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Which mobile?
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 14:44
by Andrew S
This is an appeal for advice from any phone geeks here, as I'm on the hunt for a new mobile before my lovely old Ericsson R320 decides to clap out. Given my eyesight, I have pretty limited choice - up-to-date phones with clear, easy-to-read screens seem to be virtually non-existent. Can anybody recommend any phones with adjustable or large font size, colour, contrast etc.? To state the bleedin' obvious, I need to be able to read texts sent and received, as well as menus and numbers being dialed. The phone itself needs to be dark - ideally black, with no reflective surfaces and with clearly marked (pref in white) keys. This has just as much to do with my eyesight as with, er, personal lifestyle choice. A large screen is also important.
I've been told that Nokias are a good choice for adjustable fonts etc., but I'm not familiar with them at all. If I had a phone with Symbian S60, I could have magnification software installed, but the choice there seems to be limited to a few unaesthetic and/or highly reflective Nokias and it would cost an additional £125. I'm waiting for a reply from Samsung about the suitability of their phones, as they have a few nice ones at the moment, and I'll be doing the rounds at all the major providers for advice. Meantime, can anyone advise me about recent or older (black) phones, especially these models?
Samsung T809 / D820
Samsung D800
Samsung D600
Samsung D520 (aesthetically my favourite)
Samsung E900
Samsung E370
Samsung S500i
Samsung S660
Samsung X620
Samsung Z320i
Samsung Z540
Nokia 8800
LG S5200
Any other recommendations are welcome. I don't need anything too fancy, but I do want a reliable, readable phone that will play mp3s and let me wake up to the Sisters in the morning! Anything else I can take or leave, although a good camera & expandable memory would be a bonus. Cheers.
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 14:51
by mh
I've a Nokia 6210 which lats you adjust font sizes, view the menus as icons or lists and so on, does the whole MP3 thing, has expandable memory, has a reasonable camera (absolutely requires natural light though), a radio, and a few other bits.
It's a 2 year old model so you might find them going for a reasonable price these days.
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 14:52
by robertzombie
The Samsung E900 looks delicious
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 15:06
by Obviousman
Hmm, I don't know for other brands, but you can make themes for SonyEricssons quite easily nowadays, so if you'd like eg. a black & white one: Can be done. No font-size adjustment possible though, as far as I know
If you want a lasting one: Don't go for a phone with sliding keyboard bits/'clamshell' design etc.
Wouldn't go for the LG either as I've heard people being disappointed in their reliability...
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 15:09
by scotty
DO NOT GET A MOTOROLA V3, THEY ARE PISH!!!!
You could always ask
Blast, he keeps up with Mobile phone technology
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 16:01
by hallucienate
I'm also due for an upgrade and am thinking about getting
this one.
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 16:53
by Rise&Reverberate
Just got one of them...very pleased with it too.
Was also considering the Nokia N80 which is due out soon but the crap battery life (about 3hrs) made me go for the W810i
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 17:25
by mh
Rise&Reverberate wrote:
Just got one of them...very pleased with it too.
Was also considering the Nokia N80 which is due out soon but the crap battery life (about 3hrs) made me go for the W810i
Heh, you've just reminded me of one reason
not to recommend a Nokia. You need to be near a charger on an almost constant basis.
That Sony's really nice, isn't it? I normally avoid Sony gear cos they always love to use proprietary technology, but something like that might sway me if I was in the market for a new one.
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 17:55
by hallucienate
mh wrote:Rise&Reverberate wrote:
Just got one of them...very pleased with it too.
Was also considering the Nokia N80 which is due out soon but the crap battery life (about 3hrs) made me go for the W810i
Heh, you've just reminded me of one reason
not to recommend a Nokia. You need to be near a charger on an almost constant basis.
That Sony's really nice, isn't it? I normally avoid Sony gear cos they always love to use proprietary technology, but something like that might sway me if I was in the market for a new one.
Loads of my friends have the w800i and once you've upgraded the firmware it's an excellent phone (except it's colour). Only downside is that you need to install Sony drivers to use it as a mass storage device.
Posted: 01 Jul 2006, 21:16
by Obviousman
Fancy that w800i too
Will be trying to get one as this time my k750i's keyboard isn't working properly
Will be trying to get my money back for this one but will wait a month or so, so I'm sure to have a camera for the summer...
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 19:54
by James Blast
I have just been given a Samsung SGH-X660, what do I do with it?
I don't want to sign up for a contract, can I do a 'pay-as-u-go'?
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 20:10
by Andrew S
James Blast wrote:I have just been given a Samsung SGH-X660, what do I do with it?
