On Phones.

I believe my cell phone search is in full swing. I’ve spent most of the day thinking about various phones, plans, and whether I even need one in the first place. I’m currently on T-Mobile and pay about $45 a month for minutes I never use and unlimited texting. My phone’s two years old, buggy, and I think it’s time to move on.

I went into both T-Mobile and AT&T stores today to discover that qwerty phones are on their way out. What? Am I really ten years late on this bandwagon? I thought sidekicks were cool! Meanwhile, everything is TOUCHSCREEN. Dude, fuck touchscreens. Sure, they’re useful, but as a primary mode of inputting data, they suck ass. I like my physical keyboards (fuck you, windows 8). As an aside, the optical sensor on my phone died a long time ago (I think it’s my fault, water damage), so if I didn’t have all those keys, I’d be fubared.

I say AT&T, because I had zero issues with their network when I had a gophone. Yes, even the gophone network was decent for me. Moreover, the girl has an iPhone, and she ALWAYS has more bars than me. When we were in the Mayan Riviera, I had no service, and she had five bars. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE JUNGLE, MAN. It’s hard reading online reviews or even talking to people, because everybody thinks their carrier sucks ass.

I’m having major sticker shock over the general monthly prices of other networks. Both AT&T and Verizon would have me pay them $80 a month for minutes I won’t use, unlimited texting, and some base data. (I seriously average ten minutes of call time a month. If that. And they’re all to Candi.) Some part of me thinks I should just stay with T-Mobile, because the only real big dead zone is, ironically, Montclair.

As far as type of phone, I’ve managed to warm myself up to blackberries in the past few hours. Literally hours, as prior to today, I had zero interest in them as a brand. But given my desire for qwerty, I’ve had to expand my options. This has lead me to the Blackberry Torch 9810. ( http://forwardthinking.pcmag.com/phones/286649-blackberry-torch-9810-first-impressions ) I like the form factor. As much as I like to think about gadgets, my phone is, in fact, a communications device. I know, shocking, right?

I’m in no hurry, but it’s all on my mind now, and it’s making me excited for something new and shiny that’s going to give me cancer over the rest of my life. Oh wait, did I say that out loud? Oh well.

Also, if I didn’t point it out, cell phone plans feel like a giant scam. We should see prices drop in the next ten years. All they need to do is build the goddamned infrastructure and reap the rewards. YOU’D THINK.

Dolor Angelicus

I bought a phone maybe 18 months or two years ago. I just got the cheapest model they had, because damn near everything else required a data plan. Fuck data plans. Fuck phones. And, seriously, fuck touch screens on phones. My finger is bigger than whatever I want to tap; who thought that was a good idea?

Dork

ting.com?

“I like my physical keyboards” ME TOO!!! I’m due for a upgrade and probably need it since nobody can seem to hear me when they call. I dread looking for a new phone because I just want to call and text, I don’t need a touchscreen and data package. I doubt I’ll have many options.

That Blackberry doesn’t look bad but I like that my current phone opens the long ways so the keyboard is bigger :/

I have T-mobile and I like it. I have been with them since 2001. And I just heard from someone who has Tmobile as well say that if you call and complain enough about your phone you will get a replacement (either new phone or different model) depending on how many times you have called to complain (the magic number seems to be 3 times.)

twelvewaystodelve

June 3, 2013

I’ve had the 9810 for the past 18 months. I am not looking to give it up any time soon. If you have specific questions on the phone, you can always ask.

AT&T treats you like you are LUCKY they allow you to pay them a hundred bucks a month for their damned services. And my phone does nothing but call. No text, no data. I don’t think it even takes pictures. I want one of those old lady phones where you pay ahead of time and reload your account as needed.

ryn: Looks exactly like mine. It’s an LG Octane.

Dibrom

I just reluctantly upgraded to an Iphone 4 (it was free). My nice LG 9800 or whatever (popular flip phone from 2006) fared me very well these past seven years. I would’ve kept the damn thing, but I will be training in MS for five weeks and it barely holds a charge anymore. I couldn’t risk not being able to communicate while these. My luck, it would’ve died the day I arrived.

I hate data plans; I hate touchscreen phones (I love my DS/3DS though)! The phone is a phone and should be a phone. Texting is one thing, but surfing on a tiny screen and being absorbed in LaLa Land all day is another. I hate the idea of it (and how much I pay for it) but I love the camera… so I guess companies just go with the new tech, hoping we’ll all be lemmings. 🙁

slightly bitter

If you go for straight talk or net10 or something like that, you can just get some cheap qwerty phone and not have to pay for a data plan. Go to Walmart and look at their connections center by the electronics department and they can probably hook you up with something a little less flash and more function.

sourapple

One of my clients has a case for her iPhone that has a slide-out qwerty, akin to the Sidekick. I’m super excited to give it a try. I’ve adapted to the touchscreen, but it would be AWESOME to have a real keyboard again! I had an android for a brief period and the swype feature annoyed the heck out of me. Until I got used to it. Then I fell in love!!! If the iPhone had swype I’m not sure I’d even miss the keyboard.

Greenie

June 4, 2013

I refuse to pay a lot for a cell phone. We’ve always had prepaid phones. Right now I have some Motorola phone (I think) from Tracfone. I load it up once a year for $100 and I’m good to go. I don’t even use all the minutes, and it averages out to about $8 a month. Sweet deal.

J and I are switching from Verizon back to Tmo. They have some pretty decent prepaid plans. We’re going to get their $30 or $35 a month plan that has 100 mins per phone, unlimited text and unlimited data. It is a prepay so you pay for your phone yourself, upfront or buying used somewhere. And I think it’s new activation only. But we’ll pay $70 for 2 phones, instead of the $140 on Verizon! Plan andphone prices are so outrageous!!