I have been an avid iPhone user for the last 3 years. This in itself is unprecedented because I loved to try out different brands and had never found the "ideal" phone that I could stay faithful to for long.
I really loved my first iPhone: The iPhone 3GS. The phone was really stable and hardly hanged. It was the first smartphone that I really enjoyed and so simple to use. Since then I had always been the first batch to upgrade to the latest iPhone.
However, since iPhone 4 onwards, there were much more hardware & OS issues. The phones crashed , reception was inconsistent (and I was certain it was not just a telco issue) and it hanged every now and then. But I was able to bear with all these "minor" issues as I was convinced iPhone is the only best choice. However, my inner dissatisfaction with the instability of the iOS grew.
Before I got my hands on iPhone 5, I was already contemplating to give Samsung galaxy a try. However the thought of having to go through the trouble of switching platform and how to port all my contacts, sms & notes over, I decided to stay put.
Unfortunately the new iOS removed YouTube as the proprietary app and my favourite Google map which had been a great help to me in time past. The Apple map is too new and not as precise in its locations.
My iPhone 5 also started heating up really fast and got super hot for no apparent reason when I was not even using the phone. And the battery started draining at 1% per minute --- scary!!! It happened a few times and all Apple phone support could do was to advise me to reset to factory setting and re-install everything all over!
Someone suggested that I should consider Samsung Galaxy Note 2 LTE (GN2), as it is a very good phone for business. As I am always on the go for my job, I decided to do some research and google on Galaxy Note 2 LTE. I was surprised by the good reviews and I also researched on topics like iPhone vs. Galaxy. There are certainly pros and cons for both. Regardless, I decided to give GN2 a try. I thought to myself --- huh, it's just a phone anyway. What could be worse? Switch back lo...hahaha...I am not one deterred and worried about the trouble of backing up and transferring phone data.
So as usual, I will sell off my phone to upgrade to another and minimal cost. I managed to sell off my 1 month old iPhone 5 for $930 to a dealer I found through phing.com. They buy local new and used sets and sell them to third world country to make a profit. NEVER NEVER trade in with the Telco as you will get a price so low you might as well just keep it as a spare phone. Also, ask several dealers for their buy-in price to get the best quote. Always keep your phone in fully protected casing, screen protector and with full set of box and accessories to get the most value back.
I found a retailer at Far East Plaza selling GN2 for only $975. I asked to reserve a set for me as I know it's out of stock at many locations. So on the same day I sold my iPhone 5, got the cash and went straight to collect GN2. Minimal down-time as I have no spare phone, hahaha!
But it was a nightmare backing up my iPhone especially the contacts. I tried 2 ways.
First, I downloaded an iPhone app to backup contacts, emailed the file to myself and saved it on my PC. I tried to open up in Google mail but it didn't recognize the file.
Second way, I tried using iTunes to sync contacts to Outlook but not a single contact appeared there.
There were too many articles online on this topic and some instructions to port contacts are really complex. I had no time to waste as I need to meet the dealer to sell my phone the next morning (take note that selling price of the phone drops by the day). Out of my desperation, I decided to do the unthinkable and unbelievable: I keyed in 500+ contacts manually into Outlook and Excel! Took me several hours to do that, goodness gracious me!
I also emailed important sms to myself as I do not want to spend on paid apps to port the sms over. Anyway I keep too many messages over too long; it was a much needed "spring-cleaning" for me.
Finally, whatever needed was done and the next day, I sold my iPhone 5 and got my Galaxy Note 2 LTE.
I was glad I made the change. The user interface was super cool! I can slide in any direction I want on any part of the screen to unlock, unlike iPhone. Of course people who jailbreak their iPhones disagree with me.
My Galaxy N2 battery capacity is 3100 mAH, double that of iPhone 5. And I really feel that my phone could lasts me for a full day! But I still have the habit to charge mid day as I prefer to see the full capacity of it. The BIG screen is fantastic for web surfing and viewing videos. Although I may look a bit silly using it for phone calls but the benefit of surfing with ease outweighs the awkwardness any time!
Phone reception quality is much better, consistent and I have not experienced any dropped calls yet as compared to iPhone. 3G/4G network is still very much subjected to telco network and rather inconsistent. But even at low network reception areas, I am still able to do surfing albeit at a slower speed.
There are a few things I have to compromise though:
1. Apps in Andriod is less extensive and less sophisticated than Apple Apps.
Some of my favorite game apps in Apple app store are not available in Andriod. Like Blitz. And there is no Golden village movie ticket booking app too. Olive Tree NKJV bible app for Andriod crashed so very often which I don't experience on my iPhone at all.
Whatsapp on Andriod also has fewer features than on the Apple app platform. Many good children's educational apps on Apple are unavailable on Andriod. This is a BIG thing to consider whether to switch over, if Apple apps are very much a BIG part of your daily entertainment.
2. Emoji Icons keyboard restrictions.
In iPhone when I download Emoji keyboard, it is integrated smoothly into iPhone orginal keyboard. I was also able to integrate both Chinese and English input languages, without having to use a separate app.
However, Samsung's orginal keyboard can only input 1 language and I cannot integrate Emoticons into it. I have to use a separate GO keyboard and set that as default instead. But I am not comfortable with the lay-out options so I stick to Samsung's keyboard for now. Sadly, the emoticons on Andriod will not appear on iPhone users so I am back to traditional symbols. :(
But I am glad I still keep my iPad. So my transition is not too drastic and I still have my Apple App store to fall back on. Hence, the conclusion is that if you have been an iPhone user for long, it is better for you to keep an iPad while switching over to Samsung Galaxy phone. Otherwise you will be really sad as the Andriod apps for entertainment really cannot match up. Otherwise, Samsung GN2 LTE is a really good phone and I am still loving it despite the little things that I missed on iPhone.
Feel free to drop your comments on any queries that you have! :)
