Help/advice on buying a new cell phone

Dead of Knight

Dead of Knight

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So my cell phone that's 4.5 years old is finally going. It's still very much usable, but I can tell that it probably won't last another year. So I went to the Verizon store (that's my carrier and I've been pleased with them so I don't plan on switching) to look at phones the other day, and there's literally only a few non-smartphones, and they all look kinda meh quality. I'm leaning against getting a smartphone because I know they require expensive data plans, but should I just join the 21st century and get one anyway? The only thing I really use my phone for is regular talking and text messages (including the occasional picture text). Any advice would be welcome. If you know of a specific phone you'd recommend that Verizon supports, that would be awesome.
 
I recently got an iPhone 4S. I too had held off on smartphones for ages as the $30 data plan is fucking ridiculous.

But I love the shit out of the phone. Great always having access to my e-mail for work, and having my calendar everywhere I go. As well as all the games and random apps. Also love having the Kindle app so I can read if I get stuck with an unexpected wait somewhere since it syncs up with my actual Kindle.

I still think the data plan is over priced and wish Verizon hadn't gotten rid of the cheaper 250MB plan as I've only been using around 150-200MB a month so far (did hit 265MB one month) as I have wifi at home and work so I don't use the 3G all that often.

But I love all the things the phone can do so much that it makes it worth it to me over all.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']So my cell phone that's 4.5 years old is finally going. It's still very much usable, but I can tell that it probably won't last another year. So I went to the Verizon store (that's my carrier and I've been pleased with them so I don't plan on switching) to look at phones the other day, and there's literally only a few non-smartphones, and they all look kinda meh quality. I'm leaning against getting a smartphone because I know they require expensive data plans, but should I just join the 21st century and get one anyway? The only thing I really use my phone for is regular talking and text messages (including the occasional picture text). Any advice would be welcome. If you know of a specific phone you'd recommend that Verizon supports, that would be awesome.[/QUOTE]
If you really want to stick with an old voice plan without data, you're very limited in what you can get. Finding a brand new non-smart phone of decent quality is pretty tough and you're probably going to be stuck looking for an old new phone on ebay. Quality dumb phones haven't really been made in like 3 years. Theoretically, you could get a semi-smart phone and have Verizon switch the account over to the new ESN on the phone, but I'm not sure how if they flag devices to require data now.

[quote name='dmaul1114']I recently got an iPhone 4S. I too had held off on smartphones for ages as the $30 data plan is fucking ridiculous.

But I love the shit out of the phone. Great always having access to my e-mail for work, and having my calendar everywhere I go. As well as all the games and random apps. Also love having the Kindle app so I can read if I get stuck with an unexpected wait somewhere since it syncs up with my actual Kindle.

I still think the data plan is over priced and wish Verizon hadn't gotten rid of the cheaper 250MB plan as I've only been using around 150-200MB a month so far (did hit 265MB one month) as I have wifi at home and work so I don't use the 3G all that often.

But I love all the things the phone can do so much that it makes it worth it to me over all.[/QUOTE]
I knew you'd join the darkside eventually. :D
 
I got a iphone 4 after years of using the old non-smartphones and I am never going back. There is plenty to do on these things and comes in super handy when you're out. I regularly use Yelp (great for finding places on the fly), Fandango and Soundhound. I still come across apps that amaze me on what they can do. You're going to find some great free games out there that will be the perfect time killers.
 
Get a 4G LTE phone with ice cream sandwich. I believe the galaxy II S is already out or coming to Verizon shortly. That seems to be the hot phone at the moment.

No matter what if you get a smartphone make sure you get a 4G one. 3G is terrible.
 
You have to buy a data plan on the iPhone right? In other words can you just get an iPhone, buy a talk/text plan and use wifi hot spots?
 
[quote name='willardhaven']You have to buy a data plan on the iPhone right? In other words can you just get an iPhone, buy a talk/text plan and use wifi hot spots?[/QUOTE]
Nope. Every (major) carrier requires a data plan of some sort with a smartphone. Verizon does still offer the smaller plan (300MB for I believe $20).
 
