hello,
I've read many of the threads here re. choosing phones other than the standard SO phones, and I'd appreciate some knowledgeable comments on devices that would suit these goals:

1) I'm a very light cell phone user (really just occasional outgoing calls while outside home in Toronto) and don't use social media (fb/Twitter/etc.). So SO pay-as-you-go is the only cellphone company that makes sense for me.

2) I use the Internet a lot for browser-based basic news, information, etc. and for accessing my email (Google Apps). I'd like both Wifi and cell access to that, and a screen that is at least 400x400 to do it in.

3) I'd also like to use some of the applications that use GIS/GPS features while I'm out of the house, particularly those that give me access to real-time TTC streetcar and bus route status and schedules. I'm still not clear on what exactly the limits of the SO "unlimited browsing" service are in regard to that kind of application: do mobile browsers such as Firefox or Opera mobile allow the GPS hardware to be queried about the actual user location (e.g. via an opt-in dialog, like the Firefox browser on a PC)? Or, in the case of say Blackberry or Android platform applications that are available of real-time TTC use, will the SO web proxy block these stand-alone applications?

4) I use a Sony Walkman flash music player (8GB) quite a lot for classical music, but have run out of space: a device with good music playing quality (i.e. no background noise, low distortion & stereo cross-talk, etc, — I already have the good quality IEMs for my ears), and a microSD port that can take 32GB chips would "future-proof" for me, and usefully combine communications+GIS utility+music in one device.

5) I also use VOIP in the form of a SIP softphone accessible service. Some phones, like the Nokia E71, have a built-in SIP softphone client, which can be used over Wifi and cell connections. I don't expect the SO internet browsing service to give access to VoIP, but wifi is almost everywhere and VoIP cheap (approx 1cent/minute for N.A. numbers in my case). So this would be another nice-to-have feature.

6) A built-in camera would be nice, but hardly essential.

Any advice?

iPhone4S 32GB. It doesn't take mSDHC but 32GB is a lot of space.

The problem of course is $$$.

chimpanzee said:

iPhone4S 32GB. It doesn't take mSDHC but 32GB is a lot of space.

The problem of course is $$$.

Yes, it's expensive and attractive, but I don't want to be locked into the Apple ecosystem.

bridonca said:

Best option is to get a $60 Nokia E71 (preferably Rogers branded) on Kijiji. I normally do not recommend used phones, but the E71 is built like a brick $#!%house! It does most of what the more expensive phones do, though admittedly the UI is more clumsy. In any case, you get to see what Speakout can do for you at a very low cost. You get a really good phone in the process.

I had an Android phone this summer, and I liked it, but I found the E71 suited my needs, (and I bricked the Android phone) so I am back to the E71 without much desire for a new phone now.

O.K., Thanks for the pointer, I'll look into that phone.