6 ms·

Saw this phone on reddit earlier. A few weeks ago, after an upgrade to iOS 8, I became unable to connect to wifi on my iPhone 4S and the speed of the OS became

by canadev 12y ago

Saw this phone on reddit earlier. A few weeks ago, after an upgrade to iOS 8, I became unable to connect to wifi on my iPhone 4S and the speed of the OS became pretty bad, after it had been perfectly responsive since I first got it nearly 3 years ago. Combine this with the fact that my expensive purchased-for-durability phone case, the third in the phone's lifetime, was starting to crack, and I started looking at other phones. My contract is up in a couple of months. I went to a store and looked at the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the iPhone 6. I found the Note 4 intriguing because I've been occasionally following John Carmack's discussions about the Gear VR (Oculus Rift that connects to the phone) and I thought it was coming out in a consumer version, but it looks like they are still labeling it as a developer kit, which makes me think there must be a reason for that (i.e. it's not really ready for prime time). Also, the phone is just massively huge, and I don't want to buy it, especially since given my way of doing things I'd end up buying some horribly large case on top of it. Then I looked at the iPhone 6. First of all I do think it's too big in terms of screen size -- though I do like the thickness and weight of it quite a bit. But the base model is 16GB, and getting either a 16GB or a 64GB on contract was $200+ or $375+ respectively. I thought about it and almost broke down and bought a 128GB model outright for over $1000. In the end, I just couldn't justify it. I think it's time for me to go back to sending SMSs on the telephone keypad. And time for me to stop getting warnings that my damn phone is not backing up (no wifi and me not plugging it in), time for me to stop worrying that the phone will die if I forget to charge it for just one evening, and time for me to stop buying expensive, crappy cases. I really want this phone. And if I don't get it, I'll probably get something that is just like it. TL;DR: I'm a fan.

