Smartphone help for a complete noob

[RangerWickett]

A friend offered me their used smartphone, about 2 years old. I figured, hey, easy way to acclimate, right?

I go to Verizon and they're like, 80 bucks a month for service. ORRRR you can 'upgrade' to a Samsung Galaxy S5, pay $100 up front, and then only pay 60 a month for service. Over the course of 2 years it was substantially better to get the new phone.

So yeah, new phone. Thanks folks! I'm confused on how all the pieces work, but I'm figuring it out.

 

[Janx]

A friend offered me their used smartphone, about 2 years old. I figured, hey, easy way to acclimate, right?

I go to Verizon and they're like, 80 bucks a month for service. ORRRR you can 'upgrade' to a Samsung Galaxy S5, pay $100 up front, and then only pay 60 a month for service. Over the course of 2 years it was substantially better to get the new phone.

So yeah, new phone. Thanks folks! I'm confused on how all the pieces work, but I'm figuring it out.

I'm sure you'll be fine. But your experience demonstrates why the "anti-contract" philosophy has some flaws.

Anybody doing business is going to charge a higher monthly rate if you do not lock in a contract. The contract ensures them a predictable income. No contract means you might bail.

given that for a "normal" person, they aren't going to switch carriers anyway, there's little risk in signing a contract. And barring specific issues with Verizon in your area, you have probably chosen one of the better carriers from a signal quality standpoint. So you are very likely set for a good long time.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

As someone who has recently gotten the Galaxy S5, from Verizon. Yes, there are a few apps on it I don't use. So what?

There aren't "ten-billion" of them. There's a half-dozen links to various parts of the Google store (which aren't something you'd call out Samsung or Veriozon for providing). Another half-dozen for various Amazon services. Verizon has a couple that don't make a lot of sense, but a couple that seem reasonable, and a couple I actually use - like the one for accessing your Verizon account! I've shuffled the ones I don't expect to use off into a folder. If and when I need extra space, I can uninstall/delete them. Their mere presence does not keep the phone from performing in a snappy way.

So, really, this problem seems overstated, to me.

Yeah, there are some pre-loaded apps and some I don't use. It's just not enough to make a phone bad. The Galaxy series of phones are actually really good, even with the pre-loaded apps. I started with the S4, now I have the Note 3, and I can't wait to get the Note 4.

Besides, if someone wants to get rid of those apps, it's easy enough to root an Android phone and get rid of the stuff you don't want. I'm not very tech savvy, but even I've figured out how to do it. Yes, it has it's dangers, but if you have a friend that knows more, you could avoid those dangers or get the phone fixed if you screw it up. It's pretty easy.

Additionally, if someone really wants to get a Android phone without all the pre-installed apps, they can get one of the Nexus phones. They're even pretty cheap considering everything they have.


Now, the real question is, what happens when Google Now, Cortana, and Siri get together?

 

[Umbran]

Besides, if someone wants to get rid of those apps, it's easy enough to root an Android phone and get rid of the stuff you don't want.

Well, the actual apps, you don't need to root anything. They can just be deleted/uninstalled.

There are some OS features you'd need to root and do a clean install to get rid of.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

Well, the actual apps, you don't need to root anything. They can just be deleted/uninstalled.

There are some OS features you'd need to root and do a clean install to get rid of.

I hve a few T-Mobile loaded apps that I can't delete/uninstall. Different carriers like to make different changes to the phone. It can be annoying, but nothing you can't ignore or find a way to get rid of if you really want to.

 

[reesekj]

Avoid Apple and ATT. Both have meh support or charge for basic support.

 

[Cergorach]

Things I do with my smartphone:
- call and be called (including contacts)
- sms
- time, date, etc.
- email
- listen to music (Spotify, costs money, but makes my life so much easier!)
- Weather forecast app, what's the weather like in the places I'm going to be today and do I need an umbrella?
- Calculator
- Check my bank balance on an app
- Plan my public transportation route (and see if there's an issue somewhere down the line)
- make notes on the notes app
- look up an address on the internet
- use 'maps' to see where the F I am and where I'm going (I usually use a bike, walk or use the public transportation service, navigation apps usually don't work with that)
- use a navigation app when I'm riding along with someone who doesn't have navigation and we don't know where something is.
- Use the Blizzard Authenticattor app once in a blue moon

Things I used to do on a smartphone, but now do on my tablet.
- read ebooks
- read (game) pfds
- read comics
- internet
- play games (there are lots and lots of crappy mobile games, but there are some gems!)
- watch movies/series
- watch YouTube/Twitch
- remotely takeover computers and servers if I don't have a PC/laptop in the neighborhood

I've been using an Apple iPhone 4 since it's release (~4 years) never had any issues with the thing that I needed to call Apple support for. The number of issues with the Smartphone during those years can be counted on two hands. If I compare that with my Smartphone experience in the decade before that, where we were forced to work with Windows Mobile/CE this is heaven! My father has a Samsung s3 and s4 (Android), while he is happy with it, those things have had more issues then my iPhone, I would say that half were user generated (give the average user the ability to have complete access to his OS, changes are that it will go wrong sooner rather then later). The need to 'tweak' my phone has left me after a decade of IT support, the iPhone is pretty fool proof (but they keep making better fools!) and doesn't require much IT support.

$60 sounds a bit expensive, last year I renewed my contract for 2 years for €30/month (ex VAT) => unlimited calls, unlimited SMS, 5GB/month and got a free Samsung s4 (made my dad happy with it).

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

I've been using an Apple iPhone 4 since it's release (~4 years) never had any issues with the thing that I needed to call Apple support for. The number of issues with the Smartphone during those years can be counted on two hands. If I compare that with my Smartphone experience in the decade before that, where we were forced to work with Windows Mobile/CE this is heaven! My father has a Samsung s3 and s4 (Android), while he is happy with it, those things have had more issues then my iPhone, I would say that half were user generated (give the average user the ability to have complete access to his OS, changes are that it will go wrong sooner rather then later). The need to 'tweak' my phone has left me after a decade of IT support, the iPhone is pretty fool proof (but they keep making better fools!) and doesn't require much IT support.

I think a lot of the problems are due to the add-ons that the phone makers and carriers make to the Android phones. Samsung, for example, will add stuff to it, then the carrier will add some more stuff. If you want to get a pure Android experience, the Nexus phones are the way to go. They are unlocked Android phones without all the additional stuff. There is still the chance that someone will brick their phone, but that's not likely to happen to a casual user. If you're trying to make some serious changes, it's more likely to happen.

$60 sounds a bit expensive, last year I renewed my contract for 2 years for €30/month (ex VAT) => unlimited calls, unlimited SMS, 5GB/month and got a free Samsung s4 (made my dad happy with it).

Who is your carrier because I want to switch over.

 

[Cergorach]

Who is your carrier because I want to switch over.

t-mobile
It was a business contract.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

t-mobile
It was a business contract.

Hmmm... maybe it's the business contract part because they charge me a bit more than what you pay. I should call and complain!!!