Need Cellphone Recommendations

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BobTheBeheader

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Aug 31, 2005
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So, my razr just conked out on me, and I'm looking to buy an unlocked cellphone for Verizon (CDMA).

Any recommendation for a good, reliable, basic cellphone? Only fancy thing is a camera.

Also, where's a good place to buy unlocked cellphones from? Looks like Amazon has a few, but I don't know...

Thx in advance.
 
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Matfei

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Apr 22, 2008
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Well I've currently got a Samsung SGH-Z400. It's a 2006 model I think.

Very nice slide phone, feels solid and I'm really happy with it. It's got a passable camera in my opinion anyway.

Can be expanded via MicroSD plus it's got a good clear speaker too.
 

hyrulian

Rainbow Brite
May 20, 2001
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Oh, and FYI, if things haven't changed, Verizon phones actually are unlocked (the service code is set to 000000 on them). Whether it works fully with a different carrier (or whether an unlocked phone fully works with Verizon) depends on the firmware. For example, don't expect vCast to work on a phone that doesn't have Verizon firmware on it. (Unlocked phones are more of a good thing with GSM, by the way; generally, you can always get a good unlocked GSM phone working with any carrier.)

Anyway, I wouldn't spend the extra money for an unlocked CDMA phone; if all you need is a basic phone with a camera just pick one of the free camera phones Verizon is offering (they always seem to have several).
 

K

i bite
Jul 29, 2004
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Do not get a phone that has any moving parts or you will have a broken phone in about 6 mo- to a year.
Buy a candy bar phone.
Anything that slides , flips , opens , is just a waste of money.
 

dragonfliet

I write stuffs
Apr 24, 2006
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Do not get a phone that has any moving parts or you will have a broken phone in about 6 mo- to a year.
Buy a candy bar phone.
Anything that slides , flips , opens , is just a waste of money.

I can't stand candy bar phones. I've always gone with flip phones and I've never had any problems and that includes a hefty amount of dropping. Right now I'm using a Motorola KRZR and it's been a good one.

~Jason
 

Crotale

_________________________ _______________
Jan 20, 2008
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Here's what I have and it is an all-around excellent phone/personal device. The multimedia features are plenty and the included earbuds sound as good as any you'll find with more expensive players.
 

BobTheBeheader

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Aug 31, 2005
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The one problem with getting a free phone from Verizon is that my family would be forced to renew our contract. Which we don't want to. NO CONTRACTS!!!! :( :( :(

Correct?

Thx guys.
 
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Daedalus

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May 24, 2001
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uhhh, just FYI, there is no such thing as an unlocked CDMA phone. CDMA operates completely differently than GSM and thus it cannot be unlocked. This is either due to carrier restrictions (Sprint and Verizon both operate on CDMA networks) or Qualcomm restrictions (The people who own the CDMA technology). There is no SIM card in a CDMA phone so you can rule out a good chunk of the suggestions people have made here.

My recommendation Get a nice smartphone, but I'm a smartphone (Blackberry) junkie. I'll be getting myself a Blackberry Storm here on my upgrade date :D

EDIT: And to anyone on T-Mobile. If you want to unlock your phone and your account has been in good standing for at least 6 months, you can call them and have this done. Hell I just did it at work the other day cause we were in a pinch and needed a phone to work on the AT&T network, they really have no problems doing this. AT&T on the other hand will be a little bitch and refuse to unlock it for you.
 
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BobTheBeheader

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Aug 31, 2005
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Thx for your suggestions guys! :p



uhhh, just FYI, there is no such thing as an unlocked CDMA phone. CDMA operates completely differently than GSM and thus it cannot be unlocked. This is either due to carrier restrictions (Sprint and Verizon both operate on CDMA networks) or Qualcomm restrictions (The people who own the CDMA technology). There is no SIM card in a CDMA phone so you can rule out a good chunk of the suggestions people have made here.
Well, I'm sorry I didn't know about that. God, what an idiot I must be.

All I would like is a phone that I can take into a Verizon store and get activated on an existing Verizon account, without having to renew contracts or anything like you would if you got a new phone directly from Verizon.

My recommendation Get a nice smartphone, but I'm a smartphone (Blackberry) junkie. I'll be getting myself a Blackberry Storm here on my upgrade date :D
Thanks, but my lifestyle doesn't necessitate using something on the level of a blackberry.
 
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dragonfliet

I write stuffs
Apr 24, 2006
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I don't get people that don't sign contracts. I mean, it's not like the cell phone landscape is going to be changing so radically in the next 2 years that you're going to think to yourself: MAN I'm glad I paid for a crappy phone over a free one. Knowing that I potentially COULD change providers, even though they're all pretty much the same when it comes down to it, gave me the piece of mind to live!

That said, check out your local best buy weekly ad. On the cell phone pages they'll often advertise the phones they sell that don't require contracts for fairly cheap.

~Jason
 

Continuum

Lobotomistician
Jul 24, 2005
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You can always call up verizon tell them that someone else is getting you this awesome deal and throwing in a phone for free but youve been a loyal customer and would prefer not to switch companies if you didn't have to. Ask them if they can help you out with a free phone, it usually works without to much hassle but make sure you ask for a halfway decent phone.
 

Daedalus

I don't even...
May 24, 2001
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Thx for your suggestions guys! :p



Well, I'm sorry I didn't know about that. God, what an idiot I must be.

All I would like is a phone that I can take into a Verizon store and get activated on an existing Verizon account, without having to renew contracts or anything like you would if you got a new phone directly from Verizon.

Thanks, but my lifestyle doesn't necessitate using something on the level of a blackberry.

I wasn't trying to be a douche, I just deal with this stuff on a daily basis so I'm used to answering questions about it :p

Just check on ebay or something. I still have a Samsung U740 (Alias) I don't use. It's the original gold one. I'd go for something like that. That or an EnV. Just stay away from Motorola anymore, their phones have been going downhill since the Razr.
 

hyrulian

Rainbow Brite
May 20, 2001
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Just check on ebay or something. I still have a Samsung U740 (Alias) I don't use. It's the original gold one. I'd go for something like that. That or an EnV. Just stay away from Motorola anymore, their phones have been going downhill since the Razr.

Just lemme add to that ... my brother has an EnV, and he's very happy with it. The qwerty keyboard makes it handy for txting. Oh yeah and Razr's do suck, when my brother first got his he had to return it three times before he got one that didn't screw up somehow in the first month.