Stuck on Sprint; which phone to get?

[magic rat]

I'm stuck in a Sprint contract until summer 2012 (unless I pay a huge termination fee.)

Currently I have a BlackBerry Curve 2 (8530). It works "good enough". But there are two nagging issues: first, I have Android/iPhone/Torch envy; second, why should I keep paying $30 extra for BlackBerry service when all non-BB smartphones are just as good today at email service?

So, I'm considering a switch to Android (as iPhone and Torch aren't available on Sprint.)

I require a slider keyboard. Touchscreen-only isn't for me.

From what I can see on Sprint.com, all three of the Android sliders they offer are Samsung models with the Touchwiz UI. I had a bad experience with a Samsung phone in the past, and I dread Touchwiz. I want pure, unaltered Android.

So .... what can I do?

Alternate question: if I can't do anything about acquiring a non-Samsung version of an Android slider on Sprint, then someone please enlighten me about Swype .... is it available for any Android touchscreen phone, or only certain models? Anyone know if the Sprint catalog of Android phones have Swype built-in?

Update .... just found out the Epic 4G has Swype .... although still stuck with Touchwiz, correct? Anything on Sprint with Swype for a lower budget?

 

[bp3dots]

Get the epic. It comes with Swype pre-installed. And its a pretty rockin' phone.

 

[DroidXcon]

Yeah just get the Epic, the screen is amazing, and TW isnt so bad and you can always Throw on a custom rom, OORR you can cross your fingers click your heels and hope that Nexus S comes to Sprint since you want Pure Google

 

[magic rat]

Well .... I was probably to hasty to say that I really want "pure Google"; it's just that I have only heard bad things about TW.

 

[magic rat]

Side question: I read in a review of the Epic that "TouchWiz foregoes the Phone and Launcher buttons on the screen, and puts a fixed dock with four icons that provide access to the Phone dialer, Contacts, Messaging and Applications." Does that mean you can't just pick the device and start dialing? On something that's primarily a telephone, I don't like having to press multiple buttons just to make a call. (LOL, no, I'm not here to be a troll. But on my simple little Curve, I love being able to just pick it up and immediately start dialing .... )

 

[lornaevo]

I think you should get the Evo. Trust me the lack of a physical keyboard is no problem. I use smart keyboard and this thing is amazing. It correctly predicts 99% of all my words. I always thought swype was the best keyboard until I tried this. Also the Evo has the voice input so you can tell it what to type and it will. Good luck.

 

[Jason Black]

The epic looks like a toy. Get the evo

Sent From Tapatalk.

 

[Slow_S10]

The Evo is an amazing phone and I too came from always having a physical keyboard on all of my phones but I am quickly adapting to the virtural keyboard of the Evo. However if you think you could possibly wait another month or so the Shift might be a really good choice for you. It's HTC so the build quality will be great and Sense is arguably one of the best if not the best stock non-Google launchers.

More pictures of the HTC EVO Shift 4G surface | Android Central

If you really dont feel like waiting though I think you would be more than happy with an Evo... oh and the Evo now has the Swype Keyboard stock too.

 

[zak]

...Does that mean you can't just pick the device and start dialing? On something that's primarily a telephone, I don't like having to press multiple buttons just to make a call. (LOL, no, I'm not here to be a troll. But on my simple little Curve, I love being able to just pick it up and immediately start dialing .... )

If you slide it open to the keyboard and start typing in your number you can make the call from from the keyboard. Otherwise you have to go through the hassle of pushing the button that says phone before you can start dialing. From what I've seen that is pretty much the standard on any touch screen phone regardless of who makes it, what OS it uses, etc.