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Cell Phone upgrade suggestions?

TechparadoxTechparadox
edited September 2008 in Everything Else
Ahh, the joy of phone upgrades. My contract with Verizon is up in January and thanks to the magic of their "New Every Two" program I can get a discount on a phone upgrade if I choose to extend my contract. While I'm not exactly thrilled with being stuck with Verizon for another two years, the service level (or lack thereof) from other providers in the area is pretty much pushing me in that direction. I really hate the fact that AT&T's service (formerly Cingular around here) sucks donkey balls because I'm majorly lusting after an iPhone, although with reality being what it is I seriously doubt that the local infrastructure is upgraded enough to be worth the expense of trying to obtain one. But I digress.

I'm trying to narrow down my possible phone upgrades, so I'm turning to my fellow geeks for opinions. Up to this point I've been living with an LG VX8300 which meets my needs for being able to make phone calls and some text messaging, but I'm looking for more in my phone. I'd prefer something with a QWERTY keyboard on it because I'm getting damn sick of using the T9 predictive input. Bluetooth connectivity for a headset is a must as I hate having to have the phone glued to the side of my head if I'm trying to do something else. A camera isn't a necessity but it would be nice to have. I don't really need a SmartPhone or Blackberry per se, but it might be nice to be able to run more than just Verizon's crappy "Get It Now" apps.

I realize the decision on this is ultimately up to me, but I'd like to have some other opinions. I know that the sales-droid at the local store probably knows around the same amount as I do (or even less) about them, so I'm looking for input from people that may have used any of the following models of phone, or any recent BlackBerry- or Windows Mobile-based phone.

- LG enV2 (mainly for the full QWERTY keyboard. Unfortunately, it's locked into Verizon's services.)
- Verizon Wireless SMT5800 (runs Windows Mobile 6)
- BlackBerry Pearl 8130 (slim, candy-bar style, looks like the QWERTY might be a bit on the small side)
- BlackBerry Curve 8330 (looks chunky but has more memory than the Pearl and a full QWERTY board)

Other things of note: I'm familiar with using BitPim and a data cable to get around some of the locks Verizon places on LG-based hardware. Also, I basically live in BFE so it's not like I could easily switch to U.S. Cellular, T-Mobile, or any of the other small players in the game. Even if I could, it'd probably burn me in the long run as most of my friends and family are on Verizon's service so I'd be losing the free calls and text messaging.

Thoughts? Opinions? Flames?
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Comments

  • RochelleRochelle
    I'm in a similar situation. My contract ends in December, I don't want to go to AT&T, and I'm looking to upgrade. I'm currently looking at the LG Dare, however I've been watching and reading reviews on it. You can check out Redban2's thoughts and comments on the LG Dare vs the iPod. This was back in July. I hope that either LG or Verizon will be coming out with a better version of the Dare or perhaps have upgrades and fixes for the current "bugs".

    I still have more researching to do, I'll get back to this later. I'm going to game night.
  • AprecheApreche
    Wait to see the Android phones before you make your decision. Remember, even though your contract runs out, doesn't mean you have to get a new one right away. It just means you are free to leave any time, but until then your service continues as usual. Don't be in a rush to get a new phone, wait for the perfect one.
  • TechparadoxTechparadox
    Waiting for the Android phones did cross my mind. Given how Verizon has thrown its hat in with the LiMo Foundation I have the sinking feeling that the Android phones that Verizon actually makes available for use on their network are going to be few and far between. Either that or they're going to be severely crippled. It might be worth waiting to see how it shakes out though. My current phone isn't exactly dead or on its last legs yet, so I've got plenty of time.
  • YoshoKatanaYoshoKatana
    My experience with Verizon is anecdotal at best, but they seem to be a terrible company. AT&T isn't that bad, and they seem to have coverage everywhere (and no statewide roaming, as far as I can tell).
  • AprecheApreche
    My experience with Verizon is anecdotal at best, but they seem to be a terrible company. AT&T; isn't that bad, and they seem to have coverage everywhere (and no statewide roaming, as far as I can tell).
    Every company is bad, at least in the US. And in the rest of the world, most of the companies are bad. I can somewhat understand people wanting to be able to choose, but does it really matter that much? They all suck. If there was a good company, I would care more about not being able to switch freely.
  • TechparadoxTechparadox
    Every company is bad, at least in the US.
    Sad but true. Verizon sucks because they lock their phones down and they don't follow the standards that are used by the other companies (and the rest of the world, for that matter). Heck, they just now got around to rolling out EV-DO in my area, and we're one of the larger cities in the southern central Illinois area (although I'd still call it BFE in comparison to larger metro areas like Chicago or St. Louis). AT&T;'s monthly cost around here is higher than Verizon's cost for similar features, and from what I've heard their coverage sucks ass, but they're going to be improving it "any day now". Anything smaller than the Big Two here is just a joke.
  • RochelleRochelle
    Is this still going to happen with Verizon, or are they just shit talkers?
  • AprecheApreche
    Isthisstill going to happen with Verizon, or are they just shit talkers?
    We'll find out!
  • WyattWyatt
    edited May 2011
    I'm looking to get a new cell phone. Any suggestions?