jmiwhite 12y ago
I was in the same position as you (upgraded iOS several times on a 4S) and experienced the same issues, but I found a clean install dramatically improved performance, though not to the same snappiness of iOS 6. I love the feel of the hardware, but for >95% of the phone's life it's been wrapped in a waterproof case, so I don't really benefit from it much.
- canadev 12y ago
  Thanks for the tip about the clean install. And I totally hear you about the way the phone feels. Every time I got a new case, I would leave it naked for a few hours, just -[fondling]-touching and admiring the damn thing.
throwawayaway 12y ago
if this phone takes a 32gb sd card like my nokia asha, it makes a mockery of the affordability of "smart phones" with "huge storage". and also battery life. and reading the article, it does, happy days. was worried microsoft would do away with this line!
- hyp0 12y ago
  It does (see the specs). But it has only 8MB RAM (that's MB, not GB).
  - aragot 12y ago
    Not to sound posh, but I miss the Maps feature. I have a basic phone and the only reason I hold to my iPad at all times is the fear of being given an appointment at a place I can't find.
    - throwawayaway 12y ago
      i think nokia maps is supposed to be pretty good for what it is.
      - container 12y ago
        Keep in mind, though, that Nokia still exists outside Microsoft and they still own the mapping business ("Here", as it's called now). So it's not a given that Microsoft's 'Nokia' phones will actually use Nokia maps.
  - carlob 12y ago
    The 208 has 64MB, 3.5G and costs about 50-60 euros.
laichzeit0 12y ago
> I think it's time for me to go back to sending SMSs on the telephone keypad. Well if your primary use of a "phone" is to make GSM voice calls and send SMSs then what you're looking at is completely overkill. The vast majority of people that buy top end phones do so for things like: pocket sized, always available, excellent quality camera, near desktop-like internet browsing, and then the entire application ecosystem including maps, lifestyle applications, games, etc. There are going to be tradeoffs to be made depending on what your requirements are, including price and battery life.
- johnchristopher 12y ago
  The vast majority of people I know are buying top phones for things like: sending SMS, calls and camera. Only my brother uses it for Internet browsing. I know of only one guy who uses it for the agenda features (and it's a blackberry).
  - aceperry 12y ago
    The top end smartphones have cameras that are at least good enough to replace casual point and shoot cameras. Their excellent quality is worlds apart from the new Nokia phone's camera. While the vast majority of people use smartphones for calls, sms, and the camera, there is huge growth in mobile based purchasing, gaming, and social network usage. There are lots of different things that people do with smartphones, maybe not everyone uses the same app or game, but the flexibility of the smartphone makes it possible.
    - dogma1138 12y ago
      Top End smartphones might be able to replace a 8-10 year old P&S camera they still have respectively horrible cameras. But it doesn't really matter, no one prints photos any more, and with the amount of filters people stick on each photo it doesn't matter if you are making it with a 240p web cam or a 50MP DSLR it will all look the same.
      - 12y ago
Fuxy 12y ago
I like the concept but it is still targeting the market that can't afford smart phones. They need a similar phone that is targeting the market that can afford smart phones but realized it doesn't need most of the features at the expense of battery life. Like a phone with this feature set plus 3G/4G connectivity with WiFi tethering capability to say your tablet and a beefier battery. Basically a classic Nokia phone and 3G/4G router to connect all your smart devices to while you're on the move and in need of a internet connection.
- louhike 12y ago
  The Nokia Asha 210 is close to that, except it just have a 2.5G connectivity. I don't know if 3G is worth it on features phone. Don't you think it won't be powerful enough to take advantage of a 3G connection?
  - Fuxy 12y ago
    The phone wouldn't be but my tablet that I connect when I need a quick internet connection and a better more full featured experience would be. I almost never use any of my smart phone's features except tethering. The phone's screen is too small for comfort I would rather use my nexus 7 which I always have with me anyway however a phone of that size would be too awkward so why not just separate them. A dumb phone with modem capabilities and great battery life and a smart device for everything else.
    - rogersimon2 12y ago
      FAG!
  - masklinn 12y ago
    The point is not for the phone itself to use 3G/4G, but to enable it when the phone is used as an access point (or a tethered cellular modem) for a more powerful device. On its own, the phone would use 2G/2.5G.
    - 12y ago
minthd 12y ago
Why not buy a cheap android phone, a cheap case ,and a wifi, and maybe an extra battery to put in the car ? it will solve all your problems at a price far cheaper than the iphone , and you'll still get to retain the functionality ?
- aceperry 12y ago
  The inexpensive feature phones have much better battery life, less expensive than the cheapest smartphone, and are probably more rugged/durable. They do get the job done as a phone and a few other things. If you don't have much use for a smartphone, then this is perfect. I'm sure there are still a relatively large subset of people who would rather have a feature phone than a smartphone.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
peteretep 12y ago
> I thought about it and almost broke down and bought a > 128GB model outright for over $1000 $1.3 a day, assuming you keep it for two years. I love my phone like a child, and it is in my hands for probably at least 2 hours a day. I am happy to spend cash dollars on that.
- Yetanfou 12y ago
  You don't have children, do you? Also, you wear your clothes at least 14 hours a day. That does not imply you need to buy the most expensive brands you can find, just that they need to fit their purpose. You can pay more than $1000 for an iPhone with 128 GB of storage, true. You can also buy an expandable device, add a 128GB (or bigger - up to 1 TB is available) and end up paying half that price (or less).
