Can you just tell me what to buy here? Phone Choices! - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Slava · 10-21-2010, 12:39 PM

I'm far from a techno-phobe, but truth is I have no idea where to begin. I have an iPhone 3gs and it has been good for my needs. The battery is draining exceptionally fast though (within 3-4 hours) and apple will sell me another 3gs for $90 or I can figure out my own solution. I am not a guy who buys in conspiracy theories, but I do hate that I got just past the warranty and suddenly this takes place!

So, I think that I will use my upgrade at Rogers and get something else. Here are the must haves, or at least what I'd like to have....its pretty basic. Anything out there fit the bill? I guess the other option is to buy something used if Rogers doesn't do the particular phone in question.

- Email integration with Outlook
- Calendar and contacts integrated with Outlook
- Browser and likely touch screen for that
- Qwerty keyboard (while I'm at it I dislike the touch keyboard!)
- Free apps for stocks, social media, etc.
- Wifi

Most of the other things that come standard I couldn't care less about or use less often! I almost went back to a blackberry...but then I have to pay to hookup to the BES, and I'd rather not do that either.

Preferably I come away from this not spending a fortune. I feel like I'm after a fairly basic phone, but maybe I just have no idea? Could I get away with the LG that Rogers will sell me for $10 (with the plan) or is that a complete piece of junk?

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. If you could dumb it down for me that would be great as well!

TIA

Northendzone · 10-21-2010, 01:31 PM

i have never looked into this - but can the iPhone be cracked open and the battery replaced?

cKy · 10-21-2010, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i have never looked into this - but can the iPhone be cracked open and the battery replaced?

According to CNET - Yes, yes it can. And apparently only for $6

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10253445-233.html

Slava · 10-21-2010, 02:08 PM

That looks like a lot of work. The other issue is that I'm not sure why the battery is draining so fast. Could be a bad battery or could there be another reason....in other words will replacing the battery fix my problem?

Itse · 10-21-2010, 02:43 PM

Check out HTC Desire Z. The Desire is rated as one of the better phones out there generally, and propably the smoothest qwerty-phone, which has to be considered since you're changing away from an iPhone.

EDIT: propably not quite in the stores yet, but should be soon

FanIn80 · 10-21-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

That looks like a lot of work. The other issue is that I'm not sure why the battery is draining so fast. Could be a bad battery or could there be another reason....in other words will replacing the battery fix my problem?

I get pretty heavy usage out of my iPhone, and the battery lasts me all day. I take it off the dock in the morning at 100% and it's usually around 40-50% by the time I go to bed.

I'd say there's something wrong with your battery. From what you've described about what you're looking for in a phone, I can't imagine you're sitting around surfing the net and watching videos on your iPhone all day long. You should be getting better battery life than I am.

At any rate, there's nothing wrong with switching to a different phone. Based on the Outlook integration you've mentioned, you might want to look around at the Windows 7 phones coming out.

Slava · 10-21-2010, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I get pretty heavy usage out of my iPhone, and the battery lasts me all day. I take it off the dock in the morning at 100% and it's usually around 40-50% by the time I go to bed.

I'd say there's something wrong with your battery. From what you've described about what you're looking for in a phone, I can't imagine you're sitting around surfing the net and watching videos on your iPhone all day long. You should be getting better battery life than I am.

At any rate, there's nothing wrong with switching to a different phone. Based on the Outlook integration you've mentioned, you might want to look around at the Windows 7 phones coming out.

No, there is definitely something wrong with the battery, or at least there is something that is draining it (some kind of short or whatever). I had it in at the apple store and its past warranty by about 100 days, so I'm on my own.

I'm not all anti-apple and I do like the phone. I just figured that if I have to spend the money anyway I might as well get a phone that I might like better (one with the Qwerty keyboard in particular).

FanIn80 · 10-21-2010, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm not all anti-apple and I do like the phone. I just figured that if I have to spend the money anyway I might as well get a phone that I might like better (one with the Qwerty keyboard in particular).

