Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with smartphone and verizon

random weird smartphone texting conundrum of random weirdness

thereemix — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:40:57 -0800

My friend keeps getting a text from my number, but I actually haven't sent said text. What is going on? My friend just let me know that he keeps getting a text from my number telling him "not to bring [his] gun today." He says that it only pops up as an alert - as in he sees his phone vibrate and in the alert/preview bar at the top of his screen it says "text from thereemix: don't bring your gun today" - but then when he opens the text messaging app on his phone and looks at the texts from me, it doesn't actually show there. (I hope that makes sense.) He says it's happened about 4 times over the past few days.

He figured at first that it was an old text that just got caught in space (or however it works, I'm woefully ignorant about phone/texting functionality), but then realized that even this is odd, because I have never sent him such a text. Ever. In fact, I don't think I've ever texted anyone about guns. Ever. Guns just aren't something I text or even talk about, really.

(I mean, certainly, I don't think it's a good idea to bring a gun to the office, but I don't generally remind people of such things via text that seem so patently obvious. Also, he doesn't even own a gun.)

So this is just all kinds of weird. I figure I should contact Verizon since I don't want him or any of my other phone contacts to be getting alarming texts that I don't send... but why is this happening?

If it matters, his phone is an HTC something or other (not sure exactly which model but it's about three years old) and mine is a brand new Samsung Galaxy Nexus. We both use Verizon as our carrier.

What's the deal? Anyone have any ideas?

I need a phone to hold me over until my upgrade on Verizon

msbrauer — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 10:07:13 -0800

I need a Verizon phone to carry me over until the new iphone release. What's a decent cheap phone to get without doing the contract renewal or using up my upgrade? My 2-year-old smart phone's screen has died. It's an LG Ally. I want to wait to get a new phone (using my upgrade credit and contract renewal) until the new iphone comes out next month. How can I get a phone (smart phone or other phone) to work on Verizon to hold me over for the month. What can I do? Is it possible to buy a used phone or a cheap phone and get it activated on my existing contract until the new iphone comes out?

I am not interested in other recommendations for phones to use with my upgrade/renewal. I just need a phone to hold me over until the new iphone comes out, and I realize it might be longer than a month before I can actually get the iphone.

Verizon Smartphone Upgrade: Drioid 3 vs Samsung Stratosphere vs Droid 4

filthy light thief — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:04:29 -0800

Upgrading smart phones with Verizon, January 2012 edition: moving from an original Motorola Droid and a Droid Eris, and unsure how critical 4G LTE and Super AMOLED are for phones we'll have for another 2+ years. More thoughts inside. My wife and I have (relatively) old smart phones - I have an original Motorola Droid with keyboard, and my wife has the touchscreen-only Droid Eris. We're eligible for upgrades now, and I've been watching news about the Droid 4, which sounds like the best of all things (4G LTE, Super AMOLED Advanced screen). But today I saw $250 is the (tentative) minimum advertised price for a phone + 2 year plan. Plus we're on a family plan, so it might actually be more, given the pricing I've seen on some other phones.

My wife and I are keen on pull-out keyboards, so the other alternatives are much more affordable: 1. Samsung Stratosphere (4G LTE, but "dated" WVGA Super AMOLED with 800x480 resolution, vs 720p HD displays available)
Price: $99 w/plan through Verizon, or $49 for a Certified Pre-Owned phone + plan through Verizon; or $39.99 from Amazon Wireless with Verizon plan

2. Droid 3 (soon to be discontinued, 3G, but qHD Display with 960x540 resolution).
Price: $99 from Verizon with plan; $19.99 from Amazon Wireless (backordered currently)

Questions:
1. is the improved resolution or 4G LTE that key for our relatively casual use? We don't watch movies on our phones, we just play games, browse the net, text and send the occasional email.
2. Might Amazon Wireless offer the Droid 4 for a discount off of the $250 minimum advertised price?

Let's Go For a Test Drive!!

JohnnyGunn — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:58:48 -0800

I want to buy a new "smart phone". (Hopefully smarter than its soon to be owner.) I want to try (or test drive) them out first. Is there a way to try various phones for a few days before actually purchasing one? I am a Verizon customer. I currently have a Blackberry Storm. That is a first generation Storm. That is a brick; almost literally. But it works for me. I was recently given to use an iPad 2. Not much of a fan, but it has opened my eyes to the world around me when it comes to phones. I am glad I did not go out and just purchase an iPhone as I am pretty sure it is not for me.

