Need Smartphone help! Update page 2. I picked a phone

[pantherlj]

I am clueless about Smartphones so feel free to overshare tips and advice!

I have been using tracfone forever and am fine with it but need to get a smartphone for work. They are going to pay $70 a month toward my bill.

iPhone? Android? I have no preference as I have no apple products now.

Verizon? AT&T? T-Mobile? I can get 15-20% discount on the data portion with each carrier. All have stores in my area so assume they all provide the same level of coverage in the area? I am in central NC. I don't travel much - mostly to the Outer Banks.

Please share your opinions on phones and carriers and suggest how I can keep it right around $70 a month. I don't anticipate needing more than 1-2GB per month for data.

Thanks

 

[hsmamato2]

do you want unlimited talk/text? there are a lot of prepaid smartphone planes out there,no contract,low monthly cost,no contract. which one you choose depends on your use/needs,and location.
Personally,I use an (older,got on ebay) android smartphone, use a prepaid service called Pageplus,(it runs on verizon network) it costs me 30.00 per month,I get 1200 talk minutes,3000 texts,and 250 mb data. ( I keep the data shut off most of the time,don't use it much,never reach that limit,but it's handy for when do want it)
It fits my usage,and where I live Verizon service reigns supreme!
my son has a fancy iphone thru virgin mobile,and he pays 35.00 per month for 300 talk minutes,and unlimited data. it fits his needs.His service isn't quite as rock solid reliable as mine is,due to where we live, but he wants that data.
straight talk is thru walmart,you can do a smartphone plan with data (I think) for about 45.00 per month (prepaid) but it is a tracfone based company. Where I live,tracfone is not reliable,so that doesn't work for me. (I still have an old tracfone, but it gets spotty reception)
there are lots of great options for 70.00 or less per month,I'd advise staying away from contracts

 

[JB2K]

OP, if you like the ease of managing a Tracfone, you should look at Net10's (TF's sister brand) offerings of Androids.

The majority of them are powered by AT&T's network, but there are a couple that run on Verizon's national network, too.

Unlimited everything for about $50 a month, and adding time each month is as easy as a Tracfone...

 

[pixiewings71]

This is very subjective. We have Verizon, have for years, for us the service/coverage is excellent but others will have different opinions. In our house we have 2 smart phones, mine is a Motorola Droid RAZR M and I LOVE it!!!! Wouldn't trade it for an iPhone! DBF has an iPhone5, he loves it, wouldn't trade it for an Android. LOL So you will get differing opinions. I don't have any problems with the Google Play store, I have all the apps I want, live wallpapers, my music and I have expandable memory as well, the camera is amazing, the only thing I would like to have is FaceTime.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

AT&T vs. Verizon really depends on reception in your geographic location. Some places are better for one or the other. I think T-Mobile is the least likely to have good reception of all those listed.

Apple iOS vs Android... I think it too is a matter of taste. I prefer the iPhone because it integrates perfectly with my Mac and other Apple products.

 

[LaurLaur04]

I'm in Sampson County and I have Verizon. Used to have AT&T. Some random spots that no one had service I would still have it with AT&T. But I get a discount with Verizon through my work. Either work well. Not a big fan of US cellular. If you are in the triangle area I always have great 4G service there most of the time! I have a Droid Razr Maxx. The battery life is so much better than other phones.

 

[pantherlj]

I'm in Sampson County and I have Verizon. Used to have AT&T. Some random spots that no one had service I would still have it with AT&T. But I get a discount with Verizon through my work. Either work well. Not a big fan of US cellular. If you are in the triangle area I always have great 4G service there most of the time! I have a Droid Razr Maxx. The battery life is so much better than other phones.

Thanks for the NC reception report! I am leaning toward Verizon. Glad to hear about the battery life on the Razr Maxx - that makes 2 recommendations for it. Since I don't use internet with my phone now, it can go 1 week or more without charging so the battery life will be a big adjustment for me.

I have heard good things about the Galaxy as well. I don't have any apple products now so am leaning toward an android based phone.

Since I'll be given a $70 allowance per month, I am leaning toward a contract phone. If I do prepay, I'll have to pay more out of pocket for a nice phone (I think). I'll hit Best Buy today.

 

[descovy]

Just another POV... My aunt knows nothing about smartphones. A Motorola (Android) phone was suggested to her by several people.

My stepmom knows nothing about smartphones. An iPhone was suggested to her.

Here's the deal, every time my stepmom has a question about how to work her phone, someone in the room can show her how to do it. I've seen it happen in a restaurant full of friends, in the store, even in church!

So many people have an iPhone (or I something) that its really easy to get help.


My aunt cant figure something on her phone, and no one can help her. Or they may try and guess (based on their phone) but its never exactly the same.

She wanted to email me a picture from her phone. She had no idea how to do it, and neither did the other 8 people in the room.


So anyway, that is another POV about considering an iPhone. Once you have it, you will start finding reasons to use it, even if you never had those reasons before!

 

[Havana]

We have two Samsung Galaxys with Verizon in the Charlotte area. I agonized over what phone to get last summer. I first got the Incredible during the trial period and liked that for the smaller screen size. Then i read so many good things about the Galaxy. When I got the Galaxy it was a wow moment! Love the screen and the feel of it. I use the phone so much more than I thought I would.

