Looks like it is time for a new smartphone...

[derspiess]

Windows?  Hmmph.  Never considered those.

WP7 has a lot of cool features (Xbox, Zune, Office, and probably the best mobile email client for exchange servers), but it's way too locked down for my tastes and it's the least mature of all the major mobile OSes.  The freedom you have with a rooted Android phone is just too addictive for me to be able to give up.  I just wish they offered a non-phone WP7 device so I could have my cake & eat it, too.

[derspiess]

I wanted to get a Samsung Galaxy 2 or iPhone 3GS initially, but they're out of my price range.
The LG P500 is ~$170 on eBay. Probably fell off the back of a truck. 

My brother got a Samsung Galaxy S II (or Sprint's awkward name for it: "Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch") and all I can say is ME WANT.  The specs are probably overkill for now, but won't be when Android 4.0 is rolled out to everyone.  I'm stuck with my Evo (Supersonic to the rest of the world) until October 2012.

Wife is eligible for an upgrade.  The Galaxy S II would be too much phone for her, so I'm looking at either the Evo 3D  (not for the 3D but for the dual core processor) or the Nexus S.

[fhdz]

WP7 has a lot of cool features (Xbox, Zune, Office, and probably the best mobile email client for exchange servers), but it's way too locked down for my tastes and it's the least mature of all the major mobile OSes.  The freedom you have with a rooted Android phone is just too addictive for me to be able to give up.  I just wish they offered a non-phone WP7 device so I could have my cake & eat it, too.

One man's lack of freedom is another man's "thank gods there's finally a consistent user interface across applications". For hacking and trying unusual things, I have a computer. When I'm on my phone, I want ease of use, consistency, and a UI that's thought *all* the way through, not just stopping at the front door of the app.

[Liep]

So apparently I registered my samsung account with a .com email instead of .dk, which cannot be chanced in anyway without doing a complete reset. Bleh, I was wondering why I weren't getting any android updates.

In other words, don't be a tool when starting up your samsung phones.

[Liep]

The software updates were well worth the complete wipe.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I ordered an INcredible 2. 

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

My brother got a Samsung Galaxy S II (or Sprint's awkward name for it: "Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch") and all I can say is ME WANT.  The specs are probably overkill for now, but won't be when Android 4.0 is rolled out to everyone.  I'm stuck with my Evo (Supersonic to the rest of the world) until October 2012.

I'm looking very intently at this phone, which would be my first "real" smartphone.  I'm not sure if I should stay with AT&T, jump to Sprint, or buy an unlocked model, though.  I'm enticed by Sprint's unlimited data, but I've heard the quality of their network is well behind AT&T and Verizon.  What's your experience with them?

[fhdz]

I've not had problems with Sprint's network in my area.

[derspiess]

Sprint is pretty awesome in Cincinnati and pretty much any decent-sized city I've visited the past few years.  You should be able to find a coverage map on their website.  I'd look specifically at their 4G coverage in your area.

[derspiess]

I wanted to get a Samsung Galaxy 2 or iPhone 3GS initially, but they're out of my price range.
The LG P500 is ~$170 on eBay. Probably fell off the back of a truck. 

My brother got a Samsung Galaxy S II (or Sprint's awkward name for it: "Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch") and all I can say is ME WANT.  The specs are probably overkill for now, but won't be when Android 4.0 is rolled out to everyone.  I'm stuck with my Evo (Supersonic to the rest of the world) until October 2012.

Wife is eligible for an upgrade.  The Galaxy S II would be too much phone for her, so I'm looking at either the Evo 3D  (not for the 3D but for the dual core processor) or the Nexus S.

Ended up getting her the "Epic 4G", aka Samsung Galaxy S (the first one).  Rooted it for her so she could remove the annoying Nascar app & other Sprint crapware.  I love the AMOLED screen, but it kinda bugs me that the pixels seem so small.  Colors & black levels are much more lush than my Evo's LCD screen, but to my eye at least the Evo looks higher resolution, even though they are both 800x480.

[Valdemar]

I know this would propably be ignored, but I need advice on a REGULAR pjone.

My youngest is nearing the age where he (and most importantly we) can get benefits from him having a phone. I greatly desires one for christmas, and mostly an Iphone. Seeing he is only 9 that ofc is out of the question.

His big brother is happy with the regualr soneEricsson 880i he got back when he was 10 (An old office phone) and I would think something similar would do for hte youngest.

But, he ofc expects it to have games a galore, like smatphones do, and that isn't really so for most regular phones anymore.. or is it??

I'd prefer him NOT to get a Nokia, but I'm open to suggestions.

V

[derspiess]

I know this would propably be ignored, but I need advice on a REGULAR pjone.

My youngest is nearing the age where he (and most importantly we) can get benefits from him having a phone. I greatly desires one for christmas, and mostly an Iphone. Seeing he is only 9 that ofc is out of the question.

His big brother is happy with the regualr soneEricsson 880i he got back when he was 10 (An old office phone) and I would think something similar would do for hte youngest.

But, he ofc expects it to have games a galore, like smatphones do, and that isn't really so for most regular phones anymore.. or is it??

I'd prefer him NOT to get a Nokia, but I'm open to suggestions.

V

I would suggest getting him a cheap Android phone, with data turned off (except for wifi).  Not sure what is available in your area, but around here we can get unlocked/no contract, brand new (if a little low spec) Android phones for around $100.  That may be too much to spend on a phone for a 9-year old, but there are a ton of free or cheap games available on the Android market.  If games are of any importance to you or him, this is what I would do.

I think most non-smartphone handsets are a bit lean on games these days. 

FWIW, my 3-year old has his own phone now-- a T-Mobile G1 not connected to any service.  I can download games for him from the Android market via wifi and that's all he cares about

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

So, I got me a Galaxy S2.  The second or third thing I tried to do was connect one of my Bluetooth headsets, both of which failed to be recognized.  How do I figure out if either of these headsets is actually compatible with this phone?  Same question applies if I need to go buy a new one.

Update:
Figured out one of them.  I wasn't doing the pairing correctly.

[Grey Fox]

I'm getting a Acer Liquid E that's been sitting in a box for a year.

How technologic of me.

[MadBurgerMaker]

My Atrix continues to be awesome.