Phone Noob Who Needs Help Finding a New Phone

[Sam48]

All my life I had one cell phone. I don't know what it's called because all the markings have worn away, but it's a flip phone, and it gets the job done. I always bought minutes for it (Trackfone minutes) at my local Rite Aid and that pretty much kept it up and running. It was simple. Now, I need to upgrade as my poor old flip phone is dying every other day due to all the re-charging cycles its gone through. So, here's the criteria my next phone must meet.

- It needs a qwerty key pad (Like those Blackberrys)
- It needs to have email capabilities
- A text message system that actually shows your conversation like iMessage (Rather than my old flip phone where you could only see one message at a time)
- It must be a phone I can buy minutes for. I know some people offer plans on a card that you buy monthly, but I'm not sure I'm into that or not.

Anyway, if anyone could help suggest something decent, that'd be awesome! I've looked around a bit, but I'm no expert at this.

I probably sound like some 60 year old, but in truth, I'm just a college student with zero interest or understanding in phones or technology of the sort in general.

 

[ildd]

I am not sure about the 4th part, but my last phone was the Samsung Epic 4G. I really liked it, I still prefer the slideout QWERTY keyboard over the touchscreen keyboard. text messaging system was good, and definitely capable of reading/writing emails. However, if you're not interested in learning about smartphones, it may not be for you.

 

[TB]

If you're used to TrackPhones, have you looked into StraightTalk? Very similar premise - purchase cards good for X number of days and minutes, rinse and repeat.

 

[jflomario]

All my life I had one cell phone. I don't know what it's called because all the markings have worn away, but it's a flip phone, and it gets the job done. I always bought minutes for it (Trackfone minutes) at my local Rite Aid and that pretty much kept it up and running. It was simple. Now, I need to upgrade as my poor old flip phone is dying every other day due to all the re-charging cycles its gone through. So, here's the criteria my next phone must meet.

- It needs a qwerty key pad (Like those Blackberrys)
- It needs to have email capabilities
- A text message system that actually shows your conversation like iMessage (Rather than my old flip phone where you could only see one message at a time)
- It must be a phone I can buy minutes for. I know some people offer plans on a card that you buy monthly, but I'm not sure I'm into that or not.

Anyway, if anyone could help suggest something decent, that'd be awesome! I've looked around a bit, but I'm no expert at this.

I probably sound like some 60 year old, but in truth, I'm just a college student with zero interest or understanding in phones or technology of the sort in general.

How much are you willing to pay a month and whats the most you want to spend for a phone?

 

[Sam48]

If you're used to TrackPhones, have you looked into StraightTalk? Very similar premise - purchase cards good for X number of days and minutes, rinse and repeat.

Thanks, I'll definitely check them out.

How much are you willing to pay a month and whats the most you want to spend for a phone?

I'm willing to pay up to $40 a month, and I don't want to spend really more than $60 on the phone itself.

 

[jflomario]

Thanks, I'll definitely check them out.



I'm willing to pay up to $40 a month, and I don't want to spend really more than $60 on the phone itself.

I think you should try Net10. But its 50 a month with unlimited talk+text. Straight talk is the same thing but they use T-Mobile's network. Net 10 switches between AT&T and T-Mobile's network.

This phone here is sim unlocked and would work on both. Carriers focus mainly on data now so its hard to find cheap plans with data involved. You could buy a really cheap flip phone for calls and a smartphone for texts I guess...

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=huawei+inspira

 

[Keef]

I wish I could get anything done without my iPhone like I did as a kid. Seems like back then I never had to get ahold of anybody for anything, and now I need to all the time. Plus, I got that Instagram bug real bad. My need for constant mental stimuli is so strong it hurts.

EDIT: The most annoying thing about any modern smartphone is the amount of button presses (or screen touches) required to complete simple tasks. For me, the benefits outweigh the costs but sometimes I do miss never having to mess with it. The battery on those old Nokias would last a week and I might text somebody a couple times a week.

 

[Robin]

If you want a keyboard like a Blackberry you could get a Blackberry! Or get one of Nokia's keypad offerings. Back in the day the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 was awesome.

 

[Sam48]

If you want a keyboard like a Blackberry you could get a Blackberry!

