#“My Smartphone evolution from N95-8GB to Samsung Galaxy S4 #SGS4”
My first actual “Smartphone” was a Nokia N70 but it has the dubious pleasure of being the only phone I ever lost. The one that really got me using Apps and understanding the importance of SoLoMo was the classic N95-8GB which I loved despite its numerous flaws. It was also the most I ever spent on a phone.
When I realised that Android would be an unstoppable juggernaut, I got a HTC G1 back in Nov 2008, shortly after it was released. Still a fine phone and I do love that slidey keyboard.
I followed that with the HTC Desire which was many people’s first Android phone and still afirmfavourite with lots of them. Our 13 yo has had it for the past 2 years and the only thing he dislikes even now is the lack of storage to install Apps.
I bought an Orange San Francisco (ZTE Blade) for my Dad as a test intro to Android. He took to it no problem and now has a Nexus S. Our 11 yo has had the Blade for the past year. A shockingly solid piece of kit for something that cost 99 without contract.
In Aug 2011 I was chuffed to learn I had won a HTC Sensation from Vodafone. That’s what I’ve been using until today. It was and is a superb piece of hardware let down by pretty awful software from HTC and some really ropey build quality. It is alsounfortunatelynot that popular with the creators of custom ROMs and I’ve never had a ROM which works 100% reliably with all the features. Bluetooth is a particular pain in the ass. But the Cyanogenmod ROMs still beat anything HTC themselves released.
And then we get to 2013. It’s currently a three horse race for most people between the HTC One, the Sony Experia Z and the Samsung Galaxy S4. On paper based on raw specs, the S4 wins. The other two are better looking phones and apparently are better built. I don’t trust Sony in general with maintaining products and they always overprice, so the Z is out. Loyalty should have me buying the HTC One but three drawbacks have forced me into the arms of Samsung for the first time.
The first, and worst, is that you cannot ever replace the battery in the One. This isn’t like the iPhone where it’s awkward and requires tools. You have to physically destroy the HTC One to get at the battery. In a world where people are starting to return to the idea of repairability in products and owning things for longer, this is a disastrous decision by HTC. I have had spare batteries in my pocket for my phones since N95-8GB days, I can’t go back to worrying about my phone running out of charge.
Add to that the lack of an SD Card slot and a weirdly de-specced 4MP camera and I’mafraidHTC will be sold for spare change to someone like Microsoft before the end of the year.
So SGS4 it is. Hands-on in the shop was a very impressive experience. But I haven’t even turned it on at home yet. More when I do.