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FiveGoodMen

(20,018 posts) Fri Mar 22, 2013, 02:47 AM Mar 2013

Is there a cell phone out there intended for use as a phone?

I just broke down Saturday and bought my first cell phone ever.

A GS3.

I'll be returning it and paying to break the contract this Saturday.

It has many cool looking distractions but if you're anywhere that prohibits ringers, you can't really take incoming calls.

Why? The vibration mode -- at it's max with power-saver off -- is not enough to feel when it's in your pocket.

Missed two important calls from the Doctor.

Like a car with every technological innovation but no wheels.

Just crap.

If anyone knows of a phone that is actually usable as a phone I'd love to hear about it.

Otherwise I'm done with these pieces of crap for life.

14 replies

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Highlight:

Is there a cell phone out there intended for use as a phone? (Original Post) FiveGoodMen Mar 2013 OP

No olddots Mar 2013 #1

You may not need to break your contract TexasBushwhacker Mar 2013 #2

Flip phones work best as phones. That's what they're designed to do/be. Honeycombe8 Mar 2013 #3

I have an older cell phone from verizon that is what you are asking for. In_The_Wind Mar 2013 #4

Jitterbug - but I think it is more expensive. n/t patricia92243 Mar 2013 #5

Most carriers have a 'cooling off period' -14 day return policy Earth_First Mar 2013 #6

cheapie disposables JVS Mar 2013 #7

Jitterbug. That's its primary purpose. talkingmime Mar 2013 #8

I have the Jitterbug and I love it, RebelOne Mar 2013 #13

My late father-in-law went almost completely blind and I looked for a phone like that. talkingmime Mar 2013 #14

No. Get an iPhone, and welcome to the 21st century. Bake Mar 2013 #9

...or the 21st Century, 2nd decade (versus the 1st decade): Cooley Hurd Mar 2013 #11

I use my I-Phone like that. No joke. Tommy_Carcetti Mar 2013 #10

Why not just learn how to use it? Cooley Hurd Mar 2013 #12

olddots

(10,237 posts)

1. No

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 02:54 AM

Mar 2013

that would be way uncool like why would anyone want to like talk ?

I've been searching too-- my whole family has I Phones that will wash the car on the way to work but suck as phones.

TexasBushwhacker

(20,174 posts)

2. You may not need to break your contract

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 02:59 AM

Mar 2013

Just take the phone, the box and everything that came with it back to where you got it and tell them the problem. They should allow you to try out different models and you can choose the one that has the strongest vibe. I have an LG phone where I can set the vibe to beep once if I want.

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)

3. Flip phones work best as phones. That's what they're designed to do/be.

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 06:09 AM

Mar 2013

I don't know about their vibration mode. I don't use that feature.

I got rid of my old metal flip Motorola last year and upgraded to a touch phone. It's okay, but the reception and sound quality are not as good as my old flip phone.

I'm going tback to flip phones soon. I don't use phones for anything but as a phone and for texting. So I don't need fancy features or syncing or anything else.

In_The_Wind

(72,300 posts)

4. I have an older cell phone from verizon that is what you are asking for.

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 06:48 AM

Mar 2013

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patricia92243

(12,595 posts)

5. Jitterbug - but I think it is more expensive. n/t

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 08:37 AM

Mar 2013

Earth_First

(14,910 posts)

6. Most carriers have a 'cooling off period' -14 day return policy

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 08:54 AM

Mar 2013

You may be able to find something that suits you that your carrier offers.

You will most certainly be charged a 're-stocking fee' -in most cases $20-$30.

However, you may not need to break the terms of your contract over this...'

Good luck!

JVS

(61,935 posts)

7. cheapie disposables

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 09:16 AM

Mar 2013

talkingmime

(2,173 posts)

8. Jitterbug. That's its primary purpose.

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 11:44 AM

Mar 2013

http://www.greatcall.com/jitterbug?gclid=CLrC0YHVkLYCFcme4AodlAYAwg

RebelOne

(30,947 posts)

13. I have the Jitterbug and I love it,

Reply to talkingmime (Reply #8)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 12:51 PM

Mar 2013

plus it is cheap. I only pay $22 a month.

talkingmime

(2,173 posts)

14. My late father-in-law went almost completely blind and I looked for a phone like that.

Reply to RebelOne (Reply #13)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 12:56 PM

Mar 2013

The Jitterbug hadn't come out yet. He had a rare disease similar to macular degeneration and could barely work a large-button landline phone. I went EVERYWHERE looking for something in a cell phone that he would be able to operate and nobody had one.

About six months after he died, I saw the first ad for a Jitterbug. It would have been perfect for him. The one I have now is a Samsung flip, fairly simple, but it has at least 95% more features than I've ever looked at and probably never will. At least the buttons are simple.

Bake

(21,977 posts)

9. No. Get an iPhone, and welcome to the 21st century.

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 12:12 PM

Mar 2013

Bake

Cooley Hurd

(26,877 posts)

11. ...or the 21st Century, 2nd decade (versus the 1st decade):

Reply to Bake (Reply #9)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 12:37 PM

Mar 2013

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,173 posts)

10. I use my I-Phone like that. No joke.

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 12:20 PM

Mar 2013

Phone calls, texts, and the occasional pictures. That's it. Barely ever used it for email or for any other "apps." Arguably a huge waste of money, but I got suckered into it.

Cooley Hurd

(26,877 posts)

12. Why not just learn how to use it?

Reply to FiveGoodMen (Original post)

Fri Mar 22, 2013, 12:40 PM

Mar 2013

I was probably the first person to scoff at a "smartphone", but, quite frankly, not only does my Galaxy Note II work very well as a cellphone, it ROCKS as a tablet, texter, alarm, game device (love them Angry Birds!) and web browser.

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