I suppose. They offer the BB Curve with Boost Mobile for $45 a month with shrinking payments. However, it says "data not included". Could someone please clarify what that means?

 

[bevo]

All my life I had one cell phone. I don't know what it's called because all the markings have worn away, but it's a flip phone, and it gets the job done. I always bought minutes for it (Trackfone minutes) at my local Rite Aid and that pretty much kept it up and running. It was simple. Now, I need to upgrade as my poor old flip phone is dying every other day due to all the re-charging cycles its gone through. So, here's the criteria my next phone must meet.

- It needs a qwerty key pad (Like those Blackberrys)
- It needs to have email capabilities
- A text message system that actually shows your conversation like iMessage (Rather than my old flip phone where you could only see one message at a time)
- It must be a phone I can buy minutes for. I know some people offer plans on a card that you buy monthly, but I'm not sure I'm into that or not.

Anyway, if anyone could help suggest something decent, that'd be awesome! I've looked around a bit, but I'm no expert at this.

I probably sound like some 60 year old, but in truth, I'm just a college student with zero interest or understanding in phones or technology of the sort in general.

If the real reason you are upgrading is because your phone is dying every other day then keep it. You won't find a new phone that lasts on one charge for an entire day. My iphone needs charged at least once a day and my wife's galaxy 4s needs it multiple times.

Unless you're wanting new tech, you will be very very disappointed in the battery life andactual phone quality of any new phone you buy. The newer phones do everything great except being a reliable phone with good sound quality. I have an iphone 5 and my wife a galaxy 4s and as far as actual phones go they are terrible. If anyone tells you different it's because they either never had an old flip phone or it's been a long tone since they used one. The old flip phones are way better at being a phone then the new cell phones on the market.

Every time I upgrade my cell the phine part of it gets worse and worse. The new iphone is probably the worst phone I've ever owned by all the other bells and whistles keep me using it.

 

[ildd]

@bevo it's Galaxy S4, and the battery life is fine... Tell your wife to turn the brightness down. Sound quality is just as good as my first 2 flip phones.


If the original poster is only going to use a smart phone for calls, it will last 2 days. I've done it myself. Turn it off at night and it will last 3.

 

[bevo]

@bevo it's Galaxy S4, and the battery life is fine... Tell your wife to turn the brightness down. Sound quality is just as good as my first 2 flip phones.


If the original poster is only going to use a smart phone for calls, it will last 2 days. I've done it myself. Turn it off at night and it will last 3.

The battery life is terrible. I've done everything you can to help the battery life. If comparing it to a flip phone it is absolutely terrible. Those phones lasted 4 or 5 days on a single charge with you spending hours on them a day.
They would last a month or longer on standby.

I just stopped using a flip phone last year for work that actually still had an antenna in it. The new phones as far as a phone goes are terrible compared to it and my $9 go phone I keep for emergency use.

I'm just letting the OP know that if the only reason he is wanting a new phone is because his battery only lasts 2 days then don't get a new phone because they don't last near that long. They also are kind of finicky about how you hold them. With the iphone and many other newer phones you can't really hold them on your shoulder and talk. If you do people have trouble hearing you.

I love my iphone and all but as far as a phone goes it's terrible. It's great for everything else it advertises though.

 

[BobK]

You won't find a new phone that lasts on one charge for an entire day.

My Motorola Moto X generally goes four days between charges, mostly because I shut off everything I don't really need.

 

[bevo]

My Motorola Moto X generally goes four days between charges, mostly because I shut off everything I don't really need.

I don't know anything about the moto x. I suppose I generalized to much. I'm sure there must be done new phones with a decent battery.

My first non LAN line phone was a bag satellite phone back in the 80s. So I've seen how the quality of cell phones has developed and declined since they were first made available to the public. Those phones worked great by the way. Easily the best portable phone as far as a phone goes that was ever made. It wasn't the most convenient but it worked perfect every time everywhere. A lot better than cell phones do now. I've got experience with iPhones, galaxy, atrix, blackberry, and and a few others I can't remember what they were even called. They all sucked compared to the old flip phones as far as being a phone.

