A new phone

In my never ending quest to travel lighter, a couple of weeks ago I purchased the Google Nexus 7 tablet. It’s a 7 inch tablet, weighs only 12 ounces and is surprisingly good. It was my first venture into Android.

I had been using an Ipod Touch but as I get older its screen appears to get smaller. Thus, the tablet. (By the way, I’ll do a review of it shortly.)

But now I also need a new phone. I’m embarrassed to say I still have a Blackberry that is over two years old. I had thought about the new Iphone 5 and watched the coverage of the announcement today. It sounded good. But something happened recently that just got my dander up.

One of the changes on the Iphone 5 is the connector. Instead of the old 30 pin connector anyone using an Apple device is well aware of, a new, smaller one would be used instead. But, the company would be nice and make an adaptor available so we could use our old cords.

So, I went to the Apple store, found the adapter, and couldn’t believe my eyes. The little adapter is selling for $29. Each.

Are they serious? I know Apple likes to only use proprietary products so they get a piece of everything sold, but that is ridiculous.

It also got me thinking. Do I really need to get an Iphone 5 or are there Android phones that work just as well.

I need a phone that runs on Verizon, is 4g capable, wifi, bluetooth, quadband (can be used in the U.S. and overseas), runs Adnroid apps and is reliable.

Any suggestions?

Comments

[Nick]

So you're upset at having to get new power adaptors, so you solicit information for a device that…will require new power adaptors? I would guess a 2 year old BlackBerry used mini USB while most non-iDevices use micro USB these days, so you'd still need all new adaptors. Or you could just use the new cord that comes with the device and spend nothing. I'm assuming since you've had the iPod Touch for longer than your Android tablet, so you'd be saving money by being able to use apps you've already purchased instead of needing to buy them again on Android.

[Frank@OBOW]

Before you make generalizations, perhaps you should check your facts.

My Blackberry uses a micro usb as does the Android tablets and Android phones. Micro seems to be the standard now, except for Apple, and I have plenty of the micro size. And should I need more, they cost very little. (Nowhere near $29).

I find just about every app I need is free. The amount of apps I've purchased can be counted on one hand. Yes, I can transfer my Ipod Touch apps to a new Iphone for free but with the purchase of the Nexus 7, I got $25 credit in the Google App store. I haven't even touched that yet.

Oh, and did I mention the new Iphone will also be using a new size sim card making it more difficult to find traveling overseas?

So to answer your question, I will not be needing to buy new power adapters if I go with an Android phone.

[Ralph]

Its subjective for sure, but the best alternative ( as of buying today) is the Samsung Galaxy s3.
But, I would not recommend using the $29 connector as a potential deal breaker. Considering the literal estimated US GDP impact from a single phone, there will be cheaper 3rd party connectors and for that matter, the sim cards abroad.
I think the IPhone 5 will be the better product personally.
But I can understand if someone buys an alternative based on a dislike of Apple or preference for android or simply looks and other features. But not $29 and I really think Apple will change the market for those new sims. Their sheer numbers sold can do that. I would not be worried about the sims, unless one is needed immediately.

[Michael]

If you want a phone that works worldwide, you need to give up on Verizon (CDMA) and go GSM.

As others have mentioned, the Samsung products are in the lead in Android right now. I'd also mention the Google Galaxy Nexus (made by Samsung) - the only current phone that doesn't have carrier-installed "bloatware" and will be able to run "pure" Android. They all use a universally-available micro-USB cable for charging, just like your Nexus 7.

[Frank@OBOW]

The nice thing Verizon did with the Iphone 4S, and I'm hoping they would do with the 5, is unlock the phone if requested. This would allow owners to put in foreign sim cards when traveling and hot have to pay Verizon's outrageous international rates. (I checked and some of the newer sim cards are already available in Europe.)

Apple started to crack down on third party accessories by threatening to sue anyone who infringed on their patent. But, I'm sure, there will be plenty of Chinese knock-offs just as there are now.

