<p>D needs a new phone ( has LG VX 8300 but the speaker went out- H has Lg VX 3200 which is still fine)- I don’t want to change our plan ) so doesn’t matter if they are coming out with iphone in January. ( has unlimited text/data pkg-)</p>
<p>What with taxes up the ying-yang our plan is already $$$ so don’t need to help Verizon buy a nice island in the Caribbean after regulation. so no smart phone. they text more than they talk.( but still a good speaker is preferable)</p>
<p>These are the phones they are currently offering that are on our plan that sounded like possibilities.
LG octane
LG cosmos
LG cosmos touch
Samsung zeal/alias 2 ( not sure what e/ink keyboard is about)
Samsung intensity </p>
<p>I think I would lean toward the zeal or the cosmos touch because no pocket dial.</p>
<p>I recently got the Octane. I am pretty happy with it. It “locks” (you can choose a one button or two button “tap” to unlock - easy, but also helps with no pocket dial.</p>
<p>The pad for texting is one of the largest. You can text on the front smaller pad or open up for texting. Supose to be one of the easiest non-smart for texting. I think it is more sturdy than intensity or cosmos. I know a few other people with it and they like it as well.</p>
<p>My D’s env2 went belly up a week before she was leaving for college. I refused to get one of the smart phones which required the data package. We purchased a Cosmo at Costco and she tried it for a few days. HATED the darn thing. Since it is a slide (instead of a flip like the Env’s) it tended to open when put into a purse or backpack. In addition, the whole slide mechanism seemed very flimsy. The guy at Costco did tell us that these newer Cosmos’ had a better hinge/connector so they didn’t break quite as often. The older ones tended to break when the internal connector cable weakened from the sliding. In addition to this problem, my D - the texting queen - found that the Cosmo battery did not carry her through the day.</p>
<p>I don’t know about the other phones you’ve listed, I would however, stay away from the ‘slide’ mechanism if possible. One option may be to purchase a new env2 on ebay. These are not considered ‘smart’ and do not require a data package. You also won’t be tied into another contract. It’s a long story - but I talked Verizon into letting D upgrade to an env3 without the data requirement. Three family members have this phone. It is no longer available through Verizon (unless you can find a store front with one in stock).</p>
<p>So, my suggestions would be:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Costco’s return policy is fantastic. If you are a member, try out the phone you are interested in. </p></li>
<li><p>Purchase a non-smart phone on ebay or such. Highly rated sellers have a return policy if there is a problem. This way you maybe able to find an older (yet still new out of the box) flip model which tends to be more reliable.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The LG Cosmos and Samsung Intensity are really low end phones. I have the Intensity, and I hate this phone. Hate hate hate. I see on Verizon’s web site they now have the Intensity II, which looks like it has corrected the single biggest issue I have with this phone - no dedicated arrow keys on the keypad. Whether they’ve corrected the poor battery life, poor reception quality, poor sound quality, poor construction, and poor almost-everything-else, who knows. My D has the Cosmos, it is also pretty bad.</p>
<p>I am planning on switching back to my old Env2, which I gave up for the Intensity when we refreshed. It is a better phone in almost every way. I would have gotten the Env3, but it required a $10/month data plan which I don’t need. The Octane looks almost identical to the Env2 or Env3, but doesn’t need a data plan, I would probably go with this phone if I was refreshing today.</p>
<p>Don’t know anything about the Cosmos Touch or the Samsung Zeal or Alias2. I will say in general I have not been impressed with the quality of any Samsung phone I’ve ever held, I think LG makes much better phones.</p>
<p>FYI, the Octane is the replacement for the EV2 (or whatever the latest # was) - they are very similar - the EV was one of Verizon’s most popular models so thus, the Octane is very similar. The Octane is LG.</p>
<p>My kids & I have LG envTouch-es. We’re pretty happy with it. They are a year old now so you can probably find a deal on CraigsList from someone trading up. I would never buy new unless getting it free or greatly reduced with a new contract.</p>
<p>We have 2 with data package and 1 without. LOVE the ‘real’ keyboard tho I use the touch screen for shorter messages. Excellent speaker phone!</p>
<p>I have an Samsung Alias & love it. You get a traditional flip phone, then a keyboard to text. My biggest complaint is that you have to really push on the keys for them to register when it’s sideways & sometimes they still don’t, so my family is used to text from me missing a few random letters. </p>
<p>I would worry about a kid having it, as the hinge does seem vunerable if you quickly switch from horizontal to vertical. </p>
<p>One note - I’m not sure it’s not considered a Smart phone by verizon, as it does have internet capability. (I got mine in Sept 09 and that predated mandatory data plans with data compatible phones).</p>
<p>Just remember that the EV2 is not available at the Verizon store new anymore. My son just had to have his replaced and they sent a refurbished one. But honestly, the Octane is so similar and while it CAN have internet, it requires NONE.</p>
<p>Interesting how many of you were required to get data packages with the enV3. I was not when I got mine. </p>
<p>I have come close to throwing my phone out the window a few times though! The phone just dies randomly on me. From what I’ve read, it’s a common issue with this model although everyone I know who has the enV3 has never had a problem with it :(</p>
<p>Another 5 months with this phone… then I think it’s back to Virgin Mobile with a Blackberry…</p>
<p>Hops,
We have had to replace 4 out of 4 of our Verizon phones in the last month. My D had the ENVtouch and hers would randomly shut off. When we went to the store, their solution was (and this is honestly what they tell people) - “take a business card, cut it down to size and put it in front of or behind the battery (I can’t remember which one) - it will take care of the problem”. Well, it does appear to help but my D (I was so proud of her!) said, “sir, we are paying a monthly insurance fee - I do not pay it to have to use cardboard to keep my phone working”. Ha. He got her a new phone out of the back. :)</p>
