Smartphone- which apps and worth it?

[kellia]

I broke my flip phone. I am now wondering if I should get a smartphone. Is it worth the extra money and what do you use yours for? I am clueless about all of the apps that are out there. Where do you get them other than through your phone provider? Which ones do you use?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Jonny_Duck]

I broke my flip phone. I am now wondering if I should get a smartphone. Is it worth the extra money and what do you use yours for? I am clueless about all of the apps that are out there. Where do you get them other than through your phone provider? Which ones do you use?

Thanks for any advice!

Depends on your carrier. If your on Att or Verizon imo their fairly expensive and if you break contract then their ETF is crazy high. However you could always get one used on CL or Ebay and try it out.

I'm an Android person and would recommend it. Their are a cpl games I play like Angry birds, Trap, and Spider Man. I like the Navigation app that I get for free from Android rather then having to pay like "other" smartphone options.(Also not needing it from carrier)

Apps I use fairly frequently is Pandora(streaming internet radio that creates a playlist on songs/musicians you like), Movies(Tells you time of movies and shows reviews or watch a trailer), Flashlight(Well its a flashlight), Photofunia(Does fairly awesome things with photos), Shopsavvy(Barcode scanner that will tell you prices of things on the net or near you...I use this ALL the time), Shazam(Identifies a song playing on radio).

Then of coarse there is the bonus of being able to Google something on the go or check twitter or check facebook.

Smartphones are generally a fairly heavy investment(depending on which you get and most require a $30 internet charge)but imo they are worth it.

Although since this is a budget board I might mention that they have the Intercept at Virgin mobile for as little as $25 a month. Crazy good deal imo even though its a semi terrible phone. Still runs Mr. Green Robot.

Iphone is nice and has some good apps but imo not worth it. Cap on data, High ETF, Single form factor, No widgets...probably more but all I can think of atm.

Blackberry lacks on apps but imo has some good form factors.(Best keyboards ever)

Windows is bla...Not worth it imo. Not as new user friendly as Android or Iphone and yeah the apps are just not there.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

We just got samsung fascinates and LOVE them and having a smart phone. I'd never have gotten one if I were paying for it (DH business is), just can't put it in the budget for a non necessity, but after having it 2 days I had no idea how I lived without it!

All my apps I have are free. I love the puzzles and look and finds for the kids. Helps keep them quiet when we are somewhere boring for them. I also love pandora, and my calendar (I think this was on the phone though). Never thought I'd get away from my actual calendar but this is GREAT! I also have gasbuddy on there to see best prices on gas when I'm out and need it, weatherbug (also came on the phone), WW points calculator, I have a banking one I haven't set up yet but I'm dying to try to keep track of my checkbook, there's a GPS one (again don't use it much but it'll come in handy at times I'm sure). I love being able to check my email when I'm out all day and as PP said prices on things when out shopping.

If you can afford one of these things I'd say go ahead and get it, you'll not regret!

 

[descovy]

I am new on the smartphone bandwagon (just got my iphone a week ago)

Dh and I were pay-as-you go customers... he with Virgin, me with T-Mobile, so when it came to "plans" we were starting from scratch.

Didn't even look at T-Mobile because they have Terrible reception in my area. It wasn't just me, either. Worked great in my old neighborhood accross town, but over here NO ONE carries T-Mobile.

In the end, I ended up with ATT. They have a family talk plan for $59/mo, AND I get a 21% corporate discount off that. I get mine because I work at Target, but they must hand these out like candy, because my dad has one and is self employeed. I'll never use all 550 minutes (which rollover) because mobile to mobile, nights and weekneds are free.

Back to what you were talking about. Data plans start at $15/mo. I picked the smallest data plan because the iphone (others do to) have wifi. So if I am at home, at the dance school, at another wifi hotspot, I can do my business for free. The only data I use, is a quick look at email, etc... on the fly.

