[CJSIMPSON]

I currently have a HTC touch on T-Mobile which has just broken, it keeps switching itself off so is knackered . I have 4 or 5 months left on my contract so am now wondering what to do.

I dont nescessarily need the full smarphone function that i currently have, I got it for a trial at work bit havent been too impressed with it anyway the screen gets scratched easily and it is very sluggish.

I really fancy an Iphone so could anyone recommend a safe place to buy one sim free (unlocked), I have seen plenty on Ebay but not sure with that.

I dont use my phone that much as I have a works phone as well, I want a phone that is good for playing music, is thin, can get emails, has a camera and looks pretty nice. Out of that though I would say that the biggest thing is size it has to be thin as I cant do with fat phones in my pocket.

On that basis could anyone recommend a phone to buy unlocked as I dont mind the initial outlay for the phone as it is my birthday in a couple of weeks. I would get the iphone on a new contract now and drop my exisitng contract to as low as i could and run both but I dont want a £35 a month contract as I said earlier I dont use it that much for calls.

[CJSIMPSON]

Anybody here can help me out with the Iphone purchasing or recommend another phone please?

[hutch]

If you want the iphone just buy one from the high street and unlock it yourself, its simple and takes 4 minutes, the instructions are in the forum iphone sticky.

[CJSIMPSON]

You can only buy one for £270 on o2 and £35 per month which is what i want to avoid as I am stuck in my current contract for another 4 or 5 months. There would be no point to signing up to this and then unlocking it to use on another network whilst still paying o2 £35 per month would there???

[hutch]

You dont sign up for any contract when you buy an iphone, hence the fact that so many people unlock them to use with their current contracts!

[RobM]

Why not have a look in the For Sale section here for an iPhone? Should work out cheaper than highstreet prices.

If not, just walk into CarPhoneWarehouse and buy an iPhone, smiling sweetly and nodding when they give you the speech about you going home and activating it

Then get home, update it to the latest version via iTunes, download and run Ziphone using the 'Do It All' option and you're done

[CJSIMPSON]

I didn't realise that, I thought you would have to sign up for the contract at the time of purchase. I might have a look at that after my B'day then. Cheers.

Could anyone here recommend another phone to compare that will fit my bill before I purchase.

[fatal-infection]

I would go for the 8gb N95 or wait for the Sony Xperia which is due out very soon.

[RobM]

I agree with the N95 8GB recommendation. The Xperia isn't out for a while yet though so wont cure your immediate problem, but looks to be a great series.

Definitely check out the N95 8GB though

[CJSIMPSON]

I think the n95 is a little on the thick side, for years I have had thin phones such as v3i and htc touch so the thought of carrying around a phone that thick puts me off a bit although I am tempted as everyone seems to agree it is one of the best phones around but I dont know if i would get on with it. Any thinner alternatives?

[CJSIMPSON]

I have done a bit of looking round today as I have been very busy over the weekend, I might see if T-Mobile will offer me some sort of deal on a handset to stay with them if not I might buy myself out and start a new. If they offer me that though I like the looks of the following:

LG Viewty (not sure about touchscreen now after having HTC touch which i have found poor, would have iphone but the screen on that is totally different)
Sony K850i
Sony W910i
Samsung G800

The trade between the two Sonys would be with music vs pics but can anyone tell me how different the music playing experience would be on these phones? I dont use my phone loads for music or pics just occasionally unless the camera was good enough to replace my proper digital camera but i doubt that.

Other than that can anyone comment on these phones please?

Thanks

P.S. I have just been looking round a bit more and had pretty much settled on the k850i but it seems to have a lot of reliability issues. No one says what these issues are so i dont know what the problems are. Have these been sorted yet or should I look around again? I would have preffered a slightly thinner one than this anyway but seems they are all that size for the improvements.

P.P.S. I can also add to this lsit the w890i

[CJSIMPSON]

Anyones views please.