help me buy a cell phone/PDA

[elisedance]

My contract on my cell phone has just expired YIPPEEE.  so now I can get something new.

I want to use it as a phone.

I want it to be reasonably simple (life is too short)

And I want ease at texting

what should I get? (and what should I avoid)

[dream a little dream]

What else will you use it for?

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I got an Apple last year. I am not a tech person by any stretch of the imagination but was really positively surprised how easy it was to use. I actually have come to really like my Apple.

[QPO]

I also dont like phones with gadgets... I only use it to call. I will look to see what the prepaid phones have on offer. currently I use a motorola and I am happy with its features.

[malakawa]

I got an Apple last year. I am not a tech person by any stretch of the imagination but was really positively surprised how easy it was to use. I actually have come to really like my Apple.

the only thing that i don't like with iphone is that you can accept multimedia messages.

i like blackberry storm. 

[elisedance]

I'm every which way.  I like a phone to be a phone - so I was toying with getting a nice comfortable hand set with one of those slide out QWERTY keyboards.  I currently have a motorola but mine is so dumb - the volume keys stick out on the sides so you almost invariably turn the sound to off and miss calls. Drives me crazy.  Its also too thin to be easily turned on quickly for an incoming call - I miss more than I get.

OTOH I am tempted to also do email which means either an Iphone or a blackberry.  The former is sleek and simple with its touch-screen design - but text messaging friends have pointed out that its a bit irritating when you get good at it as you have to look at the screen to text - the pros like tactile keys.

and I have heard that the Iphone tries to be so much that its phone functions are a bit compromised.  However, that may have been just for what that particular owner wanted to do.  Another one goes flat awfully fast.

MK - any problems associated with the storm?  Here buying one means one has to go with a particular service provider (telus).  Do you have them down south and if so how good are they?  Also, how is it just as a phone - do all the buttons drive you crazy when trying to change a simple feature!

Anyone else have an Iphone or storm?  Any other ideas?

[malakawa]

I'm every which way.  I like a phone to be a phone - so I was toying with getting a nice comfortable hand set with one of those slide out QWERTY keyboards.  I currently have a motorola but mine is so dumb - the volume keys stick out on the sides so you almost invariably turn the sound to off and miss calls. Drives me crazy.  Its also too thin to be easily turned on quickly for an incoming call - I miss more than I get.

OTOH I am tempted to also do email which means either an Iphone or a blackberry.  The former is sleek and simple with its touch-screen design - but text messaging friends have pointed out that its a bit irritating when you get good at it as you have to look at the screen to text - the pros like tactile keys.

and I have heard that the Iphone tries to be so much that its phone functions are a bit compromised.  However, that may have been just for what that particular owner wanted to do.  Another one goes flat awfully fast.

MK - any problems associated with the storm?  Here buying one means one has to go with a particular service provider (telus).  Do you have them down south and if so how good are they?  Also, how is it just as a phone - do all the buttons drive you crazy when trying to change a simple feature!

Anyone else have an Iphone or storm?  Any other ideas?

here storm you can buy in verizon wirreles stores. but i know that you can buy also the one that is unlocked. i don't know the price. (i can find out)

my friend has it. and he likes it.

slavik has iphone and he is spending all the time playing games. when it comes to iphone, the battery is bad. you need to charge the phone almost every day.

i have pantech duo. http://www.pantechusa.com/web/guest/duo  and i don't like it at all. menu is bad. it looks cute, but it is a piece of s***.

i also like htc. good quality.

[elisedance]

thanks MK - thats really useful.  I wonder if I can get an unlocked storm here
I know what that means in terms of the phone - but whats the advantage?  I suppose you can just pay for service?

Does your provider charge for text messaging?  Here TELUS carries storm and they charge as does Bell canada

[malakawa]

thanks MK - thats really useful.  I wonder if I can get an unlocked storm here
I know what that means in terms of the phone - but whats the advantage?  I suppose you can just pay for service?

Does your provider charge for text messaging?  Here TELUS carries storm and they charge as does Bell canada

check this http://www.worldunlocked.com/BLACKBERRY-STORM-p1822.html?gclid=CKXMkJyYspoCFQkzawodKBNJbg

when it comes to phones i like better unlocked. because when i am travelling somwhere i can just buy a prepaid card for cell phone and talk. i used to do that a lot in europe.

i have at&t here. and we pay $5 for 200 messages. and i can talk with anybody who is with at&t - for free. (this is why i am with carol for 1-2 hours on the phone  )

[Medira]

I have the Blackberry curve, which I absolutely love.  I'd highly recommend it.

You can check mine out and see if you like it, if you want.

[elisedance]

did you get that from telus - or buy it independently or from some other SP?
thats the one with the real buttons, not the virtual ones right...

Also, how is it 'as a phone' - it looks a bit large...

[LucyDiamond]

I love my Samsung Blackjack.

[Medira]

did you get that from telus - or buy it independently or from some other SP?
thats the one with the real buttons, not the virtual ones right...

Also, how is it 'as a phone' - it looks a bit large...

I use Rogers, so I got it when I renewed my contract with them.  Telus sells the blackberry curve too though.

The curve is the one with the real buttons and, as a phone, I find that it's on par with the Morotola RAZR, which is what I had for this line prior to the bb, and what I still have as my US pay-as-you-go phone.  The signal strength is good, the voice quality is solid, the handheld is light, so the fact that it's a bit wider than a normal phone isn't really noticeable.  You're more than welcome to check it out if we meet up for coffee/lunch/dinner/social time next week.

[elisedance]

cool.  Of course my IP is Bell currently so if I switch I won't get the resigning bonuses - and Bell doesn't do BB.  OTOH they charge excessivley for texting - I have rogers for my home computer hookup but maybe I could get a deal from them for switching....

[Medira]

Yes they do.  My mom is with Bell and she's got a BB.  I'm sure you can get a deal for bundling with Rogers though.  Either way, it's all about the same.  We get ripped off badly for wireless in Canada.