Apps that came with the phone have served helpful already. I plugged in my contacts, names and addresses. Tuesday we went to a scout meeting hosted at a house I hadn't been to in a year. Got twisted around in their crazy neighborhood. Pulled up their name, and google maps (free, NOT navigation) found me (I was lost) and how to get to that person's house.

The other reason I wanted a smart phone, is to have an all in one device. I never have my camera on me when I want it, kwim? And I need something to keep me busy in the Dr office, and apparently, sometimes I need a map

So rather than carrying a magazine, a camera, a key map, oh yeah, and my cell phone, I can just carry my smartphone

So for me, the smartphone jump has been worth it, and the $15/mo will do me fine.

 

[kellia]

Thanks! Played around with the phones at Verizon and they sure look cool, just need to decide if I want to spend $200 on a phone!

 

[Jonny_Duck]

Thanks! Played around with the phones at Verizon and they sure look cool, just need to decide if I want to spend $200 on a phone!

Hehe I payed $450 for one today. Although I get it on interest free for 2 years but still their crazy expensive.

Through Verizon they have some great Droids depending on if you want a keyboard and the size you want. My personal recommendation would probably be the Incredible, its likely semi cheap nowadays($99 for refurb $149 new) and still rocking a fairly decent processor underneath even though its slightly outdated. HTC is good phone maker.

LG Ally is likely a decent entry phone if you want/need keyboard(With Swype it makes it fairly useless imo)but its not the best phone in their lineup.

Possibly one of the best they have though is the Fascinate made by Samsung. It def has some negatives in my eyes(Such as default Bing search engine)but Super Amoled screen is sooooo lovely. I also am not too big of a fan of the full touchscreen phones. I prefer one hand operation to be easier with an unlock button on the front.

All the Droids have some positives and negatives. The fairly cool thing about Verizon is they have a great selection and since Android is so different on all the devices you get a different experience with each.

Anyway if you decide on Android on Verizon my suggestion is Samsung Fascinate(Currently only running Android Version 2.1 but Samsung promises to update to 2.2 but they are not good with updates), or the Incredible.

I would stay far far away from the Devour.

 

[pepperderr]

I just got the Palm Pre a few weeks go. It is an upgrade from a flip phone so it was a big step for us. I am NOT one to spend money on a phone. The reason we got it is because it comes with free WiFi hotspot if you get it from Verizon. You still have to pay 30 dollars extra per month for the unlimited data plan which is big for us but I think it is worth it to have internet access anywhere. My DH is in the military and now instead of having to wait months and months and having to pay extra for internet every month, he can get online on his laptop anywhere using his palm pre plus hotspot. I have an iPod touch and so does my mom. That is another reason I got the palm pre. Now we can use the internet featuares of the iPod apps and not have to worry about it.

It took some getting used to but I really like the phone now. It doesn't have too many apps now but they are getting more and more every day. The biggest complaint I noticed in the reviews was that the battery life was so short on the Palm Pre plus. For us so far that has not been an issue at all. They said the intenet hotspot thing is what drains the battery. When we are home, the phone uses the house internet so not much drain on the battery. Also you can get the touchstone charger. You just set the phone on it to charge it. I got the touchstone charger, a car charger and a case for 15 dollars when I ordered the phone so I have a charger upstairs, downstairs and in the van. Before we go to Disney I do want to get an extra large battery. There is no free internet at Disney so this will take care of that too.

I have tried the camera and the video on the phone and love it. It is easy to send to photobucket right from the phone too. It has google maps app to give you directions. I like that it works with google and hotmail calendars.

I would not pay 200 dollars for a phone either. Our palm pre's were first phone free and the other two were 50 dollars each. Verizon always has deals when you order online and renew your contract. It is free over night shipping and you can return it for a different one within 30 days.

If it wasn't for the fact that I wanted the free internet access, we probably would have gotten the Samsung Fascinate. We more or less have to stick with Verizon. No other provider I checked has service in our area.

pepperderr

 

[Jonny_Duck]

Meh, Pre is decent but its lacking in comparison to Android and tbh I am not too sure the support will be there for it to stay alive. I am sorta thinking HP just bought them to put webos on printers.

