Looking For An Inexpensive Smart Phone

[SubicSteve]

My plain old Nokia is giving me problems so it is time for a new phone.  I am not a power phone user and can't fathom buying a 32000 peso phone but I could be talked into a 5000 peso phone. Any suggestions on a basic phone?

[robert k]

First I would ask if you can factory reset your old phone?  Nothing cheaper than getting more milage out of what you have.

 

Assuming SEA has been working it's whiles on your phone, I have been looking at Starmobile and Cherry Mobile phones (thinking of getting my girl a new one on the local economy with warantee). The Cherry Mobile phones do not seem too bad. I would suggest looking at youtube videos of the Flare 2.0 (0.5 GB I think) and Flame 2.0. Quad core processors and 1GB ram should make them run fairly smooth even if they are not top of the line. 5mp camera with flash. I think the phones need the quad core and generous ram because they are not as polished as bigger brands and running what is basic and very slightly modified Android freeware operating systems so to get best performance from some features that many people never use, you might have to download a free app. Best part is I saw somewhere that the Flame 2.0 was marked down to php 3,999 because the next generation phones are about to come out. Check the Youtube vids if this interests you. :)

Edited December 11, 2013 by robert k

[jpbago]

My daughters have Cherry Mobile Flares now since July and they love them (4,000 each). No problems yet.

[Malcolm Graham]

Cherry Mobile, polaroid and O+ phones may be cheap but they are as good as any Samsung or HTC you can buy.  The benefit of these phones are they use the PowerVr  GPU whichuses less power and will save your battery life.  The less modified the android OS is the better it will run.  I have the HTC one and since the last update it will not connect to WIFI.  I was in SM today looking at the top cherry mobile and it connected to WIFI while my HTC said the wifi was out of range.  Just so I'm fair I used to work for Imagination which PowerVr is part of.

[robert k]

Mr, Graham, from watching the youtube videos of new from the box Cherry Mobile phones with specifications, I could see that the screen resolutions (which helps with power) were lower on the mid priced phones and the phones in the 4k php to 6k php exhibited non-responsive to touch input frequently. Of course it worked when they kept trying. I would expect the top of the line phone to do better and the videos I saw of the top of the line did do better but 10k php to 12k php is outside the range the OP set in the beginning. I myself intend to buy my girl a Cherry Mobile phone from the upper range with the best specs and whatever screen size she wants. I will not argue about the processors because I agree that they probably are as good as most anything out there but from what I have seen from research, the mid priced phones are not as smooth in operation as many big name brands. The phones may benchmark high on the basis of hardware alone, but that does not mean they work fluidly. Just my opinion from about 20 hours of research because it was not worth venturing out on the icy roads. :)

[MikeB]

Cherry Mobile, polaroid and O+ phones may be cheap but they are as good as any Samsung or HTC you can buy. 

Strongly disagree, but that doesn't mean they're a bad choice.   

[Fred & Mimi]

I reckon anything in the price range from Cherry or Starmobile will suit your needs. Just check out the SM malls in the tech sections

[SubicSteve]

Thanks for the feedback.  I'm just not sure if I even need a smart phone.  I don't have much use for apps here and I don't know how much web browsing my 53 year old eyes can do on a 3 inch screen.  No one emails me here during the day so I can get my emails at home.  I guess it wouldn't hurt to hit the stores at the mall and start up some verbal intercourse with a few sales girls on what I would need one for.

[robert k]

The phones I suggested were 4 inch or larger screen. I was using a 3.14 screen before and you can do it with pinch to zoom and drag things around on the screen but it is a pain. I also combined the use of my contract reading cheater glasses which I usually had with me. I have become a fan of the larger than 4 inch screens because map and webpage / e-mail display is so much better. Pinch to zoom once is not too bad but by the time you do it 3 times you lose all of the background on a small 3 inch screen. I think there are enough options out there below 5k php that you will not hurt for choice. Not everyone watches youtube vids on their phone but it can't hurt to have the ability if you are waiting 2 hours for a ferry. I love checking my e-mail or being able to book a room on my phone when I travel so I don't have to carry a laptop. You don't have to be a power user to get some use out of a phone with more functions. :)

[samatm]

bought a nice Cherry Mobile Burst..  1 gig , dual core , 5 mp camera,   NOt bad...  camera is working well, wifi good.  BUT .. it gets a little glitchy sometimes imputing text messages..  The SMS software isn't the best.   Also wish I had waited for the 1.2 ghz  Burst 2.0.  Its a buy for the money.  Also local brands have service and 1 yr warranty.