topic Re: Phone suggestion in Get Support

Phone suggestion

DemiLiard — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 17:48:09 GMT

Hello. I am new to the mobile phone world and would like a phone suggestion. I have a 250$ budget and no idea which phone to get despite doing some research.

Any help would be appreciated.

I was going to try getting one through Orchard since that seemed like the simplest thing to do but it doesn't seem like that great a deal. The Samsung S3 for 235$ refurbished on Orchard is 300$ new on amazon plus it was released in 2012 so I'm assuming there are much better options.

Re: Phone suggestion

7789849803 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 03:47:28 GMT

There are several competing priorities when choosing a mobile phone. Please rank the following in order of your preference and I'll be happy to make specific recommendations at that point:

release date, camera quality, dual-sim functionality, android/ios/windows preference, battery life, cost, resale value (after a year or two), screen size/phone size (please specify if bigger or smaller preferred), speaker quality, display quality, ruggedness, ease/cost of repair.

Re: Phone suggestion

Griff — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 04:15:54 GMT

@DemiLiardThe choice is going to be somewhat subjective. I myself am fond of Motorola's entry level phones. The 3rd generation Moto G is available for $230 outright at TELUS and was released in 2015.

You can view the specs here;
http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_g_(3rd_gen)-7247.php

The version available in Canada is the 1GB of RAM, 8GB of memory version.

Re: Phone suggestion

Martin — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 04:24:08 GMT

Hello,

I have a 2015 Moto G from Telus.

The battery life is disappointing, especially compared to my 2013 Moto G units.

Whereas the batteries in the latter lasted about 13 hours each before recharging, the former's battery will last about 10 hours, and that is with constant light use.

Food for thought.

Re: Phone suggestion

DemiLiard — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 05:26:55 GMT

The Motorola Moto G 3rd gen seems very interesting at that price. However it says delivery will take 4-6 weeks due to limited stock, and I'd like it soon. Maybe I'll go see if they have it in store.

Re: Phone suggestion

DemiLiard — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 05:36:35 GMT

Hmm... cost is important, battery life, release date I guess and I'd rather have a larger screen size.

What do you think about the HTC One M7. Release date is old but it seems good... 255$ on amazon: http://www.amazon.ca/HTC-32GB-Unlocked-Android-Phone/dp/B00EEVPFQU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449984606&sr=8-1&keywords=htc+one+m7

I'll be putting a cheap Public Mobile plan on it, I don't use the phone much, but I'd like to use it as a tablet.

From what I understand Telus-locked phones will work on Public Mobile without having to be unlocked?

Re: Phone suggestion

7789849803 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 06:27:20 GMT

@DemiLiard If you prefer a larger screen size and won't be using the phone for calling much, you could possibly just use a tablet instead. There are calling-enabled Android tablets available. But for the most part you should plan on using a headset (either wired or Bluetooth) to make calls with a tablet.

Re: Phone suggestion

Rockdaddy22 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 12:26:28 GMT

Yes, Telus locked phones will work with PM

Re: Phone suggestion

DemiLiard — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 13:42:22 GMT

The tablet may not be a bad idea, although I forgot to add portability was a factor. And is the reception good on a tablet? Even though I don't use the phone for calling much I still want good reception.

This phablet seemed interesting however I read a topic about someone having trouble setting it up with Public Mobile: http://www.gearbest.com/cell-phones/pp_229219.html

Re: Phone suggestion

Martin — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 14:36:17 GMT

Hello,

If you're referring to the Redmi Note 2, I recall the OP and the multiple problens that he encountered. His phone was not manufactured for the Canadian market; the problems had nothing to do with Public Mobile. After multiple trial and error, and some workarounds, he was about to conform the phone to PM's requirements.

There's a lesson to be drawn: Unless you like taking chances and/or spending an inordinate amount of time on a phone, buy a phone for the Canadian market.

Re: Phone suggestion

DemiLiard — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 16:47:42 GMT

Oh, I see. Thanks!

I've almost never tried a mobile phone. Only used my friend's briefly and her's is a 600$ phone so I'm afraid I won't be able to do as much on a 250$ phone. At 600 I can almost buy a good computer so I don't want to invest that much in a phone.

Re: Phone suggestion

Martin — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 06:27:09 GMT

Hi,

You're quite welcome!

Personally, I would never spend $600 on a phone, but I recognize that others do and that they can justify their reasons for doing so.

What I look for in a phone are:
1: a well-known company that's financially stable, and will continue to exist, so as to provide quick warranty repair and over-the-air upgrades
2: a well-constructed phone that can be used with one hand
3: a phone small enough to fit into a pants pocket in order to lessen the likelihood of having a dropped phone with a broken display
4: a phone that will last at least 13 or 14 hours with constant light usage
5: a phone with stock Android, so that it's not cluttered with irrelevant apps
6: a phone with a screen no less than 5.5" and a pixel density of at least 300 dpi
7: a phone with an FM radio
8: a phone with excellent audio quality, including speakerphone
9: a phone with a so-so camera because paying more to obtain an extreme close-up of a tulip is not Priority#1.
10: I've yet to decide what to type here.

#10 was amended on December 16 to read: "a phone with a battery that can be easily removed and replaced by the user"

Cheers.

Re: Phone suggestion

IWIK — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 17:42:35 GMT

@Martin wrote:
Hi,

You're quite welcome!

Personally, I would never spend $600 on a phone, but I recognize that others do and that they can justify their reasons for doing so.