There is also a Pre 2 coming and fairly sure that Verizon will be first US carrier to get it so if its a phone you are considering then you could possibly wait.

Pre lacks apps because there are certain things not open to developers to make apps. Unless this has changed recently the camera is part of that. Also I don't believe it has auto focus camera so one of the big apps Shopsavvy is not on the Pre.

From an OS standpoint though I will say that the Pre is fairly good. Unfortunately I couldn't stand the form factor so I had to drop mine. I do semi like the Pixi though.

Operating system wise its a good choice that I rly did not think of but due to the not so great hardware and lack of apps along with the fact that its somewhat of a dying phone, it wouldn't be my first choice.

Palm did great job making webos but unfortunately it was a little late in the game.

 

[crazelion]

If go with Att they have something call quick - messaging phones. That have a data plan for 15 bucks. I have a LG Prime I have install free games, google maps and more. Any phone that uses java has plenty of free apps and games out there. I just spent a week download all kinds of games and apps on my phone.

Now if only I get figure out set the ringtone on the darn phone I will be good to go.

Me and Mom can't have the same ringtone. I sure there is a simple answer to that problem.

Also if broke your ATT phone you purchase a go phone and switch sim cards and new immedicately. Also Att go phone site has phones for dirt cheap right now. I just upgrade mom's and mind this pass couple weeks. We both got to go phones. With her's I want the simplest cell phone that could be bought. I mean the simplest. All want the phone to do is make a phone call and nothing else.

Mind was different story. I was not ready to jump on the driod market of phones just yet.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Having had phone service with Verizon, Sprint and At&T.

AT&T has the WORST coverage and the WORST service. If I didn't love my Iphone they would be gone, but I live in a MAJOR city and the service has all kinds of dead spots. My boyfriend has NO service when he visit his mother for example (and he did with Verizon) (And he does not have a smart phone, just a basic phone!)

I am just crossing my fingers that Verizon FINALLY gets an I phone soon. Otherwise I will probably have to move to a droid.

 

[pintamino]

Iphone is nice and has some good apps but imo not worth it. Cap on data, High ETF, Single form factor, No widgets...probably more but all I can think of atm.

I love my iPhone, but I agree with the "new" data "plans" it's a rip-off for anybody trying to just get one now.

OP, definitely get something you can play angry birds on

 

[pepperderr]

I have seen the app available on my iPod touch and my Pre phone but I have yet to download it. I may have to try it some day just to see what all the hype is about.

 

[crazelion]

Having had phone service with Verizon, Sprint and At&T.

AT&T has the WORST coverage and the WORST service. If I didn't love my Iphone they would be gone, but I live in a MAJOR city and the service has all kinds of dead spots. My boyfriend has NO service when he visit his mother for example (and he did with Verizon) (And he does not have a smart phone, just a basic phone!)

I am just crossing my fingers that Verizon FINALLY gets an I phone soon. Otherwise I will probably have to move to a droid.

The Iphone is coming to Verizon in Jan.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

The Iphone is coming to Verizon in Jan.

Crossing my fingers, but so far no formal announcement. And right now I would PAY to have AT&T out of my life (that's more due to the recent bonehead move they did no thier U-verse programming, but....)

 

[Sukina]

There's an app on iTunes store called FAAP, it stands for Free App A Day. They list several free apps everyday. So far, I have gotten several really nice apps for free, ones that you don't know about. Some of them only stay free for several days. So, it's really worth while to get this free app for other free apps.

 

[starwood]

There's an app on iTunes store called FAAP, it stands for Free App A Day. They list several free apps everyday. So far, I have gotten several really nice apps for free, ones that you don't know about. Some of them only stay free for several days. So, it's really worth while to get this free app for other free apps.

They are also on Facebook.