What type of phone do you use or recommend?

[bjorn2bwild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 Also have the G4, and like it, and the price. I don't use my smartphone much, but when I do, I appreciate the bigger screen. But it is awkward in a pocket. I sure prefer my old flip for being 'pocket friendly', and the flip protects the screen against scratches and drops - but no data. I hope they come out with some magic before I get much older - some kind of fold-able, or roll-out, or projection type display. A larger extended screen in a phone that would be half the size of this phone would be great. Doesn't seem to be on the horizon though. -ERD50

I noticed this interesting 4G flip-style phone with 3.5 inch touch screen when shopping for DW. Carried by Total Wireless.
BTW, she opted for the LG Xstyle instead, - she loves it and the service.

P.S. I see the page link timed out. The phone is a ZTE Cymbal T LTE -



https://store.totalwireless.com/bpdi...ionId=51929664

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal Republic looks like a good deal. The hitch I see is that international calling is weak (wifi only) or not available. Specifically, we use cellular international calling while moving around if we are in Europe (Google Maps, etc.). I guess Project Fi has Republic beat on this one. FWIW, we're currently on Tmobil which has good international calling.

Interesting! Well, it is to me as a non-traveler.

Maybe one could even categorize some of one's phone plan costs as "Travel expenses", when categorizing annual spending. That makes sense to me, anyway, from what you are saying here.

OK, sorry, I get carried away by minutiae sometimes.

[ugeauxgirl]

I have a samsung galaxy 6 and like it. We are an android family and I love that nearly every device in my house uses the same charger. My best friend bought the brand new Galaxy 8 and it does NOT use the same charger. I will not be buying one of those next time.

[Sunset]

We have Microsoft phones, they cost $29 each and I use pre-paid service with T-mobile for an average cost of $60 per YEAR.

I'm very happy with our low cost phones, I don't subscribe to data, as I use wifi at home, or free places.

[Rambler]

iPhone 6plus. I got it 2.5 years ago, and regretted it almost immediately. I had(still have) a great forearm band for an iPhone 5, that I used for running when I had the 5. Currently I run w/o my phone because its too big to carry (unless I'm traveling, and then I carry a mini fanny pack like thing designed to carry runners' phones). If, as is rumoured, Apple upgrades its iPhone 5E, then that will be my next phone. If not, I'll get the smallest iPhone that has the latest tech. I'm devoted to the iPhone. I had an android once (when I was working, along with my iPhone) because a telecom customer did not at that time support iPhone and supported Android instead. This was 5-6 or so years ago. I hated it. Vowed I'd never personally pay for an android. I'm sure they are better now, but they were pretty rough around the edges.

As a side note, DW and I nursed our 4.25 year old iPads along as long as we could, and finally, the day after the announcement of the new cheaper iPad, went and bought a 9.7" pro for me, no a mini 4 for her. It had come to the point that the screen wasn't working well on mine, and the neither the earphone jack not the speakers on DW's worked anymore. I spend at least 2-3 hours on mine per day, and was getting to the point that I'd spend all day on it because it took that long to string it along and do the things I wanted/needed to do. I was hoping an iPad 9.7" Pro2 would come out before the old one gave up the ghost, but when the cheaper version was announced in March, I could see that was not going to happen.

[kcowan]

iPhones 5 & 4s with Paygo SIMs for Canada and also Mexico. Also 2 X iPads.

[Chuckanut]

I just replaced my old iPhone 4s for a new iPhone 7. It's expensive but seeing how it still (see below) integrates so well with my Apple Mac and iPad, it certainly is worth the money. Like a car, I will replace it when it stops functioning adequately. No yearly or bi-yearly upgrades for me.

This may be my last iPhone. Apple seems to be on the road towards neglecting its 'Ecosystem' which is the primary reason, IMHO, to buy Apple products and pay the 'Apple Tax'.

