Recommended cellphone that’s best for emails

I’ve had better luck with Nokia than any other cell phones I’ve owned.

The 5800 Express, which has GPS, still photo and video, and music capabilities is available unlocked from Amazon for $275. It’s a four-band model that works fine in Costa Rica. There’s a GPS package that includes a windshield mount.

This phone has a stylus to use when entering text. If the small keyboards are clumsy in your hand, you might appreciate that feature.

While the styluses (“styli”?) are pretty sturdy, I did find replacements on ebay.

I’m no cellphone expert but it would appear that the iPhone4 will be here soon…

If this is as useful as the other Apple products I use all day long I may well consider getting one…

El iPhone 4 obligará al ICE a mejorar sus servicios y el trato al cliente

[ http://www.nacion.com/2011-04-07/AldeaGlobal/NotasSecundarias/AldeaGlobal2741497.aspx ]

Are there any iPhone users here that can confirm that it’s all A-OK here?

Scott

[quote=”cancertomnpdx”][quote=”jtd2″]Newmanincr,

Here is a link for the list of GSM cell phones certified by Grupo ICE.

http://portal.grupoice.com/wps/wcm/connect/Web%20Content/esp/cattelecom/movil/homol/0gsm

I personally use an unlocked Blackberry phone. You can check eBay, Amazon, or pricetrace.com for prices on factory unlocked GSM phones.[/quote]

Do you just buy a SIM card for a month or so from ICE at the airport when you arrive in Costa Rica? I am interested in the fact you are using a blackberry which must give your email and maybe even SKYPE.

Thanks,
Tom in Portland on a Budget[/quote]

Tom,

The prepaid ICE SIM cards that you buy at the airport don’t give you data access. You have to buy a ‘plan’ for that. Wish they did, I am using one on my 4 year old I-Phone that I purchased in London. However, if you’re in a public WiFi hot-spot (and your Phone is WiFi enabled) you can get your mail that way. Not too convenient, but…it’s something.

I looked at it and was stunned to see that they REQUIRE a proof of income letter from an accountant and some other Big Brother sh*t which I for one will NOT tolerate.

The Costa Rica telephone company has a BIG shock coming to them at the end of the year because Telefonica is going to KICK their proverbial *#&*@#’es

I’ll wait until then…

[quote=”Scott”]By the way, wouldn’t one of those iPad things be easier and better for emails rather than a cellphone?

Is anyone using an iPad here in Costa Rica?[/quote]

Marcia and I brought iPads back from the States last August. We’re absolutely wedded to them. The “virtual” keyboard leaves a bit to be desired, so I do most of my pontificating from the iMac downstairs, but for web browsing, reading e-books from Amazon and the iTunes Store, playing games, and the zillion or so free and low-cost apps available from the App Store, an iPad is a genuine marvel.

You can also download music and movies and videos. With a $29 cable, you can hook the iPad to your TV and play those movies and videos on the big screen.

I can’t imagine life without the thing.

Sue, have you contacted CR Wi-Fi who’s based in Atenas. They’ve been our ISP for a couple of years and we could hardly be more satisfied.

up until a year or so ago I was never an iDevice person. I still use the PC for Word, Excel, etc., but we now have an iTouch, 2 iPhones, an iPad and Apple TV, and with the exception of the Apple TV, the other iDevices are attached to our hip and travel with us everywhere we go! One of the apps we really like is iHeart radio. We can listen to radio stations in Atlanta (where our daughter & family live, Tampa (where we used to live and our son and family still reside) and Houston (where we were raised and my wife’s mom still lives). So we can keep up with all of the “local” news aa well as the national news and talk shows.
The more apps I try, the more I like the iStuff!