Smartphone options for Verizon?

[Eric]

My wife and I currently have a plan with Verizon for our cell phone coverage, and we both have dumb (i.e. non-smart) phones. However, I'm kind of looking at options for upgrading to a smart phone without having to get a new contract. I think that would involve paying for the phone and having Verizon switch service over to it. Being that I'm cheap, I'm looking at yesterday's technology and/or refurbished phones to scratch the itch.

What do you recommend? The HTC Eris looks like it's cheap and would be acceptable. My coworker has the Droid Incredible and likes it, but I think that's a bit more cash. Do any of you have any good resources? Do you know what the policies generally are with switching phones? In the past I've had the cell service switched to a phone I got from a friend, but that didn't require a data plan or anything like that.

Just curious whether you guys and girls have any input. I think my reputation precedes me, but I will mention that I am not interested in anything Apple to avoid any unneeded discussion of those products.

 

[poodlesrule]

Maybe worth a trip to howardforums?

 

[deeaa]

Can't say about them contracts, seems to me it's a completely different ballpark over there with cellphones.

Here, I have, um, three phones, and altogether we have five 3G cell data SIMs in our laptops and smartphones, but they are all from different providers. Actually six, my son also has one but I keep forgetting it as he uses it very little (he's only six after all. Doesn't need a smartphone but I've considered getting him a Samsung smartphone for birthday so he could watch movies and play games on it when we're on road trips etc.) It doesn't matter here what company you go with, they all work in each others networks for the same money, but there are small differences with how much network bandwidth one company may have in one area etc. We pay, I guess, about $40 a month for them all, plus maybe 15-20 bucks a month for voice calls and such. Usually it's around 9,90 a month for an unlimited network access 3G SIM card/connection from any company you want to go with, including some cheap phone and/or usb network stick. I have several unused ones because I don't need em, since all my machines have internal 3G anyway.

The phones aren't locked either, so if I want, I can just use another SIM card in another device, and I have several SIM cards with the same number so they are interchangeable. Usually it means I leave my smartphone at home when I'm out on a lake etc. and take some cheaper phone with me. Also have a cheap useless phone at work, but that I keep mostly just for free work calls.

So it is probably quite different...but, phones do interest me, and I'm always looking at options. Just a few weeks back I tested a chinese iPhone copy with Android, installed Android 2.3 on it, but it was really slow and games didn't work right. It was only like 140;- Samsung makes very cheap Android phones these days, something like Samsung Galaxy starts from 10.45 a month for 2-year contract or 230;- if you pay it off at once...Nokia Lumia 800 starts at 17,50 a month for same deal and that'd interest me...what little I've used it it seems VERY sturdy and fast too.

I think I'd go with some HTC model, and Android. I have a HD2, had it for over 2 years now and on my third OS for the phone, and it's looking like it'll work for me at least for a year more. No problems except random reboots a few times a week, but that has happened since day one on it.

 

[poodlesrule]

Taking a tangent here... how do you folks like Android on tablets?
Spouse wanted a netbook, and after a cursory look into it, I came to the conclusion that a tablet is more like what she needs.

 

[Tig]

Taking a tangent here... how do you folks like Android on tablets?
Spouse wanted a netbook, and after a cursory look into it, I came to the conclusion that a tablet is more like what she needs.

I'll derail your tangent even further!

As soon as the delivery date for the iPad 3 gets close, I bet you can get an iPad 2 for a healthy discount.

The Apple pricing is the only negative thing about iPads, since they have so many apps and the interface is the best, IMO.

 

[marnold]

Sorry I can't help, Eric. I'm on a smaller regional carrier. All of the "new" phones available to me are at least one generation behind. I could only get a local number if I went through them. Plus they're cheaper than Verizon, even though I can get a discount.

 

[bcdon]

Taking a tangent here... how do you folks like Android on tablets?
Spouse wanted a netbook, and after a cursory look into it, I came to the conclusion that a tablet is more like what she needs.

