Hi all.
I find myself staring down the barrel of some some unplanned spending and thought you might be able give me some food for thought.
While I was killing time window shopping, I dropped my phone on a hard concrete floor and the screen/digitizer is stuffed. I am well aware that if I had been parked up on the grass enjoying the outdoors that I wouldn't be in this mess. Karma right.
Now since then I find myself wavering between blowing big bucks on the latest and greatest, or going cheap on a new smart phone. I prefer Android so am looking at a few options, and wondered if some of the folks here might have some experience with the balance of cost and features.
I use my phone for email, calls, messages, maps/navigation, taking photos, tapatalk, banking, reading e-books, watching movies on budget flights and as a calculator. I don't really play games or do anything particularly creative on it.
Options I have looked at from the cheapest up:
Nokia 520- can get a 2nd hand one for sub $100. new one for $140. No front camera for skyping while travelling but will do most things even with its limited app library.
Fix my old one myself: $180 for the parts and some time to disassemble and reassemble. There is a risk that the fix will not work.
Buy Motorolla Moto G new: $380 Does most things but not well based on the reviews i have read.
Buy my old phone new galaxy s3 I9300: $400
Buy the current Nexus $480 – has 4G and a generally more capable phone with less bloat by all accounts.
Buy the galaxy S5: $740 has some good new features (battery extend mode and IP67 which should make it more robust)
Thoughts? Opinions? Face Punches?