Advice requested on buying one's first cell phone

[jla]

I'll be purchasing from Verizon.
What are the best brands of cell phones?
Do the speaker phones one can get as an additional option have good sound quality?
What exactly is bluetooth?
I want good audio, reliability, and I'd also like text messaging, maybe Internet access too, and photo taking feature on the phone.

I've never had a cell phone, I've thought them frivolous. But now I see the advantages of owning one.

Thank you.

[Babu]

See my post #36 -- our test just now found that we could NOT unlock the car remotely using our cell phones ...

[UB355]

I use the Bluetooth capability to transfer information between my phone and PC. I don't use a bluetooth earpiece. The USB bluetooth adapter for my PS was $30.00

[JustaDumbBlonde]

I totally agree with the person above who said get whatever phone Verizon will give you for signing a contract. It has always worked for me with Cingular. The last time I renewed for 2 years, I asked about specials and got a Motorola camera phone for $50, with a $50 rebate. Can't beat FREE.

[listenhillary]

I was pretty sure it would not work. We'll see if any one else trys and reports back.

[mountn man]

When you get your service use your phone in all the areas you feel you'll use it in. But if it works where you spend 90% of your time, or where you'll make 90% of your calls, you're good.

I meant to put in that you have a certain grace period when you get your service, that if your not happy within that period, you can get out of your contract.

[TChad]

Now go find a teenage girl and ask her about cell phones.

Won't work. She'd have to hang up to answer the question.

[Enduring Freedom]

freaky

[Joe Miner]

It does NOT work. I repeat. It does NOT work!

He left out that you have to say abracadabra at the same time. Try it again.

[pjd]

Bluetooth is much more than a wireless headset.
I use it to connect my Palm TX to my GPRS phone for mobile Internet access. (The Palm has a much easier to use Internet interface than phones do.) I also use Bluetooth to transfer data between my phone and PC and Palm.

[Keeper of the Turf]

The *#06# (serial number) code doesn't work for me. It dials Verizon and the nice lady tells me to try again.

[wideminded]

Downside of Verizon: They want a 2-year contract. I think some other carriers are going this direction too. Other than that they are not too bad to deal with. But keep an eye on your bill.

You should decide if you will just be making calls in your 'local calling area' (your state and perhaps some adjacent states) or if you possibly will use the phone when you travel around the country. It is possible to switch plans, although this will sometimes restart the clock on the 2 years.

Verizon has some plans where you can add phones for other family members for a small additional charge. Family members can then talk to each other with basically unlimited minutes.

To prevent bill shock: don't go over your allocated minutes and avoid roaming.

[FreedomCalls]

I use a Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. It's a little heavier than some of the newer phones, but it works great.

[Puddleglum]

Bluetooth is much more than a wireless headset. I use it to connect my Palm TX to my GPRS phone for mobile Internet access. (The Palm has a much easier to use Internet interface than phones do.) I also use Bluetooth to transfer data between my phone and PC and Palm.

You have become a cyborg! Some day they will activate the signal that turns all Bluetooth wearers into electronic zombies. If you feel your arms involuntarily rising straight out in front of you, try to rip the thing out of your ear before it's too late.

[presently no screen name]

+

[Jambe]

You've not said where you live and how you will use your phone. Not all phones work well in all parts of the city/country.

Given that your new to cell phones and cell service, here's my suggestions:

Get a Motorola V325i Tri-mode phone. This will do everything you want (as you mentioned above) and is probably the BEST phone in it's class. Being a tri-mode phone means it will operate on both DIGITAL cell networks and older ANALOG nets. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT because some phones are DIGITAL only. If you travel, even by car, it's common find areas that will not support digital only phones.

Motorola is tops for sound quality and overall product. And you can probably get the V325i for free or a very good price. Don't take a V325, get the newer model V325i as it supports BLUETOOTH.

[Fairview]

On a per-minute basis, the prepaid phones are hideously expensive. I've tried a few different plans for my kids so they could call in an emergency. It ended up being far more expensive than if I just got them a regular cell phone.

[NickatNite2003]

I too am a Virgin Mobile user.
And as radiohead said, i have a
"prepaid" contract too. I am rarely
away from a land line or broadband
so i don't use it much, other than
when traveling, playing a game while
waiting somewhere, or during blackouts.
So, the $20 every 3 months works good
for me, and i have automatic top off,
so that when i *do* go below $5 in my
acct, It will automatically charge my
credit card $20 more, and give me a
new 3 month mandatory top off date.

I is a comfort knowing i can get in
touch with help on the road, or
call someone to let them know i have
arrived, and am waiting for them
outside, so i don't have to go in
to get them.

And as i have only found one actual "dead spot"
in my city, where i can't make a call
from, i am quite happy with my Virgin
Mpobile coverage. And at roughly $12 a
month, i am way ahead of what Verizon
wants to charge me for their "better coverage".

Whatever phone you choose. be sure you
check the area of coverage the provider
offers you. You can all the bells and whistles of the cutting edge, but if you don't got signal..all you got is an expensiver piece of hand jewelry.

Me, I *am looking at the newer phones
that offer real time TV, for less that ideal
circumstances, or *power failures*, but until a
company starts offering *loacl broadcast
channels, multicast from local cell towers,
i'll probably pass.

Don't get me wrong, i like how they have
CNN, FNC, ESPN etc..(With they'd have added
TVLand, & Spike) but if i'm watching TV on a Smartphone/cellphone, it's because i'm stuck
somewhere or there is a power failure...
In wich case...thjw Weather Channel does't
cut it on local weather bulletins. I
need/want the local Big 3, with their doppler
radars, and road closure reports.

[Schwaeky]

Dunno about Bluetooth, but my best experience has been with local/regional providers... Burned by Suncom, burned by Cingular, burned by Alltel, but here in KY we have a very good, very responsive company with excellent rates--Bluegrass Cellular. I have other than the activation month, not had a single month where I been slammed with overages, and that was due to a lot of extra phone calls relating to a move. I have few areas that I can't get signal with them, and in my job too many areas that Cingular and Alltell didn't have coverage. I can only assume other areas have similar regional outfits, I'd go with them... If in your area the national companies are the best thing, take my advice, if you consider Lets Talk, DON'T... Much of the charges that burned me with cingular were related to my dealings with them...

[FreedomCalls]

The *#06# (serial number) code doesn't work for me. It dials Verizon and the nice lady tells me to try again.

It just returns the ESN or MEID. You can find it on the sticker under your battery.

[Incorrigible]

I would suggest the Verizon phone I have:

Palm Treo 700w / 700wx (CDMA)

The fast internet connection makes FReeping on the go a breeze.

If you want way too much information on cell phones, go to where the people selling you the phone go:

PhoneScoop