help wanted. not smart enough for a smart phone?

mac.d

I'd go with the Moto E for £90-99 (Amazon sim-free, Carphone Warehouse, or Tesco). You don't even need to buy sim-free, as the Moto E can be cheaply unlocked with a code via ebay, but there don't seem that many deals to get it much cheaper on a PAYG deal.

The Moto E, and the slightly more expensive big brother the Moto G, regularly feature near the top of the best budget smartphone lists.

Whether the phone runs Android, Windows or iOS, I don't think it matters a great deal. I agree with the poster who said you will get more comfortable with how the phone works with use. Any of them will have a bit of a learning curve when you change to a smartphone from a basic mobile.

Stick a Three pay go 3-2-1 sim in it (if you get reasonable coverage from Three in your area). If you are only using the data to check emails and browse internet occasionally, you'll find your £10 top up still lasts you for months - you don't need to top it up every month, just use it until your £10 is finished, then top up again.

I personally only top up £5 each time (and you get 150MB data free for a month), and because texts and calls are only 2p & 3p, my fiver lasts me a couple of months. I use wi-fi for internet at home and work and only use up data occasionally.

http://www.three.co.uk/Store/Pay_As_You_Go_Price_Plans

siocledpoeth

thanks for all replies. will read through them carefully. any opinions on this?
http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Devices/Microsoft/Lumia_535?featuretab=Specifications&featuretab=Great+value&priceplan=PAYG&memory=8&colour=Black
have double checked and there is no 4g coverage in the area so will need to be 3g

siocledpoeth

presently with vodafone payg.
looking at microsoft lumia 535. sim free price £82.98 and payg price £49.99 .
can someone explain the difference? if i wanted to keep my present number, what should i do? basically i need a simple phone (the microsoft sounds like a good starter option) 3g, payg, cheap option to top up, possibility of taking mobile no with me. i think i'm getting less smart, the more i read!

NiftyDigits

siocledpoeth wrote: »

presently with vodafone payg.
looking at microsoft lumia 535. sim free price £82.98 and payg price £49.99 .
can someone explain the difference? if i wanted to keep my present number, what should i do? basically i need a simple phone (the microsoft sounds like a good starter option) 3g, payg, cheap option to top up, possibility of taking mobile no with me. i think i'm getting less smart, the more i read!

I've already created a link for you. Click through it, carry on with the Upgrade option and follow the instructions to see if you qualify for the upgrade.
It baffles me that no matter how easy you try to make something for someone, they manage to make it complicated.
Go back to post #11 and click on the link in the very first line. Then click on Buy Now next to the Vodafone offer once you scroll down that page. Enter your SIM details, if you qualify you get the SIM Free phone for £39.99. That's it. You need do nothing more. Everything else stays the same.
Though once you have the phone, you can look for a better SIM package and to port your number over, but that is for later. Sort the phone first.

adonis

I have a Moto e, I know people with windows phones and they tell me they are rubbish, I get emails immediately with Android on Moto e and my sons iPad when I have to wait ages for them to come through on windows mail on PC, yes I know its not a phone but its a windows PC and windows app so it should work quicker than it does.

Android is a lot easier to use

The speak text is good and quicker for us oldies;)

NiftyDigits

adonis wrote: »

I have a Moto e, I know people with windows phones and they tell me they are rubbish, I get emails immediately with Android on Moto e and my sons iPad when I have to wait ages for them to come through on windows mail on PC, yes I know its not a phone but its a windows PC and windows app so it should work quicker than it does.

Android is a lot easier to use

The speak text is good and quicker for us oldies;)

Your post is just nonsense. I have a Windows Phone so I don't need to go on hearsay. My Hotmail arrives immediately.
Android being easier to use is just rubbish again.
Not many would suggest that it is.

NiftyDigits

siocledpoeth wrote: »

don't scream just yet. the payg new sim version has £20 cashback today only bringing it down to £29 (via top cashback link to carphone warehouse). sorry for being an idiot but would this be a better option?

I don't understand anything of what you have written. Produce some links to confirm.

First of all the New SIM option is £49.99 plus a £10 topup. That is £60
Secondly, where is the Topcashback link offering £20?

There is no cashback on any other categories (including Pay As You Go...)

adonis

It is not hearsay, I work next to people using them,
if they are so good why are they not doing so well?
https://www.thurrott.com/mobile/windows-phone/4512/analysis-microsoft-is-scaling-back-on-windows-phone-dramatically,

NiftyDigits

adonis wrote: »

It is not hearsay, I work next to people using them,
if they are so good why are they not doing so well?
https://www.thurrott.com/mobile/windows-phone/4512/analysis-microsoft-is-scaling-back-on-windows-phone-dramatically,

Because Android and Apple have most of the market share and Microsoft have no chance to make a difference to this fait accompli. Windows Phone 8.1 is easier to use for a beginner and the fact that Android and Apple are more popular makes for exceedingly good prices for the Lumia Phones. £39.99 for the Lumia 535 is excellent. The similar Motorola E is nearly £100.
The Microsoft Phone has full support of Office. Android you'll need to download Apps, perhaps pay for them or suffer ads. Will you be able to edit your docs offline, who knows?
The OP wants easy.

So please, no more posting of spurious links.

mac.d

Both the Moto E and Lumia 535 were similarly priced at RRP when first released. You have been able to buy the Moto E for as little £69 on upgrade, which is a fairer comparison to the upgrade price you are posting for the Lumia 535.

And talking of spurious links, the OP is a basic user who wants to text, call and occasionally use email & internet, and you are arguing about a Windows phone having support for Office and editing documents offline.....

In saying that, the OP might well be quite happy with the Lumia, its a pretty good phone for the price. Some people don't like the Windows interface, but if you use it as your first smartphone, you'll probably get on fine with it. There are less apps available, but it shouldn't be an issue.

However, be aware that if you buy it via an upgrade and then want to unlock it so you can use a better value PAYG sim in it, its not as easy to unlock as the Moto E (which can be done for a couple of quid via ebay), so that is a possible negative.

Edited to add: Although if you do buy it from Carphone Warehouse as linked to by NiftyDigits. their phones often come unlocked so the 'not so easy to unlock' problem might not be an issue.