Basic phone recommendations

cal60

Can anybody recommend a decent basic phone - I have become disenchanted by both Android ( lack of OS updates) and Apple ( walled garden) . Also increasingly finding touch screen interfaces irksome. Ideally something with threaded messaging

Davy

Will you be just using sms or do you want to use applications for IM?

Any other needs to use it, and has to be non-touchscreen?

cal60

Hi Davy,
IM would be nice but I am assuming this will be difficult to get. Currently I use a Sony Xperia ST26i (out of contract) which is abysmally slow on Internet (WiFi or data package) and RAM memory is insufficient as it not possible even to update existing apps without running out of memory.

I use an iPad mini at home which for me is about the limit (size wise) of what is usable for browsing / email etc. I can't really see the logic of spending at least €300 + on a "smart"phone to get decent performance . Any basic phone though seems to be the polar opposite - no threading on SMS and only T9 type keyboard.

Touchscreen on a small device seems increasingly fiddly and I find difficult to read outdoors. I could probably live with it though if I had to.

For the record I am not a technophobe, I use Linux Windows 7/10 and on full sized PCs would a "techie"- just can't get a mobile phone I feel comfortable with.

ED E

cal60 wrote: »

Hi Davy,
IM would be nice but I am assuming this will be difficult to get. Currently I use a Sony Xperia ST26i (out of contract) which is abysmally slow on Internet (WiFi or data package) and RAM memory is insufficient as it not possible even to update existing apps without running out of memory.

You're having a bad time of it because you're using a budget phone thats 4yrs old. I suspect android would be fine for you with the right hardware.

beauf

A Problem with android is the fragmentation. Only the top end phones and Nexus and Moto get updates. The majority of them don't.

I think it's not a very elegant OS. Though it's very capable now after all these years.

Why not try something like a classic blackberry or windows phone if you don't need the apps. They handle things like messaging and email a bit smarter.

Obviously both are possibly end of life.

cal60

ED E wrote: »

You're having a bad time of it because you're using a budget phone thats 4yrs old. I suspect android would be fine for you with the right hardware.

Hmm - I know now it was a budget phone although I probably didn't realise it at the time. It seems as with most things you get what you pay for. Reinforces though in my mind that a "phone" is hardly worth paying €300 or €400 for. You would nearly buy a laptop for that money.

Having said that I have been researching Vodafone (I'm with Three at the moment) . I've read that they have the best network overall especially outside urban areas. They have an own brand Vodafone Smart Prime 7 for around €100 on pay-as-you go. I've also seen iPhone 5s for around the same with Three on bill pay.

Anybody any thoughts on either of these ?