Need a new Cell Phone

[Holladay]

I will preface, I am a Cave Man trying to join the civilized world.

Why have a cell phone (jest). I am at the office, you have my phone number, at home call me. If on the golf course, I don't want to talk to you. "Leave a message and maybe I'll call".

Truth though, they can be a leash but necessary. In Europe, they called a "Handy", which they are. A computer in your pocket. But I have a computer in my office and at home. The best reason to have one is for travel. Heck I even have a laptop (some where).

That all said. I want a small phone. I don't watch movies etc. So I don't need a large screen. Pixels for the camera? Not a biggie. Thus looking for a smart flip phone.

Currently I am using a Android Verizon Tracphone. I get great cell service. No contracts/plans. I don't use much talk time, texting nor data. If I do need more time, buy more. If I find I do need much more, then I will sign up with the kids service (of course they have unlimited). For the past few years through Tracphone, I buy a card for $100/year and get double/triple minutes. It has been all I need. I am working to cure that. But $100/yr vs $600-$1000 for contracts seems right for me. So, at this point, I want to maintain flexibility.

Issues of importance that I understand are: size of internal memory (32G), voice keyboard.

I think using the GSM vs CDMA could be an issue as well. I do travel a bit to Germany so thinking GSM would be better. Don't know.

GSM is offered by ATT and T-Mobile. CDMA is Verizon. My son switched to T-Mobile and it sucked in NE Ks. I understand that ATT and Verizon work well. Not T-Mobile.

I believe I should get an Unlocked GSM phone. Then chip it for Tracphone/ATT.


Which Smart Flip Phone with decent internal memory, voice keyboard, GSM?(ATT), at a reasonble cost? I don't need a $600 phone. I read Samsung and Motorola should be looked at.

Thoughts and/or questions would be greatly appreciated.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Harvest is slow. We got a big (for us) rain on 10/6 and we are just now getting back rolling. Yields have been pretty solid. Not record, but pretty good. I need it after my wheat got butt****ed by hail.

You need to CP on the shitter man. It will change your life

In the world of smartphone, Apple is far simpler than android or any other OS. The smaller cheaper Iphones are solidand reasonably priced.

Yep, the small iPhone is the iPhone SE.

[Frosty]

My wife was one of those "why do i need a smart phone?" people for a long time. Then her flip phone wasn't supported by Tracfone anymore. I got her a basic Straight Talk smart phone (LG Treasure, iirc) to dip her toes in the water and suddenly she was using it all of the time (apps and texting, not talking). The phone was a piece of shit though so last Black Friday, I got her a Samsung Galaxy 6 for $150 and it's perfect for her. We buy her the Straight Talk 1 year subscription and it's unlimited text and talk and 10G data/month for $495 ($41 a month). It's more than enough and ATT works fine here in the mountains of NE WA.

My first smart phone was an iPhone 4s and it just ended up being too small to really read anything on. I now have a 7 and the larger screen is a godsend and reading stuff online is actually doable (I'm getting old, okay?). My wife's Galaxy also has the 5" screen and I don't know how you can really go smaller.

[BWillie]

Samsung Galaxy X is coming - not really a flip phone though. It's like a phone that flips into a tablet.

[Simply Red]

razr

[Dayze]

the wife and I have had our smartphones for probably 4 years now or more.....they'r finally on their death bed. we need phones at some point int the near future. we don't use them for much other than calling, texting, and some basic app/map type stuff.

that Iphone SE looks like it might fit the bill. I absolutely don't want to spend a fortune on phones.

any thoughts on buying used phones from one of those re-conditioning type places?
(for lack of a better term) to save on some cost?

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by Dayze

the wife and I have had our smartphones for probably 4 years now or more.....they'r finally on their death bed. we need phones at some point int the near future. we don't use them for much other than calling, texting, and some basic app/map type stuff.

that Iphone SE looks like it might fit the bill. I absolutely don't want to spend a fortune on phones.

any thoughts on buying used phones from one of those re-conditioning type places?
(for lack of a better term) to save on some cost?

The last 2 phones I have bought have been 2nd hand.

An LG G2 from Swappa that I got about a year after the phone came out for about $220 IIRC. The phone just recently started acting up. Not sure if the frame cracked or what but every time I put the phone down or in my pocket the screen would switch to this tiny display that only took up a fraction of the screen and I could only see a weather widget and clock. I had to bend the phone in a certain way to get the full screen to come back.

My new phone I bought off eBay and its a Galaxy S9 that I got brand new factory unlocked for $500. Last I checked that was $220 off what it would cost from Samsung, not including taxes.

I don't think I'll ever buy a phone through a carrier or manufacturer again.

There is a certain risk involved but both sites have buyer protections. Swappa requires pictures and the IMEI before someone is allowed to post a phone for sale. eBay is a little riskier but as long as you have half a brain cell and aren't bidding on an $800 phone thats listed with a $200 buy it now and only promo photos with a 0 rated seller, you should be fine.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by Frosty

My first smart phone was an iPhone 4s and it just ended up being too small to really read anything on. I now have a 7 and the larger screen is a godsend and reading stuff online is actually doable (I'm getting old, okay?). My wife's Galaxy also has the 5" screen and I don't know how you can really go smaller.

