# I might need a new phone.



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

At least, I need to start the research, I think.

Last couple of days, the one I have, a Motorola RAZR -- which is over 2 years old -- has not been charging reliably and consistently. I can plug it in and it SAYS it's charging, but it's not, necessarily.  Oddly, it did charge just fine plugged into my car the other day and this morning I hunted up the specific Verizon charger and plugged it in there. Haven't checked back yet to see how it's doing. I know they say 'use the one you got with it' because others might not work, but I have a bunch of them and they always have before.  But not lately. 

So: does anyone know, can the battery be replaced if that's the issue, on this device?  I'm thinking not.  It's a pretty slim device and I have no idea even how to get into it. It does feel like the charger plug seats just fine in the slot.  Certainly no differently than it ever did.  Incidentally, the chargers that have not worked on this phone, have worked just fine on a variety of other devices in the house during the same time period.

And, secondly, does anyone have any relevant feedback on an android phone to replace it, when I get to that point. We're on Verizon, which I'm happy with and don't want to switch.  And I do want to stay with Android. I've been quite happy with the RAZR.  I do realize this'll mean adjusting our data plan -- we're currently grandfathered into unlimited -- but that should be o.k. Maybe even cheaper.   My son and I were comparing notes the other day and figure that we're neither of us crazy data users anyway.  We don't watch movies or videos on our phones, just use it for text, email, light web browsing in emergencies, etc.

Happy to hear people's thoughts as I know there's a lot of experience 'round these parts.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Follow up:

Well, the _official_ charger worked. Still . . . I think it's time for me to start looking around. 

(Plus, my son tells me he dropped his phone the other day and cracked the screen -- still works just fine, but he's going to want a new one in the near future as well. Maybe we should be thinking "Christmas Presents!"  )


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## Tripp (May 28, 2009)

I had the RAZR and I can confirm that you cannot replace the battery.  So, getting a new battery isn't an option.  I now have the Galaxy S4.  One of the reasons I traded up to this was the replaceable battery.  I love it even more than the RAZR.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Of course, things change every few months, so this is outdated, but...

I did a fair amount of comparison about half a year ago, and narrowed it down to a virtual dead heat between the iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S4. I ended up going with the S4 mainly because I thought the somewhat larger screen would be a bit easier on my eyes. Also, the camera spec'd out just a teensy bit better. I got the S4, and have been quite pleased with it, but there's no way to know if I would have been just as pleased with the iPhone. I think it's pretty much a win-win. Some people don't like the fact that Apple controls so much about the iPhone, while some people like the assurance that they're keeping it under control and (hopefully) safe. So I'll give a pretty strong thumbs-up for the S4, but by no means do I think it's the only (or even best) choice for you. 

(And as mentioned above, the S4 battery is replaceable. In fact, mine was packed with the battery separate in the box, and one of the first things I had to do was install it.)


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## Tripp (May 28, 2009)

Yeah, screen size was one of the other reasons I upgraded, too.  My husband has the new iPhone as his work phone.  I am not overly impressed...


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I think there's a balance between screen size and comfort in using as an actual phone.   So some of it depends on how you plan on using the device.

I've been playing with a Galaxy S2 that I picked up to use primarily as a little bitty Android tablet but can also use as a phone when I have WiFI or as a phone or hotspot if I want by signing up for a month's plan.  I really like the SII and from what I hear, it's only been improved.  I see the S4 as the top pick in many Android phone magazines.

The S2 does seem big to me when I use it as a phone, but I suppose that's partly because I'm not used to it.

Betsy


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I don't use phone much. But thinking seriously to get one. I am divided between iPhone and Galaxy or may be black berry... I don't know much about phones. But Galaxy somehow appeals to me.

I was apple fan but now I hardly use my iPad3...  I will look for more comments, if any.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

When my RAZR MAXX started flaking out, I got a galaxy S4 and have been happy. I love the big screen. Replaceable batteries are a plus. Samsung threw in a bunch of bells and whistle clever features, but I find most of them of little value. Still love the big bright screen. Signal strength is also good enough, though not as good as my Motorola phone. Perhaps slightly better than my old HTC phones were at keeping a call in an area with weak phone signal.