The Macs have been neglected for years. And the new ones are just plain very expensive for what you get. The supporting devices such as the Airport router were neglected and then abandoned. The phones and iPad remain at the high end of the price spectrum. And competing devices and software are getting better. I think Apple still has an advantage in security, but I am not sure how much it has and for how long.


My 2¢.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut I just replaced my old iPhone 4s for a new iPhone 7. It's expensive but seeing how it still (see below) integrates so well with my Apple Mac and iPad, it certainly is worth the money. Like a car, I will replace it when it stops functioning adequately. No yearly or bi-yearly upgrades for me. This may be my last iPhone. Apple seems to be on the road towards neglecting its 'Ecosystem' which is the primary reason, IMHO, to buy Apple products and pay the 'Apple Tax'. The Macs have been neglected for years. And the new ones are just plain very expensive for what you get. The supporting devices such as the Airport router were neglected and then abandoned. The phones and iPad remain at the high end of the price spectrum. And competing devices and software are getting better. I think Apple still has an advantage in security, but I am not sure how much it has and for how long. My 2¢.

(emphasis mine)Normally I don't like change very much, but I think I am done with iPhones for good. I was so surprised and pleased with my free LG Spree phone from Cricket. Also the price was right.

I was absolutely appalled at how much Verizon was charging for new iPhones, which is why I felt forced to change. I would have changed years ago if I had thought it would be so easy and that I would prefer a free phone to my iPhone.

[athena53]

When I left my last employer under less-than-ideal circumstances 3 years ago, they said I could buy my iPhone 4 from them for $500. Ummm, no. I lasted about 2 days without a phone and then bought a 5s for $550. Still have it. I use Ting, so the monthly cost is extremely low, but they don't have any way to upgrade to international cellular service when you travel. I'm not out of the country often enough for that to be an issue, and of course it works with Wi-fi anywhere.

I'll keep it till it quits working or Apple no longer supports it. Some of the posts here are making me reconsider my plan to replace it with another iPhone, but that's a decision to be made when I need to replace it.

[imoldernu]

Planning to upgrade... soon.

[pb4uski]

imoldernu.... interesting choice for an upgrade.... is this what you are upgrading from?

[copyright1997reloaded]

Disclaimer: Apple stockholder here.

I've owned iPhones, Androids, Microsoft/Nokia Windows phones. I currently use a Samsung Note 4, before that a LG G2. I just got my son a iPhone SE, which you can get on cricket for $199 (32 GB). He loves it as compared to his previous Android based phone. Being a FIRE kind of person, I don't like buying the latest and paying big $ to do so. All of my purchases are BYOD (no contract), as there is no such thing as a 'free' phone.

In terms of Android vs Apple ecosystem, at home I have 3 Android based tablets and 3 iPads of various age. Almost exclusively we use the iPads. I've got a bunch of other stuff too (five + laptops plus a couple servers), roku's, Apple TV's, ... [yes, I'm a bit of a tech nut.]

I'd appreciate if everyone goes out and buys the iPhone 8 when it comes out so that Apple can continue to increase my dividend payments. [I get more in dividend payments now per year than my initial Apple stock investment.]

[ExFlyBoy5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal Republic looks like a good deal. The hitch I see is that international calling is weak (wifi only) or not available. Specifically, we use cellular international calling while moving around if we are in Europe (Google Maps, etc.). I guess Project Fi has Republic beat on this one. FWIW, we're currently on Tmobil which has good international calling.

I have used the phone on several international trips and it works great on WiFi and surprisingly (or not) the ports required by the phone are almost never blocked by the WiFi provider. The first year I had it we also took an AT&T GoPhone with us but didn't need it once. If you *had* to have a phone when traveling then it is probably not the best choice.

[SheitlQueen]

I have an old Samsung S4 that still works just fine. No plan on replacing it until it dies.

[kcowan]

Seniors adopt InternetSeems to confirm our responses here.

[Chuckanut]

For International travel, if I am going to be a country for more than two or three days, I buy a Sim card from a local carrier that gives me lots of data MB to burn. Usually that is the cheapest way to use the phone.