Am I better off with a feature phone?

[amk2795]

I've got my heart set on the HTC Wildfire S for $100 on Black Friday, but I've been reading more and more reviews that it's awful and soo frustrating.....

The small internal memory is not an issue for me, I've got an iTouch for apps so I'll only have a few apps and widgets on the phone. I've got small hands and fingers so the small keyboard won't be such an issue.....

But people just seem so fed up with it after a month that I feel like I'll get it and then be shit out of luck.

I can't afford the Optimus Slider (the VM phone I want the most but looks like so luck for a $200 phone), I won't be able to get the OPV for $50 at Target on Black Friday, I'm not interested in the $300 Triumph, and the Intercept is clearly never going to happen.

I'm struggling so much and...will I just be better off going with the Rumor Touch? I've read atrocious reviews on that too...and it doesn't have a capacitive touch screen which will suck. But I'm not sure where to turn at this point.

Right now, I'm still going for the HTC but I need to know I won't regret it.

 

[avenue]

If you need to switch to Virgin Mobile now, you can start off with a feature phone. That will give you some more time to decide what you want to do. Personally, I would go with the LG Optimus V or the Motorola Triumph. Even if you can't get it for $49 on Black Friday, the price will probably go down other places. You will probably find it on sale from now on because places are going to try to get rid of it. They will want to start pushing the new phones.

I wouldn't really go with the Rumor Touch. I would really recommend getting an Android phone. If you can't get one right now, try getting a flip phone for $20 or so just to hold you off. After a month or so, if you see a phone you like on sale, get that.

You can also always get the HTC Wildfire S and return it if you don't like it.

 

[hiwatt]

I've got my heart set on the HTC Wildfire S for $100 on Black Friday, but I've been reading more and more reviews that it's awful and soo frustrating.....

The small internal memory is not an issue for me, I've got an iTouch for apps so I'll only have a few apps and widgets on the phone. I've got small hands and fingers so the small keyboard won't be such an issue.....

But people just seem so fed up with it after a month that I feel like I'll get it and then be shit out of luck.

I can't afford the Optimus Slider (the VM phone I want the most but looks like so luck for a $200 phone), I won't be able to get the OPV for $50 at Target on Black Friday, I'm not interested in the $300 Triumph, and the Intercept is clearly never going to happen.

I'm struggling so much and...will I just be better off going with the Rumor Touch? I've read atrocious reviews on that too...and it doesn't have a capacitive touch screen which will suck. But I'm not sure where to turn at this point.

Right now, I'm still going for the HTC but I need to know I won't regret it.

OPV is the way to go. Even if you can't get it for $50 (and basically nobody will anyway) it's what, $129 now? I'd stay far away from a phone that you already have a feeling will disappoint. I have the OPV and so far it's been fantastic.

Oh, and those Black Friday sales? Good luck, you'll need the patience of a saint and a constitution to not get pissed off because they have like three units of whatever they advertise in stock.

 

[amk2795]

If you need to switch to Virgin Mobile now, you can start off with a feature phone. That will give you some more time to decide what you want to do.

I can't afford to buy two phones. And I just need a serious upgrade from my GoPhone plan and phone (which is losing buttons and shuts off and is just byfar horrid).

try getting a flip phone for $20

I used to have the LG Flare before I went to GoPhone. I can't go back to a flip phone, blech.

you'll need the patience of a saint and a constitution to not get pissed off because they have like three units of whatever they advertise in stock.

Well the Radioshacks are opening at 5:30 and there's one six blocks from my house and quite small, so I was just planning on heading down there about five and seeing what I could do.
If I could get it, sweet. If I couldn't, I'd wait until Cyber Monday.

 

[Petrah]

I'm in agreement with hiwatt.. the OpV is the way to go.

 

[amk2795]

NM

 

[amk2795]

Alright, going for the HTC. Thanks for all of your input!

 

[saxrulez]

Alright, going for the HTC. Thanks for all of your input!

OpV is $100 at our walmart right now. It is by far the best budget phone around from my 2 weeks of using it. Coming from an OG motorola droid.

 

[avenue]

Alright, going for the HTC. Thanks for all of your input!

I read on another forum that you can order the phone online at Radioshack's website. That might be easier for you.

If it doesn't show up for $99, search for the "HTC Wildfire S" and see if it comes up at $99.

 

[amk2795]

I read on another forum that you can order the phone online at Radioshack's website. That might be easier for you.

If it doesn't show up for $99, search for the "HTC Wildfire S" and see if it comes up at $99.

Yup, I saw that. We decided we're going to head out tomorrow morning and try, and if they're out, go home and go back to sleep and order it online xD

 

[avenue]

Yup, I saw that. We decided we're going to head out tomorrow morning and try, and if they're out, go home and go back to sleep and order it online xD

Ah, so you're going for the fun of waiting in line to get it, huh?

Did you get the phone? How do you like it?

 

[amk2795]

Mmhmm, I walked right into the store and picked up the box and handed it to one of the employees on the floor and left the store at 5:45AM! Aha.
It's nice so far, I activated but haven't topped up and won't for a week or so (Until my GoPhone balance is depleted) but after then I'll be able to tell the full features of the phone!

 

[MacFett]

then I'll be able to tell the full features of the phone!

The only thing you can't do with the phone without service is SMS and Voice.

 

[avenue]

Mmhmm, I walked right into the store and picked up the box and handed it to one of the employees on the floor and left the store at 5:45AM! Aha.
It's nice so far, I activated but haven't topped up and won't for a week or so (Until my GoPhone balance is depleted) but after then I'll be able to tell the full features of the phone!

I'm looking forward to seeing what you think about it.

 

[hiwatt]

The only thing you can't do with the phone without service is SMS and Voice.

Well, you can use Viber for those, I think.

 

[MacFett]

Well, you can use Viber for those, I think.

Viber is an Android* and iPhone application that lets you make free phone calls and send free text messages to other users that have Viber installed.

Pretty useless for most folks. You'd be better off with GrooveIP and Google Voice.

 

[hiwatt]

Pretty useless for most folks. You'd be better off with GrooveIP and Google Voice.

Oh yeah, that's true and probably easier in the sense that you can call anyone without them having to have an app to make it work. But the thing I noticed about viber is they've got millions of users and you can sms and mms text with it. When I downloaded it, it showed several other people in my contacts that are already using it. I thought that was cool.

 

[amk2795]

The only thing you can't do with the phone without service is SMS and Voice.

It is a phone, that's kind of the point of a phone...

 

[MacFett]

It is a phone, that's kind of the point of a phone...

I hardly use mine for either.

 

[Petrah]

I hardly use mine for either.

Same. While I do need my phone for keeping in touch with my kids, their dad, and occasional guild mate from World of Warcraft, I consider my phone more of a gadget that I can tinker with more than anything else lol.

 

[amk2795]

Well mine's a phone. It's my primary source of communication with everyone.

All the fancy-pants stuff is just extra.