Cell Phones??

[John Terefenko]

Looks like I am going to have to step up and get a new cell phone according to my carrier. The flip phone I have will no longer be supported. First my computer and now my cell phone. The Geeks are trying to convert me. Was looking at options and was wondering if anyone has this flip phone and if so looking for comments and how large is it? Galaxy Z Flip3 5G. Probably will have to get a holster to carry on the hip. Hate things in pockets. Probably will have to get wifi also.

I am not one of these people who walk around with their phone in their hands all day long. Very seldom use it unless for appointments and family calls. Always give that number out if I need to get call. All others go through house phone where I screen and answer when I feel like it.

Would like to hear any other suggestions and whys. Thanks in advance.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Looks like I am going to have to step up and get a new cell phone according to my carrier. The flip phone I have will no longer be supported. First my computer and now my cell phone. The Geeks are trying to convert me. Was looking at options and was wondering if anyone has this flip phone and if so looking for comments and how large is it? Galaxy Z Flip3 5G. Probably will have to get a holster to carry on the hip. Hate things in pockets. Probably will have to get wifi also.

I am not one of these people who walk around with their phone in their hands all day long. Very seldom use it unless for appointments and family calls. Always give that number out if I need to get call. All others go through house phone where I screen and answer when I feel like it.

Would like to hear any other suggestions and whys. Thanks in advance.Last winter went thru this same set up. Verizon wanted over $100 for a flip phone. Went to Target, and bought a Tracphone for $20. and a 30 day air time card for $20. Unlimited talk and 5 GB of data, which I never use. Ironically Verizon now owns Tracphone, so I'm using same network, and saving almost $20 per month over Verizon's price. Total savings over first year will be around $340 over Verizon.

[Lee Schierer]

Looks like I am going to have to step up and get a new cell phone according to my carrier. The flip phone I have will no longer be supported. First my computer and now my cell phone. The Geeks are trying to convert me. Was looking at options and was wondering if anyone has this flip phone and if so looking for comments and how large is it? Galaxy Z Flip3 5G. Probably will have to get a holster to carry on the hip. Hate things in pockets. Probably will have to get wifi also.

I am not one of these people who walk around with their phone in their hands all day long. Very seldom use it unless for appointments and family calls. Always give that number out if I need to get call. All others go through house phone where I screen and answer when I feel like it.

Would like to hear any other suggestions and whys. Thanks in advance.

Here is a link to the specifications for a Galaxy Z Flip2 5G (https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/galaxy-z-flip3-5g/specs/)b

I casually looked at one a while back at the AT&T store and wondered how long before the folding screen fails.

[Warren Lake]

Never had one but if i join the club ill go for a Smart Phone. Maxwell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eik96tIjAg

[Michael Schuch]

I have been a smart phone user since they came out. That said I don't need (or want) the latest greatest smart phone so I have bought all of my phones used for the past decade. I have purchased 6 used phones through https://swappa.com/buy/phones and only had one problem where a seller sent me a blacklisted smart phone. I had a full refund from swappa the very next day about a half hour after I put the pre-paid postage package in the mail.

All of my family now buys their phones through https://swappa.com/buy/phones and so do many friends. If you can handle being a generation or two behind the bleeding edge you can save a huge amount of money. All of the phones are rated for condition. I always buy very good or mint condition and every phone I have received has looked brand new when I received it.

[Larry Frank]

It is great there are so many options and everyone can get one to fit their needs.

I do have a 1 year old Samsung Galaxy21. It has a fantastic camera that I use a lot. I also use it for reading with the Kindle app. And I listen to audio books with it. It has a great calculator, magnify app, flash light and many others. My wife requires that I carry it when out back for emergency use. I do have a good WiFi that reaches my garage, shop and parts of the yard.

I have also used it for YouTube videos on how to fix things.

I use it for messaging the kids to keep in touch and messages from doctor offices. I wanted the best tool to use.

I am not looking for the lowest cost but the best tool.

[Curt Harms]

It's possible to find classic flip phones that work on current generation phone networks. There aren't a lot and I can't attest to their quality but they do exist. I couldn't get by with a flip phone, I use google maps and text a fair bit. For many people who don't wish to make a statement about fashion or affluence a flip phone is really all they need.