<p>BUT, my son had an EnV3 and his was also shutting down - and increasing in frequency. When he brought his into the store, the associate said (this was like 2-3 weeks ago) that “everyone” has been coming in with this problem with this phone. Something with the software??? Long story, but his ended up getting replaced to due to some other issues. </p>
<p>So you might press your store for a better solution.</p>
<p>Three of the five of us on my plan have the ENV3 and they all shut off randomly all the time. Only the front was working since August (you open the flip and you can’t see anything) on my 15 y/o son’s and then a week or so ago it totally died. We did not have insurance, it was not on warranty and none of our phones were eligible for an upgrade. I went on the website to see what my options were and for $119 (full retail) we got a KIN-One (new not “refurbished”). It arrived on Monday and is VERY cute (has a 5 megapixel camera, touch screen, and the keyboard slides out I think. It also has a radio. It doesn’t require the extra data plan (that his ENV3 did) so I am saving $15/month. The best thing is that HE loves it! Our plan was it would do until we were eligible for an upgrade, but now it looks like he will definitely keep it. I might end up buying one for myself.</p>
<p>D & I have a NV3 from Verizon that we got free for signing with them in August 2009. S bought something on-line and sold his NV3 on-line, pocketing the $100 or more he made in trading his phone for a non-smart phone he prefers (sorry, don’t know it’s name but haven’t seen it at stores–slim flipphone, silver in color). To date, no problems with the phone shutting off, but will have S figure out what we should get when our plan expires in Aug. He was mad I didn’t wait until he figured out what would work best for us (he took too long).</p>
<p>We will see where he ends up living & what the reception is there before making any long term contracts. D will likely remain in LA for a while, so we also want something that gets good reception where she ends up living.</p>
<p>Sorry, don’t have much info about the phone options–do NOT want a data plan either because we all have computers when we want data & don’t need to pay more/month.</p>
<p>I didn’t like the looks of the non-smart phones Verizon was offering, so I looked around on EBay and bought a phone of a model we’d already gone through a few years back - a RAZR. It’s non-smart, no data plan, thin clamshell design with camera. I miss my old bulletproof clamshell VX 3200 but the RAZR seems to work OK. (My kids all have Droids and like them - I don’t want a phone that does anything but call and text.) The RAZR was used but in very good condition; cost $30 including shipping - and I didn’t have to extend my phone plan to get it.</p>
<p>In June '09 all 4 of us got the Alias 2. As mentioned above, you can open it vertically like a flip phone OR you can open it horizontally so you get a full QWERTY keyboard. D & S have both had “issues,” but only because they dropped the phone or otherwise abused it. Getting it fixed/replaced by Verizon was on their dime. H & I have been pleased with it. No pocket dialing. We got the phones before data plans were required, but I understand that’s no longer possible.</p>
<p>Unfortunately I think I’m just going to have to put up with it for a few more months. The problem is I have not been home very often since getting this phone and so I can’t go back to that store. Oh well, when this contract expires I’m probably going to be on my own and Virgin Mobile is actually looking like a good deal again with their monthly, no-contract plans that I can get with a Blackberry. I’ll be on the go with my job that I feel like a smart phone is almost a requirement for me now… We’ll see.</p>
<p>Regarding the env3’s randomly shutting down…</p>
<p>We have three of these phones, each one has a hard case/shell cover on it and we’ve had no problems. When D’s cover broke she had a few instances of random shutdowns. Replaced the the cover and problems shutdowns disappeared. There does seem to be an issue with the body of the phone flexing just enough to disengage the battery (hence the suggestion to insert a business card). A hard protective case not only seems to resolve this problem but also protects the phone in case it’s dropped. I make both S and D keep one on their phones at all times.</p>
<p>I’m aware of the new Verizon policy about requiring dataplans for smartphones. There are quite a few complaints about it online, because many people feel that it is now not possible to get a good phone with features without paying for a dataplan. We have LG Chocolates in our house - one older slider and two flip models. They have all been very good, and we bought them before the policy changed so we are not forced to pay for dataplans. When we have to replace them I will probably use Ebay or one of the other options mentioned here.</p>
<p>I really like my LG Octane phone, which I purchased shortly after it was released. I was on the verge of buying an Envy3 (from Walmart, the only place I could find one new) when the Octane came out. The Octane has a very solid feel to it, and I love the qwerty keyboard. I really recommend purchasing it at Costco. I bought the Octane on “sale” for $49. When a coupon came out a few weeks later, Costco refunded me the $10 difference. The best part about purchasing a phone at Costco in California has to do with the fact that you have to pay sales tax (almost 10% in our area) on the RETAIL price. The retail price at Costco was $89, compared to $249 at Verizon. </p>
<p>For a while, it seems that Verizon was requiring a data plan on many of their phones that were previously “data plan optional” like the Envy2 and Envy3. I think they got a lot of complaints about it, and so changed the policy on phones like the Octane. After I purchased my Octane, my friend called Verizon to complain about the data plan she was required to purchase for her Envy3 several months ago, and the Verizon representative removed the plan for her!</p>