    Details:
    I'm on Verizion.
    My current phone is an Env Touch. It's got issues...
    Wait for the iPhone 5 maybe an option.
    Post edited by Wyatt on
  • AprecheApreche
    Wait for the iPhone 5 maybe an option.
    You're going to be waiting until 2012. 2011 you'll get iPhone 4S or something like that.
  • RochelleRochelle
    Jeremy has a Thunderbolt. It's pretty nice from what I've seen of it. It's his first smart phone so he has yet to touch the surface of utilizing it. His only gripe is the battery life on it.
  • Dr. TimoDr. Timo
    Wait for the iPhone 5 maybe an option.
    You're going to be waiting until 2012. 2011 you'll get iPhone 4S or something like that.
    Still worth it, I'd say, especially if they change the design for iPhone5.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    Still worth it, I'd say, especially if they change the design for iPhone5.
    How do you figure? The current iPhone is a potent piece of hardware. A 4S will be even better than that. I see no reason to wait for some mythical 5.
  • JukeBoxJoshJukeBoxJosh
    I'd like to chime in for suggestions as well. I had this piece of shit, and after two years of "paying for it to freeze" (internet was a 50/50 shot for every page loading) and terrible durability (shutting the phone's keyboard would turn it off sometimes), I would like something new on Sprint.

    The highest rated Android phone in my budget is the LG Optimus S, and due to waiting and the power of ordering online, it's literally free to have sent to me. The other free Android phones are the Palm Pixi and Sanyo Zio. The Pixi felt odd to use in store the last time I tried because my fingers are too big for the keyboard, but otherwise it seemed nice. The Zio I haven't used but it is the lowest rated phone on there, including those lame clam-phones. The Optimus S seems to be a real nice budget phone, and seems to be a nice introduction to Android phones, but I dunno. I've never had these phones before and don't know if it's worth the two year wait if I don't like it since I've bever had a phone I liked.
  • AprecheApreche
    edited May 2011
    Still worth it, I'd say, especially if they change the design for iPhone5.
    How do you figure? The current iPhone is a potent piece of hardware. A 4S will be even better than that. I see no reason to wait for some mythical 5.
    iPhones come with two year contracts, not one-year. The original iPhone sucked, the 3G was a huge improvement, the 3GS was an incremental improvement, and the 4 was a huge improvement. If you buy a 4S you will be way behind when the 5 comes out, and have to wait a year for the 5S. You want to be on the same upgrade cycle that I am on, 3G, 4, 5, so you get the huge upgrades as soon as they come out.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • Special ASpecial A
    edited May 2011
    I'm looking to get a new cell phone. Any suggestions?

    Details:
    I'm on Verizion.
    My current phone is an Env Touch. It's got issues...
    Wait for the iPhone 5 maybe an option.
    We just upgraded both our phones, one was an env touch (which turned off randomly and had a turd of a screen at best) and the other was a blackberry. I was tempted to wait for the 4g LTE iphone, which is rumored to come out in September or something, but I figured that unless i was going to use it as a wireless hotspot it wasn't worth putting up with my broken phone anymore. I'm glad I didn't wait. I really cant say enough about how good the iphone 4 is, even if its only 3g. Its so intuitive to use.

    You could look into android if you want, but now that verizon also has the iphone holy grail I think the android app market will dwindle and support for the OS will wane. At this point they are already forced to leave OS updates in the hands of hardware manufacturers. Unless it had some very important advantage over the iphone I wouldn't bother.
    Post edited by Special A on
  • NeitoNeito
    The other free Android phones are the Palm Pixi
    The PIXI isn't Android. It's WebOS.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    Still worth it, I'd say, especially if they change the design for iPhone5.
    How do you figure? The current iPhone is a potent piece of hardware. A 4S will be even better than that. I see no reason to wait for some mythical 5.
    iPhones come with two year contracts, not one-year. The original iPhone sucked, the 3G was a huge improvement, the 3GS was an incremental improvement, and the 4 was a huge improvement. If you buy a 4S you will be way behind when the 5 comes out, and have to wait a year for the 5S. You want to be on the same upgrade cycle that I am on, 3G, 4, 5, so you get the huge upgrades as soon as they come out.
    I've proved you wrong before. Your inability to change your opinion disappoints me.
  • AprecheApreche
    I've proved you wrong before. Your inability to change your opinion disappoints me.
    How so?
  • WyattWyatt
    one was an env touch (which turned off randomly and had a turd of a screen at best)
    I'm having the exact same problems. My phone just just learned this new trick where it sets itself back to the default settings every other time I turn it off,,, or it turns itself off.

