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Thread: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

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    Now with added sobriety Rave's Avatar
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    Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    Righto, long story short, 18 months ago I threatened to leave o2 and they persuaded me to stay by offering me a (mint) refurb N95 8gb, 400 mins and 200 texts for £10 a month. I just got my bill this month and it's £33, the discount rate has expired. I quite like the N95 but I don't think my deal included internet and for some very odd reason I could never fathom I can't get a 3G connection in London, so I've never used it.

    I quite fancy the idea though, and so I reckon I want an Android phone. I have no internet access at work whether I'm in the office or out on the road, so I think I would find it handy to be able to browse on my mobile. The thread in BH about the T-Mobile Pulse got me interested. I only use about 60-80 mins and texts a month and the sim deal with the Pulse seems to offer unlimited texts and internet if you top up £10 a month.

    However I expect that o2 will be keen to offer me a deal to stay if I phone up their retentions team. Do o2 offer any good Android phones? I could only find a Samsung one which everyone was moaning about the lack of support for. And should I be fixated on Android? Would I be as well served by a WM or Symbian phone? In which case any suggestions?

    I could, in the meantime, scrap my o2 contract and just get a T-Mobile sim, and upgrade the firmware in my n95 to try and speed it up a a bit, while I wait for the price of Android handsets to drop. Or I could drop £70 on a Samsung Tocco or summat. Decidions, decisions....all help in making my mind up appreciated.

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    Re: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    I would suggest you go try a windows mobile and android phone first to see if either you prefer

    O2 have no good androids currently, with the iPhone/Pre I can't see this changing
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    Re: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    O2 have the Samsung Galaxy Android. Really good device, possibly worth looking into that. I would avoid Symbian devices and go for WM or Android .

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    Re: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    The Palm Pre is a lovely, lovely device - but the app store for it is tiny.

    In terms of Android devices, the Samsung Galaxy is very nice - but the software is old, and Samsung have shown no signs of real dedication to the platform (HTC are hot on this)

    Windows Mobile is something you'll need to go out of your way to buy, as IME most salesmen simply won't let you try a device out due to the extraordinarily high return rates on WM devices compared to more human-friendly phones. That said, I tried a recent HTC in a T-Mobile shop thanks to a salesman who was quitting that week, and it was okay - not really suited for fingertip usage, but okay.

    There's the Nokia N900, for huge nerds.

    There's always the iPhone.

    For Android, your top picks right now are the Motorola Milestone (if you can find anyone who isn't Expansys to sell you one), or the HTC Hero. The Huawei U8220 (T-Mobile Pulse) is extraordinarily good value though.

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    Re: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    I am on O2 as well, I used to have an N95 8gb and I was also disappointed by their android offerings so I went with a sim free Hero for £360 and a £18 a month simplicity 1 month rolling contract which includes unlimited inter net. I worked out that after 18 months the cost would be the same as getting a new phone on a £35-40 a month contract anyway when I included the money I got for my N95 (£118 on Mazuma mobile). If/when they do a hero 2 I have the option to just get a new contract and then Mazuma the Hero. Fair enough its been a fairly costly upgrade upfront but I gotta say, I bloody love this phone!
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    Re: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    As well as the free internet/texts with T-Mobile's "Mates Rate" PAYG when you top up £10, you can get "unlimited" (usual 1Gb or so fair use, I think) internet for 1 month for £5, or 6 months for £20, which was a factor in choosing the Pulse; I hardly bother with calls and texts so a big inclusive contract would be pointless, and most other PAYG offerings get expensive for data.

    I'd see what O2 offer, and if it isn't much maybe grab a free T-Mobile SIM and wait to see what turns up, with Android 2.0 just out and a bunch of new HTC handsets to come there might be some bargains as old stock is shifted and people upgrade.

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    Re: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    I'm with O2 as well, but I opted to buy a G1 off ebay and get a SIM-only £20 a month contract, with the free unlimited web bolt-on. Got more minutes and texts than I care to even think about using, but the internet is the main thing.

    It means a bit of money up front to buy the phone, but you pay less a month than most contacts.

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    Re: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    http://www.hotukdeals.com/item/56631...phone-now-150-

    Looks good, it is quite big though
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    Re: Want a smartphone- please advise this n00b

    I was in this (well, not exactly, but similar) position about a month or so ago. I spoke to a T-Mobile staff member and they told me the best value pay as you go data option is the. '6monthweb' option. For £20, I think it's worth serious consideration. The only issue with this is T-Mobile's actual call&text prices.

    If you think you would text or talk a lot, this is probably not ideal for you, but for data alone is a good deal. Fair use is 40mb per day, which is pretty reasonable.

    As for handsets, I looked at the pulse, but settled on the g2 on contract (same phone as the HTC Hero).

    After having tried Android, Symbian & Windows Mobile, I can definitely recommend Android. It is brilliant to use, and pretty snappy.

    Hope this helps.

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