[quote name='CaseyRyback']
No matter what if you get a smartphone make sure you get a 4G one. 3G is terrible.[/QUOTE]
Really? 3G was absolutely fine for years, and still works great for me in southern California. 4G is great if you can get it, but it's far from the end all, be all of networks (especially since it's an entirely different technology depending on what carrier you use).
 
[quote name='JJSP']Really? 3G was absolutely fine for years, and still works great for me in southern California. 4G is great if you can get it, but it's far from the end all, be all of networks (especially since it's an entirely different technology depending on what carrier you use).[/QUOTE]

LTE shits so hard on 3G. She has Verizon so she would get the real deal as far as 4G goes. The difference between them is night and day. Plus 4G gets a bigger data cap than 3G with Verizon.
 
[quote name='CaseyRyback']Get a 4G LTE phone with ice cream sandwich. I believe the galaxy II S is already out or coming to Verizon shortly. That seems to be the hot phone at the moment. [/quote]

Unless something has changed the Galaxy S II isn't coming to Verizon. That was the main Android phone I was interested in, and finally went iPhone 4s after they announced it wasn't coming to verizon.

I was also turned off by the screen size. 3.5" is just right for me. I don't really do anything with my phone that needs a larger screen and just find that the 4-4.5" screens on a lot of Android phones make the phones too damn big for my liking.

No matter what if you get a smartphone make sure you get a 4G one. 3G is terrible.
Click to expand...

That is the one drawback to the iPhone, but I hardly use the 3G anyway, and when I do it's just for e-mail, facebook/twitter, simple web browsing (checking forums or looking up an address etc.) and 3G speeds are fine for all that. But obviously a different story if you want to stream video or do any other more heavy bandwidth internet use.\\


[quote name='JJSP'] Verizon does still offer the smaller plan (300MB for I believe $20).[/QUOTE]

They used to have a 250MB plan for $20, but they got rid of it when they redid their data tiers in late summer. Now the $30 2GB plan is the cheapest they offer. At least for iPhone--but I imagine its the same for Android phones. Unless they've changed something since I got my iPhone a couple months ago.
 
Verizon's got the LTE Galaxy Nexus for $300 with contract/upgrade. 4GB data plan for $30/mo, Android 4.0.

The 300MB/$20 data plan is back and should be nationwide (at least it is at Apple), but it's sort of a rip off considering you get 2GB for $30 (or double that on an LTE device).
 
It must not be nation wide. I just checked the Verizon Wireless Website and the data plan options listed are:


Pay As You Go (For Basic Phones Only) $1.99/MB – Personal Email $5
75MB (For Basic Phones Only) $10/75MB
2GB $30
5GB $50
10GB $80

And $10 for an extra GB if you go over on any of the latter 3 plans.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Ah, maybe it's just in store only or something and thus not listed on the Website.[/QUOTE]

I know I have seen commercials and when I looked online I was able to find references to the offer. On my phone or I would link to it.
 
Yeah I googled it and apparently it was just available in the mid-atlantic region since August to test market it, but they have taken it Nationwide for the holidays.

I still can't find it on the Verizon site though, so they don't seem to be marketing it too heavy at least on there.
 
[quote name='CaseyRyback']Get a 4G LTE phone with ice cream sandwich. I believe the galaxy II S is already out or coming to Verizon shortly. That seems to be the hot phone at the moment.

No matter what if you get a smartphone make sure you get a 4G one. 3G is terrible.[/QUOTE]The one you're thinking of is the Galaxy Nexus:

http://shop.verizonwireless.com/?id=Samsung Nexus
http://www.google.com/nexus/#/features

It is made by Samsung for Google, though Verizon picked up the Galaxy Nexus in place of the Galaxy S II.

One big thing with the Google phones is that they're pure Android, without any overlay like HTC Sense, Motoblur, Samsung TouchWiz on top of Android.

