vB Easy Archive - Looking for a new phone

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Looking for a new phone - help!
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Posted by: Zenigata

Hi everyone. I’ve wanted a cell upgrade for a while now but every time I start to do some research confusion sets in. So many choices, etc. Unlocked is a possibility, but if we go through T-mob I think we might be able to get something decent from the retention line. Looking for-

-Good reception (I know Tmo isn’t the best, but I figure something with 850 might help a lot, from what I’ve read)
-Quad band (this is the only band with 850, right? Would be helpful if I go abroad as well)
-Good call quality
-Flip – not entirely set on this, but I used to have a Virgin Mobile slider. I dropped it and the screen has been dead ever since. If I did a non-flip I think the screen would have to be recessed a little, too risky otherwise, incase I make a stupid mistake again

I guess those are the core things. Secondary would be

-Decent/good camera
-Bluetooth
-mp3
-other bells/whistles without laggy-ness/screwy menus

Less expensive is nice, but don’t hesitate to mention anything that fits the bill here. By the by, I’m using a way old-school Samsung r225m right now. It is dual-band/GSM, so if I do go unlocked all I’ll have to do is swap the SIM?

Thanks much!

edit - Panasonic X800. Will this last me a day without charging? Also, does it do 850?

edit #2 - some other things. Good/loud alarm, to use every morning. Strong enough vib to feel it in my pocket (right now I miss a lot of calls because it's fairly weak, in the pocket anyway)

Posted by: nitzomoe

I would suggest the Nec 840 it has everything you ask for plus a really nice screen.
the X800 has poor battery life and no 850

Posted by: Zenigata

That looks like it would do quite nicely.. any idea where I can pick one up though? There was one on eBay going for around $400.. bit steep though. Is that what I can expect to pay no matter where I get it? Is there anything with some lesser functionality, but the same core aspects? (ie, a bit cheaper, heh)

Posted by: braindead5400

That's the price you're prolly gonna end up paying. You have to check out the camera on the phone, its amazing. Look for more info in the other manufacturers forum.

Posted by: Zenigata

Okay, thanks. By the by, any thoughts on the Sharp GX32/30 or the Mitsubishi M900? Also, will having any 850 capable phone with T-mob make a difference?

Posted by: braindead5400

850 will only help you with roaming agreements but if you are in a major metropolitan area, you're fine.

The GX32 is pretty old, but its a decent phone. The UI needs some improvement, bluetooth is restricted and you can't use mp3's as ringtones (unless you find a GX30i, then you get mp3 ringtones and obex for bluetooth)

The m900 is...its kinda hard to say. There was something I just didn't like about the phone. Its huge for one (its either the same size or bigger than the 902 and you can't flip the screen on it to make it smaller). The UI is pretty basic, the phone needs some refinement and getting good pics out of it can sometimes be a headache (although when they do come out, they are very nice). Rf was nothing spectacular, neither was battery life and the loudspeaker was really tinny and ringtones sounded terrible. My favorite thing about it was the outside screen, you can watch videos on it. Just remember that the M900 is a 1.3mp phone that interpolates to 2mp, its not a true 2mp phone.

Posted by: Zenigata

Thanks again. With regards to the 850, I'm in a comparatively rural area with lots of going in and out of service. Sounds like the NEC might be the best bet, unless the quad band won't really help.

Posted by: braindead5400

You can try looking to see if there are any 850 roaming agreements in your area, but the nec is a nice phone anyway so you won't be disappointed with it

Posted by: Alex_cute

I would suggest the mpx 220 is a grat phone you can get one for 150 doll an ebuy!

Posted by: Zenigata

I was looking at some mpx220 reviews and came across the Panasonic VS3. No 850, but I'm not entirely sure I'd benefit anyway. Any input on this one? I like the fast shutter and nice display mentioned in the review, and the price is a bit nicer than others. How's call quality though?

edit - okay, quick question, just to make sure. I'm still a tad new to this. If an 850 provider on this list - http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_us.shtml - has service in my area, that means I could pick it up with an 850 phone? Or, rather, only if whatever company that is has a roaming partner agreement with T-mob? Also, if I want to use a phone in Japan will it go on 1900 or does it have to be 3g? Thanks, and sorry for my n00bness.

Posted by: Zenigata

Okay, I did some research, and it sounds great except for the volume/reception thing. Blah, always something. Are they really that bad? Right now I'm using a really old Samsung r225m, so it should be at the very least better than that right? I don't want to pay a lot for an unlocked phone only to have the volume/reception suck. If I do that I might as well just get the Nokia 6101 through T-Mobile with retention-line-discounts.