What Mobile Phone?

[D_T_W]

Right, the time has finally come to renew my contract and ditch my rather knackered Sony Ericsson. Had a bit of a scout around the phone shops, but the staff are frankly fking useless, and internet research can only do so much. So, seeing as this place is full of techie boffins, seems like the best place to ask!

What i'm after is an easy to use phone that i can use to access the internet, play my mp3s on, text without having to resort to tapping at tiny onscreen buttons, and make phone calls with.

I'm not having a Blackberry, as no matter how many i look at or use, i just can't get used to the damn things.
Apple iPhone? Looks good, plays mp3s, don't know what the interface is like as i don't know anybody who has one, and none of the shops up have enough staff in them to keep the wait to look at one under an hour. All the reviews on them are either "it's fantastic" or "it's ste". No massivley helpful it has to be said!
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1? Is it worth the wait? Looks like it could be good, but as nobody has a clue when it's going to be released.

So, i'm open to other suggestions!

Cheers

[Racefan_uk]

I've just got a SE C902 and after doing the initial software upgrade it's been brilliant. Does all of the above, although,I don't use my phone for web browsing that much. But has a great camera for if I want to take pictures while on a night/day out and plays music and video damn well.

I've just bought a 4GB card to go in it as after viewing the test video on it I reckon I can put a couple of movies on there and a load of songs and use it for when I'm bored on a train or somewhere too. I've found the radio to be handy too (first phone I've tried it on to be honest).

Edited by Racefan_uk on Sunday 17th August 23:16

[Matt..]

I personally have an iPhone and its by far the best phone i have ever had.

If you cant get out and have a go with a real one, there are loads of videos online. Apple are well known for providing very good user interfaces, so you should have no problem with that at all.

http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/guidedtour/

[Feral_Girl]

As above.

i-Phone, even if it cant send photos and indeed often even send texts.. still a fine phone. *Ahem*

[snotsnfarts]

iphone, every other phone is trying to play catchup and with all the applications that are being added daily it just won't happen...

[missdiane]

C902 or the G900 both SE, both are what I am looking at and both sound like they will replace my SE w810, not very good with big phones
G900 too new at the mo, not available widespread yet.

[The Ben]

Hey, I work for Orange Retail, and though you say the phone sales people are useless I hope I can help!!!

The Iphone as far as I know is good but not great, however it depends what oyu want. It has Bluetooth though you CANNOT use it to transfer files, but can only use it to connect to devices such as a headset handsfree. You cannot send or recieve multimedia messages. However Browsing the net is good, probably one of the best.

Text messaging as on most touch screen phones can be quite frustrating. I believe it to be only free on a tariff on £45 or above. Have great memory storage.

For something similar I recommend the Samsung Tocco (F480) is a great phone yet it can do the useful things that the Iphone cannot (MMS and bluetooth)Web browsing is good, pretty much a full web browser, certainly as good as the iphone. Orange are selling them with a promo 8gb mem card

Consider the Samsung Omnia,if oyu want touch screen. its just been released, I think it comes with windows mobile or a samsung Operating sofware ,you decide which you want to use. It come with 2 memory options, think 16 and 30 gb. larger screen than the Tocco....


Sony Ericsson C902 is a good phone, yet with most S/E's there are general isuues such as freezing, this can or should be able to be resolved via a software update from the website... It has also 17 days standby bat life. I believe to be the best about. web browsing is good. Also comes with Promo 8gb memory card with Orange.

I just have upgrded to the Nokia N95 8GB, batt is pretty bad, but the features are amazing. If you dont want a technical phones that an be fiddly, best keep away, however, web browsing is great.

A simple nokia that is good for browsing and looks good is the Nokia 6500 classic, 3g handset, 1gb internal memory, only has 2mega pixel camera but its straight foward, easy to use and can browes the net.

I have just ordered a Blackberry 8320 curve, they are excellent phones, but I think you either love them or hate em'.


Check out www.gsmarena.com for more info on more phones...

HTH
Ben

Edited by The Ben on Sunday 17th August 18:28

[Fezzzza.]

I've got a Sony Ericsson K850i and love it. Does everything I want it to do and with a 5 meg camera, its pretty impressive for pictures aswell.
Think I'll be getting the Sony Ericsson C902 next, think I quite fancy it.
I do secretly want the iPhone but cant seem to get my head round all the problems with it, but in the back of my mind, I want one

Would suggest the K850i to anybody, go in and have a play with the phones and see what you fancy

[lord summerisle]

snotsnfarts said:

iphone, every other phone is trying to play catchup and with all the applications that are being added daily it just won't happen...

come back when it can send, by default, picture messages and has a decent camera, has proper bluetooth connectivity etc.

[missdiane]

The Ben said:

Hey, I work for Orange Retail, and though you say the phone sales people are useless I hope I can help!!!

The Iphone as far as I know is good but not great, however it depends what oyu want. It has Bluetooth though you CANNOT use it to transfer files, but can only use it to connect to devices such as a headset handsfree. You cannot send or recieve multimedia messages. However Browsing the net is good, probably one of the best.

Text messaging as on most touch screen phones can be quite frustrating. I believe it to be only free on a tariff on £45 or above. Have great memory storage.

