Which Smartphone?

[Cloven]

Been following the Andriod Phone thread but did not want to start a thread drift hence this new one.

I am considering going down the smartphone route, but should I and if so, which one.

I would like something with a decent camera and the ability to check emails etc & occasional web access. Can't afford an iphone so not going down that route.

Currently on O2 PAYG. O2 are offering a one year contract deal at £11/month with a "free" Nokia Lumia 610 which works out at £132 for the first year. On PAYG the phone alone would cost £100. At the moment I probably use about £60 to £80 per annum on PAYG so the above sounds reasonable.

Another alternative is Carphone Warehouse who are doing an HTC Desire on PAYG for £50 for the phone. However, costs would mount up if I used the internet more than expected as the charge would be £1 a day when connected whether used or not.

I want to stay with O2 as it is the only good provider in the area I live

Any helpful comments would be welcomed.

 

[Neil_Y]

If it's going to be near water then the Motorola Defy I've been using for more than a year is excellent and water proof. I've tested it to 2m and through waves at 20knts for 4hours at a time and it still works.

 

[Bru]

An alternative might be to pick up a s/h unlocked last years model smartphone and go with GiffGaff PAYG which uses the O2 network

 

[haydude]

An alternative might be to pick up a s/h unlocked last years model smartphone and go with GiffGaff PAYG which uses the O2 network

Or an HTC desire from eBay for around £80 and Virgin mobile SIM only at £7 per month with 500 megs, 120' and unlimited texts.

BTW Android phone highly recommended. Forget windoze!



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[sailorman]

i have a samsung galaxy ace.
a good size & intuitive to use, very pleased
in fact it is now tethered to the lappi now to send this

 

[fergie_mac66]

desire s

if a desire make sure its one of the new desire S ones not the original desire which are quite old

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

i have a samsung galaxy ace.
a good size & intuitive to use, very pleased
in fact it is now tethered to the lappi now to send this

+1 Much better than an iphone...

Pete

 

[Steve Clayton]

Do your research and then buy on line via topcashback. The deals, as we approach Xmas, should get better. Look at Tesco Mobile deals (uses the 02 network)

 

[jerrytug]

Samsung Galaxy Xcover,a waterproof version of the Ace!

 

[colhel]

i have a samsung galaxy ace.
a good size & intuitive to use, very pleased
in fact it is now tethered to the lappi now to send this

I've read a little about tethering and thought it might be useful. What provider do you use? Do you neee to inform them you're tethering?

 

[starboard]

I have one of these and as Tesco use o2 as a service provider coverage is great. At £7.50 per month including the phone txts minutes and data you cannot go wrong..

http://shop.tescomobile.com/mobile-phones/pay-monthly/htc/wildfire+s?deal=7017

 

[markdj]

If you want to keep on PAYG, Giffgaff is the best and gives great deals for 1Gb of internet for £10/month or unlimited for £12/month.

If you want the ultimate best smartphone in the world, with a true HD display and one that is directly supported by Google software updates, then I highly recommend looking at the new Nexus 4 available from play.google.com for £239. If you go to buy this from CPW or O2 it will be about £400 unlocked. I can't stress enough how good this phone is. the 8Gb budget is £239 or the 16Gb for £279. This phone has pretty much sold out worldwide twice so there is a lead time of about a month from ordering.

If you don't want to spend that, only get a phone that has "jellybean" v4.1 android software. This is important as it is a huge step forward in regards to performance and features.

 

[Babylon]

I had an iPhone for two weeks - returned it and cancelled the deal principally because Vodafone's coverage at home/work far too poor - now gone back to a ten quid dumb-phone with Orange/EE and ecstatic!

I don't need email functionality, maps, apps, schmaps - just the ability to make and receive calls, send a few txts and a camera that I can make do just about any job. This picture was taken by my 2 megapixel crappo-phone when out last weekend.

Wondering lonely as a cloud, happy as a pig in the proverbial...

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Can't afford an iPhone?

Buy a used iPhone 4 on eBay and a £10 a month SIM. Still better than nothing Android.

 

[sailorman]

I've read a little about tethering and thought it might be useful. What provider do you use? Do you neee to inform them you're tethering?

on 3
i just get 2.5 Gb a month no other restrictions

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Ignore the iPhone/Android thing for now.

What screen size would you like? I have a 4.7" which means I can make the font big enough to read contact names, texts, emails, etc without using my glasses. It means the phone is unavoidably large but that's worth it for me. For others that may make the phone too big. Others my just like the way a phone looks and the way it's designed.

