Verizon Wireless "Feature Phones"

[SRUAlmn]

We are currently eligible for our new every 2 as well as a loyalty credit, so we're thinking about upgrading our phones. We have a 2 line shared plan without data, and are not interested in increasing our bill by $60/month to add 2 $30 data packages added to our currently plan. We really have no use for it. We have searched the website for a week now, and I have to say how disappointed I am in the their lack of options that don't require a data plan. They are mostly 'ugly' (what happened to color options people?) and all have terrible reviews. Does anyone have a suggestion for one that is of good quality (since it looks like we don't have a choice of non-ugly ) Some sort of music player and a decent camera are preferred, and I don't think I want JUST a touch screen because I tried a friend's IPhone and I hated it. Some of the ones we were looking at were:
LG Octane
LG Cosmos
LG Cosmos Touch
Pantech Crux
Samsung Intensity II

Thanks!!!

 

[maggiew]

My younger DD (16) has the Octane. She is a marathon texter and really likes the phone.

My older DD (19) has the KinTWO. It is good for her because it has WiFi and she can use it in her dorm as a kind of "smart phone" with the WiFi in the dorm (or anywhere there is WiFi). It doesn't get great reviews. But if you read the reviews, the problems people had were all very similar and didn't affect my DD in the least (like no option to change design on the front screen).

Maggie

 

[SRUAlmn]

My younger DD (16) has the Octane. She is a marathon texter and really likes the phone.

My older DD (19) has the KinTWO. It is good for her because it has WiFi and she can use it in her dorm as a kind of "smart phone" with the WiFi in the dorm (or anywhere there is WiFi). It doesn't get great reviews. But if you read the reviews, the problems people had were all very similar and didn't affect my DD in the least (like no option to change design on the front screen).

Maggie

Thank you so much for the input! For your DD19 who can use the WiFi on the KinTWO, do you have to have a data plan to use WiFi? Thanks again!

 

[maggiew]

No. You don't need the data plan if you use the WiFi. That is why we got that particular phone because she can have the benefits of a "smartphone" without paying the data plan. But she can only use the internet stuff when there is WiFi around. (Well, technically its possible to use the 3G, but then that costs extra money.) And since there is WiFi in her dorm and all campus buildings, she pretty much has "smartphone" access all the time. She's had this phone for about 6 months and no extra charges so far.

Maggie

 

[SRUAlmn]

No. You don't need the data plan if you use the WiFi. That is why we got that particular phone because she can have the benefits of a "smartphone" without paying the data plan. But she can only use the internet stuff when there is WiFi around. (Well, technically its possible to use the 3G, but then that costs extra money.) And since there is WiFi in her dorm and all campus buildings, she pretty much has "smartphone" access all the time. She's had this phone for about 6 months and no extra charges so far.

Maggie

That is GREAT to know Thanks for the tip!

 

[tinkerbell615]

OP... I am in the same boat as you. We have four phones on our plan. My DS pays for his data plan, but DD doesn't have one nor do I or DH. DH and I do not want or need a data plan. I won't let DD get one until she pays for her own. I have been searching for weeks for a new phone that doesn't require a data plan, but can't find anything I like. I, too, have been reading the reviews and am worried about what to purchase.

If you don't mind... I am giong to follow your post to see what everyone on here has to say.

 

[disneymarie]

Oldest son got the Kin 2 a week ago, LOVES THE 8 mega pixal camera
That was the sell maker for him. So far great luck and can't find any neg about it.

I am waiting for August and hoping to upgrade to. The camera and Qwerty is my needs.

I had ENvy 2 and 3 the last several years. Last year, I dropped it in the toilet, a cup of hot chocolate and then caught it is the recliner gears trying to retrieve from the cushions.
SO I am using my old Envy 2 until I can upgrade.

 

[SRUAlmn]

OP... I am in the same boat as you. We have four phones on our plan. My DS pays for his data plan, but DD doesn't have one nor do I or DH. DH and I do not want or need a data plan. I won't let DD get one until she pays for her own. I have been searching for weeks for a new phone that doesn't require a data plan, but can't find anything I like. I, too, have been reading the reviews and am worried about what to purchase.

If you don't mind... I am giong to follow your post to see what everyone on here has to say.