[Steve Demuth]

My wife has long been a cell phone user like you - used the phone rarely, mainly used our land line for calls, and didn't keep the cell phone with her except when she figured she might need it. She had a pre-paid plan from Verizon for a few hundred minutes a year, and never used the whole thing. Well, Verizon dropped that plan, and told her she had to get a 5G phone. I found her a refurbished Google Pixel smartphone, and she signed up for a limited plan from US Mobile that costs about $12/month. A year later, she loves the smart phone. Still doesn't use the phone per se much, as she isn't a big phone talker. But she texts to organize things with the kids and neighbors, uses it to listen to podcasts, which she loves, to audible books, and has a calculator app she uses a lot (she's a weaver, so does a lot of figuring). Eventually, she started using it for most of her phone calls (which are almost all to kids or siblings). Last week, we dropped our land line after 44 years of the same number, because it was never used, and rang all the time with junk calls.

Since I retired, I'm mostly like her. I hardly use my phone as a phone (15 total minutes last month), but it's my calculator, podcaster device, audio book device, how I do my banking, look things up I need to know in the shop, and using Google calendar, keep track of commitments and appointments.

So, my suggestion - get a refurbed smart phone from one generation or so back. It'll work as you need it for a cell phone, but you may well find its other capabilities worth having it around.

[Brian Elfert]

Looks like I am going to have to step up and get a new cell phone according to my carrier. The flip phone I have will no longer be supported. First my computer and now my cell phone. The Geeks are trying to convert me. Was looking at options and was wondering if anyone has this flip phone and if so looking for comments and how large is it? Galaxy Z Flip3 5G. Probably will have to get a holster to carry on the hip. Hate things in pockets. Probably will have to get wifi also.

I am not one of these people who walk around with their phone in their hands all day long. Very seldom use it unless for appointments and family calls. Always give that number out if I need to get call. All others go through house phone where I screen and answer when I feel like it.

Would like to hear any other suggestions and whys. Thanks in advance.

That Samsung flip phone is a smartphone and not cheap. You can still get a traditional flip phone that just makes calls if that is all you need.

[Frank Pratt]

I got a Galaxy S22 Ultra a couple of months ago and like it a lot. That big screen is wonderful, yet still fits nicely in my hand and pockets. I have to have a smart phone because I use it so much for work accessing technical documents, blue prints etc as well as running software.

[Kev Williams]

Verizon sent me a new phone, free, just to replace my old 3g phone. Pretty cool. Don't know what it is, haven't opened it yet, it's going back... I haven't used Verizon for nearly 4 years...

[Gary Ragatz]

Verizon sent me a new phone, free, just to replace my old 3g phone. Pretty cool. Don't know what it is, haven't opened it yet, it's going back... I haven't used Verizon for nearly 4 years...

Maybe you could send it to the OP :)

[Frank Pratt]

I'll add that another thing the less expensive phones won't do is give me high res, high quality pics taken in dark nooks and crannies of buildings and machinery.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

We got new phones about 3 months ago as our old phones only did 3G and it's not being supported everywhere much longer. We ended up buying a couple Samsung S-21's that use 4G LTE which is supposed to be supported for another 10 years at least. I'll soon be 73. If I live another 10 years, I doubt I'll still be using a cell phone. My wife changed from an S-10 and I changed from an S-5. The S-21 was, indeed, a step up in camera, overall speed and functionality! It was certainly cheaper than the current Samsung S-22!

[Rod Sheridan]

We both have iPhone 11’s, and no longer have a home phone.

I have a case for the phone that has a cover that closes over the front to protect the screen, it also has slots for cards, I keep my business cards in there…..Regards, Rod

[John Terefenko]

Last winter went thru this same set up. Verizon wanted over $100 for a flip phone. Went to Target, and bought a Tracphone for $20. and a 30 day air time card for $20. Unlimited talk and 5 GB of data, which I never use. Ironically Verizon now owns Tracphone, so I'm using same network, and saving almost $20 per month over Verizon's price. Total savings over first year will be around $340 over Verizon.
Wow. That is great.

