Thinking about a Smartphone - hardware and 'contract' advice please!

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Oldspice

Senior Member
Just a polite warning. windows has no flash support and is unlikely to get any flash in the future. Can't even get iplayer or TVcatchup.

Still like it.
 

PaulSB

Squire
I'm pretty much in the dark ages with my current phone, and I'm starting to have a yen for something Smart, that I can go online with. Thinking about Christmas presents... I use a laptop with mobile broadband at home, which is fine. I'm thinking of being able to access forums, tweet, or google while out of the house.

Two strands to my question. Any especial recommendations of actual brand/model? I'd like it to be as robust as possible. I actually use my phone relatively little to actually make and receive calls, do a bit more in the way of texting. It doesn't want to be too big, as I want to carry it in trouser pockets most of the time. Doesn't have to have a mega mega good camera, most seem to be a huge step up from my current one anyway.

Secondly, contract, or PAYG? I'm currently on PAYG, which suits me as I use so little credit (probably less than £10 a month). I wouldn't want to commit to a contract at too much over £10 a month if it were possible. Will PAYG give me enough data? I don't need hundreds of free minutes or thousands of free texts, because I don't use that much.

One other reason for thinking about PAYG is that I could ask for money for Xmas and buy the phone, whereas going onto a contract it's harder to get that as a present, since it's ongoing and the phone is often free or very cheap.

There's just so much out there!:wacko:

You'll find as many opinions as there are phones on this subject! Comments I would make are these

Yes they are more fragile but this is essentially mini computer in your pocket. It is likely to be a bit fragile and given the cost I make an effort to look after mine! Saying that I live an active, outdoor life at work and home. Dropped the phone many times without a problem

Ease of use? Simple and works all the time go for an iPhone while accepting what some see as limitations. Personally I have no knowledge of the extras an android can provide. For more flexibility but some complexity get Android.

I'm not an Apple worshipper but find it very difficult to fault the iPhone. I have no technical knowledge but have yet to find anything I cannot achieve with an iPhone and all without any problems. Phone, email (6 different accounts), web access, Facebook, twitter, GPS, maps, music, TV via iPlayer etc, live BBC radio, newspaper, podcasts, synchronise phone and laptop, games, calendar, contacts, sat nav, camera, photo storage, remote access to my office PC, provides laptop web access, eBay, YouTube, live traffic, trains etc. are all very simple to use. I've no doubt an android does the same.

The only thing which doesn't work is occasionally some news clips on BBC. I believe this is to do with iPhone not running Java? However as the beeb increasingly uses iPlayer for news clips this has almost disappeared.

Battery life is fine with one charge at night covering all business and personal use. I don't understand though why Garmin has a battery which lasts 15 hours or more running GPS and smart phones only manage about 3!!

Your smart phone will also be able to replace your dongle by giving the laptop Internet access. Keep this in mind when calculating your data needs.

My wife has an iPhone - its the only piece of technology from the TV remote upwards which she has never complained about. Everything, literally everything, else frustrates her in one way or another.

I like things which work easily in my hands, I don't have the knowledge or the time and inclination to learn how they work. For me this is the huge success of Apple and Microsoft - incredible technology packaged in a simple user friendly almost idiot proof manner. I realise those with greater technical ability have a different view based on greater knowledge but many of us, especially those who have not grown up with technology, need these user friendly packages.

PS add Kindle to the "no wifely moans" list. Kindle and iPhone brilliant simple kit.
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
How much do you like a bargain? How good are you at being methodical, tracking dates, admin?

I have 4 phone contracts (me, wife and two children) and have spent a bit of time getting the best deals I can. Occasionally I've had a phone / contract where they've paid me money over the course of it!

I usually go for cashback deals from mobiles.co.uk, through quidco.You need to send away bills at specific points through your contract (you can email them in) and they send you cheques

Some tips. If you want a really good deal you need to avoid the big flagship models. The Samsung Galaxy III and the iphone 5 may be great phones, but you'll pay for them. Most brands have competent smartphones that will do most of what they will do, but haven't done very well in the popularity stakes.

An example- I got this phone for my teenage daughter. Cutdown version, good for a school blazer pocket. She really likes it. Look at something like the third one down. You get 250 meg of data, 100 minutes and 500 texts per month for £4.05 per month after cashback. If you go through quidco you also get £50 cashback! So your phone and 18 months charges land up costing you £22.90 in total.

