New phone for my brother

[MG2R]

My brother is in need of a new phone. He uses it to call, text and browse the web and has an 'unlimited' data plan. The maximum budget is €300 (about $390), but he prefers to spend less than that. It doesn't matter if it has a touchscreen or uses a keyboard, but he wants something he can load apps on (smartphone). He isn't be any means a tech adept, so it doesn't have to be the most advanced thing in the world, as long as it's fluent and doesn't hang all the time.

 

I was thinking about a Galaxy S3, but I'm not very adept in the whole phone business. What are you guys' thoughts?

 

Many thanks!

[M-ursu]

I just had a topic about S3.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/31183-can-i-ask-my-money-back/

I am not recommending.

[Raj8396]

Nexus 4 is a nice phone too. I think it is in your budget you can check it in your region, it deosn't have lte other than that pretty cool device.  :)

It will get new android version support all the time so it will be futureproof too. and it satisfies all your brothers needs

[MG2R]

I just had a topic about S3.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/31183-can-i-ask-my-money-back/

I am not recommending.

Thanks for your input, but one case of bad phone doesn't mean the S3 is a bad phone, lots of people are happily using it (a friend of mine, for example). I will consider your story, though

[91Chris]

iPhone, Lumia and One are my suggestions. The best built phones on the market.

[MG2R]

iPhone, Lumia and One are my suggestions. The best built phones on the market.

Far outside the price range as well ;)

[M-ursu]

Thanks for your input, but one case of bad phone doesn't mean the S3 is a bad phone, lots of people are happily using it (a friend of mine, for example). I will consider your story, though

I have many friend which are happily using S3, but i know peapoles that have problems whit it.

One thing is sure that battery will not be good after a half year.

[91Chris]

Far outside the price range as well ;)

Arh really? Is he buying it out right?

[MG2R]

Nexus 4 is a nice phone too. I think it is in your budget you can check it in your region, it deosn't have lte other than that pretty cool device.  :)

It will get new android version support all the time so it will be futureproof too. and it satisfies all your brothers needs

Unfortunately, Google hates Belgium and it costs a fortune to get it here :/

I can get it in Germany, but the cheapest I can find it there is €330 (without shipping).

Any experience with the Galaxy Nexus?

[Mac]

Stay away from Windows Phone, lack of Apps and it's horrible to use.

 

Go for Android, I'd say an S3 would be fine.

[MG2R]

Is he buying it out right?

I don't understand the question :s

[91Chris]

Well when i get a phone i get it with a contract, so i pay a monthly fee rather than dropping a whole bunch of money at once.

[MG2R]

Well when i get a phone i get it with a contract, so i pay a monthly fee rather than dropping a whole bunch of money at once.

Ah, yeah, we like to buy our phones separate ;)

[91Chris]

Arh ok fair enough.

[arkon]

I have many friend which are happily using S3, but i know peapoles that have problems whit it.

One thing is sure that battery will not be good after a half year.

 

Yeah, I'm perfectly happy with my S3 too.

[HK6]

Far outside the price range as well ;)

Erm... I do believe half the Lumia range (520, 620, 720) fit into your budget. It even appears that the Lumia 820 fits into the budget as well.

 

Stay away from Windows Phone, lack of Apps and it's horrible to use.

Lack of apps? Which apps, exactly? Also, from personal experience, I find it to be exactly the opposite. There is a reason that Windows Phones top customer satisfaction charts, and I highly doubt it is because they are "horrible to use".

[Dudenstein]

I can recommend the razr maxx. That's if he really values a good battery life. I have it and it outlasts all of my friends/family's phones even when I keep it on 4g and with a live wallpaper.

[Mac]

Erm... I do believe half the Lumia range (520, 620, 720) fit into your budget. It even appears that the Lumia 820 fits into the budget as well.

 

Lack of apps? Which apps, exactly? Also, from personal experience, I find it to be exactly the opposite. There is a reason that Windows Phones top customer satisfaction charts, and I highly doubt it is because they are "horrible to use".

I've been using WP for a year and a half.

 

It doesn't have an official YouTube app, Instagram and there's a lack of decent games. The amount of third party apps on there make it horrible to use.

 

The phone book is the most stupidest thing in the world. It imports everyone from Facebook and Windows Live and it's a major pain in the ass to change their number.

 

I also find the Panoramic Titles horrible, I go into 'People' and I see Peopl with half an E on the end.

 

You have your own opinion, as do I. I think OP's brother would be better off with Android.