  - sosuke 12y ago
    You do wear clothes everyday, but hopefully not the same ones everyday. If I only had one set of clothes to wear for 2 years you better believe I'll be willing to spend over $1000 for it. The analogy just doesn't work, over a 2 year period the difference between $500 and $1000 isn't much. If in the US, the cost is usually hidden in the monthly cost. So the visible cost is $200, and even the free phones over same time period isn't much of a difference in price. On the subject of spending, put money into your bed, you spend a lot of time there, well worth a few thousand.
    - Yetanfou 12y ago
      Ah, but you forgot one of the 'special' aspects of that $1000 device: it comes with a lock to which you don't hold the key. Taking the clothes comparison further, you can only wash these clothes at one specific laundry. The manufacturer decides which clothes you get to wear on which day and which occasion. They also decide on what style of clothes you wear. Should you not like that style, tough luck. When they launch the 'new style', the laundry won't accept your old clothes anymore - good luck walking around in dirty clothes. Apropos beds: I built mine, about 15 years ago. It cost me all of $30 in wood and sundry. To summarise, throwing money at a problem is usually not the best solution. Throwing as much money at a problem as someone will take is hardly ever the best solution.
dferlemann 12y ago
I bought LG G3 few days ago after my iPhone 4S lock button finally broke. I thought about iPhone 6 plus for it's larger battery. Unlocked GSM version is over $900 on Amazon. LG G3 unlock GSM is around $450... I hate 2-year contract thingy, using this $450 + $50 accessories + $1,200 Straight Talk 2 year no contract = $1,700 In comparison to Verizon 2-year contract $400 iPhone 6 plus + $1,920 2-year = $2,320 with god knows hidden fees and receipt of my soul... I think I made the right decision...
- burger_moon 12y ago
  Straight Talk, is that T-Mobile?
  - maxerickson 12y ago
    It's TracFone/Walmart, on whichever big 4 US network: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#Straight_Talk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#Straight_Talk
sbate1987 12y ago
your 4s wireless just broke.. it was not anything to do with upgrading the os. You had a good phone for it to last that long. - also bet you would not really like this phone.. it is slow and for people who cannot get a better faster phone. Its like saying you would really be ok with an outhouse because you dont mind the walk.
- toothbrush 12y ago
  OK, i'll take the bait. To use the outhouse analogy, i actually prefer the outhouse, because i get a bit of fresh air and exercise on the way, and there aren't kids and flatmates bothering me through the door while i'm having a crap, and.. no, the analogy is broken. I could perhaps afford an iPhone what-have-you (even though i am a poor PhD student -- maybe you have a point), but i genuinely like the fact that my phone lasts really long between charges and that i am not even tempted to have FaceApp or TwitBook, etc. If my life was arranged a little differently (read: more stability) i wouldn't even have a mobile at all, but for the moment i can't rely on having only a home phone.
rogersimon2 12y ago
you sound like a fag. are you a fag? FAGGOT! hahahaha, what a fag.
JimmyM 12y ago
You must be terribly bored of all these "Why Not X" posts by now, but... why not the Nokia 105? I have the Nokia 100 and it does the job (texting, calling, playing Snake) just fine. The 105 has even more standby & talk time per charge, allegedly, and I only charge my 100 once every week/fortnight depending on use. Worth a look but not much cheaper so if having access to the internet, or having a torch, is important to you it won't be so appealing.
- d13 12y ago
  I bought a 105 last year in Thailand and love it. I get about 2 weeks of battery life with moderate use. The 215 actually has too many features for me - I just like the simplicity of talk, text and torch without having to worry about charging, so the 105 wins :)
- Jekyll 12y ago
  Nokia 105 here as well. I love how so many people on HN have 'dumbphones'. It's gone through so much more abuse than a smartphone would be capable of taking.
Gustomaximus 12y ago
I've been running a candy bar for about 6 months in conjunction with a smart phone (work and personal sims). I did this as I got tired of having a smartphone on 5% battery when I needed to make/receive an important call. I now forward the smart phone number to the dumb phone so I'm always available on both numbers. This way I'm always available for calls and have removed the low battery stress from my life. The downside is getting texts on the candy bar. Using keypad is a pain so I tend to call people rather than text or give yes/no replies to anyone not on a messaging app like hangouts where I can text via the smartphone. I can really recommend it. Also on a side note I feel like I'm leaving the world behind when I only take the dumb phone out.
- mod 12y ago
  Is leaving the world behind a good or a bad thing?
  - prawn 12y ago
    Depends which part of the world. I don't do it often enough, but leaving the online part of the world behind would hardly be a bad thing. More time for the real world around you.
- teekert 12y ago
  That's funny, I can remember being able to type much faster using T9 on my nokia 6510 than I can on my Moto G.
  - Gustomaximus 12y ago
    Try it again. Maybe you were a whiz but for me I forgot what a treat it was when I went to keyboard.
    - teekert 12y ago
      I should have added that I was faster and didn't even need to watch the keyboard. There was that short period (where phones were acceptable for kids and there were no real smartphones yet) where kids in school were texting blind to each other under their tables (peaking only to read of course).
Karunamon 12y ago
Just something to try - have you tried doing a factory reset on the phone? I ran into the exact same problem both on my phone and a gen 2 iPad Mini after a direct upgrade, which was completely resolved after doing a fresh install. Yeah, it isn't a thing you should have to do, but if it fixes the problem... I've never had really good luck with system upgrades on Apple products.
