Need help finding a handset for my dad

jenniewb

My dad currently has a basic Nokia (Nokia 1800 I think). He was was gifted this by my sister about 4 years ago, possibly more? but he has yet to use it for more than answering calls and worse: even when I've tried to use it to teach him how to open a text message, I struggle! I now am looking to help him pick a better mobile for his use.

Trouble is, he wants to walk before he can run.

What he wants is "one of those newer mini computer things". He has designs on an iphone.
He wants a smartphone so he knows when the bus is coming, so he can see when it will rain, so he can read his emails on the move and so he can take pictures. (He has never opened a text message by himself). He is in his late 60s.

I was going to suggest the Doro 612 for him as he is with talktalk, but seeing that it doesn't offer internet connection most of what he wants to do won't be possible I'm not so sure he'll benefit from this as much as another handset. Talktalk do offer the Samsung Galaxy Y and a few of the lower spec LG handsets (around £5 a month- he doesn't call much but needs a handset so we can get hold of him/him with us). Although I am dubious as to if he will pick these new things up, he does seem a tad enthusiastic to wanting to.

I wanted to give him the option as his current handset is on it's last legs in terms of battery power and scratches to the screen.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

tyllwyd

How about getting him a cheap android phone on PAYG to see if he gets on with it. We've bought an Alcatel one touch 983 which costs around £40 and is a pretty good phone for the money (except the camera which is not so great). The downside is that the screen is quite small if you are trying to type. But if you set it up with a screen with just the few icons that he needs, and maybe voice dialling if he would struggle with the touch screen, I think he would probably be fine with it.

sillygoose

tyllwyd wrote: »

How about getting him a cheap android phone on PAYG to see if he gets on with it. We've bought an Alcatel one touch 983 which costs around £40 and is a pretty good phone for the money (except the camera which is not so great. The downside is that the screen is quite small if you are trying to type.

You know I was going to suggest exactly the same thing!!!!

Its a perfectly capable phone for a beginner, it will be a long time before he needs more. The phone is available cheap (subsidised) on most networks. As he doesn't call much but it sounds like he is going to need some mobile internet (data) to play with some thing like Orange would do, £40 for the phone and as long as he tops up £10 a month he will get plenty of data (1GB) and 400 free texts on the Dolphin plan.

Plenty of other choices.

But as he doesn't know what he is doing I strongly advise against any contracts, go PAYG, make sure you don't set up any auto-topup arrangements against a credit card and he is then protected- should he do something crazy say with the internet, he won't end up as one of the daily 'help I owe xxxxx network £600 how do I get out of it?' posts on here. Worst case he will blow his £10 credit.

http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/alcatel-one-touch-983

tyllwyd

sillygoose wrote: »

You know I was going to suggest exactly the same thing!!!!

I have a feeling it was you who suggested this phone to me on another thread, and I'm very happy you did!

jenniewb

He has a cheap payg mobile at the moment- he has the Nokia 1800 I mentioned. He has had this mobile for a few years. He doesn't use it for anything then for getting calls as its too expensive (he thinks) to use for anything other then his work.
I tried to show him how to open text messages and even I couldn't explain it in easy terms- this handset is not easy to use.

Hence me asking the question to anyone else who may have more experience of basic handsets then me.

As he is with talktalk he can get a cheaper contract (£5 a month should cover him). Trouble is, he wants a smartphone because he wants to use some of the apps he knows smartphones have. (Eg the bus waiting times, the transport/road delays, the emails...).

So, I thought I'd ask here if anyone has any suggestions for easy to use handsets which have smartphone capabilities (so can use apps). The Doro phones looked like a good idea but talktalk only offer the 615 which doesn't go online. They do offer the Samsung Y but I'm not sure if it's easy enough to use.

Anyone have any suggestions...

jenniewb

Just to confirm:

He is with talktalk. Cheapest option for him is a £5 a month talktalk mobile contract.

He needs an easy to use phone but wants a smartphone. Being that he hasn't yet mastered a text message I am dubious about that but it is what he wants not what I think is best for him. He has though asked for suggestions as he has not used a smartphone before.

Options he has are...
LG Optimus L3 (I've not heard good things about this)
Samsung Y (not heard anything about this)
Doro 612 (what I'd have thought was best but doesn't do apps which is what he wants from his phone)
Nokia 201 (I can see already the keypad is going to be too small for him)
Nokia Asha 300 (screen looks a bit too small for email use)

grumbler

jenniewb wrote: »

...Talktalk do offer the Samsung Galaxy Y and a few of the lower spec LG handsets (around £5 a month- he doesn't call much but needs a handset so we can get hold of him/him with us).

A warning: 200Mb is a very small allowance. One has to be very careful with the settings and the usage for not going over it.