I'm in the old eyes and clumsy fingers stage of life. I wish you could get really large screen smart phones that weren't loaded up with a bunch of features that I never use.

I basically only use the phone for Google maps and finding places when I'm somewhere I"m not familiar with. And occasionally killing time when I"m waiting for something when out and about.

Don't need super high quality camera. Don't need loads of memory. Don't need latest high tech screen.

Just need the largest phablet that fits in my pocket and can be used as a phone. Pretty limited options. Probably keep my iphone 6+ for a while longer.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

I'm in the old eyes and clumsy fingers stage of life. I wish you could get really large screen smart phones that weren't loaded up with a bunch of features that I never use.

I basically only use the phone for Google maps and finding places when I'm somewhere I"m not familiar with. And occasionally killing time when I"m waiting for something when out and about.

Don't need super high quality camera. Don't need loads of memory. Don't need latest high tech screen.

Just need the largest phablet that fits in my pocket and can be used as a phone. Pretty limited options. Probably keep my iphone 6+ for a while longer.

You realize that the market is flooded with phones that dont have high quality cameras, loads of memory, or high tech screens right?

That's pretty much what companies like Motorola make a living off of these days. Mid range phones are a much larger market than high end and you can find just as big of a screen in those phones than flagships.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

I'm in the old eyes and clumsy fingers stage of life. I wish you could get really large screen smart phones that weren't loaded up with a bunch of features that I never use.

I basically only use the phone for Google maps and finding places when I'm somewhere I"m not familiar with. And occasionally killing time when I"m waiting for something when out and about.

Don't need super high quality camera. Don't need loads of memory. Don't need latest high tech screen.

Just need the largest phablet that fits in my pocket and can be used as a phone. Pretty limited options. Probably keep my iphone 6+ for a while longer.

I think you'd find that most smartphones today have lots of display settings that allow you to change the icon size, text size, spacing, etc. You just need to know where to look. There's even specific themes/modes you can use.

Android: https://android.gadgethacks.com/how-...endly-0164785/

iOS: https://blog.fonepaw.com/set-up-iphone-elderly.html

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

I'm in the old eyes and clumsy fingers stage of life. I wish you could get really large screen smart phones that weren't loaded up with a bunch of features that I never use.

I basically only use the phone for Google maps and finding places when I'm somewhere I"m not familiar with. And occasionally killing time when I"m waiting for something when out and about.

Don't need super high quality camera. Don't need loads of memory. Don't need latest high tech screen.

Just need the largest phablet that fits in my pocket and can be used as a phone. Pretty limited options. Probably keep my iphone 6+ for a while longer.

I have an iPhone 8+, even though I never thought I'd need (or want) such a large screen. I love it.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by Dayze

the wife and I have had our smartphones for probably 4 years now or more.....they'r finally on their death bed. we need phones at some point int the near future. we don't use them for much other than calling, texting, and some basic app/map type stuff.

that Iphone SE looks like it might fit the bill. I absolutely don't want to spend a fortune on phones.

any thoughts on buying used phones from one of those re-conditioning type places?
(for lack of a better term) to save on some cost?

When I get my new 8+, I'll just send you my SE (straight talk), if you haven't gotten one by then. Space Gray, like bigjosh's and about one year old. Screen is cracked.

[bigjosh]

Originally Posted by Dayze

the wife and I have had our smartphones for probably 4 years now or more.....they'r finally on their death bed. we need phones at some point int the near future. we don't use them for much other than calling, texting, and some basic app/map type stuff.

that Iphone SE looks like it might fit the bill. I absolutely don't want to spend a fortune on phones.

any thoughts on buying used phones from one of those re-conditioning type places?
(for lack of a better term) to save on some cost?

Im telling ya, the iPhone SE is probably the best bang for your buck out there.

Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using Tapatalk

[MahiMike]

I've got a OnePlus 3T. Getting my wife a 5T for Christmas. As good as the Samsung for 100's less.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KcvQpRdCzQ

[listopencil]

Get an LG Stylo 3 for about 100 bucks and grab a case that looks like a phone wallet for it. Done.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by MahiMike

I've got a OnePlus 3T. Getting my wife a 5T for Christmas. As good as the Samsung for 100's less.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KcvQpRdCzQ

I really like Oneplus as a company. I bought my mother a 5T.

When I was looking for a new phone I was looking at getting a Oneplus 6 but whats weird is that while that phone is cheaper from the factory than a Samsung, its actually more expensive than Samsung if you are looking to buy on the used market or even brand new on eBay.

I was also looking to wait and see what the 6T was going to bring but then they confirmed that the 6T was removing the headphone jack and I immediately bought a new S9 on eBay.

Samsung also pushed out an update for the S9 that unlocked the FM transmitter on the phone which is another plus for me because I really liked the FM radio on my first smartphone and missed it a lot on my G2. I uploaded a bunch of music to it so it wasn't that bad but sometimes I want to here whats new out there and with FM radio I can "stream" without using data and for someone that doesn't have unlimited data that's pretty important to me.