Cell Phone/smart Phone

I got an iphone a few months ago. Now I will never go back to a regular phone. So, just remember that. Once bitten it's a keeper.

This probably isn't much help, just a point of view...

I do not have a smart phone. I don't want one. I think it's a complete waste of money.

I have the most basic phone I could find. The guy who sold it got mad at me when we were testing it and I had to choose if I wanted to accept a call or not, in other words I couldn't just pick it up and say hello. I told him that was absolutely unacceptable and I wanted to return the phone, so he had to reprogram it. The bottom line, my cell phone is the emergency # for the kids, when it rings I need to answer it no matter who is calling.

I know I'm probably in the minority, but here's the way I see it....
I hate being with people who are attached to their phone, and constantly having them being interupted in the middle of our conversation.
I have e-mail so you can send me a message if you need to, although I only check it once or twice a day, so if it's really important pick up the phone.
I've lived many years without texting and I've managed just fine.
I pay $101 (includes all fees and taxes) for all the phones for all 4 of us, I know people who pay a lot more than this for just one phone. I have other things I'd rather spend my money on.

This depends on your personal need. Do you use it more for personal use or combined with business?

We all 3 carry IPhones since they came out. We've upgraded as our upgrades came along as well. I believe right now we are all upgraded to the 4S or something like that.

Hubby uses a LOT of data, LOT of minutes, and LOT text.
I use a LOT of data, few minutes and LOT of text
Daughter uses LOT of data, few minutes and LOT of texts

We are with AT&T and spend about $250 a month on our 3 phones together with unlimited data and text and most of the 2100 or so minutes are used by hubby.

That said, we run our business through our phones and laptops. When I head out of town, I don't take my laptop... I use my phone. Hubby still takes laptop because he needs his more than I do. My laptop use for our business is mostly on Quickbooks, running reports, filing taxes, payroll, etc so it is not as critical for me to have my laptop when we travel. I get my job done before I leave the house!

Daughter (17) usues her phone more for her personal use and her plan is just on our set up. She uses her laptop for school projects etc and she is on her laptop a LOT busy with projects, assignments, college applications,etc.

Our texting between us as a family and all the other texting we do is enormous but it is how we work and it is effective for us.

SO, bottom line, it is what fits your need the best. If you get the IPhone which is AWESOME.... you do pay a premium of about $40 a month for data and also $30 or so a month for unlimited texting. I know the plans have changed recently regarding unlimited programs... weve have them for years and we were grandfathered in with our plan.

You can check out the plans available on the AT&T site and get a feel for products before you go into the store blindsighted. Just be informed before you make your decision.

Good luck

ADDED:
I see your question on why do I need email? You may not "need" email. We do because we run a company and we rely on timely emails and responses. It is my understanding that with the IPHone, email is set up. My daughter uses the email function as well because teachers communicate via email to many of the students, (coaches, booster clubs, etc)

You data question... very valid.. however everyong with IPhones do not play games on data plans. We use the data plan on research of companies, logistics of where we are shipping material, etc.
Daughter uses the data when she is at school and working on projects when she does not have her laptop available. It enables her to do research and save time which is critical because of the busy schedules we have.

Those are just a couple of points regarding data and email. You have to figure out what you need and what you will use and then buy the phone that best fits your needs. :)

We have HTC sensations for 2 lines with unlimited talk/text/web, mobile hotspot and WiFi (wireless internet i.e. you can pick up a signal from a router or such) calling for $127 per month. We are with T-Mobile.

It great because everything we need is combined into one package. I can take my laptop anywhere and have internet access with my mobile hot spot.

We use email for business matters. A lot of companies prefer to communicate this way. My husband is a D.O. for a major hospitality group so he has to have access to all forms of communication. Also, a lot of fun services like Netflix or Hulu require an email address to use.

I say, take the plunge if you can afford it. Times will keep moving ahead and I think its best to keep up to speed with current technology.

I have an Evo 3d from Sprint and love it. What i look for is the bulkiness, test out the touch keys (I like to see how easy it is to text sideways on a phone, as well as the responsiveness to the keys), battery life is a must but they are usually so off because I am on my phoen more than a normal person. LOL. . . Hubby looks for the hardware and compares everything in all phones in his pricerange before making a choice. For both of us, we just upgraded and the evo 3d was what we wanted in both hardware as well as the functionality. Also, take a few test pics in the store if you can to see if you like how they turn out ;) And flip through the menus to see ifyou like how it navigates to get to contacts, internet, pics, the android market, etc...Hope I helped!!

I use email but text is so much easier when it comes to reaching out to someone without having to get online and log in. I love being able to text a friend when I can respond rather than having to time my calls for when the kids aren't screaming around the living room. I have unlimited data on my plan because I get on it SO much. It is wonderful being able to check my mail/facebook/messages/weather without having to worry. Plus, you can alway shave your email hooked up to the phone so you can see the most recent ones come up or notify you when you get another if needbe.

u need email because some people email and some text.

I have mine primarily for the calendar - my husband, my calendar, and my oldest competitive sports' team are now all in one place - the google calendar function (I have a droid). Seems totally stupid to spend $30 per month on this, but I couldn't function without it. I might add that neither I nor my husband have the same work schedule each day so that complicates our schedule quite a bit. we both have early morning and evening meetings to throw in the mix of after school activities.

as one other poster said, once you have the smart phone, you'll never go back....

I just have a basic phone. Mine has text and email. I don't use the email because we get charged so much per byte and someone emailed my husband a picture and it ended up costing $50. I don't need all the fancy stuff. Our text is 15 cents each that we send or respond to.

We both have Samsung Mesmerize Smart Phones. I love mine. If I ever want to go to the bathroom alone, take a shower and not come out to the fridge standing open and all the food scattered everywhere, have some quiet time in the car, etc....I let my grandson play on my phone. He gets to play on it if he gets stars at school, my granddaughter gets to play on it if she gets a good report for the day at school.

And I, "I" get to spend time playing games on my phone when I am taking a break from ironing or laundry. I enjoy reading books on it, I watch TV episodes, I can play Words With Friends, Hanging With Friends, or play solitary games like Angry Birds, Gin Rummy, Spades, Solitaire, etc.....I enjoy being able to sit down anywhere and have something to do even if it's for just a few minutes. When we are taking the kids to some activity I can sit and just plan my to-do list for the next day, I can keep doc appointments, birthdays, anything I can put on a calendar, all that at my fingertips.

I enjoy being able to pop out my phone and show someone a video of my granddaughter doing back handspring-tuck-front flips...or showing them what dresses we have for sale in the store in their child's size. I like having "my" world at my fingertips.

I hate texting, it takes so much longer to type out what I am going to say to someone. I also have my phone on the charger a lot. It is worth it though. I love having the simplicity of it. It is everything I need at my fingertips.

I do have questions about the next phase though. Samsung is coming out with a hybrid of a tablet/pad and a touch phone. That interests me. That would be the totally best phone to have I think.

When looking for a phone my requirements were:

Larger screen...my current phone has a 4" screen. I need reading glasses and even without them I can see the items on the screen, of course I do have to touch the screen with pinched fingers and pull them apart sometimes to enlarge the screen but on a general day I can see everything I want to see.

Touch screen

Ability to take great pictures and carry them with me all the time