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Please recommend me a basic phone?

janetla

Lurker
Aug 29, 2011
4
0
Matching the subject - I'll keep the thread short.

I need a phone to that can run apps. And check the time, and send and receive the occasional text message. That's about it. I'm trying to learn a foreign language and want to download a flashcard app off the market - and use it continually throughout the day.

Each different phone generally has something that makes it special - good camera, or handles multimedia well, or handles social networking well, whatever. I don't need any of that. I just need pretty much the most basic Android phone ever. I guess the firmware should be upgradeable - I've read of one Motorola phone (the Cliq/Quench) that is not upgradeable.

So:
What specific phones should I be looking at?
What price range should I be looking at? Obviously it should be cheap, but not too cheap.

I don't have the sanity to research every Android equipped phone to come to a conclusion on this. There are WAY TOO MANY.

Thanks!
 
Samsung Dart

Huawei Ideos (T-mobile Comet)

LG Optimus series.

These are entry level Android phones that have Froyo (2.2) installed. Processor speeds are 500Mhz or half of what is available on higher models. This translates to Flash not being able to run on the devices though in theory it can. The processors are simply too slow to run Flash plus no GPUs installed either. Otherwise, the phones run fine for most apps save for video and graphic heavy games such as Angry Birds. The screen is usually smaller too. But average price should be around $150.
 
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get the Huawei Ascend II from Cricket...no contract, and very cheap....just your basic Android, and unlimited everything for $55 a month....I had the first one, and it was a great intro to Android. the Ascend II runs 2.3...but no flash, because the processor is not fast enough...check it out...best value out there....NO CONTRACTS!
 
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Damn. I was actually thinking about making an app for Flash.

For future reference if anyone comes across this thread, Flash requires at least Android 2.1. The processors it requires and the devices it supports are on the Adobe website.

You will need a V7 processor phone for that .
Motorola Defy ,Sony Ericsson Sk15i , Huwaei Ideos X6 ,HTC Salsa
Or best go for the Nexus S .
We cant say about what phone you want without a price range .Cheap is a very relative term .
 
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You will need a V7 processor phone for that .
Motorola Defy ,Sony Ericsson Sk15i , Huwaei Ideos X6 ,HTC Salsa
Or best go for the Nexus S .
We cant say about what phone you want without a price range .Cheap is a very relative term .

I want to spend less than $200.

For basic phone, I'll go for LG Optimus One. Most carriers sell it for free.

Also, are you looking for a phone on contract or off contract? If on contract, do you care what carrier? Also what region are you in? There are regional carriers that may or may not have certain phones.

I'm not going to be calling people or even texting people that often. I'd mainly receive the occasional text and then reply to it. So it'd just be cheaper to buy credit when I need it? I'm in NSW, Australia.

I guess I'll go with the Optimus. Has anyone here experienced a restive touchscreen? Are they easy to get used to? On average how many times do you have to touch the screen more than once to get a response?
 
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I used a resistive touch screen on a Nokia 5800. Its fairly responsive enough (I still use it as my second phone), but you have to exert a little bit more pressure, and its not as accurate as a capacitive screen. Good thing though is that you'll be able to use almost anything as a stylus. Bad this is that the screens tend to get scratched as I dont think you can use glass for resisitve screens because the screens need to be able to bend a little.
 
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