- Feb 25, 2004
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I've been thinking of getting a cell phone for basically emergency use and so my wife could get in contact with me. I'm basically a luddite when it comes to phones, I've never really owned one. And I saw that there are prepaid plans that would work well for me for that purpose. I was thinking of using Page Plus Cellular which has a plan that's about $86 for the first year and if you just keep topping off it can be as little as $36/yr after that. Which would be alright with me.
But I'd also like to easily play audio books during my morning commute (in MP3 form, probably downloaded onto my PC first or ripped from CD) and I'd generally like to increase my knowledge of the phone platforms from zero to something greater than that.
So I was thinking of getting some kind of basic smart phone, then I guess I buy a sim card or whatever or maybe I just need to activate it on PPC's network. I gather most providers don't let you do that, requiring you to choose from their limited selection of phones. Tracfone had an OK alternate plan as well but they didn't seem to have many phone choices.
But I don't entirely know where to begin. Preliminary reading suggests the android platform is where I want to go. I don't need the latest and greatest I don't think and I don't want to spend a ton of money as I'd rather not carry something around that I'd be really upset if it was lost/broken/stolen. Maybe $100 but again I don't know much so no idea how reasonable that is.
Additionally, I'd *like* the following features but don't know how hard/expensive they are to get:
Cheap easily swappable batteries
Ability to do wifi internet (I don't plan to have any data plan)
MicroSDHC card support probably?
Good call quality and reliable I guess
Camera (why not)
Is there a way to do text message (or something like it) over wifi to communicate with the wife over wifi with no extra charges? What about those QWERTY slideout keyboards...are those a bad idea or what?
TLDR: Recommend a good cheap android phone for use with prepaid page plus cellular that can play MP3s and do wifi internet
But I'd also like to easily play audio books during my morning commute (in MP3 form, probably downloaded onto my PC first or ripped from CD) and I'd generally like to increase my knowledge of the phone platforms from zero to something greater than that.
So I was thinking of getting some kind of basic smart phone, then I guess I buy a sim card or whatever or maybe I just need to activate it on PPC's network. I gather most providers don't let you do that, requiring you to choose from their limited selection of phones. Tracfone had an OK alternate plan as well but they didn't seem to have many phone choices.
But I don't entirely know where to begin. Preliminary reading suggests the android platform is where I want to go. I don't need the latest and greatest I don't think and I don't want to spend a ton of money as I'd rather not carry something around that I'd be really upset if it was lost/broken/stolen. Maybe $100 but again I don't know much so no idea how reasonable that is.
Additionally, I'd *like* the following features but don't know how hard/expensive they are to get:
Cheap easily swappable batteries
Ability to do wifi internet (I don't plan to have any data plan)
MicroSDHC card support probably?
Good call quality and reliable I guess
Camera (why not)
Is there a way to do text message (or something like it) over wifi to communicate with the wife over wifi with no extra charges? What about those QWERTY slideout keyboards...are those a bad idea or what?
TLDR: Recommend a good cheap android phone for use with prepaid page plus cellular that can play MP3s and do wifi internet
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