Yeah, of course. That's perfectly understandable; I do the same thing all the time.

Northendzone · 10-21-2010, 06:13 PM

seems to me if you can get a battery for $10 - might be worth going that route. just make sure that the battery always goes thru full cycles (full charge, full drain)

Russic · 10-21-2010, 07:35 PM

There is a company in Calgary I took my iphone to that did the battery replacement for me. Works great now ... don't think they can add a keyboard though!

ricosuave · 10-21-2010, 09:11 PM

while you are deciding, download an app called battery doctor and follow the instructions.

ive seen my battery performance increase by doing its recommended charge cycling.

Slava · 10-22-2010, 09:11 AM

Weird...my phone has literally made a miraculous recovery! No word of a lie it was at a point where it would hold a charge for only 2-3 hours and be totally dead from 100% battery life. For some reason last night and this morning it is back to normal! Strange....

In other news I have to out FanIn80. The only thing that could've fixed it is my complaining about this on CP (I didn't do anything else, literally). FanIn80 caught wind that I was about to swtich to another product and suddenly big brother, aka Apple Inc., fixed my phone. Clearly FanIn80=Steve Jobs!

Either way, I'm just happy to have a fully functioning useful phone again!

Mazrim · 10-22-2010, 09:17 AM

On the topic of batteries, I've heard you're supposed to fully discharge a battery before charging to prevent a memory from building, and then I've heard the exact opposite. Which one is correct?

socktape · 10-22-2010, 09:21 AM

I was told the same thing when I bought my new iphone 4 but yet everything you read online says differently. I was talking to another buddy of mine who said to try and fully discharge it about once a month and that seemed to help.

Phaneuf3 · 10-22-2010, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazrim

On the topic of batteries, I've heard you're supposed to fully discharge a battery before charging to prevent a memory from building, and then I've heard the exact opposite. Which one is correct?

I think it depends on what type of battery it is.

Cheese · 10-22-2010, 09:22 AM

I think you should make the change to the best phone...Blackberry!!

Never have issues with battery life...works great with Outlook. Keyboard is fine. Business Apps are fine and 3G network....LOL.

GoinAllTheWay · 10-22-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazrim

On the topic of batteries, I've heard you're supposed to fully discharge a battery before charging to prevent a memory from building, and then I've heard the exact opposite. Which one is correct?

If I'm not mistaken, it's the old Nickel Cadium (sp?) batteries you had to be careful with in terms of charging memory. The new Lithium Ion batteries don't have that problem but as others have said, you don't want to fully discharge Lithium Ion batteries, charge them before they have less than 1/4 power left. Other than that you can charge them whenever you want to.

FanIn80 · 10-22-2010, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

Weird...my phone has literally made a miraculous recovery! No word of a lie it was at a point where it would hold a charge for only 2-3 hours and be totally dead from 100% battery life. For some reason last night and this morning it is back to normal! Strange....

In other news I have to out FanIn80. The only thing that could've fixed it is my complaining about this on CP (I didn't do anything else, literally). FanIn80 caught wind that I was about to swtich to another product and suddenly big brother, aka Apple Inc., fixed my phone. Clearly FanIn80=Steve Jobs!

Either way, I'm just happy to have a fully functioning useful phone again!

Haha, nice.

Table 5 · 10-22-2010, 10:59 AM

Btw, make sure you're not running a crapload of apps in the background at the same time, as that can kill some battery life too.

Double-click the button to see what apps you have running....and if need be, hold it till the red minus comes up to exit them.

Barnes · 10-22-2010, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Table 5

Btw, make sure you're not running a crapload of apps in the background at the same time, as that can kill some battery life too.

Double-click the button to see what apps you have running....and if need be, hold it till the red minus comes up to exit them.

FWIW, 99% of those apps won't be running, they're just frozen and waiting.