Mobile Phone Help

Gillor

I currently use my mobile phone purely for making calls and sending texts via T-mobile.

I know mobile phone technology has moved on apace and modern phones appear to be able to do everything now apart from making the coffee and doing the washing-up but I don't even understand the language let alone the technology.


Can some helpful techie cut through all the jargon and point me in the direction of a phone (preferably Nokia although I am open to any suggestions) which will simply and economically enable me to the following:

• Make calls/Send texts
• Use it as a free GPS system for hill walking
• Enable me to pick up and send e-mails from my TalkTalk/Tiscali account when abroad.

gonzo127

in the nicest possible way this is quite hard to answer, because as you have been finding out there is a shocking large amount of choice. however couple of things i hope will help

you have to work out how much you want to spend, on a phone and or monthly if you are going for a contract - if going contract look at the roaming charges for internet if you are wanting to do email, these are not always easily found and not always cheap - might be worth looking for a unlocked phone (costs more) but it would allow you to get a 'local' (from which ever country you are in) SIM card to pop in and get a better rate per min for internet access

what style of phone do you want - touch screen, slider or candy bar, my personal thoughts on this are probably touch screen due to you wanting a GPS as it will give you a larger screen to see the map on

watch out for things advertising google maps as a GPS system as some 'sales people' will try and say it is the same thing however for the use you are using it would not be good as the google maps software tends to just triangulate your position from the signals it gets from mobile phone masts and up in the hills might not have many masts to allow for accurate tracking

The_Grandmaster

Most/all phones should have calls and text function available so that's no problem. The new nokia phones have free downloadable maps and I think GPS inside the phones too. If you want to pick up e-mails abroad I assume you want wi-fi access which would cost you nothing (provided you have access to free wi-fi). The nokia 5530 is a phone I have so similar touch panel phones should have the same kind of things.

tronator

Gillor wrote: »

I currently use my mobile phone purely for making calls and sending texts via T-mobile.

Since you are with T-Mobile, have a look here

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-phones/phones/pay-monthly/all/all/

Gillor wrote: »

Can some helpful techie cut through all the jargon and point me in the direction of a phone (preferably Nokia although I am open to any suggestions)

Personally I would go for a phone which runs on Android OS. I also would go for a phone with a proper keyboard as it makes typing much easier, at least for me

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/android-smartphones/

Gillor wrote: »

which will simply and economically enable me to the following:

• Make calls/Send texts

I think there is no phone which can't do this

Gillor wrote: »

• Use it as a free GPS system for hill walking

I'm not aware that there are Android phones without GPS, but please double check.

Gillor wrote: »

• Enable me to pick up and send e-mails from my TalkTalk/Tiscali account when abroad.

This would be possible with all smartphones, but It might be quite expensive. T-Mobile sells a so called Euro-Booster, but it's still expensive. You rather should only use the wifi from the hotel you're staying in to check your emails.

tronator

gonzo127 wrote: »

watch out for things advertising google maps as a GPS system as some 'sales people' will try and say it is the same thing however for the use you are using it would not be good as the google maps software tends to just triangulate your position from the signals it gets from mobile phone masts and up in the hills might not have many masts to allow for accurate tracking

If the sales person says "GPS" then there should be GPS in there. Google Maps uses GPS too and works quite well. I use it all the time, also for hiking...

Gillor

Thanks for the speedy replies. I think a touch screen seems favourite as you say because of the size and the Nokia 5530 certainly looks interesting - I will check it out further.


Just a couple of queries:

I read somewhere that you may have to pay a data charge (?) or an internet connection charge when using GPS. Is this so because if I am doing a five hour walk this sounds as if it could be expensive?

I have access to free wi-fi in Spain so cost shouldn’t be a consideration. Hope this doesn’t sound daft but do I need a w-fi enabled phone to pick up my TalTalk/Tiscali e-mails?

tronator

Gillor wrote: »

I read somewhere that you may have to pay a data charge (?) or an internet connection charge when using GPS. Is this so because if I am doing a five hour walk this sounds as if it could be expensive?

You don't pay anything for GPS. However, depending on the software you're using your phone might download the maps as you go from the Internet. Google Maps for instance works like that. You might want to check whether the software on your phone has the maps stored on the phone.

Gillor wrote: »

I have access to free wi-fi in Spain so cost shouldn’t be a consideration. Hope this doesn’t sound daft but do I need a w-fi enabled phone to pick up my TalTalk/Tiscali e-mails?

All smartphones should have wifi enabled. But again, please double check before buying...

Gillor

Sorry to labour the point but just so I can get my head round the technology – if I buy, for example, a Nokia phone which comes free with OVI maps then my usage of GPS is entirely cost free with no internet connection or any other charges?