Average cost for a monthly "smart" phone?

[spaltor]

If it were just me, I would drop texting.  But I text SO much for work - I'm the only fulltime person in the company, so I often communicate with my staff via text.  They text in timesheets sometimes, let me know when they're running late, etc.  I couldn't operate without it.

I've never had a family plan with Verizon (although verizonwireless.com is really pretty accurate if you want to price it out), I did ask about a break on service cost when I bought the iPad - no discount.  :/

[billybob476]

Again, probably doesn't matter since it's Canada but I pay 60/month for unlimited local voice, unlimited texts and 500 meg data (though I have 1 gig for the next 3 months). I'm going to try and switch providers soon to get Fran and I on a family plan with shared data.

[Feathers]

If it were just me, I would drop texting.  But I text SO much for work - I'm the only fulltime person in the company, so I often communicate with my staff via text.  They text in timesheets sometimes, let me know when they're running late, etc.  I couldn't operate without it.

I've never had a family plan with Verizon (although verizonwireless.com is really pretty accurate if you want to price it out), I did ask about a break on service cost when I bought the iPad - no discount.  :/

See, if that were me, I'd either get a company phone or I wouldn't text anyone. Not at my expense, anyway.

[billybob476]

If it were just me, I would drop texting.  But I text SO much for work - I'm the only fulltime person in the company, so I often communicate with my staff via text.  They text in timesheets sometimes, let me know when they're running late, etc.  I couldn't operate without it.

I've never had a family plan with Verizon (although verizonwireless.com is really pretty accurate if you want to price it out), I did ask about a break on service cost when I bought the iPad - no discount.  :/

See, if that were me, I'd either get a company phone or I wouldn't text anyone. Not at my expense, anyway.

Totally, work related cell phone use over and above your normal plan should be covered! Most plans in Canada these days have unlimited texting.

[Feathers]

Totally, work related cell phone use over and above your normal plan should be covered! Most plans in Canada these days have unlimited texting.

And here... just not mine.

[Jobydrone]

I believe there are free texting apps that can take the place of plans for the iphone.  I've never tried one but I think they make money off of ads.  My wife and I both have iPhones, and as everyone has confirmed, there's no break on data plans for more than one phone.  We pay about $150 a month for our two phones with data, unlimited calling, and texting, really an outrageous amount but neither of us want to give up the convenience of our devices.  I would suggest, especially since you have an iPad, to not bow to the pressure and keep the cheap option since you've been doing just fine for so long.  Get a portable wifi hotspot for your iPad for around $40 a month, a much more flexible option.  Plus you'd have internet for all your devices at a decent bitrate, assuming you have good coverage in Michigan.  That would cost at least an extra $20 per month on an iPhone.

[Jobydrone]

We have unlimited through ATT for our iPhones, but from what I heard on the news this morning, ATT will be eliminating that as well. I use my iPhone a lot for browsing, social networking and some NetFlix (more on my iPad now though). I think that 2GIG should be good though.

What I read was that ATT was not eliminating unlimited service (they already did that for new customers but allowed people that had it to keep it indefinitely for around $5 more a month than their most expensive capped data plan) but instead was going to start throttling the top 5% of users of their grandfathered unlimited plans.  I have no clue how much I use, I imagine its not even close to the top 5%.  I very rarely stream You Tube, Netflix or HBO over 3G because it rarely works well and is mostly an exercise in frustration.

[Rico]

I believe there are free texting apps that can take the place of plans for the iphone.  I've never tried one but I think they make money off of ads.  My wife and I both have iPhones, and as everyone has confirmed, there's no break on data plans for more than one phone.  We pay about $150 a month for our two phones with data, unlimited calling, and texting, really an outrageous amount but neither of us want to give up the convenience of our devices.  I would suggest, especially since you have an iPad, to not bow to the pressure and keep the cheap option since you've been doing just fine for so long.  Get a portable wifi hotspot for your iPad for around $40 a month, a much more flexible option.  Plus you'd have internet for all your devices at a decent bitrate, assuming you have good coverage in Michigan.  That would cost at least an extra $20 per month on an iPhone.

Good advice Joby.  Plus I really think after using the iPad for things like browsing, videos, games, etc. that if I went to an iPhone it would seem awfully small.

[Jobydrone]

Good advice Joby.  Plus I really think after using the iPad for things like browsing, videos, games, etc. that if I went to an iPhone it would seem awfully small.

Also, if you can avoid it, don't renew your contract until you absolutely have to.  That way, when the iPhone 5 or 6 comes out you have the freedom to choose one of those devices at a reasonable cost.  They are about 3x as expensive without a contract.  I hate being tied down to any kind of contract anyway.  I am probably going to wait until the middle or end of 2012 to see what iPhone 6 looks like before I renew.  Hopefully my 3GS works that long.

[Feathers]

One of the reasons I haven't got an iPad is that the overlap with the iPhone is just too great. One or other of them wouldn't get used. For me, the iPhone wins because of the smaller, more 'use anywhere' format.

So...I agree. Do you really need a smartphone?

[Rico]

Does anyone really "need" a smartphone?  :)

[billybob476]

One of the reasons I haven't got an iPad is that the overlap with the iPhone is just too great. One or other of them wouldn't get used. For me, the iPhone wins because of the smaller, more 'use anywhere' format.

So...I agree. Do you really need a smartphone?

The iPhone is with me at all times, I use it more as a communication device (phone, email, skype, twitter, facebook, google+ etc), camera, day planner (via Calendar and hookup to my google calendar) and 'bathroom gaming' device :)

The iPad is more a replacement for a laptop. I use it for 'couch browsing', news reading, more involved casual gaming and I've started taking it along as my main 'computer' on personal trips.

While many of the apps cross over, the form factors and specific features are different enough so that they both have clear uses.

[billybob476]

Does anyone really "need" a smartphone?  :)

No, but Fran used to complain I was always holding my iPhone and now she can't put hers down either! Technically the iPad is hers as well :)

[KingIsaacLinksr]

One of the reasons I haven't got an iPad is that the overlap with the iPhone is just too great. One or other of them wouldn't get used. For me, the iPhone wins because of the smaller, more 'use anywhere' format.

So...I agree. Do you really need a smartphone?

The iPhone is with me at all times, I use it more as a communication device (phone, email, skype, twitter, facebook, google+ etc), camera, day planner (via Calendar and hookup to my google calendar) and 'bathroom gaming' device :)

The iPad is more a replacement for a laptop. I use it for 'couch browsing', news reading, more involved casual gaming and I've started taking it along as my main 'computer' on personal trips.

While many of the apps cross over, the form factors and specific features are different enough so that they both have clear uses.

This is pretty much how I use my devices.  I use them both pretty equally, though the iPhone probably gets a little more usage thanks to its 3G connection, but overall, I use them both and don't regret either (except when I pay that monthly bill for the iPhone....). 

King

[Rico]

The nice thing about the iPad is you can get away with just using it with wireless and not pay crazy high data plan fees and stuff.  I'm still toying with the idea of an iPhone, but that monthly cost is just kind of killer, if you ask me.