 

[Ashlotte]

We go through Virgin Mobile. The plans are no contract, and we get unlimited text and data, plus 300 minutes per month for only $35. It is such a deal. I can't believe it took us so long to get on board! We did have to buy phones, but even with buying the phone we are coming out way ahead compared to most smartphone users. Did I mention no contract? Here is the phone we got (just got them for Christmas). http://www.amazon.com/HTC-One-Prepa...&qid=1360479950&sr=1-1&keywords=htc+one+phone They do go on sale. We saw them for $50 each and then for $35, although that was around Black Friday.

 

[stitchlovestink]

As far as the actual Phones I would go for the Samsung Galaxy 3s. We have 2 of them in our house and I WISH I could upgrade to one but Alas... I cannot just yet. I also have 4 friends who have them. EVERYONE of them LOVE them and have NOT ONE complaint about the phone!!
I know several people who own Iphone5 and wish they could switch!! They have problems with them and do not care for the phone at all. And a few friends have the Iphone5 and really like it.
Now when we researched the phones, ALL the techs told us (and this was at THREE different stores) that the Iphones have pretty much maxed out their capabilities. But the Galaxy was the way to go, there is so much more room to grow with this phone. And if your not using a mac computer you really don't need the same format phone.. The Galaxy is a super SWEET PHONE!!! I can't wait until I can upgrade although by then, they'll probably have the Galaxy 4! Good Luck with your choice!!!

 

[pantherlj]

We go through Virgin Mobile. The plans are no contract, and we get unlimited text and data, plus 300 minutes per month for only $35. It is such a deal. I can't believe it took us so long to get on board! We did have to buy phones, but even with buying the phone we are coming out way ahead compared to most smartphone users. Did I mention no contract? Here is the phone we got (just got them for Christmas). http://www.amazon.com/HTC-One-Prepa...&qid=1360479950&sr=1-1&keywords=htc+one+phone They do go on sale. We saw them for $50 each and then for $35, although that was around Black Friday.

I saw this at Best Buy and am very tempted to go this route - it does look like a great deal this but I worry about the coverage. We are going to move to a town about 15 miles away and according to their map, there is no coverage at all in a good portion of the outskirts of the town. If it weren't for that, I would go that route for sure. On their site they sell the Galaxy 2, pricey but even with the cost, much cheaper in the long run! Even with the spotty coverage, it's tempting!

 

[jrw118]

iPhone!!!!!!! Without question. It is super user friendly. It is easy to find accessories inexpensively.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

As far as the actual Phones I would go for the Samsung Galaxy 3s. We have 2 of them in our house and I WISH I could upgrade to one but Alas... I cannot just yet. I also have 4 friends who have them. EVERYONE of them LOVE them and have NOT ONE complaint about the phone!!

Not true, I had a Samsung Galaxy III and I did not love it . In fact, I returned it and got an iPhone 5. The screen was fantastic, but I found it was not intuitive to use at all, never having owned an Android phone.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Not true, I had a Samsung Galaxy III and I did not love it . In fact, I returned it and got an iPhone 5. The screen was fantastic, but I found it was not intuitive to use at all, never having owned an Android phone.

Well matter of opinion! My DH has both!! LOL!
Galaxy is his personal phone and Iphone5 is his company phone. He MUCH prefers the Galaxy. Still has problems with Iphone.
I'm sure there will be differing opinions but that is ours!! I also have 'played' with both and would def choose the Galaxy over the Iphone5. We both think the Iphone is NOT user friendly is much harder to navigate!! LOL. I guess maybe because we are used to android formatting. But we there are many features we prefer on the Galaxy! personal Preference I guess!

 

[dtstampz]

I recently got my first smart phone, Droid Razr M, and I love it! And I have a friend with
a similar phone that can help me with it if I have questions.
On a side note, though: Disney doesn't have ANY phone cases for my phone. And
they have lots of cute ones for iphone4 & 5. Not that I would buy a phone just to get
a Disney case, but I did consider it, LOL!

 

[pixiewings71]

iPhone!!!!!!! Without question. It is super user friendly. It is easy to find accessories inexpensively.

DBF had to buy all new accessories for his iPhone, added about $100 to the cost of the phone, his was $300 for the phone and accessories, mine was $100, with the phone and accessories. LOL

I recently got my first smart phone, Droid Razr M, and I love it! And I have a friend with
a similar phone that can help me with it if I have questions.
On a side note, though: Disney doesn't have ANY phone cases for my phone. And
they have lots of cute ones for iphone4 & 5. Not that I would buy a phone just to get
a Disney case, but I did consider it, LOL!

I know! I'm bummed I can't find a cute case with any Disney characters, but if you go to Amazon and do a search for RAZR M cases you'll find a lot of cute cases for really cheap. Just so ya know.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Nobody's mentioned Straight Talk??
I'm running a iPhone 4S on S T and I love both.
I'd had a Android T-Mobile Comet and it was ok, real fancy for my first smart phone but comparing it to the iPhone - the iPhone is the far superior phone.

 

[pixiewings71]

Straight Talk gets horrible coverage in my area, so nope, not talking about it. lol

 

[pantherlj]

I made my purchase today! I got the Galaxy 3 with Verizon. Wow, this thing is amazing! It's very intuitive I LOVE the size of the screen.Sticks out of my jeans pocket more than I would like but I have a purse with me most times anyway. I love the swiping text ability (not sure what it's called). I am having fun learning all it can do.

Aside from the monthly contract, here is a budget board portion of the phone. It was $149 at Best Buy. They price matched Sams to $89 and I had signed up for a $50 gift card with Best Buy if I signed up for a new 2 year contract so got the phone for less than $50.