I work on Android tablets and Android ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich) is starting to approach the iPad 2. After the next chip spins (early 2013) you'll see Android tablets on par or better. I got my wife an iPad 2 and she loves it. It is great if you want to get online fast and with no hassle. If you are more of a 'content consumer' then a tablet is the way to go.

 

[Eric]

If you are more of a 'content consumer' then a tablet is the way to go.

Interesting. They seem like a good idea, though probably not a very good fit for me.

 

[Eric]

Sorry I can't help, Eric. I'm on a smaller regional carrier. All of the "new" phones available to me are at least one generation behind. I could only get a local number if I went through them. Plus they're cheaper than Verizon, even though I can get a discount.

No prob. I've been looking around, just trying to familiarize myself with the smart phone landscape. I'm kind of amazed at how they have quickly become like little computers, with people talking about wiping out their phones and putting the latest OS on them. Clock speed, processor power, all that jazz...

I might just wait it out until July or whenever our contract is up, or I might spring for yesterday's technology. Given the fact that a data plan ups the monthly bill by $40 or so anyway, I might just buy something mid-level like a Droid X or Droid Incredible or something along those lines if I do decide to jump in early. What model do you have, RRawk?

 

[Tig]

I've had a few smart phones provided by work, but I don't have a big desire to own one personally.

My theory :lecture is to have just a basic cell phone for everyday use, and a tablet for everything else mobile (email, internet, music, movies, games, etc...). I'd rather have a decent sized screen for this kind of stuff instead of trying to perform everything on a smart phone.

I guess it all depends on what/how/where you will use a smart phone or tablet.

 

[marnold]

Given the fact that a data plan ups the monthly bill by $40 or so anyway, I might just buy something mid-level like a Droid X or Droid Incredible or something along those lines if I do decide to jump in early. What model do you have, RRawk?

I've got an HTC Desire. I'm eligible for an upgrade, but the only true, worthwhile upgrade for me would be the Milestone (read: Droid for non-Verizon) X2. I don't think I could get used to its PenTile screen. Newer phones have better PenTile screens so it wouldn't be an issue. I've got mine rooted with CyanogenMOD 7.1. That mostly allows me to overcome the Desire's biggest drawback--an utter lack of storage space. Plus CM7.2's version of Gingerbread works much nicer than the official HTC version of FroYo did. That enabled me to push off my decision further. Plus they are supposed to be rolling out 4G LTE everywhere at some point this year. I'm not sure how that will affect my decision since I rarely use my data package. I'm almost always using my much-faster wifi.

My wife has the Milestone X and she really seems to like it. She must get pretty good battery life because she watches a lot of Netflix. It's got plenty of storage on it. I'm not the biggest fan of Motorola's launcher. I much prefer stock Android or HTC Sense.

Ideally, I'd like a bigger screen and more storage. A dual-core processor would be cool, but I haven't really thrown anything at my Desire that it hasn't been able to handle.

 

[poodlesrule]

Funny, it feels like we are back to the Kaypro, Leading Edge and early Compaq days (!), where standards were really all over the place and shopping for a given device was a lot of work!

 

[Tig]

Funny, it feels like we are back to the Kaypro, Leading Edge and early Compaq days (!), where standards were really all over the place and shopping for a given device was a lot of work!

You're really showing your age now!
(I wouldn't know... I've only read about those systems )

 

[poodlesrule]

You're really showing your age now!
(I wouldn't know... I've only read about those systems )

Yeah, only a few years ago, when I was contracting with a high-tech company in the area, terabyte storage systems (wow!) were worked on. Now every pimple-faced teenager needs three terabytes of storage... What's next... personal earth-orbiting storage?

 

[Tig]

OK, I'll admit it... My first computer experience was on a new 8088 PC, and the first portable was the Compaq.

I won't go into TRS-80's and Apple 2e's!