For something similar I recommend the Samsung Tocco (F480) is a great phone yet it can do the useful things that the Iphone cannot (MMS and bluetooth)Web browsing is good, pretty much a full web browser, certainly as good as the iphone. Orange are selling them with a promo 8gb mem card

Consider the Samsung Omnia,if oyu want touch screen. its just been released, I think it comes with windows mobile or a samsung Operating sofware ,you decide which you want to use. It come with 2 memory options, think 16 and 30 gb. larger screen than the Tocco....


Sony Ericsson C902 is a good phone, yet with most S/E's there are general isuues such as freezing, this can or should be able to be resolved via a software update from the website... It has also 17 days standby bat life. I believe to be the best about. web browsing is good. Also comes with Promo 8gb memory card with Orange.

I just have upgrded to the Nokia N95 8GB, batt is pretty bad, but the features are amazing. If you dont want a technical phones that an be fiddly, best keep away, however, web browsing is great.

A simple nokia that is good for browsing and looks good is the Nokia 6500 classic, 3g handset, 1gb internal memory, only has 2mega pixel camera but its straight foward, easy to use and can browes the net.

I have just ordered a Blackberry 8320 curve, they are excellent phones, but I think you either love them or hate em'.


Check out www.gsmarena.com for more info on more phones...

HTH
Ben

Edited by The Ben on Sunday 17th August 18:28

Have you come across the SE G900 yet? I have a question I would like to ask

[Matt..]

If internet browsing, and listening to music is high on your list, then the iPhone will be VERY hard to beat.

If taking photos is high up your list then dont bother with an iPhone as virtually any camera phone around at the moment would make it look terrible!

My only negative points on it are the poor 3g reception, battery life, and rubbish camera. But i never use the camera on phones anyway, so to me thats not a big issue. With the other two problems, i can easily live with them as the phone is so good in every other area.

It is big though... twice as thick as my iPod Touch!

[snotsnfarts]

Yes but you just email a picture and 2mp is fine for most photo's ! have you tried an iphone ? does you phone synch appoinments with outlook ? I have never been an apple fan in fact my last phone was a samsung tocca one little problem couldn't see the screen in the sunshine !

[The Ben]

missdiane said:

Have you come across the SE G900 yet? I have a question I would like to ask

I have heard of them, and heard a bit about them, we dont have any, and not sure if we will, but you can ask, I may know or be able to find out for you.

[The Ben]

snotsnfarts said:

my last phone was a samsung tocca one little problem couldn't see the screen in the sunshine !

I never knew that was a problem certainly no one has mentioned it nor complained ot me about it.... However, as we live in britain, no one should have that excuse about the sunshine affecting the screen

[snotsnfarts]

The Ben said:

missdiane said:

Have you come across the SE G900 yet? I have a question I would like to ask

I have heard of them, and heard a bit about them, we dont have any, and not sure if we will, but you can ask, I may know or be able to find out for you.

Well I know the onboard memory is 160 mb with an extension possibilites of 4 gb, is there a waiting list ????

Edited by snotsnfarts on Sunday 17th August 18:49

[gary11]

missdiane said:

C902 or the G900 both SE, both are what I am looking at and both sound like they will replace my SE w810, not very good with big phones
G900 too new at the mo, not available widespread yet.

c902 is the nuts! tried all newest ones taco n95 ect this is fantastic In my fussy opinion excellent camera nav ect when you plug in to your laptop or b/tooth automatically pics up i tunes from your i pod library and syncs additions and pics and 8gb easy to use too!

Edited by gary11 on Sunday 17th August 19:56

[Mr E]

D_T_W said:

Apple iPhone? Looks good, plays mp3s, don't know what the interface is like as i don't know anybody who has one, and none of the shops up have enough staff in them to keep the wait to look at one under an hour.

Surprised at that. I showed sarah one in the O2 shop saturday afternoon, and there were loads free to play with. Have a play with one, see how you feel about it.

[phylet]

iPhones nice . Try one in an o2 shop or carphone warehouse.

[sadako]

lord summerisle said:

snotsnfarts said:

iphone, every other phone is trying to play catchup and with all the applications that are being added daily it just won't happen...

come back when it can send, by default, picture messages and has a decent camera, has proper bluetooth connectivity etc.

That and all the applications that were released for Nokia S60 and windows mobile platforms from before the iPhone was even concieved of mean that iPhone is playing catchup. What it does have though is a huge screen, an interesting interface and has the power of UNIX under the bonnet. What Apple need to do is let people write applications for it freely, let them talk to each other and let them develop stuff without non-disclosure agreements and all that rubbish. Symbian and Windows both have open APIs why does Apple not? The phones also checking a location on the internet to blacklist any applications it might have on there is also not on.

[missdiane]

The Ben said:

missdiane said:

Have you come across the SE G900 yet? I have a question I would like to ask

I have heard of them, and heard a bit about them, we dont have any, and not sure if we will, but you can ask, I may know or be able to find out for you.

G900 is a touch screen, do you think I can send a text messgae in the normal way on the keypad?

never used a touch screen before so don't know if it affects stuff like that.