Only trouble with this, is it's quite techy and daunting. I struggled to find a decent source of information on it when I wanted to root/flash it. I managed it, but it takes a certain amount of understanding to start with.

This guy needs a new battery by the sound of it? Maybe his boss at Apple will get one for him lol

The screen on the S2 was the reason I put it back (I'm a photographer) and the battery time which is worse than a iPhone 4, better than a 4S though!

Have to say I can agree with all your points, sounds exactly like my experience with the S2, still love it though!

exactly and the experience of my mate too but I still like it.

Its just that these downsides are deal breakers for many and are either buried by comments or not mentioned in reviews.

Um, the iPhone 4 and 4S use the same screen

Might as well stick my 2p in...

A couple of the things you've mentioned are entirely subjective - the lightness and the screen are among the things that appealed to me about the S2. That doesn't make your criticism any less valid, but they are things you dislike, as opposed to actual problems with the phone.

I'll take your (and everyone else's!) word for it on Kies - I hate using third party software to manage my phone, I just want to treat it like any other removable drive, so I haven't even installed it.

The whole thing about battery life is news to me - this is the fourth smartphone I've had and it's far and away the best for battery out of those. Yes, it needs charging daily, but that's no different to most other smartphones from everything I've read on the subject.

I know what you mean about some apps, but that's a price I'm willing to pay for not being stuck inside a walled garden - I can install what I like from wherever I like, which is great, but also gives me the freedom to install badly written/designed apps. I just don't install dross. That's also more aboiut Android in general than the S2 in particular, and is part of the platform choice you make as a user.

And as for this:


Sorry, but that's just not true and annoys me every time I see it or something similar. I haven't had to fiddle with anything more advanced than setting a ringtone since I got the thing. You can fiddle with Android if you want to, but to say that you need to is simply not the case.

I'm not saying it's the perfect phone, and I'm not for a second saying you haven't encountered the issues you've talked about, but my experience is very different from yours...

The 'I'm a bit too thick for Android' bit is good news for some looking for work. One does wonder how many employers will mark down candidates who use an iPhone.

I've had my S2 for a few months and I've not seen most of your problems.

Kies is indeed poor but the Kies Air app is great for grabbing something off the phone quickly (assuming the phone is on Wifi). Don't much care for iTunes though...

My phone has been running on battery for 9 and a half hours and is at 80% with moderate usage and Wifi running all day. This is typical, it only drops a little when using more processor intensive apps. The only thing I keep off is GPS and turn it on when required.

Yes, some Android apps aren't as polished as iOS apps but the functionality is there (which is where it counts as far as I'm concerned). As long as you read the reviews on the market and check the permissions requested then most apps are fine. Basically exactly the same checks you'd do before installing software on your PC...

As for build quality and the use of glass/metal in design - I'll refer you to the drop test video between the SII and the 4S over on YouTube...

The S2 is perfect in every way shape and form, how dare you say anything against it you iFanboy!

(How's that, am I part of the Android gang now )

If my dad can figure out how to use his Android phone, anyone can.

[quote=Gormond;56221111]The S2 is perfect in every way shape and form, how dare you say anything against it you iFanboy!

yes apart from that silly blue glow bar when the bottom of the page is reached which now causing me problems when using the internet !!

[quote=Gormond;56221111]The S2 is perfect in every way shape and form, how dare you say anything against it you iFanboy!

Apart from the silly new blue glow bar they brought in when you reach the bottom of the page!!

[quote=Gormond;56221111]The S2 is perfect in every way shape and form, how dare you say anything against it you iFanboy!

Yes apart from that sill blue glow bar samsung brought in when you reach the bottom of the page which now causing me problems when using the internet!!

How does it cause a problem with your internet?

I love how you can have complaints about a phone you own and that makes you a " Apple lover" .

If a potential employer is judging candidates based on their choice of mobile phone, then I wouldn't want to work for them, as they're clearly idiots!

Apple say nothing so only a fanboy could have told you that. No doubt the same ones that keep telling us that it has the greatest screen

Its like when iPods are discussed. Many think that is the same screen too though in that case the downgrade is easier to spot.

I don't get it either.

Theres also a wiff of BS too - when catalogued problems are dismissed as "my phone is great- it lasts a million days on battery - yours must be duff."


This attitude is actually more off putting to me and probably others thinking of going android.

Its probably an all sides however - youtube videos and comments distorting the facts in the favour of the reviewers "loyalty"
Negative user comments buried etc.

Galaxy S III will be at MWC in a month so who cares?

because you will then get BS about that and the iPhone5. User comments will be buried with fanboy tripe on both sides.

If you dismiss anyone else's experience with their phone because it doesn't fit your experience, you are just as guilty of BS by definition.
When you whine about something your phone does or not does and others say they don't experience it, this is not BS. Because others have had a similar problem and discussed it on the internet, it is not necessarily a common fault when taking in the millions sold.
This goes for any manufacturer. So don't go getting indignant because others don't have the problems you are experiencing, life's too short.....

When all is said and done it is still only just a phone useful for only occasional use of other things.

Going back to battery life - thought I'd try an experiment after commenting yesterday.

My S2 came off charge at 8pm last night. It had some fairly heavy use (internet and listening to podcasts) between then and about 1am. 3g and wireless are left on all the time so it would have been checking mail periodically overnight, then I've been online with it on and off today. That's a pretty normal usage pattern for me, and I don't take any special measures to save battery.

Right now it's got just over 30% battery left and I'm posting this from it. I'd say that's pretty good for a smartphone, certainly better than any I've used in the past - by comparison the Nexus S which I have from work hasn't been used in the same period apart waking me up this morning, and the battery on that is down to 43%. Now that's what I'd call poor battery life...

OP, you sound like a prime candidate to try out a Windows Phone.
Good battery life, good smooth fast experiences. Great integration with Zune software. Metro design language for consistent look and feel across apps.