|
|
Post by Spruance on Nov 24, 2013 21:08:40 GMT
I have had a bog standard Nokia 1209 for almost 5 years now. It makes telephone calls, and if I have five minutes or so to spare (and a magnifying glass for the small keys) I can send short texts. It will even save as many as ten incoming text messages in its memory!  Anyway, having received a number of Bank of England Gift Vouchers this morning this has spurred me into thinking of getting something, dare I say, a little more modern.  Even if it was easier I wouldn't expect to send many texts and hence voice calls and data would represent my main usage. On the latter point how much data allowance does one use/need? I am embarrassed to say that I am absolutely clueless on android phones - think Not The Nine O'Clock News Gramophone Sketch - so any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.  |
|
|
|
Post by Geranium on Nov 25, 2013 6:21:43 GMT
No good asking me, Spruance - I'm a dinosaur and my phone only makes and receives calls - but not at home because we haven't got a signal here! However, my granddaughters have Blackberries and my daughter has an Iphone, and they all like them. I get emails with photos from the Blackberries! All clever stuff.
|
|
|
|
Post by owdboggy on Nov 25, 2013 10:43:57 GMT
Ain't got one at all.
|
|
|
|
Post by Spruance on Nov 27, 2013 15:54:22 GMT
I just feel it's something I probably ought to have. Trouble is there is too much choice. All of the offers seem heavy on texts with 5000/month being a seemingly popular choice, but as someone who has sent less than 100 texts in 5 years this is less of an advantage for me.  |
|
|
|
Post by Auricula on Nov 27, 2013 15:56:57 GMT
I have a Smartphone which has replaced my BlackBerry. My new phone ( £27 a month, unlimited usage and free phone from o2 ) is a Sony Xperia. It uses Android and is brilliant. It does everything except make the tea I love it |
|
|
|
Post by Spruance on Nov 27, 2013 16:05:15 GMT
Thanks Auricula. I'll bear that in mind. |
|
|
|
Post by Tig on Nov 28, 2013 20:09:14 GMT
I'm still on pay as you go, suits me fine as I don't use a mobile very often, but it is good to take out with me in case of an emergency, and my kids send me texts when they want something need my advice, and friends text to confirm outings/meetings, etc. My old Nokia was ancient but OH has 'upgraded' me this week to a jelly bean android jobby with touch screen and all sorts of options I'll never use (including online and email if I want it via a phone, but why would I? PC is fine and much cheaper) It's an LG Optimus L3 II - on offer at Tesco  I was already using a Tesco mobile pay as you go sim, so just transferred it over with my existing credit. It did come with a new sim card though. So far these are the downsides for me - touch screen is far too sensitive for my clumsy gardeners hands, and trying to type a text message on the onscreen keyboard is tricky due to the size of it, even when I turn it sideways on I still keep hitting the wrong keys! |
|
|
|
Post by Fuchsia on Nov 29, 2013 9:05:12 GMT
Jelly Bean has been superceded by Kit Kat Tig but if you do not use your internet and apps much it should not be a problem for you. I have the latest iPhone and I change my phone every year ( not necessarily an iPhone ) |
|
|
|
Post by Spruance on Dec 3, 2013 19:23:33 GMT
Thanks for the further advice, especially the Tesco details from Tig . I have a Tesco Credit Card so would perhaps get Clubcard points on any top ups, and .....what do points make? I feel as though I have spent more time on this than Einstein did on his Theory of Relativity and I am still unsure what to do. It is very tempting to be an ostrich and simply stick my head in the sand for another year in the hope that the next round of manufacturer product updates has something nearer to my needs. On the other hand I did get some money for my recent Birthday which is rather dangerous as I might elect to buy anyway as a 'Birthday Folly'. Like the (later proved to be the wrong format choice) Betamax video recorder I bought in 1981!  Anyway, if I ever make my mind up I will report back here.  |
|
|
|
Post by Spruance on Dec 9, 2013 1:13:46 GMT
As usual it has taken me an absolute age to make up my mind but after reading multiple web reviews and watching umpteen YouTube videos I have finally settled on a Samsung Galaxy S4 (in White) which I have just ordered from Amazon. Having also number crunched the very many PAYG and contract options the favourite at the moment - at least until I find my feet - is Three's 3-2-1 deal, 3pence/minute for calls, 2pence each for texts and 1pence per Mb of data. The latter is likely to be the most contentious but web usage is free on the home wifi network and this basic PAYG deal would at least give me some idea of how much bandwidth is used on basic web surfing. Hopefully I can avoid the need to buy Samsung Galaxy S4 for Dummies! Watch this space! |
