Durable long-lasting smartphone?

Started by milon, October 08, 2015, 10:08:36 AM

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milon

I have a question about smartphones.  A friend recently dropped my wife's and cracked the screen.  It still functions, but it doesn't respond as well to touch and it's harder to read.  Repairing the screen would cost more than is worth investing in the phone, so we're thinking about replacing it (there's no warranty or anything on the phone).  I'm looking for a recommendation for what to replace it with since it was a pretty crappy phone.  My wife wants to have an all-in-one device that would replace her laptop, phone, and camera, and she is specifically looking for something with:

  • Durability
  • Good longevity (2 or 3 years minimum)
  • Quality camera (7+ MP)
  • Decent brand name (very important to her, considering her experience with off-brand crap)
  • Preferably Android, preferably KitKat or better
  • Fablet size
  • Bluetooth (for keyboard)

Does such a thing exist?  If so, what recommendations can you make?  Thanks in advance!

Haplo

It isn't tablet sized, but after 1.5 years I'm still happy with my Samsung S3.
Against someone letting it drop I've just added a silicone skin.
OK, it wouldn't hold against a stone corner, but it survived quite a few normal drops to the floor without a scratch :)

BetaSpectre

My Iphone 3s, has lasted for a long time, I had whatever model this really is for like 3 years. Been working well throughout the years.

Battery lasts a day or two. Weeks if I don't use it.
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░─╤▌██ |
░░░░░░░░─╤▂▃▃▄▄▄███████▄▃|
▂█▃▃▅▅███/█████\█[<BSS>█\███▅▅▅▃▂
◥████████████████████████████████◤
                           TO WAR WE GO

MisterVertigo

Really, it comes down to the Samsung Galaxy S or the Apple iPhone. If you like Apple stuff you get an iPhone. If you don't, you get Samsung. If you want a quality phone these are the best there is. Both come in many varieties as far as size and specs.

I personally prefer the Samsung. I have the Galaxy S4 now, but my contract is due so I'll be getting the S6 very soon. I've always had mine in a case and I've never broken it. I also have a screen protector because I'm OCD about having a clean screen.

Along with the Galaxy S, there is also the Galaxy Tab, which is a tablet, and the Galaxy Note, that is a bigger screen with a stylus.

I think the Galaxy S works great as a phone and camera, but I don't know about a laptop. Depending on what she does with a laptop I'm not sure a smartphone is going to replace that. A Galaxy Tablet or Apple iPad maybe, but I don't know about a phone.
"In vertigo you will be..."

"Relax, people. It's a teeny indie game; don't kill it with love." - Bozobub

milon

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll be sure to look into them!

She really only uses the laptop for mp3's, Pandora, Google Docs, and email.  A smartphone could replace all that for her, especially with a Bluetooth keyboard.  She likes the size & feel of a fablet, but I don't yet know exactly what size she wants.

LouisTBR

Samsung J1 wouldn't be too bad. I don't know the full specs, but I have one and it works well for me, with the only real downside being the connection to the internet isn't as fast as other phones.
Only in RimWorld is the phrase "31 Heavily-Armed Siegers are currently bombing your base" preferable to "50 manhunting squirrels are attacking your colony"

Loki88

My blackberry z30 has yet to let me down. I take it to work everyday and where I work is extremely dusty with metal dusts and usually 80% humidity or greater. Its outlasted my coworkers' I phones and galaxies. At my work thus far I phones seem to have the shortest life expectancy. For management they provide a paid for work phone, black berries are the only phones they'll pay for anymore after running in to too many durability issues with the others, HTC included in that one. My z 30 only has a 5mp camera but it still takes decent pictures. Has blue tooth as well. Its a fair size as well.