Smart phone

[Terranical]

So, in my advancing years, I have decided it's about time I caught up with the 21st century and changed my old mobile phone for a smart phone.

It appears that it's going to be a choice between a Samsung or an iPhone (second-hand until I see how I get on with it), so my question is this - what do I go for!

It needs to be payg and unlocked, it needs to be LOUD (my hearing is pretty c**p these days), and it shouldn't be too big which leans me toward the iPhone.

Do any of you more technically minded souls out there have any advice for a smart phone newbie, and secondly, does anyone have either a iPhone 4 or it's Samsung equivalent for sale?
Cheers

 

[briggie]

Samsung galaxy ace is fairly cheap ..... not too complicated and has a large ish screen

 

[briggie]

http://www.tyno.net/index.php?u=d%E...E%E0%85%BE%16%11%B9%B2%E4oa3%F2%1D%A4%3DU%24u

 

[96terrano]

think it's the galaxy ace i'm getting today:thumb2

 

[bry]

My personal choice would be the Samsung(cos i have one) Any smart phone will seem a little complicated at first.But after a short while they become,sort of second nature to use.My Galaxy S2 is very intuitive.
The best advice is to call into a couple of phone stores and have a look.See what feels comfortable in your hand.Is the screen big enough and easy to read/view.Check the menus etc.Some smart phones are like tablets,that require two hands to operate.Good luck with your choice.Oh and welcome to the 21st Century.

 

[96terrano]

yes as Bty said, you soon get used to hem, but don't get a Windows phone, seriously, almost impossible to use, not clear or precise.......just a warning, best i've used are the Apple iPhones and Android phone, may that be Samsungs, HTCs etc

have a look at this site for reviews.....Pete 'makeitfit' originally told me about
http://www.gsmarena.com/

and this place does video reviews
https://www.youtube.com/user/PhoneArena

 

[arcascomp]

I use a Sony Xperia mini pro personally and ended up choosing the Sony Xperia pro (bigger brother) for my work phone. A bit cheaper if you can still get one, the best bit for me is that I can use a physical qwerty keyboard to type emails and messages as I don't really like touch screen keyboards.

Especially for work where I need to enter complex passwords and such, physical keys make that much easier in my opinion.

 

[clivvy]

well, my opinion is, although i do like Apple iPhone, DONT buy an iPhone. PLenty of choice in the Android or Windows phone market and the phones specs have now surpassed iPhone.

 

[Paul]

yes as Bty said, you soon get used to hem, but don't get a Windows phone, seriously, almost impossible to use, not clear or precise.......just a warning, best i've used are the Apple iPhones and Android phone, may that be Samsungs, HTCs etc

have a look at this site for reviews.....Pete 'makeitfit' originally told me about
http://www.gsmarena.com/

and this place does video reviews
https://www.youtube.com/user/PhoneArena

Where you get that from Ryan about Windows phones? we use them with no problems, only downside is not alot of apps as of yet.

 

[kitchenman]

I have an Experia P on Three, contract 2 years £27 a month more minutes and text than I would ever use and unlimited 3G [data]
So will cost me £700 over the contract but PAYG could cost that with data charges alone, I used over 15GB in the last week
And it will tether to my laptop if I am out of free wireless range.
As has been said soooo many apps on Android
Go Android

 

[Paul]

I have an Experia P on Three, contract 2 years £27 a month more minutes and text than I would ever use and unlimited 3G [data]
So will cost me £700 over the contract but PAYG could cost that with data charges alone, I used over 15GB in the last week
And it will tether to my laptop if I am out of free wireless range.
As has been said soooo many apps on Android
Go Android

Three are giving giving you 4G for free at the end of this year I was told..

 

[Paul]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...increased-pressure-rivals-EE-Vodafone-O2.html

 

[makeitfit]

Three are giving giving you 4G for free at the end of this year I was told..

That's because 3 are desperate to hang onto some sort of share of the market. EE are by far the biggest and fastest network and still investing millions. Three aren't in the race really. Vodafone are spending all their profits abroad as they too have acknowledged defeat in the face of EE.

From what you said you needed I'd go S2 for cheapness and intuitiveness. The S3 is a bit bigger but a proper iphone beater :clap S4 is way better but bigger screen is difficult to handle one handed unless you have my size hands :naughty

Sony experia got good reviews too and is available in dust/waterproof mode too :thumbs

 

[AD Ent]

Smart phones are nothing without data. When I choose a network I want data and lots of it. So with 3 i get UNLIMITED for £26/Month, and I hit it hard on the data. 30-40gb/ month is normal for me. I torrent alot. So when I look at my mates iPhone 5 on EE's 4G @ £46/month for 10GB of data I can't say it makes me want to rush on down to the EE shop.

 

[briggie]

well I pay £23 a month , and I also get unlimited data ... and free landline calls , plus 2500 minutes to mobiles , unlimited texts..... that's with virgin

 

[96terrano]

Smart phones are nothing without data. When I choose a network I want data and lots of it. So with 3 i get UNLIMITED for £26/Month, and I hit it hard on the data. 30-40gb/ month is normal for me. I torrent alot. So when I look at my mates iPhone 5 on EE's 4G @ £46/month for 10GB of data I can't say it makes me want to rush on down to the EE shop.

Thats a lot of useage. Dont you have wifi?

 

[RobN]

HTC and android - I like jelly beans and ice cream sandwiches :thumb2

(Techy joke - almost) :lol

 

[makeitfit]

Smart phones are nothing without data. When I choose a network I want data and lots of it. So with 3 i get UNLIMITED for £26/Month, and I hit it hard on the data. 30-40gb/ month is normal for me. I torrent alot. So when I look at my mates iPhone 5 on EE's 4G @ £46/month for 10GB of data I can't say it makes me want to rush on down to the EE shop.

3 just don't work round here so my choice is a bit ltd Mind you I pay 28 a month for my S4 and that's got more data than I know what to do with

 

[Terranical]

:thumb2 Thanks for all the advice guys (and girls), looks like it's a toss-up between a Samsung and a Sony then - anyone got one they're selling? :nenau

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

love my sony xperia s, apart from battery life, battery is buit in no way to upgrade or swap
in a spare. best thing is to have the usb cable with you so can charge from a pc, mains
or car adapter wherever you are.

its on android, far superior to windows 7.5 etc. the xperia s is up there with a samsung s4
and the yphone.

the newer xperia z is a 5" screen akin to samsung note and the latest z ultima will be 6.4"
which is great but probably pocket challenging.