- umsm 12y ago
  Additionally, visit the Genius Bar at the apple store. They'll help you fix the issue.
rayiner 12y ago
Meh. A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to simplify my life. Cut everything down to an iPad with keyboard, plus my work Blackberry. It's romantic, but it sucks. I went the other direction: 15" MBP Retina with quad-core + 16GB and an iPhone 6+. Almost $3k in toys, but way more productive. And the Apple stuff has gotten good enough where I leave my chargers at the office. My 6+ was at 3% last night. Put it in airplane mode over night, and it lasted long enough to give me my alarm at 6:50 am, plus a few checks of e-mail in the morning and 15 minutes of hotspot around 8:30.
- sanderjd 12y ago
  A really great middle ground is possible between those two extremes! For me personally, a really nice laptop is indispensable, but I really like the idea (from another commenter here) of a much simpler phone with 3g/4g tethering, phone, messaging, and maybe maps.
yason 12y ago
Something like this could be a good upgrade for myself when my current phone breaks down. I've been using an Xcover 271 for years. It gives me a couple of weeks of battery and, if I really need to, I can still use a simple web browser to look up timetables etc. (but it's enough of a burden that I won't use it for fun) and there's Google Maps preinstalled (also, a big slow for just browsing around but it has been a life-saver several times!) But the Xcover is somewhat slow and because it has this 'ruggedised' brand image it costs more than it should. A very basic entry-level phone with technology that's five years newer but still costs nearly nothing is probably a good sweetspot. If it breaks the option of buying a replacement won't be considered any longer than one second.
findjashua 12y ago
I completely agree about not being able to justify spending $700+ on a phone, but there are reasonably priced Android smartphones that give you a really good bang for your buck. I bought both my parents a MotoG - it's an LTE smartphone for ~ $200 - and they're really happy with it. My next phone is probably going to be that or the HTC One Mini (~$350).
- tdicola 12y ago
  I also got fed up with my iPhone 5 and the crazy cell phone bills I had and switched to a Moto G (2nd gen) on a cheapo prepaid GSM plan. I couldn't be happier and am ecstatic to pay less than $30/month for phone service and own the phone outright. The G is easily 80% of the iPhone functionality for about 20% the cost. It runs the latest Android OS really well and has good specs. Only downside is the camera is nowhere near as good as the iPhone, but it's not completely terrible.
BuckRogers 12y ago
You said it. I've been disillusioned with all-things-smartphones for years now. I've always had Android, no iOS, though the wife does. I want a phone just like this. The only thing I want that smartphones brought us is turn by turn navigation. The rest can take a hike. Put Nokia's Snake game on there, the old ways that Nokias worked (such as the ability to turn the phone off, and have it wake itself as an alarm), keep the 10 digit "interface" for ideal texting and 100% lag-free dialing, the 10+ day battery life of no 3G/4G, maybe Opera Mini per this Nokia.. and we have a deal. To me that is technology perfected. I don't want much more than a phone in my pocket. If technology that works and is pleasing makes me a Luddite, then so be it. But it's time to bring some sensibility and more usability to products. Nokia was that. If anyone from Nokia/MS reads this, yes, please, the above and make a higher quality build version. A $100 or $150 phone that I described, preferably with old school Nokia quality or iPhone metal frame would be amazing.
- adultSwim 12y ago
  Nokia 515 ?
jinzo 12y ago
After my HTC Desire started failing me I looked at my options wide and deep. I was inclined to just get "candy bar" device like this one. Fed up with the battery and fragility - tho I almost never carried my Desire in a case (and other stuff you mention). But then as my phone gave up on me before I found a replacement I started using a "cand bar" phone and found out that I actually like some smartphone features - like a good autocomplete keyboard, the ability to track my post packages, check bus timetable and occasionally to look up something on the internet (I'm a patient man, it doesen't need to render webpages _that_ fast). And I came to conclusion that I would enjoy a relatively small, well build and long lasting smartphone that doesen't need to run games (and many apps at once) or have GPS/Nav, voice control,... and whatnot features that I don't use (and can't even remove usually). I think that the technology itself is advanced enough for such a device - there're even some cheap Chinese ones that look promising for what I need (for example Xiaomi Redmi 1S or Redmi 2).
- tinco 12y ago
  I had the same problem. The Desire simply was the perfect phone, age finally got it after over 4 years. I tried a Chinese one, don't go for it. The desire was a small flagship phone, you'll be disappointed at anything with less quality. I can recommend the Moto G, it too is a flagship phone at a much too low price, they recently introduced a 2nd gen but it's more expensive. You can get the original second hand for around €100, I am certain it won't disappoint.
- cicero 12y ago
  I'm loving my Moto G, $180 unlocked. It is plenty powerful, but not very expensive, so I'm not paranoid about it getting broken.
bsclifton 12y ago
Give it a try :) I'm a huge Nokia fan for two main reasons: The phones are durable and they are so cheap that they're practically disposable. I can't speak for this phone (the 215), but you can buy a Lumia 520 for ~$50 dollars and a 635 for ~$75. My son is 16 months old and constantly smashes the phone into the floor and I'm perfectly ok with that. For the price you'd drop on an iPhone 6+, you could probably buy 10 Lumia 520s and break them on purpose at your leisure and it would still be cheaper. People will make fun of you for Windows Phone, but it does have Bluetooth, web browsing, really good contact integration, and good email integration. For me personally, using mobile websites is good enough that I don't care if there are apps or not.

