Help me choose a cell phone - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: BillWojo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2014, 10:44:54 pm
content: Well I have been using Metro PCS for about 2 and a half years now and don't have many complaints. Seems that T-Moble bought them out and I need to get a new phone as my phone isn't going to work on the new system. Current phone that I have is a Samsung, not sure of the model number, but I can text, do e-mail, take pics, etc. They are offering me 6 phones that won't cost me anything.1) Samsung Exhibit2) LG L703) Kyocera Hydro Extreme4) Nokia Lumia5) ZTE Concord6) Alcatel EvolvePlus I can pay out and pick up one of these.1) LG F6-69 $19.002) Samsung Galaxy Mega $449.03) Samsung S4 $449.004) Samsung S5 $599.00I like the much larger screen on the Mega and S4 but this thing lives in my back pocket of my jeans and I don't know if I could get used to that especially if I get an Otter box for it. Plus that's a heck of a lot to shell out cash wise. I work in dirty industrial environments (machine shops) and I never figured that the phone that I have now would have survived this long. Only thing bad is the battery seems to be dying and the charger port is wearing out.So out of the above phones, and lets forget about shelling out hundreds what phone would you guys suggest as a good replacement? I need internet access, texting, camera, video is a plus, and reliability.ThanksBillWojo

author: Terabyte2007
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2014, 11:06:57 pm
content: My vote is for the Galaxy S5. I currently have an S4 and can't wait to upgrade to the S5. Hands down, one of the best smart phones out there!

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 12:58:47 am
content: Quote from: BillWojo on August 18, 2014, 10:44:54 pmHave you considered the Nexus 5 (~$350). You get the native Android experience without vendor branding and early OS upgrades.

author: marshallh
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 01:55:14 am
content: The Nokia Lumia 521 is a solid low-end smartphone. I am quite impressed with Windows Phone 8 (the OS it runs) which does much better with less RAM than Android does.The downside is that the shelf life of such a phone is going to be very short if you want to run apps and such on it - its limited resources will eventually pose a problem.Lumia 925 is a $250 phone that is more beefy but otherwise the same.The benefit of the 521 is its extremely durable and can take a hit (unlike many smartphones). If it breaks you can buy a brand new one for $70.

author: hamster_nz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 03:51:18 am
content: Odds are that nobody will agree with me, but I am very happy with the decision I made.A high end THL phone from Chinavasion, something like:http://www.chinavasion.com/china/wholesale/Android_Phones/6-7_Inch_Android_Phones/thl_T200_MTK6592_True_Octa-Core_Phone_-_6_Inch_Gorilla_Glass_IPS_Capacitive_Screen_1920x1080_32GB_ROM_NFC_Android_OS_White/Mine is a ThL W8s, with quad core, 2GB RAM, 32GB flash, 1920x1080 screen, dual SIM (work and personal SIM on different networks at the same time).Given that is was US$340 with priority shipping, I'm happy.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 09:34:44 am
content: Quote from: hamster_nz on August 19, 2014, 03:51:18 amVery nice. Does it have the Google Play app? How do you switch between the two Sims? Does it accept calls from the two numbers?

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 09:58:07 am
content: Quote from: zapta on August 19, 2014, 09:34:44 amTwo sim cards phone already existed for years, especially in Asia region as operators are fighting like crazy. Infact, locked phone are almost non existent in my country.Yes, its like 2 phones merged into single body, can do two simultaneous calls at once, either you switch between them during voice call without getting disconnected, or mix them both for voice conferencing.Currently I'm using Samsung Grand 2, with duo cards capability, 1st main sim card is for the voice call, the 2nd card is throw away card depends on which operator offers the best data plan, and purely just for internet only. Also as emergency secondary voice calls (different operator) just in case the main one is in the weak signal area.Its also very popular for business users as it can conviniently separates between personal and business numbers without carrying 2 phones.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 10:23:11 am
content: Never used a dual Sim phone. In the US the sim card culture is not that developed.Does it have Google Play?

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 10:28:49 am
content: Dual sim cards phone only popular where cellular phone biz is not monopolized by one or two giant operators, here we have more than >5 operators competing each other like crazy.Yes, its a full fledged android phone officially certified by Google.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 10:39:30 am
content: LG G3 I love mine. the screen is pure sex.or, if you want cheaper, get a Nexus 5

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 10:43:53 am
content: ?HTC one; i have a 2013 M7, it has passed the drop test

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 12:12:02 pm
content: Not sure how the Otterbox case will work in your back pocket. My company supplied us with Otterbox Defender cases for our iPhones and, with the rubber outer case, it doubles the thickness of the phone. Mine is a PITA to get in and out of the belt clip so I keep it in my front pants pocket with my personal phone, makes quite a bulge and not in a good way

author: BillWojo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 10:42:25 pm
content: Are any of the above on my list? The $500 dollar phones are out. Yea, I'd love to have a S4 or S5 but that's not happening. Need to make a decision soon.BillWojo

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2014, 11:09:08 pm
content: Quote from: BillWojo on August 19, 2014, 10:42:25 pmYou can use with TMobile any unlocked phone you want. Their plans are designed for it and they charge you less if you bring your own phone. In our household all the phones are unlocked third party with TMobile accounts.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2014, 04:40:23 pm
content: Ars Technica had today an article about the Android OS upgrade availability time by vendor. (delay times are measured from the release for Nexus 5).http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/08/the-state-of-android-updates-whos-fast-whos-slow-and-why/

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2014, 12:11:29 am
content: I gave my cellphone a flying lesson it did not survive so I also need something new. I'm wondering whether you can disable having to enter the pin on every telephone or is that a special feature?

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2014, 12:57:41 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on August 21, 2014, 12:11:29 amDo you mean the unlock screen? Yes, you can disable it, use a pattern instead of a secret number, some phones also support finger print, NFC token, facial recognition and all kind of tricks to reduce the unlock hassle on one hand and improve the security on the other.

author: BillWojo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2014, 02:48:38 am
content: On the phone I'm currently using I just never set it up. I hope I,m not forced to do that when I get a new one. Or as suggested, possibly a pattern like just swiping across the screen. Right now if I need to use my phone I hit the on button on the top and just swipe the screen anywhere from left to right, it unlocks it. I like it like that. Sometimes when I'm working I get an incoming call, I can't imagine being forced to enter a code, that would suck. Or making a quick call out and having to do that.BillWojo

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2014, 08:04:09 am
content: Can you not just unlock the phone you have.

author: Kostas
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2014, 08:10:26 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on August 21, 2014, 12:11:29 amSIM card pin? Yes, you can disable it and you won't be asked again for it, but it's not device specific IIRC, it's a sim card setting. I had to disable it because I was getting too many reboots and the phone would not receive any calls until I entered the pin. When I put my sim card in another android phone it didn't ask me for it.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2014, 08:30:09 am
content: Yep, the PIN is stored on the sim card along with the enable/disable PIN prompt flag.