Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["Cristóbal Palmer" <cristobalpalmer AT gmail.com>]

Depends on where in the triangle you live. In Chapel Hill & Carrboro,
I've heard reports that Verizon and Alltell have been sucky. That
might've changed recently. Ask your neighbors and coworkers.

As for the physical phone, I'm a fan of the Nokia interfaces, but...
of the four phones I can remember, ALL of them were much easier to use
and use effectively after I read the manual. "WHAT? Read the
manual??!?!" I hear you say. Yep. It's worth it. There'll be a 40+
page booklet that comes with the phone. Read it.

Unless you really know you want it and you REALLY want to spend a lot
of time reading and poking, you do NOT want a "smartphone" (plus
they're pricey). Ignore the sales pitch about functionality and
features and all that jazz. _Maybe_ you want a camera on your phone.
Ask yourself: do I have a computer with bluetooth that I can use to
get pictures off the phone? If not, then you'll be paying $$$ to get
those pictures to anybody, since sending a picture would be a
"feature" of the calling plan. Note: I have a Sony Ericsson Z520a that
constantly takes pictures of the insides of my pockets. :(

_Maybe_ you want a data plan with your phone. Do you want to be able
to look up movie showtimes and check the weather from your phone? Do
you want to pay extra $$ per month for that perk?

Lastly, read your contract carefully. Most providers will have some
sort of 30-day clause. Make sure that if you really do hate your phone
you can bring it back in and swap it out.

Check out some blogs and review sites, too:

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/category/reviews/
http://www.wirelessguide.org/

Good luck,
CMP

On 2/1/07, Scott Boggs <scott AT scottboggsdesign.com> wrote:
> Hey folks,
>
> My wife and I are about to leap into the twenty-first century and finally
> get cellphones. I don't need a phone with a lot of functionality, but would
> like one with good sound and an intuitive, reasonably well designed UI.
>
> Can anyone recommend phones worth considering and also what providers do
> folks recommend (or not recommend)?
>
> Thanks all.
> Scott
>
> --
> www.scottboggsdesign.com
> ---
> Come and play at the InterNetWorkers Web site!
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--
Cristóbal M. Palmer
UNC-CH SILS Student -- ils.unc.edu/~cmpalmer
TriLUG Vice Chair
"There are many roads to enlightenment, and thus many roads back to
the One True Debian" --crimsun