by canadev 12y ago

jmiwhite 12y ago

I was in the same position as you (upgraded iOS several times on a 4S) and experienced the same issues, but I found a clean install dramatically improved performance, though not to the same snappiness of iOS 6. I love the feel of the hardware, but for >95% of the phone's life it's been wrapped in a waterproof case, so I don't really benefit from it much.

canadev 12y ago
Thanks for the tip about the clean install. And I totally hear you about the way the phone feels. Every time I got a new case, I would leave it naked for a few hours, just -[fondling]-touching and admiring the damn thing.

throwawayaway 12y ago

if this phone takes a 32gb sd card like my nokia asha, it makes a mockery of the affordability of "smart phones" with "huge storage". and also battery life. and reading the article, it does, happy days. was worried microsoft would do away with this line!

hyp0 12y ago
It does (see the specs). But it has only 8MB RAM (that's MB, not GB).
- aragot 12y ago
  Not to sound posh, but I miss the Maps feature. I have a basic phone and the only reason I hold to my iPad at all times is the fear of being given an appointment at a place I can't find.
  - throwawayaway 12y ago
    i think nokia maps is supposed to be pretty good for what it is.
    - container 12y ago
      Keep in mind, though, that Nokia still exists outside Microsoft and they still own the mapping business ("Here", as it's called now). So it's not a given that Microsoft's 'Nokia' phones will actually use Nokia maps.
- carlob 12y ago
  The 208 has 64MB, 3.5G and costs about 50-60 euros.

laichzeit0 12y ago

> I think it's time for me to go back to sending SMSs on the telephone keypad. Well if your primary use of a "phone" is to make GSM voice calls and send SMSs then what you're looking at is completely overkill. The vast majority of people that buy top end phones do so for things like: pocket sized, always available, excellent quality camera, near desktop-like internet browsing, and then the entire application ecosystem including maps, lifestyle applications, games, etc. There are going to be tradeoffs to be made depending on what your requirements are, including price and battery life.

johnchristopher 12y ago
The vast majority of people I know are buying top phones for things like: sending SMS, calls and camera. Only my brother uses it for Internet browsing. I know of only one guy who uses it for the agenda features (and it's a blackberry).
- aceperry 12y ago
  The top end smartphones have cameras that are at least good enough to replace casual point and shoot cameras. Their excellent quality is worlds apart from the new Nokia phone's camera. While the vast majority of people use smartphones for calls, sms, and the camera, there is huge growth in mobile based purchasing, gaming, and social network usage. There are lots of different things that people do with smartphones, maybe not everyone uses the same app or game, but the flexibility of the smartphone makes it possible.
  - dogma1138 12y ago
    Top End smartphones might be able to replace a 8-10 year old P&S camera they still have respectively horrible cameras. But it doesn't really matter, no one prints photos any more, and with the amount of filters people stick on each photo it doesn't matter if you are making it with a 240p web cam or a 50MP DSLR it will all look the same.
    - 12y ago

Fuxy 12y ago

I like the concept but it is still targeting the market that can't afford smart phones. They need a similar phone that is targeting the market that can afford smart phones but realized it doesn't need most of the features at the expense of battery life. Like a phone with this feature set plus 3G/4G connectivity with WiFi tethering capability to say your tablet and a beefier battery. Basically a classic Nokia phone and 3G/4G router to connect all your smart devices to while you're on the move and in need of a internet connection.

