New Smartphone on Verizon

[CheesePoofs]

I'm eligible for a new phone on Verizon, and want to make it my first smartphone. Unfortunately, I'd like to get it in the next week or two so that I'll have a smartphone before I drive/camp across the country and start grad school.

Unfortunately, it looks like now is the worst time to be getting a phone on Verizon, as everything good is coming out September 8th or later (or so say the recent rumors). There's a swap window of 14 days with Verizon, but 14 days before Sept 8th will be too late for me to buy.

Is there some special way to get a longer exchange window? I don't need to keep my particular phone number (using google voice).

I'm also considering getting a cheap smartphone now and selling it on ebay in a few months when the newer phones come out. The Incredible 2 is $0.01 on Amazon wireless. Has anyone done this and have an idea of how much I can expect to get for that in a few months, and which phones will hold their resale value longer?

 

[Bateluer]

The Droid X2 and Droid 3 are still solid phones, but I'd avoid their current crop of LTE phones. If you want better LTE options, wait.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

The Droid X2 and Droid 3 are still solid phones, but I'd avoid their current crop of LTE phones. If you want better LTE options, wait.

Why? The Droid Charge seems like a solid, if not cutting edge phone.

 

[thescreensavers]

I am waiting for the Droid 4, which should have 4g, just another year. My DX can easily last that.

 

[dguy6789]

Droid 3, Droid X2, Droid Charge, Thunderbolt, and Revolution are all solid choices if you absolutely can not wait to buy.

 

[YoungGun21]

SGS2 should be out this month, but I'm not 100% sure. Maybe look up to see if there is a solid release date for it for VZW. Easily kills any phone they have now.

 

[kaerflog]

I'm eligible for a new phone on Verizon, and want to make it my first smartphone. Unfortunately, I'd like to get it in the next week or two so that I'll have a smartphone before I drive/camp across the country and start grad school.

Unfortunately, it looks like now is the worst time to be getting a phone on Verizon, as everything good is coming out September 8th or later (or so say the recent rumors). There's a swap window of 14 days with Verizon, but 14 days before Sept 8th will be too late for me to buy.

Is there some special way to get a longer exchange window? I don't need to keep my particular phone number (using google voice).

I'm also considering getting a cheap smartphone now and selling it on ebay in a few months when the newer phones come out. The Incredible 2 is $0.01 on Amazon wireless. Has anyone done this and have an idea of how much I can expect to get for that in a few months, and which phones will hold their resale value longer?

If you are planning to do this, forget about getting at a 3rd party.
They will charge you an ETF fee if you break their agreement within 6 months.
I would just hold out a bit longer as you will regret getting a phone now.

 

[ew915]

Current LTE are FAIL phones, dual radio solution for LTE and 3G, none of the phones have VoLTE well the LG revolution has VoLTE but the network is not enabled yet, so the phone needs to keep both radio chips on the 3G for voice and LTE for data to operate.
Only get a LTE phone if you consider tethering, otherwise 3G is perfectly fine. The moto phones are less flexible in terms of modding but are very solid phones.
I have had the Charge, Thunderbolt and "downgraded" to a Droid 3, i am happy and probably won't touch another LTE phone until the new generation of LTE radio chips are out and VoLTE is enabled across the verizon network.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

next month when the next generation of lte phone starts coming out that is definitely what you will want, so i would not waste an upgrade on any phone out right now. the charge is a pretty nice phone but would still cost about $400 through ebay/craigs and lose half that value when bionic comes out. i would just get a cheap 3g phone like the original droidx at craigs for $150 and then sell it for the same amount after you get bionic or galaxy 2. verizon 3g is pretty good, almost as fast as everyone else's "4g"

 

[SandEagle]

Verizon just got the Xperia Play. free with 2 yr plan.

 

[Compddd]

Get a WP7 phone like the HTC Trophy

 

[mnewsham]

Hopefully my DX will last me until DX3 comes out.

 

[Bateluer]

Why? The Droid Charge seems like a solid, if not cutting edge phone.

The Droid Charge is powered by the same 1Ghz single core Hummingbird as all other Galaxy S phones. Compared to the dual core chips in the DX2 and D3, its not in the same class. And definitely not cutting edge.

Still a powerful phone, and the most powerful LTE phone in Verizon's lineup right now, but with dual core LTE devices launching in 3-4 weeks, why buy it now?

I'm likely going to sell my Thunderbolt in favor of the Verizon SGS2 variant, if it has an LTE radio, or possible the HTC Vigor, depending on how its bootloader situation evolves. The SGS2 International version already has solid CM nightlies, and Samsung has been pretty friendly with developers.

 

[s44]

Is there some special way to get a longer exchange window?

Costco. 90 days on the same carrier.

Otherwise, if you want to wait, you could get a secondhand Droid X or something on Craigslist. Just make sure to check the ESN before you hand over the $.

 

[CheesePoofs]

Costco. 90 days on the same carrier.

Otherwise, if you want to wait, you could get a secondhand Droid X or something on Craigslist. Just make sure to check the ESN before you hand over the $.

Wow. I haven't run across Costco's wireless store before, but their exchange windows looks awesome, even a bit too good to be true. Am I missing something, or has anyone used their service before?

If not, that seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. I can buy now, and then upgrade in ~3 months for just the difference in discounted price, as far as I can tell.