Buying a cell phone...

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Well, I'm caving in and buying a cell phone. I've held off for years, but I think it's time to finally get one. Considering that almost everybody has one of the damn things, I figured that lots of you would have some advice on the subject of cell phone shopping. What should I look(out) for in a phone? Can anybody comment on going with a rate plan as opposed to going prepaid?

I figure that rating individual service providers is pointless due to regional differences and differring companies.
 
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Kind of depends on what you want to do with the cell phone (other then talk on it?)

There's three ways you can go really. Will you be using it just to talk? If so how much?

Will you use it to text message? If so how much.

And then there's the hybrid, some talk some text.

Once you establish that, finding a rate for you will be a lot easier. I've had great cingular service. Sprints a *****. Which is what I currently have because my dad gets a discount.

There's a plan, can't remember which, that gives you unlimted text for $9.99 us. Though I believe you live in canada so I'm not sure what that is canadian.

If you're not going to text don't worry about it. Also, if you want to be like everyone else getting a razor will give you major chick points. Or the chocolate. I hear good things.

But they're expensive. If you're going to just use it to talk, just get a ****ty ass phone and pay like a 500 minute plan, that's what I do. I never go over.
 
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Yeah, that's the problem, I'm not sure how much I'll be using it. I don't think I'll be using text much, so I'll probably just skip that (it irks me that they charge extra for me to transmit text when voice would use a ****load more bandwidth). I think I'm going to go to the Bell store tomorrow and see what they've got, but if anybody has bought a phone recently and can comment on it, that'd still be helpful.

One thing I know I'll be getting is a camera with it. I've needed a camera for a while now, so it'll be a two-bird-one-stone kinda thing.
 
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Well, I use Telus for my service (I'm sure you're familiar with Telus, frsrblch, as they dominate western Canada, as far as I know, heh), and I've never had reason to complain. They offer a decent selection of phones (most of 'em include cameras, so there's no problem there - you just need to browse their selection and find one that is suitable enough for you; my phone has only a 1.3 Megapixel camera, but I don't really take photos with it that often), as well, if you don't plan on using it religiously, they have plans that can accommodate that. I originally started on what they called the "Super Talk 23" plan, which was $23/month, had 200 daytime minutes (if I recall correctly), and unlimited weekends and evenings (starting at 6 PM). They've recently sent me a letter recommending a switch to a similar, but cheaper plan ($20/month, same number of minutes, still unlimited evenings/weekends, as well, I was offered a free "business" package which covered a few extras like voicemail).

As I said, I've never had reason to complain about my service, nor about not getting any bang for my buck. Also, as far as I know, you are capable of modifying your service to add on extra features after your contract starts, via the MyTelus webpage.
 
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You can always go with pay as you go, if you're that unsure of how much you're going to use your phone. There's no point in paying for all these minutes if you don't end up getting your money's worth.
 
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You can always go with pay as you go, if you're that unsure of how much you're going to use your phone. There's no point in paying for all these minutes if you don't end up getting your money's worth.
I would start off with about 3 months of 'pay as you go' and get a use of how much you actually use it before you go into getting an actual phone.
 
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Optimus Prime said:
I assume you meant plan. ;O.
No, it's cheaper if you just go with pay-as-you-go, and then get the phone after 3 months. :rolleyes:

The problem with that is you then have to pay more for the phone. I am quickly learning how they lure people into signing a contract. The same phone that costs $280 on it's own is only $30 if you lock yourself in for a 36 month contract. Considering that I don't want to spend anywhere near that much on a phone (but still want the goodies that come with it), that contract is looking pretty juicy. It's a good part of a year's worth of fees knocked off.

Money shouldn't really be an issue, though. I just have to stretch what I have until summer when I can actually start working again.
 

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Well, I use Telus for my service (I'm sure you're familiar with Telus, frsrblch, as they dominate western Canada, as far as I know, heh), and I've never had reason to complain. They offer a decent selection of phones (most of 'em include cameras, so there's no problem there - you just need to browse their selection and find one that is suitable enough for you; my phone has only a 1.3 Megapixel camera, but I don't really take photos with it that often), as well, if you don't plan on using it religiously, they have plans that can accommodate that. I originally started on what they called the "Super Talk 23" plan, which was $23/month, had 200 daytime minutes (if I recall correctly), and unlimited weekends and evenings (starting at 6 PM). They've recently sent me a letter recommending a switch to a similar, but cheaper plan ($20/month, same number of minutes, still unlimited evenings/weekends, as well, I was offered a free "business" package which covered a few extras like voicemail).

As I said, I've never had reason to complain about my service, nor about not getting any bang for my buck. Also, as far as I know, you are capable of modifying your service to add on extra features after your contract starts, via the MyTelus webpage.
The hell i have super talk 25 and i have a 100 daytime minutes and unlimited weekends and evenings for 10 dollars extra and my night begins at 9. Telus is horrible if you live towards Toronto i have the chocolate phone which i really like the plan is a big ***** i would recommend fido.
 
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Can most camera phones upload photos to a computer via a USB?
 
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Hmmm,you need this extension plug.
Like a USB extension.For example you plug the default to your phone,from there you plug the USB extension to that and to your computer.Most phones SHOULD come with that cord.Anyways,as long as it can play some good pron its all good :D :D

-GuZzie
 
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It came with a USB cable, but for all I can see, all it can do is send photos to the printer. From what I can gather, you either need a digital camera (it came with a photo card adapter), or you need to upload them to the web, then download them with yor computer. I need to find out whether all of their phones are crappled like this one, or if it's just my model. I'm not even sure what quality I'm getting from the camera because I can't get them on my computer! I have 15 days to decide whether I want to keep this phone or not.
 
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An excellent phone I'd recommend going for is Nokia N73, I'm sure it's there in Canada. Great phone, 3.2 megapixel camera, great sound, many features too, as for a contract not sure since ours here in SA are much different then yours, here's a pic of the phone:



Got 3g and everything
 
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Nokia n93 is very good choice, has also 3,2megapixels in camera, 3G, and all other Goodies. I also recommend LG Chocolate, Samsung's newest phones, motorola razr..
 
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nokia n93 is also excellent, the memory is huge, a few gig. but have you seen the phone, as heavy as a brick, I swear I can kill someone with it, Sony Ericsson's k800, great phone too, also looks very b-e-a-utiful.
 
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nokia n93 is also excellent, the memory is huge, a few gig. but have you seen the phone, as heavy as a brick, I swear I can kill someone with it, Sony Ericsson's k800, great phone too, also looks very b-e-a-utiful.
Thats true. I don't know about Nokia N93, but I know that Nokia N91 has space enough for 3000 mp3 songs. That is 4GB of space.


And Sony Ericcson has a 3.2megapixel camera, wich is really great quality.
I'd suggest those 2, if you were going to buy a new phone. I might buy one of those 2 myself.
 
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I've got a n73, it's a great phone indeed, I'd recommend it to alot of people, and it's very new on the mark, I also doubt it will be too outdated in a year or 2, but then again, technology advances so fast, you never know.
 
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I got a Sony Ericcson T136. Wich sucks. But i'll buy a new one soon..I think..
 

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