New Phones

[badwhale]

I realize this may be a stupid post on cigar forum & all that, but I got the recent "request" from my wifey that she would like to upgrade her ancient phone.

I'm tech savvy enought to get myself in trouble, but I know nothing about the new phones on the market.

Can anyone suggest a decent phone? It doesn't have to be the cat's ass, but I think she's thinking a smart phone that we'll probably have to get a data plan for.

We have a plan that she's the original contract, and I'm a rider for a second phone. Right now, I have a blackberry that I can use for calls & text, but it won't work with our current plan, feasibly, to have a real data plan. If we upgrade to a data plan, it'll just be for hers.

Fell free to imply that I'm a dipshit for asking this.

Will

[craig]

Engadget runs a feature every few months on the best smart phones for various price ranges by carrier. Their choices have seemed to make sense, at least for the past few years.

If she isn't "techy," then iPhone 4's are inexpensive now, and the 4s is a great phone (and I refuse to buy Apple).

I just went through the market in May, but my criteria are probably not the same, e.g., I wanted LTE, Android, and a high-density ('retina' in Apple - speak) display.

ETA: http://m.engadget.com/2012/04/02/smartphone-buyers-guide-spring-2012/?icid=eng_search_art

[ggiese]

IPhone's are definitely nice but still are rather pricey. Definitely lots of available apps.

I picked up a pair of Motorola Droid Razr's for the bride and I. Pretty happy with them, particularly after the new Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade. Lots of apps too. You should be able to pick it for about $100 per phone with a plan.

My son is the guru of all things electronic and has been raving about the new Samsung Galaxy sIII that was just released. from what I've seen, I think he has something there.

[TheGreekTitan]

Geez man, get into the now grandpa. Text and phone service??? Are you still paying by the character?


Seriously though, I agree with what Craig said. I'm an Android guy myself, but I just purchased an iPhone 4S for my wife....(White with a pretty little pink otterbox case... Aren't they cute?!?) Gotta tell ya though, they are for men and women alike...very impressive, and with an 8 mp camera now to boot. So, I'm on both sides of the fence so to speak. For an Android device I recommend HTC Evo 4G. For non-android I'd go with the 4S.

[craig]

To clarify, the iPhone 4 (non-S) is inexpensive now. They're 'free' with a plan now around here.

I have an LG (sold as the Nitro HD in the USA) but I don't recommend it as the battery life sucks (a common complaint with LTE phones because the LTE radio takes power and there aren't any integrated LTE chipsets yet - next year). It is so bad that I usually have LTE turned off in favour of HSPA+.

I would probably get a Galaxy Note today - just to minimize the use of reading glasses :-).

[Cody44]

I've had both an IPhone (3G and 4GS) and an Android Galaxy and I certainly believe that the iPhone is the superior product. You cannot beat how simple, yet very elaborate it is. You can do just about anything you can think of, but the fact that it doesn't have FlashPlayer is still a bit of a hinderance, in my opinion. However, I think it's really a preference, because both smart phones will give you about the same new features.

I'm also not an Apple fanboy, because their computers are overpriced and overrated, but the make a beautifully easy and concise product.

[kingbeefy]

I would highly recommend the iPhone 4. It is just too easy to use and will do anything you would need a phone to do, except play flash videos. That will limit your access to hardcore porn, but that is about it, not sure if your wife is much into that or not. Something to consider I guess.

[badwhale]

Thanks, guys. This is a good start. I'm really procrastinating on this, as this is a market where I think there are just too many options.

Yeah, I'm preeeeeetty sure hardcore pron isn't a priority in this situation.

GT, cliff notes of my current phone situation:

1) Wife washes old phone
2) Guy at work upgraded phone, refused to only receive $20 trade in on blackberry storm
3) Guy offers me phone for $20 if I can unlock it
4) VCmark gives me a link to unlock phone
5) Text magically works (limitless) and to use RIM I'd have to pay for a plan from them specifically AND still have our service.

Will

[ashauler]

I have the iphone 4g. I think it cost me $100 w/plan. Does what I need and I could use it right out of the box. I'm an idiot when it comes to these things, so if I can use it, anyone can.

[VancouverMark]

My wife and I recently ditched our blackberries and went with iPhone 4s's. She had a Curve 8530 and I had a Curve 3G. The iPhone 4s is superior in every way to our blackberries aside from not having a physical keyboard. The simplicity in which all the functions integrate, the apps, etc. is amazing. This iPhone is my first mp3 player as well. Now I just need a new car stereo with aux input.

Mark

[badwhale]

I'm gathering through some google searches that I'll need to jailbreak any iphone I get because my carrier doesn't support them. I anticipate someone suggesting to switch carriers, but the only other thing that works where we live is Verizon...and it barely works. There are singular rooms in the house where there's nothing.

Doesn't look too hard...

[kingbeefy]

I anticipate someone suggesting to switch carriers, but the only other thing that works where we live is Verizon

I'll suggest moving.

[craig]

Yeah, the carrier thing. Verizon has the iPhone 4, albeit with CDMA, for $99. (although the 4s 16 gig is $199, and for that difference, I'd get the 4s)

The Droid RAZR Maxx sounds good with that huge battery.

[badwhale]

I'll suggest moving.

[craig]

http://m.engadget.com/2012/07/26/eng...eng_latest_art

[Eville]

What carrier do you have now? That should help us narrow down our suggestions.

[badwhale]

I have Immix, but I'm not sure that really can narrow anything down. I'm not technically supposed to be able to have a blackberry running...

[Mangyrat]

I don't know if you can unlock this phone.
If your wife is hard on phones then this is what i would suggest.
Casio® G'zOne Commando

I have been useing the G'zOne phones for years.
I leave them out in the rain, in the back of my truck for a week and have droped them off the roof of my shed a few times.
What sold me on them is kayaking and using phones "the first time you have to go swimming to retrieve your phone and it still works its worth it"

I'm using the older brigade "AKA the brick" now but will be upgrading to the commando in a few months.

[badwhale]

She's not "hard" on phones, just in terms of battery life. It's getting her goat now that if she wants to have a convo that's longer than 3 minutes, she basically has to have the thing plugged in.

During this discussion, she told me "I really just want a regular phone, not really anything that does internet or whatever", so I can just go "regular" phone...however, I'm thinking if I can get her an iphone that works on our network, then she just has it and we can make it fully functional later.

[TheGreekTitan]

She's not "hard" on phones, just in terms of battery life. It's getting her goat now that if she wants to have a convo that's longer than 3 minutes, she basically has to have the thing plugged in.

During this discussion, she told me "I really just want a regular phone, not really anything that does internet or whatever", so I can just go "regular" phone...however, I'm thinking if I can get her an iphone that works on our network, then she just has it and we can make it fully functional later.

Besides the "phone" part, the iPhone can work off your wifi network. So, while at home or in a hotspot she would still have all the features available to her.