|
|
|
Post by cygnet on Dec 11, 2013 17:10:30 GMT
Spruance, that sounds like an ok deal. I had an old type nokia for ages. Talk and text. Not much of each. Nowadays it's not so important for talking and texts. 17 months ago I got an 18 month contract where they threw in 200 of each. So, you know when things are being given away, they have little or no value. Now it's all data, data, data. I got my Windows/Nokia phone free with the contract. It's a basic version. Was going to get 500mb data in a package,but for an extra fiver went for 1GB. It was a good choice. Now, however, I've outgrown this version of the phone. I want one with more bells and whistles. I have one more month to go. I went to the phone company's website and all the contract options are 24 months.  So, I think I'll buy a phone and just put the sim card into it to see how it goes. I turn my Bluetooth and WiFi and Location off to save A) battery and B) telling 'someone' where I am at all times. I turn everything off as much as I can,tbh. They do smartphone reviews on Youtube. I asked a friend and he sent me a link to mine. I kinda had my decision made before. And I got it for its GPS capability because I started Geocaching at the time and having a phone with GPS makes it much easier. But, despite the shop brochure saying it was "GPS enabled", it's a different type of GPS. What I wanted was to enter Longitude and Latitude settings and to figure out where a certain point on the globe,but what I have is the one where if you enter an address, it points you in the direction to where it is. Which is not what I wanted at all at all. For me making my decision, back in the day when Microsoft was the dominant player and Apple was the upstart and underdog I thought well of Apple. Now it's the other way around (for me). And I wanted to steer clear of Google. Just because. Big brother and all that. I was looking forward to downloading loads of Apps. Esp the free ones. But then when I had a cursory look at their T&C, I changed my mind and have not downloaded one at all. You've decided already so, this is a bit pointless, but at least it gives you the flexibility by going PAYG My phone has a Bing button on it. When you press it it goes straight to their search engine. Oh well! Competition is good, I suppose. I don't use the phone itself for much. GWD does not look good on it, tbh. I can't log in either, though I've had enough problems logging in on a desktop to last me a lifetime! So, good luck with your machine. I will be interested in how you get on. May influence my choice of my next one. |
|
|
|
Post by Spruance on Dec 15, 2013 0:44:52 GMT
Well here I am rather tentatively making my very first post via android phone and wishing that I didn't have such large fingers! Still on wifi at the moment but hoping to get a sim card maybe later today. Edit via PC:
But it's much easier with a keyboard especially as it seems that Proboards charge £1.92 for their app!  |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2013 21:15:51 GMT
i have a tracfone pay as i go plan...it cost me just over $21.00 every 3 months to keep it active and to add minutes..and that avrages out just a lil more then $7.00 a month for me..
|
|
|
|
Post by Spruance on Dec 24, 2013 20:12:27 GMT
Unfortunately, due no doubt to the intervention of the Law of Sod, this little project has experienced a major hiccup as said 'Smart' Phone turned out to be not quite so smart as I had anticipated and as such has since made a rapid return whence it came. Basically the battery was running down like a soft boiled egg timer, the still camera was  and the general overall experience was not at all what I was expecting. From subsequent research it would appear that if you want a good quality still and video camera, good phone coverage, internet access and lots of flexibility then you had better first go out and buy a wheelbarrow to carry around the four or five devices needed to accomplish the all round experience! The quest continues..... |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2013 13:48:09 GMT
i have no need for the internet when it comes to my cell phone..i only got it so i can make calls when needed while out n about.and it's come in handy a few times while shoping.