[John Terefenko]

OK another question. With these smart phones they are larger so how is everyone carrying them. I do not believe the back pocket thing works because I can foresee a ripped seat or broken glass. front pockets are out. I need to be able to move freely without those obstructions. Thinking some sort of holster to clip to belt. That is how I carry my flip phone now but it is alot smaller and hardly notice it. I know kids walk around with theirs in their hands at all times because they live on them. Sad world we live in.

[Bill Dufour]

Watch out for free upgrades. We had to go to 4g and Verizon offered to give us free phones that would work. They were free because we were long time customers.
Problem was if you took the "free" phones you were locked into a two year contract with extra umlimited data etc that would cost over $40 a month extra for two phones, forever. No way to drop back to the old plan.
Bill D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I use an Otterbox Defender cell phone case on mine and it comes with a belt clip that you can just snap the phone in and out of.

[Jim Becker]

OK another question. With these smart phones they are larger so how is everyone carrying them. I do not believe the back pocket thing works because I can foresee a ripped seat or broken glass. front pockets are out. I need to be able to move freely without those obstructions. Thinking some sort of holster to clip to belt. That is how I carry my flip phone now but it is alot smaller and hardly notice it. I know kids walk around with theirs in their hands at all times because they live on them. Sad world we live in.
John, for many years, I've used a horizontal holster on my belt for my phone. It keeps the phone handy and also provides a lot more protection than any "pocket" is capable of. As a result, I only use a thin case on the actual phone, too. Personally, I can't stand bulky phone cases. I happen to use Nite Ize holsters which come in several sizes so they can fit the variety of smartphone sizes. The iPhone 13 Plus requires the XL as did the previous two iPhones I've owned which were also "max" sized.

[Curt Harms]

OK another question. With these smart phones they are larger so how is everyone carrying them. I do not believe the back pocket thing works because I can foresee a ripped seat or broken glass. front pockets are out. I need to be able to move freely without those obstructions. Thinking some sort of holster to clip to belt. That is how I carry my flip phone now but it is alot smaller and hardly notice it. I know kids walk around with theirs in their hands at all times because they live on them. Sad world we live in.

That was one reason I bought a Nokia 7.1, It has about a 5 3/4" screen, about 6" X 2 7/8" overall. I find it okay in a front pocket. It's difficult to find something that small anymore. The other good thing about this phone is having Zeiss optics, the camera is great especially for close work. I don't think new model Nokias come with Zeiss cameras which is a shame. Nokia mostly has Android One which guarantees 3 years security updates and 2 years system updates from the time of release not from the time you activate the phone. So buy a model that's been on the market for a while and you don't really get 3 years/2 years. It seems like Google is making an effort to keep Android phones supported with security updates for longer than a couple years. The manufacturers of course think we should be a new phone frequently. I don't get excited about new features, I do like security flaws patched ASAP.

[Frank Pratt]

OK another question. With these smart phones they are larger so how is everyone carrying them. I do not believe the back pocket thing works because I can foresee a ripped seat or broken glass. front pockets are out. I need to be able to move freely without those obstructions. Thinking some sort of holster to clip to belt. That is how I carry my flip phone now but it is alot smaller and hardly notice it. I know kids walk around with theirs in their hands at all times because they live on them. Sad world we live in.

I mostly carry mine in a shirt pocket. Otherwise in my front pants/jeans pocket. Bending, sitting and maneuvering is not affected at all. The S22 Ultra is a BIG phone, but it fits in all my shirt pockets, but I have some shirts without pockets.

