the size of your hand. I have slim and long fingers, and I think I'm good for at least 5" screen.

i have quite small hands. no gloves ever fit, and honestly i buy womens gloves quite commonly because they have more variety in my size (its just black leather right, lol)

and i also have an EVO and had it since day one. i cant go back to anything smaller than 4.3" now. and size is not an issue, why? because Swype in portrait mode can be done one handed and reach every single key. and thats the only time i ever NEED to be using just one hand, like if im walking or something. otherwise whats stopping me from holding it with one hand and using the other to press?

the large size works great for GPS/maps, reading kindle books, viewing pictures, playing games, using the browser. but its still a matter of preference and im not going to argue with people who want a smaller phone, but i also question if they tried to use a larger one for a few days/weeks and see how they like it.

[Andrew LB]

They can easily make the screen bigger w/t altering the size of the phone it only requires for Apple to drop this ridiculous 3:2 aspect ratio in the favor of the far more optimal 16:10 or 16:9 which is exactly what a candy-bar shaped phones should use,

I do agree with you on the aspect ratio. Whoever convinced them to use such an oddball ratio must have done an amazing sales pitch.

As for the size of the screen, well i'm 6'2" and have hands that are nowhere near average in size. I want to be able to hold the phone comfortably in one hand and have the ability to perform any typical task. I can do that with my iphone 4. I cannot say the same for any of the larger android phones.

Also, apple has a FAR superior screen to any of the android phones released since last summer. I'm far happier with a beautiful IPS screen than a pixelated POS screen that just happens to be a little larger than my iphones screen.

make the home button smaller (really the size of that thing reminds me of a fisher price toy). Also they should eliminate the bezel (that's what oled tech can do) and kill the apt space above the screen. Miniaturization is the key and you can make the phone have a 4'' screen (IMO the best for a mobile device) with actually making it smaller...

Yes. The home button is too big. I don't agree on the bezel though since it helps protect the phone. With all the complaints about how fragile the iPhone 4 is, could you imagine if a drop would almost guarantee a broken screen? I've dropped my iphone 4 many times and have ZERO damage, which goes to show how the photos earlier in this thread were either worst case falls or intentionally thrown with force at the ground.

And yes... I think Apple can do a slightly larger screen. 4" would be the absolute max for myself and many people I know. If I wanted my phone to be a tablet PC, I'd stop pretending it was or could be if I only complained to apple enough, and go buy an ipad.

The only reason that Apple is stuck to this shape/screen size it's because they're of the most conservative companies on the market. They don't learn from their mistakes and they're pretty much content releasing the same product over and over again, but that's what you get when your company has a religious following no matter what you put out.

Really? The reason you don't see 100 different phones from Apple is because they actually build a great product. Every single Android phone I've used always seems to have at least one trait that sticks out like a sore thumb. Companies that release dozens of variations of their phones a year is trying to blindly throw sh*t at the wall with the hopes it sticks. Thats why so many android phones are only sold for a short period of time.

And Apple wouldn't sell 4,000,000 phones in three days if they made a product like you seem to describe. There are always fanboys who must buy the latest and greatest the moment it's released. The difference is, Apple only has a few models of their phone and it tends to take 1 to 1.5 years between releases, so obviously people are going to want to upgrade their phone. Android users have a new phone available to them every few weeks, so they don't result in massive amounts of product being sold all at once.

Don't get me wrong, I've really tried to find an android phone that I can be happy with for a 2 year period. It's just none of the available phones at this point in time are appealing enough to trade up.

I was a great fan of the first iphone (finally some forward thinking in an industry of stale ideas), but it has remained pretty much the same from then on (they -actually- still release the very first phone slightly updated at each and every new revision). I thank apple for creating a new industry but she has been far surpassed (and thank god for that as well).

Apple has always been a company who after their initial revolution with a never before seen product, they carefully evolve the product with subsequent updates because Apple has always taken great care in keeping their products familiar so upgrading is very smooth. Humans are creatures of habit and Apple knows that if you're familiar with one of their products, the purchase of anything else they make will be a seamless transition.

[Kallenator]

I do agree with you on the .... snip

With this bombshell of actual sense, can we please stop the silly hate and fanboyism in this thread and maybe even future ones?