[MG2R]

So, apparantly, he just went out and bought an HTX Desire X in black... About the Lumia 820 fitting in the budget: he didn't want Windows Phone, forgot to mention that, sorry.

 

Anyway, thanks for all you guys' feedback, this forum is awesome as always!

[HK6]

I've been using WP for a year and a half.

 

It doesn't have an official YouTube app, Instagram and there's a lack of decent games. The amount of third party apps on there make it horrible to use.

 

The phone book is the most stupidest thing in the world. It imports everyone from Facebook and Windows Live and it's a major pain in the ass to change their number.

It did have an official YouTube app before Google cried like a baby and had it taken down. Still, Metrotube stands as one of the best YouTube experiences I have found on a mobile platform. Instance is an outstanding third-party Instagram client that uses their APIs. Lack of decent games? It has many of the top games (Jetpack Joyride, N.O.V.A.3, Real Racing 2, Civilization Revolution, etc.) and has spawned some fantastic titles like Survivalcraft and Wordament. How does the amount of third-party applications make your phone horrible to use, exactly?

 

You can filter your People hub to only display contacts from specific accounts in the settings. How is it major pain in the ass to change their number? You tap the contact, hit the edit button, and change their number...

[rashdanml]

Unfortunately, Google hates Belgium and it costs a fortune to get it here :/

I can get it in Germany, but the cheapest I can find it there is €330 (without shipping).

Any experience with the Galaxy Nexus?

Overall positive experience with the Galaxy Nexus. It's a pricier option, though that could have changed recently.

[tomburnes]

It did have an official YouTube app before Google cried like a baby and had it taken down. Still, Metrotube stands as one of the best YouTube experiences I have found on a mobile platform. Instance is an outstanding third-party Instagram client that uses their APIs. Lack of decent games? It has many of the top games (Jetpack Joyride, N.O.V.A.3, Real Racing 2, Civilization Revolution, etc.) and has spawned some fantastic titles like Survivalcraft and Wordament. How does the amount of third-party applications make your phone horrible to use, exactly?

 

You can filter your People hub to only display contacts from specific accounts in the settings. How is it major pain in the ass to change their number? You tap the contact, hit the edit button, and change their number...

That was not an official YouTube app. They didn't make any money off of the unofficial one, yet it pulled videos from their site. Of course they don't want it up.

You are obviously a die-hard Windows Phone user. Windows Phone has 145,000 apps, while Android and iOS have 700,000 each. More apps = more competition.

[HK6]

That was not an official YouTube app. They didn't make any money off of the unofficial one, yet it pulled videos from their site. Of course they don't want it up.

You are obviously a die-hard Windows Phone user. Windows Phone has 145,000 apps, while Android and iOS have 700,000 each. More apps = more competition.

Yes, it was officially released by Microsoft. Google refused to give Microsoft access to the APIs needed to integrate the ads (and also said it didn't have enough users to warrant Google making their own app), then complained when they released an update to the official YouTube app after waiting for two and a half years. Google make no money off of MetroTube, with an arguably larger amount of users than the official Youtube app, and Google has never wanted that to be removed. Indeed, I am. I don't quite understand your last point. Competition in what sense?

[tomburnes]

Yes, it was officially released by Microsoft. Google refused to give Microsoft access to the APIs needed to integrate the ads (and also said it didn't have enough users to warrant Google making their own app), then complained when they released an update to the official YouTube app after waiting for two and a half years. Google make no money off of MetroTube, with an arguably larger amount of users than the official Youtube app, and Google has never wanted that to be removed. Indeed, I am. I don't quite understand your last point. Competition in what sense?

That is an official Microsoft app not an official YouTube app. I think they didn't stop MetroTube because they are not a huge company like Microsoft. Sorry, I should have finished that with =better apps. Sorry if I offended you, I am reading it now and thinking I sound like a dick.

[HK6]

That is an official Microsoft app not an official YouTube app. I think they didn't stop MetroTube because they are not a huge company like Microsoft. Sorry, I should have finished that with =better apps. Sorry if I offended you, I am reading it now and thinking I sound like a dick.

An official YouTube application on the Windows Phone platform developed by the owner of the platform. I believe the Facebook application for Windows Phone is also developed by Microsoft. That doesn't make it a non-official Facebook app. True, the creators of MetroTube are not as large of a company as Microsoft, but they most likely have far more users of their application than Microsoft does. I hardly think that a larger quantity of apps means the quality of those apps is better. I'm not offended, I just think a lot of people write off Windows Phone without proper reasoning.