Which phone should I get?

[xero]

Well, it has come to that time again, my two year trade-in at the phone dealership. So now I have the potential to either get a brand new phone for free, or get one at a discounted price. I am looking at a few, but I really have no idea... So I decided to come to my brothers at The Dent. I trust y'all's taste.

The Env2:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_enV2_(VX9100)

LG Voyager:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Voyager

Verizon Wireless SMT5800:
http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/htc-smt5800-verizon-wireless/4505-6452_7-32815505.html

Palm Centro SmartPhone:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Centro

Blackberry Curve 8330:
http://www.wikispecs.org/index.php?title=BlackBerry_Curve_8330
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry_Curve

These are my choices, and as you can see, I am looking at a price range of FREE (which those phones are rubbish) to $100... I am, after all, a poor college kid. I can't be buying an iPhone or whatnot

I like the Voyager for it's touch screen, and it's fold-out QWERTY keyboard... but it can't connect via WiFi and I'm really looking for a phone which is more... "open" to me, I guess you could say. Verizon tends to lock down their phones pretty heavily and prevent any customization... I've heard SmartPhones (Palms and BlackBerrys) are better for customizing and tweaking and the like...

Any advice, anyone? This phone will have to last me two years or more. I'm really liking the Voyager, but I'm also liking the Blackberry and the Palm and the SMT5800... Gah. I know blackberrys are more for businessmen, which I am not...

Advice?

 

[kanol matea]

my friend has the enV2 and he hates it im going to get the LG Voyager but they were out when i went to up grade hopefully the have some in next week

 

[SharkForge]

My friend has a blackberry and he loves the thing

El1te

 

[vadr h8r]

cell phones are one the biggest conspiracies on earth!!!! They can make the perfect phone... They know what we like... but they intentionally give you alot of features you like and a couple flaws you cant stand!! but only find out about these flaws after you get locked into your contract, then you play the whole game again!!! you find a phone thats better than your current one, that flaw is fixed with this NEW phone but... once you take this NEW phone home you discover new flaws... and yet the waiting game is played again!!
my advice keep the phone you have unless its broke.. if it is... get the free one or better yet get a used one on ebay..

 

[Skalen Fehl]

Why bother with contracts? Decide which phone you like, then get it on places like ebay and put your SIM card in the new one. Voila. No new contract fees, etc. Just the price of a new phone with the same service (assuming you're happy with it).

 

[TeamFett]

Ebay is the way to go. Just use your own sim card. Although I guess if you're renewing your contract you might as well go with one of those phones.

I've played with the Env and the Dare. I don't like the Env, and the Dare's touchscreen is tricky, I hope the Voyager isn't the same way.

 

[CMAnavy]

Save your money and get the iPhone, its totaly worth every penny.

 

[xero]

my advice keep the phone you have unless its broke.. if it is... get the free one or better yet get a used one on ebay..

True. But I have had my RAZR for two years now, and it just doesn't feel solid. I don't like it anymore, and I fear it's going to break soon, and I have not been rough on it at all. Will probably be the last Motorola I buy ever. So on that note, looking for a new phone.

Why bother with contracts? Decide which phone you like, then get it on places like ebay and put your SIM card in the new one. Voila. No new contract fees, etc. Just the price of a new phone with the same service (assuming you're happy with it).

Ebay is the way to go. Just use your own sim card. Although I guess if you're renewing your contract you might as well go with one of those phones.

Well, a little education. There are two main cell phone networks in America -- GSM and CDMA. Not sure what the abbreviations stand for, but they aren't compatible with each other.

AT&T is GSM, as is Nextel and a few others.
Verizon, AllTel, T-Mobile, and a few others are CDMA based.

I'm on Verizon.

GSM uses SIM cards; CDMA does not. There isn't even an option to plug one into the phones in most cases on a CDMA network. Just not possible.

As far as happy service, Verizon has been pretty good to me and my family. I have heard horror stories, but there's always at least one horror story for each carrier out there. And I do not have to physically renew my contract -- they assume you're renewing unless you cancel, and roll it over into a new two years. So that's gravy.

I've played with the Env and the Dare. I don't like the Env, and the Dare's touchscreen is tricky, I hope the Voyager isn't the same way.

Dare is out of the question, just came out and is too expensive. I've played with it though, and while it's nice, it's just not for me.

Save your money and get the iPhone, its totaly worth every penny.

Girlfriend has an iPhone, 1st gen, and while it is nice, and the 2nd gen iPhones are nicer and cheaper now, the billing plan is ridiculous (if you want a fully functional iPhone, that is). And I'm, for the time being, a poor college kid. That's out of the question. Unless you wanna pay my bill for me? :cheers

My friend has a blackberry and he loves the thing

El1te

I'm leaning towards that route... can he connect to a WiFi network with it for productivity? Like, for net access and such.

 

[xero]

The Env2:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_enV2_(VX9100)

LG Voyager:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_Voyager

Verizon Wireless SMT5800:
http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/htc-smt5800-verizon-wireless/4505-6452_7-32815505.html

Palm Centro SmartPhone:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Centro

Blackberry Curve 8330:
http://www.wikispecs.org/index.php?title=BlackBerry_Curve_8330
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry_Curve

Also, some working links to the phones I wanna get. I guess Verizon Wireless' site nullifies URLs after inactivity or something; each session ID is unique for each visitor. Didn't realize that.

 

[xaoslord]

If you are looking at a BlackBerry, you may want to check out the data plans that your provider offers. Many companies require a specific data plan for a BlackBerry as they use a different APN to access the wireless web. If the data plan for the iPhone is a turn off, you may find yourself in a similar boat with a BlackBerry.

If you're happy with your carrier, I would recommend you stick with them. (As long as they are treating you right.) If you do decide to check out another provider, make sure you check with friends or relatives that may have the provider you are considering. They can tell you if you'll be able to use that provider in the areas you are used to. If you do decide to go to another provider, you can probably take your existing phone number with you.

Most providers have a return period (usually between 14 days and 30 days) that will give you an opportunity to try out a new phone before you are stuck with it. I would recommend that you check out their websites or call customer service to get the specifics. Good luck!

 

[The Clayster]

The people I know that have a Blackberry Curve, are very happy with the phone. I wouldn't know about the others, as none of my friends have them, so I can't help you. I would look at what features you think you need, or want, and decide from there. As said by others, ebay is the way to go, and you just put your Sim card into it, that is what I did with my Sidekick LX (say what you want about the phone, I love the thing, some things are lacking though) and I just pay for the services for internet and whatnot, which is just like 25 or 30 bucks.

Some phones have ridiculous features, and if you think you don't need them, don't buy that phone, or if you want extreme geek street cred, the more features, the better.

Good luck deciding!


Off topic a little:
The things I do not like about the Sidekick are that I have to pay for ringtones, rather than using songs and setting them as my ringtone. I wish the thing would have more applications on it when you buy it, but having the choice to buy them is nice, so you can pick and choose. It all works out for me in the end, the QWERTY action helps, as I am in the texting generation, and I can rival any fast texter with my full keyboard. (I never texted when I had my razr, it was annoying).