It's just kind of irksome that a device that costs no more than 50 cents to make is marked up so much. And considering the new power cord is $10 less, I'm guess they priced the adapter higher so people are forced to get new cords rather than just adapters for their old ones. But I like retractable cords as they take up less space. These were never made by Apple.

Then one has to think about the future of Samsung handsets with Apple threatening even more law suits.

I'm probably going to wind up with the Iphone 5. It really is the better device.

I figure by mid October all the bugs should be worked out.

[Chris]

I don't get it - if you buy an iPhone 5 you get a new cord with it, no need to spend money on the adapter. At least that's what I figured when I was wondering whether to buy the phone - my old cord will work with my old devices, and a new cord will come with the new device. Am I missing something?

[Frank@OBOW]

I like to have more than one cord and prefer a retractable one for travel. (All of my travel cords are retractable and easier to manage.) Instead of continually packing and unpacking my travel electronics, I keep the travel versions--adapters, chargers, cords-- packed together and ready to go, They rarely get unpacked. This way, I never forget anything.

Rather than buy all new cords, and have to wait until retractable ones are made, I thought it would be easier to just buy adapters for the ones I have now. But then I saw the price.

I carry two of each in case one goes bad. Since they weigh about an ounce this is not a problem. But to buy two adapters would be over $60 when you include tax. That's ridiculous.

On a side note, I've been reading numerous reviews of the new Apple products and especially the new Lightning plug. Almost without exception, note of the high cost of the adapter is mentioned in each article.

[Mags]

Frank, here is an article about Verizon Android phones being updated to world phones:

http://www.androidcentral.com/verizon-confirms-some-phones-will-get-updated-global-use

You might want to look at the new Razr phones that just were announced (since the article was published, of course). They have some really nice models.

It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S3 is also a world phone on Verizon, but you have to do some hacking.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1809314

I have a Galaxy S2 on Sprint and I drool over the S3. But I think my next phone will be a Nexus.

[Mags]

Another thing: the Galaxy Nexus is rumored to be getting a spec bump in the next few months. They are due for an update before Christmas, in any event. If you're not in a rush, you might want to wait and see what they come up with, if you are interested in a Nexus.

[Frank@OBOW]

Thanks Mags. I heard yesterday that the S3 is scheduled for an update to Jelly Bean, the newest Android operating system, and the one in the Nexus 7, in October with the S2 update in November.

This is definitely something to look into.

[Luke]

I agree on the Galaxy S3. I also agree on dumping Verizon for another carrier. You could buy one of the global models off contract, and then pop a sim from AT&T or T Moblie while here in the US, and any of a number of providers overseas.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-GT-I9300-Factory-Unlocked/dp/B007VCRRNS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347551505&sr=8-1&keywords=galaxy+s3

[Laurie]

Depending on how anxious you are to get the new adapter... many bona fide Apple accessories end up at Target stores. They offer $5 incentive gift cards for purchasing double items most weeks i.e. paper towels, toilet paper, cat litter, household cleaners, etc. Save up several $5 incentive gift cards to be applied against the pricey $29 adapter(s.)

[Tom]

My fifteen year old son, who has been through at least a half dozen phones including the iPhone 4, says the newest Samsung Galaxy, "Rocks!" It might be worth a look.

[Frank@OBOW]

I have reviewed Gomadic chargers and cords on this site and find them to be of top quality. They use a changeable tip format for all of their devices. (I highly recommend them.)

I checked with them, and they will have the Lightning tip but it will take a couple of months because they have to get the okay from Apple.

Gomadic charges $6 for each tip. A much more reasonable amount compared to what Apple wants for an adapter. And considering I've been using an "old" Apple tip with Gomadic in the past, I might as well stick with this and get the Iphone 5.

[Ralph]

I preordered 2 iPhone 5's this morning. Back in the day, gomadic offered free tip exchanges. They were one of the first to make cell phone to PDA cables....before smartphones. That's when I started buying from gomadic. They are good.