What I look for in a phone are:
1: a well-known company that's financially stable (unlike BB) and will continue to exist, so as to provide quick warranty repair and over-the-air upgrades
2: a well-constructed phone that can be used with one hand
3: a phone small enough to fit into a pants pocket in order to lessen the likelihood of having a dropped phone with a broken display
4: a phone that will last at least 13 or 14 hours with constant light usage
5: a phone with stock Android, so that it's not cluttered with irrelevant apps
6: a phone with a screen no less than 5.5" and a pixel density of about 300 dpi at least
7: a phone with an FM radio
8: a phone with an excellent audio quality, including speakerphone
9: a phone with a so-so camera because paying more to obtain an extreme close-up of a tulip is not Priority#1.
10: I've yet to decide what to type here.

Cheers.

@Martin wowowowow easy on the BlackBerry slander, they are financially stable (Hand sets are only a part of the business) not to mention this is a lot of Canadian jobs we're talking about here. Even if they stopped producing their own hardware they will always support their existing hardware and software will continue.

Re: Phone suggestion

Martin — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 18:00:59 GMT

Hi,

Mea culpa!

I corrected my post. Thank you for your input.

Enjoy your BB!

Re: Phone suggestion

7789849803 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 18:15:42 GMT

@DemiLiard Yes, the reception would be just as good on a tablet. In general, it is hard to say which phone gets better reception because nearly all the phones are just as good (or just as bad). They vary only by tiny amounts in how well they can handle poor coverage.

Also, I would highly recommend you invest in a 4G/LTE capable device - both for faster data speeds, as well as for better compatibility in the future. The Redmi Note 2 is not compatible with Telus' 1700 MHz FDD-LTE network.

Given your specific criteria, I'll try to lookup some other options later in the day and get back to you.

Re: Phone suggestion

DemiLiard — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 18:34:42 GMT

Thank you.

Re: Phone suggestion

7789849803 — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 20:49:59 GMT

@DemiLiard After spending about 30-45 minutes doing some basic research, here are some options for you (I've not spent too much time on this - so I only looked at ebay to get a basic idea). They are all within the CAD 250 price range (but most of the listings are from the US, so prices are listed in USD), all are 4G capable (I've verified the particular part number in each of these listings to make sure they'll work with the Telus network). But some of them don't come with chargers, and most will need to be unlocked (add about $25-$30 for that):

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/LG-G3-D850-32GB-4G-LTE-Metallic-Black-AT-T-Unlocked-Smartphone-Refurbished-/391270362782?var=&hash=item5b1987ee9e:m:mEVBNy8bIyOIuxzwj6nUcyQ (LG G3 is another great phone and was only released last year. Plus, these are refurbished and available in two conditions so you get a choice. Based on your preferences, I would highly recommend this particular device)

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Samsung-Galaxy-S5-SM-G900A-16GB-Charcoal-Black-AT-T-Smartphone-5984-READ-/221966034803?hash=item33ae34e773:g:NlsAAOSwkZhWR2K0#viTabs_0 (Galaxy S5 in moderately beat-up condition)

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-II-2-i317-at-t-4G-LTE-Android-Smart-Phone-FAIR-GOOD-632330-/401040500752?hash=item5d5fe06810:g:4nsAAOSwp5JWVhMc (an older variant, so it may not be preferred, but there's a LOT of Galaxy Note II phones available cheaply on ebay - this same seller offers several others around the same price range, some in better condition, others in worse).

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/HTC-One-X-Plus-AT-T-64GB-Smartphone-HD-Video-Bluetooth-Black-Great-Condition-/301815950633?hash=item4645a1ed29:g:LHAAAOSwo6lWOBgw (HTC One X+ is a great phone, even though it's been about 2.5 years since it came out)

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Samsung-Galaxy-S4-S-4-SGH-I337-16GB-White-phone-AT-T-RETAIL-BOX-04693-/191757970615?hash=item2ca5aa6cb7:g:BUsAAOSwp5JWaw-m (the S4 is a slightly older device, so it may not be your preferred device).

At the risk of stating the obvious, this is not an exhaustive search, so you may have other options. But hopefully from looking at these listings, you'll have a fairly good idea of your options when it comes to devices that are known to be reliable and meet your other criteria.

Re: Phone suggestion

DemiLiard — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 23:45:01 GMT

Thanks for the list. They seem like good options. I will look into them.

When going to the store today I tried a Blackberry Classic and I really liked using the physical keyboard. Going to get more info about those.

In the Telus store they had the Motorola Moto G 3rd gen but they weren't selling it without a plan.

Re: Phone suggestion

IWIK — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 00:52:54 GMT

I've had a Q10 now since they were released (June 2013) and would have replaced it with the Classic if not for the Priv being released. I'm not thrilled with going to Android, but I really like the hardware.

But yes, I would have got the Classic because you just can't beat a physical keyboard and track pad for getting stuff done. Also doing a quick peek at Kijiji looks like you it's possible to get a decent Classic in the $250 range.

Re: Phone suggestion

srlawren — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 23:37:10 GMT

If you're looking for Android, even with the current crappy exahcnage rates, it's pretty hard to beat the USD $150 Blu Life One X. After a rough 1.4 exchange multiplier, that's about $210 Canadian. One catch is they don't ship to Canada, so this may not be an option for you, depending where you are. I ship items like that to Blaine, a border town in Washington state, and drive over from greater Vancouver to pick them up at a company called Edge Logistics. Adds another $5 USD (charged by Edge) at pick-up, but still a bargain for what you're getting, which is a 5.2" 1080p phone with 16 GB storage (with SD or second SIM slot), 2 gigs of RAM, and a 2900 mAH battery which should lead to some decent life.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0189RMNTG

I have one on order for my uncle for Christmas (they were initially on sale for $99 USD but only for the first few days after the phone was announced).

Moto G 2015 (3rd Gen) is also a great choice as suggested, though in early comparisons this new Blu phone seems to bury it, eg:

http://www.androidauthority.com/blu-life-one-x-vs-moto-g-2015-659449/

EDIT: just fixed the Amazon link to the phone