[Ronald Blue]

Watch out for free upgrades. We had to go to 4g and Verizon offered to give us free phones that would work. They were free because we were long time customers.
Problem was if you took the "free" phones you were locked into a two year contract with extra umlimited data etc that would cost over $40 a month extra for two phones, forever. No way to drop back to the old plan.
Bill D

That's the opposite of our experience with Verizon. Last December we decided to check out US Cellular because they were advertising they were such a great deal. They weren't! So we did nothing. Our Verizon plan was limited to 10 Gig per month though and we seemed to be bumping that these days. After the 1st of the year I was by the Verizon store and went in just out of curiosity. Surprise surprise! Lowered our bill to just over $100 per month for unlimited data and a new Iphone 13 Max for the wife. It would be even less but we opted for the insurance on her phone for now. They had a big credit on it so we paid the difference on it and she has a new phone. So our bill dropped over $20 per month and gained unlimited data. They had a promotion for "long term customers" that gave a great deal. I don't require a 2 year contract but even if there were that isn't an issue for us. I kept my Pixel 4XL and will probably replace it when the 7 comes out this fall. For me a holster and Otterbox Defender are the way to go for protecting the phone.Some don't like the added bulk but it's an excellent form of protection.

[John Terefenko]

The more I read here the more questions I come up with. First as I said back pocket will not work. The front pocket thing brings up the theory about radiation around the male organs. at one time the big concern with cell phones was brain cancer being so close to ear when used. Is this theory still in play?? I wear jeans alot so front pocket won't work either. They should make pants with side pockets. I do not wear cargo pants. All these decisions for a phone.

[John Terefenko]

John, for many years, I've used a horizontal holster on my belt for my phone. It keeps the phone handy and also provides a lot more protection than any "pocket" is capable of. As a result, I only use a thin case on the actual phone, too. Personally, I can't stand bulky phone cases. I happen to use Nite Ize holsters which come in several sizes so they can fit the variety of smartphone sizes. The iPhone 13 Plus requires the XL as did the previous two iPhones I've owned which were also "max" sized.

Jim your approach seems resonable. Do you have links to both phone and holster. Are there pros and cons with this system that you found. I am looking for something sleek and not bulky that it stands out like a fanny pack. I maybe a Dork but not that Dorky. :)

[Tom M King]

These are the shorts I live in for all the hot months-just slightly more than running shorts with pockets.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MK64RPK/?coliid=I2KMKVU720BF5S&colid=2P8GBP5SU4LS7&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

An iphone 11 pro Max (the big model) in Otterbox Defender cover fits perfectly in the right pocket. I take very few phone calls, even having it set not to ring unless the number is in my contacts list, but use it for many other things, like placing an Amazon order while standing on a scaffold plank up in the air.

[Doug Walls]

Looks like I am going to have to step up and get a new cell phone according to my carrier. The flip phone I have will no longer be supported. First my computer and now my cell phone. The Geeks are trying to convert me.

I recently went through the same ordeal with my old flip phone!

I'm not one to be glued to a cell phone like some people seem to be, but I figured it was finally time to get my first smart phone!
I ended up getting a Motorola One 5G Ace and it's been an on-going battle trying to figure everything out!

Eventually I'll probably get use-to-it! But talk about trying to teach an old dog a new trick!
These smart phones are like mini laptops that can also make phone calls. :eek:

I'm also trying to figure out how to carry one around, most of the time I just leave it in the center console of my car.

Doug

[Ken Fitzgerald]

John, here is a link to a smartphone case. https://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-Defender-Samsung-Galaxy-Ultra/dp/B0979LJBQJ/ref=sr_1_3?adgrpid=1335907192766453&hvadid=83494366425310&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=110194&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83494547005793%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=24658_10677455&keywords=otterbox+defender&qid=1656180297&refinements=p_n_feature_nine_browse-bin%3A2488715011&rnid=2488708011&s=wireless&sr=1-3The clip on the holster rotates IIRC so you can carry the phone horizontally or vertically and the phone easily snaps into or out of the holster. The case remains on the phone to help protect it from damage should it be dropped. It comes with a clear screen protector too, IIRC. I have had 3 different cell phones and have an Otter Box Defender case for each one. Well worth the expense, in my opinion.

[Lee DeRaud]

OK another question. With these smart phones they are larger so how is everyone carrying them. I do not believe the back pocket thing works because I can foresee a ripped seat or broken glass. front pockets are out. I need to be able to move freely without those obstructions. Thinking some sort of holster to clip to belt.
I've got the smallest smartphone Samsung makes (A01). With a thin silicone case, it fits front pocket of my jeans with no problem, standing, seated, in the car, no issues. Did the holster/belt-clip thing a couple phones ago, but it was always interfering with the seatbelt if I tried to wear it in the car.

