Please recommend me a new phone!

loupoppins

Hi all
Now...the time has come,I need a new mobile phone. First though let me tell you that my current mobile phone is about 10 years old:o It doesn't do much. In fact,not sure it does anything at all. It makes phonecalls and thats about it! It does text, I think, but I hardly ever use that....
Ok,so by this point you're all rolling your eyes in despair...yes I know...:rotfl:

Now I'm not totally useless with technology! I love my little Netbook, and have a moble broadband dongle....but in truth I know nothing about modern day mobile phones!So I need you to reccomend me a good Pay as you go phone (must be PAYG)

So what I need:
I am thinking I would like a touch screen, but haven't used one before...but think I would get used to it OK....

Would like a camera-doesnt have to be brillinat, I have a DSLR,but would like it for snaps of thekids when I dont have my camera with me, sowould like fairly decent snap shot quality if possible.

I would like MP3 player with either decent memory,or option to extend memory. Decent sound quality-though diesnt have to be fantastic. I want to mostly download ebooks....and maybe the odd song

Would like calendar /diary type function that enables me to keep track of all the(6!)kids various activities and appointments etc...

Would like to occassionally be able to browse sites like this on the internet...though not often asI mostly use my netbook and dongle ...

Would like it to be simple to text on LOL and fairly simple to use

and finally...my major stumbling block,need it tobeunder £50 LOL I'm prepared to wait around for a good deal if there is one you think sounds ideal but is a bit more.....

Oh, and virgin or orange would be my prefferred choice, but dont really mind which network.


So....suggesst me a few phones to look at,oh wise and wonderful MSE peeps!:beer:


Also...please reliable sites to buy from> Have had V bad experiences with CarphoneWarehouse, and phones4U before...so tell me where I can trust, and where to avoid!
TIA

Oscar_The_Grouch

Hi there

DD1 likes her LG KP500 Cookie and these are available on e-bay for £50 and under if you're happy to go for a 2nd hand one or about £60 new. Alternatively, there's the KS360 (£40 at ASDA on O2) O2 do some good Sim Only contracts if that's suitable for you too.

The problem you have is that although Virgin have some good sim deals and only charge 30p a day for internet, their phones are expensive. Orange is one company that I avoid like the plague; their website sucks and is so slow even with 10Mb broadband. Their own phones are useless (the Miami is £35 and for what you get it's overpriced) and the last time I used their customer service, I got nowhere!!

Have you considered buying a phone and then having it unlocked? We've got a shop round here that charges a tenner for unlocking most phones.

Guys_Dad

CPW phones are generally unlocked and even with the £10 compulsory PAYG sim, are cheaper than buying sim-free.
Before you get a touch screen, be sure you try texting on it first. Let me explain. Some touch screens will respond to nail pressure, others need to actually feel a finger/thumb push down. I am guessing you may be a female rather than a male, so nails may be an issue with you - they are with my other half.

Touch screens are not as user friendly as keys, although for all non-calling/texting features they seem to be good or even better.

You must try out the phone in the shop. O2 shops generally have all of their phones set up as do Orange business shops. Try there - buy elsewhere.

Oh, and my experiences of Orange are the opposite to Oscar's. although I do not doubt his own experience- I find them brilliant, and I ran a department that had contracts with all of the networks and over 100 handsets.

Your budget does limit you on your choices to meet your criteria - sort out the mandatory ones from the desirable and go for these first.

Happy hunting.

loupoppins

thanks both.
only reason I wanted Virgin,is that is what I currently have, and have it set up for direct debit (although it's PAYG) and find that handier than having to buy credit etc....
Orange...would be becuase DS and DH are on Orange,have Orange mobile broadband dongle, and home broadband....found customer service good up until we took out home broadband...had bit of a disaster with them over that...but that said, they are still far from the worst customer service I've ever come across(hey we were once with talktalk...need I say more!)
Will go and try a few out I think, then decide on priority features....
(oh and yep, I am female...do keep my nails fairly short though....:))

Any other good site recomendations for reliable good value options?

TIA:D