On Mobile Phones...

I have noticed a lot of snobbery of late in reference, of all things, to mobile phones. Either regarding other peoples choices, the opinions of others, or directed at people that have stated a simple preference.

A couple of weeks back, Ms. Posh decided her phone was on its way out and asked for advice as to what she should get. Actually, none of that is entirely true. A bit before that, we had a conversation (on Twitter I think) about my general dislike of Blackberry (the phone, not the fruit). Again, a personal decision based on my own preferences after having read reviews, fiddled with a couple of models and spoken to others that use them.

After stating that I didn't like them, I actually received flak from die-hard fans telling me how wrong I was, that they are the best thing ever, and other general fan-boy rubbish.  "They're just better coz they ARE!" is not an argument.

The same has happened in the past when I have stated openly that I don't like the iPhones either. Granted, they are pretty, but then, "pretty" isn't my basis for buying something. When one of the Brand Spanking New iPhones came out, I compared it to my six-month-old Dumb Phone (which was a Sony Ericsson W995), and proved using actual facts that the technical specs were pretty much the same thing - except people would kill for one of them, pay STUPID amounts of money for it, and state it's the best thing since sliced bread.

Again, fan-boys screaming at me do nothing but actually put me off a brand.

For years and years, I generally only used Sony Ericsson phones. Not because "OMG They're just the best ever coz they ARE!" but because at the time, their phones had the best specs for what I wanted, did the things I wanted them to do and were generally very very good phones. I never had any issues with any of my SE phones. I've tried Motorola before, and after four different models, I just didn't like how they functioned, how they did the things I wanted to do and so on.

So anyway, back to the point.

Ms. Posh was asking about which phone she should get, I stated "not a BB" and gave a breakdown as to why not. And again, I got flak (I should point out, at no point was it people I consider friends shooting at me, but completely random strangers). Given the choice of ANY phone on the market, I would go with an Android device. Yes, the iPhone may have features the Androids don't, but I just prefer how the Android phones feel. Going from Dumb Phone to Smart Phone IS an intimidating step, especially if you're ditching a buttoned phone for a touch-screen.

Now, before someone starts screaming that I'm Anti-Apple and just hating on the iPhone because I can, I'll point out that no, I'm not. I'm stating I prefer my Desire HD to the iPhone because I personally think it's a better phone. I'm not jumping on the "Bad Apple" bandwagon, nor the "Get Android!" bandwagon for the sake of jumping on. Exactly the same as I couldn't give a rats arse about Team Jacob/Team Edward. Granted, they're both shit, but that's another post for another day*

If you're looking at phones, I can honestly see no reason to get a Blackberry. The screens are smaller - I compared one to my phone the other day, and it was a third of the size - and the person using it was on Facebook... Why have such a small screen? Then you get the people stating they NEED buttons to text. Really? Have you SEEN the buttons on a BB? They slap an entire QWERTY keyboard across the width of the phone which was equally as wide as mine. If you've got fingers like me, you're not pressing one button at a time, you're pressing three or four.

"Oh but it's GREAT for email!" some will say. Really, how can it be better than any other email program on any other phone? I have a Gmail app on my phone - how can your phone be better than that? I can send, receive, add attachments, reply, forward, delete and report spam. What else is there?

Other will extol the virtues of BBM, the "private" messaging service between users. That's great, you can chat to anyone else with BBM. But if you download WhatsApp, I can chat to everyone else that uses it, regardless of their phone make, model or even brand! And wait - it's also "private" And unlike with the Blackberry - which, as you remember, died a death a few weeks back - if the WhatsApp servers go down, I can use a different app, still access the Internet and everything else. What happened with the BB servers died? Oh right, they couldn't do ANYTHING.

The biggest excuse most people use for BB is the fact it's a smart phone, but with buttons. That's great - if only there were Android phones with buttons. Oh wait, there are - they have proper-sized, slide out keyboards.

Honestly, if you're willing to spend a chunk of money on a phone, then surely you would get the best you can for the money you have? I can't see why someone would go out looking for a contract for £25 a month, and opt for a smaller, less powerful, small-buttoned, smaller screen phone, when they can get a bigger (HD, even!) screened, more powerful, faster phone with more functionality, and so many apps you can sit and go through the Market all day long and still only scratch the surface of what's available.

At this juncture, I will point out I am not pro nor con which of the smart phones you "should" get. If you want to get an iPhone, then get an iPhone. If you want to get an Android device, get an Android. Personally I think the iPhone is simply just an over-hyped, over-rated, well over-priced lump of pretty and people have to have them because others have them. The hype surrounding a new iPhone launch just astonishes me, yet all that generally changes is a few bits inside - yet people rush out and buy a new one because "it's new!"

I'm sure that someone will come along and prod and poke at me saying "this is wrong" and "that is wrong" which I don't mind at all.  I'm quite happy for a discussion to spontaneously break out and for people to talk about their phones. What I can't stand is the planks that will scream and shout that their phone is better simply because "it is"

I'd also be quite interested to hear why you chose the phone you have. Did you go on looks, what's inside, what it can do, or *shudder* because everyone else had one? What made you get the phone you have (assuming, of course, you had a choice and a say in it) and if you're due to get a new one soon, how will you chose its replacement?



*Yes, I've tried reading Twilight. Three times. Holy Crap what a boring pile of loo paper. If you want "sexy creatures of the night" then read the Anita Blake stories. Those stories might have angst in them, but not on every bloody page...