Cell Phones

[starbeck96]

My boys are wanting a smartphone this year. This will be their first cell phone. My husband and I both use Straightalk and it is cheaper for us. I was looking into getting them a straightalk. I do not think I have seen a phone through them under the $ 200 mark that operates on the 4.0 android system. I was also planning on getting them an otterbox type case (or someting very similar) but couldn't find one for their cell phones either.

 

I thought about Verizon. It picks up the best here and that is what our straightalk phones operate on here. Right now they have the Apple Iphone 4 free with 2 year contract. The only thing is that they charge a 35.00 activation fee. Do you think that there will be a better deal through Verizon before Christmas? Or do you think I should go ahead and bite the bullet while the I phone 4 is free?

 

If I do decide to go through Verizon, my husband and I will also go through them as well. We are about to have to buy my husband a new phone anyway..lol. This would also give me an excuse to get a smartphone

 

I do not want to go through AT&T. We used to have a plan through them and it just does not pick up nearly as good as Verizon in our area.

 

Also, do you think the Iphone 4 would be the best phone for them? They are 14 (will be 15 in March). It is an 8GB.

 

Thanks..

[laddhorn]

remember, you will be required to purchase a data plan. Please take that into account when you are trying to price it out. Maybe visit a Verizon store and ask.

 

Iphones are OK. Androids ('DROID") work just as well and you have a larger selection. The Motorola RAZR series has an excellent battery.

[freesia39]

You will be required to purchase a data plan also - remember to include that cost.

 

I have the smallest iPhone 4, hasn't been much of a problem storage wise. My husband has the 4S - i mean the main difference TO ME is that he has Siri, and I don't, and I'm not really up in arms that I don't have it. If they don't download a bazillion apps, it's not an issue. It's the photos that take up the most space on my phone. But if you move them off regularly, once again, not a problem.

[mom2monkiesx3]

I will be the THIRD person to mention the needed DATA PLAN, they are NOT cheap and they are billed for EACH smartphone...plus they add taxes and fees to everything.....Make very strict DO NOT GO OVER YOUR DATA rules...data overages are VERY expensive. DS 14 has an Iphone 4s (32GB) and he has done great with it, he does not go over data although I am mean and take his phone at 9pm every single night

 

I recommend an otterbox defender..they are super cheap on Amazon for the Iphone 4...ds has one but took it off because it was "bulky" he now has a cracked screen. I have one on my new Iphone 5 and I dropped it down concrete bleachers from a JUMP and its just fine

[starbeck96]

remember, you will be required to purchase a data plan. Please take that into account when you are trying to price it out. Maybe visit a Verizon store and ask.

 

Iphones are OK. Androids ('DROID") work just as well and you have a larger selection. The Motorola RAZR series has an excellent battery.

Yeah, the amount that I have figured is including a data plan. It will cost us more but my husband and I will both be getting a smartphone as well. So, I figured in how much we would be paying for all of us a new smart phone and divided it by 24 (to represent time of contract). So, taking that into consideration it will cost about the same..

[mom2monkiesx3]

Ok good

 

I have AT&T and I am a longtime customer but if I CALL them and ask them to waive the activation fee or replace a SIM card for free they usually do.... no arm twisting required so it does not hurt to call and tell them you are interested in getting FOUR Iphones with a new contract IF they'd waive activation....I'd almost bet they would.....and even if they didn't it would only take a few minutes of your time to try

[starbeck96]

I will be the THIRD person to mention the needed DATA PLAN, they are NOT cheap and they are billed for EACH smartphone...plus they add taxes and fees to everything.....Make very strict DO NOT GO OVER YOUR DATA rules...data overages are VERY expensive. DS 14 has an Iphone 4s (32GB) and he has done great with it, he does not go over data although I am mean and take his phone at 9pm every single night

 

I recommend an otterbox defender..they are super cheap on Amazon for the Iphone 4...ds has one but took it off because it was "bulky" he now has a cracked screen. I have one on my new Iphone 5 and I dropped it down concrete bleachers from a JUMP and its just fine

LOL...Yeah, the data plan is one reason we have not done smart phones earlier..lol. But I have really been wanting one and DH has finally expressed interest in one as well. So, taking into consideration how much the phones are without a contract I figure we come out just as cheap, but we will be paying for it monthly instead of all at one time..

 

A friend of mine has the otterbox case and I thought it was very cool. We will all be getting one..My husband is in construction so an otterbox would really help protect it. I also will make it a rule for the boys to never take it out of the case..lol.

 

By the way, I will be taking the boys phones away as well at night..lol. Does the Iphone have the option to use your home wi-fi so you don't use your data?

[mom2monkiesx3]

YES you can use your own wifi just make sure its turned on when your at home or someplace you can get it free

[starbeck96]

We will be using the shared Data Plan. I think for 4 GB it is 70.00 plus 40.00 for each phone on the plan. For 2 GB it is 60.00. We will definitely start out with the 4 GB and then if we see we don't need that much, we will come down to the 2 GB plan.

[starbeck96]

YES you can use your own wifi just make sure its turned on when your at home or someplace you can get it free

Thanks. This is where I know the boys phones will be used the most.

[angleyez423]

When thinking size take music into consideration. If they are going to use it as an iPod as well 8 may not be big enough. If they won't use it for music is should be plenty if they don't go crazy on the apps. Mine is a 32GB. The system takes up almost 4GB and I have 7.1GB in music alone. Granted we use the iPhone in the car instead of a cd player. My sister doesn't use it for music at all and 8 is fine for her.

 

For otterbox go to amazon. Search different ways to get different colors. My otterbox was well worth the full price I paid. When I got mine only otterbox had the verizon version. Now they are everywhere and worth every penny. I've dropped it a ton of times and the phone is like new inside. Get the defender model it has a screen cover built in. They are not waterproof but offer some protection against water damage too.

[racerfan]

I will also mention the the DATA. We just upgraded all our phones recently to 4 smartphones (DH and I already had smartphones) We have AT &T and they waived our activation fee also. Both kids DS16 and DD14 and DH have the Iphone5. I don't think the iphone4 will go up it will stay as free with a 2 year activation. The 4s I think is now $50. I recommend the Otterbox Defender.

 

When we were upgrading I looked into changing from AT&T to Verizon but I found that Verizon was more expensive with their MobileShare compared to AT&T. We have 10gb of data shared between 4 phones we pay $240/month (not counting the $50 discount that DH gets thru work. 6gb of data was $230/month. Verizon charges $260/month for 6gb of Data. Both kids have the Pandora app on their iphones and stream sometimes all day via data when they are out. So far we have used about 1.5gb combined with all phones. I am home most of the time so on wifi. Just to let you know that pandora does not use that much data. UTube on the other hand uses ALOT of data.

 

I do feel that the 8gb may be a little small for your kids since they may download alot of apps as well as music and pictures. I don't know how much the 16gb would be. DS16 had a 16gb ipod and was almost full with the apps he downloaded. Both of my kids have not download alot of apps yet *they have only had the iphone since the day they came out I think 9/21" so will have to see how much space they actually use in the months to come. DH has the 32gb but he plans to transfer all his songs from his Zune to the iphone (has 8gb in music alone on Zune)

 

I hope I was able to help a little with what we have.