Looking at getting a smartphone

NeonSamurai · 05-31-11, 10:11 AM

Hey guys. I am considering getting a smartphone and I was curious if you all had some suggestions as to brands.

Here is what I want it to be able to do.

3G network, SIM unlocked (I can get most brands in Canada unlocked)
16gb memory
MP3 player
5MP+ camera
GPS (assisted or not)
Touch screen only (no flip-out keyboards)
Durable design

I don't really need a lot of bells or whistles, or heavy duty processing power. I am not going to be playing games on it or running a lot of apps. This would mainly be used for work/school

As an example, one possible phone I am considering is the iPhone 4G

AVGWarhawk · 05-31-11, 01:27 PM

I have the HTC EVO. Great phone. I can honestly say I'm very satisfied with the phone. I can run the phone 3G or 4G. Thing with 4G is it hunts for 4G connectivity and this eats the battery. I have it set for 3G. Just as fast anyway. The SD card is 16GB. You can connect via wifi if you desire. The already installed Droid applications are great. There are 1000's of third party apps that are great also. In all reality, the phone is a very small computer that I can make calls with and slip in my pocket. I would say it is a durable phone if treated like the device that it is. You may believe you do not need the bells and whistles but when you have them at your disposal...you will never understand how you lived without them.

Now, I have played with my daughters ipod for music which in reality is the iphone as far as installed applications. Both function about the same. This device is very smooth and can connect wifi, etc. I think you would be satisfied with the iphone as well.

My wife has a touch LG-quantum with Windows Mobile 7. Although a great phone with many applications it has some catching up to do in the third party application market. Personally I would stick to a phone with the Apple OS or Android OS.

NeonSamurai · 06-03-11, 08:17 AM

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I don't think the EVO would work for me as it is CDMA/EVDO, which means it generally isn't unlocked and can't switch providers easily. But there may be an equivalent model that is GSM.

It has to be an unlocked GSM sim card phone as I plan to go on to masters school next year and that will involve me moving around a lot (first between Canada and the States, and then possibly from one coast to the other and back). This means I cannot get locked into a plan or carrier.

Gerald · 06-03-11, 08:22 AM

Well, if you disable certain functions so you can get, "airplane mode"

AVGWarhawk · 06-03-11, 11:19 AM

I believe the EVO can be unlocked

NeonSamurai · 06-03-11, 12:57 PM

Unfortunately not as it is a CMDA phone. CMDA uses a built in identification system, and to unlock the phone requires a special code (which most providers will not give out). CMDA also makes it a royal pain in the butt to switch carriers, as they need to be reprogrammed to work with that specific carrier (and will probably refuse to unlock it again). Plus most carriers will flat out refuse to deal with unlocked CMDA phones.

GSM on the other hand doesn't have any of these problems, and if the phone is not locked to a carrier, you can switch out the carrier's sim chip as you like and easily switch carriers.

AVGWarhawk · 06-03-11, 01:24 PM

Ok, unlocked to me was being able to get into the programing configuration. It is to my understanding the EVO can be unlocked in this manner. Does a pay as you go phone work for you perhaps?

NeonSamurai · 06-03-11, 01:41 PM

Most pay as you go phones are GSM, so in a sense yes. Though I will probably go for short term monthly plans.

An unlocked cellphone means that phone is not locked to only one carrier. Most cellphones purchased from carriers in the us and canada are sim locked to only that carrier, even if you purchase the phone outright.

So given my needs, the phone I get has to be unlocked GSM, so that I can easily switch carriers as I need to.

05-31-11, 10:11 AM	#1
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Looking at getting a smartphone Hey guys. I am considering getting a smartphone and I was curious if you all had some suggestions as to brands. Here is what I want it to be able to do. 3G network, SIM unlocked (I can get most brands in Canada unlocked) 16gb memory MP3 player 5MP+ camera GPS (assisted or not) Touch screen only (no flip-out keyboards) Durable design I don't really need a lot of bells or whistles, or heavy duty processing power. I am not going to be playing games on it or running a lot of apps. This would mainly be used for work/school As an example, one possible phone I am considering is the iPhone 4G __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff

05-31-11, 01:27 PM	#2
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,256 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	I have the HTC EVO. Great phone. I can honestly say I'm very satisfied with the phone. I can run the phone 3G or 4G. Thing with 4G is it hunts for 4G connectivity and this eats the battery. I have it set for 3G. Just as fast anyway. The SD card is 16GB. You can connect via wifi if you desire. The already installed Droid applications are great. There are 1000's of third party apps that are great also. In all reality, the phone is a very small computer that I can make calls with and slip in my pocket. I would say it is a durable phone if treated like the device that it is. You may believe you do not need the bells and whistles but when you have them at your disposal...you will never understand how you lived without them. Now, I have played with my daughters ipod for music which in reality is the iphone as far as installed applications. Both function about the same. This device is very smooth and can connect wifi, etc. I think you would be satisfied with the iphone as well. My wife has a touch LG-quantum with Windows Mobile 7. Although a great phone with many applications it has some catching up to do in the third party application market. Personally I would stick to a phone with the Apple OS or Android OS. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

06-03-11, 08:17 AM	#3
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I don't think the EVO would work for me as it is CDMA/EVDO, which means it generally isn't unlocked and can't switch providers easily. But there may be an equivalent model that is GSM. It has to be an unlocked GSM sim card phone as I plan to go on to masters school next year and that will involve me moving around a lot (first between Canada and the States, and then possibly from one coast to the other and back). This means I cannot get locked into a plan or carrier. __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff

06-03-11, 08:22 AM	#4
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,254 Downloads: 553 Uploads: 0	Well, if you disable certain functions so you can get, "airplane mode" __________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie

06-03-11, 11:19 AM	#5
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,256 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	I believe the EVO can be unlocked __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

06-03-11, 12:57 PM	#6
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Unfortunately not as it is a CMDA phone. CMDA uses a built in identification system, and to unlock the phone requires a special code (which most providers will not give out). CMDA also makes it a royal pain in the butt to switch carriers, as they need to be reprogrammed to work with that specific carrier (and will probably refuse to unlock it again). Plus most carriers will flat out refuse to deal with unlocked CMDA phones. GSM on the other hand doesn't have any of these problems, and if the phone is not locked to a carrier, you can switch out the carrier's sim chip as you like and easily switch carriers. __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff

06-03-11, 01:24 PM	#7
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,256 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Ok, unlocked to me was being able to get into the programing configuration. It is to my understanding the EVO can be unlocked in this manner. Does a pay as you go phone work for you perhaps? __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

06-03-11, 01:41 PM	#8
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Most pay as you go phones are GSM, so in a sense yes. Though I will probably go for short term monthly plans. An unlocked cellphone means that phone is not locked to only one carrier. Most cellphones purchased from carriers in the us and canada are sim locked to only that carrier, even if you purchase the phone outright. So given my needs, the phone I get has to be unlocked GSM, so that I can easily switch carriers as I need to. __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff