recommend a smart phone

[beencounting]

please, nothing from Maxwell Smart or James Bond or something comical.

I'm looking for the following elements

1. low cost to purchase
2. low monthly data & voice plan
3. web browsing... texting is not critical. I'm looking to follow the stock market while out and about and possibly do some trading, so need something with a quick refresh rate.

best deal I've found on the net is t mobiles sidekick which sells for $49 and the data plan is only $29/mth unlimited. Phone calls are $0.20 a minute though but that's ok, needs are minimal during the day. anyone have this? how fast is the web page refresh?

what carrier has the best mobile web browsing ? I'm not interested in a laptop , just a smart phone. Thanks for your advice.

 

[JohnnyM]

i had a SK a few years ago and it really sucked for web browsing, but i am sure they have upgraded it by now.

i have the t-mobile dash now and it's fairly good. using the opera mini browser is far faster than the included internet explorer.

t-mobile's internet service isn't as fast as some other carriers though. they are talking about a 3G network, but it's not here yet.

one note though...if you're going to be trading stocks on the thing, you should get the best phone regardless of price. you're looking to save a couple hundred bucks on a device you're going to trade likely far more than that on.

it's like getting a cheap hotel room in vegas and then playing $50/hand blackjack.

 

[l00p]

I almost pulled the trigger on a Blackberry Pearl and am glad I waited. I am pretty sure I am getting a Shadow from TMobile. I think it is just what I want and the cost is under 100 bucks with a new contract that I gladly will renew. I don't know how cheap they are otherwise.

 

[Tailgate]

iPhone

 

[Xminus6]

i'm a big iphone fan but that doesn't fulfill the requirements of the original post. i think your best bet is a blackberry of some sort. when my wife went in to the at&t store to change her plan they were selling them with plans at a pretty good price. they're nice smartphones from what i can see.

 

[strider]

WRT iPhone: The data plan is 20/mo unlimited vs 30/mo the OP quoted - that's 240 less over the 2 year contract period. Then take into account voice costs. My plan has 450 daytime minutes and rollover - total monthly cost $71 including taxes and fees. Maybe $399 for the iPhone isn't so expensive afterall for the best web browsing experience on the planet.

 

[hornimal]

iphone. it has by far the best internet browser on a phone that I've seen and with the upcoming software update in june it will only get better. my monthly bill comes out to ~$85/month total with taxes. that includes 1500 anytime nationwide minutes, unlimited night and weekends, unlimited text messaging and internet. of course, I travel overseas frequently so I tend to run up the roaming fees.

 

[DallasCMD]

I'm on the Sprint SERO plan. $30/mth for 500 min M-F 7a - 7p, anytime other than that unlimited (roaming free). Free mobile to mobile to any other Sprint customer at any time. Data/texting/internet/picture mail all free. Been happy so far (signed up June of 2007). People complain about their customer service, but I haven't had to call them yet. My phone works, no problem with the bill, no problems with dropped calls. My phone is fine for what I need (Motorola Q). Google maps has saved my *** more than once. Even has traffic which is great for the commute.

All you ever wanted to know about SERO:
SERO on Slick Deals

SERO on Fat Wallet

 

[DallasCMD]

Forgot to mention, my wife and I both signed up initially. After a few months we were looking at getting my oldest son a phone and figured we would just add a line for him. We do not share minutes, but mobile to mobile calls are free. Each person has 500 minutes. I don't have to worry about him racking up some outrageous text message bill although most companies now are switching to unlimited text. $30 X 3 liines + tax runs about $105 / month.

 

[Feloin]

BlackBerry Curve or Pearl.