For me, iPhone won't become an option till they get one with a bigger screen. The galaxy note 3 is well spoken of, but I have no experience. The Note 3 is huge, and may be too much of a good thing, though. Perhaps the Moto X if you don't care about having a technological powerhouse, and like the customization options.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

The only reason I keep my iPhone4s is for the Facetime feature to talk to kids and grandkids. Does Android have a similar feature? All the kids have iPhones. Does the Samsung have a good Mapping feature?


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Jane917 said:


> The only reason I keep my iPhone4s is for the Facetime feature to talk to kids and grandkids. Does Android have a similar feature? All the kids have iPhones. Does the Samsung have a good Mapping feature?


You've got Google Maps, which works fine. My guess is your best bet for video chat that's compatible with both Android and iPhone would be Skype.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Oddly, it did charge just fine plugged into my car the other day and this morning I hunted up the specific Verizon charger and plugged it in there. Haven't checked back yet to see how it's doing. I know they say 'use the one you got with it' because others might not work, but I have a bunch of them and they always have before.


Some manufacturers have been known to require certain pins in the USB cable to be bridged in order for the device to charge properly or at all. The device will then charge very slowly or not at all if connected with a non-OEM charger/cable. I have come across this several times, notably with Apple devices.

I'll leave it to the more cynical among us to speculate as to the reasons for this. 

Mike


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks for the comments, folks . . . I might go shopping tomorrow.  Just by way of research, you understand. 


Sent from my Kindle Fire HDX.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

Jane917 said:


> The only reason I keep my iPhone4s is for the Facetime feature to talk to kids and grandkids. Does Android have a similar feature? All the kids have iPhones. Does the Samsung have a good Mapping feature?


As mentioned above, the Androids come with Google Maps - really feature wise there almost is no difference between the current generation of Android and iPhone, it really just comes down to individual preference any more. I just wanted to caution you though - since your grand kids all have iPhones, you will need an iPhone to use Facetime. Unless you can convince everyone else in your family to switch from Facetime to Skype, you will not be able to do video chat with them. I suspect you would be better off sticking with your iPhone because of that.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

We have had two different Samsung phones since we started using Androids and have been very pleased.  I have to support mobile devices at work and from a consumer standpoint, the Androids are more fun   The screens are bigger and brighter, you can usually find extended capacity batteries, and yes, the batteries are user-removeable so they can be replaced.  Samsung tends to not load its devices down as much as Motorola does and the new Android features are pretty incredible.  Our current phones were purchased from Google and they get updates as soon as they are released.  I am not sure that is an option if you have Verizon.
I am not a bit Apple fan and I freely admit that.  However, I can truthfully say that from a support perspectivie, they are easier to support, especially if you are talking to a non-techie person who is on the other side of the state.  They do tend to behave the same from phone to phone.  But they are also kinda boring.  The screens are smaller and there have not really been any major improvements in them in a while.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I will start looking for Galaxy S4. Did many of you S4 users buy from Amazon or some other place? Thanks.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> I will start looking for Galaxy S4. Did many of you S4 users buy from Amazon or some other place? Thanks.


I bought it from my cellular carrier (Verizon), as I qualified for a decent discount at that time.


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## Tripp (May 28, 2009)

I got mine from T-mobile.  I liked the "untethered" no contract plan.  We are paying for the phone in our bill and as soon as it is paid for, I am a free agent.  I can change phones anytime I wish.  Though, I don't see trading in my current phone anytime soon


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

NogDog said:


> I bought it from my cellular carrier (Verizon), as I qualified for a decent discount at that time.


Thanks NogDog and Tripp. Your info is very helpful because I am not much familiar.

Excuse my ignorant. I noticed that unlocked is the most expensive ($600+) because that gives the freedom to choose and change the service providers.

