he can't feel it kick; can he at least see it?
December 11, 2009 8:37 AM Subscribe
Pre-paid/pay-as-you-go cell phone solely for picture messaging?
My brother and his girlfriend are currently separated by most of the length of California. She is 6 months pregnant, and they will likely not see each other again until right before the baby is born. She would like to text him pictures of her growing belly while they are apart.
Catch: Due to ridiculous circumstances I won't go into, my brother CAN NOT get picture messages on his phone. This is not something that can be changed. At all. He also does not have a computer and will not use email. This will also never change.
So, I'd like to send him, as a gift, a pre-paid cell phone or some other relatively inexpensive device on which he can get pictures of his baby growing. I know next to nothing about these things, and after looking through the previous threads still have the following questions:
1. Are there pre-paid phones that can get picture messages? He will never need to talk on it, or even text on it. Just pictures.
2. If so, does anyone have experience with a good phone and/or carrier?
3. General information on good pay-as-you-go carriers?
4. Any other magic solution that will get pictures of that belly to my brother?
THANK YOU!
My brother and his girlfriend are currently separated by most of the length of California. She is 6 months pregnant, and they will likely not see each other again until right before the baby is born. She would like to text him pictures of her growing belly while they are apart.
Catch: Due to ridiculous circumstances I won't go into, my brother CAN NOT get picture messages on his phone. This is not something that can be changed. At all. He also does not have a computer and will not use email. This will also never change.
So, I'd like to send him, as a gift, a pre-paid cell phone or some other relatively inexpensive device on which he can get pictures of his baby growing. I know next to nothing about these things, and after looking through the previous threads still have the following questions:
1. Are there pre-paid phones that can get picture messages? He will never need to talk on it, or even text on it. Just pictures.
2. If so, does anyone have experience with a good phone and/or carrier?
3. General information on good pay-as-you-go carriers?
4. Any other magic solution that will get pictures of that belly to my brother?
THANK YOU!
You can get digital picture frames that will display photos from online albums. If the place he is staying at has free wifi, that might work. Just upload your photos to Flickr (or better yet, get an EyeFi card for your camera, it will automatically upload them), point the PictureFrame at Flickr, and voila!
posted by blue_beetle at 9:01 AM on December 11, 2009
posted by blue_beetle at 9:01 AM on December 11, 2009
Virgin Mobile will work for this. It's $0.15 or $0.25 per picture message, and you don't need a plan or anything. Although they really push the plans now.
Given that, viewing pictures on a phone pretty much sucks unless it's a big, good display. And unfortunately it's pretty hard to find actual working models of pre-paid phones to check it out yourself.
I know it's not very technological, and might be hard to give as a gift, but ordering online prints that are sent directly to him would probably be a lot more satisfying. Especially for someone who is not a fan of technology.
posted by smackfu at 9:01 AM on December 11, 2009
Given that, viewing pictures on a phone pretty much sucks unless it's a big, good display. And unfortunately it's pretty hard to find actual working models of pre-paid phones to check it out yourself.
I know it's not very technological, and might be hard to give as a gift, but ordering online prints that are sent directly to him would probably be a lot more satisfying. Especially for someone who is not a fan of technology.
posted by smackfu at 9:01 AM on December 11, 2009
Assuming she has a computer, can she just print them off and mail them? First class mail does usually just take two days, and three days if it's late. Plus, it gives her a chance to include handwritten notes with the pictures. If he's really a Luddite, he might really like this, and save them. There is something nice about getting mail from people, that's not bills ... Pictures/notes from a pregnant SO, definitely something to treasure.
posted by nangar at 9:14 AM on December 11, 2009
posted by nangar at 9:14 AM on December 11, 2009
Or what smackfu said. Old technology and hardcopy is probably the way to go here.
posted by nangar at 9:30 AM on December 11, 2009
posted by nangar at 9:30 AM on December 11, 2009
I'm all for technical solutions but agree that the best route here is printing and mailing physical photos. If his girlfriend is computer savvy then many photo sites online (Walmart, TinyPrints, Shutterfly) offer photo cards where she could document the date or add a message before having it shipped to him.
posted by aceyprime at 12:26 PM on December 11, 2009
posted by aceyprime at 12:26 PM on December 11, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
2. Yes. I've been using this model for 6 months or so. I don't send/receive pictures often, but it does indeed work.
3. I've been happy with Tracfone overall. Decent phones, decent prices, easy availability to prepaid cards.
Other comments: In general, cell phone cameras are decent, but not amazing. Transferring pictures can be slow-ish.
posted by Wild_Eep at 8:49 AM on December 11, 2009