Looking for a new phone... again.

Serpentine · 11-02-2012, 07:10 AM

So around this time last year, I came to the Playground looking for a good phone to buy - my very first smartphone. I ended up getting a Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro, based on the advice I got. And I love it. It served me well in Indonesia and the UK, then I got home again... and dropped it on tiles, smashing the screen

It's still functional, but bits are falling off it. It's already starting to play up a bit, and it's only a matter of time before it falls apart - in the meantime I already have to watch out for shards of glass. As it'll cost, iirc, $175 to repair, whereas I can get a brand new one for $150, I'm just gonna go with replacing it.
Now, as I said, I love this little phone. Especially the slide-out keyboard. I'll probably just end up getting the same thing again. But, you know, if I'm gonna get a new one, I may as well check my options. And there is one thing about this phone that bugs me...
The battery's crap. I have to charge it every day if I'm barely using it, and if I'm using it a lot I have to charge it at least twice.
So. Does anyone know of a phone that's a lot like SEXMP*, except with a better battery? More memory would be nice, too, but I think I just buy a new card thing for that. I don't think I'd want to pay more than $300, either.
If there's nothing like that, well, eh. I'll just get a new sexy MP.

*totally never noticed that before

Socratov · 11-02-2012, 07:54 AM

I'd advice against the Smasung Galaxy i-9000. the rest of the phones seem ok, but mine has its 5th mother board by now and still acts up. The galaxy 2 seems stable (but expensive)

The Succubus · 11-02-2012, 08:02 AM

I'll have a look into it - are you still looking at Android only phones or...? =)

Serpentine · 11-02-2012, 08:06 AM

I've done well with this one, but I don't really mind. As long as it's as good or better, not too expensive, and has a good battery.

Lentrax · 11-02-2012, 08:59 AM

Yeah, I've heard good things about the Galaxy2 as well. I don't have one seeing as I've had my iphone 3gs for a little over two years now, and am only needing to upgrade it because I am running out of space.

Not sure what I am going to get myself. I doubt it'll be another iphone just because they are so dang expensive.

Tonal Architect · 11-02-2012, 11:04 AM

Mine also fell smacked the concrete, something like a 1.5 meters fall... Screen's been cracked for about one year and one bit on its edge (thankfully a part outside the display are) has recently fallen off, but thankfully that's it. I believe I was lucky enough to have the phone falling on its corner; if the screen was facing the floor when it landed, the outcome would probably be far worse.

Mind that this is coming from someone who doesn't mind hacking the phone to the point where it's modified beyond all recognition (some would probably say FUBAR'ed), but my recommendation goes out to a Droid 4.

It will require some hacking, because it comes off the box with its GSM radio locked, but since it's bootloader has been unlocked, and you also have root, that's probably not going to be much of a hassle. As a plus, you get a Webtop enabled phone, which means that it's possible to hack it to enable a full Linux distro to run on the phone, through HDMI (if there's an HDMI hack available, or from one of the Motorola docks), and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

This whole package is also available on the Motorola Atrix (minus the keyboard), and on the Photon Q (minus Webtop, which is a big minus for me).

Personally, I'm biased towards Webtop-enabled phones for the whole light-netbook thing, but if a slide-out keyboard is a must for you, you could also try modifying a Bluetooth-Slide-out keyboard... It's basically a keyboard that attaches itself to the back of the phone, and while it requires bluetooth to use, will add that functionality to any phone. There's a few tutorials on how to unscrew the slideout keyboard from another phone and adapt to whichever one you might choose, and if you pick a popular offering, you could buy one that works out of the box.

Well, that's all the insight I can offer. Hope it helps.

Serpentine · 11-07-2012, 10:45 AM

Erm... Yeeeaaaaaah. I'm not going to be doing all that stuff. I have nowhere near the expertise required, and it's not what I'm interested in doing. I really simply want something that's the Xperia Mini Pro but with a better battery (and no more than a coupla hundred dollars).

Thanks, though. It's not a bad idea, it's just not for me.

The Succubus · 11-07-2012, 10:52 AM

I've found one with a similar form factor and price to the Mini Pro. The only caveat is that it's not an Android phone but Windows Mobile:

http://www.expansys.com/hp-ipaq-data...fi-gps-182156/

The only other phones I've found with keyboards are the Blackberry range. I've got a 9320 (which I may be moving on from in a month or two). It's a fairly reliable beastie and the keyboard is pretty good for messaging:

http://www.expansys.com/blackberryre...-black-231887/

In terms of battery life, the 9320 can easily last 2-3 days on a single charge provided I don't abuse the Wifi too much. Couldn't say about the iPaq, although HP is a fairly good manufacturer. It may be difficult finding software for the iPaq though. I'll keep looking though.