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Phone suggestion for dad

D

dantonic

Lurker
Hello all, I'm brand new to the forums.

My father has never owned a smart phone.

I would like to get him an android phone, preferably something with a bigger screen like 3.5"-4", since he has problems seeing well up close. I'm looking for an unlocked phone, and don't mind an older model. I was hoping to spend around $200
I apologize but I'm not well versed in Android myself, or the difference in features among the different versions.

I just want him to have a few features that I know would be useful, specifically the voice activated searches etc... I would hope this would make things simpler for him when trying to use the gps or search for something on the internet.
The carrier we use is T-mobile USA.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
cds0699 said:
Would you be adding a line or creating a new line of service for him on T Mobile? If so you might want to look at the G2X. Its a dual core, 4G capable phone packed with a lot of nice features, and on a new line of service (I assume adding a line counts), the phone would be no cost.

T Mobile G2X

If it's an upgrade, it shouldn't be over the $200 mark. Definitely a phone to look at either way.
Click to expand...

Thanks,

I was looking at that phone. However we're looking to convert to the new value plan for $49/line for unlimited everything, and I don't believe they subsidize phones with that plan. I am contemplating it.
Are there any other phones, even older, that have a big screen? bigger than 4"?

Thank you
 
dantonic said:
Thanks,

I was looking at that phone. However we're looking to convert to the new value plan for $49/line for unlimited everything, and I don't believe they subsidize phones with that plan. I am contemplating it.
Are there any other phones, even older, that have a big screen? bigger than 4"?

Thank you
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head the only other one I can think of with that size screen is the HTC Sensation (which has a 4.3" screen). I'd recommend looking through T Mobiles site for Android phones and see what they have to offer. I believe most of the other phones are below 4", but Im not sure on that.
 
Are you wanting to buy a used phone on Ebay or somewhere? The nicest one you can get right now for TMo is probably the Vibrant (4" screen), they're running at about $250 used. I can't think of another android on Tmo with that screen size that you're going to get for less than $300 used.
 
large screen is only part of the decision. Many of the new phones are now qHD (540x960) resolution, which makes text much tinier on that 4.3" screen than the previous generation WVGA (480x800) resolution. While some apps allow you to adjust font size, it's not so easy in others...

All smartphones are packed with a lot of features. If your Dad is new to smartphones and/or a bit tech-averse, the thing to emphasize to him is that he doesn't need to use ALL of the phone's features to get his money's worth. Over time, as his comfort level increases, he may pick up other features of the phone here and there.

Test out some phones, having him just play with the dialer, contacts, and call log. Some UIs will feel more intuitive than others. He should pick one that is most comfy to him.

For the older generations, readability is one of the biggest deciding factors. I would stay with a 4"+ screen with WVGA (480x800) resolution.
 
Well thank you so much for all your suggestions, exactly what I was looking for and extremely informative.

@novox77 I hadn't even thought about a difference in resolution... that's a great point.

I took my father to the T-mobile store today just to get a feel for some phones, and He noticed a huge difference when he held the Galaxy S 4G vs the smaller screen phones... He was very happy that he could actually read the contact names and numbers without having to put on his glasses.

My mother thinks it's a complete waste of money to buy him such an expensive phone LOL. I think like novox77 said, he can learn to use all the features over time.

It seems as if there are several versions of the Galaxy S. I'll do some research on the internet and find out the differences, I'll probably end up buying him one off of ebay, new or gently used, and try to make my mother happy by not spending too much.

Again thank you very much for your insight.
 
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