But how do I know what I will like in a phone if I cannot try one out for a few days? I would love to have an Android phone for a few days, then a new blackberry then a windows 7 phone, etc for 3 or 4 days each. I would then strap on a set and make a decision. Is there a way I can test drive a phone for a few days?

I found a story about Sprint setting up virtual phones to look at, but could not actually find the link or the virtual phones or what I thought a virtual phone would be. I could buy a phone with Verizon and return it, but they have $50 restocking fees. They sort of laughed when I suggested they let me try one for a few days.

(Maybe this is a business to be in? Rent a phone for a week or less?)

the app for that exceeds your monthly allowance

headnsouth — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:13:02 -0800

Smartphonefilter: how to choose a data plan under Verizon's new tiered-fee structure? I am eligible for an upgrade next month and I was finally getting ready to get a smartphone with a $29.99/mo. data plan when Verizon announced (sort of) that it's switching from a flat fee to a tiered allowance structure. Supposedly it will only be $10/mo. for 75 MB and then $30, $50, and $80 for 2, 5, and 10GB. I would love to pay $10 instead of $30 but how do you know how much you'll use?

I only need it because social networking and personal email are all blocked at work. I'm in marketing so I have access to a remote server for all the good stuff but it's slow and shared with others and sometimes inaccessible, so basically I want a smartphone to keep fb/twitter/yahoo/gmail/linkedin/etc. open all the time and send/receive pdfs and word/excel/ppt files. I don't need to watch video etc. but do youtube videos count toward your usage when they're in someone's facebook feed, or just when you actually play them? Would playing pandora be a no-no?

And what about downloading apps? As I'll be a noob, I won't have anything, but would I need to limit myself to 1 app/month or something? Thanks for any advice you guys might have. It is bad enough to have analysis paralysis about what kind of phone to buy, now I have to predict my usage and choose a plan. Grar.

Broken Droid 6 months ahead of schedule. Help!

Lutoslawski — Tue, 17 May 2011 11:38:15 -0800

My HTC Droid Eris is pretty much out-of-commission...6 months before my contract with Verizon is up (and I'm eligible for a discounted new phone). The warranty is up also. What are my options? The touch-screen on my Eris has a lot of 'dead' spots, prohibiting me from making phone calls, checking my voice mail, or sending txts. This isn't going to work for the next six months.

I was planning on riding this phone out until October when I'm eligible for the $200 iPhone 4. But alas, to get an iphone now would cost upwards of $600, which I cannot afford.

So what are my options?

1) Have my phone fixed? Is this even worth it? I have no idea how much this would cost.

2) Any chance I can haggle the Verizon people into letting me get an early discount? Or is this pretty much a non-starter?

3) Purchase other non-smartphone on the cheap to get me through until October. The problem? I've gotten awfully used to my smartphone's features.

4) A friend of mine has an Eris about the same age as mine but it works properly. He doesn't use it (doesn't want to pay the data plan). He offered to sell it to me for $20 (which is what Verizon would give him for it). Any downsides to this? Will I be able to just take both phones into Verizon and have them wipe his phone and switch the number set-up and all of that?

Is there another option? Or anything I'm not thinking of?

Thanks Hive.

Smartphones make me feel dumb.

radiosilents — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:57:36 -0800

So I want a new smartphone and I'm overwhelmed by the options. Looking for resources that will describe benefits, compare phones, explain details like the various processors, screen types, etc. What are the go-to sites for explanations/comparisons/etc? Whose opinion do you trust on these matters? Where can I find resources to help clarify what it is I'm looking at? Who will explain to me the difference between a Snapdragon and a TI OMAP 3630?

Verizon customer, considering the Droid series (X, Pro, Incredible, etc).

Wait, which one was the droid I was looking for?

badgermushroomSNAKE — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:51:57 -0800

Smartphone newb seeks new Verizon phone. Likes: high-quality cameras. Dislikes: iPhones, spending money. I have a dumbphone. I have always had dumbhones. I'm cheap like that. However, events have conspired to make me reconsider this choice.