[Buildbright]

I have used all types of phones and if you are a traveler and ae use to a blackberry the iPhone is the way to go. All the best apps, and accessories go to apple devices. Also Android devices are cheaply built that is how they compete with Apple. I have the oriiginal iPhone 4 and my dad has the original 3GS. Both work flawlessly and have the latest operating system. Name one android device that does that. Android is great but iOS is just on another plane.

[walk]

You buy the iPhone5 and you get the new cable. Simple as that. We really can't expect apple to keep a 10 year old connector alive forever when all other companies use something significantly smaller. If you go Android you can't use your Apple chargers anyway. Wait a little bit and there will be a flood of knock-off adapters available if you really want the iPhone5.

The Apple adapters are a little over-priced, but they are an active converter, not a simple pass-through device.

I was initially annoyed that Apple didn't use micro-USB but there are some real technical benefits with the new connector that are not possible with micro-USB (reversible, faster charging for future ipad, etc). So for now I am on the fence and keeping my iPhone4 for a while.

Since you already got an Android tablet, I would focus more on Android phones to match - just be prepared for a lot of choice ;-)

[D M]

Methinks that $29 (or even $58), even with tax, is a mere drop in the bucket, for us frequent world travelers.

Airline tickets, hotel rates, "overpriced" synthetic clothing, Tom Bihn gear galore...

I'm no millionaire, but $29 wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

I vote for the iPhone 5. I'll be getting mine to replace my iPhone 4 in a few weeks.

And if you have a problem with your phone while traveling, drop by your nearest Apple store Genius Bar for assistance! They're popping up all over the world!

[Esther]

As an iphone user, I can understand why you're mad about the new connector. I, too, have a number of iphone cables that I've picked up. When I have to change over, it's going to hurt in shelled out money.

If you go android, you need to know a few things.
You'll likely have to hack the phone to do things like install the latest os. Unlike apple, updates for android don't happen simultaneously for the devices. You have to wait for your carrier to push it. It's the same for certain apps that may only be released for certain devices initially.
While the s3 is the hottest thing now, it's likely to be supplanted by another device. I believe someone mentioned this upthread with the update of the nexus.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[Dunbar]

The rumored Galaxy Nexus update would put its specs more or less on par with the Galaxy S3, not better. The Nexus phones are really more about getting the latest Android updates as soon as Google releases them rather than having the latest/greatest hardware. I switched from the iPhone 4 to the Galaxy S3 on Verizon and am happy with my choice. Despite what everyone says the best Android phones are so close to the iPhone experience now that it really comes down to personal preference. I knew the 4" iPhone 5 screen would not be large enough for me so I went with the S3. If I was OK with a 4" screen I'm pretty sure I'd have gone for the iPhone 5.

[TJC]

Never been too big of an Apple fan myself, however this article suggests the Verizon iP5 is unlocked for GSM out of the box.
http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/verizon-iphone-5-ships-unlocked-works-on-any-gsm-network-20120921/

This seems like a no brainer if you're with Verizon already and looking for a world travel phone. The only wrinkle as the article points out is cutting down the sim card to nano size.

[elai]

I dislike retractable cables because they always seem to break. I can't ever find a retractable cable that's durable. I've tried the mini "1 cables, but that is too small. They're very durable although!

As a world traveller, the cable type shouldn't dismay you other than being accessible to buy during travel. The infrequently used sim card size should! But I think apple is in the right to use the smaller SIM and the rest of the industry should go that way. Same with the cable, I think it's an overall improvement compared to a micro usb cable and definitely an improvement over the old one. When you buy an iPhone 5, you get the cable anyway, so you don't need to buy adaptors if you already have a generic usb charger or laptop.

[Miguel Marcos]

As Michael mentioned in an earlier comment, The Galaxy Nexus has pure Android on it, just like your Nexus 7. I am an iPod Touch 2g and iPad 3 user and will remain with the platform because of the excellent music creation apps available on the iTunes store. However, I got the Nexus 7 for my SO and it was a wise choice. She needs to access web, email, read Kindle and PDF, Skype, and record audio. The size, weight, battery and performance are excellent. I think with Jelly Bean they have finally implemented a really nice and intuitive user interface. If I had no need for the music apps, I would go Nexus 7 myself (the iPad 3 has become heavy for me over time).

