Need to get a smart phone
 

It's finally time for me to retire my clam shell cell phone and upgrade to a smart phone (it's by necessity not choice I'm afraid). I'm not sure what type to get and I need your help.

The only problem I've had with my phone is that I cannot see the screen when I'm outside.

Family members have older Samsung phones, but the antennae does not work well in some rural areas. They have to go outside to use the phone; whereas my clam shell works fine inside.

I'd like the larger cell screen (not tablet) as my eyes aren't as sharp as they once were.

Does anyone have the newest Samsung Galaxy phone? Comments?

What about other brands?

I have Verizon.

Thank you for your assistance.

There's so much choice now for smartphones. It's probably best to go into a store and get some guidance from the sales staff.

I agree, you really need to go play with the phones and see which one you like.

ALSO, read reviews online! Verizon store has reviews for phones. Sometimes a phone seems great but then you read reviews and find out the battery stinks or that it breaks right away.

Wish I'd done that with my last phone, but I got in a rush and I trusted the sales guy. It's a hunk of junk and all the reviews say so. (If they're still selling them, don't get an LG "Enact", it's an awful phone - terrible battery life, terrible sound, terrible camera, drops calls...it's really not good at anything.) I'm using my DH's old Samsung now and it's not a very good phone either. (Not sure the model, it's an older phone now, I'm sure they aren't selling it anymore)

My DH has a Motorola Droid X that he really likes. My prior smartphone was also Motorola Droid 2 (older phone, now) and it was a great phone - I literally wore it out or I'd still be using it. Whenever my contract is up and I get a new phone I'm going back to Motorola. They seem to cost a little bit more but so far out of the 5-6 smart phones DH & I have gone through, Motorola has been the best quality and the most reliable.

DH uses a modern Samsung for work, one of the bigger/newer ones (might be the Galaxy). He says it's OK but it's slow; he likes his Droid X better.

I resisted getting a smart phone for a long time, but I just got a Moto X (2nd Generation) and I'm using the Republic Wireless carrier service because of the price. This company was recommended to me by a realtor who uses her phone all the time while showing clients around. Check them out - https://republicwireless.com/plans/

I'm very happy with the phone and the service so far, and I'm only paying $10/month for unlimited calls and text. I also get unlimited data if I have WiFi access and can upgrade the service if necessary at a reasonable cost. And there's no contract!!!

Thanks for your thoughts Sewnoma. I was looking at a Motorola but the reviews at Verizon threw me off a bit.


The last phone I got was through a local franchise. The sales agent was pushing a phone I knew I didn't want. I ended up with a Convoy (my choice). It cost more there than getting it online. Lesson learned. My DH's phone was purchased through Costco where the prices were more competitive. Sometimes you can get Verizon online deals too. I understand if you print them out and take them to a franchise they have to honor it; even if it is not a special in that store.

My SIL has an Apple that she likes, but she doesn't have a lot of experience with the online functions which I will eventually need.

I'll look into the models you suggest. I believe there is a model higher than the Droid X that Verizon isn't showing. Do you know if I got it at Best Buy...let's say...that Verizon would recognize it?

Wow! Dunster, that's a great buy. Thanks for the note.

Unfortunately I live in the boonies (in a hollow) and Verizon is the only company in the area that gives good service. (Republic only works on WiFi hotspots in my area.)

I have Verizon because it has coverage even AT&T doesn't have. I love my I-Phone 4. My husband has a Samsung because it has the bigger screen, but I don't like his because I have trouble seeing the screen outside. Both my daughters have the I-Phone 5.

In San Diego if you go to Best Buy they can help you activate your phone with Verizon. If you buy your phone at Verizon for a discount that is when you have the 2 year contract nonsense. If you buy the phone and activate it thru Verizon you don't have to do the long contract. My daughter went to Best Buy to get a "hot spot" and they told her that since we were with Verizon, that we should go thru them for a better deal. It was a better deal, my bill was reduced by $30.00.

Dh and I both have Samsung phones and are very happy with it. He has the S3 and
I have the S4. If I have to upgrade I'll get the S5 (instead of the latest S6). The S5
is waterproof and you can put an external sd card which the S6 cannot. We find the
iphones too limited and everything is $$$ with Apple. I'll give you an example. If you
lose your Samsung (assuming you have registered it online), you can disable your
phone wherever it is. With iPhones you have to pay for this service. With Samsung it's
free. Just compare the different features before you make a purchase. The only
disadvantage with smartphones is outside...can't see a darn thing in the sun. We need
little umbrellas for our phones. ;-)
One more thing they do make the large phones. I know Galaxy has what they call
phlabet or mega phones. Mine is a middle size. Good luck.

