Crystal & The Great Phone Upgrade

[PeculiarTreasure]

I may be getting a smartphone for Christmas but with so many types out there I have no idea which kind to even ask for.

Any suggestions on ones that are good but reasonably priced?

 

[SnowyMacie]

What is reasonably priced?

 

[puffca]

If Sprint/Nextel has a good coverage in your area, then definitely one of the Virgin Mobile phones. You will have unlimited minutes and data, and the monthly fee is at least $40-60 lower than any other smart phones.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

Honestly, it really depends on what you want to do with your device; and I mean obviously use it as a phone, and probably access the internet... but for which purposes?

Are you going to be purchasing a lot of 'apps'? Games?

 

[VintageDon]

I very much agree with Nom here: what you use your phone for will say a lot about what you're going to be looking to get. If you're looking for a smartphone, I'd say your basic choice is going to be whether you want Android or Apple. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. Although I am much enamored by Android, it's not for everyone, and I have several friends on iOS that it matches what they do perfectly.

 

[PeculiarTreasure]

How much are iphones? I know there's a new one coming out or just came out or something. Are the older ones still available when new ones come out?

I'm switching to Verizon and will be getting a new contract and all that good stuff.

As far as what I want to do on it. Talk, Text, Internet. As far as apps...unless they're the free kind I probably won't be downloading a lot of those.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

It all really depends on which iPhone you want really... the new iPhone 4S just came out, but I'm sure you could still get an iPhone 4 for significantly cheaper than the 4S.

If you want to buy it straight out, you'll probably be looking at around 500-1000$ (depending on the size of Hard Drive you want); other than that, I'd give it a moment and wait for the right Christmas deal to suddenly appear (and appear it shall).

 

[VintageDon]

It all really depends on which iPhone you want really... the new iPhone 4S just came out, but I'm sure you could still get an iPhone 4 for significantly cheaper than the 4S.

Checked Verizon Wireless for my area, and you can grab a iPhone 4 with a new contract for $99, and many Android smartphones that are well capable of what you want to do cheaper.

Couple of observations:

• If you tie into a lot of Google services, like me, Android is the way to go. However, as a general rule, I find more technical people like Android due to the customization and the wide variation of how Android phones work from manufacturer to manufacturer
• iPhones tend to be easier to pick up interface wise, and if you're not looking to do a lot of customization, this would be perfect, I think

Both have a fairly extensive list of free apps available in their app marketplaces.

 

[K9_Trainer]

Go to a Verizon store and play with the display phones.

You can get all the recommendations you want from people here and what we like or what works for us, but what works for you will be different. If you go play with the phones, then you'll be able to see for yourself which interface you like the most, which type of touch screen is most compatible with your finger, whether you need a phone with a slide out keyboard or you'd rather have one that's all touch with a large screen. It's sometimes little details that can sway you away from one phone towards another.

When I was buying my Samsung Eternity, it was when the touch screens first came out and a big deciding factor there was response time. A couple of the others I was looking at had more of a delay that I personally couldn't deal with.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

So... what you're saying Donna is that you're impatient lol

 

[K9_Trainer]

So... what you're saying Donna is that you're impatient lol

Pretty much

 

[Amber the Duskbringer]

My personal preference is droids. Another thing I kept in mind was that the droid 2 uses gorilla glass IIRC for the screen and well I am a bit of a klutz needed something that wouldn't shatter when dropped accidentally. I also preferred the physical keyboard. Like everyone says, it's all personal preference

 

[Nom De Guerre]

Pretty much

Egh, could be worse... What's good?

 

[toastface_grillah]

How much are iphones? I know there's a new one coming out or just came out or something. Are the older ones still available when new ones come out?

I'm switching to Verizon and will be getting a new contract and all that good stuff.

As far as what I want to do on it. Talk, Text, Internet. As far as apps...unless they're the free kind I probably won't be downloading a lot of those.

Verizon? *wrinkles nose* Do they have the best coverage in your area? Depending on how much data you use for internet and apps (Words with Friends, anyone?), and what their coverage is like, Sprint could be a better deal - unlimited talk, text and data without data caps or having to buy everything - talk, text, and data - separately.

 

[PeculiarTreasure]

Verizon? *wrinkles nose* Do they have the best coverage in your area? Depending on how much data you use for internet and apps (Words with Friends, anyone?), and what their coverage is like, Sprint could be a better deal - unlimited talk, text and data without data caps or having to buy everything - talk, text, and data - separately.

Well, the only reason I'm going to Verizon is because we're adding a line to my sister's plan. She likes them.

I've been with AT&T for years but they've just gone whacky and just charge too much and my plan sucks.

 

[SnowyMacie]

If you go to Cell Phones - Smartphones: Cell Phone Service, Accessories - Verizon Wireless you can look at phones online, or if you want to mess with one, just go into a store. It really depends how you want to pay. iPhones are more expensive but easier to use, while Droids are cheaper but a little more complicated to solve. I have an iPhone for school purposes and it's the only Apple product I will ever own.