Singapore Expats

Please help a recent expat overwhelmed by choice

In Canada, my employer supplied me with a blackberry for email and phoning. Here, I get a blackberry that does data only and I've been given a SIM for voice calls to "put into my own phone". So I need to get one.

My new colleagues seem to carry around bberry in one pocket and iphone in the other. Seems like overkill. Can someone suggest a basic, small phone that has good telephony (including works with standard earpieces and ideally bluetooth, works everywhere in the world), on which I can do basic texting like order a taxi? I don't need a web browser, maps, camera, music, .... the bberry does all that. It just won't phone or SMS.

I've found the following website with a large list, but I'm overwhelmed...
http://www.whymobile.com/. I don't need a SIM to go along with it.

For the meanwhile, I'm using someone's old borrowed Samsung phone, which is almost as big as the bberry and seems to have a UI carefully designed to be as needlessly complicated as possible.

Thanks - and be kind! I've been blissfully ignorant of new cellphone features since 2002.

You could also try http://mobilesquare.com.sg (located in same mall as whymobile if you choose to visit the store) and http://www.subarumobile.com

DISCLAIMER: not affiliated. yada, yada, yada.

For basic phones, you can actually buy some at 7-11 for 69 SGD or less. Those things, however, don't have bluetooth but some may have a handsfree earpiece. If you want bluetooth, however, you'll have to look at the nokia, sony ericsson, samsung websites. Usually, they have search features that will let you choose a phone based on features.

From whymobile, for example, this phone has Bluetooth and maybe good AND cheap enough: http://www.whymobile.com/productinfo.ph ... &brand=NOK

Just go to any post-office, 7-11, esso station... they all sell few basic, small phones in the price range 60-90$.
What's behind the idea of not using blackberry for voice/text? Security?

x9200 wrote:Just go to any post-office, 7-11, esso station... they all sell few basic, small phones in the price range 60-90$.
What's behind the idea of not using blackberry for voice/text? Security?

Thanks for the tips, guys. Never thought of 7-11/esso.
BTW the reason for the separate devices is cost: we travel a lot globally for work, and company saves a ton giving us bberry SIMs from tmobile which have an unlimited global roaming data plan, but their cost for roaming voice minutes is exorbitant.

nakatago wrote: From whymobile, for example, this phone has Bluetooth and maybe good AND cheap enough: http://www.whymobile.com/productinfo.ph ... &brand=NOK

the nokia 2330 is only a 2G network with GSM 900 / 1800. will be limited to work in some countries. i suggest to up the budget a bit and get a nokia 5230. you can get maps on it, surf the net, music player, watch videos and it has a virtual qwerty keyboard to type your sms. only problem is it is not a small fone as you might be looking for.

durain wrote:

nakatago wrote: From whymobile, for example, this phone has Bluetooth and maybe good AND cheap enough: http://www.whymobile.com/productinfo.ph ... &brand=NOK

the nokia 2330 is only a 2G network with GSM 900 / 1800. will be limited to work in some countries. i suggest to up the budget a bit and get a nokia 5230. you can get maps on it, surf the net, music player, watch videos and it has a virtual qwerty keyboard to type your sms. only problem is it is not a small fone as you might be looking for.

OP wanted the most basic phone possible and the only extra feature wanted was bluetooth.

Get an old Nokia 6500 slide
Metal case ( black or silver)
great photos
bullet proof
great batt life

cheap and effiecient
It is also compatible with the lates Nokia OVI software to sync to PC

Had mine for years and use it when traveling A LOT

Thanks to all. I have now bought a Samsung C6112. It's a dual SIM slider - didn't even know such things existed - that lets me flip between my O2 Roam Simple SIM while traveling, and my SingTel number when at home, without making SIM cards, batteries, and battery covers fly across the airport concourse.

Thanks to suggestions in this thread, I found the price at which it was available online at whymobile.com and Subaru, and then got a shop in Bedok to sell it to me for 10% less, amounting after conversion to about 10% more than getting the same model mail order in the US.