I don't want to sign up for a contract, can I do a 'pay-as-u-go'?
Did it come without a sim? You might be able to use the sim from your old phone with it. Failing that, it's easy enough to buy a new sim as a PAYG. As for unlocking phones etc. I've no idea so best to ask someone who actually knows what they're talking about. I quite like the look of that phone myself, so if you use it, I'd be interested to hear how clear the display is.
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 20:15
by Andrew S
mh wrote:I've a Nokia 6210 which lats you adjust font sizes, view the menus as icons or lists and so on, does the whole MP3 thing, has expandable memory, has a reasonable camera (absolutely requires natural light though), a radio, and a few other bits.
Are you sure it's a
6210 you have?
It's about the same age as my Ericcson and doesn't appear to have the features you mention. On the plus side, it does look quite smart in an indestructible sort of way, easy to read and built to last. I'd still prefer something with more to offer, otherwise I'd prefer to stick with my old phone. At least I know not bo bother with the LG (after reading the reviews) and Scotty's V3.
The Sony Ericcson W810 looks good for music, although I'm not sure keypad contrast is clear enough and for me the phone lacks some aesthetic appeal. I finally heard back from Samsung, who nicely pointed me in the direction of their 0870 helpline.
Thanks for the feedback folks.
The hunt continues...
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 20:22
by ruffers
Obviousman wrote:Fancy that w800i too
Will be trying to get one as this time my k750i's keyboard isn't working properly
Will be trying to get my money back for this one but will wait a month or so, so I'm sure to have a camera for the summer...
K800i will be easily available then, with 3.2 Megapix cam.
Allegedly a decent phone
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 20:37
by Obviousman
Andrew S wrote:The Sony Ericcson W810 looks good for music, although I'm not sure keypad contrast is clear enough and for me the phone lacks some aesthetic appeal. I finally heard back from Samsung, who nicely pointed me in the direction of their 0870 helpline.
Thanks for the feedback folks.
The hunt continues...
If I were you I'd just have a look at the store to see to what extent the buttons and all that are useable, nowadays they really make them as tiny as they can
ruffers wrote:K800i will be easily available then, with 3.2 Megapix cam.
Allegedly a decent phone
Looks fancy! But I'm not planning to actually
spend money on a new phone, just want another one through warranty (in Belgium it's illegal to give phones with contract, so you always have to buy them yourself) and I assume that one will be more expensive than this one when I got it. Plus I'd rather not throw away my free 512MB Memory Stick Pro Duo
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 20:41
by James Blast
Andrew S wrote:Did it come without a sim? You might be able to use the sim from your old phone with it. Failing that, it's easy enough to buy a new sim as a PAYG.
I see no SIM and the one in my old phone is bigger than this phone!
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 20:44
by Obviousman
Sims have a standard size
Normally you can "break" out a tiny bit which is the actual sim card, and that should fit in
I don't know what policies they have in the UK, but when I go to my provider's shop I get a free new one, which features more storage for phonenumbers and all that. Worth a try!
(but don't break the tiny bit out if you're not sure if you want to use this phone
)
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 20:54
by James Blast
my 'half brick' is ten years old Z!
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 20:59
by Obviousman
I have one of those refrigerators lying around as well
Fit to do alternative stabbings
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 21:06
by mh
Andrew S wrote:mh wrote:I've a Nokia 6210 which lats you adjust font sizes, view the menus as icons or lists and so on, does the whole MP3 thing, has expandable memory, has a reasonable camera (absolutely requires natural light though), a radio, and a few other bits.
Are you sure it's a
6210 you have?
Nope, it's a 6230.
Had a 6210 years ago, they were quite nice for the time, but had a weird thing where the battery kept getting loose inside. You literally had to put a thick piece of card between the battery and the back cover to prevent this.
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 21:06
by scotty
James Blast wrote:Andrew S wrote:Did it come without a sim? You might be able to use the sim from your old phone with it. Failing that, it's easy enough to buy a new sim as a PAYG.
I see no SIM and the one in my old phone is bigger than this phone!
And it came with
this as a carrying case
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 21:18
by James Blast
a 404 error?
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 21:24
by scotty
James Blast wrote:a 404 error?
Nah.............a Wheel Barra'!!!
Posted: 02 Jul 2006, 21:28
by James Blast
scotty wrote:James Blast wrote:a 404 error?
Nah.............a Wheel Barra'!!!
aw troo, aw troo
Posted: 04 Jul 2006, 22:49
by James Blast
OMG! I now seem to have one of these:
it doesn't go 'beep' but it will take phoaties/vidaeo and play mp3s, do I need this?