I am looking forward to a 3.3" or closely sized phone with a dual core CPU, cause I also think the size of the iPhone is rather clever, but until then my Wave will have to do even though Bada is quite .

[Stevethegreat]

@Andrew LB:

According to this site you can pull a 4.5 incher w/t altering iphone's size one bit as long as you'd use 16:9 aspect ratio, add 1280x720 resolution and you'd have Nexus Prime Specs with "half" its footprint (I assume it would have to be a bit thicker, but really anything below 1cm in thickness is way too slim anyway)... As for the Bezel size, it seems not to be as important as long as you use OLED technology...

Actually I do not like at all the direction that "phones" took on the Android arena, they resemble tablets. You see Apple may be stuck up to the same ideas (like forever) but they (often) have *right* ideas. The other companies on the other hand seem to be completely banal. Great technology, zero aesthetics. My ideal company would be a cross between Apple and the rest of the crew, Samsung went close enough to that ideal (i.e. see "Wave") but now she seems to join the rest of the pack with her own brand of gargantuan tablet "phones".

@Kallenator: See Xperia Ray, they seem to get the dimension right, but it's about 1 year behind in technology and software (Sony being sony)...

[cobra_kai]

Screen is perfect IMO. Here's why... http://www.redmondpie.com/ever-wonde...priate-answer/

You know what they say about guys with small hands...

Seriously though I have a ATT galaxy s2 and have no trouble reaching the opposite side of the screen with my thumb using one hand. I probably have a full centimeter or so to spare. I'd say if I hold the phone slightly below the midpoint I can reach the entire usable area since the very top of the phone doesn't do anything

[Cold Fussion]

i know that test is true first hand. My 'friend' knocked my GSII out of my hand accidentally while we was drunk only for the phone to fly up into the air about 7/8 feet high and a distance of about 5/6 feet along then skid across a road for about 10 feet with very little damage

And I've watched a friend drop his S2 off of a 60cm high table onto carpet and the screen had a massive spider crack. Drop tests are stupid because they have no relation to the real world, you could the same drop the two of the same phones in one spot and have one land at a slightly different angle onto a slightly different shaped pebble and it's game over for one phone and the other phone survives.

[STEvil]

i've dropped my galaxy S a ton of times on to asphalt, concrete, dirt, etc.. it has a nick right in the center of the screen (on the protective film not the glass itself) and thats all. Love my otterbox

My biggest issue is that either my fingers are too big or something because its a pain in the butt to text..

[stangracin3]

i've dropped my galaxy S a ton of times on to asphalt, concrete, dirt, etc.. it has a nick right in the center of the screen (on the protective film not the glass itself) and thats all. Love my otterbox

My biggest issue is that either my fingers are too big or something because its a pain in the butt to text..

same here. its hard to touch the 1 and the 0 on my htc inspire because they are so close to the otterbox

[El Mano]

I love my Xperia Arc, the big screen is awesome and I have no troubles reaching the corners of the screen.
All this fuzz about iPhones having the right size to let you reach all the screen with your thumb is just stupid for two reasons:

*It's not that you can't reach the opposite side of the screen, it's just that you will have to move yout finger a bit more.
*Position of menus etc can be arranged through software to stay in the middle or at least to not be on the corners.

Apple makes products for people who don't want to spend time learning how things work.

[Amnesia87]

This "comparison" is ridiculous, the "speed test" is laughable, but honestly the whole thing is a joke, especially when he starts using Siri...

The guy clearly has trained himself to use the Commands for Android, he talks like a robot, he knocks the iPhone because it doesn't know what he means when he says "set an alarm for one hour". I wouldn't know what he meant either, I suppose I'm impressed that Android realize what he wants. Though iPhone understands just fine if I say "set an alarm for one hour from now" or "set a one hour timer"

Then he treats iPhones reminder system as an equal feature to being able to send yourself an email? REALLY? Is it going to remind you in 30 minutes? REALLY?

He just doesn't seem to get the whole benefit of Siri, the idea that you don't have to use commands is lost on him. He ignores that Android isn't correcting capitalization in the texts and the fact that you can send a message with 2 "commands" instead of 3 with Siri. He ignores that with Siri, I can say, "How can I get to the nearest Starbucks", instead of "Navigate to Starbucks..."