Can we do the same with Verizon and T-mobile to change the service provider? I wonder how much is the range of cost per month among providers. T-mobile was recommended by Clark Howard on some TV show.. Thanks for all the help.


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## Blerch (Oct 17, 2013)

So the nice thing about T-Mobile (I just switched to them six months ago) is that you buy/finance the phone of them, and when its paid off, its yours. Its technically a separate bill you pay, so you're not stuck in "subsidized" mode like you are on AT&T and Verizon. So, if you want to keep for phone for several years... great. They also have a good upgrade plan if that's your thing too.

I got the HTC One from them, and while it's a data hog, I love it. No issues to report.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

Who ever you go with, talk to people who live in the areas where you will use the cell phone the most. Different carriers have different quality of coverage in different areas. In some towns AT&T is best, in others Verizon is best and so on. You do not want to be stuck with a carrier that as poor service in your region if you can help it.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

For those who want to do additional research on phones and see them in use, I find the video reviews at phonedog.com pretty reliable. There are numerous reviews of most phones on YouTube, but I'd suggest starting with phonedog and/or cnet.com.

The conventional wisdom is that Verizon has the best coverage, followed by ATT, with Sprint and TMobile trailing, but that will vary by area, and over time in the same area, as companies put up new towers. Getting info from people you know is best, but you can also check crowd sourced signal strength info here:

http://www.sensorly.com/map

I can vouch that Verizon has coverage in some remote areas, in late August I was far out in the Nevada desert staying in a town of two hundred people with over fifty miles to the next one horse town, and not only did I have voice service, but I had Internet access! Admittedly at dial up speeds, but it worked, and was fast enough that I could actually do some browsing (I visited KB from there). Verizon is also generally the most aggressive carrier in sticking worthless stuff on your phone that you don't want but can't remove, and in generally being a pain on trying to charge additional fees. I stick with them for the coverage though, since I travel a lot. If you seldom leave big cities, that may not apply.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

The Hooded Claw said:


> For those who want to do additional research on phones and see them in use, I find the video reviews at phonedog.com pretty reliable. There are numerous reviews of most phones on YouTube, but I'd suggest starting with phonedog and/or cnet.com.
> 
> The conventional wisdom is that Verizon has the best coverage, followed by ATT, with Sprint and TMobile trailing, but that will vary by area, and over time in the same area, as companies put up new towers. Getting info from people you know is best, but you can also check crowd sourced signal strength info here:
> 
> ...


Hmm.. that map is not very good. I have 4G with 5 bars at my house... over a hundred miles from any coverage according to that map. Darn good antenna in this phone. : )


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

VydorScope said:


> Hmm.. that map is not very good. I have 4G with 5 bars at my house... over a hundred miles from any coverage according to that map. Darn good antenna in this phone. : )


Note that you have to choose the carrier, and for Bog knows what reason, the default is Sprint WiMAX, which is an obsolete system that I'm surprised to find still in service. If you didn't select your carrier, you might try again...but it is true that this is at best crowd sourced data, though I have contributed to the Sprint (including WiMAX back in the day!) and verizon info.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I love gadgets, particularly phones. I just got a new Moto X and I love it.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

The Hooded Claw said:


> Note that you have to choose the carrier, and for Bog knows what reason, the default is Sprint WiMAX, which is an obsolete system that I'm surprised to find still in service. If you didn't select your carrier, you might try again...but it is true that this is at best crowd sourced data, though I have contributed to the Sprint (including WiMAX back in the day!) and verizon info.


I did. I am on AT&T and I checked locations I where I have great service and the map is empty. I check VZ and the data seems better, so makes me think that for some unknown reason Verizon customers use it more.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

VydorScope said:


> makes me think that for some unknown reason Verizon customers use it more.


Zackly! The map will have info only where some civic minded person on a given network has turned on the app that tracks signal strength and reports it. So absence of info doesn't mean absence of service, though a finding of service on the map is most likely reliable. As mentioned, info you've observed yourself or from people you know personally is best!


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