It is now time for us to sign a new cellphone contract. We've already decided to remain with our current carrier, Ntelos, since we've investigated pricing, etc. and are not unhappy with the fees. HOWEVER, I'm looking to get as much bang for the buck (free or cheap phones) and wonder what type of phone is the better one to get. Jim will probably keep the phone he has and is happy with what it does. I otoh want a qwerty keyboard for texting since I've discovered the kids immediately respond to txt messages and I utterly despise the stupid voice mail recordings they use (and the fact they do not call me back with due haste). I can get an LG260 with a slideout keyboard and wonder if anyone else is using that and likes/dislikes it.
I'm also considering a Blackberry Pearl. HELP.

 

I had the first generation Pearl, and it didn't have a full keyboard -- it was a sort of expanded phone pad. Because I don't text (being a crotchety old geezer and all), I didn't really need the full keyboard. What attracted me to it was its size (small) and trackball (better than the earlier Blackberrys' scroll wheel). HPH

 

^^ Did you use the Blackberry for accessing email, etc.? If so, was there an additional fee for that?

 

I think that Blackberry accounts come bundled as everything -- telephone, email, texting, internet access (although I'm not certain as mine was through the U). BBs involve one more level of proprietary software above other web-enabled phones, so it's all linked, I think. HPH

 

Thanks, Dr. C. I'm leaning more toward the LG with the slideout keyboard. I need to go and look at it in person to see if its too bulky to carry. I really like being able to just clip my small phone on my shirt when I'm out walking, etc. and I'm not sure the LG is small enough. Alas, I want a keyboard, but I also want compactness.

 

Val,

I do a lot of texting, both to my own kids and now to a number of clients. I currently have an LG8600 which I like alot but it has a conventional telephone keyboard. As a result texting is both awkward and time consuming. For some crazy reason I can't master "word" and because I refuse to text in shorthand, it takes me longer than it should to send a message.

My contract is up in December, and while I intend to remain with the same carrier, I am probably going to get the LG Dare. Its sort of an imitation iPhone. I like the touch screen, and for texting it (the screen) becomes a regular keyboard. One of my colleagues got it about a month ago and loves it. It's actually pretty small. Like you I insist upon being able to put it into a shirt pocket.

The only drawback is that its expensive. Right now its generally $199, but I've seen it for $150. I think it'll be cheaper after Christmas, when my contract is over.

 

I had one of the Tmobile Shadows this past spring.
Microsoft mobile based with a half qwerty keyboard.
Hate doesn't begin to describe my loathing for that thing.
First of all it should work easily as a phone. FAIL
Entering text messages was a nightmare with two characters mapped to one button and microsoft would 'help' figure out what you wanted to type: FAIL
Tried to use standard motorola H700 bluetooth earpiece, took more than a half hour with the manuals from both devices to finally get it to work. :FAIL

The only nice thing i have to say is it took reasonable good pictures and you could access them via the USB port. Something which verizon blocks on all of their phones.

 

I have the older generation blackberry with suretype keyboard (ie like the pearl, with two characters on most keys). I've used it for almost 4 years now and the only thing I'd trade it for is a Pearl. I have no problem typing on it and love the fact that it's slim vs devices with full keyboards. If you are a moderate to heavy email user but need to be mobile a lot, the blackberry platform is a great choice. My carrier (Verizon) charges a fee for phone service plus a fee for the email service, as they are two different platforms, but it's competitive. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks a million for all your answers. My carrier does not offer the LG Dare, but it DOES offer the Blackberry Pearl. I really was hoping to NOT use the phone for email since I have two computers (one at each house) and also have cable internet at both places, so I have no particular need to access email on the phone. 8_ball, would the Blackberry Pearl be of any benefit to me for JUST texting? Texting with ease is the thing that is of highest import. As I said before, the kids simply don't answer the phone half the time and texting is the only way I seem to be able to get a response from them when I need to. You'd think with their dad's health sitch and our ages, they'd be nicer, but . . . kidz.

Edit: Just answered my own question about the Blackberry. A data package is required.

 

post a link to your carriers website and let us see what they offer We can advice much better knowing the full product line. do they have an LG Vu?