Saturday, September 26, 2009

Any Cell Phone Opinions Out There?

Hubby and I have had a cell phone since the triplets were born and in the hospital for months. It was a "necessity" since we were on the road all of the time. It was one of those HUGE bag phones that stayed in the car all of the time.

Throughout the past 17 years, we've had many different cell phones....each becoming smaller, and each having more and more features than the last one.

Some phones have been really good, but some have been REALLY bad! I had one cell phone that I couldn't hear anything on. I swear, I thought I was going deaf. Then one day, dear hubby had to use the phone and he couldn't hear either, so we immediately went to get a new phone.

We've dropped them, driven over them, and I've even had one stolen right out of my car (that was the best cell phone I've ever had, too! **sniff** ), and we've even just plain ol' worn them out.

That's where we are now.

We've finally had our respective phones long enough that we are finally "contract free" for the first time ever, I think. So, we think it is time for a change.

We've never had any sort of "fancy" phones. Normally, we just call on them, and occasionally take a picture or two. We don't "text", or surf the Internet, or download music.

We just talk on them.

Boring, right?

However, here is where we would like to make a change. We are thinking of venturing out into the "Mobile Internet" world, and we may even send a text or two. After seeing so many updates on Facebook and Twitter from Blackberry's and iPhones, basically....

I AM JEALOUS!

This, my dear bloggie buddies, is where I need your advice.

Our provider is T-Mobile, and we would like to stick with them if at all possible (even though that leaves an iPhone out of the picture). We've been with them since they have existed and have never had a problem with them (other than the areas of bad coverage in some places.)

We want to be able to have Internet access, send updates to Facebook and Twitter, send text messages, and of course, CALL people. Even with all of the upgrades, we must be able to have just a plain ol' cell phone. I have to be able to call my mom and my daughter....texting just isn't an option...lol!

What kind of phone and what type of plan do you recommend?

and

Are there any phones that you DON'T recommend?

and

How expensive are the plans?

I need phones for me and hubby, and would like to be able to have one for Chelsea eventually.

I just know all of y'all can help this gal out. Thanking you in advance!

14 comments:

  1. I have a Blackberry Pearl from T mobile and I hate it. I have had it since January and had to replace it twice. Hope that helps. Let me know which one you choose because I will be in the market to get one in November.

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  2. Hey Robin- well, I'm on Verizon, but maybe you can get something similar. I have a phone made by Casio, and it's shatter-proof, water-resistant and has everything else you're looking for. It's a great phone because you can drop it or get water on it without having to worry! It takes pretty good pictures and you can text from it. I put a silicon cover on mine, and that protects it even more! This is the 2nd time I've had one of these, and I think I will always stick with them. The only downside is that they are pretty bulky, but I don't carry them in my pocket anyway, so that's not a problem for me. I like that it feels like it has some "presence!" Good luck ;-)

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  3. Hey Robin. I'm looking to upgrade so that I can use the internet more too. Cait has a Samsung Instinct, and she really likes it alot - fairly similar to an Iphone. We are with Sprint, but I'm sure that Tmobile has something similar if not the same phone. It is a touchscreen phone, but really easy to use, very similar to an Ipod touch. When I decide to cough up the bucks, that's the next phone I'm getting. I have no idea what Tmobiles rates are like. Our sprint plan is basically unlimited everything - text, data, mobile to mobile (any network) LD, etc. Also have insurance on DH's and Cait's phones and our total bill is around $150.00/month. Sounds like a lot, but we are so happy with the service that we dumped our land line, and DH and Cait use the internet ALOT for work and school. Hope that helps. Kathy

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  4. Once you go Mac, you'll never go back :) iPhone all the way, ALL. THE. WAY.!!!

    There is nothing finer. Nothing!

    Go for it!

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  5. I have a BB Curve that I LOVE -- K-dawg and I have bundled minutes w/ Verizon and the BB/web part is an extra $30/month. Check to see if your eligible for any discounts through your employer - we get 20% off our bill just b/c K works at his company.

    Good luck -it can all be mind blowing!

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  6. I have the w490 Motorola, and I love it. And I have been with Bellsouth/att&t and Alltel in the past. I have been with T-Mobile for a number of years now. I have not had one problem with T-Mobile. Alltel was the worse service, customer support and phone I have ever experience. I went more than one place for problems I was having, and talked to more than one operator on the phone so if you for some reason you leave T-Mobile, stay away from Alltel cause it didnt matter who I talked too, was all the same horrible service. I do not have the data plan with T-Mobile, but I do text a lot, and I do post pictures to Facebook (you send it to a special email, which you can text emails). If I had the data plan, I could check my status and such with Facebook, and surf the web. I would suggest that you go to T-Mobile.com and look at what phones you are qualified for, see what the prices are, and then go to google and go one by one with the phones and see what reviews you find online. THEN, take your updated list of phones and go to a T-Mobile store, and touch the phones and play with them. You may not like what they feel like, the menu or something. Good luck!

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  7. Well, you know I'm all about the iPhone since Mr. Jobs signs my check and all that, but I think the AT&T 3G network sucks where yall live...I have heard great things about the T-Mobile MyTouch phone...maybe that would work !!

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  8. Ok...so I'm on Verizon, so this probably doesn't help..LOL We have the Casio G'Zone One phones. Waterproof, shatterproof, etc. And they really DO live up to the promises!

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  9. Robin, Sorry I cant help you, we are verizon, which is fine, but I have my son's old phone, he just got the new blackberry for work, and he loves his, and I hate the old one, dont want to hurt his feelings, but the numbers are so small, I can barely read them, lol. This is very interesting to read though, for when I eventually get a new phone. Good Luck!

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  10. we're with at&t, and don't have any complaints.. other than the typical dropped calls or delayed texts.. which you will get from all carriers. i have the blackjack 2.. and LOVE it! i got it, as it has the largest keyboard of all the flat phones. [i hate flips & sliders!] doesn't hurt that it's pink & white either! lol ;) the hubby & gretchen have the blackberry pearl, and have no complaints either. remember.. most carriers will give you 30 days trial.. so take advantage of it!! good luck!!

    thanks for the compliment on my new blog party dress!! i felt like a fall theme was in order. :)
    guess i should mention that awful football game you guys won.. but i won't, seeing as how our butts were kicked all the way back to arkansas!!! :P

    have a great week my friend!
    xoxo -Tracie

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  11. i am sure t-mobile has their version of the iphone. we have sprint and they do.

    i have a blackberry and i love it. it does everything including internet and gps, and anything else you can want it to do.

    my only regret is i have a got the smaller blackberry, and now i wish i had gone with the larger screen, but at the time i didn't want a phone so large. but i am happy with my blackberry.

    blessings, mari

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  12. We don't do any of the internet or whatever on the phone, but if yall need a "tough" phone, I highly recommend the G One Boulder made by Casio. We have our plans through Verizon and for 700 minutes plus 200 text messages a month costs 80 bucks for both of our phones. The Boulder phones can be dropped, underwater, get dusty, and it won't hurt them. They are very tough! I know a guy who baled his up in some hay, and a guy who dropped his in a lake and they still worked! So if Uncle Marty has problems taking care of his phone, like we do on the farm (mine always lands in chicken poop), yall should check into those!

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  13. Switch to AT&T and get an iphone. :-) I really have no other opinions. When the guy at the AT&T store asked me what kind of features I wanted w/ my phone, I said, "One that flips." I've recently found out that I actually have a cool phone. You know told me that? A teenager. :D

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