What type of phone to buy?

[glassless_mind]

I'm looking at getting a new phone, buying one outright through a business plan, but technically paid for by optus as the plan is already running, I just haven't got the new phone yet.

I have NO IDEA what to get. So far the fanciest phone I've ever had, had a camera and could go on facebook. The phone I currently have can make phone calls and send messages. That's about it.

I need a phone that has:
a camera
calls, messages
internet - banking, email, facebook
GPS
Able to connect to my windows laptop
Reasonable signal coverage in rural areas
Not one of those Q.... keyboards, they would annoy me I think.
Maybe play music, not such a huge deal
Not so keen on blackberry - there's an app by android to do with vet that I really, really want, that blackberry doesn't offer

But people in phone shops tell me that EVERY smartphone does those things these days. So the type of phone I need is reasonably simple, not anything excessively expensive.

People in phone shops seem to get frustrated with me. They ask me what I want in a phone and I tell them the above. It doesn't narrow down the options, but I don't know what the options are. I have no idea what features are available in phones that I might want, or what questions to ask, because I don't know what's available.

I've been researching on the internet for about a month now, on and off, and getting no where, because I just don't know what I'm looking for, and I don't understand what I'm reading.

Any help would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Spider178]

I've got an HTC desire, has all of the above and a large screen. Love it, easy to use and a good time waster.

 

[vampstorso]

I just traded in my HTC desire HD for the Blackberry Bold 9900,

you can do basically anything on the HTC Desire, and the screen is huge.

Blackberry isn't really a phone for customization and apps, I just love their keyboards.

if you go to a carriers website, they have all the phones, and their features listed on there. you can usually search by feature too.

 

[statonb]

depends on hjow much your willing to spend i have a samsung galaxy 2 and its great all of the above specs and a huge screen but im selling it as im getting a tablet for my astronomy,1 i would avoid is the iphone tho. saying that like spider178 said the htc desire is a great phone too used it for awhile and was awesome,aslong as i have Angry Bird on my phone i dont care lmfao

 

[glassless_mind]

Thanks! What kind of features do these phones come with? what can you do on them?

 

[Renenet]

I know how you feel, I was you a few months ago.

I decided on an HTC Wildfire S, which I love. That's one of HTC's lower end phones but it does everything I want it to do and just about everything you've listed, with one possible exception that I'll go into shortly. The only problem is the small screen, which I've adapted to, but some people would probably detest it. What kind of budget have you got? HTC have offerings with larger screens and more features if you can afford it. I would have gone for the Desire if I had the money. Battery life can be a bit limited, especially if you use it a lot for internet surfing, GPS or wi-fi, but I think that's pretty much par for the course with any smartphone.

Now to the possible exception - the reception, and this is also a function of your provider. You've mentioned you'll be on Optus. Unfortunately, Telstra is pretty much the best for rural reception. I'm on Telstra, live about 15 kilometres north of Cairns and get pretty good reception where I am. I've taken my phone on a trip from the Gold Coast to Cairns up the Bruce Highway and had reception in most places I stopped, barring a bush cabin in the middle of nowhere. How the phone would perform on Optus, I'm not sure.

Also, I don't think there are any HTC phones that have the "blue tick". These are phones you can get from Telstra that are "approved" for rural use and should give the best reception. Last I looked, there wasn't a great selection of smartphones in this range. Maybe that's changed since I was looking. How rural are you talking about?

Just so it doesn't look like I'm an HTC rep (I'm not), the Samsung Galaxy S II is supposed to be a very nice phone that has quite a decent camera. But no blue tick either, I don't think.

 

[pythonmum]

I love my iPhone. I know it is not very original, but they are easy to use, holds all of my music, synchs with my work and home emails, etc.

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

iphone 4s for sure, everyone that i know that tried to go from an iphone to anything else like a HTC went straight back. You can't beat the usability of the iphones

 

[statonb]

the only problem i have with the iphone is the price if you want to buy it outrightit all depends on what you prefer i really like android cos i can do more with it but i do like the features and "UI" of the iphone. saying that im loving my sumsung galaxy.

 

[Exotic_Doc]

I have the galaxy s1 and galaxy s2, i carry both ( im heavyyy haha ) Honestly get the s2 and dont bother with the s1 because its battery is sooooo crap i recharge it 3 times a day and by around 10pm its dead again

 

[IgotFrogs]

we brought the kids a galaxy 5 it works very well can do everything you would like i think only around $99

oh hang on might be a S now lol i cant remember

 

[vampstorso]

we brought the kids a galaxy 5 it works very well can do everything you would like i think only around $99

oh hang on might be a S now lol i cant remember

do you have any idea how tripped out I was when today, for the first time, I saw your frog bearing teeth at me?! I actually thought I was imagining it...


HTC desire does everything, has a fairly good camera, multiple GPS/map programs (I made great use of them) massive app store (including facebook etc) as it's android, huge screen, holds music, opens all web pages in my experience.
I just couldnt stand using a touch keyboard, but if thats okay with you, theyre great phones. infact, I sadly think I regret buying a blackberry despite wanting one for months...I think my desire won me over and I didnt realize lol.
I even played super nintendo emulators on mine lol

 

[glassless_mind]

I think the HTC will be a phone to check out. I don't really have a budget - included from optus on the business plan - I have the sim card and the plan, just not the phone yet. There are a few other phones to buy on the same plan though, with the same money, so there's not much point going overboard. I'm not sure I need something as expensive as an iphone or samsung galaxy, and I'm not sure I'd use all the features on it.

The camera is fairly important. It's often the only camera I'd have easy access to, sometimes when I'd want to take a decent photo. Would have loved to have it today at work at the sanctuary when I was feeding a rainbow bee-eater.

What's the difference between android and iphone apps? What does this mean? Can you get 'android' whatever on iphone? Or iphone something-or-other on 'android' whatever-it-is?

There's an app I'd like to get, where you put in the weight of the dog, the type of chocolate, and how much it ate, and it tells you the likely degree of toxicity. Apparently this is available on iphone? Does that mean you can get it on an 'android' phone?

 

[statonb]

really it comes down to personal choice both phones will do what you want i only like an android phone cos i can mod (customize) it more and make my own apps iphones and android phones have a different Operating System thats the difference but like i said its up to personal choice and what you feel more comfortable with

 

[Renenet]

Google "Android Market" and search for the app you're looking for.

Apple apps can only be used with Apple products. It's very restrictive in that way. Android is Google's app - I don't know if "platform" is the right word, but you can use those apps on any phone that has Android.

 

[vampstorso]

yeah on apple (unless you jail break it) you can only use their apps,
on android, you can have whatever you want basically.

I found the camera good, it has focus, a good level of zoom without limiting too much quality,most of the photos I post on the forum are from my phone...'cause im too lazy to get the camera out (or remember to charge their batteries) lol

 

[brayden49]

I currently have a galaxy s2 they are great phones. I also have a iphone 4 but I like the gs2 better. The gs2 battery lasts at least 2x as long for me. Also comes with a free gps called "navigon".unlike the iphone 4 the gs2 has a built in radio (iphone4 requires a internet connection to use a radio)

 

[Squinty]

My step dad has a sumsung galaxy, my brother has a htc, my bro inlaw has a different htc and I have an iPhone. The iPhone feels better quality and not just made of plastic.

Just another thought. I believe they will all essentially do the same thing. I love my iPhone 4s and iPad 2.

 

[Renenet]

Oh yeah - get a protective case for your phone. I accidentally threw mine across the room - don't ask how that happened - and if it didn't have a case on it there would have been tears.

 

[statonb]

so to sum it up it comes down to Galaxy or iphone 4 both will do wat you want just galaxy is less restricted