It's expensive, though it's pretty much the top of the smartphone heap.

There's a Droid 4 that's coming out shortly that will upgrade the Droid 3 with LTE, and also packs the slide-out keyboard. Droid RAZR specs, from what I've seen.

Droid Charge and Droid Bionic are other options, though battery life seems better on the Charge.

Any LTE phone will have lesser battery life than a 3G phone, though will have better battery life when running as 3G over 4G.
 
Before I got my first smartphone (iPhone 3GS), I also owned a traditional cell phone and would never used it much. 2 years later I now have an iPhone 4S and can't go back.

Once you get used to the convenience of having the Internet in your hand at all times, it is really difficult to adjust. Even for the simplest things like checking the weather before I go out, using Google Maps to get me from A to B, or seeing what movies are playing in theaters around me is totally worth the $1 per day (I have an unlimited plan at $30 a month).
 
I think only Sprint still has the $30 a month unlimited (not sure about Tmobile).

As far as I know, all the major carriers require at least the lowest voice plans--which are around 400-450 minutes a month.
 
Thanks guys.

Another question I thought of: Durability. I need something that is going to survive falling a couple feet. Not only can I get a little clumsy sometimes, but my cats love to fuck around with things on the nightstand/desk in an effort to get my attention/be fed. I'm worried about the iPhone because I know when I had an iPod back in college, dropping it a few times was all it needed to crap out. Any suggestions for durable phones? My current dumbphone is an LG Chocolate and I never have had any problems after dropping it.
 
[quote name='eldergamer']I'd like a plan that had unlimited data for $30/month, but little phone/terxt use. Is that possible?[/QUOTE]
Simple Mobile. It's an MVNO of T-mobile sold by Walmart. 100 minutes a month, 400 texts(I think), and 5gb data cap for $30.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']Thanks guys.

Another question I thought of: Durability. I need something that is going to survive falling a couple feet. Not only can I get a little clumsy sometimes, but my cats love to fuck around with things on the nightstand/desk in an effort to get my attention/be fed. I'm worried about the iPhone because I know when I had an iPod back in college, dropping it a few times was all it needed to crap out. Any suggestions for durable phones? My current dumbphone is an LG Chocolate and I never have had any problems after dropping it.[/QUOTE]
Smart phones and durability are mutually exclusive features. Most modern screens are made of glass and the plastic is so brittle that it'll shatter on impact because they're made to be more scratch resistant and not shock resistant. The best you can hope for is a protective case that might help.

edit: Being on Verizon is really holding you back on phone selection.

edit2: You might want to look at the pre-paid phone offerings because sometimes, they have a better selection of dumbphones than the post-paid plans. That way, you know that the phones are automatically compatible with the network and shouldn't have to mess with data plans, so you can just change phones and not the plans.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']Ok, so say I change carriers. What would you recommend then?[/QUOTE]AT&T gives you psuedo-4G with their enhanced 3G service, so you have fast speeds without the need of a LTE phone. Data plans can be expensive with AT&T.

Sprint has true unlimited 3G and 4G data, though their 4G service is changing from WiMAX to LTE, though that won't be for a year's time. Coverage can be a bit less than AT&T & Verizon.

T-Mobile has good all-around plan pricing and has fast data speeds with their enhanced 3G service, though they may be swallowed up by AT&T if their merger deal goes through.

I'd check coverage maps for your area and see who has good coverage where you live.

In regards to smartphones, they can take their licks depending on the fall, though it's always best to get a good, strong case and use that as your safety blanket against drops/falls.
 
Yeah, a good case is a must. Otterbox makes pretty good, solid cases. I have the Otterbox Reflex case for my iPhone 4s and like it a lot. Durable, but not too bulky and I like that it's two pieces so I can easily slide the bottom half off and stick it in my speaker dock each night.

Carrier is really just personal preference. I stick with Verizon as that's what most all my friends and family have so I need it for the unlimited in-network calling. The coverage is also outstanding. I've yet to be a place where I didn't have service and a someone I was with on another carrier had service--yet the opposite has happened many times. But if you don't travel much, it really just matters how good coverage is in the areas you frequent.
 
