Should I join the Android family?

[jleebiker]

At a crossroads. Looking for some feedback

I'm contemplating leaving Windows Phone, NOT because of Windows Phone itself.
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE COMMENTS BASHING WINDOWS PHONE OS.

My issue is NOT with the OS. Rather, I am looking for a handset that is more in line with my lifestyle than the conservative Windows Phone ones that are out there now. Very few of them are ruggedized or can withstand much water. I'm also looking for something with a larger battery.
As far as a ruggedized handset goes, WP has some, but those are not what I'm looking for.

I'm looking for something like the Samsung S5 Active or the S6 Active when it comes out. Heck, I've seen things about how resilient the plain S5 is and wouldn't be opposed to that level either. I bike alot and like to throw the phone in my jersey and not have to worry about sweating it to death (I corroded several BB's this way). Right now, I put my phone in a ziploc bag and call it good.

Right now, I'm looking at Motorola's new Droid Turbo. Seems to have SOME water resistance and a huge battery. Also, seems to run a stock version of Droid, free of much of the bloat that others have. I've read some reviews however that the battery isn't everything they say it is.

I do a lot of backcountry navigating and run GPS a lot. I use it as a check to my main GPS but find that more and more, it is becoming my go-to device. With my WP, I can get a solid 12-16 hours on a charge if I go into airplane mode. My WP allows me to go into airplane mode and still have GPS running. Do the current handsets have good endurance with just GPS turned on? How much endurance is realistic? I would love it if someone could go into airplane mode with the Droid Turbo and see just what its endurance is.

Thanks in advance.

 

[VW Maverick]

Re: At a crossroads. Looking for some feedback

The Samsung "Active" line of phones are a good choice.
Many companies make rugged cases for nearly every device.
You should get your needed battery life out of nearly every new device available now.
Every carrier offers a 14 day return policy so if one does not work for you, exchanging it won't be a problem.
Each device you mentioned has its' own forum here at AC. Check them out to get other people's experience with them.

Mav.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: At a crossroads. Looking for some feedback

The Active line is water-resistant, not waterproof. It's also ruggedized, not shockproof.

Lifeproof makes cases that are both shockkproof and waterproof. Buy the phone for the phone, then buy a Lifeproof case for it. The Otterbox Defender is about as shockproof as the Lifeproof, it's just not waterproof. I've recently had a few accidents that would have reduced a bare phone to a pile of junk - even a Samsung Active phone. My "not-Active" Note 3 is still working. And if I need waterproof, not just water resistant, a few sandwich baggies will take care of that for a few cents. Drop an S5 Active into 30 feet of ocean and it's scrap. Drop a phone in a couple of baggies into that water and - if there's not enough air in the baggies to float the phone - it's a pain getting down 30 feet to retrieve the still-perfectly-working phone (although the water may block enough signal that you'll lose the call you were on).

 

[Aquila]

Re: At a crossroads. Looking for some feedback

Please do not cross post - one thread per topic is sufficient. Thanks!

 

[jleebiker]

Re: At a crossroads. Looking for some feedback

Sorry, wasn't sure if it would be seen in other forums.

 

[Richard Servello]

Re: At a crossroads. Looking for some feedback

Wp is by far my favorite... But over the past year I watched one dev after another drop support. I got an s6, and for the most part I love it... But it's buggy as hell and requires daily restarts to stay fast.