View Full Version : Yet another "Help me with Phones" thread.
I'm at the end of my 18 month contract with O2 and looking for cheaper monthly phone costs.
I like the iphone as the apps are brilliant, especially a few make great teaching aids... but could be swayed to another smartphone, but I am utterly clueless as to what is a suitable comparison! I feel totally out of my depth, and could do with some advice from people in the know (thats you guys!).
I currently pay £35 per month I believe for 100 mins and unlimited texts, which I've needed. These days I find it unlikely I shall be texting as much, and I am thinking perhaps a pay as you go tarrif may be cheapest way to go, although this would probably mean spending £££ on getting a phone, unless I stick with my current iPhone 3GS. Alternatively, I trade in the 3GS to raise some funds.
I just wondered if anyone had any immediate suggestions/reviews?
I just moved from a 3GS to the Samsung Galaxy S2 about 6 weeks ago and I love it. :)
I'm with Vodafone on £25/month, 18 month contract and get 600mins, unlimited texts, 500MB mobile internet (I've never gone over this usage) and got the HTC Desire for free.
I can't recommend it enough - there's not been any instance in which I would have preferred an iphone, and many where I'm glad I had HTC, all whilst saving money etc.
If you use specific apps as teaching aids, it might be worth checking they are also available on Android as some of the more unusual apps are not always available; though I imagine an alternative will probably be floating around on such occassions.
Everyone will have their mixed experiences with all providers I'm sure, but I'm pleased with Vodafone- their coverage is far superior to Orange in my area and their customer service is incredibly quick and helpful - something I never found with Orange.
/twopence
I was just about to put a thread up like this :D I'm coming to the end of my contract and I can get £140 for my Desire.
It seems that the S2 is still the one to go for. The new HTC Sensation seems to get mixed reviews, especially compared to the S2.
Funny how everyone had iphones... then HTCs then Samsungs... :D
RIP iphone...
*snigger*
BB x
Quite likely it will go directly the other way when iphone5 comes out, I suspect there will be a lot of androids on ebay to raise funds for that. All thats happened really is that android have nicked all the best bits of the iphone and made an alternative to it, whereas before, it was a horrendous, painful experience to use anything other unless you were happy with substandard performance.
I had an HTC first which I sold to get the iphone 3GS because it was just horrible. Slow, laggy, rubbish.
I didn't even know HTC were around back then! :D
Generation improvements seem staggered with release dates and so majorities swing between platforms as each competatively brings out improved models; I think it will reach a plateau soon however as I haven't seen anything in the pipeline which seems to be a real advancement over the benchmarks of 12 months ago.
Del Lardo
25-07-2011, 17:43
Quite likely it will go directly the other way when iphone5 comes out, I suspect there will be a lot of androids on ebay to raise funds for that. All thats happened really is that android have nicked all the best bits of the iphone and made an alternative to it, whereas before, it was a horrendous, painful experience to use anything other unless you were happy with substandard performance.
I had an HTC first which I sold to get the iphone 3GS because it was just horrible. Slow, laggy, rubbish.
Don't confuse phone hardware and OS, I dumped a HTC Hero to use a 3GS because as you say it was slow and laggy but that was down to the hardware, not the OS which I still preferred, I only used a 3GS as it was free, if I had been spending money I would have got a Desire.
The iPhone 5 will have a few new nice features courtesy of iOS5 but it looks like it will also be available on the 3GS and 4 and the big fixes (PC Free, Photos and Notification Center) are already in Android. Most people I've spoken to who've moved to Android recently love the live widgets (that I don't think iOS5 will have) and the general feeling that you can do what you want rather than what Mr Jobs or your Service provider allow you (connection sharing using wi-fi springs to mind).
Don't confuse phone hardware and OS, I dumped a HTC Hero to use a 3GS because as you say it was slow and laggy but that was down to the hardware, not the OS which I still preferred, I only used a 3GS as it was free, if I had been spending money I would have got a Desire.
I wasn't confusing them. My HTC phone was out 2.5 years ago and compared to the iphone, it was incredibly slow and unresponsive. The OS was windows mob, not android - if you like that, you're welcome to it. ;D
The iPhone 5 will have a few new nice features courtesy of iOS5 but it looks like it will also be available on the 3GS and 4 and the big fixes (PC Free, Photos and Notification Center) are already in Android. Most people I've spoken to who've moved to Android recently love the live widgets (that I don't think iOS5 will have) and the general feeling that you can do what you want rather than what Mr Jobs or your Service provider allow you (connection sharing using wi-fi springs to mind).
I've been using I0S5 and it's good. Lots of the bits that android fans like have been incorporated into the new OS, just as a lot of the iphone hardware bits have been incorporated into android.
Fair to say though that these are the very same live widgets that will spawn a gazillion "why does my battery only last 10 minutes" threads here and on the blue place! I don't think people are particularly brand loyal now, so will go with whichever is best or whichever they prefer, and at the moment, it's android, indeed I am using android, but should the iphone5 be of a similar or higher standard, I'll be selling and going back over.
S2 /thread :)
[irrelevant rant]
Would have one by now because it ****es all over my ex-3GS, but it would need Android to have a clue about accessibility - which despite iOS showing how it should be done is still patchy at best (and doesn't do the features that I need at all).
So I've had to tough it out since May with an old SPV for phone and a recently-acquired BlackBerry 8800 for internet and maps (IE on WinMo is ****e even if it does have 3G, and Maps and Opera both just about kill the SPV because it's so old). If the new iPhone isn't out September I may just have to throw in the towel and get a 4 even though I don't like them.
[/irrelevant rant]
How have you found vodaphone reception in Cornwall jingo?
S2 looks lovely, but its not going to be cheaper than what I'm currently doing - the phone is only free on monthly contracts similar in price to what I am currently spending.
Maybe I am better off just getting an Ipod touch and a cheap and cheerful phone?
I haven't been looking specifically but I've not had any problems with reception - comfortably made and took calls in Penryn, Falmouth and Truro areas I regularly frequent.
My mother is on Orange and has to faff around a bit with an intermittant single at home in Treliever. Redruth/Lanner areas struggle no matter the provider - though there's no avoiding a granite valley! :D
There are plenty of good smart phones about for less than what you're paying at the moment, whilst still getting the phone free. However if you're happy with your current phone, then you could probably find an incredibly cheap monthly sim-only which gives you all you want.
that is an option, but the only downside is that you invariably get a bit frustrated with two separate devices knowing you can have one that does it all. Up to you though, it's purely a choice thing, I think.
Briggykins
26-07-2011, 21:15
You know how much I love my Android, but I'd stick with your current phone if I were you - just go on to PAYG (maybe GiffGaff?). It still does everything you want and to go significantly cheaper would mean getting a sub-par Android phone which would just annoy you.
You could go for the iPod Touch but like Kitten said that'd mean two devices and seeing as your iPhone already does everything you want...
S2 can be done for £31 pcm (first three months half price) with more minutes than you're getting now - but remember to factor in the cost of any iPhone apps you lose and want to replace.
There are cheaper/older Android phones available if you're not worried about the latest and greatest.
Or just keep the 3GS and plonk a PAYG or Simplicity SIM in it, but remember that it's two-year-old tech so starting to show its age, and it will get abandoned by Apple at some point (knowing past history, probably within the year).
If you get another O2 contract (upgrade or same phone) there's about £50 off and you might get to keep the old phone which you can then sell on.
I've always been dubious about Quidco on some of the larger cashback offers - but I've had my £100 from Vodafone through at long last :)
A nice bonus that you can find with new phones, but not something to sway a decision due to its unpredictability!
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