<p>I could spend hours researching all of this, but I bet in record time I could also receive awesome advice from CC parents. I am hoping to get one that uses the Verizon network.</p>
<p>I’ve got an LG enV3. It has a full keyboard, Blue-tooth capable, can be used as an MP3 player, a decent camera on it, and it seems pretty durable to me. I’ve had my phone since middle of July.</p>
<p>Just got the Samsung Alias2. It has a qwerty keyboard. S has had the Alias for a few years, and it still works fine. It is a tad heavier than my old razor.</p>
<p>All 4 of us got the Alias 2 when we switched from Sprint to Verizon in June. Great for texting and has lots of other fun features. Sometimes the sound quality isn’t so good, but do college students actually talk on their phones? H & I seem to notice that more than D & S.</p>
<p>My D really wants the chocolate touch. I as an old person really like my phone with a keyboard but I don’t think my D cares. She texts in word and seems to be able to do that faster than typing on a keyboard but my S loves the keyboard and a calendar on his phone.</p>
<p>The Droid, for sure. iPhone-like and really cool capabilities.</p>
<p>one of my friends just got a droid and we played with it yesterday. has a lot of neat features. does some really neat things–love the voice activated mapping feature…</p>
<p>D had the old Alias - loved it but it had major issues. She was torn between the new Alias and the enV3. She liked the enV keyboard better and got that - she loves it. She is not a fan of touch screens. A Verizon tech told me once to never get the 1st generation anything.</p>
<p>^^^I appreciate the information.</p>
<p>Here are the options that I am hoping to get:
- phone (um…yeah)
- texting in a comfortable way
- ability to sync up with Outlook on the laptop (so assignments, due dates, the family calendar, invitations from crown princes, that sort of thing, can all be captured everywhere)
- navigation system (you can use it when you are walking or driving - you can even get a dashboard mount). I am afraid that if my college kid gets lost, I wont be there to rescue. ;)</p>
<p>I spent some time on this yesterday. At first I really wanted the Droid model that has the slip out key board, but then I realized it does not sync with Outlook. </p>
<p>I love the price on the older Blackberry models, but man the key boards are SO SMALL!!!</p>
<p>The touchpad Blackberry models have the bigger screen (so my college kid can see that map back to the dorm), but they are so weird for texting.</p>
<p>The Blackberry Storm 2 is my current favorite, because it has the bigger screen, and the touch pad simulates the clicking feel of a key pad. It has the navigation thing, and will sync with Outlook.</p>
<p>The Droid supposedly works faster (my husband’s Blackberry is SO SLOW using the Internet, but perhaps he has too many programs open at once). I want it to run Outlook, so I am not buying it.</p>
<p>I think I am getting the Blackberry Storm 2.</p>
<p>I heard there is a buy one, get one free sale until the 24th on all Blackberry models (and if you already bought one, you can bring in a receipt to claim the second), but I also saw a commercial for Walmart so maybe that price will be better. I am also checking out Costco as well.</p>
<p>On the other hand, maybe I should bag the Outlook option and just get the Droid if it is that much faster. Is it that much faster? Can Blackberrys be fast is there are not a lot of programs open? As one poster said, is it a good idea to buy the first generation of something? So much to think about…</p>
<p>I have a blackberry tour and while it is not as fast on the evdo network as my ipod. Touch is with wifi, you can make it much faster by turning off images.</p>
<p>By far the best cellphone to get is the Straight Talk phone. It is available at Walmart. An average cell phone bill is around a hundred bucks and your college student will run you up with SOOO Much texting and minutes that the bill is even higher!!! Straight Talk can be liek 1000 minutes 1000 texts for 30 bucks a month. Seriously… it was the smartest thing I could have bought my kids.</p>
<p>I just got the env3 touch for younger D whose Razr was geriatric.
It is pretty cool- I activated it for her and I really like it ( I have a Blackberry tour)</p>
<p>My kids and I just got env3 touch’s also. It’s fabulous. I didn’t think I’d like the touch screen, but I love it and have rarely used the normal keypad. A little large tho…at my house that means less likely to be put in the washing machine… so ok.</p>
<p>LG enV3. S and I both have one and really like them.</p>
<p>D has the LG Touch. The battery runs out really fast (thanks, touchscreen). And it’s bigger.</p>
<p>edit - just read all the stuff you wanna do, these phones won’t do that. But maybe someone else would appreciate the advice. enV3 and LG Touch are great for talking, texting and photos.</p>
<p>[The</a> Google Phone, Unlocked (Confirmed And More Details) - washingtonpost.com](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/13/AR2009121301694.html]The”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/13/AR2009121301694.html)
not in time for Christmas, but could be worth the wait.</p>
<p>I have the Dare, and love it, buy it does have learning curve and neither my 18 nor 15 year olds like it. They both have the EnV3 and really like them ( really nice cases available on E Bay too). I keep Navigator on mine and D uses it on her phone once in a while, but if I had to choose, I’d go with the EnV3 (and I’ll be getting 2 more of them tomorrow).</p>
<p>dont get a blackberry
[BlackBerry</a> Service Hit by Second Outage in a Week - PC World Business Center](<a href=“http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/185353/blackberry_service_hit_by_second_outage_in_a_week.html]BlackBerry”>http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/185353/blackberry_service_hit_by_second_outage_in_a_week.html)
I am so frustrated- I thought it was my phones fault- and I tried to reinstall the software- even though it hasn’t been able to sync to my computer for a month-
however when I went to the verizon store- anticipating that they could get my lost data off the phone- like you can with a computer,they said that the whole network was down, that they couldn’t retrieve contacts like you can with another verizon phone and that they don’t have any way of getting any of my recent messages or emails.</p>
<p>It still isn’t up
How hard would it be for verizon or whomever to send a message to blackberry users when this is the case, so they don’t make it worse than it already is?
:(</p>