Ot --what new phone to buy?

My old dumb phone died. It was a tough keyboard slide out keyboard model from Straighttalk. It took a lot of abuse, dropped, set on, left outside, and kept working. I think I am ready for a smart phone. I am thinking a smaller easy to carry,rugged,lower IQ smart phone would be best. Recommendations?

I have a Motorola Atrix that I hate. I am going back to a Samsung Rugby flip. I just want a phone, not something that you have to contantly push buttons to do anything. I am too old to put up with this.

Before I got stupid and bought a "smart phone" I had a Samsung Rugby. Had it for about 5 years and was the most durable phone I have ever had. I still have it in case my smart phone dies. My son who is a welder and pipe fitter was a "cellphone killer". Record was three phones in about two weeks. His first Rugby lasted three years before a forlift got it.

I've got a Casio g'zone commando 4G. It's water proof, shock proof and dust proof. It's been a good phone so far, way too much stuff going on for what I need. It is nice to be able to access information on the internet if I'm out working in the shop and need to google something.

Saw an add for a young kids beginner smartphone...a Sponge Bob phone. This might be the answer.

+1 for the Rugby. Have had both versions (flip dumb phone and now the "smart" version).
They have been dropped from a fire engine onto concrete numerous times, into the Ohio River and our pool, left out overnight in a snow pile and stepped into manure by an uncooperative Duroc- and generally abused.

If you are hard on phones Samsung is good. I have beat the heck of of them and get good life. Iphone is ok if you put it in an Otter box. That is what I'm using now, but it is company supplied so I take what they give me as I don't have to pay the bill. If I were buying one for me it would probably be Samsung.

Greg

I would go witb the samsung rugby pro. I work in farm drainage. Have chased it down tile. Dug it out of the mud with a backhoe.been run over witb tracked tile plow. And it sill works. Ob and it took a bath in 80/90wt oil too. Tbat was fun to clean out.

X2. Good solid smart phone. Use it to surf this site all the time.

I've never had a Samsung phone, but when I was doing insurance inspections I used Samsung cameras because they were dang near indestructible.

I once dropped one 14' onto an ice covered sidewalk and all that happened was the battery door popped open. I used my backup camera the rest of that day, but I wouldn't have needed to 'cause the one that got dropped still worked same as ever.

I use an IPhone in a case called an Otter box. Used for 5 years here on the ranch, carry it all the time. It's gone through lots of rough treatment & the Otter box seems to make the phone almost indestructible. The IPhone is pretty easy to learn to use.

I think I had the same phone you did. I had 2 different ones, actually, think they were both Samsung. The older one functioned better but they have done away with both. I've got the LG optimus fuel, not too bad, but I can't feel keys on the touchscreen. And they don't have any protective cases for it in-store.

A lot of guys around here have ditched their smart phones and went back to a flip phone. They can do all kinds of stuff but they can't make a call half the time.

My beef with the current smartphones is they're pretty much all huge. I carry two phones; my personal one is an indestructible Samsung Rugby and for work I have a Samsung Galaxy S4. I have the S4 in an Otter Box and it also has the plate glass screen cover. Between the Otter Box and plate glass scree it's pretty well protected. I can fit both phones in the front pocket of my jeans, but just barely.

iPhone in an Otterbox. I get 2-3 years before I destroy them. Usually end up getting them wet. As in iPhone is in shirt pocket, I lean over toilet tank to work on, it and drop phone in.

My Son lost his in the garden. Plowed it under in the fall. Planted that spring and plowed again the following fall and turned the phone up. It powered up and we could access the data on it.

Nothing better than a Galaxy....

I've been through that dilemma myself recently. Retired my old Sanyo 3810 (indestructible) and bought a Kyocera Torque. Tough little phone but I hate a smart phone. It will do everything except make a phone call. Seriously, making calls on a smart phone is more difficult and more time consuming than on a flip phone. I have really been tempted to pull the old flip phone out of the drawer and go back to it. I have about 6 numbers that I call frequently, speed dial is harder on a smart phone and voice dial works about 40% of the time and you still have to swipe it to make the call. If you get a smart phone plan on spending a lot of frustrating hours learning how to use it.

Love my Samsung Galaxy S5... but learning curve was sharp (last phone was an old, old flipper that I probably had for 10-12 years).

