Need some input on some Smartphones!

[#1]

Since joining Giffgaff I have not really been able to make use of the free mobile internet due to me still running my old but very decent Samsung D600!

But I have been looking at the new crop of smartphones out there and there are a couple that take my fancy..

They are all Android phones and very smart but all at the low end of the market unfortunately, "cos pennies are tight"

Phones on my list are

Orange San francisco £99 and can get it unlocked for a fiver I think!

LG Optimus 540 £109 again on Orange but not sure if can get it unlocked as not looked into this.."Advice welcome"

HTC Wildfire £139 on o2 but think I can get it unlocked, although being o2 it will run on gg

Well you have the brief your mission if you choose to accept it is to give me information on said phones, advantages and disadvantages of each would be nice, I know lots of you are running these phones so should have plenty of feedback hopefully!

I'm also open to any other new phones out there if you feel I have left a particularly good phone out and its within that price range..

Looking forward to your posts people!

[#2]

I have seen a lot of people praising the orange san Francisco.For the price,it is a great spec & you are right about unlocking via eBay for £5 or less.Sorry,don't have any experience with the others-hopefully some other ppl will be along to advise soon.

[#3]

I've had LG Optimus aabout 6wks.Great android phn.Some of the apps r fantastic ie.anti-virus which scans phn every time u put it on.Can't fault phn except maybe screen a tad sensitive,but not enuf to bother u,or me anyway.You'll still be able to browse internet no prob.When set up for internet you mgt find screen goes blenk at some point,if so you'll find it still says browser top left of screen,if it does press  and it'll take u on to browser.All in all i find ia great phn and iv'e had quite a few.

[#4]

Hi

If it's a budget android you are looking for see this Huawei Ideos..A smart phone thats due in the UK soon (by the end of the month hopefully)...It runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) .....

Cost will be between £99 and £129..........Should be worth waiting for if pennies are tight...Maybe worth waiting even if they are not.....

[#5]

Cheers guys anymore for anymore as Fred Elliot used to say on Coronation Street! 

[#6]

I'm replying on my san fran right now! It's awesome for the price!

[#7]

I'm using the LG GT540 to type this message and I have to say I absolutely love it! I bought mine on o2 so I don't have to worry about it being locked, but some people said on this forum that they tend to be unlocked if you buy it from the CarPhoneWarehouse - I wouldn't want to give you bad information though so I recommend you do a little research if you go down that route.

I did consider buying the Wildfire but a review on Engadget mentioned it had a low resolution which makes it incompatible with certain apps. The GT540 has its own drawbacks but in the end they weren't as important to me.

I haven't had any experience with the other phone mentioned but based on all the replies I don't think you can go far wrong with any of them. Best of luck!

[#8]

Thanks for all your replies guys, that new huwaie looks interesting but very plasticky and cheap too.
Going to check out the San Francisco today as me brother has just bought one and I,m visiting later so can get a proper hands on test!
The lg looks good but reading about it last night put me off due to the old android 1.6 software! But saying that most users are still praising it!
Keep it going guys still interested in your views and whether anyone else has any comments on the Htc wildfire!

[#9]

Not familiar with android phones so cant give my opinion on them. But just some general advice. Seeing as your using unlimited internet. Try to get a phone that could take advantage of it like some nice music streaming apps or a youtube app. If it was me id pay an extra 40 or 50 quid or whatever to get the streaming apps on it . Rather than the slightly cheaper model that you couldnt put streaming apps on it. For instance theres a nice youtube streamer on kinoma. See what phones that kinoma will work on here. http://kinoma.com/support/devices/play/

[#10]

Ive got the xperia x10. However it runs 1.6. I really dont know enough about android at the moment to see the difference between 1.6, 2.1 or 2.2. As for for decent phones I know a few people who have the LG optimus and they are all very happy with it. In fact if this Xperia hadnt come up I was about to buy one.