Phone upgrade

[ttcycle]

I'm due an upgrade on my phone - will be out of contract in Nov.

I've currently been using a crappy cheap phone as my old one fell off the bed and broke a while ago.
I have an old secondhand 3G I-phone with a giff gaff payg sim in it.

I need to keep my number so any changes or shifting providers will have to happen in Nov.

I'm with orange at the moment- have been with them for years but know that their pricing isn't very competitive.

Seen a sim only iphone 1 month contract at tesco mobile for £17.50 or £22.50 with 5000 text, 500mb data and either 500 or 750 minutes.

My current costs are £25 a month for 600 minutes, no data and unlimited texts.
The only thing that keeps me with orange is the orange wednesdays film offer but that's no big draw and the magic numbers- over time more and more people have left orange so only two numbers left.

I basically want a phone that I can check emails from, can access the net to check stuff on the go and get maps from. I don't tend to use the i-phone for much as it's payg and I mainly use it at home on the wifi to check emails and social networking stuff and here.

I like the way the iphone works but it's the cost of the contracts per month as well as the hefty cost of a new phone, I'm happy to transfer my current iphone over onto a sim only deal but it is pretty knackered and will need upgrading at some point. I'm not too bothered about apps and stuff.

I've been considering HTC and Blackberry as they tend to be cheaper -- what are people's experiences with these phones?

I suppose there will be a lot of time trawling the net for best monthly contracts etc but it's a boring task! Any help would be great.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

I'm due an upgrade on my phone - will be out of contract in Nov.

I've currently been using a crappy cheap phone as my old one fell off the bed and broke a while ago.
I have an old secondhand 3G I-phone with a giff gaff payg sim in it.

I need to keep my number so any changes or shifting providers will have to happen in Nov.

I'm with orange at the moment- have been with them for years but know that their pricing isn't very competitive.

Seen a sim only iphone 1 month contract at tesco mobile for £17.50 or £22.50 with 5000 text, 500mb data and either 500 or 750 minutes.

My current costs are £25 a month for 600 minutes, no data and unlimited texts.
The only thing that keeps me with orange is the orange wednesdays film offer but that's no big draw and the magic numbers- over time more and more people have left orange so only two numbers left.

I basically want a phone that I can check emails from, can access the net to check stuff on the go and get maps from. I don't tend to use the i-phone for much as it's payg and I mainly use it at home on the wifi to check emails and social networking stuff and here.

I like the way the iphone works but it's the cost of the contracts per month as well as the hefty cost of a new phone, I'm happy to transfer my current iphone over onto a sim only deal but it is pretty knackered and will need upgrading at some point. I'm not too bothered about apps and stuff.

I've been considering HTC and Blackberry as they tend to be cheaper -- what are people's experiences with these phones?

I suppose there will be a lot of time trawling the net for best monthly contracts etc but it's a boring task! Any help would be great.

I got the HTC Wildfire from argos the other week they have them from £114.00 on PAYG

I also have a Blackberry the Blackberry is great for business use emails etc and the Wildfire is great for surfing and maps and playing

 

[ttcycle]

Hi Phil

thanks for that - what's the blackberry that you have and what's it like for web browsing?

 

[phil_hg_uk]

Hi Phil

thanks for that - what's the blackberry that you have and what's it like for web browsing?

Its a 9700 and for surfing the screen is too small.

I find the blackberry second to none for business I sync it with ACT and have 1200 customer contacts on it and the Push email is excellent I have tried using other phone for this and the Blackberry beats them all.

However because of the small screen it is no good for surfing, and I dont like the Blackberru Torch, so I also have the Wildfire for surfing and just general messing about on the internet and it also is great for this.

I also have a Samsung B2100 Extreme rugged phone for use when I am out on my bike as it can be immersed in water without it getting damaged but I may sell it and start using the Wildfire as it has GPS so I can use google maps and download a cycling program to track my rides it will save having to buy a garmin.

 

[calibanzwei]

All (smart and most non-smart) phones these days can receive email, the only difference with Blackberries is it's 'push' email ability - a person sends an email, you receive an email just like with whatever email client you use.

Other handsets have to be told to check 'the network' every now and then (you set this on the phone).

No real difference to the casual user, but you see why Blackberrys' are used in the business market (plus they can be tied into whatever email servers BIG business use).

Good (and cheap) multimedia capable Android handsets can be obtained from HTC, Samsung et al , so it'll just come down to the styling - like Phil above if you want a phone that's a bit rugged (like me... and to be fair I think I've plugged this phone several times today on here

) aim for the Motorola Defy+ - it's not out yet (Sept/Oct), but it's proposed stats are here: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_defy+-4098.php

 

[ttcycle]

All (smart and most non-smart) phones these days can receive email, the only difference with Blackberries is it's 'push' email ability - a person sends an email, you receive an email just like with whatever email client you use.

Other handsets have to be told to check 'the network' every now and then (you set this on the phone).

No real difference to the casual user, but you see why Blackberrys' are used in the business market (plus they can be tied into whatever email servers BIG business use).

