We have never had a Smartphone so I need some help. My wife is due for a new phone (we have 4) and mine is also. We don't need to download music or watch movies. But we want some basic's
We would like to tether to a laptop when we travel (we have a motor home) and surf the net.
We would like to do our banking while traveling (just not sure how secure it is)
It would be cool if we could surf the net with just the phone to check e-mails and look at different sites. When not connected to the laptop.
Right now we don't do a heck of a lot (we do not even TEXT) with our phone other then talk on it and we are happy to do that.
Based on the above can you recommend and phone? We are not rich (if fact we are retired) and don't have a lot to spend but we would like to upgrade.....
Thanks For Your Time
Kermit,
Some things to consider.
() Tethering (using your phone as a broadband 3g modem for your computer) is a can of worms, as you'll be able to tell if you search this forum. What it comes down to is that carriers (esp VZW) have yet to settle on an understandable, reasonable approach to tethering. Some phones can be tethered "legally" at an additional monthly charge (e.g. Droid X, Palm Pre Plus, etc). Some can be tethered via a third party app (e.g. PDAnet) "illegally" but relatively safely at no additional monthly charge. Virtually all android phones can be tethered via one route or the other. But at the moment the Moto Droid can only be tethered via the "illegal" route. (Though you don't have to be "rooted" unless you want to tether "wirelessly.")
Rather than go over all the issues here, I suggest you search the forum for the threads devoted to the topic and enjoy a weekend trying to figure it all out.
() Banking via your phone is just about as safe as any form of internet banking. You should consider, of course, the fact that you can lose your phone more easily than a computer and consider how to protect the information stored on your phone. And you may want to see if your particular bank (e.g. Bank of America) offers an app specifically designed for mobile phone banking.
() Virtually any smartphone (as well as most "feature" phones) will allow you to surf the net on your phone. The issue then becomes whether you can also read the content while you're surfing. (I'm nearing retirement myself so a big bright screen is essential for me.) With that in mind you may want to consider the forthcoming Droid X or the EVO 4G from Sprint (if you're prepared to switch carriers.)
() Since you're going to be traveling a lot, you may want to stick with/go to Verizon as your carrier unless you're sure that you can get good coverage in your travels with other carriers. (There are many different opinions about quality of coverage and while there are some places where VZW is not the best, "on average" it appears to have the best coverage.) On the other hand, I can testify that in the wilds of SE Oregon, getting a signal on my Droid can be a challenge.
() Regardless of your choice of an Android phone, be prepared for a learning curve and some maintenance in terms of updating apps and managing storage on your phone. If you're even minimally competent with a computer, it won't be a problem, but it IS more complex than you're probably used to with a phone. If that concerns you, you're probably better off with a Palm or a Blackberry phone. Fewer options but easier to manage.
() You can get good deals on the Moto Droid from VZW (as noted in another post) or from one of the third party sources like Amazon, Costco or Wirefly. Apart from the tethering issue noted above, it is probably your best compromise in terms of cost, availability, and capabilities. And if you decide to save some money by upgrading through, say, Amazon, your support is identical to a phone purchased from Verizon.
tell your wife she can thank me later