It's getting harder to find small Android phones, but worst case, iPhone always seems to have one small-screen model.

[Jim Becker]

Jim your approach seems resonable. Do you have links to both phone and holster. Are there pros and cons with this system that you found. I am looking for something sleek and not bulky that it stands out like a fanny pack. I maybe a Dork but not that Dorky. :)

Here's the holster I use for my "extra large" iPhone 13 Pro Max...other sizes are available if you choose a smaller phone.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F36YKFC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This setup has worked for me for many years. As they wear over time, I get a new one for "good clothes" and pass the worn one down to "shop and working around the house" duty. I always have two, in other words. I literally ordered a new one last night as the velcro closure on my "shop and working around the house" holster is getting long in the tooth. I get about a year and a half to two years between purchases and for about $14 I don't cry about it, either. Sherwin Williams paint stores have the XL on sale right now for $12, but I just buy from Amazon for convenience.

You can view iPhones at Apple.com.

[Bill Dufour]

The radiation thing is for emitted radiation when in use. It is not emitting when it is in your pocket, it is only receiving em waves then.
Bill D

[Curt Harms]

I recently went through the same ordeal with my old flip phone!

I'm not one to be glued to a cell phone like some people seem to be, but I figured it was finally time to get my first smart phone!
I ended up getting a Motorola One 5G Ace and it's been an on-going battle trying to figure everything out!

Eventually I'll probably get use-to-it! But talk about trying to teach an old dog a new trick!
These smart phones are like mini laptops that can also make phone calls. :eek:

I'm also trying to figure out how to carry one around, most of the time I just leave it in the center console of my car.

Doug

This is one of the advantages of an unlocked phone. The ones I've looked at come with Google's apps and that's it. No carrier crap. Even Google's stuff is more than I'd prefer but better than the carrier locked phones.

[Curt Harms]

The more I read here the more questions I come up with. First as I said back pocket will not work. The front pocket thing brings up the theory about radiation around the male organs. at one time the big concern with cell phones was brain cancer being so close to ear when used. Is this theory still in play?? I wear jeans alot so front pocket won't work either. They should make pants with side pockets. I do not wear cargo pants. All these decisions for a phone.

I think the radiation fears are overstated, maybe by a lot. This is what my layman self thinks he knows. There are at least two kinds of radiation, ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing radiation is the one you want to limit exposure to - think like X rays and gamma rays. Those are known to have health risks in larger doses. Non ionizing radiation is around us every day. Cell phone radiation is non ionizing and outputs minuscule power. Otherwise the batteries would last seconds or minutes instead of days. Here is easy to understand info on radiation we're exposed to in our daily lives.
https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/nonionizing_radiation.html

[Brian Elfert]

This is one of the advantages of an unlocked phone. The ones I've looked at come with Google's apps and that's it. No carrier crap. Even Google's stuff is more than I'd prefer but better than the carrier locked phones.

You might not get any carrier specific apps with unlocked, but many phone manufacturers put their own interface on top of Android. An unlocked phone generally still has any manufacturer add-ons. The Google Pixel phones are pure Android.

[Jim Becker]

You might not get any carrier specific apps with unlocked, but many phone manufacturers put their own interface on top of Android. An unlocked phone generally still has any manufacturer add-ons. The Google Pixel phones are pure Android.
This is very true in the Android world. There are few choices outside of the Pixel series that is pure Android. If I were ever forced to leave the Apple ecosystem (not going to happen...) Pixel would be my device of choice.

[Michael Schuch]

I switched my service from Verizon to Mint 6 months ago. I have been quite happy with them and their 5g service that runs on the T-Mobile network. I just cut them a payment for $480 for 2 lines at 10Gb a line, unlimited text/calling for an entire year of service. I can cancel and get a remainder of my money back. $20 a month per line is a fraction of what I paid at Verizon for 2GB a month shared data.

This is one of the reasons I never buy a phone from a carrier. I can switch any time I want to.

I love my Top of the line LG V60 that was introduced 2 years ago. I paid $197 for it in Mint condition 6 months ago from a seller on Swappa when we switched from Verizon to Mint. The LG is no longer a bleeding edge phone but I like it considerably better than my daughters Samsung S21.

