What phone would you buy & why?

[JoLin]

I'm a 'light' user too and have Tracfone and a little LG34c android that I bought from them 2 years ago for about $30. I make and receive calls, send and receive texts, and use the BoatUS app on occasion (for weather and tides). That's about it, and I'm satisfied. In fact, the only reason I bought the 'droid is because my 10 year old flip phone went overboard, and I was tired of everyone making fun of me for my phone (which they do anyway). My wife, son and daughter all have iphones and gazillion dollar a month plans. I pay a couple hundred bucks a year for minutes.

My .02

 

[82rude]

bruceb58 up here in ripoff Canada we have to pay to unlock the phones after you,ve fulfilled your obligation.Im in a funny area as 5 minutes north east of me is a giant dead zone where cells don't work and I spend a lot of time there .West of me on the big lake (superior) also large dead zone Many a outdoorsmen has found out the hard way that their cells don't work ,so up here its a false sense of safety..Actually one of the best phones I ever had for picking up coverage was my old Samsung flip phone like the op has now.I was told it was because it was analog vs digital for the new ones,true or not I don't know.Personally I'm not willing to let a phone run my life like so many people I know seems to have happened to them.Up here my landline is cheap (20 U.S.D.),long distance is free if your friend or relative also has the same provider,and if you call up and threaten to go to the competition they will usually give you free U.S.A.. and Canada long distance.

 

[gm280]

I'm a 'light' user too and have Tracfone and a little LG34c android that I bought from them 2 years ago for about $30. I make and receive calls, send and receive texts, and use the BoatUS app on occasion (for weather and tides). That's about it, and I'm satisfied. In fact, the only reason I bought the 'droid is because my 10 year old flip phone went overboard, and I was tired of everyone making fun of me for my phone (which they do anyway). My wife, son and daughter all have iphones and gazillion dollar a month plans. I pay a couple hundred bucks a year for minutes.

My .02

I certainly understand your situation. I have so many people poke fun at me for my antique flip phone (it really is too), but it really does most things I want. I would like to be able to research things sometimes and a more modern smart phone would offer that capability. But I haven't settle on anything yet.

 

[bruceb58]

I was told it was because it was analog

There hasn't been analog service in 8 years.

Like I said before, Ooma is $4/month. Makes no sense to have a $20 landline if you also have internet. Again, not sure about Canada.

As far as unlocked phones are concerned, don't ever do a contract and buy a unlocked phone and you will never have an issue. I can take my phone to Europe and buy a sim card over there if I am traveling. Can't do that with a locked phone if you are on a contract or not.

 

[82rude]

Yup its proabaly been 8 years.Canada is a totally different world when it comes to phones internet etc.Your way more fortunate down there.Now that my phone is unlocked ,sure I can do what ever but again and this is just personally I don't see the need to use it atall.You pay 51 dollars a month for your services and for me I just pay 20 and im totally happy.Maybe in the future I will embrace cells again ,I had some personal experiences that totally soured me to cells and in. particular texting .Not being a smart ass or anyting but to the o.p. how about that phone they always advertise (cricket?)

 

[dingbat]

I can take my phone to Europe and buy a sim card over there if I am traveling. Can't do that with a locked phone if you are on a contract or not.

i have a verizon contract. No problem swapping SIM cards in Asia.

Normally just pay the $15 per month international calling plan when traveling. Forgot to order before I went to Thailand last time. Bought a SIM locally. I had a Thai phone number for 10 days but it worked

 

[82rude]

Do all carriers in the u.s.a. have to unlock the phones for free after you have fulfilled your obligation or is that just a cal. thing bruceb58?

 

[Baylinerchuck]

I implore you, what better way to surf iBoats than with an iPhone, or iPad?? Seriously though I use my I devices for everything. Apps are nearly endless, from manuals to knot tying, fishing, navigation, audio engineering, video, editing, the list goes on and on. How did I ever survive with my first tele-tac flip phone??? lol

 

[bruceb58]

Do all carriers in the u.s.a. have to unlock the phones for free after you have fulfilled your obligation or is that just a cal. thing bruceb58?

My carrier is ATT and it was free. Not sure what happens in the case of a multi mode phone with a carrier such as Verizon since they use WCDMA but the phone also has a sim card slot for GSM.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/phone-unlocking-guide-for-all-carriers/

 

[82rude]

chuck.i firmly believe that if tomorrow all cell and text service ceased to function we would see millions upon millions of people walking 3 feet into a wall,bouncing off,repeat till they died of starvation,lol.One big solar flare is all it would take sadly enough.Up here we get burned big time for services compared to our U.S. cousins.Guess there are advantages to having 10 times the population.

 

[rogerwa]

I only buy my phones off of ebay or amazon. I look for a gen or 2 old and new unlocked. I usually spend about $150-$200 and they last me a couple years. I use Net10Wireless (using a sim that uses at&t network). I get unlimited everything with a 5gb high speed data cap for $45. This work just right for me..

