Best Vodafone Phone for budget up to $470?

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zaptor

745 posts

Ultimate Geek

#15996 19-Sep-2007 15:01

Hi,

Can anyone recommend the best phone in that price range (or lower of course please).

Number one priority is voice quality.

Would like something that leans more towards substance than style. Would consider a smart phone or GSM capable PDA phone if I could get one in that price. Must be an official NZ Vodafone phone though - no GSM capable imports.

Thanks in advance.

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970 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#87185 19-Sep-2007 16:23

Hi there,

putting my corporate sales hat on (sort of), we've just launched the V715, retailing for $299 without a plan. It has a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, mini USB slot and a 1GB miniSD card included in the price. Voice quality is fine from the brief play I've had with it...

But there are around 30 mobiles on the website that will fit in your price bracket... I've been using the Motorola V3x recently and enjoying that. Great sound quality and quite robust.

I'm sure there'll be other recommendations/mobiles to avoid as well coming your way.

Cheers

Paul

Paul Brislen
Head of Corporate Communications
Vodafone

http://forum.vodafone.co.nz

ninjabear

460 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#87395 20-Sep-2007 16:48

How about a nokia 6234 or a 6288

I've sold alot of motorola mobiles and most of them have problems so I dont recommend motorola mobiles as well as that Motorola V3x is over 2 years old.It's a bit old now.

VFNZPaulBrislen

970 posts

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#87397 20-Sep-2007 17:03

The Nokias are fine phones as well. I have a liking for the Motorola screen and while the phone is older, I take that to mean they've ironed out any bugs in the software.

Nokia always makes good, dependable phones with good battery life.

Depends what you're after of course.

Cheers

Paul

Paul Brislen
Head of Corporate Communications
Vodafone

http://forum.vodafone.co.nz

ninjabear

460 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#87399 20-Sep-2007 17:14

Motorola mobiles seem to have a longer battery life than Nokia but if your looking for a smartphone nokia would be a better choice

I have a Nokia N73 which I bought from Hong kong .I bought 2 extra batteries and a desktop charger.I also bought a battery charger which can charge up my mobile without a power..

but I doubt you will use your mobile excessively

I find that if you text quite alot Nokia drains alot of battery life.

paradoxsm

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#87411 20-Sep-2007 18:01

Voice quality primary? Forget motorola which echo and buzz and Sony Ericsson models which sound tinny at present.
Motorola are improving however but let's wait this one out....

My personal choice in that price range would be Nokia 6234. Easy to use good customisation, Good voice quality, good large and raised keypad buttons, loud ringer and superb loudspeaker mode and camera that works resonably with fantastic video recording and a high-quality viewable display.
I'm sure I saw them on sale for $295 at a "big box" retailer the other day.

The bad is that the ringtones have a 5 second "warning" when it's quieter than full blast but overall it's extremely loud.
the default font size is very small and the standard theme is horrible but I can supply you with a high visibility theme to install which is much easer to read.
Videocalls are one-way only as it does not have the second camera so you are flipping it.

6288 is the same phone in a slider case with the second video camera but i thought the keypad was a bit cramped.

Paul, do Huawei or Sagem make that VFNZ branded one?

VFNZPaulBrislen

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#87416 20-Sep-2007 18:31

paradoxsm:

Paul, do Huawei or Sagem make that VFNZ branded one?

The V715 is a Huawei unit. I haven't tried one before and found it really quite good. Anyone else got any impressions of the Huawei kit?

Paul Brislen
Head of Corporate Communications
Vodafone

http://forum.vodafone.co.nz

ninjabear

460 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#87441 20-Sep-2007 20:02

paradoxsm: Voice quality primary? Forget motorola which echo and buzz and Sony Ericsson models which sound tinny at present.
Motorola are improving however but let's wait this one out....

My personal choice in that price range would be Nokia 6234. Easy to use good customisation, Good voice quality, good large and raised keypad buttons, loud ringer and superb loudspeaker mode and camera that works resonably with fantastic video recording and a high-quality viewable display.
I'm sure I saw them on sale for $295 at a "big box" retailer the other day.

The bad is that the ringtones have a 5 second "warning" when it's quieter than full blast but overall it's extremely loud.
the default font size is very small and the standard theme is horrible but I can supply you with a high visibility theme to install which is much easer to read.
Videocalls are one-way only as it does not have the second camera so you are flipping it.

6288 is the same phone in a slider case with the second video camera but i thought the keypad was a bit cramped.

Paul, do Huawei or Sagem make that VFNZ branded one?

Can you explain what you are refering to .What is the 5 second warning?Do you mean there's delay of 5 seconds before the ringtone is produced?

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

paradoxsm

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#87461 20-Sep-2007 21:38

The ringtone is played at 50% volume for the first 5 seconds if you have the volume level set to "full"
the only glitch with this is that messaging alerts follow the same rules.

Otherwise it's played at the standard volume you set throughout (80% for example) which is rather loud anyway, of course I like to have phones that blare at alarm decibels so I can hear them while i'm in town etc.

The great part about this phone is that the Equalizer settings affects all applications and system notifications.

ninjabear

460 posts

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Inactive user

#87468 20-Sep-2007 23:12

Maybe it's a bug with 6234?

Hmm doesn't happen with my N73

zaptor

745 posts

Ultimate Geek

#87505 21-Sep-2007 09:39

Thanks for the responses guys.

I noticed that Vodafone have the Nokia 6288 on special for $449 (within budget):
http://store.vodafone.co.nz/mobile_details_summary.aspx?ptrecno=3102

How would that compare with the Nokia 6234?

I understand the 6288 is probably a better featured phone (higher price point), however, the voice quality is the determining factor.

Thanks again.

mikal

172 posts

Master Geek

#87509 21-Sep-2007 10:32

I have used both phones (6234 & 6288) honestly I could not notice a single difference technically other than the fact it looks different and there is a camera on the front of the 6288 for 3G video calling.
However I have seen ALOT of people with a 6234 and I hate having the same phone alot of other people have, so I would fork the extra $49 to having something a little different :).

ninjabear

460 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#87521 21-Sep-2007 12:08

mikal: I have used both phones (6234 & 6288) honestly I could not notice a single difference technically other than the fact it looks different and there is a camera on the front of the 6288 for 3G video calling.
However I have seen ALOT of people with a 6234 and I hate having the same phone alot of other people have, so I would fork the extra $49 to having something a little different :).

I agree

zaptor

745 posts

Ultimate Geek

#87865 24-Sep-2007 11:14

Thanks chaps.

Unfortunately, the budget has now decreased to $300. Which puts the 6234 out of range now

I'll still lean towards the Nokia's based on what others have said (Nokia 3109?).

However, I've noticed that Nokia don't have any 3G phones within the budget.

Can anyone tell me if a 3G phone has any significant advantage in terms of voice quality over the 2/2.5G-only phones?

BrentR

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#87872 24-Sep-2007 12:10

The Vodafone 715 is $299 and 3G :) or the Samsung Z540V

paradoxsm

3000 posts

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#87981 24-Sep-2007 20:51

No they are just newer. You can always force the 3G phone onto 2G and is advised unless you need the high speed data or do videocalls.

Last week, a few retailers has the 6234 for $299, it seems to have now jumped back up again to $399 everywhere, $359 on the online shop.

If you are patient, it will drop again, the next step downwards is quite a nasty step backwards. (lo-res STN screen, no camera or bad one)

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