I gave up on Samsung phones when they dropped support for 1/8" headphone jacks. I also have no interest in phones without a micro-SD memory card slot. I like being able to save a copy of photos on the internal memory as well as the Micro-SD memory card as an instantaneous backup. I could probably run over my phone with my car and still be able to pull the micro SD card out and retrieve all of my snap shots and other important files off of it.

[Lee DeRaud]

I gave up on Samsung phones when they dropped support for 1/8" headphone jacks. I also have no interest in phones without a micro-SD memory card slot. I like being able to save a copy of photos on the internal memory as well as the Micro-SD memory card as an instantaneous backup.
When did that happen? My (admittedly bottom-end) 2021 Samsung A01 has both headphone jack and micro-SD slot.
(The latter isn't obvious: it's on the same slide-out widget that holds the SIM card.)

[Ken Fitzgerald]

We got Samsung S-21s in March. They don't have either a 1/8" jack or a place for a micro-SD card. The S-5 I used prior to the S-21 had both.

[Larry Frank]

There is a small adapter for the USB port to headphone jack. But using Bluetooth is so much easier.

I have the Samsung S21 Ultra and it has 12 GB of memory . I love the phone especially the camera.

The attached picture was taken from inside the house sitting in my lounger, thru the window and 25 feet away.

481819

[Michael Schuch]

I have some high end over the ears real headphones that I really enjoy. LG brags about their high quality DAC's in their high end phones. I agree with them that their high end DAC does sound quite good. Ear buds don't do it for me. A port adapter from USB to 1/8" stereo is WAY too much of a nuisance for me. I honestly can't understand why people would put up with such nonsense!

What really made me angry with Samsung was several years ago when they quit making the phone batteries user replaceable (Galaxy Note 5 era). People may remember how well that worked for them (they ended up buying them all back due to fire liability issues). LG continued with user replaceable batteries for a few years longer than Samsung which is why I switched to LG phones. I usually keep my phones a lot longer than when the next super hyped phone comes out. With user replaceable batteries I didn't have to worry about battery ageing. If a battery gets weak just put a new one in. Unfortunately LG stopped making user replaceable batteries after their LG V20 (my previous phone). Begrudgingly I had to upgrade to a 5G phone 6 months ago or I would still be VERY happily using my old LG V20.

For photographs I prefer a real camera. Phone cameras are good for snap shots which I do appreciate. Over hyped phone cameras with a ton of automated image manipulation is not what a consider a photography instrument. But the computer enhanced snap shots are fine if you are only going to view them on your phone or post them on the internet. When I need to read the motor spec plate which is facing down under my lathe I certainly don't pull out a real camera for such tasks.

Do most android users want an iPhone knock off in their Android phones? This seems to be the direction Samsung is heading and other manufactures are mindlessly following. If I wanted an iPhone experience I would buy a darned iPhone!

[Greg Funk]

The radiation thing is for emitted radiation when in use. It is not emitting when it is in your pocket, it is only receiving em waves then.
Bill DIt it's receiving it's also transmitting. That said, the amount of radiation is miniscule.

[Rob Luter]

iPhone 12. Fits in my pocket well. I use it for calls, texting, and email.

[Curt Harms]

You might not get any carrier specific apps with unlocked, but many phone manufacturers put their own interface on top of Android. An unlocked phone generally still has any manufacturer add-ons. The Google Pixel phones are pure Android.

So are Nokia as far as I know. There are notes and wallpaper apps that I didn't install. I don't know if those are from Google or not. The other pre-installed apps appear to be Google.

[Gustav Gabor]

A few months ago I changed from an Apple product (Iphone 7) to Android. Pain in the a$$ to move all the info, but in this case, well worth it.
I didn't go with the usual Samsung or similar choices though.

I bought a rugged phone, specifically an AGM Glory Pro. (yeah I know, not the best name!)

It's a 5G phone running on Android 11.

It's a big, heavy beast, but has pretty much everything and then some, compared to the top name cell phones.

The selling feature for me was an amazing built in thermal camera, the best available in a phone currently.

