MobilePhoneFilter: simple but versatile

October 27, 2007 10:25 PM

What phones should I (& others) consider for ease and flexibility of taking pictures, videos, voice notes, long audio recordings, texts, etc and uploading them over the network or sending them to my computer over bluetooth? Easy is the key word! Simple GUIs. Few button presses. My budget is $1-200 and I'm ready for a new contract.
posted by oneous to Technology (10 answers total)

where are you?
posted by kaydo at 11:25 PM on October 27, 2007

Any phone from Nokia's Nseries. From the Nokia N73 to the Nokia N95, all meet your requirements. And if they don't (for example, the N73's sound recorder only records up to a minute) you can install 3rd party software that does what you want.
posted by Memo at 7:50 AM on October 28, 2007

N95 seems right apart from the fact its 700$
posted by ooklala at 12:30 PM on October 28, 2007

Response by poster: Installing software is anti-this thread. I've installed plenty of phone software myself, but this thread is about finding me & others a phone that does lots of stuff out of the box without reading manuals and without configuration. Many low-end nokias fit this bill, But the second key concept of this thread is: rapid sharing -- with an emphasis on bluetooth.
posted by oneous at 12:40 PM on October 28, 2007

Sony W810i.
posted by sourwookie at 1:43 PM on October 28, 2007

Take a look at a couple of the less expensive S60 or N Series phones. Nokia phones tend to be very intuitive and easy to figure out, and they have tons of online resources (like Mosh, though I have not tried it yet) so you can add stuff and completely customize software to your needs.

Wireless connection to your computer can be a pain if you don't have their software installed (PC Suite), but the software is light and actually works ok.
posted by ArchBr at 3:26 PM on October 28, 2007

I got my Moto Q 9m for $100 with Verizon Wireless. It is excellent for all you state.

And because it's the smartphone version of Windows Mobile 6, it's simple without being dumbed down.

I use another Windows Mobile 6 Pro device, and it's complex by comparison.

WM6 Smartphone version retains a high degree of flexibility while simplifying the experience considerably.

Oh, and Motorola included Documents-To-Go, too.
posted by blue_wardrobe at 6:36 PM on October 28, 2007

I'd go play with an iPhone at an Apple Store. They are going to have plenty of software (even though you don't want to load it) to do anything you want. I have had plenty of phones but none has compared to this one in any way, shape or form. Sure it is a bit more than you want to spend but it might be worth the investment.
posted by bkeene12 at 7:31 PM on October 28, 2007

Bluetooth isn't that fast for big files. For sharing with a PC, WiFi is probably a better bet. Pretty much all the HTC Windows phones now come with both BT and WiFi. The cheapest way to get some killer phones with serious comms is through SERO. My allegedly $550 dollar phone came in at $125 with SERO and rebates. Also, with a 3G phone, if you are getting around 1Mbps/s over the network, it's often quicker to transfer the file across the public network to your PC rather than go through bluetooth (except for BT 2 and EDR: gets around 2 Mbps). My plan gets me unlimited data transfers and voice for $30/month. It also works as an internet modem for the PC.

Regarding sharing, if you are transferring to a Windows PC from a Windows phone it's pretty simple. The phone appears as a "My Mobile" on the PC, and the PC's SMB shares appear on the phone as Network drives. It's possible that SAMBA shares also appear but I haven't tested this. It's all drag and drop, although you can run FTP or similar transfer clients on the phone if you want to get more technical.
posted by meehawl at 8:00 PM on October 28, 2007

I think you can buy sony Ericsson K750i. 1 GB memory card + K750i might cost you $200. It has bluetooth and usb access for sharing with comp. It has dedicated camera and music buttons.
posted by thejeshgn at 7:45 AM on October 31, 2007