Advice needed on smartphones

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Meez

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#114380 18-Feb-2013 10:16

I've been with 2 degrees for ages on prepay but am looking to have a smartphone on a monthly plan. I've looked up a lot of phones in the past week or so and there are good and bad reviews on all of them. Can anyone actually recommend something? I'd go with either 2 degrees or vodafone. Is the Samsung Galaxy Pocket worth looking at? I'd be using it for talk, text, email and probably Facebook.

Any help appreciated!

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#764014 18-Feb-2013 10:23

I don't really understand how people want a smartphone and than choose something like Samsung Galaxy Pocket in 2013. For me it looks like I want sport car and choose station wagon...

get something that has 4" screen + 1gb ram and you will have a better experience even with some no-Name brands from pandawill.

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sidefx

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#764015 18-Feb-2013 10:24

Depends how far you can stretch your budget really; I picked up an HTC Desire X for the better half on boxing day sale for $199. She seems to like it and when I've played with it it seems far far superior to my LG P500. Motorola Atrix 2 is another one that looks decent if you can find it on sale.

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Meez

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#764022 18-Feb-2013 10:44

Thanks. I'm a student so I have to be frugal with the phone this year at least.

jeffnz

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#764032 18-Feb-2013 10:55

I agree with kobiak you won't like it that much. Check out local dealers as there are always specials going around or if you are going monthly then it will sbe subsidised but tied into a contract.

The pocket is cheap but absurdly slow and with only 289mb of ram you will not be able to run too much.

Check out trademe you might find something there that is better for you

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billgates

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#764047 18-Feb-2013 11:18

Nokia Lumia 620. Will cost you under $400 and comes in variety of colours.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/07/nokia-lumia-620-review/

http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/15/rethinking-the-flagship-nokia-lumia-620/

http://www.expansys.co.nz/s.aspx?search=nokia lumia 620

Do whatever you want to do man.

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#764132 18-Feb-2013 12:58

Think that is over his budget but for just under $400 there is a huge choice open, well apart from Iphone

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#764169 18-Feb-2013 14:09

My 2c worth:

Anything with a screen under 3.5" is probably going to be really annoying.
3.5" was original iphone size and my cheap old galaxy ace has a 3.5" screen. I have heard numerous people grizzle about smaller display on phones being annoying..

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#764216 18-Feb-2013 15:20

advice needed + student + monthly plan?

advice: only go into debt for 3 things - education (one), house (one), car (toyota corolla)

advice: buy outright under $199 - either a big sale (hint easter) or trademe for less than half the price of new

eXDee

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#765217 18-Feb-2013 15:50

IMO buying outright + $19 prepay combo is a good idea for a student.

myopinion

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#765219 18-Feb-2013 15:51

Going into debt for a car is not a good idea. You may as well get a pile of cash and burn it.

Agree with most of the other advice here...sign up to a contract (why not? you're going to have a phone for 24 months anyway?) and get the best subsidised phone you can afford. Try out 2 degrees.

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#765225 18-Feb-2013 16:01

how is one going to live a life with no transportation? (i guess if you job gave you a car that would be best)

anyway - $29/mth x24 gives you a brick that sends txt and makes noise

$19/mth x 24 gives you $240 which you can use to do anything

and you don't pay for the months you are not using the phone - like if you're hibernating or on holiday or your some other business that students do

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Meez

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#765904 19-Feb-2013 19:12

Thanks all. I decided to save for a good phone. :)

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#765914 19-Feb-2013 19:23

joker97: advice: only go into debt for 3 things - education (one), house (one), car (toyota corolla)

education - YES

house - NO

car - NO

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#765927 19-Feb-2013 19:42

I take it you'd rather study for fifteen years doing a random phd taking up two hundred grand worth of student loans and flatting while some one I know quit uni took a huge loan bought ten properties in due time and now aged twenty five never needs to work again thanks to capital gains ... by the way her 2nd hand car was needed to renovate and property manage in Auckland. Taxi fares would have been quite dear

nakedmolerat

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#765935 19-Feb-2013 20:16

joker97: I take it you'd rather study for fifteen years doing a random phd taking up two hundred grand worth of student loans and flatting while some one I know quit uni took a huge loan bought ten properties in due time and now aged twenty five never needs to work again thanks to capital gains ... by the way her 2nd hand car was needed to renovate and property manage in Auckland. Taxi fares would have been quite dear

Not everyone will achieve what he has achieved. It is a lot more than just take a loan and buy those houses. It takes huge effort to do what he did.

What is the point of paying $400,000 house with $40,000 deposit and you actually end up paying total of $800,000 over 30 years (this can go up with the interest). The house bought with a loan does not belongs to you but you continue needing to 'maintain', pay rates etc.

Same goes with car. Car is a liability. The value drops as it ages. You end up paying more to the bank, you do not own the car, but you still have to pay insurance, maintenance etc.

I believe in managing your own money, saving and work hard. Buy everything cash. Education is the only one that stays with you forever, even if you are financially bankrupt.

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