Mobile for a 13yr old

aisha_135

Hi there,
Not sure if this is the right place. Sorry if it is.
I have a 13yr old neice and it is her birthday next week.
I was thinking of getting her a mobile, but was not sure what type of Phone model I should get her. It is Kind of urgent.
So if anyone has any ideas please post.
Thanks in advance.

Nile

Hello aisha_135

I'll move your thread to the 'Mobile Phones' board.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Regards

Nile

gaming_guy

what about a sony ericsson k750 (good all rounder) or w810i (good music capabilities and good camera).

the w810i (factory unlocked, so you can use it on any network) is around £70-£80 at carphone warehouse.

aisha_135

Thanks gaming_guy.
I've looked at those phones and they seem good.
Anyone have any more ideas please.
Thanks in advance.

anonymousie

DD1 (14) has a K750i with a 2gb memory stick so she can use it as an MP3 player as well and she is well chuffed with this (though she is not in any way a "label freak", so it might not have the "street cred" if that bothers your child).

DS (11) has a very basic nokia (it is B+W!) as I'm waiting for him to loose it!

Both are on virgin and we buy DD "bundles" as they are very easy to deal with on line and we can get her txts mins or a mix of both quite cheaply.

Don't get anything uber fancy as it will make her a muggers target easily.

As she is your neice I assume you aren't thinking of a contract phone? DDs mate has a t-mobile "u fix" which is a nice idea (pay a fixed amount each month then when that allowance is used it becomes P+G and wont work without a top up payment_) but you really pay dearly for that function. THe virgin bundles do the same but also roll over unused mins/txts and there is no ongoing contract.

I rather think a teens mobile should be of a standard and price you think is "disposable" and you should let them know this. THey are bound to loose it/have it nicked and they should know that in no way is it "precious" enough to get hurt for-both mine know that if threatened for it they chuck the phone as hard as they can one way and leg it the other!

DD had her old phone stolen through no fault of her own a while ago (from an apparently locked cathedral vestry would you believe), so even the most careful teen can be caught out.

paddytt

LG Chocolate Pink, Nokia 7373 or Samsung U600 Pink are cool girlie teen phones....

TT

Tao81

My 13yr old daughter was hell bent on having the LG chocolate but every phone sales person we spoke to at the time discouraged us from buying it, particularly because the sensor touch pad is difficult to use and wears out after a lot of use which makes the phone defunk at this stage.
Personally, I didn't like the fact that it doesn't have the speaker phone facility. Read in an article in a computer mag today that recent research has shown a higher incidence of brain and ear tumours in young phone users:eek: I have always encouraged my daughter to use speaker phone in preference to normal use just as a precaution which she happily does.

Anyway, I digress, I eventually bought her the Nokia 5200 (for £69 i think) and she couldn't be happier, it also came with a free 1Gb memory stick Seems to do everything a girl of her ages deems to be crucially important and camera is really good too.

Ericssons W810i was another of my considerations at the time because of it's music capability, but this one was a lot more expensive at the time and the Nokia 5200 seems to be more than adequate for a teenager of this age. I wish my daughter was here to ask as she could offer her opinion on why it is such a good phone to have as I'm sure there are lots of other positives I must have left out.

HTH xx

aisha_135

Thanks.
I'll have a look at those awell.
Thanks for the suggestions.

System

I'm assuming that you have discussed it with your niece's parents about her having a phone? :think:

aisha_135

Yes I have discussed it and her mother has agreed.
She also has been asking for a phone for months.
Thanks.

Andybez38

I would give a 13yo an old hand me down phone what was surplus to requirements. When i was 13 i never even had a mobile phone. If it makes calls/ sends text what more does she need? There was a nokia phone advertised in Morrisons though today at £19.99 what should do the job.