First, Verizon (my carrier of choice and the only one that works in my hometown) is increasingly requiring data packages even for dumbphones (any phone with a keyboard, according to them, is "smart" enough to need a data plan). I will never go back to a dumbphone without a qwerty, and I've long been pondering making the smartphone jump after my current phone goes to the great upgrade in the sky.

Second, my ancient (3MP, Kodak, circa 2004) digital camera just bit the dust.

It occurs to me now that if a) I'm going to be shelling out for some sort of data package anyway and b) these newfangled smartphones, I hear they take pictures, then c) hey, maybe I'm better off doing the smartphone jump now and having a camera and phone rolled into one rather than spending a hundred or two on a new camera and then again on a phone later on. My research seems to say that right now, the HTC Incredible is "the best" (for some definition of "best") Verizon android phone, but I don't know what's coming down the pipeline to challenge the best, and there's just so much information out there on so many phones in general that I need an organic processor, namely you guys, to help me sift.

So, let's run with this. AskMe, help me find a smartphone that fits my requirements:

Must:
1. Run on Verizon. Switching is not in the cards right now, and frankly I prefer Verizon's service.
2. Have a camera that can rival a standalone camera. Not a fancy one that a camera geek would spend hundreds of dollars on or anything, but a decent enough one that I will be able to zoom and that my photos, even in low light, won't come out too grainy. Decent enough to be The Official Camera of someone who's not a photo geek, basically.

Bonus points:
3. I think I prefer Android phones, just for the ideology. Definitely no on the iPhone. If there's a blackberry that doesn't have that horrific squeezed-narrow keyboard that they all seem to have, I'm open to hearing about that. I'm also open to hearing about the new Windows phones, which I don't know much about.
4. Decent battery life. I'm willing to charge every night and during hard-use days, but regularly running out of battery before I get home from work is going to be a problem. Yes, I realize this is largely dependent on background apps. Try to generalize for me.
5. Touch screen. Yum, modern technology!

Considerations:
1. I use social networks, but not obsessively. I don't need my phone pushing an update to me every time someone tweets, but a Facebook-accessing app, for example, would be useful. Someone mentioned to me that I should avoid MotoBlur if I don't want a constant bombardment.
2. I'm curious about but not dedicated to the notion of rooting. If the phone comes with a reasonably un-terrible interface, I probably wouldn't bother rooting it. If the phone has a proprietary interface of fail, though, let's give some extra weight to the ability to root.
3. I'm trying to do a mental balancing act between "oh god the MONEY" and "well shit, if I'm making the leap to a smartphone-as-multitasker, I might as well get the best one." In a perfect world, I'd spend less than $100 (after New Every 2 discount) for this phone-of-all-work. In the real world, I expect it'll be closer to $200, and if it's the most awesome phone that ever awesomed, I might be able to talk myself into going up toward $300.

Give me ideas. Give me suggestions. Ask me questions about specifications I forgot to mention. Just for the love of Cthulhu, help me pick a phone!

Can you hear me? Now?

PlutoniumX — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 06:10:01 -0800

[New Smartphone Selection Filter] Droid X vs Droid 2 vs ??? Help me decide! Well it’s that time again.

I am eligible for a phone upgrade from Verizon. I am not interested in switching providers, I am still under contract and even if I wasn’t, Verizon has the best service in my area.

My last two phones have been keyboard slider smart phones. (Samsung i760 and the HTC Touch Pro 2) Both of these phones ran Windows Mobile.

I have read this post (http://ask.metafilter.com/158401/How-many-Droids-we-got-on-this-ship-anyhow).

I know Windows Mobile 7 is coming out soon. As there always are, there are rumors of the next awesome thing right around the corner.

The Touch Pro 2 is starting to die. It’s powering off by itself sometimes when I close the keyboard, it has some weird rainbow square that is apparently a known issue with the screen. Not a huge deal right now, but I don’t feel like putting in for a warranty replacement when I want to get a new phone soon.

I know the Droid X is a BIG phone and that’s off putting to some, but I am a big guy with big hands and pockets and it doesn’t really concern me.