That's an extreme example, though it suits her, but if you are careful you can get great deals on most phones. They are depending on people not bothering to send in bills, and just paying up. They also start you off on a months free insurance, which then costs you £5.99 a month so you need to cancel it as soon as possible, certainly within the first month. So there are drawbacks but if you go into it with your eyes open and play by the rules it can be exceptionally good.
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
I'd also mention - a smartphone will need charging every day. They really do chew through batteries.
But - get a decent data allowance on it and you'll be able to get rid of the broadband dongle. The phone can act as a WiFi hotspot and your netbook will connect to that wirelessly. That'll save you some money.
I've got a Wildfire S - an Android phone, which is pretty small and will do most things. £15 a month on Virgin with 200 minutes, 3000 txts and a gig of data. I never use it all.
 

Enw.nigel

Well-Known Member
Location
Cardiff
I'd also mention - a smartphone will need charging every day. They really do chew through batteries.
.
I've got a Wildfire S - an Android phone, which is pretty small and will do most things. .

Another one here for the HTC Wildfire. I chose the Wildfire because of its' size. Fits in a trouser pocket comfortably. Check the Carphone Warehouse for deals. I had 200 mins, ///texts(can't remember how many) and unlimited internet for £12 per month
 

ushills

Veteran
I can vouch for Giffgaff, easy to manage and good forum support, don't expect a call centre though.
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
Was in the same boat as OP some time ago, moving to "smart" phone for first time. Was fairly convinced I needed a separate keypad (for e-mails on the move) and leaning towards the more expensive Blackberrys. Persuaded, mostly on cost grounds, to go for a touch screen, chose the HTC Wildfire S and hard to fault it. Mine's on Vodaphone contract for work related reasons.
No 1 son (not a techno geek) having looked at mine, decided he wanted same model when he went to uni, (he'd previously had a very old and very basic Nokia). We bought his Wildfire sim-free on fleabay and put in a Giff-Gaff sim card. Not had any complaints from him so far.
 

coffeejo

Ælfrēd
Location
West Somerset
Resurrecting this thread as there's some really helpful info on it.

My contract with Orange ends in July but in the next week, I'll be able to upgrade and start a new contract. It's probably time I joined the 21st century and got a smartphone, and am trying to decide:

(a) whether to stick with the contract and/or Orange, or go PAYG (I mainly just text and use the phone as an MP3 player)
(b) what the data allowance figures actually mean in terms of usage (assume I'll use FB, CC, email, maps, general browsing)
(c) what phone to go for - like the iphone but have no idea what the alternatives are

Arch, what did you get in the end? Are you happy with it?
 

Sca1ey

Active Member
Location
Sheffield
I bought a Nexus 4 direct from Google and generally buy a £10 a month GiffGaff Goodybag, which is fine if you don't stream loads of data - I listen to Google Music sometimes and that's Ok.
 

Cletus Van Damme

Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
I always buy phones used, but in mint condition. I cannot bear to pay expensive contract prices as I do not use a phone enough and I know I am just paying for the phone in reality. The HTC Wildfire is a great little phone for next to nothing, but the Desire is also really cheap now and it is a much better phone with a superb screen and quick enough also. The problems I had with Wildfire, Desire and Galaxy Ace is lack of internal memory that used to fill up pretty quickly if to many apps were installed.

Recently I bought a used Samsung Galaxy S2 off a mate at work that was totally mint. This is a cracking phone, loads of internal memory, large screen but not too large, very fast, flash support and I honestly cannot think why I would ever need anything else in a phone. The prices of these are starting to plummet as the S4 is now out and everybody seems to like the latest hardware and pay a premium for it. This is great for me as I always just wait a couple of years and buy cracking phones for little outlay. I got a mint Desire for £50 which is peanuts, and I would imagine that it is way better than any phone that can be bought new for that. Certainly a better phone than the Samsung Galaxy Ace which costs more with a much poorer display, slower, and less internal memory, no flash support and obviously build quality, which is plastic compared to the metal Desire.
 

coffeejo

Ælfrēd
Location
West Somerset
[QUOTE 2453084, member: 259"]If you do decide to go PAYG with Giffgaff, examine their terms and conditions very carefully before you decide it's for you.

And if you still want to use them, you can enter the code ggSIM11 when you get your sim card, which gives you £5 of free credit.

They use the O2 network, so check their network coverage map as well.[/quote]
Just been looking at their website and checking O2 now. Thanks for the code - is there anything in particular I should be aware of re: T&C?
 

shouldbeinbed

Rollin' along
Location
Manchester way
Resurrecting this thread as there's some really helpful info on it.