I have a Verizon pay-as-you-go plan and I just upgraded from a flip phone to a smartphone. I got the Motorola Moto E at Wal-Mart; it cost around $70. I've had it a few weeks and so far, I do like it. I mostly text with my cell phone and do very little calling. I have to charge it up about every 2-3 days or so. The screen is big enough so that I can see the text messages well. I even loaded a couple of games on it.

There is a cheaper phone which is very similar - I think that's the Moto G - the only difference being that this one has a slot for a memory card and the cheaper one doesn't. I wanted the card slot so I could also load some music on the phone.

Walmart and target sometimes have great sales on the iphone 5s -- DD has one and loves it. We just got DH an iphone 6 and he is learning how to use it quickly. We have Verizon -- great coverage nation wide in places no one else will touch.

I love my Iphone 6 PLUS. Like putting a flip flop to your ear! I have an Otterbox cover on mine.

sandy

I love my iPhone - so easy to learn and does more than I even know how to use. I take classes every once in a while (from Apple and also from Verizon) and I learn something new with each class.

We have iPhone 6s. I have become an apple fan. Started with the iPhone 3, then to 4 and then 5 and now 6. It isn't hard to use and where we go ATT has great coverage. We bundle with the home phone. We still have a landline because when the Hurricanes knock power out they still work.

I think feelings about smart phones are as varied as "do you prewash" or "do you starch". Happy hunting!!

I switched to Consumer Cellular. No contract, use my iPhones, and DH shares me plan for $10 extra. Together it's less than the cost of just his AT&T plan. Like that I can change the plan when I get close to using my minutes. They warn me when I'm close but it's only when we're on vacation that we have a data problem. I believe they share AT&T towers. Check out the coverage maps for each using talk and data maps. I chose iPhones because my kids hand me down their old phones. They like having the latest gadgets and can teach me to use the older models. I also get an AARP discount.

Verizon usually has an iPhone for free if you sign up for two years. It won't be the 6. My daughter got the 5 without cost. I've had the 4 for three years and love it. Never had a problem, I bought an Otterbox cover and still have the same one.

I have Samsung Galaxy S4; hubs has S5. We've both been very happy with these. He had Motorola prior (and might still for phone #2 - not sure). Have Verizon service. When we both did the latest software upgrades there were a few glitches but they have been resolved (by the local 20 yr old wizard). I'd love to do cheaper but have nephew on my plan (he DOES NOT have a smart phone). I like Verizon's backbone so not sure how I feel about Consumer Cellular. Last time I checked, was no better for me. SIL works for Republic. She and bro have those phones and calls drop and funky things happen with their phones all the time. Not for me.

I like the iPhones because they are so easy to learn how to use. Also you can get some of the older models for a very reasonable cost.

I have it and it works great. I think it is easier to learn than many other phones

Me too!! Me too!! I switched to Republic 18 months ago, got a Moto X 2nd Gen, and I could not be happier with it. I hate the contract phones, what a crock. I paid for my phone up front, and I'm also on the $10/month plan. I did the math, Republic vs. Verizon, and over the two-year span of Verizon's contract, I will save $1500. And that INCLUDES the price of the phone!

My recommendation came from Clark Howard, the consumer advocate.

What a bummer!! :thumbdown:

I love my iPhone 6 and it comes in a larger version 6+. If you want to spend less money however and get a larger phone my husband has a ZTE Max which has a larger screen and costs a lot less than the iPhone. It has an Android operating system.

I got the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 because it has a larger screen, and I really like it.
Phyllis

I sync mine with 2 Ipads. Keep inmind that you have to have the same potocol (appple or android) if using a smart phone to sync with a tablet.
Sandy

I have the Samsung 3 and have for 3yrs and it works great. I'm considering to upgrade to the 5 or 6. I love Samsung and one of the features it has over the iPhone is that it uses a card to store pics, etc on so you don't use up all of your storage so easily. I had the iPhone 4 and 4S and had nothing but trouble but others love it. I agree, check them all out. I know that with Sprint you can switch the phone for a different one within 30 days if you aren't happy with it. sometimes they charge a restocking fee of 30. good luck and I have no problem with reception on mine.

