Cell phones for simpletons

May 25, 2010 8:52 AM

Please help me pick out a cell from AT&T

My wife is due for an upgrade. She is convinced she won't use anything but basic features. So we won't be adding a data plan.

What matters to her is call quality, camera quality, and battery duration. So any recommendations with those in mind would be much appreciated.

I would like to get her something fun, too. For example, she would never dream of having an iPhone, but once she started watching video on it and maybe even accessing the Internet via WiFi (we have a router at home, if that matters), as well as making calls, I bet she'd be glad to have it. An iPhone appears to be out, what with us not getting a data plan, but if there's a phone that can be upgraded to without a data plan that does anything fun, I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

posted by troywestfield to Technology (8 answers total)

Unfortunately, the phone market as it stands right now makes it pretty much impossible to have a phone that does interesting things without a ridiculously overpriced data plan, even if you would never use that data. A quick look at all of ATT's phones with WiFi confirms this - they all require a $30+/mo data plan, even though one could conceivably use only the wireless radio and go without 3G data when not at a hotspot. Other carriers (Verizon, at least) have the same silly racket.

So, sadly, if you're looking for interesting data-related features, you won't find them without paying for the data plan.
posted by Rallon at 9:03 AM on May 25, 2010

Cheapo phone + iPod Touch. If she hates the Touch, she'd likely hate an iPhone. With the iPad out and new iPhones on the way, the Touch ought to be something you can easily pick up new or used, for a steal.
posted by caution live frogs at 9:12 AM on May 25, 2010

Maybe an older iPhone from eBay? In that case, you won't have to get a data plan to go with it. You'll be able to use it as a phone, and, if you have WiFi, you can get online with it.
posted by chengjih at 9:19 AM on May 25, 2010

Response by poster: Just want to clarify: I don't have my heart set on an iPhone. It's an example of a phone that does other stuff, even without data, but if there's no getting it without a data plan, she'll never miss it.

If someone has a low-frills phone recommendation, I'd love to hear it. And if someone has a recommendation for something more interesting, something that can be purchased without a data plan and can do interesting stuff, with or without WiFi, I'd love to hear that too.

Thanks again.
posted by troywestfield at 10:03 AM on May 25, 2010

What are her feelings on flip phones? It seems like most of the non-flip phones require either a data plan or at least $20 in messaging services, so I assume those are out.

I'd suggest trying to get a phone that has either a full keyboard or a music player to up the fun factor. The Sony Ericsson W518a is a flip phone with a music player. It doesn't say anything on the website about requiring a data plan, but you can access email and facebook with it. So, it seems like data is optional. The reviews say the camera is good but the battery life isn't.

Check the reviews on wireless.att.com for real people's opinions on battery life.
posted by soelo at 11:18 AM on May 25, 2010

Can't add much on the model, but if you're serious about keeping charges low and resisting to use the phone as nothing other than that.....stay strong and go bare bones. Even if the option of weak data surfing can tempt you to accidently press buttons or if you are bored enough, check something and start a data plan also.
posted by skepticallypleased at 2:00 PM on May 25, 2010

Call quality and good camera? The Sony-Ericsson C series phones (C903, etc) are CyberShot branded phones that are heavily oriented towards camera work. I've had K and C series phones for a few years, and the cameras are fabulous.
posted by rodgerd at 1:05 AM on May 26, 2010

I just upgraded to the iPhone, but before that I was in love with my Sony Walkman Ericsson 580i. Still am for certain things. Reading about it doesn't even list all the features, so here's a few of my favorites:
FM radio!
Pedometer and training app- see how many steps you take in a day, virtually walk around the world, etc.
Panoramic photos- take three photos and it stitches them together
easiest computer synching I've used yet- drag and drop files (also tethering, but you'd need data plan)
loud speakers- the walkman thing, virtual surround and all- also shake-to-shuffle's pretty fun
music studio- maybe not the most practical, but nifty
picture/video editing- can add text, funny hats, etc

I'm definitely forgetting some stuff, but even last time I was eligible for an upgrade after mine was stolen, I got the exact same phone. Solid construction, and did everything all the new smartphones did before all the smartphones came out. Song recognition, mobile tv, googlemaps knows where you are, etc. Obviously I had the data plan, but it wasn't required, and there's always the option to add it..
Oh yeah, battery- if I used the hell out of it, I'd obviously hafta charge it more, but on average I could go at least two days without. (nothing like the iPhone)
posted by hypersloth at 7:51 AM on May 26, 2010