Cellphone advice? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Kipper is King · 06-29-2009, 08:54 PM

Before my birthday became terribly sad, my parents told me my gift was getting a cellphone. Their contracts with Telus are almost up. I was hoping people on CP could offer up some advice.

Firstly, my parents and I would be on a three year contract. Perhaps we would be looking for some form of a Share or Family plan as I think the shared minutes are nice. None of us would use a lot of voice minutes.

My parents are looking for very basic phones. I am looking for a reasonably priced smartphone. I thought perhaps the Palm Treo Pro or HTC Touch Pro would be good. Any other suggestions?

Is there anyway to get a particularly good deal? Especially considering that a data plan might be something I would like?

Iceman90 · 06-29-2009, 10:43 PM

I'd go to a Rogers contract. If you want a nice basic phone, I'd go with a RAZR. For a smart phone, the HTC Dream (Google Powered) is a really great phone.

ken0042 · 06-30-2009, 08:59 AM

Personally, I'm on Telus and I'm going to wait and see if October brings the iPhone to Telus stores.

Jayems · 06-30-2009, 09:01 AM

I HATED the HTC Touch. So did my brother, who had the Pro.

My brother in law loves his HTC Touch, however.

I have a blackberry and it is awesome for what I need it for.

GoinAllTheWay · 06-30-2009, 09:33 AM

I have the HTC P4000. I quite like their line up. Good phone although I do get the occasional annoying glitch since updating to WM6.1 where the touch screen becomes unresponsive at times. Not sure if a new O/S would help but this is a very powerful phone. Not quite as flashy as the iPhone but solid none the less. Unless your are kinda techy, no need for a good chunk of the features in it.

FanIn80 · 06-30-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

Personally, I'm on Telus and I'm going to wait and see if October brings the iPhone to Telus stores.

So are they really going through with the GSM switch? I haven't been keeping up with Belus lately... is it going to be GSM and CDMA, or are they dropping CDMA entirely?

Edit: Actually, come to think of it, even if they do bring in GSM... has there been any word at all (from anyone official) that they'd get the iPhone?

Russic · 06-30-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman90

I'd go to a Rogers contract. If you want a nice basic phone, I'd go with a RAZR. For a smart phone, the HTC Dream (Google Powered) is a really great phone.

If you went to Rogers I'd strongly recommend the iPhone. If not an iPhone, I'd go with the Dream. I've heard great things about the google phones.

Kipper is King · 06-30-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

I HATED the HTC Touch. So did my brother, who had the Pro.

OK. Could you explain why so I understand?

I am ripping out my hair trying to decide if I want a phone with Windows Mobile, something running Android or a Blackberry. Editing (or even just viewing) word documents and powerpoint slides on the go would be nice since I'm a university student. Also, a decent internet browsing experience is important.

Also, data plans! What's a good amount for the price and which carrier offers it? Bell offers unlimited for $45 a month, which would allow me to use my Slingbox, If I go for Rogers with the HTC Magic or Dream, I can get 6 gigs for $30. How worthwhile is Android, though?

This is all so overwhelming, and it seems that cellphone contracts are practically signed in blood, so I want to make the right choice.

Edit: The iPhone is not something I want because I already have an iPod touch.

ken0042 · 06-30-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

So are they really going through with the GSM switch? I haven't been keeping up with Belus lately... is it going to be GSM and CDMA, or are they dropping CDMA entirely?

I think it's a case of them adding GSM for now. The iPhone has really caught them off guard. There was this article a couple of days back: http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/...ne-in-october/ and I also heard some talk about this on QR77.

mykalberta · 06-30-2009, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

So are they really going through with the GSM switch? I haven't been keeping up with Belus lately... is it going to be GSM and CDMA, or are they dropping CDMA entirely?

Edit: Actually, come to think of it, even if they do bring in GSM... has there been any word at all (from anyone official) that they'd get the iPhone?

Rumor is that Apple will make an iPhone for Verizon, if that happens then that phone should work on the Telus network.

It all depends on what if any exclusivity contract Apple has with Rogers.

FanIn80 · 06-30-2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

I think it's a case of them adding GSM for now. The iPhone has really caught them off guard. There was this article a couple of days back: http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/...ne-in-october/ and I also heard some talk about this on QR77.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Rumor is that Apple will make an iPhone for Verizon, if that happens then that phone should work on the Telus network.

It all depends on what if any exclusivity contract Apple has with Rogers.

Interesting. Well, it would certainly explain why Rogers is being so nice to its customers lately (tethering, easy upgrades to 3GS, bringing back the 6GB plan, etc). Also, the whole "revisiting free tethering in December" thing makes sense, since they'll know what Telus is charging by then.

Berger_4_ · 07-02-2009, 11:47 PM

Man, I know it's not a smartphone, but I cannot recommend the RAZR 2 enough. That phone is so incredibly tough it's ridiculous. It's spent a night in a snowbank, another in rye and coke, just got dropped into the bottom of the fishing boat and was working in two hours again. It's been pounded over the past year, and the only thing that I've ever needed to do (although I haven't yet) is replace my front screen, which got cracked in a horrific rolling off of the couch whilst hungover action.