Good (and cheap) multimedia capable Android handsets can be obtained from HTC, Samsung et al , so it'll just come down to the styling - like Phil above if you want a phone that's a bit rugged (like me... and to be fair I think I've plugged this phone several times today on here

) aim for the Motorola Defy+ - it's not out yet (Sept/Oct), but it's proposed stats are here: http://www.gsmarena...._defy+-4098.php

Yes, the push ability is on the iphone as well- I keep it on there but remove the sound updates as there are nutty people emailing in the small hours of the morning!!!

I like the way the iphone works I just can't be arsed to pay for the more expensive tariffs as I think it's a serious rip off. What I may end up doing is going for a sim only on the old iphone and if I need to upgrade if the phone dies then I'll do that if I need to.

Unless I can find a better deal.

 

[calibanzwei]

I've just read into the recent boom in push email (apps and what'not) - must keep up!

iPhone 5 is alleged to be out soon, so come Xmas you might see a drop in prices for the current 16/32Gb 4's... or even a 'budget' 8Gb 4 like they did with the 3GS when the 4 came out.

 

[ttcycle]

I've just read into the recent boom in push email (apps and what'not) - must keep up!

iPhone 5 is alleged to be out soon, so come Xmas you might see a drop in prices for the current 16/32Gb 4's... or even a 'budget' 8Gb 4 like they did with the 3GS when the 4 came out.

Thanks for that little bit of news! That is pretty evil isn't it? A release before Xmas to get people going!

I've seen the budget iphone tariffs and the minutes versus texts and data really are absolutely rubbish.

I think it's just trading on the fact that people want what is branded in a certain way - I am not that bothered about retaining the iphone if I could get something that works comparatively well on the email and browsing front.

The minutes, data and unlimited texts are more important to me than having a 'desirable' hip phone.

I'll keep researching as in no hurry- I can upgrade with orange now but my contract finishes in Nov so allows me more time to think.

 

[calibanzwei]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaHUpWuqNHY

 

[ttcycle]

Fantastic!!

 

[calibanzwei]

Same episode

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSHusKDYgP0

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I'm with orange at the moment- have been with them for years but know that their pricing isn't very competitive.

Seen a sim only iphone 1 month contract at tesco mobile for £17.50 or £22.50 with 5000 text, 500mb data and either 500 or 750 minutes.

My current costs are £25 a month for 600 minutes, no data and unlimited texts.

I basically want a phone that I can check emails from, can access the net to check stuff on the go and get maps from. I don't tend to use the i-phone for much as it's payg and I mainly use it at home on the wifi to check emails and social networking stuff and here.

I like the way the iphone works but it's the cost of the contracts per month as well as the hefty cost of a new phone, I'm happy to transfer my current iphone over onto a sim only deal but it is pretty knackered and will need upgrading at some point. I'm not too bothered about apps and stuff.

I've been considering HTC and Blackberry as they tend to be cheaper -- what are people's experiences with these phones?

I got my HTC Desire Z just before Christmas last year. It was bought from Phones4U as they had it in stock (mainly).
The deal I'm on, and BTW they seemed keen to put me on pretty much any network, but I specifically didn't want Orange as I'd read about their forcing you to use a certain 'interface' on their smartphones - is with TMobile, 24 month contract, £25 pm incl 600 minutes, 500 texts (I think) and unlimited internet.
It seemed like the Phones4U I was on had the facility to cobble together almost any contract.

HTC does the email thing fine, does the google maps thing too, and you can download an app called MapDroyd to allow off-line maps (eg when overseas so no data roaming charges).

 

[ttcycle]

I got my HTC Desire Z just before Christmas last year. It was bought from Phones4U as they had it in stock (mainly).
The deal I'm on, and BTW they seemed keen to put me on pretty much any network, but I specifically didn't want Orange as I'd read about their forcing you to use a certain 'interface' on their smartphones - is with TMobile, 24 month contract, £25 pm incl 600 minutes, 500 texts (I think) and unlimited internet.
It seemed like the Phones4U I was on had the facility to cobble together almost any contract.

HTC does the email thing fine, does the google maps thing too, and you can download an app called MapDroyd to allow off-line maps (eg when overseas so no data roaming charges).

how do you find browsing web pages like CC etc on the phone?

the thing I like about the iphone is that you can see websites very clearly.

 

[cyberknight]

Bit of a thread jack as i am considering getting a newer phone as my PAYG is worth £1.88 on trade in.

I do not use a phone much so an entry level monthly tariff is ok for me, £13.50 a month will give me enough talk, txt and data.
The phone would be used mainly for talk + txt and the odd occasional email/web browse and i am interested in the gps for cycle apps etc , i gather that i can download the maps /apps etc and save on my data allowance .
I would be using the 02 network as it offers the best signal where i will be using it and i have considered the following phones so i would like you opinion please ?

htc wildfire

samsung galaxy mini


Nokia C6-01



http://shop.o2.co.uk/mobile_phone/pay_monthly/specifications/HTC/Wildfire S Black

http://shop.o2.co.uk/mobile_phone/pay_monthly/specifications/Samsung/Galaxy Mini Graphite

http://shop.o2.co.uk/mobile_phone/pay_monthly/init/Nokia/C6-01

 

[SavageHoutkop]

how do you find browsing web pages like CC etc on the phone?

the thing I like about the iphone is that you can see websites very clearly.

Not used an iPhone so can't comment on relative differences, but I get along with the web fine on the HTC