No Contract, so I can get ANY Droid - which one?

[Irishdoom]

I'm finally ready to take the plunge with a fancy shmancy Smartphone. I don't presently have a contract with any provider, so my options are pretty much wide open. Here are the choices that have caught my eye so far, I'd appreciate any advice.

• Thunderbolt (Sounds like a great phone, the battery life worries me a tiny bit)
• Atrix 4G (I like the hardware, but not sure about the speeds on AT&T's network)
• Droid Bionic (I don't know if I can wait, and do you really NEED dual core?)
• Droid X (Can get this for a penny, which is nice.)
• Nexus S (I like the idea of a pure, stock Android phone)

If I had a real lean right now, I'd say it's towards the Thunderbolt, but this would also be the priciest option.

 

[dezymond]

So you're still deciding a wireless provider as well. First I'd check which one has the best signal in your area.

I'd go with the following:
VZW: Thunderbolt
AT&T: Atrix
T-Mobile: Avoid.

IF you can do without 4g, I'd just get one of the "last gen" smartphones.

 

[Irishdoom]

I've heard that Sprint doesn't have the best service in my area. I believe Verizon provides the best coverage. I have been considering the Droid X since I can get it for a penny, and it sounds like a phone many people have been happy with.

 

[Beka27]

So you're still deciding a wireless provider as well. First I'd check which one has the best signal in your area.

I'd go with the following:
VZW: Thunderbolt
AT&T: Atrix
T-Mobile: Avoid.

Hmm... I haven't heard much about the T-Mobile Avoid. What are the specs like?






:icon_ banana:

 

[Irishdoom]

Is T-Mobile really that bad? They do have the lowest monthly rate for me.

 

[Godly 1]

(my 2 cents)
T-Mobile is awful! I ran with them many many years ago for that very reason, super cheap plans, and was blindsided on a bill where I had a couple hour long conversation with another T-Mobile customer! Free mobile to mobile anyone on the world would think! NOPE! At that time, apparently that was an added feature that I of course didn't have... I tried to explain that I assumed mobile to mobile was on the plan, because I had never gone over minutes before, but they would not work with me at all! They would only accept the whole $800 and something bill... WHATEVER! I jumped ship to Verizon! Haven't looked back! Ha Ha!
...although every few months I do get a call from the latest collection company offering a "settlement" that they would accept.... Way too many years too late!!!
... Oh my... I appear to have started rambling... Sorry...
T-Mobile Baaaaadddddd....
Be warned!!!

 

[xan]

avoid getting into a contract at all costs, buy a used droid and activate on pageplus.

biggest mistake ive made in years was getting talked back into a contract by a slick VRZ sales reps.

 

[Gritwater]

She was THAT cute...huh? Lol


I say get an iphone

texting and driving on my Droid X...thanks tapatalk

 

[xan]

She was THAT cute...huh? Lol

dunno, kinda hard to tell on the phone....

 

[xeene]

Go with thunderbolt to take advantage of unlimited 4g data and the fastest phone with the best carrier.

 

[Jordan8]

Do you have 4G in your area with verizon? If not, the DX would save you alil bit of money. However, keep in mind it's dated. The Thunderbolt is quite abit newer. Wasn't enough improvements to make me want to swap though.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[sgtguthrie]

I'd say thunderbolt but get it thru wirefly. It's far cheeper and just as fast. The x will see gingerbread, but that's as far as it will go. Also, I don't know if you care to root, but if you decide to you can do about anything with the tb. With root access on the X you're still limited a lot.

Sent from my Droid running whatever ROM and Kernel I chose to use today...

 

[Irishdoom]

Yes, I live in the Chicago area and we do have 4G available. I planned to buy it through Amazon wireless, which has it for $200, same price as wirefly.

 

[Irishdoom]

So there's been a bit of a shift as of today. I realized that I wasn't getting the full picture with what the monthly cost would be for me on Verizon, as the Thunderbolt has that whole "free" tethering until May 15th. Well, I HAVE to have tethering, so I need to take that into account. Where Verizon was coming out cheaper than AT&T, I now see it will be the most expensive for me monthly. Nearly $20 more per month (which isn't peanuts when you have one income and a wife and 2 kids!)

So, I suddenly find myself looking more seriously at both AT&T and even T-Mobile.

AT&T actually comes out the cheapest for me, and would net me the Atrix 4G and the best looking second phone for my wife (HTC Freestyle.)

T-Mobile is just barely more expensive per month, and that would get me the Nexus S. I like the idea of having a stock Android phone, though I'm not sure what would happen exactly if the AT&T/T-Mobile deal goes through.

 

[sgtguthrie]

Of you root you can tether without paying for it and without Verizon knowing about it. I would have said that in your case consider Tmobile, but i despise at&t and im sure Tmobile will be at&t soon enough.

Also, Verizon has some excellent employer based discounts. Check and see if you get one thru your employer. I get 15% and my wife gets 22%! We came from at&t and the difference was night and day. I



Sent from my Droid running whatever ROM and Kernel I chose to use today...