For several weeks now, I’ve been trying to choose a new smartphone. I just can’t seem to make a final decision. I do realize this isn’t one of the great moral decisions of our times, but I just can’t seem to decide. I think I know the root of the problem, but that hasn’t made the decision any easier. Here’s my story.
I’ve been using a smartphone since 2009 and this will be my fourth phone. My first was a Palm Pre (if only I could still choose a WebOS phone, this whole issue would be resolved. lol) I’ve been using my current phone, a Samsung Galaxy S3, for two years and it is time to move on to another phone. This is my second Galaxy phone (I also had the Galaxy S2) and I want to go in a different direction this time. There are things I really like about my phone, but it’s time for a new direction. Truth be told that as much as I like my S3, I haven’t liked it nearly as much as I did my S2. TouchWiz is just too heavy of a skin. With the Galaxy S2, I really believe it helped make the phone better. However, Android has come a long way since then and really doesn’t need all the skinning. Another reason for the change is the high cost to purchase a Galaxy Note 4 (the phone I’d want) off contract. David and I are wanting to avoid signing another contract, so we are going to pay full price for the phones. So I’m looking for a new phone from a different vendor.
_cover_photo.JPG)
Initially, I had planned to go with the second generation Moto X from Motorola. I really liked the original Moto X, but was not in a position to buy one when it was released last year. It’s mostly stock Android with some software additions such as Moto Assist and Moto Voice that I think would be awesome. Plus it receives Android software updates pretty quickly. When the second generation was announced, it seemed perfect. The new Moto X had maintained all the benefits of the original phone while fixing it’s shortcomings and it still had a relatively low price for an off contract phone. Problem is it still has two issues and one of those is extremely important to me. The first problem seems to be battery life. The 2300 mAh battery is just too small for the high end performance of the phone. I am hearing a lot of people say they cannot make it through the day. (Of course, I can’t do that with my S3 currently either, but I’d really like to do it.) But I could probably live with that issue and just carry a battery booster when I know I will be away from a charger for a long period of time. If only issue two didn’t exist, but it does. The camera still has issues and isn’t nearly up to par with the cameras seen on phones like the Galaxy S5, Note 4 or LG G3. So disappointed.
.jpg)
The camera on the phone is super important to me. I use my phone camera all the time. I have a Canon XS that I love. But I don’t carry it with me everywhere I go (for obvious reasons). As my regular readers know, I am a digital scrapbooker. I need good pictures. I thought about just getting s small point and shoot for my purse, because I really want the phone, but I’ve had problems with purse cameras in the past. So, I now have the dilemma of still wanting the 2014 Moto X, but fearing that my dream phone will ending up being my personal nightmare. (Yes, that sounds dramatic but I love taking pictures.) So I’ve kind of decided on the LG G3 instead. The problem is that I really can’t commit for a few reasons. First, I really wanted to try the Moto Voice and Moto Assist features. I’ve wanted them for a year now, so it’s hard to give up that idea. Second, LG doesn’t seem to be real quick at updating it’s software. It’s running the same version of Kit Kat as my two year old Galaxy S3. They’ve said they will be putting Android L on the phone, but that’s no guarantee. Plus it’s running a skinned version of Android. It’s a light skin, but still skinned and having a 2013 Nexus 7, I know I prefer the stock version. The LG G3 does have the advantages of having a replaceable battery (so hard to find these days) and a micro SD card slot.
(BTW, this is the point in the post where I became totally distracted by Android Central and their forums. lol)
Now that I am no longer distracted, let me tell you why I might wait to see what the end of the month brings. (Yes, I know. This is adding choices, not lessening. lol) It is rumored that the new Nexus phone is going to be made by Motorola. Also, I’ve read that switching to the Google Camera App on the Moto X solves a lot of the camera issues. (See, my Android Central visit was not without merit.) The new Nexus phone could be my optimal solution. The problem here is that there is a rumor floating around that it will be a 6” device. Would my small hands even be able to take a picture with that device? Too many choices and no perfect solution. lol
I have issues. Even while writing this post I’ve been changing my mind. There are a few users over at Android Central who have posted images they have taken with the 2014 Moto X and they are much better than I had expected. Maybe it is a camera I can live with after all. Plus the fact that the Google Camera app making a difference indicates the issue is software related and that can be fixed with an update. Really this decision is so hard. So dear readers, please help me.
If you use either the 2014 Moto X or the LG G3, please let me know what you think. If you have pictures you’ve taken with either phone, I would love to see them. If you know someone who uses these phones, please direct them to this post. I need their help. I have to make a decision.
You must be logged in to post a comment.