ATT Cellphone advice

Well... it's time to get a new cell phone.... suggestions?

I am with ATT and currently have a sony ericsson w580i. I love it, but the speaker in the earpiece is blown. Unfortunately, they don't have this model anymore. I don't have to have the latest and greatest, and I'm not a fan of the why-phone and the likes. That being said, I like having a decent camera on the phone. I also like small-ish phones that fit in my pocket well.

Sara has an LG Xenon, and after playing with it it's OK. It's as good as anything else they have in the inexpensive range.

I don't currently have a data plan, but might spring for the $15 a month entry option if I get a phone with a 'big' screen like the xenon. We are a "low usage" family...... 550 minute family plan, split between 3 phones, and on average we roll over 250-300 minutes.

Check out the Samsung Eternity. It's a good phone and can be bought on craigslist for around $100-125.

I do kinda like that, but I should have been more specific.... ATT "owes" me a new phone. My 2 year contract is over at the end of this month, and i might as well get a new phone for a discount or free for being with them. If i were to just buy a replacement phone on the open market, I'd just buy another w580i.

I have not been a fan of Sony phones, but then again, my only experience was back in the dawn of Analog services. They do have a C905a that looks prety good as far as a camera phone. 8.1 megapixel to be exact. Too bad it only has optical zoom...

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-pho...sku=sku3880241

It might not be out in time for you, but there is a new Sony Ericsson coming out early next year ( LINK ). We've got one of the preproduction ones at work and it's a neat (and small) phone. It might be my next phone.

I've had a Samsung Jack for about six months and I like it. It doesn't have the biggest screen in the world, but I've found that I prefer phones with a tactile QWERTY keyboard for text and email.

The Jack is one of the smallest and lightest Windows Mobile phones out there. The camera is only 3.2 MP, but it takes pretty good photos for a phone. This is a shot I took last weekend at Cars & Coffee:

http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/46...600x600Q85.jpg

Be careful in getting another discounted phone from AT&T. The last time I tried to do that they wanted to extend the contract again.

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Originally Posted by channelmaniac

Be careful in getting another discounted phone from AT&T. The last time I tried to do that they wanted to extend the contract again.

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+1

Doesn't every cell phone provider extend the contract when you get a new phone at the discounted price? The phones price is subsidized into the plan/data plan, they couldn't make a profit selling you a phone for $40 bucks (even a cheap one) otherwise.

I'm still debating on waiting for the Sony Xperia X3

Yes, they all do. That's why they discount them. If you don't wan to extend your contract, expect that full price.

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Originally Posted by Radio-Active

Too bad it only has optical zoom...

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I think you meant digital, but that's very typical anyway. With that level of MP in your pocket, you could just crop your photos (that's all digi zoom really does anyway to a degree) and still come out higher than most in-phone cameras. Digital Zoom just uses less of the sensor pixels to create the overall image. In effect, it's cropped at the source.

In terms of phones, Samsung can be great bang for the buck... but they are famous for having 50 jillion firmware versions in the wild, most of which are buggy to some degree. It's been better the last 2 years to an extent, but they just don't have the quality that some of the other phone manufacturers have.

Check out LGs lineup at any given time. There's a handset maker that came from the cheap-end of the pool to charge after all multimedia handsets and has really done well. Decent product, great features, very good implementation of chipsets (this affects speed, call quality and dependability) and pretty good quality control.

Let's see based on your comments, I'd say look into the Samsung Impression (it's just over the $100 mark I think) or maybe the Sony C905a. It's got good reviews and is doing well among industry types. There just aren't that many out there that I've seen. Don't discount the Blackberry Bold either. Fantastic phone, solid feel, great interface and a reliable product overall.

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Originally Posted by Version3

I think you meant digital.

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Yes sir, I was thinking one thing and typing another at the same time.

That's what I do, I think "Yeah, this post is going to make me the king of Earth! I'm going to get enough @$$ that I'll have to ice my bean bag for fear of a friction fire!", and I type "blah blah blah, yeah I'm a dork". Textbook Freudian slip I say.

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Originally Posted by Radio-Active

I have not been a fan of Sony phones, but then again, my only experience was back in the dawn of Analog services. They do have a C905a that looks prety good as far as a camera phone. 8.1 megapixel to be exact. Too bad it only has optical zoom...

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-pho...sku=sku3880241

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That was the first phone I looked into, but it has gotten HIGHLY mixed reviews, and it's actually kind of clunky for what it is.

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Originally Posted by Dave04

It might not be out in time for you, but there is a new Sony Ericsson coming out early next year ( LINK ). We've got one of the preproduction ones at work and it's a neat (and small) phone. It might be my next phone.

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Damn it, I like that.....

Any smaller time frame on release? Price point?

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Originally Posted by channelmaniac

Be careful in getting another discounted phone from AT&T. The last time I tried to do that they wanted to extend the contract again.

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Thats fine by me-- i have no intention of changing service anytime soon; I'm happy with the service I recieve, so they might as well be 'giving' me something to be with them....