I can't see my screen outside in the sun either. I thought they all are like that? I have the metro pc's...

I agree with OhCanada but I am sticking with my dumb dumb phone (flip phone: buttons are easier to text).

Whatever you go with, don't let the salesperson influence you too much. The first smart phone I went with was some android phone and I couldn't even figure out how to punch in new phone numbers. Took it back and got an apple. Love my apple.

I use Consumer Cellular as well. I haven't had any problems with the service. Customer Service has been fine, and the AARP discount just about pays for the AARP membership for a year.

I have been a Motorola user for years, we have had many different models. We've never had any problems with any of them. Walmart and Sam's Club sell phones and usually have better deal than the Verizon stores. At Walmart or Sam's you buy the phone at a discount because you are buying the phone and signing a contract. If you do that you only pay the sales tax on the discount price of the phone. We got our phones for 99 cents. If you go to a Verizon type phone store and buy the same phone and contact, they charge you sales tax on the original retail value of the phone which could be several hundred dollars. We found that out a few years ago and will never buy a phone from a Verizon type store.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 and I LOVE it! The screen is pretty invisible if you are outside with polarized sunglasses on, but aren't they all? Anyway, I love the size of the memory (room for lots of apps,) the size of the phone (not tiny, but small enough to tuck into the outside pocket of a purse,) and its relatively intuitive design (both the hardware and software.)

I think the reception has more to do with your carrier's coverage than the phone, but I am not totally certain that the phone doesn't play a part.

I am an AT&T customer and I really appreciate how the staff in the stores will help you if you have a problem, even long after you have purchased the phone. Maybe all the carriers have similarly helpful staffs, but they DO NOT have identical coverage. If you need to use your phone in rural areas or know your home gets iffy reception, best to compare coverages before deciding which carrier to go with.

Good luck!

Dunster,
How much are the surcharges and taxes on that? Do you buy your phone from them?
Thanks, Linda

When you switch from a flip phone to a 'smart' phone be sure you can use the functions that are not smart phone bells and whistles, like making and answering actual phone calls and sending texts. Those touch screen "buttons" are hard to use for some folks with old fat fingers (ask me how I know). Also you answer a flip phone by flipping it open... on my smart phone I need to dig it out of my purse, swipe it, read a name in the glare and then talk and its harder to hear too. On the other hand, it does tell me where to go. Sometimes I return the favor in somewhat less ladylike language.

Do not get a "Lumia" windows phone! Everyone I know who were stupid like that, including me, returned them within a month! I do like my iPhone 5c. Easy learning curve.

You can buy the phone through Republic Wireless, or use their link to go to the Motorola site. Republic has a chip added to the phone that enables their software to use WiFi seamlessly. I don't know how much the surcharges will be, haven't received a bill yet!

I have the same phone and same plan, my monthly bill runs around $13. As you can see, some of these taxes are local/state, so your bill may vary.

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I was so happy with my phone, I purchased a second phone for my 14 yr old son. Got a good price via a promotion through Republic, paid less than $130 for a Moto G.

Thank you so much for your input
 

Your comments have helped me more than the "professional" test results. I prefer use by real people in every day situations.

Now I have enough information to take with me when I go shopping.

Thank you!

You have a good point. My DH says he has a great little computer, but as a cell phone it stinks! (paraphrased)

iPhone. iPhone. iPhone. You cannot beat Apple for ease of use and reliability. Go to Best Buy. Ask if they have any phones "out of the box." They will sell you an "out of the box" phone at a greatly reduced price.

Prepare to pay extra for the data function on smart phones. On ATT it is $30/month. For me, worth it because my phone is used for business too. Really understand why you want a smart phone. And the costs involved. Tho, once you are hooked, and you will be, you can not go back! Lol! Love mine.

Somewhere on QB there is a thread regarding fav features and apps that people love.

sandy

.

I bought the same phone through Consumer Cellular last Xmas. They have fantastic customer service. I can now take pictures and e-mail them to my home computer. My bill is $18.00/mo. You can see the phones at Sears.

My DH and I have had IPhones since IPhone 3. Back then At&T had unlimited data and media plan. I put unlimited on three phones when I was offered a special plan during a promotion. I remember my friends said I was nuts to sign up for phone plan that was a two year contract. My plan is grandfathered in and they are the ones that are paying triple what we are now.