Phone recommendations

[The_Carpet_Frog]

As I have now got a job () I think that I should get a mobile phone just in case I break down on the motorway. Last phone I had was a Nokia 7110 which I got in 1999 so im a bit out of touch with what you can get now and prices etc.
I'm not interested in apps and all that crap (although one that takes a decentish photo would be nice) I just want something that will mainly be used on the odd occasion. Most important thing is it has to be cheap (like me )

 

[Plaxinator]

Any old cheap PAYG phone will do then, if you're only going to use it for phone & text no point in getting a smartphone. I used to have a Nokia X3 before I joined the smartphone revolution. Take a look at Argos. You can get a Samsung for £4.99!

 

[Spruijt]

I recently got the Sony Experia SP. Not the newest piece of hardwar out there, but it's fairly cheap and has a decent camera. Quite pleased with the battery as well.

 

[Slaine]

You'll be laughed at by the big kids at work you know!!! Seriously though, get yourself a Samsung Galaxy S4. Then if you ever decide to be a Commander in BF4 on the PS4, you can. Besides the new Playstation app looks to be the dogs

 

[Martok]

The phone you get is likely to be limited depending on the type of plan you get (PAYG, monthly SIM only, monthly contract) and then the operator you get this from, so probably best to give us a few more details first.

• How do you intend on using the phone? Is it just for emergencies and the odd call? Or would you be likely to use it a little more than this?
• Do you intend on using data services on your phone (Internet, email, social media etc)? If so, how often do you think you might do this?
• Apart from a camera and making calls/texts, is there anything else that you'd really like your phone to do?
• Do you know which mobile operators work best in your area? Do you have a preference (some will give cheaper/free calls to others on the same network depending on the plan you are on)?

 

[ColSonders]

I would advise against a smart phone, i've had 3 android phones now and they have poor battery life and aren't anywhere near as reliable as the older style phones.

That includes the S4, I've got one that is a few months old with barely any extra apps installed and it will randomly restart itself for no reason.

 

[zoob]

My Note 2 was the mutts, until I dropped it last weekend. My laptop died on me same day. FML.

 

[Acegadgets]

Can you afford £7.70 per month Mick? Thats for the phone with 200 mins talktime, 500mb data and unlimited texts .
Want one of the easiest phones to use with lots of features ?
Want a phone with a great camera, a sat nav, easy to use internet applications, simple to set up E Mail etc.
Want a phone that you can transfer music, photos etc to and from your home PC much easier than you can with an iPhone or Android phone?
Want a phone that is possibly cooler than an iPhone, does pretty much the same at a fraction of the cost?
A phone with a battery that will last a couple of days before charging?


I've had a couple of sony Xperia andriod phones, I thought they were pretty good at the time, however I had problems with things like the keyboard going into chinese, problems with the phone unlocking itself and sending texts to random people. I found a lot of the apps a bit complicated to set up . The software that came with it was pretty naff, and every few months you were required to save your contents of the phone, install an update to the phone then put all your stuff back in. When the battery was new I used to get about 10 hours unless I fannied around with a program that would disable apps running in the background that I didn't seem able to switch off or get rid of. After a few months I was lucky to get 8 hours before I needed to recharge it.

I tried my sons old iPhone between my two Androids and didn't think it was any better , infact I was tearing my hair out with iTunes, I couldn't get stuff off it and put downloaded from dodgy sites on it. I still absolutely hate iTunes and the android equivelent of putting stuff on and off your phone. I also tried a blackberry which was unusable to an old fart like me, you have to have a uni degree in complex gobildigook to use and pay an extra £5.00 a month to Orange to get all the features to work..

So what phone do I have now thats so friggin easy to use, gives my ample minutes, texts and internet downloads?
A new shiney windows phone from Nokia.
I got a 24 month deal from for the perfectly adequte 520 from carphone warehouse, it works on Talkmobile which I believe is Vodaphones trasmitters. Heres a link with a few options.
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/mobile-phones/brands/nokia/lumia-520-white/

 

[ColSonders]

@Acegadgets thanks for that info. I'm probably looking to get out of my contract due to the unusable performance of the EE network, which would mean i'd have to hand the phone back so this info may well end up useful for me.

 

[Acegadgets]

Customer reviews concur that Nokia Windows phone ARE damn good.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00BM24PMY/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

 

[ColSonders]

Customer reviews concur that Nokia Windows phone ARE damn good.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00BM24PMY/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

I've not read the reviews, but i've had a couple of top end Adnroid phones and my ex has a Nokia Lumia and besides a few features that are missing from Windows phones such as blacklists for numbers it's actually a very good phone, easily comparable to the Galaxy S2 I had...granted the camera is a bit naff in comparison and the headphone jack method of detecting headphones is a joke, but other than that it's a damn good little phone.

 

[Martok]

Windows phones are very much lacking in apps, so if you have any interest in apps then don't get one as chances are that app that you want will be on the iPhone and Android but not Windows.

If you're wanting a cheap phone (if that's your main priority) and it ends up being a smartphone, then your best bet is an Android one.

 

[Sportsvee]

Me and the missus have a Samsung S3 each and we love them. So many games to play at work
Oh and viber makes it cheaper to txt and call using our wifi.

Battary life for a smartphone is poor when you compare it to the previous ones (does that make them dumb phones?) but you get use to it. 2 days before recharing unless heavy use occures is standard for me.

Best thing you can do is tinker with phones until you find one that you like to use.

 

[DrewePeacock]

I know there's a lot of hate for iPhones, but I've had two and haven't had any problems at all. The contracts are expensive though (I'm currently paying £30 a month) but it works perfectly for me.

 

[Slaine]

Yeah dont get a Windows phone. Ive got one. Very few apps which are all over priced. Very disappointed with my Nokia Lumia 800

 

[Plaxinator]

We got my mum a Windows phone. Nokia Lumina something or other. She couldn't get on with it so we replaced it with a samsung S3 mini instead. Windows phones are meh, remind me too much of Windows 8 which I hate more than Vista.

 

[The_Carpet_Frog]

Well I have been given an old PAYG thing, I think its a Sony Ericsson T700, its a bit battered but im only gonna stick a tenner on it and leave it in the car anyway so jobs a goodun. Would have been nice to go with one of the above suggestions but in all reality it wont be used.

 

[Sportsvee]

So all in all a happy ending?