Korean Job Discussion Forums

[saram_]

Hi all. I'm trying to decide on a proper upgrade on my phone..but am a bit unsure about which one to go for..

I've had a pay as you go phone thus far, but want to get in on the whole super phones. Id like a phone that will give me internet access etc.. and also one that I could use outside of Korea...when or if I'm living in a diff country later..

More than likely I will get the phone on contract with a Korean friend of mine..as it would give me more options regarding deposit etc..

So, then what would the best option be for a foreigner living here?

I'm thinking either the Smart Phone or the I Phone...
I think they are similar but the I phone is more expensive.. Is this correct?

I'm not really familiar with either but Id like to know what would people's advice be..

S

[eamo]

The iPhone is a smartphone.......it just happens to be the most famous smartphone. But a smartphone it is.

[saram_]

[misher]

I think the Iphone or the Galaxy S are your best bet. There is a thread in the tech forum that discusses the pros and cons.

[Xylox]

It really depends. If you are just looking to chill out and grab a smart phone without much hassle, iphone would work best. The other smart phones often have better specs and sometimes better features, but iphone is pretty user friendly with apps out the buttox.

[diarmuid2k]

You can be equally happy with any smartphone, but as a long time smartphone user, there's a couple things I would suggest you consider before making a purchase.

1) Do you call or text? I almost never use my phone for voice calls and prefer to communicate via text message and email from the phone. If you're like me, you want a slide-out keyboard or blackberry style tactile keys (at the very least haptic feedback on touch) as trying to type a long message onto a touch screen is a sure way to drive yourself slowly insane... plus you'll need a new phone when you throw the touch one at the wall.

2) Do you listen to a lot of music? I use my phone as my gym MP3 player. I have an Xperia X1 right now, but with Windows Mobile (possibly with Android) once you start creating large playlists of music, the system tends to choke up. If music without problems is your thing, go Apple.

3) Screen size, pixel count and AMOLED lighting would be big factors if you spend a lot of time on the subway watching movies. Remember that with Apple you have to go through iTunes, which can be a pain in the arse, and the iPhone has no removable chip. I have several old microSD chips I can load movies onto and carry in my pocket to switch on the fly for my phone, but you'd need a microSD slot to do the same.

4) OS. Big, huge deal. You need a phone with a fully English OS, unless you're fluent in Korean. I had to flash the ROM on my Xperia, but you need to find a ROM that matches exactly to your phone model AND service provider if you want to maintain all functionality. It can be done with the iPhone so far as I know, but with the Android/Windows phones, you may want to run a search on the xdadevelopers forum for your model/provider (ex: Omnia SKT)

5) Do you need a smartphone? My wife has one and uses next to none of the features. If you don't want to check email, run apps, browse the internet on 3G or tweak the phone, just buy a psuedo-smartphone, like the haptic mini (yes I know its out of date now, but serves as a good example)

[Wai Mian]

Whatever has android. I have the Samsung Captivate which is essentially the ATT version of the Galaxy S. It is so choice.

[Illysook]

After purchasing a Samsung computer here nearly 2 years ago, I can't imagine that I will ever again spend a significant amount of money on an electronic anything here in Korea. Consider the phone an expense, not an investment. Get a cheap used phone and use it for phone calls. Put the money that you save in the bank and buy a nice phone when you get home.

[cj1976]

The biggest con with the Iphone is that it is so tightly controlled by Apple. You don't really own the phone, Apple are just letting you play with it so long as you abide by their rules.
Are the new phones jailbreakable? If not, then prepare to shell out extra cash for decent apps (which there are a lot of, admittedly). With Android, you simply allow for installation of non-market software, then you can Google around until you find the paid apps of your desire. However, if you don't mind paying or are vehemently anti-piracy then this is a moot point.
Other than that, it is a nice piece of hardware.

[tatertot]

[cj1976]

[Yaya]

I've talked to Koreans and they say Galaxy S is better if you're in Korea. I don't remember the reasons they cited but since Samsung is supreme in Korea, perhaps support services and other stuff might be better than Apple.

[Illysook]

Samsung may have good support here for the product that you buy here, but when you go back to the states, you will have to send it to Texas and wait 2 weeks. Don't do it!

[carleverson]

Korean phones are still not that good....

The iphone and HTC phones are pretty damn good right now.

[redaxe]

a phone is not an investment