Mobile phone advice

Looking to get a new mobile, and my first "smart phone", thinking of the Blackberry Torch
http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/buy/BLACKBERRY-TORCH-9810-P25ET-FCON

looking at a package that gives 750Mb data a month, is this adequate for normal use? No idea how much data they eat up for stuff like coming on here, facebook, bit of Sky Sports etc.

 

Samsung galaxy III or hang around a couple of months for new iPhone - I'd still recommend the iPhone 4s as well

 

Depends on your budget. I've got Samsung GS2 from work and it's quality. GS3 is just out but will be more expensive. I'd stay clear from Blackberry, they don't offer the same amount of apps as Apple/Android and the key differentiator was always their email client - they're not much different on the other phones now.

750mb should be fine, just be careful with the apps you get that they're not always connected etc.

 

As you are a newbie to all this smartphone lark then I would gently push you in the direction of a recent Android phone, either an HTC or a Samsung. I have an HTC Sensation XE and it is fantastic. The thing you will be disappointed with most I would have thought in this whole new world is the battery life of most smartphones. Most, and I imagine you will become one, tend to have to charge their phones most nights. This is due to the amazing power they have including dual or even quadcore processors, and huge screens. As for your data usage though, I have 500Mb and never go above this. However, I don't stream video. If you have a wireless router at home like me, you really should just switch on your wifi while you're at home and turn off your mobile internet. You will get faster speed more than likely, plus you won't be using your allowance (500Mb / 750Mb or whatever). As others have said though, I would steer clear of the Blackberry's. If you want any other avice then I am more than willing to help. This appears to be a brilliant deal too if it floats your boat http://www.buymobilephones.net/mobi...e=afp&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=23153 and if you use Quidco or Topcashback you can get £30 cashback.

Also, I would take LiverpoolRed's phone advice with a pinch of salt - he once gave me some proper duff info on a smartphone!!! GRRRRR!!!! (Just kidding LR, you only told me your opinions on the Viewty, and even now I still think you were ace for even responding in a detailed in a friendly manner)

 

An alternative to the GS3

is the Galaxy Nexus, which although slightly older, can be picked up for a fraction of the cost and will happily run the latest Android 4.0.4. Folk are even starting to run leaked Jelly Bean on them. Mmm... leaked Jelly Bean.

 

Re: An alternative to the GS3

Aw ta mate! I did say Samsung though - I still love my iPhone though

 

I've just upgraded from a Blackberry Curve to a Nokia Lumia 800.

While the Blackberry I had was one of the base models, it felt rather cheap and didn't reflect the price I was paying for it. It didn't play videos online, and the youtube app which I downloaded for free, worked once in 2 years. The camera on it was pretty pathetic, and their was no flash. Having said that, it took a fair bit of hammer and didn't once slow down or crash or break; I was suprised by this as i'd heard Blackberry's can be very temperamental. While overall it was a decent phone, I simply can't recommend it.

I upgraded a couple of months early, which cost me £65ish with a loyalty discount from orange, an I got a Nokia Lumia 800, with unlimited texts, 750mb internet and 200 minutes for £26 a month. Had it a few weeks, and must say, it's a cracking phone. Connects to the internet quickly, the user interface is big and bright and the camera is pretty good to, and has flash. It has a 16GB built in memory which means its replaced my ipod too. My only gripe with it is the battery life, it is pretty dreadful; I find myself charging it every day an a half, if im lucky, although i've just found the battery saver function which closes all applications you arent using, and makes the thing more efficient, for example, with that switched on, it only notify's me about recieving an e-mail when i'm charging my phone, which is fine for me as I don't generally use e-mail.

I will however say, that before I bought my Blackberry, I was a big fan of Sony Ericssons (just Sony again now), purely because of their sturdyness and adequate camera, (I take a lot of pictures when im drunk), so i'd have a look at their latest smartphone.

 

Android on the cheap

Possibly of interest:
Buy a Huwaei G300 for £99.99 from Very.co.uk. If you are a new customer, open a credit account. Do it through TopCashBack - you will get a 10%-off voucher code for new credit customers, plus 6% cashback.
When it arrives buy an unlock code from eBay - usually £5-6
Start a SIM300 12-month contract with 3 - £10 a month for 300 mins, 3000 texts. 1GB internet. Do this through TopCashBack for a whopping £54 cashback!
Total cost of ownership - £84 for the handset, £6 for the unlock, and £66 for the contract = £156. If at any time you decide it's not for you and you want to cut your losses, the handset is yours to flog on ebay and you'll recoup a good wedge of that back.

My wife is on the 3 contract and it is fine but only attracted £27 cashback when we took it out. I am on GiffGaff but will be buying a 3 contract when my credit runs out as internet reception is hopeless near both home and work on GiffGaff

When we did this, the pick of the budget handsets was the Orange San Francisco II. This could be unlocked for free but is a far inferior handset to the Huwaei.

A couple of caveats to the deal - Operators tend to load phones with their own network-specific software. On the San Fran this was easy to remove by installing a downloadable ROM from the forums at modaco.com. I am not sure if this is as easy to do with the Huwaei and in any event will rodger your warranty. Also the San Fran is easy to root - the custom ROMs are pre-rooted. Again not sure for the Huwaei. Anyway if the deal is of interest I'll happily discuss further.

 

GS2 and GS3

Can we have some proper words please.

It'll be taking a few people hours to word out what that means Dyson.

 

GS2 and GS3

Can we have some proper words please.

It'll be taking a few people hours to word out what that means Dyson.

Hemmsie, I think the header gives a clue. I don't know what a GS2 or a GS3 is but I bet it's a mobile phone. Unlike your odi and WN1 thread where there wasn't any reference as to what they had to do with. GET IT. If you had preceded your post with something like :- A cricket question....... even a cricket hater like me would have known that odi stood for one day international. Would still have struggled with WN1 to be honest but I would have known what subject you where alluding to. GET IT. Stop being a t1t and try and communicate a bit better.

 

Just got iphone 4S from carphone warehouse, £36 per month, 600 minutes, 1gb of data and unlimited texts I think it is. Told me in shop 500mb of data would be more than enough for general browsing like you seem to be wanting. Can't fault it so far, so simple to use.

 

Thanks for all the comments.
The missus has recently upgraded from a HTC to new Sony Xperia which is a new phone. I'm also considering the Samsung Galaxy 2, also avail at £26 on T-Mobile (I want them or Orange for the coverage)
I liked the look of the Blackberry Torch with combination of the touch screen and a decent key pad.

 

Just got an iPhone 4s through work at its spot on.

 

Don't want an iPhone. It's starting to look like the Galaxy S2.

Agree with what people put about battery life, but if I at least remember to put it on charge when I get home then not too much an issue. Missus always seems to forget and puts it on charge for 30-45 mins in the morning

 

Samsung Galaxy Note, hands down the best phone i've ever owned, it's a bit bigger than the Galaxy S2 and the S3 but probably easier to pickup than the S3, runs Android ICS too so no different to the S3 bar a few minor hardware differences.

 

i think this smart blower things a load of ******, apps are pointless, and so is getting a contract phone, payg is far better,
i sound like a old man but thats my opinion

 

You little tinker.

 

How is PAYG better? The cost of calls and texts are greater, you pay more for the handset initially and get very little for staying loyal to a provider!

 

Nice attempt, but I am struggling to work out what you mean by "hours to WORD out what that means"???