My contract with Orange ends in July but in the next week, I'll be able to upgrade and start a new contract. It's probably time I joined the 21st century and got a smartphone, and am trying to decide:

(a) whether to stick with the contract and/or Orange, or go PAYG (I mainly just text and use the phone as an MP3 player)
(b) what the data allowance figures actually mean in terms of usage (assume I'll use FB, CC, email, maps, general browsing)
(c) what phone to go for - like the iphone but have no idea what the alternatives are

A) I ditched my £35 contract for £10 a month top up on PAYG and haven't looked back. I'm light on calls and texts but have got 2 phones and SIM's on the go - a work project I'm funding myself & my personal one.

One is on o2 with a PAYG text and web sim card. £10 top up gets me 300 texts and 500MB of internet and gives me the £10 to use for calls, picture messages etc - does me fine.

The other is on 3 (free sim card that arrived) you top up from £10 and can then convert all or part of it to an add on which gives you an allowance of calls texts or data. £10 converts to 300 minutes of standard line and mobile calls, 3000texts and 500MB of data. but nothing left for picture messages or special numbers - not a problem really as they're fearsomly expensive anyway.

They're very similar in terms of signal, o2's £10 is a tad more versatile but I can forward my calls from my 3 PAYG, I can't from my o2 one - that is occasionally useful to me.

I couldn't find a Vodafone deal anywhere like these 2 for the same money & you know orange better than me.

B) I use my phone quite a bit for the internet, I'm on it several times daily jumping into forums and looking stuff up and 500MB covers me fine for a months use - 3 do unlimited data for £15 PAYG but why would you need unlimited data unless you have no wifi?

C) I'm currently using an 2nd hand iPhone 4 and a Nokia Lumia 800 windows phone. I've also had an Android HTC Desire. I like the Nokia Windows Phone icon based homescreen approach best, and there are apps for everything essential you'd need to do but it still lags behind the others in terms of developers making stuff available for it, the keyboard is functional but not the best but its the only one the OS allows so you're stuck with it & niche utilities/mobile banking apps etc haven't filtered onto the windows phones yet. The camera on mine isn't brilliant but newer ons apparently are better, the music is very good.
Apple and Android are better and more fully serviced in that way so are a more solid all rounder of a phone system. Personally I prefer Android as it lets you set the phone up far more how you want it to - excellent if you are a tinkerer. Apple (and windows) is more limited and will set the phone up very usably but won't let you have nearly as much 'under the hood' control as Android does - maybe good if it is your first step into smartphones or you're just not that much of a geek. The camera and music on the Apple are both very good, it would be unfair to comment on the HTC desire as it is quite a bit older but a pals Sony Xperia S seems very good for both.

I wouldn't go back on a contract again so am limited to what handset I can afford to buy outright, but if money wasn't a problem I think I would give a brand new windows phone or the latest Sony Xperia a go, Tho the Mrs (big apple fangirl) would tell you the iphone 5 can make you walk on water it is so good.
 

Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
I have a Virgin SIM only contract.

£10 a month for unlimited texts, 300 minutes of calls and 1GB of data. I can cancel or alter it at 1 months notice. Runs on EE (ex Orange + T Mobile).

I use a Galaxy Ace Plus (Android) phone, bought as 'Used but never used' (?) at £100 earlier this year. I looked at my wife's iphone 4S, and another running Microsoft, as well as the Android system. My conclusion was that the iphone is so poor I'd rather stick with my old £3 from Argos clamshell GSM phone, the Microsoft OS is probably the best but there are not enough software apps for it yet. The Android phone is super simple to use, plenty of flexibility in set up if wanted, totally reliable, good battery life (typically charge once every 2 days except when running bike software). I'm very pleased with my choice.

I'm now thinking of getting an Android tablet, but can't make up my mind which one - too much choice!

FWIW when my wife's present contract runs out or the phone breaks I don't think we'll have any iphones here.
 

Ciar

Veteran
Location
London
I have an Iphone 4s which i use regularly not so much for calls/texts but more for the apps, i have both cyclemeter and strava as well as the met office, bloody handy and I also connect my cadence/speed sensor to the phone via bluetooth... when my contract ran out I went sim only, £10 a month 500mb internet + unlimited calls and 500 texts, suits me fine... as people have pointed out if you have cash up front go buy the phone and sim only, works out much cheaper than a contract.
 
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