Lately I feel like I’m living in the Stone Age, thanks to my cell phone. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was all in one piece, but unfortunately, I am not that lucky. You see, I am one of those sad college kids whose parents make her pay for whatever cell phone she wants to have. So when faced with the choice between having 5 to 10 really cute outfits or buying a pricey smartphone, I opted for the clothes (what can I say, I have weaknesses). As a result, I’m stuck living the day-to-day with my poor old LG Shine, which is held together with tape and prayers until December when I am finally (finally!) due for a plan and phone update from AT&T! This time I’ve been saving my pennies and I’m all set to splurge on a phone that will last and also make my life a little easier. But which phone is the best choice? I know I’m not alone in my confusion over which phone to choose, so I’ve done some research and asked around in an effort to enlighten myself and other college girls about the best phone for our lifestyles.
Android (aka The Droid)
The Pros: This phone is Google’s (and Verizon’s) answer to the iPhone. It supports almost all the same applications as the iPhone, and it does pretty much everything you could want it to. One really cool feature on the Droid: you can scan the barcode on any item and the phone will tell you if you can find it somewhere for less.
The Cons: Like any cell phone, the Droid has its faults. Sophie Jasinski, an HC Contributing Writer, hasn’t had the best experience with her Droid. Originally, she was happy with it, but now she says “she will never again get a touch screen phone”. Sophie says, “the phone freezes, it won’t respond to touch all the time, and it has difficulty sending and deleting text messages.” She also found the apps on the iPhone to be better quality and more varied.
This appears to be a common complaint amongst users judging from online reviews, and for me, that’s a deal breaker. As part of a generation that prefers text messages to phone calls, I need a phone that will keep up with my constant texting, even after a year of use. However, the Droid can receive e-mail, go online, and handily manage everything we expect of a smartphone. Many Verizon users rushed to purchase a Droid knowing that it was expected to rival the iPhone. However, it seems that although it’s close, the Droid falls a little short for some.
Final Consensus: If you’re a Verizon customer who wants an iPhone, the Droid is a good substitute. But the fact remains that it’s NOT an iPhone. Also, the touch screen tends to freeze after a significant amount of wear and tear. And now that Verizon supports the iPhone, why should you have to choose?
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BlackBerry (aka CrackBerry)
The Pros: These are called CrackBerrys for a reason – most people who own one are addicted to their phone, rarely letting it leave the palm of their hand. Margot Lowery, a Mount Holyoke College student, is one of these addicts, constantly BBMing (BlackBerry Messaging) with anyone and everyone. For her, this is a major perk to her cell phone.
“If someone else has BBMs, I can see if they’ve gotten my text, if they’ve read it, and if so, whether or not they’re answering it,” she says. This is particularly useful when texting a guy you just met or when having a heated argument via text messages (we’ve all been there). You just have to remember that people can see you ignoring their messages as well.
There are many different versions of the BlackBerry available, all with the phone’s signature user-friendly interface and lighting-fast email capabilities, as well as web service almost anywhere in the world. You can get a touch screen or a keypad, they all have email and Internet capability, and a camera is included.
The Cons: BlackBerrys don’t have the apps that other smart phones like the iPhone and Droid are equipped with. But when asked if she wished she had those available to her, Margot doesn’t complain. “I don’t miss them,” she says. “All I really use my phone for is BBM, calls, and e-mail. More games would be nice, but I don’t really care about that sort of thing. I’m just not interested.” This is another thing that makes the BlackBerry a great, “adult” type of phone. It has all the abilities of any other top of the line cell phone without the distractions and opportunities to spend extra cash.
The BlackBerry has also been known to have functional issues. According to online forums, the screens break easily, or the backlight stops working. The track ball can get stuck or even fall out, and backlight delay is common. The phones are reportedly improving with each model, but it sounds like BlackBerry still has some kinks to work out.
Final Consensus: BlackBerry could be the right phone for you, as long as you aren’t looking for a lot of entertainment applications on your phone. It’s easy to personalize and you can pick the version that works best for you. Messaging is particularly easy, and there’s a large online community ready to help you with any breakage or functional issues. However, if you’re looking for a more state-of-the-art smartphone, you’ll want an app-supported device instead.
The iPhone
Apple users everywhere have been looking down their noses at everyone else for years, and the advent of the iPhone just gave them another reason to be pompous. The iPhone is easily recognized as the best phone available, and with the recent release of the iPhone -4, it seems like it refuses to give in to competition. Like the BlackBerry, iPhone users seem to find every excuse to whip out their phone – whether it’s to find directions while driving, identify the song on the radio, pull up a funny YouTube link, or Google some obscure fact, these people are always at the ready.
