Tempted by an iPhone, but not by paying more just for the Apple brand.

I've read loads of smartphone reviews and checked out my workmate's Toshiba TG01 (too big!). HTC Hero looks good, but still not sure what I want. Can anyone recommend an iPhone alternative?

HTC Tattoo

Running a decent OS, far cheaper but missing a few of the nice to have features.

Thanks daiking - off to google HTC Tattoo

I've got an iPhone and it isn't the best thing in the world, my old Nokia smartphone (can't remember what model it was) was a lot more stable and the battery was infinitly better.

Although the iPhone does feel very nice and is very easy to use where as the SonyE and Nokia phones I find quite confusing to work with the iPhone seems to flow very smoothly.

HTC Tattoo

Running a decent OS, far cheaper but missing a few of the nice to have features.

resistive screen...possibly a bit too pikey

Thanks daiking - off to google HTC Tattoo

If you want an iphone or an iphone alternative then you need to pay iphone prices as I found out recently.

The tattoo is a capable phone but its not trying to be an iphone - the HTC HD2 is there for that. The Android Market for apps doesn't seem to be anywhere near as good as the iphone equivalent and the tattoo is currently handicapped by its screen size as not all apps are yet cleared to work at that resolution but overall its a massive step up from my N95. To give a cost comparison my phone was free and only costing £20 a month including data for 18mths compared to any of the iphone tariffs I've seen.

There are a couple of other HTC phones that sit inbetween the top end (HD2) and the budget end (tattoo) like the magic and hero that are also worth a look but I defintieyl a convert to HTC.

Some fair reviews

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39030106,49303979,00.htm

http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Id=8114

http://blog.rightmobilephone.co.uk/htc-tattoo-review/

http://www.fifthgear.five.tv/gadgets/phones/htc-tattoo

resistive screen...possibly a bit too pikey

Works with my gloves on :p

if you're not used to a capacitive screen then its not too bad - all depends on your expectations. I would say the smaller size is a bigger problem both for using and also software apps support whilst its still fairly new.

Edited 12 December, 200916 yr by daiking

I have an HTC Hero, and an iPod touch (not iPhone, but same UI essentailly) so feel pretty qualified to comment for once.

Firslty cost. The Hero is on £25 a month with free phone, unlimited texts, internet and 300 mins. Try getting an iPhone on a tarrif that cheap, let alone for free!

Anyway, onto the actaul devices.

The iPod is a LOT faster seeming. While the HTC isn't slow, it just lacks the responsivness of the iPod, but I would guess they are about the same, just the iPod feels slicker. In terms of the UI, the iPod just has the few home screens with all the apps on it, and an app has to opened for every feature. With the Hero there are 7 home screens which I have setup for weather, music, messages, facebook:no:, internet and some other stuff. I also have shortcuts to the most used apps on there too. As a result of that it seems a lot faster to actaully use as I need to use menus to get to everything, it's just there.

In terms of apps, they differ a fair bit. Contrary to what daiking says, I find the content of the app store fine. I however use it for more 'techie' things than most would. In terms of games, they are there, but not as many (seem to be lacking big name developers backing), but due to the open source nature of Anriod there are more apps letting you fiddle/view device info. However, most things on anroids seem to be free, where the iPod charges a lot for games/apps, but does have a wider range of better games. Things like Shazam, Skype and so on are on the Hero though, as are satnav software (the the iPhone does this, touch doesn't).

Battery life on the Hero, a day, maybe two? I have turned off wifi, constantly on mobile network is off, push data is off, but I still get a day, or two if I'm conservative from the Hero. iPod I can't comment on as it doesn't have GSM features to power. Oh, apps don't close on there own like they do on the iPod, they just minise which eats into RAM, CPU and overall battery life while slowling the whole thing down. There is a 'widget' for the homescreen though that closes any minised programme, and clears RAM and saves battery. Also, the scroll wheel is a godsend on the Hero, makes placing the cursor in text, and selecting links (when close together) sooooo much easier, espeacilly if you have fat fingers or it's cold!

As a media device, the Hero is lacking, a bit slow and dumb, and is aced in every way by the iPod/iPhone (as you'd expect!), but is still usable for the odd walk or whatever. Camera, seems clear in day light, with good quality photos but anything else is rubbish. Was in a dimly lit bar the other night, and couldn't see a thing with the camera. Expect the iPhone to be the same as neither has a flash though. However, Hero has SD support, which the iPhone doesn't - so easily expandable.

Overall, I would take the iPod as a media player any day of the week, but as a phone I honestly couldn't justify the extra cost. While it is good, I don't think it's twice as good. Plus, everyones got one. . .

In terms of other phones on the market to rival the iPhone on a budget, Nokia 5530? Guy at uni has one, and while it's only supports single finger input (whatever thats called?) it is very cheap, and still has the OVI apps store thingy, wifi, decent music player, Carl Zuess camera. It does however seem pretty slow and clumsy in general, but for the costs? Not a bad package.

If money were no object, it would be an iPhone for me, but in the real world with limited funds I reckon any Andriod phone will do just as good-a job, but one with the HTCs 'Sense' overlay/UI would be the one to plump for. Windows devices are of course an option, thats more the Merc of the phone world IMO, expensive, and not too stable/realible!

HTH, Joe.

Edited 13 December, 200916 yr by TriggerFish

Thanks to all for your useful information .

I think I might end up going for an HTC phone running Android, but not sure exactly which one yet.

what kind of phones have you had in the past?

A mate of mine has just got a Samsung i8910 Omina HD... it runs on symbian (same as Nokia N and E series phones)

He swears by it!.. and if your used to the Symbian OS, its a good choice... it will be an infinately better PHONE than the iphone is.. as for apps n stuff... well it depends exactly what you want it for..

If it were me (being the power-user/geek that i am) id prob consider the samsung, or a nokia as thats where i came from originally... the iphone is good for certain things (i like the iphones ability to be a work phone and personal phone at same time.. ie multiple contact lists and email accounts that can be viewed together or separately) - theres an app for pretty much anything you want to do.. although be prepared to pay for it!!!

things that really annoy me: basic phone features... no phone profiles... can either be on loud, or vibrate... cannot (easily) change default sms tones.. being that theres only 5 or so, and more than 5 people in the office with iphones.. it gets annoying!.. No multi-tasking.. ok this again depends what you use it for, but i use IM alot on my phone.. and its annoying having to either leave it open, or have to close the app im using to get to it every time i get a message.. also if using the features like push email, you will be hard pressed to get a day out of the battery.

Also my biggest annoyance: the volume of any alarms you set are related to the volume you set the ringtone.. so if you have your ringtone vol set low, the alarm vol will be low... ive fallen into this trap many a time where ive put the volume down to minimum for work... again its a simple but fecking annoying thing... APPLE WHEN WILL YOU ALLOW PROFILES!

My son had the iPhone and sold because he bought an HTC. He was pleased with it at first,

but now misses some of the apps on the iPhone.....

No point in messing about - just buy a iphone 3GS and enjoy.

No point in messing about - just buy a iphone 3GS and enjoy.

what about a blackberry storm 2???

http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/

quite a good mobile phone review site

I think the best alternative to an iPhone 3GS is....an iPhone 3G.

Mike