Which mobile phone! Recommend me some...

[cptwhite_uk]

While my PC knowledge is pretty decent, my knowledge of mobile phones leaves a lot to be desired. I'm currently using a SonyEricsson K750i which was fantastic in it's day but positively pre-historic by today's standards.

I'm open to any deals as I'm currently on pay-as-you-go but don't want to spend more than £20 per month for a contract ideally (£25 max if it's an uber phone), although if the contract is right and the phone does what I need I don't mind a long length contract as I tend to stick with a phone for a long time anyway.

As I'm considering the switch from Be* to 02 for my broadband, an O2 contract is ideally what I'm after (so I get doscounted BB price), although other networks will be considered if the deal is good.

So what do I want in the phone? Most important at top:
Responsive (no lag through bloatware/poor spec)
High quality camera (3.2mp or higher with a good lens)
Compact & Light (I don't want to carry breeze black around with me unless it's a full multimedia device)
3G Internet browsing

Would be nice to have (but can live without):
Decent MP3 Playback
Modern mobile gaming platform

Not important to me:
Video calling
Video playback

Can people give me some suggestions as I've no idea where to start. I've been looking at the iPhone 3G 8Gb and it looks brilliant except it's just a bit more than I'm willing to pay at the moment, it's camera is rubbish by all accounts and this is a very important feature for me that I'm not really willing to compromise on.

I guess my thoughts are I'm willing to go big and bulky if I get all the features I want at the right price, if I have to compromise on features (3G, decent internet browsing) then I want it as compact and light as possible with just standard phone features and a decent camera. I'm not bothered about a half-way solution with poor internet browsing ability. Either it's done properly a la iPhone 3G or I'm not interested!

Any help appreciated...

[cptwhite_uk]

After much searching I think the LG Arena may be the one for me:

http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/basket.a...oc=MNM_5981380 - £20 a month, 24 month contract, 200 min 200 texts.

Can anyone confirm buying through dial-a-phone I'll be eligible for O2 broadband discount, I assume the contract is stil with O2, right?

Only thing I need clarifying is whether the Arena can use Wifi where available?

[dbh]

You still qualify for 02 broadband discount even if you're on PAYG afaik. So going through dialaphone shouldn't affect it.

[smithy1158]

iPhone pay as you go from £342 or ebay it for a first gen iPhone £180-£250.

Then get an Orange contract £15 or £20 a month - Umlimited texts, 200 anytime minutes of calls.

You will have to jailbreak it though (very easy) to unlock it to Orange.
1000's of free and commercial games and applications and an iPod too!

[dbh]

I ended up getting a HTC Touch Diamond II from play.com last night.

http://www.htc.com/www/product/touch.../overview.html

800x480 res screen mmm lovely

[Salazaar]

I'd be interested to find out how you get on with it. I got the original Diamond and I wasn't all that satisfied in the end...

[Hicks12]

The LG Renoir is also a good phone, lagged a bit then i updated to latest lg firmware and halfed the lag but now tried custom firmware(mine broke somehow...) and now it flys!. I have togo but will answer in more detail when im back, post questions aswell.

Ps: The LG renoir can be had for £14 p/m 12month contract 150mins/500txt on vodafone, including quidco cashback(mines tracked) or £18 pm without quidco.

[cptwhite_uk]

Thanks for the tip Hicks. Would be interested it know what the camera and mobile internet is like on the Renoir. £14 a month does that included 3G data allowance, or if not any idea how much extra I'd be looking at for that?

[Hicks12]

The camera seems good, obviously a dedicated beats it but its better than any phones i have seen, my dad has the nokia 6500 slide(3.2mp camera i think) and thats alot worse so not bad. Dont use internet much but will play around with it tomorrow, doesnt seem the best though and no it doesnt include allowence but i can check tomorrow. Its at dial-a-phone.

[Zenin]

the n97 is guna be very good, with a price to match

[shadowmaster]

I have the lg arena, very good phone and ticks all your boxes. Very responsive and arguably the best screen and sound quality (800*480) I've ever seen on a mobile.

[DeludedGuy]

I ended up getting a HTC Touch Diamond II from play.com last night.

http://www.htc.com/www/product/touch.../overview.html

800x480 res screen mmm lovely

Excellent choice, im considering that or the Xperia X1, just 2 more months until my upgrade

[cptwhite_uk]

Well all done and ordered now:

LG Arena is arriving tomorrow - 200 min + 200 texts / per month + £7.50 unlimited wifi bolt-on.

Will have pictures of the product, photo samples, and mini review for you lot in due course.

[shadowmaster]

Well all done and ordered now:

LG Arena is arriving tomorrow - 200 min + 200 texts / per month + £7.50 unlimited wifi bolt-on.

Will have pictures of the product, photo samples, and mini review for you lot in due course.

Good choice, what network, O2?

[dbh]

Excellent choice, im considering that or the Xperia X1, just 2 more months until my upgrade

I'll let you know how it goes. As I was hung up between the X1, The Diamond 2 and the touch HD. What sold it for me in the end was the fact that the D2 is a lot lighter than the other two 117g opposed to 145g and smaller but still got a nice big 3.2" screen @ 800x480. You can get the X1 on ebay for about 300 sim free brand new and on xda there are so many people who have it so a good support base there. X1 would be a good choice but the slide out keys I felt were too dinky for me. If keys are going to be that small I thought I might as well just go with the touch screen (and apparently the D2's touch screen is pretty damn good so they say! will find out tomorrow when my phone arrives )

[cptwhite_uk]

Shadowmaster: Yes O2