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Need cheap GSM qwerty keyboard phone for mom..

N

NateEssex

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 30, 2008
310
8
Hi all,

I need a "cheap", read inexpensive, GSM qwerty keyboard cell phone for my mom. I was going to go on eBay and buy a Blackberry Curve 8310, but then saw it requires a data plan with AT&T. I would like to avoid a mandatory data plan requirement, since she'll never use it.

I just need good audio quality and text messaging.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
similar question

i found this thread while looking for the solution to a similar situation. I too am looking for a phone with a QWERTY keyboard that does not require a data plan, but I also need a calendar that can sync with my mac computer. I don't care what calendar it is (google/ical/other) and and am willing to buy/download third party software, but am not sure about Bit Pim since fourm users' reviews seem mixed at best. I would like to stay with Verizon (cdma) if possible, but haven't found a phone on their network to fit my needs, so now I am open to any carrier. Any advice appreciated.
 
hipeye01 said:
i found this thread while looking for the solution to a similar situation. I too am looking for a phone with a QWERTY keyboard that does not require a data plan, but I also need a calendar that can sync with my mac computer. I don't care what calendar it is (google/ical/other) and and am willing to buy/download third party software, but am not sure about Bit Pim since fourm users' reviews seem mixed at best. I would like to stay with Verizon (cdma) if possible, but haven't found a phone on their network to fit my needs, so now I am open to any carrier. Any advice appreciated.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't know about the calendar syncing, but the best Verizon feature phone is the LG enV3.
 
My mom and dad both have a Samsung Strive on AT&T and it doesn't require a data plan, and if they can figure out how to use it, then anyone can.
 
palm centro on Verizon

Turns out I never should have been required to purchase a data plan from Verizon in the first place. Data plans are only mandatory for verizon on phones introduced after 2009. Palm Centro was released in 2008 (and available on ebay for a very reasonable cost). I asked specifically not to have a data plan when I called to activate, and was told I had to purchase one in order to activate the phone. Apparently their reps are not well informed about their company's policy. I discovered this only after reading another consumer forum after 2 years of paying for the data plan. I am pretty irritated at having spent so much money unnecessarily. If you go this route you will likely told you need a data plan to use Palm Centro on Verizon - not so. Ask to speak with a supervisor until you get them to activate without data plan.

This phone works for me because it is so easy to sync my calendar and contacts using missing sync. What I really needed was a mac syncing qwerty PDA with a phone. This fits the bill as it seems few CMDA phones do.
 
LG syncing

InsanelyApple said:
Well, I don't know about the calendar syncing, but the best Verizon feature phone is the LG enV3.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately there does not seem to be a good way to sync most LG phones with a mac computer. The only thing I have come across is Bit Pim and its reviews are pretty spotty.
 
hipeye01 said:
Unfortunately there does not seem to be a good way to sync most LG phones with a mac computer. The only thing I have come across is Bit Pim and its reviews are pretty spotty.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't know. Is it really that hard to manually do it?
 
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