louhike 12y ago
The Nokia Asha 210 is close to that, except it just have a 2.5G connectivity. I don't know if 3G is worth it on features phone. Don't you think it won't be powerful enough to take advantage of a 3G connection?
- Fuxy 12y ago
  The phone wouldn't be but my tablet that I connect when I need a quick internet connection and a better more full featured experience would be. I almost never use any of my smart phone's features except tethering. The phone's screen is too small for comfort I would rather use my nexus 7 which I always have with me anyway however a phone of that size would be too awkward so why not just separate them. A dumb phone with modem capabilities and great battery life and a smart device for everything else.
  - rogersimon2 12y ago
    FAG!
- masklinn 12y ago
  The point is not for the phone itself to use 3G/4G, but to enable it when the phone is used as an access point (or a tethered cellular modem) for a more powerful device. On its own, the phone would use 2G/2.5G.
  - 12y ago

minthd 12y ago

Why not buy a cheap android phone, a cheap case ,and a wifi, and maybe an extra battery to put in the car ? it will solve all your problems at a price far cheaper than the iphone , and you'll still get to retain the functionality ?

aceperry 12y ago
The inexpensive feature phones have much better battery life, less expensive than the cheapest smartphone, and are probably more rugged/durable. They do get the job done as a phone and a few other things. If you don't have much use for a smartphone, then this is perfect. I'm sure there are still a relatively large subset of people who would rather have a feature phone than a smartphone.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]

peteretep 12y ago

> I thought about it and almost broke down and bought a > 128GB model outright for over $1000 $1.3 a day, assuming you keep it for two years. I love my phone like a child, and it is in my hands for probably at least 2 hours a day. I am happy to spend cash dollars on that.

Yetanfou 12y ago
You don't have children, do you? Also, you wear your clothes at least 14 hours a day. That does not imply you need to buy the most expensive brands you can find, just that they need to fit their purpose. You can pay more than $1000 for an iPhone with 128 GB of storage, true. You can also buy an expandable device, add a 128GB (or bigger - up to 1 TB is available) and end up paying half that price (or less).
- sosuke 12y ago
  You do wear clothes everyday, but hopefully not the same ones everyday. If I only had one set of clothes to wear for 2 years you better believe I'll be willing to spend over $1000 for it. The analogy just doesn't work, over a 2 year period the difference between $500 and $1000 isn't much. If in the US, the cost is usually hidden in the monthly cost. So the visible cost is $200, and even the free phones over same time period isn't much of a difference in price. On the subject of spending, put money into your bed, you spend a lot of time there, well worth a few thousand.
  - Yetanfou 12y ago
    Ah, but you forgot one of the 'special' aspects of that $1000 device: it comes with a lock to which you don't hold the key. Taking the clothes comparison further, you can only wash these clothes at one specific laundry. The manufacturer decides which clothes you get to wear on which day and which occasion. They also decide on what style of clothes you wear. Should you not like that style, tough luck. When they launch the 'new style', the laundry won't accept your old clothes anymore - good luck walking around in dirty clothes. Apropos beds: I built mine, about 15 years ago. It cost me all of $30 in wood and sundry. To summarise, throwing money at a problem is usually not the best solution. Throwing as much money at a problem as someone will take is hardly ever the best solution.

dferlemann 12y ago

I bought LG G3 few days ago after my iPhone 4S lock button finally broke. I thought about iPhone 6 plus for it's larger battery. Unlocked GSM version is over $900 on Amazon. LG G3 unlock GSM is around $450... I hate 2-year contract thingy, using this $450 + $50 accessories + $1,200 Straight Talk 2 year no contract = $1,700 In comparison to Verizon 2-year contract $400 iPhone 6 plus + $1,920 2-year = $2,320 with god knows hidden fees and receipt of my soul... I think I made the right decision...

burger_moon 12y ago
Straight Talk, is that T-Mobile?
- maxerickson 12y ago
  It's TracFone/Walmart, on whichever big 4 US network: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#Straight_Talk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#Straight_Talk

sbate1987 12y ago

your 4s wireless just broke.. it was not anything to do with upgrading the os. You had a good phone for it to last that long. - also bet you would not really like this phone.. it is slow and for people who cannot get a better faster phone. Its like saying you would really be ok with an outhouse because you dont mind the walk.