Android phones other than the Nexus have manufacturer and carrier overlays, stuff they add on to Android, and not just software but user interface changes, too, though not deep.

Regarding the connector change on the iPhone 5, it is a shame in more than one way. There is the point that users have invested in numerous accessories built around the previous dock, such as cases, speakers, extra cables, which means all of these will go to the dumpster.

The second disappointment is that Apple signed on to be a member of a consortium to promote micro usb as a standard connector. Apple decided to go down its own path. Oddly, standard chargers are mandated by law in the European Union and Apple has been forced to supply Lightning-micro usb adapters in Europe. In defense of Apple, digital video and audio, I believe, cannot be transmitted via micro usb.

The third disappointment is that, given a change in connector, the transfer speed is still USB 2. The name Lightning has a familiar ring to Thunderbolt which is the connectivity for new Macs. Thunderbolt is a serious upgrade in transfer speeds whereas Lightning is the same old.

Also, the iPhone 5 Maps app will give excellent turn-by-turn navigation but for overall maps location quality you'll still want to access maps.google.com.

[walk]

If you read more about the new iPhone cable, you will see there are distinct advantages over going micro-USB and it appears to be wired so that future USB3 support may be possible. Apple kept the old connector for 10 years and that is quite a feat. Those old cables and devices are still usable and someone will want to buy them... do not throw them away.

If you happen to be in Canada, all the GSM phones sold direct from Apple are unlocked... provided you can afford the $$.

[Ralph]

Well I've been using my iPhone 5 since Friday. I was lucky in that I preordered in the morning directly from Verizon (instead of around mindnight) and still reecived them on the first day.
I like it. Seems 'small' compared to the Android phones, but very nice and easier to hold in the hand. And now I bundle the data with another iPhone 5 and iPad 3 in the household. Anyway both the iPhone and iPad are unlocked. The new cable seems nicer because it is easier to insert in phone, either direction.

[John Albrektson]

IMHO you could have skipped the tablet and bought a Samsung Galaxy Note--it's almost as big as a small tablet, is a *great* Android smartphone, uses micro-usb charging connector, and replacement batteries are cheap. I travel with three extra batteries in my carry-on and never lack for juice. Oh, and a internal 64gb micro-sd card has two weeks worth of all my favorite shows.

[Frank@OBOW]

It looks like the cheap knockoff cables won't be available anytime too soon:

http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/02/technology/apple-iphone-lightning-charger/index.html?iid=Lead

[Fun Travel]

I have an Android Samsung with a micro USB. The worse phone I have ever used.

The micro USB is difficult to plug when in a hurry.

The junk/spying stuff is eating up power like tomorrow.

The list of its inconveniences are too long to list.

Apple, here I come!

[W]

Wait for the new NOKIA LUMIA 920, it is outstanding !

[Alex McKenna]

The reason the adapter is $29 is because it contains inside of it a tiny, high-quality digital-to-analog converter for audio. The 30 pin dock connector has a mix of old analog and modern digital signals, the new connector has only digital signals, and the iPhone or iPad can change the purpose of the pins on the fly depending on the accessory attached, so pins that would provide pure digital audio for a boombox would be switched to sending digital video signals when attached to a tv with an HDMI plug. It is also reversible, and automatically reconfigures its pins no matter the direction inserted. In order to play music on old 30 pin dock accessories, the digital signal has to be converted to analog, thus the inclusion of the D to A converter, doing all that inside that tiny shell for only $29 may well make it apple's least expensive product, feature for feature.

It's not a dumb hunk of plastic wildly overpriced for no reason, it is a marvel of miniaturization. I can remember buying digital to analog converters for early CD players for over $300 in the late 80's, I wouldn't be surprised if this device has better audio performance for $29, and it adapts the pins too. I am impressed apple was able to devise a way to retain compatibility with such a huge percentage of old devices people have invested in over the last 10 years with only a single, $29 device.