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Cell phone recommendations for Verizon

T

tamasrepus

Member
I'm a complete cell phone luddite. My trusty Samsung A310 (from 2002?) front display has cracked, so I guess it's time for me to get a new phone.

I like my phone, and if I could find one new I'd get another one. Since it's so old, I don't think I'd have much success... And I have no idea how to shop in the new market with all this whiz bang gimmick features... if anyone has recommendations, I'd appreciate them!

Stuff I want:
  • Long battery life (minimum 3 days standby, my Samsung does this with extended battery)
  • PC modem (that works in Linux) via USB or Bluetooth
  • Durable! I've dropped my A310 several times (including onto concrete), the case has even been cracked for the past year. But it has continued to work fine.
Stuff I don't care about, and ideally rather not have because as far as I am concerned, it reduces battery life:
  • Music/MP3 player
  • Camera
  • Any PDA functionality
  • Color LCD screen... B&W with a nice backlight was fine for me (like my Samsung)
  • Any other stupid gimmick that is unrelated to using the device as a phone
Thanks for the recommendations!
 
I was considering switching to Verizon..was looking at the Motorola E815 - but it seems to have plenty of features that you are not interested in. 😛
 
The only phone I can recommend with Verizon right now is the Motorola E815. Get a USB cable and hack the firmware to use it as a modem. It has the other features but they don't reduce the battery if you don't use them 😛

The new LG VX8300 & Samsung SCH-a930 seem interesting but I don't know much about them.
 
The Samsung A650 is an older model (from like, last year) that fits that bill pretty well. It's got a color screen, but that's about it. A purpose-built model, really. But it's no longer available from Verizon. If you can find one, that's your phone.
 
I like the Motorola E815, but I don't think it can function as PC modem.

The reason I want the PC modem over some kind of wireless broadband service is that I tend to have a lot of minutes left over, and would be fine with using those for connecting via dialup when I'm in the middle of nowhere (I live in New Mexico, which is pretty close to nowhere). Wireless broadband costs extra, isn't available everywhere, and if I actually wanted it could just get a dedicated PCMCIA card device than using my phone.
 
Originally posted by: supafly
It can and does function as a PC modem. I do it quite often.

This is all you need to know: http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=674803
Click to expand...
Made the other post before I read yours... So it can be a modem, neat! Happen to know if it works with Linux?

What is the battery life like?

Another thing I forgot to mention, a really powerful/telescoping antenna. My Samsung A310 has one. I recently went on a trip with my parents, and we were officially stuck in what I call the Middle of Nowhere (TM) (37 mi west of Cuba, New Mexico, between two Indian reservations). My parents' new fangled phones with non-telescoping antenna got no signal--mine did.
 
I'm not 100% sure if it works in linux or not but I don't see why not, especially over USB. I guess if I feel like it, I could download a Linux live cd and test out my E815.. but that means I gotta dig out my USB cable from wherever it could be 😛

Battery life is fantastic for talking. Obviously using the data over BT or USB will drain it quicker. I also feel that receitpion is great as well. I honestly can't say if it will work in the places you mentioned, but I can pick up a digital signal in the mountains of southwest VA.

Confirmed: Dun works on linux with the E815. http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=853446
 
LG vx8300? It's new -- dont know if it will work as a modem though. I'm pretty sure the 8100 did work as a modem and as a minor update, the vx8300 should also work (just speculation of course though). Remember you do have 15 days to try out any phone though.
 
Anyone try that new Q phone or whatever it's called? It's the one in the commercials, the pda/communicator one
 
Originally posted by: GregGreen
LG vx8300? It's new -- dont know if it will work as a modem though. I'm pretty sure the 8100 did work as a modem and as a minor update, the vx8300 should also work (just speculation of course though). Remember you do have 15 days to try out any phone though.
Click to expand...
From reading reviews, the LG vx8300 does look to be able to work as a PC modem.
 
Originally posted by: dartworth
the moto e815 will provide everything you need...
Click to expand...

except he'll have to hack it to get some to work

battery life is exceptional. i've gone over 3 weeks now and the battery is still on full. i only turn it on when i'm in the car though - about 1-1.5 hours a day. i left on all day 2 weekends ago.
 
i just got the E815, and it's great.. but you want something not as fancy... i had the samsung A670.. great phone.. it's got a camera, but that's the only "perk" that it has.. it's pretty much exactly like the 310, and i'm sure now it's free if it's even still available...

you can use the 310 data cable for it

edit: hell.. if you are willing to wait a couple weeks (incase i want to return the e815 and go back to my a670), i'll even send you my old a670 if you pay shipping.. it's kinda scratched up, but it really is a great phone.. then i'm sure you can go to the verizon store and get it activated for your account
 
I have the 8100 and yesterday i dropped it 3 times on asphalt and got it scratched against metal siding. I would recommend the 8300, supposed to have about 16 day standby battery life. The e815 is also very good as others have mentioned.
 
Hrm, and this brings up another question...

Where to buy phones and not get ripped off by Verizon? $250 MSRP, gees! I'm so far courting eBay now, but there has to be something better than this...
 
Originally posted by: tamasrepus
Hrm, and this brings up another question...

Where to buy phones and not get ripped off by Verizon? $250 MSRP, gees! I'm so far courting eBay now, but there has to be something better than this...
Click to expand...

You don't qualify for New Every 2? I would say check out stores like Expo and Sixth Ave. I know last month Expo had rebates available even if you are only upgrading the phone (and don't necessarily qualify for NE2).
 
Originally posted by: computeerrgghh
You don't qualify for New Every 2? I would say check out stores like Expo and Sixth Ave. I know last month Expo had rebates available even if you are only upgrading the phone (and don't necessarily qualify for NE2).
Click to expand...
I've never heard of this, so I don't know... Thanks for letting me know! I'll check.
 
amazon is a good place to get phones, but you should qualify for new every 2 like computeergghh said... and like i said, you can have my old samsung if you wanted... but on amazon they have a samsung a850 that seem to fit your needs.. and it's -$150.00 after rebate
 
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