I need to have good ebook reader software on the phone.
I also read a decent amount of the web from the phone.

I don’t use my current phone as a MP3 player much, but I do watch videos on it at times. Having a free/affordable media application to play the most common video files without converting would be nice.

I text and email a lot, but the keyboard slider isn’t a requirement as long as the onscreen keyboard works well.

My concerns with WinMo7 are that the app store will be just like the current app store. Full of 3 useful things and the rest will be crap.

I like that the there is a healthy Android store.

I am looking forward to the future Android tablets and Google TV integration.

I am not interested in any phone running an older version of WinMo. Blackberries are out too.

So we have the Droid X, the Droid 2 (the R2D2 variant is coming out on the 30th, and I may be dorky enough to pick that one!) Or something else? I haven’t had as much time as I would have liked to look into it, so I am asking your help hive mind. I don’t want to get a phone and then have something awesome come out next month that I would have liked much better.

Planned time to upgrade would be NOW to as late as a month or two from now, unless you convince me otherwise.

Thank you!

Can he eat his cake and eat it too, cellphone-wise?

carpyful — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:51:00 -0800

Can I cancel my Verizon Wireless contract (and pay the early termination fee) and then sign back up with a new contract to my existing family plan and still manage to keep my number? Asking this convoluted question for my cousin....

Basically, he sold his smartphone thinking he had a way to get a new phone for the subsidized $200 rate. As it turns out, he still has about a year left on contract (long and irrelevant story as to how that all went down).

Now, he wants to get a new smartphone, stay on his family plan (which has two other lines on it), and keep his number.

It seems like the most financially friendly way of accomplishing this is to cancel his current line and pay the ETF, then sign back up onto the family plan, thus allowing him to get a phone for $200.

However, it doesn't seem likely that through this process, he can keep his number. So... can he? Or is there another way that he can get a new phone and keep his number for under ~$350?

(Also, the only other alternative we have is buying a used smartphone from Craigslist, which is the default course of action.)

Robot, fruit or something else?

nayrb5 — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:27:23 -0800

Best Verizon smartphone for syncing with Outlook? It's upgrade time and I want a smartphone that I can sync with my calendar in Outlook without too much fuss.

Challenges:

-On the Verizon network

-Doesn't require me to have admin rights (work computer) or for our IT department to purchase or maintain anything. (I could get software installed on my machine, but not on the server)

-Preferably wireless syncing, but wired is acceptable if required

I like the idea of Blackberry, but I'm open to other options. The reviews that I've looked at for smartphones don't seem to talk much about this particular feature, so I'm turning to Mefi!

Droid X upgrade?

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:25:36 -0800

So I want a Droid X, but my phone and data plan setup is a bit wonky... Before the beautiful Alltel was sucked into the monster that is Verizon, I was an Alltel customer on a month-to-month plan. Because I was getting unlimited data on my plan, I opted to hook myself to a 1-year contract so that I would get grandfathered in once Verizon bought up Alltel a week later since every phone and in-person rep I talked to said that Verizon would axe unlimited data plans unless you were on a contract prior to the takeover. (Not sure if this matters since I'm long past my contract expiring, but I included the background for the sake of clarity.)

During the signup procedure, I bought a new smartphone (HTC Touch Pro) and found out from the rep that my account had somehow been "glitched" so that I wasn't paying the $30 or so per month that they wanted for a data plan. I'm pretty sure this was because I had gotten my first smartphone back long enough that it had been included and *somehow* my account had just kept that feature.

Anyway, I'm looking at the Droid X with a gleam in my eyes, but I don't want to walk into a Verizon store and buy one and have the rep decide that they need to alter my plan by sticking me the $30/month for a data plan, so what I'm trying to find out is the following:

If I purchase the Droid X online with or without a 2-year plan and have it shipped to me for me to activate, I'm guessing that I'll bypass that whole "data plan charge" scenario that I'd face by calling or going into a store. What are your thoughts on this? I'd really like to get a Droid X, but I'm happier keeping my current phone if I don't have to pay that extra $30/month.

Please don't reply if you're going to lecture me on the "honesty" of telling them about that charge. My account was set up that way and I feel zero guilt about it since that's how things were originally set up when I bought my first smartphone.

