suggestions for new phone ?

owen1978

The phones i recommend you take a look at is;

Samsung Galaxy S2
but also look at the Nokia Lumia 800

thegoodman

The Nokia lumia 800 is better, easy to use and the screen is nice.
Also have a built in satnav.
Unlike google satnav which need Internet, the maps can downloaded so you can use satnav without Internet.
If you go for android phone, make sure you are aware of malware and how to protect yourself. Search the google for malware android

If you can get iPhone go for that may need to pay bit more, nothing is as good and easy to use

Find the deals here
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/mobile-phones/brands/nokia/lumia-800-black/

phaze5

owen1978 wrote: »

The phones i recommend you take a look at is;

Samsung Galaxy S2
but also look at the Nokia Lumia 800

Had 2 Lumia 800's myself,not a bad wee phone just a pity the 2 i had were faulty,can't comment on the s2 but did have the Galaxy Note for 2 weeks,bit too big for me it was,now have an iPhone 4s and love it...

DUTR

thegoodman wrote: »

The Nokia lumia 800 is better, easy to use and the screen is nice.
Also have a built in satnav.
Unlike google satnav which need Internet, the maps can downloaded so you can use satnav without Internet.
If you go for android phone, make sure you are aware of malware and how to protect yourself. Search the google for malware android

If you can get iPhone go for that may need to pay bit more, nothing is as good and easy to use

Find the deals here
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/mobile-phones/brands/nokia/lumia-800-black/

Strange my HTC Wildfire has satnav on there which does not use data.

jonewer

yogi_brrr wrote: »

Incidentally, what is the difference between a SMARTPHONE and an ANDROID ?

A smartphone is a generic term referring to all mobiles that are, for want of a better phrase, smart.

Android is one of the operating systems used by smartphones. Its by far the most common one and features on just about everything bar iPhones, Blackberries and the vanishingly small number of Windows or Symbian phones.

What you get is up to you but if you dont go for an iPhone or BB, then you will almost certainly have an android phone.

Im_just_careful

Can I ask about your initial statement...

"I dont have a PC at home due to connectivity problems."

Does this mean that you can't have broadband due to a remote location or is there some other problem (live on a canal boat or something) ?

If you live somewhere remote with only 2G network coverage any smartphone is likely to be frustrating.

Don't buy an iPhone if you don't have a computer as various iPhone processes need a computer including first activation.

A cheap PAYG android would be a good start, T-Mobile is the best PAYG network for smart phones in my view (others might prefer Giffgaff) but only if you have 3G coverage where you live.

http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/ is a good way of finding out about local masts. You want to find a nearby cell with "UMTS", if you can identify one of these then that operator is worth consideration.

Some networks are "virtual", Virgin is the best example so they buy capacity from the "real" networks. For their coverage, you can find out the network they use (for example Giffgaff uses o2) and check the base stations for that network.

Research before purchase reduces the chance of disappointment !

yogi_brrr

Im_just_careful wrote: »

"I dont have a PC at home due to connectivity problems."

Does this mean that you can't have broadband due to a remote location or is there some other problem (live on a canal boat or something) ?

**link removed** is a good way of finding out about local masts. You want to find a nearby cell with "UMTS", if you can identify one of these then that operator is worth consideration.

Hi and thankyou for that advice. I live in a small coastal village and was under the impression that the coverage in my area was pretty dismal. I feel pretty stupid now because I went on that website and found out "3" are operating a mast 800 ft from where I live and when I called them, they told me I lived in a green coverage area ! This is different to what they told me a couple of years ago the last time I equired so I can only guess they must have carried out some improvements.

ellieellieellie

Consider buying the handset and contract separately. When I bought my HTC Wildfire S (which I love, by the way, but the screen is quite small so maybe not very good for browsing the 'net a lot), I decided to get a 30 day SIM only rolling contract with T-Mobile. Because I use more minutes at some times of the year than others, I like the flexibility - I can change my tariff at relatively short notice without penalty.

30 day contracts tend to be about £5 more per month than a corresponding 12 month SIM only contract, so I wouldn't recommend them to everybody as a long term solution. However, at the moment you're not sure what your usage is going to be, so you might want to sign up for a 30 contract at first, until you know what you're using - I access the Internet on my phone much more than I thought I would! Then, when your usage settles down, shop around for the most suitable 12 or 18 month SIM only plan. Remember that downloading Apps etc. will eat up your data allowance if you're not able to access a Wi-Fi connection.

SIM only plans are cheaper than ones with a handset included, because you've paid for the handset up front. When shopping for a handset, getting a PAYG one and just swapping the SIM card is usually cheaper than buying a SIM free handset - you could also consider getting a refurbished or second hand handset.

The other advantage of buying the SIM card and handset separately is that you can upgrade whenever you like; no waiting for your provider to say it's okay!

You might decide you'd rather spread the cost of your handset, but if you can afford to buy it outright, it's another avenue to consider. Remember though that your provider might not be able to offer you insurance, check out the MSE mobile phone insurance guide for other options.

DON'T whatever you do just go into the shop and allow yourself to be swayed by the salesman! Having a couple of models in mind and deciding once you've held them, felt the weight and size of them, etc. is okay, but have a pretty good idea before you speak to anybody or it's easy to overspend. You can always just go in and have a look on your own, "No thanks, I'm just browsing" is a perfectly good answer to "Can I help you?".

As for what model handset you should get, I'll leave it to more knowledgeable people to advise! Think carefully about what your needs are - all the bells and whistles are only worth it if you actually use them.

Phew, that was a long post!