Smart phone newbie technophobe needs advice

[consty]

hi,
I've kept a very basic nokia mobile on contract for many years - I've never been keen to learn how to use a new one & not really needed anything different (but getting on board with 'apps' would have been nice). Anyway the phone has finally konked out and I have to get a new one. Orange have offered me the following 2 phones for £20.50 p/m and I wondered which of the following to get (I want to stay at the budget end of the market, below £30 unless you think that's a really bad idea) any thoughts on these?

1) Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 (android gingerbread, whatever that means)
2) Nokia Lumia 800 (windows 7, whatever that means. I do have a windows 7 computer having changed from XP last month)
3) To say 'no' to these and ask for a different one that you recommend (but see below & note my budget which I think should stay in the sub £30 mark).

In recommending any phone please note that I'd not use a phone much like most of you might do.... I'm old before my years and don't like technology. l only use the mobile for calls and texts. I think I would use the phone to check my emails now and again but not much - I have full access to computers at work and at home so I'm ok. I wouldn't go on the net much on the phone and I've got wireless at home btw. I've heard about 'apps' so I'd like to get on board and use them. I don't download games, play games, movies etc.. which I doubt will change.

Been offered 400 free minutes (my average useage is 318 mins) for £20.50 p/m which looks like a good deal to me. But what do I know! I will ask them to bump it up to 500 and say they've got a deal but I have no idea what phone to ask for. Ease of use/simplicity is another major factor!

 

[Blaby blue blood]

Try this website, http://www.buymobilephones.net/

They usually have decent deals on, and as its just an online store, they have no overheads so are generally cheaper than anyone else. Next day delivery too.

I recently found a deal for a chap at work with O2 from this site, he rang O2 to see if they could match it and they couldn't get anywhere near! He's had no problems with them, good customer service etc. Worth a browse.

 

[consty]

thanks I'll check it out though the conservative side in me hesitates to go beyond the comfort zone of using my network provider (I would haggle the best deal though). I will check out your advice though & maybe defect to this company thanks

 

[Scodger Cubs]

With the offers, do you have to pay anything up front for the handset as well as the monthly payment?

 

[Blaby blue blood]

thanks I'll check it out though the conservative side in me hesitates to go beyond the comfort zone of using my network provider (I would haggle the best deal though). I will check out your advice though & maybe defect to this company thanks

You don't need to defect, its just a company selling phones, like Carphone Warehouse. All the main network providers are there, just cheaper than if you went to an orange shop.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

Try this website, http://www.buymobilephones.net/

They usually have decent deals on, and as its just an online store, they have no overheads so are generally cheaper than anyone else. Next day delivery too.

I recently found a deal for a chap at work with O2 from this site, he rang O2 to see if they could match it and they couldn't get anywhere near! He's had no problems with them, good customer service etc. Worth a browse.

I had a lot of trouble with that company a couple of years ago, led to me not having a phone for over a month because they sent me a faulty one, had me send it back and failed to fix or replace it, I only got things sorted when I started sending emails to their md copying their local head of trading standards. They had to pay me some compensation but I personally wouldn't touch them.

 

[Matt_B]

Please, even if you don't use it for much, don't get the Windows Mobile phone, especially as it's a Nokia. I wouldn't even wish that on cafe or terry south.

 

[pds]

Anyone got a Galaxy S III? On the verge of getting one.

 

[lanxfox jnr]

Anyone got a Galaxy S III? On the verge of getting one.

No, but a friend at school has one, looks the dogs danglers.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

Anyone got a Galaxy S III? On the verge of getting one.

Problems I'm finding with android phones are mainly to do with the software that the manufacturers add in such as the launchers etc. I'm getting the galaxy nexus because this doesn't have any of this useless bloatware.

 

[Siouxsie]

I've had a Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 for a month. Like you I barely use my mobile phone other than for making calls and texts( ie so far I haven't changed any of the default settings nor downloaded any apps. other than adding Facebook) so there was no point in having the Galaxy SIII like my daughter . I do find it ok to look at the net but unlike my kids I'm not on it permanently. The camera, weirdly doesn't seem to have a zoom, but the picture quality is generally good. For my purposes I'm happy with it.

 

[Macky]

The camera, weirdly doesn't seem to have a zoom

Try the volume control on the side of the handset

 

[Matt_B]

Problems I'm finding with android phones are mainly to do with the software that the manufacturers add in such as the launchers etc. I'm getting the galaxy nexus because this doesn't have any of this useless bloatware.

I rooted this phone to get around the bloatware and will do the same when I get a Galaxy 3 I believe. The main downside to that is that the sky player won't work.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

I rooted this phone to get around the bloatware and will do the same when I get a Galaxy 3 I believe. The main downside to that is that the sky player won't work.

Personally not a fan of rooting phones, opens up all sorts of backdoors that enterprising villains can make use of and the Google apps market (Play Store) certainly has plenty of loopholes which allow unsafe apps through, it's the problem with open source.

 

[Matt_B]

Personally not a fan of rooting phones, opens up all sorts of backdoors that enterprising villains can make use of and the Google apps market (Play Store) certainly has plenty of loopholes which allow unsafe apps through, it's the problem with open source.

It's not for everyone, I agree. I've never done it before, but since rooting I have installed AVG to add a bit more protection.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

It's not for everyone, I agree. I've never done it before, but since rooting I have installed AVG to add a bit more protection.

That's the problem, you've rooted to get rid of some software you don't want or need and now have to add AVG which runs all the time and you shouldn't want or need.

 

[spionfox]

I rooted this phone to get around the bloatware .

At some point I must try that on my HTC Desire. The amount of crap Orange put on isn't just annoying it actually causes out of space errors when installing new apps.

 

[Blaby blue blood]

I had a lot of trouble with that company a couple of years ago, led to me not having a phone for over a month because they sent me a faulty one, had me send it back and failed to fix or replace it, I only got things sorted when I started sending emails to their md copying their local head of trading standards. They had to pay me some compensation but I personally wouldn't touch them.

Really? That's not good. Chap at work has had no problems what so ever. Maybe they've cleaned up their act in the last couple of years.

The lesson here kids, Shop safe, shop smart!

 

[Macky]

Personally not a fan of rooting phones, opens up all sorts of backdoors that enterprising villains can make use of and the Google apps market (Play Store) certainly has plenty of loopholes which allow unsafe apps through, it's the problem with open source.

Rooting certainly can open up vulnerabilities, but it's nothing to do with Android being Open Source

 

[Biffa Bacon]

Rooting certainly can open up vulnerabilities, but it's nothing to do with Android being Open Source

My meaning was open source software makes things easier for the programmers to write malware and googles not so active in stoping it getting to peoples hardware, i probably could have been clearer