Then he does a netflix streaming test, except he never actually waits to see if there is something wrong with the iPhone app, oops. Android loaded, end test (please don't notice I'm already using all my streams on the account this device is logged into O_O)

Oh, lets test the browser... Rather than see which browser allows the site to be "usable" faster, he waits for the page load to finish (who does that in actual use), oh there's a fraction of a second difference. But Galaxy SII is "smooth" ummm... do you know what smooth means Mr.Reviewer? Both look equally smooth, the only difference I see is that the scroll speed is set different for the two browsers... Something that is most definitely done intentionally.

Ok... lets double-tap to zoom, ooops, iPhone was faster, quick, lets ignore it and talk about how Android re-renders pages so they scale incorrectly so you can have different font sizes. Oh, and I think the iPhone text is too small, who cares if the iPhone text is crystal clear like print and the Galaxy isn't, that's not a feature.

I'm sorry, I actually do like Android, and I do think there are areas where Android/GSII is a bit better than iOS/iPhone, but the way this guy goes about his review, it's so clear he has an agenda, and I can't stand when reviewers pull that BS.

[VIP3R]

This "comparison" is ridiculous, the "speed test" is laughable, but honestly the whole thing is a joke, especially when he starts using Siri...

The guy clearly has trained himself to use the Commands for Android, he talks like a robot, he knocks the iPhone because it doesn't know what he means when he says "set an alarm for one hour". I wouldn't know what he meant either, I suppose I'm impressed that Android realize what he wants. Though iPhone understands just fine if I say "set an alarm for one hour from now" or "set a one hour timer"

Then he treats iPhones reminder system as an equal feature to being able to send yourself an email? REALLY? Is it going to remind you in 30 minutes? REALLY?

He just doesn't seem to get the whole benefit of Siri, the idea that you don't have to use commands is lost on him. He ignores that Android isn't correcting capitalization in the texts and the fact that you can send a message with 2 "commands" instead of 3 with Siri. He ignores that with Siri, I can say, "How can I get to the nearest Starbucks", instead of "Navigate to Starbucks..."

Then he does a netflix streaming test, except he never actually waits to see if there is something wrong with the iPhone app, oops. Android loaded, end test (please don't notice I'm already using all my streams on the account this device is logged into O_O)

Oh, lets test the browser... Rather than see which browser allows the site to be "usable" faster, he waits for the page load to finish (who does that in actual use), oh there's a fraction of a second difference. But Galaxy SII is "smooth" ummm... do you know what smooth means Mr.Reviewer? Both look equally smooth, the only difference I see is that the scroll speed is set different for the two browsers... Something that is most definitely done intentionally.

Ok... lets double-tap to zoom, ooops, iPhone was faster, quick, lets ignore it and talk about how Android re-renders pages so they scale incorrectly so you can have different font sizes. Oh, and I think the iPhone text is too small, who cares if the iPhone text is crystal clear like print and the Galaxy isn't, that's not a feature.

I'm sorry, I actually do like Android, and I do think there are areas where Android/GSII is a bit better than iOS/iPhone, but the way this guy goes about his review, it's so clear he has an agenda, and I can't stand when reviewers pull that BS.

Wow let it all out buddy, thats what the internet is for afterall.

Both phones are good in their own ways, and everyone is going to have a preference to one or the other.

[Manicdan]

He just doesn't seem to get the whole benefit of Siri,

i dont get it either. they are only putting it out there for the new phone right? so even if you get the latest ios you dont get siri, even though its just software. kinda sounds like they are screwing over their loyal customers who arnt as loyal as the ones who buy the latest phone every year.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

i dont get it either. they are only putting it out there for the new phone right? so even if you get the latest ios you dont get siri, even though its just software. kinda sounds like they are screwing over their loyal customers who arnt as loyal as the ones who buy the latest phone every year.

Only way to milk the sheep. And an extra feature that isn't even required to work w/ newer hardware and make it exclusive to the newest product.

Android needs polishing, that's for sure, but iOS is iOS, you either love it or bought a phone with an OS you can manipulate.

Both phones are fast, the iPhone has a tiny screen which kills it for most people.

I expected a LOT more from a company that simply produces one phone a year. The upgrades are a joke. I wonder what samsung would come up with in a year if they simply said, "We will only produce one phone next year, the Galaxy S III." I can dream... lol.

[Manicdan]

Only way to milk the sheep.

my coworkers loved a saying i came up with (and at my job i think were around 30% iphone, and 50% android, 20% something else)

"The best thing about Apple is its ability to rape its customers, and then convince them its the proper way to do it"

[aintz]

lesson learned, get a samsung phone if you drop stuff alot. but if i was rich id still get the iphone lol.

[Lanek]

i dont get it either. they are only putting it out there for the new phone right? so even if you get the latest ios you dont get siri, even though its just software. kinda sounds like they are screwing over their loyal customers who arnt as loyal as the ones who buy the latest phone every year.

It have take 8hours for developp Iris for Android, a software who work as Siri.. Most funny, doing it, they have find a tons of bug on Siri ..
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dexetra.iris

[3NZ0]

Screen is perfect IMO. Here's why... http://www.redmondpie.com/ever-wonde...priate-answer/

Did you notice that the green on the SGS2 is smaller than the one on the iphone? Fail.

[Manicdan]

It have take 8hours for developp Iris for Android, a software who work as Siri.. Most funny, doing it, they have find a tons of bug on Siri ..
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dexetra.iris

its an ok start, whats really needed is the integration with other apps like texting or calendars.

[trinibwoy]

Having said that, I would be very surprised to find somebody interested in buying an iPhone on a forum called XtremeSystems.

Lol, wat? People don't need to be uber geeks in EVERY aspect of their lives. Owning an iPhone has nothing to do with anything else you do. It's just a phone.

[EniGmA1987]

Owning an iPhone has nothing to do with anything else you do. It's just a phone.

But a phone that you cant do nearly as much overclocking with...
Almost broke 2GHz barrier on my phone a couple days ago

[Sparky]

Screen is perfect IMO. Here's why... http://www.redmondpie.com/ever-wonde...priate-answer/

That is VERY subjective and comes down to each person's hand size, finger length, etc. I have a Samsung Epic 4g (Galaxy S) which has a 4" screen and I can reach the whole thing with my thumb without issue.

Oh, and the AMOLED screen is also really nice too

[JohnZS]

What people seem to forget is that the Samsung Galaxy SII has been around since April, it has taken Apple THAT LONG to come up with a phone which is competitive. Personally I prefer the SII, but the iPhone 4S is not exactly a slouch or a horrible phone. It is just hideously over priced and in the UK the contracts are awful.
Not only that but I do not like the way Apple lock down their devices so you cannot casually send a picture or a mp3 by Bluetooth, you cannot drag and drop files to your phone, you cannot use SDcard storage. These things really make me hate Apple with a vengeance.

I do think that the SII screen is slightly big, in my opinion the optimal size screen is 3.7"-4.0" Perhaps the best platform would be that of the HTC Incredible S (note I am not talking hardware here, just shape and dimensions).

I would like to see a comparison between the new HTC Sensation XE which has a 1.5 Ghz CPU , this can be had for cheaper than the iPhone 4 here in the UK.

HOWEVER

We all know the real winner is going to be the new Android Platform phones which are coming in November, 720p screens, groundbreaking new UI, biometrics, even more sophisticated power saving, and other enhancements.

Android is rapidly evolving, Apple are just playing catch up...

John

[FischOderAal]

I see no use in such big devices. Imho the sweetspot is at 3.2 to 3.5 inches. If you carry around a tablet why not go even smaller? 2.6 inches is too small to browse the web but fine for mails and twitter.

What people seem to forget is that the Samsung Galaxy SII has been around since April, it has taken Apple THAT LONG to come up with a phone which is competitive.

Ahahahahaaaa. Oh wait, you're serious? You do know that it takes more than a couple of weeks to build a phone? Including all the tests it has to pass before it actually is allowed to be used?

Android is evolving rapidly alright. But Android still has a lot of rough edges.

[\/icious]

I try to get interested in iphones but they are just too fragile and too locked down for my taste. Siri is really the best selling point of the iphone 4s that i can see aside from the current perks to going with an iphone.. I will also put big money on the fact the that the iphone 5 will definitely have a bigger screen. I havent talked to one iphone/apple user who isnt disappointed in this current release mainly because they want a phone with a bigger screen or the fact that they cant put Siri on their phone. Samsung also makes great phones and ill take super amoled over the retina display any day. I think im going to be an android fanboy for a long while.