Buying Smart Phone.
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| 1 | Looking at getting one of these. Have just the old type phone and camera now. Not wanting high tech as would never use .. Wanting to get one that I can check the weather, e-mails and has speaker, and an apt for covid. Presently on Vodophone prepay so this would be something I would want to continue as I only use phone infrequently and costs me around $10 a month. Something around $200 would be my choice. What do you recommend. Thanks pisces47 - 2021-09-12 07:50:00 |
| 2 | Well theres numerous phones available around that price. What you NEED to understand if/when you get a smartphone is about DATA connections. You'll need to learn the difference between WIFI, (which you can use to connect to the internet at home or at McDonalds or the local Library or your friends house or anywhere a WIFI connection is available), and DATA which is using the celltower 4G signal to connect to the internet. Firstly - you do NOT need to have data enabled to use the Covid app to sign into places. But don't get put off this isn't rocket science at all. It's pretty simple really. Edited by nice_lady at 9:02 am, Sun 12 Sep nice_lady - 2021-09-12 08:52:00 |
| 3 | Maybe one of these two: nice_lady - 2021-09-12 09:01:00 |
| 4 | I have had an older version of the Moto E7 recommended by nice lady and they are good, as they use a standard Android operating system so no extras. I would also recommend the low end Nokia 1.3 model for the same reason (standard Android 10). My work brought bulk supply for our service guys as base work phones. If Samsung (I think the most popular Android phone maker in NZ) then hardware on their 2021 phones is pretty good starting at $200. But I don't like that Samsung do (or at least used to) add in a bunch of extra apps like Bixbi that I didn't need or want gblack - 2021-09-12 09:20:00 |
| 5 | Thankyou nice-lady. Much appreciate this info. Lots for a newbie to learn and understand. Tried to keep my old type phone but with changing times and circumstances best I take this step. pisces47 - 2021-09-12 11:31:00 |
| 6 | ???? Come back and ask questions here if you need. nice_lady - 2021-09-12 11:33:00 |
| 7 | nice_lady wrote: THANKS. Is an Android suitable. Looked up earlier the Vodaphone Smart V11. Would that be OK. pisces47 - 2021-09-12 12:24:00 |
| 8 | Anything that's not an apple will be Android. Android are fine. Apple will be far above your budget. Edited by nice_lady at 12:45 pm, Sun 12 Sep nice_lady - 2021-09-12 12:45:00 |
| 9 | Skinny are great for prepay data, calls and texts. From $16 pm. Edited by oakcottage at 12:55 pm, Sun 12 Sep oakcottage - 2021-09-12 12:54:00 |
| 10 | I find 2 degrees prepaid suits me, the cheapest just $10 month, unlimited texts, and unused minutes and data roll over. inatiz - 2021-09-12 13:45:00 |
| 11 | oakcottage wrote:
actually skinnys cheapest is $9 for 4 weeks, (this is every 28 days not every calendar month). For that you get Note: on that plan, their cheapest, the data and minutes DON'T 'rollover'. (they don't carry unused minutes over to the next month). Edited by nice_lady at 2:08 pm, Sun 12 Sep nice_lady - 2021-09-12 13:56:00 |
| 12 | nice_lady wrote:
See pbtech have these phones on special at present. 18032 - 2021-09-13 01:01:00 |
| 13 | Actually, the cheapest is my Spark prepaid at around $10 a year, lol. That's the benefit of living in a signal 'hole' and relying on email. My samsung smartphone is eight years old, and have just replaced the battery with a generic for cheap as chips so I can do the QR code thing. Amazing how cheap these things have got as time goes on... Edited by oh_hunnihunni at 7:07 am, Mon 13 Sep oh_hunnihunni - 2021-09-13 07:06:00 |
| 14 | Yeah cellphones have gotten much cheaper than they used to be but that's about normal for any electronics really. Well, some gets more expensive, (the upper tier stuff), but it also goes further/faster/better. While the lower tier items are much better hardware wise than they were for the same price 10 years ago. An 8 yr old Samsung is just within the time frame & Android version to be able to use the Covid QR scanner. As for the 'cheap as chips' generic battery you've put in it they're a bit of a lucky dip. Many don't last well at all and yet if you're lucky you might have a good one. nice_lady - 2021-09-13 07:21:00 |
| 15 | I got sucked in though with the first battery purchase. It was a genuine Samsung described as being right for my phone and at a truly ludicrous price so I went for it, only to find it was way too short to fit my big phone. When I enquired of the seller on here second time round about model suitability I got a much better response, so I'm happy it all worked out in the end. We grow and learn! But if anyone wants the short arsed Samsung battery for the cost of postage let me know, lol... Edited by oh_hunnihunni at 7:29 am, Mon 13 Sep oh_hunnihunni - 2021-09-13 07:29:00 |