Just make sure you check what's important to you. If bells and whistles are not important just know there can be a huge difference in call and battery quality that your use to depending on what newer phone you buy.some of the newer phones forget they are a phone and skimp on that part of the device.
I should of said it like that to start with.

 

[turbolefty78]

If the real reason you are upgrading is because your phone is dying every other day then keep it. You won't find a new phone that lasts on one charge for an entire day. My iphone needs charged at least once a day and my wife's galaxy 4s needs it multiple times.

Unless you're wanting new tech, you will be very very disappointed in the battery life andactual phone quality of any new phone you buy. The newer phones do everything great except being a reliable phone with good sound quality. I have an iphone 5 and my wife a galaxy 4s and as far as actual phones go they are terrible. If anyone tells you different it's because they either never had an old flip phone or it's been a long tone since they used one. The old flip phones are way better at being a phone then the new cell phones on the market.

Every time I upgrade my cell the phine part of it gets worse and worse. The new iphone is probably the worst phone I've ever owned by all the other bells and whistles keep me using it.

What an utter load of hogwash. I've owned all types of cell phones from the most basic flip phone up to my current one, shown below. In all aspects the Lumia is superior to all the others, hands down. I can get nearly a week out of the battery life compared to the others that would last only a day or two, sometimes not even a day in the case of my extremely lousy Moto phone. I'll never go back to one of those again.
Todays phones have better software governing the battery usage and they do a better job of managing it. If one knows what one is doing with them, you can always eek more life out of the battery by shutting down background programs that you do not need.
Am I saying that the OP should go out and toss down $200 for a new Nokia phone with a 2 year contract? Nope. I am saying that current gen phones are better than past gen. At everything. Sure there's going to be dogs out there in the world, but show me any tech that won't have them. Cars, TV's, phones...they'll all have their greats and not-so-greats. But to just blast all current gen phones by saying that they all are horrible at this or that is completely ignorant and irresponsible in a thread designed to be helpful to the person asking for help.
It pays to do your research before buying.
Here's mine, which has gone 5 full days between charges, under normal usage:

 

[bevo]

What an utter load of hogwash. I've owned all types of cell phones from the most basic flip phone up to my current one, shown below. In all aspects the Lumia is superior to all the others, hands down. I can get nearly a week out of the battery life compared to the others that would last only a day or two, sometimes not even a day in the case of my extremely lousy Moto phone. I'll never go back to one of those again.
Todays phones have better software governing the battery usage and they do a better job of managing it. If one knows what one is doing with them, you can always eek more life out of the battery by shutting down background programs that you do not need.
Am I saying that the OP should go out and toss down $200 for a new Nokia phone with a 2 year contract? Nope. I am saying that current gen phones are better than past gen. At everything. Sure there's going to be dogs out there in the world, but show me any tech that won't have them. Cars, TV's, phones...they'll all have their greats and not-so-greats. But to just blast all current gen phones by saying that they all are horrible at this or that is completely ignorant and irresponsible in a thread designed to be helpful to the person asking for help.
It pays to do your research before buying.
Here's mine, which has gone 5 full days between charges, under normal usage:
View attachment 150966

My iphone 5 was at 100% when I woke up. I went to class for 3 hours and didn't use it and had about 90 minutes before that to drive there and get ready. It was at 70% when I got out. It got to about 90% driving home. I played on it a little and then played a few games if madden. When I got done people started texting. It was in the 30s after that so I charged it while I cleaned. It got almost fully charged again and I played online and played a couple games of chess on it.

When I went to play madden again we started texting back and forth about a draft pickem we are thinking about having. When I went to bed it was in the 30s again. iPhones are done once they hit 30. They will drop super fast and shutdown at around 19. So yesterday on a normal day I had to charge my phone 3 times to make it through the day.

Today I've been up for about an hour and it's at 86%. This is the first I've used it except to show a few pictures to family.

I'll need to charge it again around 2 or so.

I returned my first iphone 5 because I thought it had a mic and battery problem. It didn't because this one dies the same.

My wife's galaxy is even worse. Her phone is constantly dead.

I always close down background apps and use it as dim as possible. I don't know anything about your phone. Maybe it's got a 5 day battery but the two phones who sell more than any other phone do not. I have no idea how one could make it through an entire day with either without charging it.