    I think I'll go with the iPhone 4 for now. I'll just buy the 5 later if I absolutely have to have it.
  • RymRym
    edited May 2011
    Nexus S. Probably the best bet for a non-iPhone currently, though I haven't touched one yet.
    Post edited by Rym on
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    How so?
    Because the 3G was the same hardware as the original, just with an app store and 3G data. The 3GS had a substantially hardware upgrade over the 3G, making it better in every quantifiable way. The 4 improved on the 3GS substantially. The 4GS will likewise be a substantial improvement (rumor is dual core like the ipad 2). Basically there has never been a bad time to buy an iPhone.
  • AprecheApreche
    edited May 2011
    How so?
    Because the 3G was the same hardware as the original, just with an app store and 3G data. The 3GS had a substantially hardware upgrade over the 3G, making it better in every quantifiable way. The 4 improved on the 3GS substantially. The 4GS will likewise be a substantial improvement (rumor is dual core like the ipad 2). Basically there has never been a bad time to buy an iPhone.
    3G data is a gigantic difference in network speed, which is probably the most important thing since everything you do is wireless data. When the 3G came out, the iPhone 1 became a complete joke. The 3GS made an incremental improvement. It was faster with better GPS and such, but wasn't actually a big difference for the user. A faster CPU in a phone isn't really that great an improvement to the actual experience. A 3G was still pretty great when the 3GS came out. The iPhone 4 was an insane upgrade in terms of power, design, and especially the screen. Once the 4 came out, all previous iPhones became completely obsolete. If the pattern holds, and Apple has a long history of sticking to the pattern, the next iPhone will be an incremental improvement. Even though an iPhone 4S will exist, the iPhone 4 will still be pretty great. The iPhone 5 that comes out in 2012 will be such a huge improvement that the iPhone 4 and 4S will both be laughable in comparison.

    I mean, sitting there with a 3G for a year waiting for the contract to expire while other people have 3GS is not so bad. Sure they have a faster CPU, but whatever. Sitting around for a year with a 3GS while people are walking around with retina displays is really fucking sad. Sitting around for a year with an iPhone 4 while people have dual core iPhone 4S is not so bad. Sitting there with an iPhone 4S for a year while people have iPhone 5 is probably going to be really sad.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • JukeBoxJoshJukeBoxJosh
    The other free Android phones are the Palm Pixi
    The PIXI isn't Android. It's WebOS.
    Oh, derp, I should have known that. I don't know why I didn't.
  • PeguPegu
    edited May 2011
    The Samsung Galaxy S II had a glowing review on Engadget.
    Post edited by Pegu on
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I mean, sitting there with a 3G for a year waiting for the contract to expire while other people have 3GS is not so bad. Sure they have a faster CPU, but whatever. Sitting around for a year with a 3GS while people are walking around with retina displays is really fucking sad. Sitting around for a year with an iPhone 4 while people have dual core iPhone 4S is not so bad. Sitting there with an iPhone 4S for a year while people have iPhone 5 is probably going to be really sad.
    This is all supposition to justify your upgrade cycle as the superior one. My room mate is perfectly happy with his 3GS.
  • AprecheApreche
    This is all supposition to justify your upgrade cycle as the superior one. My room mate is perfectly happy with his 3GS.
    And there are plenty of people who are happy with iPhone 1s, even today. The point is that any self-respecting early adopting tech geek can probably live with a slower CPU, but the drastic difference of something like 3G speeds or retina display is too much.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    And there are plenty of people who are happy with iPhone 1s, even today. The point is that any self-respecting early adopting tech geek can probably live with a slower CPU, but the drastic difference of something like 3G speeds or retina display is too much.
    No true Scotsman much? Wyatt's needs are not necessarily your own.
  • MattMatt
    The 3GS's processor gave it enough juice to do high quality video recording. I put this upgrade on par with a retina display in the 4. Let's play the definition game. I say retina is just an incremental improvement over the existing iPhone screens.
  • AprecheApreche
    The 3GS's processor gave it enough juice to do high quality video recording. I put this upgrade on par with a retina display in the 4. Let's play the definition game. I say retina is just an incremental improvement over the existing iPhone screens.
    Have you seen it? It's not even close.
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