It also has a fantastic infrared night vision camera, and the loudest speaker you've ever heard on a phone!!
256GB storage with an expandable SD card slot for a total of 512GB.
Battery life is very, very good, and works down to -27C for a full day, and even at -40C for over an hour.
Has a bright flashlight located at the top of the phone, so it's not as awkward as on most other phones.
Totally waterproof and freezeproof too.

It's not particularly cheap (but cheaper than new Iphones!)

A bit cumbersome to fit in the front pocket, but I got used to it pretty quick. Everyone thinks there's a case on it, but it's all built into the phone.
Since it's usually in my pocket, the thermal imaging camera in the phone has been exceptionally helpful in finding heat loss, finding studs, plumbing vent lines, water leaks, electrical issues, taking thermal pictures of the wife, etc...

Other manufacturers also make cell phones with built in thermal cameras, such as CAT, Blackview, Ulefone, and now Infiray (the maker of the actual thermal imager inside the AGM Glory Pro phone) has come out with their own version, the Infiray PX1.
To my knowledge, the AGM and Infiray have the highest quality imagers built into a phone currently.
Some of those other manufacturers have the Flir imager with the image outlines, which can be quite handy, but the resolution and refresh rate on those are less than half of the AGM and Infiray.

I apologize if this is sounding like a cheesy ad, but so far I'm quite happy with this tank of a phone!
Just thought I'd add phones with thermal cameras into the conversation, in case anyone other than me has a use for such a device....

[Michael Schuch]

I bought a rugged phone, specifically an AGM Glory Pro. (yeah I know, not the best name!)

I apologize if this is sounding like a cheesy ad, but so far I'm quite happy with this tank of a phone!
Just thought I'd add phones with thermal cameras into the conversation, in case anyone other than me has a use for such a device....

I always appreciate hearing about products I have never heard of before and I always appreciate hearing peoples impressions of them. Especially thigs like less than main stream smart phones.

[Jim Becker]

There are indeed some very interesting wireless phones out there with unique capabilities that solve problems for folks. They may not be mainstream, but there are some kewel market niches out there!

[Brian Elfert]

LG stopped selling cell phones a while back. LG is also leaving the solar panel business too. LG says they will support solar panels for the full 25 years of the warranty, but they certainly aren't going to warehouse panels for 25 years.

LG seems to be exiting businesses left and right. I don't know if I would want to buy LG anything right now in fear they would exit the business.

[Gary Ragatz]

LG is also leaving the solar panel business too. LG says they will support solar panels for the full 25 years of the warranty, but they certainly aren't going to warehouse panels for 25 years.

You might be surprised. A number of years ago, I did some work with a household appliance company located in Benton Harbor, MI. In their service parts distribution warehouse, they had replacement parts for 30+ year-old products. They weren't producing/buying new parts for products that old, but had made end-of-life purchases they hoped would meet their commitment to customers. Of course, some stuff won't last that long in a warehouse - they tried to re-use designs for things like seals and hoses and/or design new parts to be backward compatible.

[Brian Elfert]

You might be surprised. A number of years ago, I did some work with a household appliance company located in Benton Harbor, MI. In their service parts distribution warehouse, they had replacement parts for 30+ year-old products. They weren't producing/buying new parts for products that old, but had made end-of-life purchases they hoped would meet their commitment to customers. Of course, some stuff won't last that long in a warehouse - they tried to re-use designs for things like seals and hoses and/or design new parts to be backward compatible.

Thousands of solar panels set aside for warranty would take up a lot of warehouse space for something that would make LG no money. Appliance parts for 30 year old appliances at least get sold for money.

I suspect if there is a solar panel issue that LG would either give the customer money for compensation, or replace the panel with one from another manufacturer. One issue with solar panels is even if LG was to supply a replacement panel in ten years it might not work with the customer's system since panels are producing more watts as the years go by and a panel that works with the customer's equipment might not be available.

[Curt Harms]

We got Samsung S-21s in March. They don't have either a 1/8" jack or a place for a micro-SD card. The S-5 I used prior to the S-21 had both.

But they can make the phone .2 mm thinner that way :rolleyes:.