SO glad to know we're not alone!! Welcome!! Hopefully we can find something we like

 

[tallygirl]

We were in the same situation, wanted a new phone but had no need for a smart phone. We (DH and I) have used the LG Cosmos since last September and have had no problems. It is good for texting and the camera is decent. It was easy to download ringtones from an external site (mine is the music from Fantasmic) I think they were free after a rebate at the time.

 

[SRUAlmn]

We were in the same situation, wanted a new phone but had no need for a smart phone. We (DH and I) have used the LG Cosmos since last September and have had no problems. It is good for texting and the camera is decent. It was easy to download ringtones from an external site (mine is the music from Fantasmic) I think they were free after a rebate at the time.

Thanks! That was another reason I've been holding out switching phones. I have a bunch of Disney ringtones and songs for the music player that I've purchased and now they'll be gone and I'll have to buy new ones! I LOVE the Fantasmic music!!!

 

[Fire14]

friend has intensity and nephew has cosmos. neither has really had any complaints but nephew said he at times gets txts 2 x's or doesn't get them and phone has been known to shut self off but I wonder if he isn't bumping button or something. octane is replacement for env. i personally would avoid cosmos as vzw store guy told me lg was having issues with equiment quailty in cosmos era and era. but maybe those issues have been fixed.

 

[tinkerbell615]

SO glad to know we're not alone!! Welcome!! Hopefully we can find something we like

I am also glad to know we are not the only ones. Everyone I know has a fancy phone with all of the nifty features. I just don't need that and I certainly don't want to add to my bill. It is already high enough!

 

[mcorbo]

My wife has the octane and loves it. She got it because a friend of hers has it and loves it too!

 

[SRUAlmn]

Thanks everyone for all the input! I was leaning a little more towards the Octane, so it's good to know that some like it. Does the KinTwo only have a touch screen? It seems like a good option, but I'm hesitant that the name sounds unfamiliar which makes me think 'cheap' and also that I think it only has a touch screen. I've been texting with the phone pad keys for years and I'm pretty fast. I don't want a learning curve with something else

 

[bonoriffic]

Does the KinTwo only have a touch screen? It seems like a good option, but I'm hesitant that the name sounds unfamiliar which makes me think 'cheap' and also that I think it only has a touch screen

Which part of the name is unfamiliar? Not knowing the phone's name seems pretty common, who has the LG Octane on the tip of their tongue? But to have never heard of Microsoft? I didn't think that was possible. Yes the phone has a full slide out keyboard. You should click on product views to see the other angles which show the keyboard.

Edit: Well on actually looking at the site, it looks like they didn't spell it out that the phone is made by Microsoft on the main page. Which seems odd.

 

[maggiew]

Yes, the KinTWO has a qwerty keyboard. They are round buttons, I think and not typical rectangular keys. DD hasn't complained about them, though.

Maggie

 

[My sister's princess]

My Rouge went for a swim a few weeks back. I looked at the Kin2, and was told by the sale man that there have been some issues with it. (He knows me from a BIG issue I had the with "Twist" model) I chose to get another Rouge(through insurance). I love it, but don't know if you can still get it.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Which part of the name is unfamiliar? Not knowing the phone's name seems pretty common, who has the LG Octane on the tip of their tongue? But to have never heard of Microsoft? I didn't think that was possible. Yes the phone has a full slide out keyboard. You should click on product views to see the other angles which show the keyboard.

Edit: Well on actually looking at the site, it looks like they didn't spell it out that the phone is made by Microsoft on the main page. Which seems odd.

Yes! I had no idea it was made by Microsoft..I HAVE heard of Microsoft No, LG Octane doesn't roll off the tongue, but I've had other LG phones which is was I was referrring to. KinTWO had no familiarity to us. Thanks for the info!

 

[maggiew]

I did a lot of research on the KinTWO because the reviews were so bad, but we wanted to get that for DD because it was the only WiFi phone with QWERTY keyboard that we could find (as a feature phone). Anyway, the back story that I read was that the Kin was released as a Smartphone but many felt it was a crappy smartphone. So they took it off the market. Then they later brought it back as a Feature phone with WiFi.

When we went to the Verizon store to look at the phone so DD could try it out, the guy there was telling us how much this phone "sucked" and he wouldn't buy it, etc. etc. I didn't trust him much, though, because he told me that it required the data plan, which I knew it didn't because I had really researched it before hand.

If you read the reviews of the phone, most of the bad reviews are from people who expect it to be a smartphone and then are disappointed. If you go in with proper expectations, it is a great phone. At least my DD finds it so.

Maggie