Hyper, pick my phone for me.

[Sytadel]

Budget is $29/mo, will do $49 for the right phone (but probably not)

Things I care about:
- Good camera, as I don't own my own digital camera.
- Being able to check and reply to e-mail
- Sturdiness as I tend to drop my phone all the time, plus the kids I work with have tantrums and sometimes knock shit around.

Things I don't care about:
- Facetwitterspace
- Other internet websites
- Music/media etc. on phone

[aubergine]

When I got my iPhone nearly two years ago, optus had a $50 deal for one. Today it would be a 3GS, which is a better model. Don't know current deals though.

[Ali G]

When I got my iPhone nearly two years ago, optus had a $50 deal for one. Today it would be a 3GS, which is a better model. Don't know current deals though.
I'm paying $29 a month ($50 of included credit) plus $27 repayments for my 16GB 3GS with Optus.

But really, I wouldn't buy an iPhone because:

a) The new model is coming out in a couple of months;
b) You want a good camera; and
c) I don't think the iPhone is the best option if you drop your phone all the time.

[Italian Stallion]

There's not really much available at $29 with a 'good' camera.. Heck, there aren't many good phones available at that price. The best that comes to mind is the Samsung Ultra Touch. Ranges from about $30-$45 depending what carrier you go through. Photos are quite lovely for a phone of it's type. It's also quite sturdy compared to most smartphones/touch phones. Email shouldn't be an issue on any phone these days, I think, but the Ultra Touch supports super fast internets anyway.

Some other options, which cost a bit more (ie. you can get them on $19-$29 caps with $10-$20 repayments, or on $49ish caps) are the Samsung Omnia HD, Sony Ericsson Vivaz & Sony Ericsson Aino. All have fantastic cameras and are all-round good phones.

[Space_Monkey]

I can't speak for newer models but my Nokia N95 has survived some pretty tough treatment.

Includes a very impressive 5 megapixel camera. I basically retired my old digital camera after buying it.

It'll check emails too.

Worth looking into.

[Knuckle Children]

Check out Optus' free phones on their $29 cap ($300 included calls/SMS/MMS)

http://personal.optus.com.au/web/ocaportal.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=Template_woRHS&FP=/personal/mobile/yes29cap&site=personal

The Sony Ericsson looks pretty sturdy, and has a 5MP camera. It would be worth chucking on the $4.99 data pack for your e-mails, too.

[Sytadel]

Cheers guys. I'm not too concerned about the whole smartphone/touch phone thing (for reasons above). I didn't realise phone digital cameras were so terribad, if I remove that need, what's left?

Also - what's the consensus on the BlackBerry? The qwerty pad is pretty appealing for responding to e-mails.

[Lazlow]

Also - what's the consensus on the BlackBerry?

Do you have needle fingers?

[StorminNorman]

Just get an iPhone. It's no big deal.

Steve

Sent from my iPhone

PS: $29 will only get you dumbphones, which nobody in their right mind should own.

[JubeiSaotome]

Get a Nexus One, coming from an iPhone user.

[aubergine]

I used to have cheap wallets and would always lose them. Same with sunglasses. When I started buying expensive wallets and sunglasses I have never lost them.

I used to drop my cheap phones all the time. I've never once dropped my iPhone.

The lesson is, if you're retarded, step up your resposibility.

[Sytadel]

Just get an iPhone. It's no big deal.

Steve

Sent from my iPhone

PS: $29 will only get you dumbphones, which nobody in their right mind should own.

Any reason other than technological elitism? I described the things I want out of a phone, in what way does an iPhone do those things better?

I used to have cheap wallets and would always lose them. Same with sunglasses. When I started buying expensive wallets and sunglasses I have never lost them.

I used to drop my cheap phones all the time. I've never once dropped my iPhone.

The lesson is, if you're retarded, step up your resposibility.

*responsibility.

Also, as said, I work with kids and I rush around a lot. I don't plan on these things happening but they may. More importantly, why buy something expensive for the sake of it? In what way would an expensive phone improve my experience of the things I described in my op?

[fishfishmonkeyhat]

Once you have an iPhone you'll find yourself continually shouting at the kids "No no no no no no noooooooooooooo".

[REQUIEM]

Budget is $29/mo, will do $49 for the right phone (but probably not)

Things I care about:
- Good camera, as I don't own my own digital camera.
- Being able to check and reply to e-mail
- Sturdiness as I tend to drop my phone all the time, plus the kids I work with have tantrums and sometimes knock shit around.

Things I don't care about:
- Facetwitterspace
- Other internet websites
- Music/media etc. on phone

Write a letter to someone. Buck the masses, or buy some pigeons like Mike Tyson.

Edit:I havent had a mobile phone since I retired. (over 4 years ago) Guess what, life goes on as I have a home phone with messagebank. ( like the good old days)

[Silverwolf]

Don't listen to the idiots shouting IPHONIPHONIPHON Syt, take the advice of Italian Stallion, cause he knows what hes talking about.

[Araenel]

Write a letter to someone. Buck the masses, or buy some pigeons like Mike Tyson.

Edit:I havent had a mobile phone since I retired. (over 4 years ago) Guess what, life goes on as I have a home phone with messagebank. ( like the good old days)

Not everyone is a stay-at-home dad with a wife who wears the pants.

[Space_Monkey]

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't iphone 3GS free on most midrange plans? Why not get one if your looking at a plan anyway? Pointless getting a lower class mobile simply because you don't want an iphone, which in reality is a great product even if you don't use all of its functions.

[Sytadel]

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't iphone 3GS free on most midrange plans? Why not get one if your looking at a plan anyway? Pointless getting a lower class mobile simply because you don't want an iphone, which in reality is a great product even if you don't use all of its functions.

Well, I mean the difference between a $49 plan and a $29 plan is $480 over 2 years, which isn't trivial. If I do go $49 I will look at the iPhone, though.

[Silverwolf]

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't iphone 3GS free on most midrange plans? Why not get one if your looking at a plan anyway? Pointless getting a lower class mobile simply because you don't want an iphone, which in reality is a great product even if you don't use all of its functions.

Doesn't mean there aren't better options than the iPhone though.

[Lazlow]

Bah, the anti-Apple brigade are here to muddy the waters. This is about the most honest statement I've read regarding the current state of smartphones;

We don’t love the fact that every new smartphone on the market has to be compared to the Apple iPhone but that is today’s reality. Just about everybody agrees that the iPhone sets the bar very high for the largest spectrum of users…not the best phone for every single individual, but generally best for most consumers. Other devices are often cited as preferable for specific groups, e.g. BlackBerries for enterprise users or Android devices for serious techies.

[JubeiSaotome]

Wait for a iPhone 4. Hopefully, they've fixed the niggling issues by then.