Not sure how well the touch screens would hold up to abuse though... have heard of people breaking them in their pocket. AND while I love the ability to look something up online, take photos or video... I don't like that it is so much larger than my old flip phone.

iPhone all the way. Had a couple of others, best reception on the iPhone.

(quoted from post at 16:49:21 12/05/14) iPhone all the way. Had a couple of others, best reception on the iPhone.

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Ditto on the iPhone. I don't have extensive experience with droid phones so I can't offer comparisons. But I've had good luck with iPhones - they're pretty rugged and since the rest of my computing stuff is Apple (Mac/iPad) they play well together. Got the 4s now, I'll be going to the 6 soon I think...

T in NE, referencing your "can't make a call half the time". I use a Wilson cell phone booster in the pickups and tractor cabs, when I am in an area where I can only get texts, I turn on booster, and get up to 4 bars signal. Several different models and prices. My son sells them, so I have tried them all. I also use a Blue Parrot blue tooth headset with phone, real good noise cancelling on both ends, clear conversation with out having to deal with background noise. Dick

SWMBO just got a new iPhone 6. It's real nice and works like it should. Except for one thing. It put me through password hell. While setting it up it asked for our Apple password. Typed it in but Apple wouldn't accept it since they changed the password rules. No problem, I'll set up a new password.
1st try- Password must have at least one Uppercase letter.
2nd try - Password must have at least 8 characters.
3rd try - Password can not have consecutive letters.
4th try - Password can not have consecutive numbers.
5th try - aha! I got it! But wait - Password can not be one you've used in the past year.
6th (or 11th) try. Finally got the Apple geniuses to accept a password.

Then, tried to log on with the new password. Surprise, invalid password!
Back to the beginning all over again about four times.
Finally got the stupid phone to accept a password. Sometimes it works, sometimes I have to key it in three or four times. Today everything is working correctly.

And when she turned on her iPad, it asked for the new password too. Fortunately it took only one try on it. Isn't technology great?

iphone 5 or 5s. Otterbox commuter case.

I agree with the Iphone. I;m younger though so I am use to the technology. The Otterbox defender series adds some bulk but I have had the same phone for 3 years and it doesn't have scratch. And otterbox replaces the case if it gets any damage. Go with the iPhone 5 or 4s if you can find them. They are cheaper the the 6 and a little smaller

Follow up - Turns out the phone volume is too low and can't be adjusted. Apparently a known problem with the 6 and 6+. Taking the da*n thing back to the apple store on Monday.

I use a Motorola Barrage on Pageplus around the ranch, I wouldn't carry a smartphone around here, get kicked or bumped far too often, plus greasy or worse hands 99% of the time. My cousin had one and lost it in the pasture for a whole year, found it, charged, and it still worked after rainstorms (the few we had) and the winter. For town/on the road, I got a Boost Moto G and put it on Pageplus as well. That way I don't have to have a data plan with it, but can look up directions or whatever when I'm by Mcdonalds or something (or pay for data if needed). The G is water resistant as well and a decent phone, I have it in this case. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H9RMNUM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Takes a bit of work to get on Pageplus but not difficult for me, many "nerds" could probably do it. I don't use either much, $10 each every 4 months for service. Android is very reliable, allows more customization, couldn't give me an iphone (personal preference, have used iproducts extensively, I'm not their target user). Learning to just use, both are similar enough, not ~that much different overall.

There is a Moto E, stripped down and a bit smaller than a G, on Tracfone (Verizon network), had the phone, plus one year of service with 1200 minutes, texts and 1.2GB of data for $99 the other day, triple minutes on the phone. LG Ultimate 2, same year service, $140 on HSN, bit more features on that. Either would be ok for a "beater" phone. Tracfone has bad customer service, but actual cell service is good, used them for over 10 years and never had an issue. Getting to be other decent options under $100 with no contract commitments. Straighttalk is also owned by Tracfone (as is Pageplus). Looks like Straighttalk has the phones I mentioned, but require the $45 per month plan. Which is ok if you don't mind paying that. If you look at any others, you want Android 4.4 preferably, and I'd for sure avoid 2.XX/whatever if possible. Some models they offer aren't very good.

I just got a Droid Maxx and I like it, my first smart phone. It fits in my bib overalls pocket just right. the battery lasts all day also, a lot of them out there don't so check them all out. Jim