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What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
#1517086
29/11/2014 22:22
29/11/2014 22:22
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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MiniWishy will be going to big school next year and in preparartion will start to walk home from school after Christmas. He'll be getting a mobile phone as part of this arrangement. If it was entirely up to me it would be one of these, if it was entirely up to him it would be one of these. Some form of compromise is obviously required but seeing as I'll be footing the bill it will be closer to my ideal than his. Budget £50~100 for the phone, £10/month for PAYG/capped contract. Nothing too big and would need to be touch screen because touch screens are apparantly "cool" and anything that doesn't have one isn't. Purpose from our side will be to enable us to keep in touch, from his side it will be caning the data allowance with puerile games and youTube. What do you recommend, from where and what contract arrangement? A quick look has found the likes of this which I've seen at £50 sim free and Sainsburys Mobile do a sim deal which gives 300mins, unlimited texts and 500Mb/30 days for £10.
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517090
29/11/2014 22:42
29/11/2014 22:42
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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The cool factor would be fine and I've heard good things about them but they're too big.
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517121
30/11/2014 12:14
30/11/2014 12:14
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 611 Aberdeenshire,Scotland
Azzura
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Enjoying the ride
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I had the same discussion with my son when he went to high school and got him a Huawei Android smartphone on PAYG - very good value.
Yesterday Sprint Blue 20VT,today Denim Blue TT225
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517122
30/11/2014 12:33
30/11/2014 12:33
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 16,603 Corridor of Uncertainty
Jim_Clennell
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Corridor of Uncertainty
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There are some pretty good, relatively inexpensive smartphones around. As long as your lad shows he can be trusted with a smartphone as opposed to a basic phone, it might be a better investment, as he will probably look after it a bit better than something he resents and only carries because you make him! Having said that, I've lost count of the number of phones my kids/stepkids have lost and/or broken - generally through not thinking.
I have the Huawei Ascend that my mum ditched for her Motorola and I don't think it's as good a phone as the Moto G. I was hoping to compare it with the Cubot S208 that my elder stepson got for his birthday in September, but unsurprisingly, he has already trashed it by putting it in the back pocket of his jeans and sitting down. I don't think that is a reflection on the phone though...!
There are also cheaper own-brand smartphones from Vodafone (Smart 4 turbo, £65 on PAYG) and others (EE Kestrel) that I think are probably rebadged Chinese phones. My stepdaughter got one to replace (another) lost phone a few months ago and has hung on to it, so it can't be that bad.
Lots of choice out there...
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517124
30/11/2014 12:44
30/11/2014 12:44
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,650 Dark side of the Moon
H_R
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My life on the forum
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Dark side of the Moon
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3 do cap contracts well they certainly did a couple of years ago! if Miniwishy is the average kid (would depend on the phones capabilities too) 500mb wont last long you may be better getting a sim only deal 3 seems to be the best value at the moment but thats upto you, what you are willing to spend each month My eldest daughter dropped her first phone,an old first generation touch screen samsung just weeks after receiving it, breaking the screen, that cost £50! My youngest had hers stolen from her school requiring a replacement! I personally would not spend much on a handset just now, get him a cheap one with the promise of getting a better one if he can look after it keep it undamaged and actually answer it when you call him! My kids hardly answer their phones straight away! perhaps girls are different having them in handbags etc. but as we all have iphones of some description we are all on find my friends so we can see where they are! i imagine android do something similar but i have no idea You can get some good second hand bargains on ebay if you are savvy my daughter got a brand new iphone 5c 16gb for £270 in april and there was a place selling unlocked brand new in peterborough (on ebay)iphone 5s c etc for around £300-£350 But thats a lot for a first phone My tuppence worth anyway Best of luck
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: H_R]
#1517129
30/11/2014 14:12
30/11/2014 14:12
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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Thanks for all the suggestions. What about a secondhand iPhone 3GS Hadn't thought of that as an option and neither has he so it's not happening for various reasons that I won't go into lest this become an Apple Fanboys vs haters thread. What's the 3 network like around your area? Never used them but poor according their coverage map. Shame as I like the idea of paying £7/month instead of £10. As long as your lad shows he can be trusted with a smartphone as opposed to a basic phone, it might be a better investment, as he will probably look after it a bit better than something he resents and only carries because you make him! This is pretty much the exact reason why are looking at smart phones and not one of these. Having said that, I've lost count of the number of phones my kids/stepkids have lost and/or broken - generally through not thinking. and this is the reason that the budget won't be over £100 and closer to £50 if possible. Saw some decent looking Huawei options in the shops, I'll have a look at them further but being a bit of shallow brand slave (I'd better rein myself in before I get started on Apple...) he'd probably be happier with something from a more recognised brand such as Samsung or Motorola. Not a deal breaker though as originally we started looking at Cubots with him. 500Mb of data should be more than plenty, it will just be used over WiFi at home. If he can't initially manage with that as a limit then he'll learn. I personally would not spend much on a handset just now, get him a cheap one with the promise of getting a better one if he can look after it keep it undamaged and actually answer it when you call him! Fully agree, hence the budget.
