Love Your Phone?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

If you live near Davis Square and belong to this online community you have, to me, every appearance of good taste. I hope that makes this post relevant! (if not, moderator, feel free to delete.)

I have Sprint service and have the opportunity to upgrade from my Sanyo S1 (and its measly 200 contacts.)
For now I've picked up the Sanyo Katana.... only to discover that it has only 300 contacts, plus its bluetooth doesn't work with iSync (although I don't know if any of the phones Sprint offers do!) Luckily, I have 30 days to trade it in.

So please recommend me a phone! I honestly don't know how the service and hardware correspond (there are probably phone that won't work with Sprint service) but I'm open to looking into all suggestions.

Here are my main concerns:
-contacts... 400+ is ideal
-good sound quality.... I'm hard of hearing
-durability/ ease of use..... i have unlimited text messaging and don't want to feel like I'm going to break the thing
-price.... if it costs me my right arm I'll have difficulty making phone calls
-bluetooth that isyncs... ideal, although not necessarily possible

Thanks in advance for any help or insight!!!!

Comments

I have an old Treo 700P

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

It goes for $60-$80 on ebay these days. I had no problems activating it with Verizon (all is done online, no human interactions). I have over 700 contacts, sound is great. You can even boost it with free apps.

Re: I have an old Treo 700P

[dariusk.livejournal.com]

The Centro is their new model, and it's amazing as well. It definitely works with Sprint, and it costs about $90, worth every penny. It does work with iSync.

Re: I have an old Treo 700P

[nowalmart.livejournal.com]

Agreed on the Centro.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

How about a blackberry curve?

[solarpanda.livejournal.com]

I just got a Curve and I love it, though I had the most basic of basic LG phones before.

The OS isn't the most intuitive and the data plan is steep (though I suppose all data plans are). Nonetheless, it meets all the requirements you have except I'm not sure about iSync (don't have a Mac). The sound is crystal clear and it gets good reception in places my old phone didn't. If you find yourself texting a lot, you should definitely get something with a QWERTY keyboard.

With the upgrade and mail-in rebate, I was able to get it for just under $100.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

I have an iPhone and I love it like no other phone I've ever had.

[dianamp04.livejournal.com]

400 contacts? Well I can't vouch for that because I got all of 30 people in my own phone, but I have the Samsung Rant through Sprint and enjoy it.

It's having some connection/fuzz problems, but it seems to be only with two people in particular. I usually have this issue with every sprint phone I get, but I take it in the store and they magically fix it. Since I don't talk to these two people anymore, I don't care lol. Besides those two people, the sound is good and there is a speaker.

The qwerty keyboard slides out and is very convenient. I've also dropped the phone many times already and manically slide it out without any damage.

I'm pretty sure it has bluetooth, but I don't use it so I dunno the quality.

I believe it's pretty decently priced when you get the deals on it. Ohh and it lets you check your webbased emails on it. I got my hotmail and gmail setup on it.

[kidsmokes.livejournal.com]

I have a palm centro and i am very happy with it, it's very similar to the treo mentioned above.

Now I have to try the Centro...

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

:)

[bettyw.livejournal.com]

Note that the Treo (and probably the Centro) come in two OS flavors: Palm and Windows Mobile. I used to have the Win Treo, and was able to use the add-on app Missing Sync (http://www.markspace.com/) to synch with a Mac. You might want to check which smart phones can be used with that.

[toilandtrouble.livejournal.com]

I don't have Sprint, so I can't vouch for a phone, but I just wanted to comment that I love your user name - Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

Thanks :)
I like yours, MacB :)

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

Anyone have any experience with Credo Mobile?

I was about to switch to them...

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

since I already have long distance with Credo and they give a percentage of their profits to liberal causes. I'm not sure about the Sprint network though. Also, their selection of phones is a bit thin. I've been happy with Verizon, in terms of coverage (many colleagues have no reception with other companies in many buildings around MGH). Credo allows you to try things out for one month and cancel with no penalty. At least, that's on paper.

Re: I was about to switch to them...

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

I love how they advertise "free credo to credo calls" as if I know anyone else using credo that I could call.

Re: I was about to switch to them...

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

I was turned off by their name switch. A while back, they used to be "Working Assets". Then they switched to Credo, which is the first word of the Apostles' Creed! (Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem...). Damn.

I even complained to them...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

Thanks for the help, everyone! Since I don't use internet on my phone (ugh, cost!) I hadn't thought about most of these models. But I guess if I want superior sound quality and memory I have to start investing in the good stuff, huh? :)

[pandorasfilth.livejournal.com]

Whatever phone you get, I suggest you make sure that it's 3G compatible, even if you aren't going to use the 3G services right away. 3G will eventually be the norm, so it's better to get a 3G phone now, than be forced to get yet another phone later. Just a helpful suggestion (I just got a new phone and did the same).
Good luck.

[xile999.livejournal.com]

I have a Samsung Rant that I acquired a few months ago and I loveeeee it.

1) 600 contact slots
2) Full qwerty keyboard (excellent with unlimited texting)
3) It feels really solid (the drawback is that it is definitely bulkier than a Katana)
4) Bluetooth is a breeze
5) It's 3G
6) When I bought it it was only $50 after rebate, and I'd wager it is still around that price point.
7) Sound quality is really nice
8) Comes with an SD card WITH an adapter