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Interested in a Verizon smartphone


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Interested in a Verizon smartphone
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Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2009-07-14, 11:35

I'm on a Verizon family plan with my parents. At the moment I'm using a RAZR V3 (yeah, I'm so cool and hip, aren't I?). Anyway, I got it a while ago and now I qualify for 2-year contract pricing on a new phone. I don't mind the RAZR but I was thinking of getting something with a full keyboard and maybe even web access.

Obviously everyone here loves the iPhone, and I've used one myself and liked it too, but it's not an option on VZW. I guess we could switch when our current contract is up but we've been happy with Verizon's coverage in our area. It's popular in Minnesota, too, so we get a lot of free calls because of all the other people here who have it. I'm also not too thrilled at the prospect of getting all four of our numbers migrated over to another carrier.

Anyway, I've been looking at several options:

LG enV Touch: This one does not require a data plan, but one is available for a cheap $15/mo. There are some concerns on reliability of all LG phones and some don't like the flip-open design to reveal the keyboard. Not sure how good the data/browser features are on this phone since it apparently isn't a true smartphone. The higher initial cost is offset within 7 months of getting the phone, assuming I do buy the data plan (phone costs $100 more than a BlackBerry but the data plan is $15 less per month).

BlackBerry something: 8830 and Curve (8330) are available for a good price. The Curve seems to get the best reviews. How are these? Is the web browsing gimped without a touch screen?

HTC Ozone: Similar to the BlackBerry in price, features, and design. Looks a little cooler (black w/ green accents). Not sure how good it really is. Some hate it because it has Windows Mobile which is supposedly slower than the BlackBerry OS, but on the other hand it has WiFi.

???: There are some non-data phones I could get for free like the Motorola Rival, which is great for texting but doesn't really have a data option. I might be willing to get one of these as well, but I've heard that a lot of the non-smart phones tend to be poorly designed and bad to use. Data might be more of a novelty to me in the end, and I'm almost more interested in a BlackBerry because of the better design rather than the features. And there are probably other phones, smart and dumb alike, that might be interesting to me. Any and all suggestions welcome. Thanks!

Last edited by Luca : 2009-07-14 at 12:50.
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Capella
Dark Cat of the Sith
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Rochester, NY
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2009-07-14, 12:03

My friend has the env Touch and hates it. She hates the keyboard a lot. I tried it and I agree; I much prefer the blackberry style keyboard.
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Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2009-07-14, 12:30

Thanks for the warning on the enV Touch. I'll probably try it in a Verizon store, but it's something to keep in mind. I've heard a lot of praise for how nice the BlackBerry design and interface is. On the other hand, there's not much love for LG out there... people don't like the flip mechanism and apparently LG phones are prone to random resets/shutdowns as well.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2009-07-14, 13:43

You're talking about Verizon BlackBerries and you didn't mention the just-launched, mega-hyped Tour? For shame!

It's RIM's new flagship, combining the best of the Bold and the 89XX Curve. It's obviously going to be pricier than Verizon's 83XX Curve, though.

If you're looking for something more touchable, you can wait for the new BlackBerry Storm (rumored to hit before the summer is out), which should get rid of that awful clicky screen. Or else you can wait and see if Verizon picks up the new LG Black Label (think Chocolate, Shine, Secret) phone, which features a super-big (4") super-wide (21:9), super high-res (800x345) touchscreen.

Yeah, it's pretty wide/tall...but probably not moreso than my old (not really) T509. It might be pretty far out, though...holidays at best...assuming Verizon even carries it (considering their superclose relationship with LG, it's not too much of a stretch)...and assuming it's even still decent once they're done with it.

Oh, and here's a contest to win a (nearly) one-of-a-kind Nissan LG Versa. I don't know if the Versa is a great phone or not, but there's currently less than nine hundred entrants, so it might be worth a shot...if you like giant robots.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2009-07-14, 21:53

I've been watching the "slow reveal" of the Chocolate 4, and I have to say that thing is packed with the sex. There was a YooToob video making the rounds last week that may or may not have been fake, but the consensus was that it was real, and that it was fantastic.

I'm kind of in the rock><hardplace shit right now, as I really need a new phone (I'm sporting the exact bullshit RAZR as Luca) and I still really don't want to leave Verizon. Unfortunately, the Tour doesn't interest me in the least, otherwise I'd be jumping on it.