Last edited by Wishy; 30/11/2014 22:02. Reason: preefroading
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Jim_Clennell]
#1517132
30/11/2014 16:32
30/11/2014 16:32
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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Is that what this is? If so then certainly does come in budget. My intended technique is more like giving him a free choice between a pre-decided list of options than talking him into it.
Last edited by Wishy; 30/11/2014 22:05.
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517133
30/11/2014 16:37
30/11/2014 16:37
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mark77
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mark77
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One that you can put tracking software on this is hidden on i phones so teens can't find it.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517179
30/11/2014 22:16
30/11/2014 22:16
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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EE kestrel also looks OK, in budget and has a front facing camera which the Moto E doesn't (much as getting him anything that would enable that narcissistic display of vanity for the modern vacuous yoof that is the selfie makes me want to pull out my tongue and strangle myself with it) and I think he'd like that feature.
I haven't seen a Moto G for less than £100.
Last edited by Wishy; 30/11/2014 22:17.
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517204
01/12/2014 08:36
01/12/2014 08:36
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,895 2011 and 2015 FCCUK F1 Champ.
bezzer
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Forum is my life
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EE kestrel also looks OK, in budget and has a front facing camera which the Moto E doesn't (much as getting him anything that would enable that narcissistic display of vanity for the modern vacuous yoof that is the selfie makes me want to pull out my tongue and strangle myself with it) and I think he'd like that feature.
I haven't seen a Moto G for less than £100. Tesco Mobile do the Moto G (8GB) on a 24 month contract for £10 a month. No upfront cost. Gives you 250 minutes, 5000 texts and 500MB of data. Contract can be capped too. I got one for my lad when he started to walk to and from school. Brilliant phone. Moto G
......My Boy...... (PB #7)
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517210
01/12/2014 10:17
01/12/2014 10:17
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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That looks like the leader so far.
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Jim_Clennell]
#1517224
01/12/2014 13:22
01/12/2014 13:22
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144 Southampton, Hants
Roadking
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Club member 1809
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To be honest, any smartphone, whatever he may say, will be better than none. Be prepared for incessant, incredibly irritating tones for text, BBM, Facebook updates, etc... Simple rule in my house when Little Ms RK was still living with us. No tones, and text to be sent from outside any room I was in (apart from her's obviously). The clicking of pre-touch screen keys used to drive me nuts.
"RK's way seems the most sensible to me". ali_hire 16 Dec 2010
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1517235
01/12/2014 16:56
01/12/2014 16:56
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 869 Germany
neil_r
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What are Samsung Galaxy S3 Minis going for these days in the UK? Here, they are a good compromise between price, ability and adequate street cred. There is an easy supply of parts and accessories, and the glass is easy to replace should it get broken. I replaced the one on my daughter's phone for 6 EUR and 50 mins.
1997 20V 2000 V6 manual S-Type and 2011 5.0 XKR 2016 Tucson 1.6T AWD 2018 Mazda2 GT
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: neil_r]
#1517236
01/12/2014 17:02
01/12/2014 17:02
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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They are not far off £100 now, MrsWishy has one.
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: coupedummy]
#1517276
01/12/2014 22:26
01/12/2014 22:26
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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I'll ask him which he prefers reagrding Android or Windows Phone. I swapped from Android to a WP Lumia last year and he has an Android tablet so he knows what both look like alhtough he's more familiar with Android.
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1518697
16/12/2014 13:24
16/12/2014 13:24
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,988 Sunny Darlo
Wishy
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Forum is my life
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His first reaction asking him what he wanted the phone for was apps so Android it is.
Thanks for all the suggestions, decision made, Santa is wrapping up a Moto-G as I type.
Last edited by Wishy; 16/12/2014 13:24.
Up yours Photobucket.
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Re: What mobile phone for an 11 year old.
[Re: Wishy]
#1518712
16/12/2014 15:55
16/12/2014 15:55
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Enforcer
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Enforcer
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I only wish I'd seen this thread earlier. I have a rather nice pre-owned Motorola Razr v3i. You can't beat them. Just look at this! PM me if you realize your mistake!
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