Suggestions for Mom's first smartphone

[SithSolo1]

My mom is in need of a new phone, for the past 2 decades she's been using clamshell dumb phones and she's decided its time to upgrade.

Our entire family is on verizon and she's mainly going to use it for talk, text, and photos.
I was thinking an LG G2 might fit the bill but I'm open to other suggestions. Well be heading to the store tomorrow so she can hold and mess around with a few phones and I'll update this with her thoughts.


She'll also be traveling to Spain for a few weeks near the end of the months so if we could get something that would work over there it would be a nice bonus.

 

[dingster1]

IPhone, then a Blackberry Z10 or Z30. Very simple basic smartphones that fit the bill

 

[dawheat]

I got my MIL a G2 several months back - basically deleted all the home screens, put the limited apps she'd actually use + 1 weather widget on a single home screen, increasing icon size the font to pretty damn large, and then locked the home screen so she doesn't accidentally delete things she uses.

I'd say 85% of her usage is phone, VM, text, and a messaging app. 10% browser (homepage is google) + I setup all her favorite bookmarks, and 5% occasional navigation.

It's worked pretty well - beyond an initial tutorial, she's been good on her own and she doesn't complain about the battery life (her old dumb phone would last 3-4 days per charge).

Using a Verizon phone internationally is going to be pretty tough I imagine.

 

[s44]

Using a Verizon phone internationally is going to be pretty tough I imagine.

No, it's much easier than any other carrier. All their LTE phones are fully unlocked (by FCC requirement).

I would suggest a Note 3 in Easy Mode:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms...y/device-videos/samsung/note-3-easy-mode.html

Why the Note 3? Huge, easy to type on... and to carry in a purse (flip case is optimal). And great battery life.

 

[SithSolo1]

Blackberry is out, Apple and Note 3 still in the running though.

 

[dawheat]

No, it's much easier than any other carrier. All their LTE phones are fully unlocked (by FCC requirement).

I would suggest a Note 3 in Easy Mode:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms...y/device-videos/samsung/note-3-easy-mode.html

Why the Note 3? Huge, easy to type on... and to carry in a purse (flip case is optimal). And great battery life.

Last couple times I went to the EU with my AT&T phone, I could only get 3G on local networks (using local SIMs).

OP should check if Verizon LTE bands are used in Spain.

 

[Kenmitch]

Never mind. Due to battery life and a not so great for outdoors screen I withdraw the Lumia Icon suggestion. Dang looks pretty for a Windows phone but just doesn't seem like a logical choice.

 

[s44]

Last couple times I went to the EU with my AT&T phone, I could only get 3G on local networks (using local SIMs).

OP should check if Verizon LTE bands are used in Spain.

They aren't... there's no cross-compatibility of LTE between US/EU. But it doesn't matter, since HSPA+ (on the 2100 band) should be more than sufficient.

 

[soulcougher73]

My mom was also clam shell dumb phones forever. But she had an ipad she uses daily and likes. So got her the iPhone 5c. She likes it.

 

[Commodus]

iPhone. Android isn't that tough to use for most of us, but Apple provides a very straightforward, consistent experience and gets good photos with a minimum of fuss (both image quality and in changing photo modes). That and it's going to be better for games and accessories, like speaker docks and in-car entertainment systems.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

iPhone. Android isn't that tough to use for most of us, but Apple provides a very straightforward, consistent experience and gets good photos with a minimum of fuss (both image quality and in changing photo modes). That and it's going to be better for games and accessories, like speaker docks and in-car entertainment systems.

I'd do iPhone as well. For someone who has never used a smartphone before, iPhones have a much easier learning curve than Android.

 

[Kenmitch]

I'd do iPhone as well. For someone who has never used a smartphone before, iPhones have a much easier learning curve than Android.

I don't know about the easier learning curve. Currently it's not the best time to buy a iPhone as bigger and better is on the way.

1st time switch to a smartphone is going to be pretty much the same. You just click on the icons to get where you need to go.

Going from a flip phone to a current generation smartphone is a huge leap.

Android is more customizable currently. Carrier bloat can most of the time be disabled. Home screen is fully customizable. The option of running a single home page with the essential apps and widget or two seems like it would be less shell shock. Drag and dropping images, videos is a huge plus.

To me it seems like Android is the way to go unless your happy with or want to join the Apple eco system.

 

[Commodus]

Android is more customizable currently. Carrier bloat can most of the time be disabled. Home screen is fully customizable. The option of running a single home page with the essential apps and widget or two seems like it would be less shell shock. Drag and dropping images, videos is a huge plus.