(Anon to protect me, obviously)

tl;dr version:
My smartphone's data plan is glitched or grandfathered in a way so that I get free data when in reality verizon probably thinks I should be paying for it. If I get a new Droid X online will they catch on to this like I'm sure they would in the store? I really want a Droid X but I'll stick with my HTC Touch Pro if it means I might have to pay that $30/month if I upgrade.

Thanks all!

Are they killing the Incredible? Why?

The Winsome Parker Lewis — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:13:56 -0800

What's the deal with the HTC Droid Incredible's sudden agoraphobia? I shopped around for my next Verizon smartphone and decided the Droid X is going to be too big and too monstrous for my needs. The Incredible is exactly what I've been looking for.

Now, exactly two months after it was released, I'm hearing reports that there are shortages of some part in the display (or something) that mean there's a long waiting list for the phone. Verizon is reportedly trying to talk people out of buying them. There are rumors that the device will be discontinued shortly. Apparently HTC just announced Froyo updates coming soon, and didn't utter even a whisper about the Incredible. My Googling is only making me more undecided, after I'd already made up my mind.

Help me cut through the paranoia. Are the shortages just the typical new-gadget-selling-like-hotcakes phenomenon or is there something more serious going on? If I go ahead and add my name to the waiting list, will I just end up with an obsolete and unsupported dud? I really want a phone that will be compatible with a wide range of software, and something at the beginning of its lifespan. I thought that was the Incredible but now I'm afraid I'm making a mistake. Hope me!

If it weren't for AT&T I'd be getting an iPhone 4

The Winsome Parker Lewis — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:48:44 -0800

I've had it with AT&T. Help me switch to Verizon without ruining my Apple-icious mobile experience! How can I transition from my iPhone 3G to an Android OS device (on Verizon) with as little pain as possible? I guess there are a few things I need to know...

1. Which device should I get? Flexibility's my top priority, so I'd like something with some real muscle to handle whatever craziness I might decide to throw at it. And I know Android phones all have their own little quirks, so I want to pick some hardware that's not going to have weird usability/compatibility issues with most apps from the Marketplace.

2. I've invested a lot of time personalizing my iTunes library and my iCal calendar. What's the easiest and most foolproof way to manage and sync them with the phone you identified in question 1? I'm not interested in walking away from either of those programs, but I'd be okay with something like doubleTwist (have you used it on a Mac with this phone? I've heard mixed reports about its stability).

3. Everybody approaches a new device with certain assumptions and expectations. I've been conditioned to view my mobile experience through a Jobsian lens... so what philosophical differences should I prepare myself for as I transition to Android? How does it deviate from the way my iPhone handles common tasks? I've never used it before and I'm mildly intimidated since using my iPhone is second nature at this point and, well, change is always hard.

Please hope me! If anyone can steer me in the right direction and flatten the learning curve a bit too, it's the hive. Thanks in advance!

Smart-ish cell phone recommendation?

medusa — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:07:03 -0800

What is a good smart-ish phone usable with Verizon's inexpensive data plan? I am a cell phone idiot, currently using a 5-year old phone that does nothing but make/receive calls/texts. I'm considering upgrading to a smart-ish phone, so I can experience all this newfangled email and web browsing that the whippersnappers like these days.

Ideally I'd like one that is usable with Verizon's $10/month data plan, since I don't expect to use a lot of data. This would rule out the truly smart phones like the Droid & Blackberry. I would be fine with an older model or used phone.

Here's what I'd like, in order of importance: good call quality, durability, a qwerty keyboard (not onscreen, a real keyboard), and a not-too-annoying web browser.

I see that the Samsung i760 was recommended in a similar question from a couple years ago. Is that still a good choice? Do you have any recommendations?

Can you hear me now?

veryhappyheidi — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:11:29 -0800

Problems being heard on the droid... is this a Verizon network problem or a Droid problem? I've had the Droid for two weeks now, and it seems like such a cool toy... but it's failing at the phone part. Sometimes, the person I'm talking to cannot hear me at all-- as if I'm on mute. Here's the kicker: I returned my first Droid and got a brand-new phone that's doing the EXACT SAME THING!