Yeah, I want to stick with Verizon because my parents are also on it and they're the only fuckers who really call me on the phone (my husband and I mostly just text). And their coverage is pretty good. It was shit in our last apartment, but it's better than my husband's at our new house (he has Sprint).
 
Since you're in metro Boston, any carrier will be good enough for your communication needs unless you're going to get a data plan and cost is going to be an issue. But since you mentioned hardware, you're much better off with ATT or Tmobile because you're going to have the largest range of choices for dumbphones. Tmobile will give you the largest range because they don't require data on any non-Tmobile branded phones. This means that you could get an iphone, or any other non-Tmobile branded smartphone for that matter, and just use a voice/text plan if you wanted.

edit: Why the heck are you and your husband on different plans and carriers?

Anywho, if you need to be on Verizon, your best bet is to get a dumbphone on ebay. They simply just don't make dumbphones like they used to and all of the new ones are pretty much shit.
 
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[quote name='Dead of Knight']Yeah, I want to stick with Verizon because my parents are also on it and they're the only fuckers who really call me on the phone (my husband and I mostly just text). And their coverage is pretty good. It was shit in our last apartment, but it's better than my husband's at our new house (he has Sprint).[/QUOTE]Stick with Verizon if you know people on Verizon and you seem to have good coverage where you're at.

Also, the data speeds for Verizon are going to be night and day between 3G and 4G LTE. Like 1-4 Mbps on 3G and up to 5x that on LTE.
 
[quote name='dohdough']

edit: Why the heck are you and your husband on different plans and carriers?
[/QUOTE]

We just stayed on the plans we had before we were married. We still have the same fucking phones since we first met too. :lol:
 
[quote name='dohdough']Smart phones and durability are mutually exclusive features. Most modern screens are made of glass and the plastic is so brittle that it'll shatter on impact because they're made to be more scratch resistant and not shock resistant. The best you can hope for is a protective case that might help.

.[/QUOTE]

huh? I've dropped my HTC Evo many times including having the cat knock it off a 4' counter. No problems, dents or scratches. I agree that if you take a direct hit on the screen it will crack but because the battery is so heavy, my phone usually lands back first.
 
Is there any plan that has little voice and plenty of data? We don't need 1000 minutes of voice.

Wife just really needs the smart phone for the all important tasks of checking facebook and reading CNN while nursing and holding the baby.
 
As I said above, you can get the lowest voice plan--which is around 400-450 minutes on a smart phone from any of the major carriers. No high minute plan is required.

But none of them have anything as low/cheap as Virgin Mobile.

For instance, the cheapest you could get a smartphone plan from Verzion (without any employee discounts etc.) is $39.99 for 450 minutes and the above noted $20 for 300MB data plan. So you're looking at $59.99 plus taxes and fees at the cheapest for an individual smart phone plan from Verizon. And that's without a text messaging plan that runs $5 for 200 (or 250?) or $10 for unlimited.

AT&T and Sprint are fairly similar, maybe $5 or so cheaper potentially.

So it sounds like for your wife's simple needs, that Virgin Mobile plan is probably the way to go since she won't need a top of the line smart phone like an iPhone or Nexus etc. As long as you get good coverage with Virgin Mobile where you live, she should be fine with any of their smart phones if she just wants to check facebook and web sites.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']We just stayed on the plans we had before we were married. We still have the same fucking phones since we first met too. :lol:[/QUOTE]You might want to look into combining your plans together, as I'm sure it'll save you money monthly between the two separate costs.

Unless he's still under contract on his current phone, of course.
 
If you want unlimited internet, you need Sprint. If you want wider coverage, stay with Verizon. I had Verizon, bastards had the best coverage, but their pricing is pure crap compared to what Sprint offers not only data wise, but minutes wise.

Get Android if you want freedom to do whatever the hell you want, or get a jitterbug.
 
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