<p>I wanted to do texting on a full keyboard, but I did not want to pay $30 for a data plan. Per feedback in the other thread, I picked the LG Octane. </p>
<p>For now I’ve added the $10/month deal Verizon had going. It includes 75MB/month and VZNavigator. I probably will cancel it down the road. (For those interested in VZnavigator , it is very useful. We used to pay $10/month for husband’s phone for that until he switched to smartphone. Now we use google navigation, almost as good.) </p>
<p>PROS - A telephone keypad on the front, but opens to “real” qwerty keyboard and larger dispay inside. Decent sound quality. Ability to do limited internet, but no obligation for $30/month data plan. </p>
<p>CONS - It is bigger and heavier than than my old flip phone.</p>
<p>As I mentioned in the other thread, we have two Octanes already in the family - no data plan. S is up for a new phone. We are not willing to foot the cost for a full data plan/phone and he can’t really afford it. I’m curious about this $10 plan - and the Navigator. Is it unlimited navigator? Can you tell me how it works? Do you send directions to the phone???</p>
<p>So what will the $10 data plan really cover??? A few minutes on facebook daily? Once a week? Ability to check email once a day??? </p>
<p>Real curious to anyone who has tried the $10 limited plan.</p>
<p>The $10 deal is a current Verizon promo. (The salesperson said that it includes $26 worth of stuff… 75MB + VZ + something else). Supposedly email does not us much because not attachments allowed - that’s good and bad. I’ll post here as I learn more. I have it set up now for quick access to my Comcast email. </p>
<p>I am only planning to use the VZ in a pinch. Usually I will be with DH and his smartphone. If you don’t have any data plan, you can download it for a day ($3) or do it for a month ($10) and then cancel. THat’s what we used to do on vacations, before DH had VZ permanently. </p>
<p>With VZ, you punch an address into your phone. It gives step-by-step voice instructions (almost always right, but occassionally misleading) and a map. The part we liked was warnings to get into the left lane well before a left turn.</p>
<p>When DH had VZnavigator ($10/month), we at first only turned it on for vacation in the summer. Last summer we just kept it running because it was convenient. Now DH has switched to google maps on the Droid. </p>
<p>I have not tried VZnavigator on the Octane yet. It’s only backup plan, if I drive on my own when on Cape Cod. </p>
<p>Garmin would also be nice too because you could use it in a rental car. (For us a car navigation system would be useless on vacation, since we fly to visit family.)</p>
<p>I’ve been using my Octane almost a week, and for the most part I really like it. I sometimes hit the hinges instead of the left/right button about the keyboard… and I felt better when DH did the same thing today </p>
<p>Navigation is often intuitive, but I seem to be floundering for “back” kinds buttons not available on the screen. Learning curve. </p>
<p>After almost a week, my data plan is at about 9000KB (9MB). My $10/month plan allows up to 75MB. That included some email checking/reading (but primarily it is done on home computer. It also included VZNavigator for about 45 minutes.</p>
<p>After another week with the Octane, I checked my data usage. It’s only about 10MB, up 1MB. For both week I was only doing very occasional email checks, as backup. </p>
<p>To me it looks like most of my data usage came from the VZNavigator session. Still I’ll be using it on Sat, going to unknown territory.</p>
<p>But darn it is bigger than the flip phone, harder to get out of the pocket. Then to answer I have to hit “Ok Ok” (since the keypad is external / locked) befer “Send”. </p>
<p>I mostly use the internet connection for checking email. The screen is too small for websurfing. So I don’t use much data. Not sure if I’ll keep the $10/month plan… definitely would if I used VZ-navigator more.</p>
<p>colorado_mom, I have the Octane but only got a “short cuts” instruction manual that doesn’t include instructions for everything. How do I make it do punctuation marks when texting? All I get when I hit “shift” is capital letters.</p>
<p>I got mine in June and can tell the screen already has scratches from riding around in my purse. Guess I should have bought the screen protector. </p>
<p>I only had to hit send to answer a call because I don’t keep external pad locked. I never carry mine in my jeans pocket so there’s no chance of a “butt dial” :)</p>
<p>I’ve been thinking of getting the octane also… Glad you like it. I have an env3 currently and I believe the octane is similar… but much newer… Have you brought up any websites on the web browser?</p>
<p>Packmom - If you forget about FN (function key), think “color coding”. You press the oranag FN key, and then the key showing the teeeeeeeeny orange special character. </p>
<p>Before leaving the Verizon store, I added the plastic film screen protectors sheets (cut-to-size) to my order… and talked the nice salesperson into cutting and installing a protector on the outside screen. I did not do inside window, but perhaps I should. </p>
<p>“Have you brought up any websites on the web browser?” - Yes. But the screen is not really big enough for frequent usage. While traveling, I was able to bring up the Jetblue screen and check flight status. But I had to use the rectangle/magnifier function. </p>
<p>The screen is big enough to viewing short emails on my Comcast email account and VZnavigator. If you want to do a lot of web browsing, you’ll want a Smartphone (Droid, iphone, etc).</p>
<p>I did like the Octane cellphone and the modest data fee ($10 vs $30 on smartphones). But when DS upgraded his Droid last month I had the opportunity to get at Droid Cranberry for free. I am still in learning mode, but I like it. There are times I miss the simplicity of the Octane though. </p>
<p>It is harder and harder to get “dumb” cellphones. I may send my Octane to my Dad who lost his Verizon phone.</p>
<p>I kept my Octane (as backup phone) and sent my dad our four old flip phones. I like functions of my smartphone, but sometimes it is too complex (and costly) considering that I mostly use it for phone and text. </p>
<p>The Octane was a decent compromise. It’s good to hear that folks can still get it on ebay.</p>
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