Which phone to buy?

Tinks32

Could I have your opinions on which smart phone you would recommend, as the time has come for me to start using one! I have so far resisted but now need to use one for work. I will need to write emails and send attachments. I like the look of the Sony experia or the Nokia 920... but then again there is always an iphone....

macman

You'll get a better response on the 'Mobile Phones' board probably.
And give some idea of budget: smartphones can be from £70 to £500.
Operating system?

Lifeforms

What sort of attachments are you planning on using?
Do you want a full touchscreen, or still like using a physical keyboard, Large phone, small phone?

Tinks32

Thanks, I didn't know there was a board for phones! Will post the question there also.
Lifeforms your questions have got me thinking! I don't really know... but then again i do like a physical keyboard! I can tell this won't be easy....

Lifeforms

The attachments could be a problem if they need to be a set type, ie word documents, or text files, mostly because of getting it on the phone. (transfer wise, anything android would be far easier than using iphones, with either bought apps and then also itunes on top)

If you need it for work, you could ask fellow colleagues who have to do the same as you, what they use and how they find it.

Physical keyboards tend to make smaller screens, and thus more awkward to do things on, and can also take you into the Blackberry world. Some people are preferable to physical keyboards because they know no other way. If you use a tablet, you'll have used a software keyboard and should be able to guess if you could live with one; bearing in mind to make bigger keyboard sizes, people turn the phone <

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> to get a bigger one, and some are fine with the smaller vertical keyboard.

Some people really don't get on and after trying a keyboard less phone will revert back to having that keyboard and have to get a new phone.

It seems a silly thing, but it can make a big difference if you really do prefer a physical keyboard, so would suggest borrowing a friends smart phone to see if you're happy with it before buying one. Go out to the pub, borrow at work, surf a few sites, type an email or two with it etc. It's one of those things if you have a non-smartphone and have had it for a long time, you will find it odd to begin with, because you're just switching over to new technology. i.e. swapping from a keypad on an old nokia brick, to a smartphone with software keyboard and no physical keys to press.

Lum

Since you are using this for work, before buying anything check with your company's IT department. Some companies require phones to support certain security features. Some companies will only provide help if you buy certain specific models and for any others all you get is "Here are the server details - good luck making it work"

Other common pitfalls are when companies want to enable "remote wipe" which means they get the ability to wipe your phone just before they sack you. If it's a personal phone people tend to dislike that. There are some Exchange clients for Android that pretend to honour remote wipe but in reality only wipe your email. Users like that, IT departments not so much so as a result some of them ban Android devices completely.

The last thing you want to do is buy a device to use for work and then find you can't use it!

Personally I would look at either the iPhone or a phone running Android (e.g. that Xperia). The Windows8 phones (e.g. the Lumia 920) could well be nice, but it's a new operating system with not many apps yet. It remains to be seen if it will take off.

You should also decide if you are going to be happy replying to emails using a touchscreen, or if, like me, a phone with a physical keyboard is better for you, although the latter are becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of.