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I've participated on a few of these threads but now it's my turn to ask for suggestions for a new cell phone. My Blackberry bit the dust yesterday (it's the screen) and I am due for an upgrade. It's 3 years old so it's time.

A few things to consider. I really liked the keyboard on the BB but I think I am probably capable of learning to text without one . I don't want to.. but I will.
I barely ever use data. I am near wifi almost all the time so data usage is to do things like check my bank balance while out, or maybe my email.
I can track my data usage with my provider account and I have 1gb per month. In nearly 3 years I have never, not one time, used more than 250mb . So it was useless for me to be paying for 1g a month on contract.

I am thinking an Android phone because they are generally less expensive and I can get them on a cheaper plan.

So .. any suggestions? I am looking at the Nexus 4, but don't know too much about it.

Any suggestions appreciated.

I love my iPhone! I'd recommend it to anyone because it is super user friendly.

I had blackberry(s) for 6 years and I LOVED them. I was also worried about going from the keyboard to a touch screen but now I am a touch screen texting fool

There is also an accessory device that you can add to an iPhone that gives you a QWERTY keyboard.

WH has always had Android smartphones and I still chose the iPhone.

Most plans let you try a new device for a month or two anyway to see if you like it.

iPhone

I am an iPhone user as well. Love my phone. Hate iTunes! I know my FIL could download ring tones and add music without having to link his phone (galaxy) to a computer. I envy that function!!!

Other than that I love this phone

I love my android. I had a blackberry curve for almost a year and found that the keys were to small for me (my hand are pretty small too) and I always hit the wrong one on accident. It takes awhile to get use to but I love the touch screen now. There is also an app called Swypes that makes texting even easier/faster. Instead of having to hit each letter separately, Swypes lets you slide your finger over all of the letters in the word at one time.

Thank you guys. I am pleased to hear you don't think switching to the touchscreen will be a problem. It's going to be a huge learning curve. Both dd and my sister have Iphones and whenever I have tried to text on them it has been an absolute disaster. I make a mistake on every single word.
I don't want to be tied to a phone just because it has a physical keyboard because that really limits my options. I'll get it eventually.
Now it looks like the Nexus 5 is rumored to be released in October and there will likely be a new Iphone by Christmas. So the timing sort of stinks. I don't need the latest model necessarily, but I don't want to be on a slow glitchy phone by the time my 2 year contract runs out.

I have a Nexus 4 and I really like it.

Samsung Galaxy S3 or 4 or the note2.

Oh meta, you have to get the Galaxy S4! I have it and love it! My first smartphone was the Windows Phone. It's great, I loved that one, too. I loved having Office on my phone. But I switched to the S4 because the Windows Phone didn't have a lot of apps that I wanted.

I love, love, love my S4

When I switched from Blackberry to iPhone it was pretty brutal for me. I'd had a Blackberry since 2000, before it was a phone! So I had a pretty steep learning curve, but I use my phone for work. A. Lot. I am not sure what uses you need the most?

The iphone is an incredible toy. After several years, I love it. Muchly. All four of us in our house have iphones of one level or another.

My uses are really basic. Very. I text often.. almost everyone I keep in contact with is through a quick text. I use very little data. Maybe to check a sale flyer, or price of an item, or banking while I am out, or to get maps or directions while I am out.
It would be nice to have a decent camera on the phone, and music. I have a nicer camera but don't always have it on me or want to get it out.
It's sounding like the Iphone might be my best bet.

I think I might have to go into the store and play with them all and really get a feel for them.

Don't judge your ability on the screen while at the store. You'll likely suck. LOL It takes time (or it is just me and my lack of skillz).

How is it you don't read SI on your phone when you are bored waiting somewhere? lol

For me it was battery life. Android kills iphone in hours on a battery charge. Also, the universal mini usb vs. the Apple specific charger.

I also love swype for texting. It will suggest words without actually putting them into the text... I HATE the autocorrect feature on iphone.

I have a Galaxy.

How is it you don't read SI on your phone when you are bored waiting somewhere? lol

Well if I am out I try to check in and mod from the Blackberry. The screen is frustratingly small. I can barely read the text, and can't do any useful modding. I can only weigh in with an opinion. So I would probably use it more with a larger screen. I also work from home so I almost always have access to a laptop to check in.

And Yeah.. it will be a really frustrating change at first with the virtual keyboard. When I go somewhere with my sister she will ask me to answer her texts while she's driving. It's so bad that I usually give up and tell her I can't do it

iPhone for the win....

You may find that with a real screen you actually do use data. Hard to use data on a Blackberry when you know there is no point in pulling up a web page.

The other thing about droids is they are starting to make them a little larger, so that they are actually a mini tablet with phone service. With a phone like that you will use more data.

Mini USB vs proprietary crApple connector is an awesome bonus, but what I have come to love about my Sony Experia is the HDMI port. I can load movies and TV shows onto my phone, plug it into the TV, and then sit down with the TV remote to control the phone.

she will ask me to answer her texts while she's driving. It's so bad that I usually give up and tell her I can't do it

I can totally relate! (I have both sausage fingers and really poor fine motor skills.) But I realize that touch screens are taking over the world, so I'm trying to learn to live with and use them. It's not easy. :-(

One thing that helps me a lot is to turn my phone sideways, so that the display switches to landscape. It makes the keyboard just a little bigger and thus easier to use. There's some magic wand inside the phone that switches it when I turn the phone sideways. (Even the correct turning movement did not come easily to me!) I know very little about smartphones, but I assume that they all offer this option. If not, then I'd recommend one that does.

The other day I saw a store associate typing on her ipad using a thing that looked like a pen but wasn't. Maybe it was what is referred to as a stylus, though there was no mention of stylus on the store display of them. I think one of those might help me. And perhaps you Meta. Those I saw seemed ridiculously expensive, though. (About $14) I'm currently wondering whether it would be possible to fashion one from a simple pen and an eraser!

[This message edited by Cally60 at 2:10 PM, August 12th (Monday)]

Blackberry Q10 - you'll love it and you'll never look back!!!

It has a big touch screen for apps and such... but still has a QWERTY physical keyboard to send texts and emails.

I have Verizon and I am allotted 2GB's of data a month. But since I'm like you, and can use Wifi almost everywhere, I never ever use it up.

I highly recommend it... it's my 3rd Blackberry.

I have a Droid Razr and absolutely love it. I've had iPhones, Samsungs, and Blackberry's...oh my! Each of them gave me issues except for my Droid. It doesn't freeze and I don't have problems with battery life.

I'm an Android user, an old Samsung galaxy, and like the fact that all my google apps sync nicely, my music, my gmail contacts, etc. If you are an Apple user, Itunes, ipad, etc, that may be a consideration in favor of a iphone.

My battery usage wasn't very good until I adjusted my screen. Once I reduced the display, with no noticeable reduction in the ability to see the screen, my battery usage doubled.