Help me pick a new phone

[underscore]

Hey guys, I'm looking for some help picking out a new phone to get. I'm torn between Android and WP7 at the moment, I know Android is more widely used but I'm not a fan of some of Google's privacy quirks so I'm leaning a bit towards WP7. I definitely like the look of the WP7 interface a bit better (with the live updating etc) but I've been told you can make the Android OS look and function effectively like WP7?

For anyone who has used both, how is the WP7 app selection vs Android? Are games like Words with Friends able to connect to people on a different phone OS?

Key points
- I need a slider QWERTY keyboard
- wifi is a must
- I'll probably buy used, and I'm trying to stay under $100
- I don't plan on running very many intensive apps on my phone
- I don't want an overly large phone (ideally not much wider or taller than my current phone, certainly smaller than the GS3)
- Must be unlockable or available on the Solo/Bell network
- I won't be playing music with it

For reference, my current phone is a Samsung Entro m350 so this'll be my first foray into the smartphone game.

Right now I'm looking at the HTC Arrive, Motorola Droid 4, HTC EVO Shift so any feedback on those (or any others) is appreciated.

[yray]

don't get windows phone 7 unless its upgradable to 7.8 (minimum 7.5)

some apps can communicate with other os apps, the decision rests on the app developer

I advise you to get an android rather than windows phone, especially if you need a qwerty keyboard. If you're willing to drop the qwerty requirement, then get a lumia 800/900 instead.

[StylinRed]

QWERTY eh?

Spoiler!

Nokia is announcing a WP8 QWERTY this morning (could be a wp 7.8 but probably not)



that's their teaser picture

it likely wont meet your price requirement though and im not aware of any other WP device with a physical qwerty

edit: might not be wp after all.... we'll see in a few mins i guess


edit2: sorry its not WP its an S40 (asha device) http://conversations.nokia.com/2013/...okia-asha-210/


edit3: wow didn't know the HTC Arrive was a WP7.8 device that's cool looks like you did some nice research

[underscore]

Damn, that teaser photo looked pretty cool. Yeah the Arrive is a WP7 and apparently people are updating it to 7.8 manually, the only thing I'm worried about is GSM Arena says "This is not a GSM device, it will not work on any GSM network worldwide."

Does this mean it only works on Sprint (it looks like they were the only ones who offered it)?

[StylinRed]

I think you may only be able to use it on Bell or Virgin


here you go look for the htc 7 pro the same thing as the arrive but with gsm radios HTC 7 Pro - Full phone specifications but from a cursory look the price on it is a lot more than the Arrive


tbh for the budget I would rather get a new low-end Lumia (if you were going for WP) like the new Lumia 520 but even that unlocked is $190 (can't find it at that price though) and so far no carrier in Canada has it yet
the on screen keyboard in WP is probably the best out of all os's so you won't be missing much without a physical kb

maybe if you can find a Lumia 710 for a good price used

[yray]

620 unlocked at microshit oakridge store for 28x I think.

just get it for nokia drive+

[StylinRed]

oh well well just announced that Koodoo will be offering the Lumia 520

Nokia Lumia 520 coming soon to Koodo | MobileSyrup.com

buy it from them and bring it to solo/bell? still doesn't solve the QWERTY issue though

[underscore]

Originally Posted by StylinRed

I think you may only be able to use it on Bell or Virgin


here you go look for the htc 7 pro the same thing as the arrive but with gsm radios HTC 7 Pro - Full phone specifications but from a cursory look the price on it is a lot more than the Arrive


tbh for the budget I would rather get a new low-end Lumia (if you were going for WP) like the new Lumia 520 but even that unlocked is $190 (can't find it at that price though) and so far no carrier in Canada has it yet
the on screen keyboard in WP is probably the best out of all os's so you won't be missing much without a physical kb

maybe if you can find a Lumia 710 for a good price used

If it will work with Bell I'll be fine, I'm with Solo and they use Bells network. The Pro does look like it costs more (and is harder to find), what are the differences between CDMA & GSM? From the sounds of it they operate at different frequencies so effectively on different networks?

I know it limits me a lot but I'd really like a physical keyboard as I like being able to text without looking at it, I've been doing that as long as I've had a phone and I'd rather not have to give that up.

Another phone I've come across is the Sony Ericsson Vivaz, I know it's a bit slower but they tend to be a little cheaper as well (I think there's one for sale on here for a decent price).

I'm still not fully decided between WP7 and Android yet, I really like the concept of the WP7 UI but I'm worried about the potential lack of support, I see a lot of apps listing IOS and Android but not WP7.

[StylinRed]

you can use the 7 pro on Bells network and it gives you the access to use the phone overseas/ or with another provider if you ever want to switch

as for App support I had thought most apps were available for WP7.8/8 now even Instagram (although not officially from instagram yet but just like it) Im not really knowledgeable on it

as for Android I was always under the assumption that droid devices in that price range were incredibly laggy and not all apps were available either way (probably not true with used devices) otherwise I would opt for a Droid

[yray]

What type of apps are you looking for? Wp7.8 is the final update, all operations have moved to 8.0. Majority of market place apps are actually for 7.0 . Only a few major ones are for 8.0.

Facebook is integrated into the phone, I don't even have the Facebook app on my 920. My focus fb app is still from 2010??

Instagram is just butthurt like apple and flash... Say they won't support it but still needs it.

[underscore]

Just basic stuff, maybe Facebook, definitely not Twitter or Instagram. Stuff like Words with Friends or Draw Something would be cool, as well as some basic games. Shazam or something similar would be handy too.

I'm really liking the new text message preview of WP7, and how tasks from the calendar are shown on the lock screen and the calendar tile. Is anything like that available for Android?

[yray]

^plenty of apps/mods available to do that on droid

Lock screen preview is limited to only one app so either calender or text.

[BBMme]

BlackBerry Q10
Posted via RS Mobile

[underscore]

Originally Posted by yray

^plenty of apps/mods available to do that on droid

Lock screen preview is limited to only one app so either calender or text.

Good to know! See this is why I ask you guys, I've never had a smartphone so I'm clueless about this stuff. I tried the WP8 loader on my GF's Android briefly last night and it was okay but the tiles weren't really live, they were just glorified versions of the basic app icons.

I'd probably tie the calendar to the lock screen, do you know if there's a way to have new texts drop down from the top (when the phone is unlocked) like on WP? If I could find something to do that as well I'd be okay with going with Android, I'm still not a huge fan of Google's privacy policies but since I won't have e-mail or Office files hooked to it (which would be killer for a work phone) I won't really be using some of the WPs main features.

[underscore]

After hunting around a bunch I like how there are custom ROMs for Android that can remove some of the sketchy anti privacy stuff, I've basically settled on the HTC MyTouch 4G Slide aka the T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide.

Any feedback on this? T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide vs. Apple iPhone 4S - GSMArena.com

[StylinRed]

cool grats