The BL40 looks awesome, and *might* be the answer I've been looking for, but if it doesn't drop in the next month I'm going to have to jump to AT&T.

So it goes.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2009-07-14, 22:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by 709 View Post
The BL40 looks awesome, and *might* be the answer I've been looking for, but if it doesn't drop in the next month I'm going to have to jump to AT&T.
I think hoping for the Black Label 4/BL40/Chocolate 4 to hit Verizon in the next month is rather optimistic, but you never know. Maybe they've actually succeeding in keeping something like that secret for once

I think an announcement in the next month is likely, with it shipping to European/Asian/everyone but American carriers over the coming few months, and a Verizon launch by the holidays or thereabouts. That's all I'd hope for.

Is there a reason you're not interested in the Storm 2? The first Storm was rushed and botched, but I'd wager the new Storm will have fewer bugs (and they're getting rid of that stupid SurePress screen) so maybe it will be an option?

The Storm 2 should be coming substantially sooner than the BL40 - dummies are already showing up in VZW inventories - and Engadget seemed impressed with it in their unofficial hands-on.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2009-07-14, 23:07

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman View Post
Is there a reason you're not interested in the Storm 2?
I've never been turned on by a Blackberry. Ever. I know some people live and die by the things, but their allure is entirely lost on me.
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2009-07-14, 23:18

My mom has the Curve on Verizon and I've played with it. Personally I hate the BB software and interface. Having left Palm for WM a while back I just can't get used to the way things work on a BB. It's fine for email but browsing the web just plain sucks. Like, don't even bother. The screen is too small and navigating is a pain compared to a touchscreen.

I've been very pleased with my HTC products and you should be able to get the Touch Pro or Diamond (if you would rather not have the keyboard). I love my Touch Pro and am looking forward to the Touch Pro 2 due out soon. I don't know if Verizon is going to be getting it but I assume they will.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2009-07-14, 23:23

Quote:
Originally Posted by 709 View Post
I've never been turned on by a Blackberry. Ever. I know some people live and die by the things, but their allure is entirely lost on me.
Hmm. What type of phone do you want? Are you totally sold on full-touch? Or full-touch + QWERTY? If so, maybe the forthcoming Glyde 2 will work for you. No word on release date or price, but Samsung phones have been known to be released rather suddenly before (like the Samsung Highlight for T-Mobile, just announced today).

Is WinMo totally out of the question? Because the Touch Pro2 should be hitting Verizon...sometime. They're not goint to take forever and a day to get it, like they did with the Touch Pro 1. But if you're not a WinMo fan I won't blame ya.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2009-07-14, 23:32

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman View Post
Hmm. What type of phone do you want?
An iPhone. On Verizon.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2009-07-14, 23:38

Quote:
Originally Posted by 709 View Post
An iPhone. On Verizon.
Aww...

I think the (far-off) BL40 might be as close as you can get, in that regard. Or maybe something Android?

But...there's a problem. With Verizon's infamously draconian policies, it's unlikely a true iPhone competitor will rise on Verizon any time soon.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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addison
Formerly “AWM”
 
Join Date: May 2009
 
2009-07-15, 10:28

The HTC Ozone is hard to beat for the price provided you are okay with buying a data plan. It has WiFi and a dual mode CDMA/GSM radio and has really good battery life for a smartphone. Not bad for $50. And it runs WM Standard which is a lot easier to live with than PPC... unless you are into custom ROMs and never ending tweaking!

Not sure where you heard LGs are prone to problems. They have been some of the best performing phones for VZW for several years now. In fact if you plan on using just light data the EnV3 would be a good choice.
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Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2009-07-15, 12:48

Well, nothing is going to happen until October. My dad told me he is thinking about switching to AT&T so he can get an iPhone, but we can't do that until our contract with Verizon is up.

Can't buy a Verizon phone now because either I end up renewing the contract (which we don't want to do yet) or buying it without a contract, which is possible (esp. through eBay or something) but whatever I get would be useless if we end up switching to AT&T. Can't switch to AT&T now because, of course, we'd have an early cancellation fee from Verizon.

If we move to AT&T I'll probably get an iPhone. I've used them and they're very nice. I mean, if I'm paying extra for a data plan, I may as well get a really nice phone to go with it. BBs look nice but I've heard that e-mail is their biggest strength, and that's one feature I don't care about at all.
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