| 16 | Probably be useful to post the battery model number ............... nice_lady - 2021-09-13 07:42:00 |
| 17 | nice_lady wrote:
What? And spoil the surprise, lol? EB-L1G6LLU 2100 mAh ???? oh_hunnihunni - 2021-09-13 08:13:00 |
| 18 | So what model of Samsung did you have ? My quick look on google says that'll fit a Galaxy S3. nice_lady - 2021-09-13 08:20:00 |
| 19 | Mine is a Note 3 - bigger screen... oh_hunnihunni - 2021-09-14 11:10:00 |
| 20 | Well that explains why the battery is too small for your phone it's for the S3 model not the Note 3. nice_lady - 2021-09-14 11:20:00 |
| 21 | oh_hunnihunni wrote:
That can't be for data though is it hunni? Just calls and texts? oakcottage - 2021-09-14 11:26:00 |
| 22 | nice_lady wrote:
I like skinny but I like unlimited data as I don't have broadband or a landline so everything's on my phone. I'm on their $36 plan. BTW can anyone help me with why when I'm on the MB sometimes the threads come up and fit within my portrait screen, but other times they are landscape and I have to change the phone orientation to landscape to see them? I know the MB isn't set up for phones, it's a desktop site but why does it switch between portrait and landscape??? Is there a setting I can change somewhere? Much appreciated if anyone knows. oakcottage - 2021-09-14 11:32:00 |
| 23 | Depends on what browser you're using. nice_lady - 2021-09-14 11:57:00 |
| 24 | Thanks nice_lady. I'm using chrome and I'll try to find text wrap in settings on the phone and for chrome. If I can't find it I'll try the browser you've suggested. Thanks for helping me, much appreciated ???????? oakcottage - 2021-09-14 15:07:00 |
| 25 | Opera has THE BEST text wrap and I've tried MANY. nice_lady - 2021-09-14 15:09:00 |
| 26 | oakcottage wrote:
No, I turn data off and only use the home supply. That ten dollars lasts me ages, because I do just about everything from home. In fact if I forget to use it, the required annual top up can give me quite a nice nest egg, a useless one though! But, when they cut out landlines, I guess I'll have to learn how to make calls on it... oh_hunnihunni - 2021-09-14 15:47:00 |
| 27 | oakcottage wrote:
That is very useful to know - thank you ladies! For the future... oh_hunnihunni - 2021-09-14 15:48:00 |
| 28 | nice_lady wrote:
Yes, it was detailed incorrectly on the page. But not a total loss - i learned something new! oh_hunnihunni - 2021-09-14 15:50:00 |
| 29 | ???? nice_lady - 2021-09-14 16:04:00 |
| 30 | oh_hunnihunni wrote: That's a very good deal. I can't see it on their website. gyrogearloose - 2021-09-14 17:26:00 |
| 31 | lol, it involves not actually using the phone... oh_hunnihunni - 2021-09-14 18:12:00 |
| 32 | Well the OP is on a Voda Prepay plan at $10 now. They won't need to use DATA unless they really want to. Obviously currently they don't. They wanted to be able to use the Covid QR app and that doesn't require any kind of data connection to be used. So all should be good. nice_lady - 2021-09-14 18:21:00 |
| 33 | Thankyou nice-lady and others for this very helpful info. I top up prepay every few months so actually costs me less than $10 a month. Mostly use phone for texting and receiving calls. Wanting to now have info available in a motorhome for weather, e-mails, and FB contact with family etc, so that is why I am looking at upgrading phone. Other alternative is to get WiFi modem such as Wireless Nation or just a modem from PB tech, but these come with monthly plans that you pay for and for me would never use so really wasting money. Thats why I thought a phone would be better. Basic question but Im still sorting out all this tech stuff, Ive read you can use your phone as a "Hotspot". Does this mean I can use my I-pad and look at FB etc using the phone as the connection. Does this mean Im using Data or is it Wifi which doesn't. Thanks for you info and patience explaining. Edited by pisces47 at 10:13 am, Thu 16 Sep pisces47 - 2021-09-16 10:05:00 |
| 34 | If you want to be able to hotspot with your phone, (that essentially means you'll be using your phone as a modem for other devices), then you need to check that your monthly data allowance enables you to do that. Some will, some wont. Check. Also you will want to disable any system updates on your other devices as these might chew up all your DATA very quickly. Think you need to figure this out. You said: "Other alternative is to get WiFi modem such as Wireless Nation or just a modem from PB tech" The Wireless Nation plans are not cheap: https://wirelessnation.co.nz/lifestyle/ They're actually the same thing in that your connection will be supplied by 4G cell towers. But with different rules. And "wireless broadband" is received on a modem/router which will be supplied to you. Take a look at Skinnys plans they do a pretty good price phone plan with unlimited data and hotspot enabled also. Basically you'll need a plan with a reasonable amount of data. And this WILL cost you on a monthly basis. Edited by nice_lady at 10:42 am, Thu 16 Sep nice_lady - 2021-09-16 10:41:00 |