To me it seems like Android is the way to go unless your happy with or want to join the Apple eco system.

Customization and drag-and-drop transfers aren't going to be a factor for her, I think. If she syncs with her computer at all, iTunes is easier (plug in, watch the magic happen). And what's better: disabling carrier bloat... or having a platform that bans carrier bloat in the first place?

 

[Kenmitch]

Customization and drag-and-drop transfers aren't going to be a factor for her, I think. If she syncs with her computer at all, iTunes is easier (plug in, watch the magic happen). And what's better: disabling carrier bloat... or having a platform that bans carrier bloat in the first place?

So you know his mother?

I didn't see any mention about her not needing drag and drop file transfers or that she wouldn't like the option to customize her phone.

 

[gmaster456]

iPhone 5C/5S. Droid Ultra Maxx or Galaxy S5.

 

[Eug]

iPhone 5c or 5s or wait for iPhone 6

 

[s44]

I assume the rest of the family is on Android, which would argue against iOS or WP.

 

[cronos]

Using a Verizon phone internationally is going to be pretty tough I imagine.

On the contrary, if you're looking for a phone that's guaranteed to work everywhere in the world, get a Verizon phone (that's released in the past 1.5 year). All you need to do is put in a local SIM card.

I got my wife a Verizon Galaxy S4 a few months back, to be used on PlatinumTel (T-Mobile MVNO). I put the SIM card inside and it worked right away. I'm going to seriously start thinking about buying just Verizon phone from now on, because there's no need to bother with the hassle of unlocking.

 

[Commodus]

So you know his mother?

I didn't see any mention about her not needing drag and drop file transfers or that she wouldn't like the option to customize her phone.

She's coming to her first smartphone and is going to use it for "talk, text and photos." She doesn't use the features you're mentioning, and her primary focus is coming to grips with modern smartphone tech. My recommendation focuses on what the OP said she wants and based on my experience dealing with other first-timers, not a projection of what techies want.

 

[SithSolo1]

I'll be honest, it will probably come down to which one feels better in her hands than what OS its running or what features it has.

She just got a new car so she wants to be able to make bluetooth calls, thats about the most tech savy thing it will be doing. I think eventually I'll be able to teach her how to do email on it but atm my parents are still using AOL for mail. :/

And s44 was right, the rest of the family is on Android but that doesn't mean she's automatically going to go for it.

 

[Kenmitch]

I assume the rest of the family is on Android, which would argue against iOS or WP.

Verizon pretty much eliminates WP as the offerings are not so desirable. Icon doesn't have good battery life and screen looks to not be too friendly outdoors.

She's coming to her first smartphone and is going to use it for "talk, text and photos." She doesn't use the features you're mentioning, and her primary focus is coming to grips with modern smartphone tech. My recommendation focuses on what the OP said she wants and based on my experience dealing with other first-timers, not a projection of what techies want.

Dummying down the home screen isn't a feature it's an option to simplify her user experience. Using drag and drop isn't technically challenging and should be an option on all smartphones.

 

[Commodus]

Dummying down the home screen isn't a feature it's an option to simplify her user experience. Using drag and drop isn't technically challenging and should be an option on all smartphones.

Not technically challenging? Maybe not to you or I, but you clearly haven't tried to teach a neophyte how to transfer files.

"Now to get your photos on to your computer, just open it in Explorer, go to this folder two levels deep... sorry, the other folder, it's not the same on my phone. Oh, you're wondering where your Foursquare pics and downloads are? Those are in different folders. Now, make sure you pool all those together in this specific folder on your PC, or they'll be hard to find!"

Or... plug your iPhone in.

 

[Oyeve]

Note 3 or iphone 9

 

[quikah]

Verizon pretty much eliminates WP as the offerings are not so desirable. Icon doesn't have good battery life and screen looks to not be too friendly outdoors.

Where are you seeing this? All the reviews I have seen have been very good for the Icon.

 

[Kenmitch]

Not technically challenging? Maybe not to you or I, but you clearly haven't tried to teach a neophyte how to transfer files.

"Now to get your photos on to your computer, just open it in Explorer, go to this folder two levels deep... sorry, the other folder, it's not the same on my phone. Oh, you're wondering where your Foursquare pics and downloads are? Those are in different folders. Now, make sure you pool all those together in this specific folder on your PC, or they'll be hard to find!"

Or... plug your iPhone in.

I guess she's never used a digital camera. Plug usb cable into phone , plug into computer, window pops up....Just doesn't sound too complicated to me. It's not like she's not going to have help in her time of need.

You said she's just going to text, talk, take pictures....I doubt she even knows what Foursquare is.