# Help pick my next cell phone **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 23, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856 "2008-02-23T16:25:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/1 "2008-02-23T16:25:50Z")
For my next phone, I have exactly one requirement: I demand to be able to hook it to my computer and put whatever goddamn audio file I want on it to use as a ring tone. In the “it would be nice” category, I prefer non-flip phones. My first 2 phones were flip phones and both started to fail at the hinge, so now I’m leery. Discuss. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/2 "2008-02-23T17:24:07Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] For my next phone, I have exactly one requirement: I demand to be able to hook it to my computer and put whatever goddamn audio file I want on it to use as a ring tone. In the “it would be nice” category, I prefer non-flip phones. My first 2 phones were flip phones and both started to fail at the hinge, so now I’m leery. Discuss. [/QUOTE] I think people will need to know what service you’re with. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/3 "2008-02-23T17:25:24Z")
I’m with Sprint now, but my contract is ending. I’m planning on going Verizon. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/4 "2008-02-23T17:54:24Z")
If you want to upload your own ring tones, don’t go with Verizon. All their phones are locked. The only ring tones you can get are the ones you buy from them. (Yes, I know about BitPim and hacking your phone, I assume the OP does not want to go to the trouble of hacking his phone to do it.) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/5 "2008-02-23T18:02:12Z")
[QUOTE=Rico] (Yes, I know about BitPim and hacking your phone, I assume the OP does not want to go to the trouble of hacking his phone to do it.) [/QUOTE] I’m comfy with BitPim. I’ve tried to use it on my current phone, but my current phone doesn’t seem to accept anything but it’s own proprietary sound file format. I want something I can drop MP3s or WAVs or OGG or whatever onto. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/6 "2008-02-23T18:06:30Z")
I have great service in the Charlotte area with Alltel. I have an LG AX-380 (Wave) that plays MP3s. It’s a snap to configure your own ringtones. It is a flip phone though. ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/7 "2008-02-24T01:43:06Z")
You actually have quite a few choices. What provider are you with? I can give you a few examples we have at T-mobile. The Blackberry pearl, blackberry curve and the Samsung beat to name just a few. All are candy bar style (what we call non flip phones) and have really nice high end sound systems. If you can give me an idea of what price range you want to be in and any other needs I can provide you with a suitable list of phones I recommend. (If you don’t happen to be with T-mobile I can call a few of my old contacts from other providers and get their thoughts too) ---
**Author:** ![t-mobileguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@t-mobileguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-mobileguy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/8 "2008-02-24T01:45:59Z")
OK didn’t see you were going with Verizon when I replied. I’m going to go with ditch the V. Their phones are notoriously hard to get to work with outside music. I don’t personaly work with Verizon but thats just my .02 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/9 "2008-02-24T05:19:39Z")
Here’s a popular article on using the[Verizon Razr V3M with your PC](http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=947130) … by umm… a bad, bad man with too much time on his hands. I mean he used Hello Kitty as an icon for God’s sake. What was he thinking! ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/10 "2008-02-24T05:22:21Z")
I’m a BlackBerry convert and I use T-Mobile. It’s very nice. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/11 "2008-02-24T06:09:56Z")
[QUOTE=Rico] If you want to upload your own ring tones, don’t go with Verizon. All their phones are locked. The only ring tones you can get are the ones you buy from them. (Yes, I know about BitPim and hacking your phone, I assume the OP does not want to go to the trouble of hacking his phone to do it.) [/QUOTE] I have a Verizon phone (the Gleam) and when I wanted to use my own music as ringtones I just sent the mp3 to the phone through [PhoneZoo.com](http://PhoneZoo.com). The service is completely free, it just costs .25 to send a Picture Message. I have a ringtone on there now that is an mp3 with vocals and it sounds as almost as clear on the phone as it did on the computer. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/12 "2008-02-24T06:19:00Z")
With Verizon, you can email a file to your phone using [Your10DigitPhoneNumber@vzwpix.com](mailto:Your10DigitPhoneNumber@vzwpix.com). But still I second not going with them. I have looked at all the tutorials for unlocking my phone (LG VX8300). None of the online tutorials using bitpim seem to work anymore. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-pick-my-next-cell-phone/438856/13 "2008-02-24T19:09:24Z")
Thanks, all. This sounds like a real bummer.