Just as I typed this out my phone went from the 86 it started at to 81. That's within maybe a few minutes of typing.

 

[ildd]

My iphone 5 was at 100% when I woke up. I went to class for 3 hours and didn't use it and had about 90 minutes before that to drive there and get ready. It was at 70% when I got out. It got to about 90% driving home. I played on it a little and then played a few games if madden. When I got done people started texting. It was in the 30s after that so I charged it while I cleaned. It got almost fully charged again and I played online and played a couple games of chess on it.

When I went to play madden again we started texting back and forth about a draft pickem we are thinking about having. When I went to bed it was in the 30s again. iPhones are done once they hit 30. They will drop super fast and shutdown at around 19. So yesterday on a normal day I had to charge my phone 3 times to make it through the day.

Today I've been up for about an hour and it's at 86%. This is the first I've used it except to show a few pictures to family.

I'll need to charge it again around 2 or so.

I returned my first iphone 5 because I thought it had a mic and battery problem. It didn't because this one dies the same.

My wife's galaxy is even worse. Her phone is constantly dead.

I always close down background apps and use it as dim as possible. I don't know anything about your phone. Maybe it's got a 5 day battery but the two phones who sell more than any other phone do not. I have no idea how one could make it through an entire day with either without charging it.

Just as I typed this out my phone went from the 86 it started at to 81. That's within maybe a few minutes of typing.

That's because iPhones kinda stuck
I'm at a garage sale right now, and have been on my phone for 3 hours now and I'm at 81%. That's at 50% brightness and constant Internet searching.

 

[bevo]

That's because iPhones kinda stuck
I'm at a garage sale right now, and have been on my phone for 3 hours now and I'm at 81%. That's at 50% brightness and constant Internet searching.

I need a different phone then. I'll have to look beyond iphone and galaxy next time. They would both be great if the battery and call quality was better. Or at least call quality. I can get by charging mine a lot because I have cords everywhere but the call quality is just terrible on the 5.

 

[turbolefty78]

My iphone 5 was at 100% when I woke up. I went to class for 3 hours and didn't use it and had about 90 minutes before that to drive there and get ready. It was at 70% when I got out. It got to about 90% driving home. I played on it a little and then played a few games if madden. When I got done people started texting. It was in the 30s after that so I charged it while I cleaned. It got almost fully charged again and I played online and played a couple games of chess on it.

When I went to play madden again we started texting back and forth about a draft pickem we are thinking about having. When I went to bed it was in the 30s again. iPhones are done once they hit 30. They will drop super fast and shutdown at around 19. So yesterday on a normal day I had to charge my phone 3 times to make it through the day.

Today I've been up for about an hour and it's at 86%. This is the first I've used it except to show a few pictures to family.

I'll need to charge it again around 2 or so.

I returned my first iphone 5 because I thought it had a mic and battery problem. It didn't because this one dies the same.

My wife's galaxy is even worse. Her phone is constantly dead.

I always close down background apps and use it as dim as possible. I don't know anything about your phone. Maybe it's got a 5 day battery but the two phones who sell more than any other phone do not. I have no idea how one could make it through an entire day with either without charging it.

Just as I typed this out my phone went from the 86 it started at to 81. That's within maybe a few minutes of typing.

And there's one of those dogs I was talking about. The IPhone may be good at certain things, but certainly not at managing battery life. My Nokia will lose approx 15% a day under normal conditions, a little more if I play games and such. For my battery test, I fully charged it overnight Sunday night. I then used it as normal all week. By Friday night it was just approaching 20% remaining life. Pretty darn good management if you ask me. There's cheap smart phones available that will fall in the middle ground between these two extremes.

 

[Grayfox]

Not many phones these days have keyboards on them and only basic dumb phones have the normal keyboard
Any phone you can get "minutes" for since they are applied to the SIM card.
A new phone will mean you may have to get a new SIM card(your account can be transferred to the new one AKA a SIM SWAP)
Any smart phone can do email and will display SMS in a conversation style layout

A phone like the Samsung S4 mini or samsung galxy ace will be fine.