I've said it in this post already, but I'll say it again.

I used to think Metal materials are better, but this is what I realized after getting the SGS2 (my first plastic build phone).
- Metal is heavier
- Metal dents
- Metal scratches easily
- Metal is more expensive (which ultimately means higher prices for us)
- Metal is often one piece, thus making repairs and replacement parts more difficult/impossible.
- Metal is slippery to hold.
- and although i have no scientific evidence, I think Metal causes poorer signal reception.

These are all probably reasons why HTC has decided they will gradually switch from metal chassis to plastic.

The more I think about it, the more i don't understand why I was so infatuated with metal build materials in the past and made phone choices based on its build material. Maybe it was the marketers that told me metal = better. Or maybe it was the weight that made me feel like I was holding something important or valuable.

Whatever it was, I'm just glad I no longer have to worry about the phone in my pocket pulling my sweat pants down.

With that said, I still won't "avoid" metal...but it's no longer a deciding factor for me when I choose my next phone.

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/29/img4255y.jpg

I find the gradient banding extremely irritating. Again, I'm not knocking the phone's build quality, luminosity, etc - it is a phenomenal phone. But this issue really cheapens the viewing experience for me, no matter how fast the phone performs or how bright, big, and colour rich the screen is. It's like the difference between projection and HD. I'd rather have a smaller HDTV than a giant projection monitor.

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/5774/img4252l.jpg

And in the phone's defense, I read a couple comments over at XDA-Developers:

Even so, I don't want to have to start messing around with drivers and all that bullshit - it's one of the reasons I left PCs for Macs in the first place. I just want my equipment to work reliably and be of high quality. And yes, I understand you pay for that. But after $600 for the SGS2 I'm just not satisfied.

Yeah, I noticed the gradient thing too, it makes everything look so ugly. =/
My old x10 didn't have this problem. =[

I'm going out on a limb here, but I think you guys are making it a bigger issue than it actually is. There's always going to be SOMETHING you dont like about a phone, but to varying degrees.
Look at it this way, would you rather be paying the same price for the iphone's "retina" display but "older" technology just so you're not viewing tiny imperfections?
(When I say older, I mean the fact that apple JUST caught up)

Could it be that the images/whatever you're viewing arent optimized for viewing on the SAMOLED+?
Looking at the stock wallpapers that come with the phone, they're crystal clear

I'm just saying that overall, its a very minor issue.

It's not that big of a deal, but default icons and things look somewhere between 16bit and 32bit color, which is kinda lame, considering everything else is pretty great.

^^^my response.

Metal>Plastic anyday, everyday for me.
The Galaxy S2 wasn't bad for a plastic phone. It was actually quite solid but the toyish weight makes me feel like I'm holding a dummy phone.
Actually I am often paranoid about breaking the phone in half when I have it in my front pocket and I try to get into my car or sitting with my legs propped up.

I agree with you, but that's just the nature of the Android market - they aren't optimizing apps for SAMOLED+, there are so many other phones in which this wont be an issue. And why go back and re-work your graphics just for one phone?
This is another reason I do not like the Android market concept without any standards enforcement. Why do I have to deal through the lower quality graphics because the OS and Apps haven't or won't catch up? In that case, is this super hardware machine of the SGS2 even properly placed? Should it have waited until this was sorted before being released?

And just because the Iphone may be playing catch up specs wise and the Retina display may be 'old tech', it still seems to do things more effectively.

It is much easier to dent metal than plastic. Plastic is flexible - it bends, and then pops back...there are obviously limits, but saying "plastic dents" is a bit of a stretch. Drop a plastic cup vs a metal pop can, and tell me which one dents. However, plastic will crack if there is enough force.

As for plastic scratching..sure...it scratches...but look on the back of any iPod touch and tell me metal doesn't scratch easier. Heck..if i still had pictures of my HTC Desire Z, I'd show how scratched up the back of it was from just everyday use (no abuse). The back of my SGS2? flawless.....

As for the reception issue...no...I'm not basing it on iPhone antenna issues. Like I mentioned in the beginning of my post, I used to be a "metal construction believer", but I quickly realized all my metal Chassis phones had crap reception. I'm no expert, but in my head, it makes sense how its possible an antenna enclosed in metal has weaker signal strength than one inside plastic. Some argue the entire metal chassis would act as a "signal booster", but not from my experience.

Don't get me wrong, I understand it's a preference, and I am not trying to change that. But I just thought I'd share what I realized after trying out a plastic phone for once.

yeah it's all good. Not trying to pick a fight. Just trying to have a serious debate.

I understand your example of plastic cup vs metal pop but try dropping plastic phone vs metal body phone. In my experience plastic phones always get more marks, dents etc. when dropped a road/rough surface. Just think about that, plastic is much less "dense" and structurally weaker.

So yeah, glossy anything scratches more easily :p

sg2 is available for preorder on rogers right now.

wtf my bench mark is 2.2 =[ what do

does anyone know my text messages are.dated 4 hours late? For example if i receive a text at 5 it would display that it was received at 1........wtf
Posted via RS Mobile

Are you using a custom rom? It's a time stamp issue. Download SMS Time Fix app or change your rom if you're on a custom rom.

k looking for another rom. Any suggestions?
Posted via RS Mobile

CM7? MIUI? Lightning? There's lots lol.

Nope, im using the Bell ROM that was just rooted. I downloaded the sms time fix app and it worked like a champ.

telus is getting the sg2 i think next week and surprisingly it will work with wind/mobilicity...looks like im switching to sg2/mobilicity lol

^Where'd you hear that from? It has Pentaband?

I hope people understand that these other versions coming out on other networks are NOT the same device. They are technically downgrades of the Bell (original) Samsung Galaxy S II i9100. Roger's is getting a downgraded version and I don't see why Telus wouldn't be getting the same...I would not hold my breathe for these carriers receiving the legit version of the phone that most people in this thread have.

The Telus version Hercules is the closest thing to the SGS2 but one of the best features of this phone is the screen and having a larger screen with the same resolution will make this screen inferior to the SGS2. High speed data features are a side thing and in most cases are carrier dependant.

was looking through this Please bring the Samsung Hercules (Galaxy II) to Wind

I actually agree with people's perspective regarding the iphone 4 retina display is better than the samoled+.

Side by side comparison of the same picture with my sgs2 and my bro's iphone4, his is definitely sharper.

I've had my phone for a day and I've got a lot to learn still, im completely new to Android. Maybe ill try some samoled+ optimized wallpapers and test it out on both phones again.

Sure its sharper, the pixel density is higher!
But imo, the samoled+ has better contrast and vibrancy

went with cognition s2. i'll see how battery life is

Might wanna try different kernels too.