John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone

Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by andyking on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @11:58AM (#2143883)

I've got a friend visiting me in the UK from the US, where she's on Verizon, which is incompatible with the GSM/UMTS networks we use here. I've got her one of these to use while she's over here - http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/mobile-phones/ALCAT... - and mailed it to her in America so she can call me as soon as she steps off the plane.

It was £0.99 when I bought it, and has been as low as £0.01 recently - with the only catch being that you have to buy £10 worth of prepaid airtime when you buy the phone. Ideal for a couple of weeks' travel in a foreign country. (It's SIM-unlocked too.)

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by jacquesm on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @09:13AM (#2143301)

Here is a nokia for 30:

http://azerty.nl/producten/product_detail/1058/302405/nokia-...

and here a samsung:

http://www.pixmania.nl/nl/nl/3598464/art/samsung/e1080.html?...

for a little less

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by ams6110 on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @09:22AM (#2143337)

It's a shame that Nokia doesn't make CDMA versions of simple phones like that for the US market. I'd buy one in an instant. Though I do admit I'll probably finally break down and get an iPhone this year now that they are available from Verizon.

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by hotlikearobot on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @11:04AM (#2143664)

I have actually been using a Nokia very similar to that one for over two years... I just went to the T-Mobile store and said "I need to replace my phone, what is the cheapest thing you have?"

I only have to charge it every week or so, and it has lasted longer than any other phone I have had.

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by roel_v on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @09:18AM (#2143322)

Oh wow, didn't realize phones had really gotten that cheap. I did do a quick vergelijk.nl search before posting but I guess they got buried under the bundles that I got.

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by jacquesm on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @09:27AM (#2143346)

tweakers pricewatch ftw.

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by spazmaster on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @04:02PM (#2145119)

never thought tweakers would be mentioned on HN.

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by lanstein on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @01:42PM (#2144412)

that site has been ftw for a long, long time :)

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by dagw on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @09:17AM (#2143319)

Pixmania and Amazon.de, for example, have a Samsung E1080 for 25 euros and a nokia 1616 for for 30. However I've seen big box electronic retailers selling off old stock for less than that.

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by jonknee on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @09:57AM (#2143437)

Here's a Motorola for $20 US: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875209...

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by daten on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @10:01AM (#2143450)

The "Motofone" is simpler and would cost less if they sold it in the US. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2143197

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Re:John's Phone: a minimalist cell phone by zumbojo on Wednesday January 26, 2011 @11:17AM (#2143719)

I pop the SIM out of my iPhone and put it into one of these whenever I go biking or camping. Mine cost $15 as a GoPhone (not unlocked). Couldn't be happier.

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