recommend iPhone alternative for the AT&T network

[swbsam]

My wife and I have iPhones and do love the buggers, but my dad's a bit jealous of our ability to receive emails everywhere and browse the web. I think I'll add a line to my family plan and give him a messaging/web browsing phone, but I'm pretty certain that the iPhone would be over kill. Any suggestion for something that's easy to use and affordable?

The cap would be $199 with contract, being that I could just get an iPhone and assume that he just won't use the features.

 

[gorcorps]

Actually I think the iphone would be a good idea for your dad as all other smartphones aren't as 'user friendly' as the iphone is. Any smartphone with a data plan would work, blackberry, new nokias, and any windows mobile phone. How tech-savy is your dad? Each type has its own quirks so if he's not good with tech then it'd probably be good to get him the iphone since you could help him get it going.

Not sure why you'd think the iphone is overkill, since its the 'everyman' smartphone. I'd say it's a great way to go for someone who wants web browsing and email. Iphone web browsing is the best out right now by a huge margin, and the email is done better by blackberry but not by much.

 

[Muadib]

I agree with gorcorps. If you want to go cheap, get a refurb.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Get him the iPhone. It's like a Fisher-Price smartphone, so he'll be fine.

 

[dmw16]

I have an iphone and a blackberry and if he wants the web get him the iphone. my blackberry sucks at the internet.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Uhhh Nokia N-Series? Anything without paying $70/month? Good God. I laugh at that with my $55/month.

 

[Jugernot]

Samsung Eternity? A coworkers bought them for his kids and they love them for browsing and emailing.

Jugs (Has a Fuze)

 

[swbsam]

Thanks all for the advice - I followed your advice and got him an iPhone 3g today. I was actually moments away from getting an Eternity but found that it doesn't support gmail out of the box (or pop3). Maybe that's misinformation, but the savings was only $50 anyways.

He actually loves it so far - he's playing with it now and just called me "you know, I saw one of em netbooks at costco.. What do you think of them?"

Getting my dad back into technology and making him feel hip and happy for for $200 was a pretty good investment