I would also recommending checking out the Blu Vivo XL phones as they are fairly inexpensive (~120 I think), pretty capable, and have monster battery life. The screen isn't top of the line but far better than what was available a few years ago. If you are a casual user this may be a good option..

 

[bruceb58]

You can get a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 cheap!

 

[jkust]

We just finally dropped our land line phone which was essentially the mother in law phone. We waited until our youngest got a phone before getting rid of the land line. Crazy but my eyes have gotten so bad these last couple years at reading distance that I go with the bigger screen phones. Wanted to update from my current Note 4 to the Note 7 but then they started having problems. I've had Iphones but they don't work for business as well as my android phone. They and my ipad would work against me and make traveling for business more difficult. I still use my Iphone 4's as they are permanently mounted in various spots in my primary house to control the smart features, the home theater room, whole house audio and other things. Of course they are so small, I can barely see what's happening on them without readers. I don't like how the iphones are moving ahead without a dedicated headphone jack. That is a show stopper.

 

[gm280]

We just finally dropped our land line phone which was essentially the mother in law phone. We waited until our youngest got a phone before getting rid of the land line. Crazy but my eyes have gotten so bad these last couple years at reading distance that I go with the bigger screen phones. Wanted to update from my current Note 4 to the Note 7 but then they started having problems. I've had Iphones but they don't work for business as well as my android phone. They and my ipad would work against me and make traveling for business more difficult. I still use my Iphone 4's as they are permanently mounted in various spots in my primary house to control the smart features, the home theater room, whole house audio and other things. Of course they are so small, I can barely see what's happening on them without readers. I don't like how the iphones are moving ahead without a dedicated headphone jack. That is a show stopper.

Yeah I seen that no headphone jack is causing some issues. They may change that idea. IDK.

 

[jkust]

Yeah I seen that no headphone jack is causing some issues. They may change that idea. IDK.

I don't really want an adapter nor are bluetooth heaphones a fit for my lifestyle. In the absence of a Note 4 replacement, I may have crossed over and tried an Iphone once more but the inability to swap out the battery, the limited storage and the lack of a dedicated headphone jack just don't work for my uses.

 

[gm280]

I don't really want an adapter nor are bluetooth heaphones a fit for my lifestyle. In the absence of a Note 4 replacement, I may have crossed over and tried an Iphone once more but the inability to swap out the battery, the limited storage and the lack of a dedicated headphone jack just don't work for my uses.

I understand those issues. I will say my old Samsung flip phone has the exact same battery in it since I bought it about a decade ago. But when you don't use it, how can it go bad? :noidea: With that said, I just wonder what type battery is on the inside of the iphones? I bet you could find a replacement and install it if you had to. But I haven't seen the inside of them so I honestly have no educated idea. JMHO

 

[bruceb58]

I bet you could find a replacement and install it if you had to.

I replaced the battery on my iPhone 4. Was easy. Not sure about the newer iphones.

I have no issue with not having a battery I can pop in and out. If it's that big of a deal, buy a case that has an extra battery in it.

The adapters for using a corded headset with the new iphone 7 is not a big deal. The only problem is if you want an adapter that also allows charging and then they get big. Of course there will always be people that whine about anything.

 

[gm280]

Without a phone jack (headphone jack) your headphone has to use Bluetooth to received the music. And so you have now moved the battery and some circuitry from the phone to the headphone. So one way or the other, you still have to have circuitry either in the phone or the headphone or both. And you will have to recharge your new headphones to operate with the wireless iphone. :decision:

 

[jkust]

I replaced the battery on my iPhone 4. Was easy. Not sure about the newer iphones.

I have no issue with not having a battery I can pop in and out. If it's that big of a deal, buy a case that has an extra battery in it.

The adapters for using a corded headset with the new iphone 7 is not a big deal. The only problem is if you want an adapter that also allows charging and then they get big. Of course there will always be people that whine about anything.

I replaced the battery on one of my Iphone 4's back when. Maybe $7 for the whole kit off amazon back when i did it. That was no kidding the catalyst for me getting readers. Unfortunately, I want the ability to slap in another battery if possible while on the road. I get sick of work-arounds the older I get and also don't like being nickel and dimed.
The downside of replacement batteries is that they are all counterfeit. My recent Note 4 replacement battery went bad after maybe 8 weeks. They all say Samsung and that they are authentic but is a crap shoot as to if you get a good one or a bad one. Bought a second Note 4 battery at the same time for my wife's phone...she got about 6 weeks out of hers. My new one is dead when it reaches 75%...frustrating.

 

[bruceb58]

Without a phone jack (headphone jack) your headphone has to use Bluetooth to received the music. And so you have now moved the battery and some circuitry from the phone to the headphone. So one way or the other, you still have to have circuitry either in the phone or the headphone or both. And you will have to recharge your new headphones to operate with the wireless iphone. :decision:

You buy one of these little guys and you are fine. You can use your corded headset.
http://www.frys.com/product/8950823?...mizBoCmG3w_wcB