Need a backup phone!

March 23, 2009 11:17 AM

What's a solid cell phone from the last couple of years?

I need a backup phone. It has to be GSM, preferably quad band and reasonably cheap on eBay -- say under $75. Any recommendations?

posted by aeighty to technology (10 answers total)

Cool Tools and I both love the Motorola v60 (I believe the v60i is the quad-band one). Razrs are nearly as indestructible.
posted by box at 11:22 AM on March 23, 2009

If you're in Vancouver as your profile would seem to indicate, just head down to your local 7-11 grab one of their Nokia Speakout Wireless "pay-as-you-go" phones. They're pretty cheap, GSM, and unlocked.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:24 AM on March 23, 2009

You probably want a nokia 6085. Its a quad-band tough little trooper.
posted by damn dirty ape at 11:27 AM on March 23, 2009

Seconding the 6085. It's my everyday phone. Had it for about a year now and it's in great shape. The best thing, though, is the high quality gui.
posted by symbollocks at 11:59 AM on March 23, 2009

I've never really liked the Razr, but mr nax sent his through the washer and it's still fine.
posted by nax at 3:23 PM on March 23, 2009

I've never really liked the Razr, but mr nax sent his through the washer and it's still fine.

Oh god, no. My sister went through 3 Razrs, 2 broke from simple falls, the kind that happen all the time. My mom went through 2. Both gave up and bought new phones.
posted by InsanePenguin at 5:09 PM on March 23, 2009

And the Nokia 6555 is a piece of crap. My outer screen died within weeks and the ones my kids have keep shutting themselves off for no reason. The 6085 seems to have been made under different conditions or by different gnomes.
posted by ptm at 8:11 PM on March 23, 2009

I have had the Sony Ericsson Z520a for 3 years now; and just recently the vibrate function stopped working; and about 6 months ago I dropped it and the external screen now has vertical black lines across the screen...

I recommend it; it's very tough and had I not dropped it I am sure it would be as good as new...

I am actually looking for a backup to this phone and I was looking into buying the same one...
posted by MrBCID at 9:47 PM on March 23, 2009

A friend of mine and her boyfriend both have samsung a737s. (it was a buy one get one deal when they signed up for service).
She's constantly dropping her phone- often to the "battery case opens and battery pops out" degree, and I've seen him using his as a bottle opener. Both still work 100%
posted by Kellydamnit at 12:13 AM on March 24, 2009

Any of the candy-bar style Nokias are going to last *forever*. Their newer flip-style models are considerably less durable however.
posted by radioamy at 7:03 AM on March 24, 2009