Figuring I should prrrrrrobably join the twenty-first century and get me a smartphone.
Restrictions: I'm sticking with Sprint. And I'm probably looking for something Android-based unless someone can convince me otherwise. (I don't want to break the bank on an iPhone -- plus my fiancee's already got a first-gen iPad in case I DO want to fuck around with iOS -- and Android's got a much better infrastructure than Blackberry or Windows Phone at the moment.) And I'd like to keep it down to around $100 (after the $150 discount I've got coming for a new phone).
I'm something of a luddite in the phone space; I was dragged into owning a cell kicking and screaming and up to this point have only ever used my phone as a phone. The most advanced feature I've used on my phone is Bluetooth, so that I can keep both hands free to type while I talk. And by "type" I mean on a full-size keyboard in front of me; I try to avoid typing with my thumbs.
That said, while I still don't see how texting is superior to having an actual conversation, I DO see how it's superior to voicemail, because voicemail is terrible.
And you guys know me well enough to know that while I may be cranky and clinging to yesterday's model of computing, I'm not your computer-illiterate grandpa avoiding newfangled machines because they're too different or complicated. I've got a CS degree I'm not using at the moment, and this vexes me; learning to develop for smartphones is not my primary reason for wanting to get one, but it's the most practical one. (The least practical one is that I want to run SNES9X on one.) I'm a fast learner but I AM coming into this one pretty blind; my research so far consists of Wikipedia, search engines, and this thread that only has 4 posts in it since 2010.
What I've read up on so far:
Samsung Conquer: Looks to be a good entry-level phone; only costs $50. Runs Gingerbread, so it's a version behind (don't know if it's upgradeable and will assume it isn't unless someone tells me otherwise). Screen is apparently Not Very Good; a little too small physically, and the resolution is 480x320.
Reviews:
Cnet,
EngadgetLG Optimus S: Looks much the same as the Conquer; screen is slightly smaller, battery life slightly longer, and I can get it for free. Only does 3G, but that might be Good Enough.
Review:
PC MagMotorola XPRT: Has a keyboard. Free. Smaller screen than the others, 3G, and comes with Froyo rather than Gingerbread. Better battery life.
Reviews:
Phone Arena,
Android Central,
CnetThere are a buttload more that I'm going to read up on, but my break's over and I've got a stack of boxes to go through, so I'll leave this here for now.
EDIT:
Motorola Admiral: Looks to be a step up from the XPRT. Costs $100, runs Gingerbread, screen has the same diagonal but higher resolution. Still 3G.
Cnet,
Phone Arena,
PC WorldHTC Hero: $80 (refurb), 3G, Android 2.1 -- wow this thing really looks out-of-date. Moving on.
LG Optimus Elite: $80, 3G Gingerbread, just came out so I can't find much in the way of reviews but looks a lot like the others.
HTC Evo Design: $100, "4G", larger screen with good res. Gingerbread, but HTC has confirmed it'll be upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich. Battery life not great.
Engadget,
Cnet,
Android CentralEDIT 2:
Samsung Epic 4G: $100, keyboard, great screen; Engadget reports poor battery life but others don't, so probably depends on use.
Engadget,
Cnet,
SlashgearMotorola Photon 4G: $100, Gingerbread, dual-core, big, fast, good battery life.
Cnet,
Engadget,
PC WorldSamsung Replenish: free, and $10/month off my charges. Only available in raspberry pink. Keyboard, small screen, 3G, Froyo, reviewers seem to think it's not very good.
PC World,
Engadget,
CnetEDIT 3: Sprint Express: Free; I don't see much more about it. Gingerbread/3G.
Some guy on Yahoo.Samsung Transform Ultra: $50, keyboard, Gingerbread, 3G. Small screen, lo res.
Cnet,
PC MagLG Viper 4G LTE: $100, Gingerbread (with ICS upgrade promised).
Engadget,
PC Mag