toothbrush 12y ago
OK, i'll take the bait. To use the outhouse analogy, i actually prefer the outhouse, because i get a bit of fresh air and exercise on the way, and there aren't kids and flatmates bothering me through the door while i'm having a crap, and.. no, the analogy is broken. I could perhaps afford an iPhone what-have-you (even though i am a poor PhD student -- maybe you have a point), but i genuinely like the fact that my phone lasts really long between charges and that i am not even tempted to have FaceApp or TwitBook, etc. If my life was arranged a little differently (read: more stability) i wouldn't even have a mobile at all, but for the moment i can't rely on having only a home phone.

rogersimon2 12y ago

you sound like a fag. are you a fag? FAGGOT! hahahaha, what a fag.

JimmyM 12y ago

You must be terribly bored of all these "Why Not X" posts by now, but... why not the Nokia 105? I have the Nokia 100 and it does the job (texting, calling, playing Snake) just fine. The 105 has even more standby & talk time per charge, allegedly, and I only charge my 100 once every week/fortnight depending on use. Worth a look but not much cheaper so if having access to the internet, or having a torch, is important to you it won't be so appealing.

d13 12y ago
I bought a 105 last year in Thailand and love it. I get about 2 weeks of battery life with moderate use. The 215 actually has too many features for me - I just like the simplicity of talk, text and torch without having to worry about charging, so the 105 wins :)
Jekyll 12y ago
Nokia 105 here as well. I love how so many people on HN have 'dumbphones'. It's gone through so much more abuse than a smartphone would be capable of taking.

Gustomaximus 12y ago

I've been running a candy bar for about 6 months in conjunction with a smart phone (work and personal sims). I did this as I got tired of having a smartphone on 5% battery when I needed to make/receive an important call. I now forward the smart phone number to the dumb phone so I'm always available on both numbers. This way I'm always available for calls and have removed the low battery stress from my life. The downside is getting texts on the candy bar. Using keypad is a pain so I tend to call people rather than text or give yes/no replies to anyone not on a messaging app like hangouts where I can text via the smartphone. I can really recommend it. Also on a side note I feel like I'm leaving the world behind when I only take the dumb phone out.

mod 12y ago
Is leaving the world behind a good or a bad thing?
- prawn 12y ago
  Depends which part of the world. I don't do it often enough, but leaving the online part of the world behind would hardly be a bad thing. More time for the real world around you.
teekert 12y ago
That's funny, I can remember being able to type much faster using T9 on my nokia 6510 than I can on my Moto G.
- Gustomaximus 12y ago
  Try it again. Maybe you were a whiz but for me I forgot what a treat it was when I went to keyboard.
  - teekert 12y ago
    I should have added that I was faster and didn't even need to watch the keyboard. There was that short period (where phones were acceptable for kids and there were no real smartphones yet) where kids in school were texting blind to each other under their tables (peaking only to read of course).

Karunamon 12y ago

Just something to try - have you tried doing a factory reset on the phone? I ran into the exact same problem both on my phone and a gen 2 iPad Mini after a direct upgrade, which was completely resolved after doing a fresh install. Yeah, it isn't a thing you should have to do, but if it fixes the problem... I've never had really good luck with system upgrades on Apple products.

umsm 12y ago
Additionally, visit the Genius Bar at the apple store. They'll help you fix the issue.

rayiner 12y ago

Meh. A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to simplify my life. Cut everything down to an iPad with keyboard, plus my work Blackberry. It's romantic, but it sucks. I went the other direction: 15" MBP Retina with quad-core + 16GB and an iPhone 6+. Almost $3k in toys, but way more productive. And the Apple stuff has gotten good enough where I leave my chargers at the office. My 6+ was at 3% last night. Put it in airplane mode over night, and it lasted long enough to give me my alarm at 6:50 am, plus a few checks of e-mail in the morning and 15 minutes of hotspot around 8:30.

sanderjd 12y ago
A really great middle ground is possible between those two extremes! For me personally, a really nice laptop is indispensable, but I really like the idea (from another commenter here) of a much simpler phone with 3g/4g tethering, phone, messaging, and maybe maps.