The Pros: The iPhone comes in a few different variations, mostly differing in Internet capability and price, and there are a million other ways to customize the phone through cases, apps, and backgrounds. But the most useful thing about it is the apps. “Whenever I need to know anything at any time, I can pull out my phone and look it up,” says Sean Peters, UMass Amherst student. “I never get lost while driving because I can pull up the map app on my phone, and I even use it to take notes in class sometimes.” Sean uses the iPhone-4 and he loves it. “It was expensive,” he admits. “I mean, like it broke the bank. But it was worth it considering how much I use it and the quality of the phone itself.” Sarah McBrian, a Mount Holyoke student, also uses the iPhone. She agrees with Sean – she depends on her phone a lot, and knowing that it won’t fail on her is really important.
The Cons: Sean admits that he has had issues with reception when holding his phone up to his ear, due to the interior antenna, and he knows other people have also had this issue. He says the ads that pop up on applications can be really irritating, too. Sarah says the cost of the apps can really add up. “But like all things, it goes with the territory. I get all these great apps, so I have to tolerate the ads that go with them”. Plus, it’s an iPhone. There’s something to be said for status symbols, and the iPhone definitely qualifies as one.
Final Consensus: It’s an iPhone – you know its quality and you know the support system is there if you need it. The applications are great, if you’re willing to put up with the ads. However, if you want to keep up with the hottest thing on the market, you’re going to have to continuously update to the latest model.
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Windows Phone 7
Fresh on the market as of November 8th, Windows Phone 7 is Microsoft’s latest creation. Not much is known about this phone beyond what Microsoft has told us, but it seems like it’s going to be another iPhone competitor. It functions similarly to the iPhone and the Droid.
The Pros: Windows Phone 7 sounds like it will be easy to use. The phone can provide access to Facebook, Windows Live, Zune, Gmail, games (integrated with Xbox LIVE), Windows Phones Marketplace, and even Microsoft Office. It has multi-touch features, uses Internet Explorer Mobile, and contains a voice recognition function. The phone also has an easy-to-read start screen with scrollable tiles, different from the iPhone and Droid with their evenly-spaced icons. The tiles update in real-time, showing you how many messages you have, your friends’ Facebook status updates, your next appointment, whatever you want them too—it’s totally customizable.
The Cons: It’s hard to say what the cons of this phone are, since hardly anyone has gotten their hands on it yet. It has been noted that the phone lacks certain features, though, including the ability to connect to hidden WiFi hotspots, video-chat capabilities, and the ability to copy and paste. The phone also doesn’t integrate Twitter yet into its social networking hub, and it supports Zune over the much more popular iTunes. The Microsoft Office apps, though easy to use, offer only limited features—for example, the phone doesn’t let you create new Powerpoint presentations. It also does not support Bluetooth transfers, videocalling, or custom ringtones. Personalization is important to me, so that lack of custom ringtones is an issue.
Final Consensus: There’s no way to tell what Windows Phone 7 is and isn’t capable of until it’s been put into use in the real world. There’s also no way to tell if it’s a good phone for the college girl’s everyday life until someone tries it out. Until we have any definite reason not to use Windows Phone 7, I’m going to say it sounds like an excellent smartphone and a strong competitor for the iPhone.
Now that I’ve written this article, I can’t stand to look at my poor, pathetic excuse for a cellphone. I’ve considered the Droid and the BlackBerry, but my conversations with friends who use them have helped to enlighten me. The lifestyle of a college girl is a busy, hectic one, and my phone takes a beating each and every day. I need something that can stand up to the abuse of being tossed around in my purse, crammed in my pocket, and occasionally, accidentally, dropped on the floor. Apple’s support system and reputation are the main reason I’m leaning towards an iPhone, but I recognize the good qualities of all the smartphones I’ve listed. Which one is right for you and your life? That’s a decision only you can arrive at, but hopefully I’ve helped you along the way.
Here’s a chart to break down exactly what you’re getting yourself into when you pick up each of these state-of-the-art phones:
| Droid | BlackBerry | iPhone | Windows Phone 7 | |
| Providers | Verizon, but the Android operating system works on phones from all providers | over 500 mobile service operators internationally | AT&T, just came out on Verizon | AT&T, Verizon coming next year |
| Price | $150 | $300-500 | $300 | $200 |
| Apps | over 100,000 | More restricted apps than other smartphones | Thousands of apps on the iPhone store | Not too many apps now, more and more being added |
| Capabilities | WiFi, Camera, video camera, GPS, touch screen | Email, internet, camera, GPS, BBM | Email, GPS, iTunes, internet, IM, video chat…endless features | The same capabilities as Droid, but added Microsoft Office features |
| X-Factor | Released by Google, hottest phone on the market right now | Look like a high-powered businesswoman and get all your email in a flash! | Still the hippest phone on the market. Tons of cool features! | Totally new—be ahead of the trends! |
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