I'd recommend looking at LG phones. They have a good product line across all the price ranges. I've had a LG VX6100 for couple years and it seems durable and has some good features.
I am on Verizon as well and my opinion is they have the best coverage in most areas of the US. This compared to a couple other carriers I've tried. I also have family members on other carriers who get much worse coverage and call quality on their carriers.
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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
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.
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 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.
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.
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:
Ask what is free with your plan. They will try to sell you features and services you don't need. They are always happy to upgrade you later on services, so start light.
Their free phone will probably be an LG, which is serviceable. All of them probably have a speakerphone option; a headset is better for handsfree operation, and you might be able to get a universal one much cheaper at WalMart.
One further point. If you plan to use it in Europe or Asia, DON'T get a Verizon. Go with AT&T or TMobile. Otherwise, Verizon is fine.
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I just got a RAZR with the Bluetooth headset thingy packaged in. If you are going with a contract, they're pretty much two years now. I got mine at Wal-Mart; they had the best deal on the phone.
Anyhow, I like the phone and the Verizon service. I live in a very rural area, but the service works as well as one could realistically expect.
I also like the headset more than I thought I would. It's very nice for using on a long phone call.
Motorola Razr or LG VX5300
I think they are too. Since I never get any calls at home, there's nothing to make me think I'll get calls when I'm away from home.......
Last week I drove out in the country (well, not really country as we know it anymore) to a real small lake to do some ice fishing. When I got out there, there was a kid and his truck off the side of the road stuck in the snow. He asked me if I had a cell phone so he could tall AAA towing because his had just gone dead. I guess he was out of range or whatever those phones do when they die. Anyway, I told him that his bad luck was continuing because the only guy to come along who could possibly help him was me and I had no phone.......LOL!
Fortunately, another truck drove by and stopped and pulled the kid out with a rescue strap.