Need a new phone opinions please

[Gunbuster]

Hi all,

my T68i is on the way out, the battery is going and the front fascia is being kept on with the phone-skin case.
My previous phone was a Nokia 3330 which was also very nice.
I've realised I don't need or want a phone thats too singing or dancing, but as long as its good. As I'm looking for it to last me a while I'm going to buy new this time around. I'm looking for opinions and suggested alternatives.

I would like the phone to be a standard bar type or sliding type, not a folding or gameboy type one. I am not bothered with a Camera, Java, Polyphonic rings or video. I would like PC syncing (but not essential), good battery life (esp stand by) and a colour screen. Also must be sim free, no contact and £160 max.

I'm currently considering:
SE T630 Black
+ Customisable, bluetooth syncing, nice screen
- battery life? non-replacable outside

SE K500i
+ Customisable, faster OS, nice screen
- battery life? non-replacable outside, expensive.

Nokia 2600
+ Cheap, replaceble outside, no-unused features, good battery
- no syncing, not out yet

Nokia 6610
+ no-unused features, replaceble outside, usb syncing
- availablity (ie replaced by 6610i)

Nokia 6220
+ replaceble outside, usb syncing
- availablity (ie replaced by 6230)

I also quite like the Orange C500, but its too expensive and I wouldn't use half of it. I'm open to other makes, but I don't like Motorolla or Panasonic.

[Aaron]

Well, you'll be glad to know that the C500 is a complete disaster. The Java JVM is broken on it and 99% of Java games will not run on it.

It's also very ugly, you have to take the battery out to swap memory cards and apparently the battery life is shoddy too.

I'd probably go with one of the Nokia 6xxx phones you mentioned. They're not the most exciting phones in the world but they've got some well-implimented features and great battery life. The Nokia 6610i can be had for £149 from the Carphone Warehouse.

The only negative is that the Nokia sync software can be a little tempremental.

[bmh.01]

Well I would (and did) go for a se k700i but that might be out of your price range though.

[Jiff Lemon]

I've always found Non-microsoft stuff to be crap at PC syncing - From Palms to phones. My Mpx200 may not have the greatest battery life in the world, but it's chargeable via standard mini usb and therefore whenever I'm near a pc (90% of my life!) I'm near a charger. Needless to say, It syncs fantasically!

From your list I'd say either of the 6 series nokia's - From what I gather, the Nokia data suite has come along a fair bit, so there's hope for PC sync yet.

[Gunbuster]

Thanks for the quick responce guys.
Aaron: Yeah, I heard about the C500 being rubbish, tho I personally like the style and attempt to make a more normal looking phone.
bmh.01: how fast is the OS? my T68i is pretty slow at text and it has a lot of needless menus between me writing and choosing a contact to send to.
Jiff: Yeah I know people who use and love the MPX200s, just everyone I've known with a normal Motorolla has had nothing but bother with them.

I didn't really explain by syncing, I use Floats Mobile Agent with my T68i and I find it alot easier to manage my contacts than using the phone normally. I don't use Outlook at home.

[DeludedGuy]

I hear the 6220 is a great phone, I have the 6230, and would recoment that!

[Gunbuster]

DeludedGuy: whats the screen like? all the shots I've seen of the 6220/6230 make it look smaller than the T630

[DeludedGuy]

Yeh, the T630 has a bigger screen, not by much though. I feel that the screen on my nokia 6230 is just fine, and cant see why it should be bigger. Best thing is to go to any mobile phoen shop and check them out for yourself.

[daniel_owen_uk]

Either 6230 or Lg U8120 depending on what you want it for.

[MAS]

[QUOTE=Gunbuster] Yeah I know people who use and love the MPX200s, just everyone I've known with a normal Motorolla has had nothing but bother with them.
[QUOTE]

I had an MPX200 and, despite it's good features, it was the worst phone I've ever owned. The software faults on it were numerous. It was so bad that Orange had to recall all of theirs and if one went faulty, they were offering people Nokia 6600s as replacements because they knew that if they swapped it for another MPX, it would just develop another fault. A few people seem to have been lucky and had decent handsets. I spoke to the head of purchasing at Orange and he told me that they couldnt give the handsets away; I've dealt with other retailers/networks and they said the same thing.

Since then I bought a Motorola v80 and it's the best phone I've ever owned. A lot of people seem to have a bad rep for Motorola, but since the V600 they've come a long way and the quality of their handsets has massively improved.

As for your choices - 6220 is a good phone, so is the SET630. I havent had a play with a K500i but I think they look good. One thing I dont like about Nokias, and the reason I've stopped buying them, is the screen quality is crap. The screen on the T630 is sharper and probably a bit bigger. If you're in doubt, go into a mobile shop and compare them.

[Twigman]

Sony Ericsson all the way. T630 is nice.

[DeludedGuy]

The screen on the T630 is not better than the screen on the 6230, they are equally as good. They both have the same amount of colours. The earlier nokias had poor screens, like the 6100 for example. But now they are probably the best. Plus the 6230 has a nice video feauture, you can record multiple 4 minute videos, plus an mp3 player, and MMC card to store mp3s, vids, images etc...it really is the best phone for its price range and size. Thing I like most is the bluetooth, fantastic for transfering files.

You would not be dissapointed with the nokia 6230

[Gunbuster]

Seems to be a head to head between the T630 and the 6610i as the 6220/30 is just out of my league. I'll go and try them out in a shop. The 6610i has an insane standby time (400+ hrs) that would be really handy for me. Thanks for all the help everyone.

[DeludedGuy]

m8, I also thought the 6230 was out of my league, but then I worked it out, If i got the online everyone 200 with T-Mobile, the phone would only cost me £50, and in a year the total would be £300. So thats £350 for the phone, and 200 minutes free every month.

It was a bargain, since I used to spend about £20 a month on pay&go vouchers, and they wouldnt last long.

It was the best option for me, it does depend what you want the phone for, and how musch you spend talking.

[DeludedGuy]

Also, after 12 months they give me about £150 off for a new phone, so I could buy a good phone, and then sell it on eBay.

[Gunbuster]

Yeah, but the most I've ever paid in a month on my Orange Virgin equivalent tariff is £7.50 usually its under £5. I get free voice mail calls, pay as you rates, but paying monthly by direct debit so no out of date vouchers or worrying about topping up. Its not available anymore and suits me down to the ground. Also all my friends are on Orange and they give much better service in my area. O2 & T-mobile are appaling service here. Thanks for the heads up tho, but its just not for me.