|
|
|
|
Post by MamIDdau on Dec 26, 2013 16:19:39 GMT
I have a Nexus 5 and I love it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Geranium on Feb 6, 2014 6:19:26 GMT
I'm still trying to find a network where I can get a signal around this area! O2 doesn't work, nor Orange, and the Vodaphone website says 'limited' for here. I can only use my phone when I'm elsewhere...but then, it's a bog-standard no frills one, on PAYG. It was meant for emergencies if I'm out in the car. I suppose until we get better coverage, it's not worth getting a more sophisticated one. |
|
|
|
Post by Chuckles on Feb 6, 2014 17:26:07 GMT
My area is bad for a signal Geranium does my head in  I've tried Orange and Virgin previously but I've been with Vodafone now for quite a few years, its a bit hit and miss in and around the house and garden here, more miss if I'm honest . What really gets me is my phone will ring but when I answer it the signal goes off. They do a signal boost gadget shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-accessories/sure-signal its £100 but its not guarenteed to work and there are other requirements.......you need a minimum broadband speed, it works with the majority of broadband providers and most routers, but not all are compatible  |
|
|
|
Post by Geranium on Feb 7, 2014 6:41:50 GMT
Thanks for the info, Chuckles. Our broadband speed is laughable, so that wouldn't work, unfortunately. Ah well - maybe one day when we get the super-fast broadband they're promising to rural communities!  |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2014 17:06:22 GMT
where i live is a bad area for any cell phone.but thats only because of distance from cell phone towers..i hear there's cell phone antennas a person can buy and set up outside their home.in which it boost the incoming/outgoing signals,to and from cell phone tower.
|
|
|
|
Post by pothead on Mar 25, 2014 17:36:18 GMT
My kids buy me my mobiles ,originally it was a simple silver nokia flip one which I loved because there was a little blue light flashed around it so i could detect it quickly in my overstuffed handbag . Then they thought my battery wasn`t good ( I kept it switched off a lot lol ) so a slimmer, just as simple , black nokia flip phone appeared a few years ago . My son has just given me an old windows "mozart" phone " to see how you get on with it " me thinks there is an upgrade on the way for my birthday |
|
|
|
Post by maggy on Apr 1, 2014 19:45:03 GMT
I had a Motorola flip phone on p.a.y.g for about 6 years I was with orange, I decided I would like a smart phone so I could use the bluetooth in the car and motorhome !! anyway I bought this Samsung Galaxy neo from the Orange shop a couple of months ago I topped it up so I had £25 on it ! took it home and as we are with Virgin and they were saying I could download the smart app which meant when we are away from home as long as we could get a wifi signal I could make free phone calls to landlines as on my home phone :Pgreat Ill do that !! I had been apparently using data to download this app !! I thought I was on for about 5 mins when I got a text telling me I had 99p left on my phone!! I hadnt known what I was doing I should have waited until one of the boys came! in the end they did download the app using my wifi connection and it didnt cost anything Anyway I have now changed my supplier to Virgin and I make sure I dont try to use it for the internet. Do I like my new phone NO my fingers must be like puddings !! I have to use a little stick thing to text or I end up with loads of gobbledigook !! I much prefered the keys rather than this touch screne thing. Where we live on the side of the Cleveland hills I dont get a very good signal so really only need a mobile when we are out or away from home it will be interesting to see if I CAN get free phone calls when in France and Germany!! |
|
|
|
Post by pothead on Apr 2, 2014 17:36:48 GMT
The little stick sounds like a good idea maggy I have not exactly enjoyed playing about with a windows phone the kids gave me, see my post above. I`m back to my old predict texting nokia phone . however I got a note in my mothers day card, "one windows contract phone of your choice for one year" what am I going to do now  |
|
|
|
Post by maggy on Apr 3, 2014 13:48:34 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by pothead on Apr 4, 2014 14:14:02 GMT
Oh thanks for that Maggy, I`ll send off for a couple. It seems just we are getting to grips with one thing it changes, even sky has gone all funny again, Agh ! The kids tell me me I will be able to do all sorts of things with the new phone , like bar code scanning, posting pics to the internet, ect so I`ll have a go BUT i`ll keep my little black flip phone on the go untill i`m ready to let it go
|
|
I was already using a Tesco mobile pay as you go sim, so just transferred it over with my existing credit. It did come with a new sim card though. So far these are the downsides for me - touch screen is far too sensitive for my clumsy gardeners hands, and trying to type a text message on the onscreen keyboard is tricky due to the size of it, even when I turn it sideways on I still keep hitting the wrong keys!
