Non-Smartphone for the wife

[Sedrick]

Here's an odd request. I'm looking for an 'iPhone' like phone for the wife who uses almost none of the iPhone's features. She'd use the camera, phone, music player (maybe) and not much else but a nice size screen is a must.

Problem is, all the other non-smartphones I see are complete crap. Should I just lump it, turn data off and give her my iPhone 4 (and hope ATT doesn't catch on) or is there an alternative out there I'm missing?

Any of you in a similar situation?

 

[Calidude]

If she's never used a smartphone before, just give her the iPhone. It's less confusing than some of the dumbphones out there trying to be smartphones.

Windows Phone might work too but she might hate the UI. Yeah, stick with the iPhone.

Also, unlock that iPhone 4 and ATT likely will not catch on. If they do, tell them to block data for that line since you never bought a smartphone for that line and you'll never pay a dime.

 

[Tarzanman]

Get her an Android phone and just remove all of the icons that would take her to features that she doesn't know how to use.

Nexus S would be your best bet.

 

[doomfront]

Are companies still producing feature phones? I haven't seen any new ones in a while

 

[Sedrick]

Are companies still producing feature phones? I haven't seen any new ones in a while

There's a few of them out there, but they suck big time.

Wife uses my iphone all the time, but it just seems over-kill to use it only for phone calls and a camera. Probably be the route I go and just shut off data.

 

[ChazUK]

Won't AT&T detect it's an iPhone as soon as the IMEI is recognised (if you go for the iP4 solution)?

Not entirely sure how it works over there but I have read posts on people that were forced into a data plan thanks to AT&T detecting the phone type.

 

[Sedrick]

Won't AT&T detect it's an iPhone as soon as the IMEI is recognised (if you go for the iP4 solution)?

Not entirely sure how it works over there but I have read posts on people that were forced into a data plan thanks to AT&T detecting the phone type.

They say they'll get you, but I've had a 3GS (given to my son) in use for a year (with data switched off on the phone) and no added data plan yet. I think if you go into it with your phone's data turned off, they either don't care or are less likely to care...

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

 

[sarcosis]

There's a few of them out there, but they suck big time.

Wife uses my iphone all the time, but it just seems over-kill to use it only for phone calls and a camera. Probably be the route I go and just shut off data.

Why not just give her your old phone and get her the cheapo data package? Otherwise, shutting off your data is probably your best bet and hope AT&T doesn't find out.

 

[AllieNeko]

Here's an odd request. I'm looking for an 'iPhone' like phone for the wife who uses almost none of the iPhone's features. She'd use the camera, phone, music player (maybe) and not much else but a nice size screen is a must.

Problem is, all the other non-smartphones I see are complete crap. Should I just lump it, turn data off and give her my iPhone 4 (and hope ATT doesn't catch on) or is there an alternative out there I'm missing?

Any of you in a similar situation?

AT&T WILL catch on, VERY quickly. Even the codes like CENRC to disable IMEI auditing don't apply to iPhones.

Problem is, as you noted, the camera sucks on all other phones.

You could get her something like this - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Unlocked-3-...0906344439?pt=Cell_Phones&hash=item2322b813f7

But understand it's JUNK. You get what you pay for. That thing has 256MB of RAM which is NOT ENOUGH TO RUN ANDROID WELL BECAUSE ANDROID IS JAVA BASED WITH A JIT COMPILER - THAT EATS RAM. NO 3G, NOTHING. TOTAL JUNK

But for a $79 non-smartphone (in AT&T's system), hey, it ... kinda works and has the look

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They say they'll get you, but I've had a 3GS (given to my son) in use for a year (with data switched off on the phone) and no added data plan yet. I think if you go into it with your phone's data turned off, they either don't care or are less likely to care...

I'd LOVE to know the feature codes on his line, as far as I knew there wasn't a code to stop Apple devices from being audited for data plans.

 

[kdarling]

Get her an Android phone and just remove all of the icons that would take her to features that she doesn't know how to use.

This is close to what I'm going to do for my wife: she loves her old flipphone, but does now want to do easier texting and get into email some. She also sometimes takes pictures and wants to view them as well.

However, she's bad with touchscreens, and is constantly hitting the wrong button or getting into some homescreen re-design mode.

--

So my plan is to give her my old Incredible, with Big Launcher installed as the default homescreen app.

Big Launcher is actually for people with poor vision (which fits her as well without her reading glasses), but has two wonderful attributes I like:

1) You can turn on a PIN to modify the screen. That way, she cannot accidentally screw things up or delete icons, etc.

2) It's really easy to set up. You can create 1 to x number of screens. Then you add icons on each screen that launch an app, a contact, a link, or another screen. As she learns more, I'll add more apps and more screens.

Perfect for small kids and grandparents, too.

 

[Sedrick]

This is close to what I'm going to do for my wife: she loves her old flipphone, but does now want to do easier texting and get into email some. She also sometimes takes pictures and wants to view them as well.

However, she's bad with touchscreens, and is constantly hitting the wrong button or getting into some homescreen re-design mode.

--

So my plan is to give her my old Incredible, with Big Launcher installed as the default homescreen app.

Big Launcher is actually for people with poor vision (which fits her as well without her reading glasses), but has two wonderful attributes I like:

1) You can turn on a PIN to modify the screen. That way, she cannot accidentally screw things up or delete icons, etc.

2) It's really easy to set up. You can create 1 to x number of screens. Then you add icons on each screen that launch an app, a contact, a link, or another screen. As she learns more, I'll add more apps and more screens.

Perfect for small kids and grandparents, too.

YouTube: video

Hey, that might be an idea, thanks, I'll send the link to my wife...

 

[The Robot Cow]

I know on android you can simply turn off the data from the carrier(its worked for a few friends and a couple cousins of mine). I'm not so sure on iphone tho. If you can turn off the data just do that.