Pertinent info (and maybe not so pertinent info):
- I'm in Somerville, MA.
- This has happened on both incoming and outgoing calls.
- This has happened on in-network calls (Verizon to Verizon within my family plan, which was MA calling NE, and vice-versa).
- This has happened on out-of-network (Verizon to Sprint, MA calling a NY number that was 1 mile away).
- I've played with my speaker button while this was happening (as Verizon suggested), but it didn't help.
- This has happened at the beginning of a call (when I pick up, they can't hear me) and in the middle of a call (they suddenly can't hear me and hang up).
- There's no static, just dead air.
- Visual voice mail delivered 2 hours late.
- Also having some problems with GPS (it gets stuck on "Searching for GPS" for a long time when in Navigation).

Do I just have terrible luck? Should I stick with the Droid or return it and wait a few weeks for the Palm Pre Plus to come out? (Feel free to recommend other phones, but please keep it to Verizon only-- we've got a sweet deal with a family plan.)

Thanks so much!

Rec me current Droid apps?

FunkyHelix — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:17:39 -0800

Essential or interesting Droid apps since August 2009? I have a brand new Droid Eris and the last Droid apps question was in August. Assume I've gone through that thread.

If you have a Droid, what apps are you finding useful, interesting, and/or fun since then?

Can I use a Smartphone Without a Data Plan on Verizon?

Cheesoning — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:56:17 -0800

Anyone successfully using a smartphone on Verizon Wireless without a data plan? Similar questions have been asked here in the past, but I couldn't find information on how to keep a smartphone from switching to the VzW network if wifi connectivity is lost or whether you can change your plan once you sign up and buy a smartphone.

VzW told me in person and over the phone that the Droid required a data plan. However, if I check options for upgrading my current phone on their site, it shows that the Droid is compatible with my current plan. I'd like to keep my current voice plan and use the Droid for surfing on my wifi network only. Can it be done?

Turn my Q into a Curve

trbrts — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:53:49 -0800

I've got an aging Motorola Q on Verizon. Someone just gave me a Blackberry Curve that was on ATT. How can I use the Curve? I want to stay on Verizon. I thought I could just drop in the SIM from my Q. But, I don't see a SIM card behind the battery. The Curve has one though. What's the best way to get this curve working on Verizon's network? Thanks for your help.

Help me find the right phone for me

JMOZ — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:06:54 -0800

Help me find the perfect (for me) Verizon Wireless phone. I'm not sure, but I think I might want to cross into smartphone land.... I did search around, an I did find this question from last month, but my wants, needs, and desires are quite different from the previous questioner.

Also, I know the iPhone is beautiful, but I would like to stay with Verizon Wireless, so that doesn't do me a lot of good. I know my CDMA phone choices are a bit more limited, but I'm wondering what helpful MeFi'ites might have some helpful opinions.

Things I need:
- A phone which is NOT made by Motorola. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I'm not ready for #3; my RAZR v3m (on the verge of dying; thankfully, my "New Every 2" is coming up) is an unreliable piece of junk, and it's not the first crappy Motorola phone I've ever had. I give up on them.

Things I would like:
- WiFi access to the Internet while traveling
- The ability to sync with Google Calendars, preferably without paying some ungodly amount every month. I don't care if it's via computer or over the air.
- A decent interface for email, especially gmail and my imap-based work email.
- Possibly a usable wireless web feature. I'm not really sure if I'd use this or not. I tried it on my RAZR once, but I gave up on it, possibly because it was largely unusable. Certainly, I'd like to be able to use the internet in a nice way over WiFi without lugging around my computer.

Things that would make me incredibly happy but probably won't happen (?):
- The ability to view PowerPoint files and, more importantly- output them to a projector in a usable way. (via an external adapter to VGA? via a TV-out?) Being able to give lectures off my phone would make me a very happy professor.

Things I don't care about one way or the other:
- Music player
- Quality of camera (I'd like one, but I don't care how good)
- the ability to view TV/videos

Purchase price isn't a top concern, but I certainly prefer to spend less rather than more. I'd also love opinions as to how necessary data plans are; I'd rather than spend $50(?)/month if I don't really need to.

Finally, I will go into a store to look at these phones in person, but I prefer to know what I'm looking at before I go in. Thanks in advance!