yason 12y ago

Something like this could be a good upgrade for myself when my current phone breaks down. I've been using an Xcover 271 for years. It gives me a couple of weeks of battery and, if I really need to, I can still use a simple web browser to look up timetables etc. (but it's enough of a burden that I won't use it for fun) and there's Google Maps preinstalled (also, a big slow for just browsing around but it has been a life-saver several times!) But the Xcover is somewhat slow and because it has this 'ruggedised' brand image it costs more than it should. A very basic entry-level phone with technology that's five years newer but still costs nearly nothing is probably a good sweetspot. If it breaks the option of buying a replacement won't be considered any longer than one second.

findjashua 12y ago

I completely agree about not being able to justify spending $700+ on a phone, but there are reasonably priced Android smartphones that give you a really good bang for your buck. I bought both my parents a MotoG - it's an LTE smartphone for ~ $200 - and they're really happy with it. My next phone is probably going to be that or the HTC One Mini (~$350).

tdicola 12y ago
I also got fed up with my iPhone 5 and the crazy cell phone bills I had and switched to a Moto G (2nd gen) on a cheapo prepaid GSM plan. I couldn't be happier and am ecstatic to pay less than $30/month for phone service and own the phone outright. The G is easily 80% of the iPhone functionality for about 20% the cost. It runs the latest Android OS really well and has good specs. Only downside is the camera is nowhere near as good as the iPhone, but it's not completely terrible.

BuckRogers 12y ago

You said it. I've been disillusioned with all-things-smartphones for years now. I've always had Android, no iOS, though the wife does. I want a phone just like this. The only thing I want that smartphones brought us is turn by turn navigation. The rest can take a hike. Put Nokia's Snake game on there, the old ways that Nokias worked (such as the ability to turn the phone off, and have it wake itself as an alarm), keep the 10 digit "interface" for ideal texting and 100% lag-free dialing, the 10+ day battery life of no 3G/4G, maybe Opera Mini per this Nokia.. and we have a deal. To me that is technology perfected. I don't want much more than a phone in my pocket. If technology that works and is pleasing makes me a Luddite, then so be it. But it's time to bring some sensibility and more usability to products. Nokia was that. If anyone from Nokia/MS reads this, yes, please, the above and make a higher quality build version. A $100 or $150 phone that I described, preferably with old school Nokia quality or iPhone metal frame would be amazing.

adultSwim 12y ago
Nokia 515 ?

jinzo 12y ago

After my HTC Desire started failing me I looked at my options wide and deep. I was inclined to just get "candy bar" device like this one. Fed up with the battery and fragility - tho I almost never carried my Desire in a case (and other stuff you mention). But then as my phone gave up on me before I found a replacement I started using a "cand bar" phone and found out that I actually like some smartphone features - like a good autocomplete keyboard, the ability to track my post packages, check bus timetable and occasionally to look up something on the internet (I'm a patient man, it doesen't need to render webpages _that_ fast). And I came to conclusion that I would enjoy a relatively small, well build and long lasting smartphone that doesen't need to run games (and many apps at once) or have GPS/Nav, voice control,... and whatnot features that I don't use (and can't even remove usually). I think that the technology itself is advanced enough for such a device - there're even some cheap Chinese ones that look promising for what I need (for example Xiaomi Redmi 1S or Redmi 2).

tinco 12y ago
I had the same problem. The Desire simply was the perfect phone, age finally got it after over 4 years. I tried a Chinese one, don't go for it. The desire was a small flagship phone, you'll be disappointed at anything with less quality. I can recommend the Moto G, it too is a flagship phone at a much too low price, they recently introduced a 2nd gen but it's more expensive. You can get the original second hand for around €100, I am certain it won't disappoint.
cicero 12y ago
I'm loving my Moto G, $180 unlocked. It is plenty powerful, but not very expensive, so I'm not paranoid about it getting broken.

bsclifton 12y ago

Give it a try :) I'm a huge Nokia fan for two main reasons: The phones are durable and they are so cheap that they're practically disposable. I can't speak for this phone (the 215), but you can buy a Lumia 520 for ~$50 dollars and a 635 for ~$75. My son is 16 months old and constantly smashes the phone into the floor and I'm perfectly ok with that. For the price you'd drop on an iPhone 6+, you could probably buy 10 Lumia 520s and break them on purpose at your leisure and it would still be cheaper. People will make fun of you for Windows Phone, but it does have Bluetooth, web browsing, really good contact integration, and good email integration. For me personally, using mobile websites is good enough that I don't care if there are apps or not.