How much memory do you want or need? There's three types of memory - RAM, usually 500MB to 2GB. This affects the performance of the phone but has nothing to with storage for apps, music, photos, etc. There there's internal storage - usually 8GB to 64GB. This is storage in the phone that has to handle all the apps and photos, etc. Apps don't normally use a lot of storage but an 8GB phone will not hold huge numbers of photos or songs. video is the real killer so you won't be putting DVD's on an 8GB phone. The last tyoe is removable storage, invariably a micro SD card. iPhones don't have removable storage and neither do all Android phones. Aside from being a much cheaper way of getting more memory it does allow you to put DVD's or more music on a spare SD card and put that in when you need it. Android will support up to 64GB cards regardless of the amount of internal storage.

Do you want a good camera? The iPhone and most of the top Android phones have very good cameras considering it's a phone. The quality of video they shoot does vary considerably too. The only real way to find this out is to read reviews on the web, etc.

Do you want it waterproof? If so then there are a few "ruggedised" phones available. Otherwise you'll need a bag or a case and these do compromise the usability of the phone. The iPhone probably has an advantage here as it has more accessories available but the major android phones are all supported fairly well too and a lot of stuff (such as the dry bags) are generic.

Have a read of the reviews then look at pricing. The iPhone is more expensive than most but there's not that much difference between the cost of an iPhone 5 and the very latest from Google, Samsung, etc. As mentioned the way to keep cost down is to go for a previous model - either refurbished or secondhand. Do make sure you know what you're buying though, especially if going for secondhand off eBay.

As far as the difference between using an Apple or a Google device is concerned, if anyone tells you that one is better than the other or that one is easier than the other they are wrong. Both have their strengths and just occasionally someone who hasn't had either type before finds that he or she can't get along with the one they chose, switches to the other and is happy. For the vast majority though it's simply what you're used to. I prefer Android for a number of reasons but often recommend iPhones to people. In fact, when my lad needed a new phone he couldn't decide between a Galaxy S3 like mine and an iPhone and asked me to choose. I got him an iPhone because that's what he was used to and he's not geeky when it comes to phones.

People will tell you there are more apps available for an iPhone than there are for an Android phone which is perfectly true but irrelevant. What is very relevant is whether the apps you want are available on the phone you want. The only app I've ever had to wait for on Android is the Rightmove app, which wasn't exactly critical. On the other hand there are some apps which are Android only - I love Airdroid and use it every day for example.. There are definitely more accessories available for an iPhone, especially expensive docking stations such as Bose and of course things like Fusion marine HiFi heads. Again though I've never felt shortchanged. I have a docking station, headsets, chargers, etc - everything I need and I could, if I wanted to, play music from my Android phone through my 5 year old car stereo quite happily. It's all swings and roundabouts - for some people one system will have a clear advantage, even if it's only cost, but you can't say which without knowing exactly how the person is going to use it and their personal preferences so I'd look at the phones first and then see if the OS suits.

 

[onesea]

Can't afford an iPhone?

Buy a used iPhone 4 on eBay and a £10 a month SIM. Still better than nothing Android.

Now what did your profile sig say again you maybe wrong and confused

 

[st599]

If you're in London, forget about O2.

Service is saturated. Full bars everywhere, but so many O2 calls in progress it can't take anymore.

 

[Fantasie 19]

+1 Much better than an iphone...

Pete

+1 on the Samsung phones

My little'un has just taken a contract with Tesco Mobile involving a Galaxy S2 - it's not the latest model so the contract was reasonable (£11 I think) but the screen is a decent size and very clear so if you wanted to use the navigation apps that have been mentioned it would seem to be a better option....my wife got a Desire S at the same time, less than 8 squids a month but a much smaller phone/display....

For me the important things were that Tesco Mobile uses the 02 network so coverage is good... but more importantly it's a UK helpdesk (and you will need them at some time) and can cancel the contract in store.... (for that reason alone I will never take out a 3 contract ever again.. )

 

[sailorman]

+1 on the Samsung phones

My little'un has just taken a contract with Tesco Mobile involving a Galaxy S2 - it's not the latest model so the contract was reasonable (£11 I think) but the screen is a decent size and very clear so if you wanted to use the navigation apps that have been mentioned it would seem to be a better option....my wife got a Desire S at the same time, less than 8 squids a month but a much smaller phone/display....

For me the important things were that Tesco Mobile uses the 02 network so coverage is good... but more importantly it's a UK helpdesk (and you will need them at some time) and can cancel the contract in store.... (for that reason alone I will never take out a 3 contract ever again.. )

i have been with 3 for the best part of 10 yrs with no real issues.
latest contract, i kept old phone ( bought new one on ebay).
500 mins,5k sms, 2.5 Gb download all for £10 a month.