• TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
  • Follow
    • Follow
    • facebook
    • twitter
    • google+
    • instagram
    • youtube
Hearst Corporation
  • TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
Forums
  • Register
  • Login
  • Forums
  • Gadgets
  • Mobile Phones
Help needed choosing right phone
cat_ballou
20-06-2014
Hi everyone, I am not very knowledgeable about mobile phones so be gentle please. I have learned a bit through my recent research so can hoefulyl carry on a conversation about them at least!

I need help ASAP choosing a phone for my teen daughter's birthday. We are on a budget so need to keep the price down.

It is important to her that it have a good camera. I was thinking of choosing the Moto G but some of the reviews say the camera is not that good which has me worried it might not be the right choice.

Does anyone have any suggestions of an android phone that is not too expensive (below £200) that has a decent camera? Or, has anyone got the Moto G and can tell me what the photo quality is like?

Many thanks.
cat_ballou
20-06-2014
Anyone??
IvanIV
20-06-2014
Budget phones are budget for a reason, they can't excel in everything as the premium phones. If you were not limited to Android, I'd say have look at Lumia 1020. It would be hard to find a better camera than on this one.
1saintly
21-06-2014
Moto G will fit youre requirments
moto g photos..
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mo...&bih=983&dpr=1

Unless she is doing photography for a project, then most phone cameras will be ok for her to post on facebook, and look at once then forget about it

Is this a joint choice, does she know shes getting it?

As already said, its a camera/phone/media ctr for less than £200 so if you want perfect pictuers for a college/uni course, forget it.

Does she know shes getting it? Teenagers can be fussy re phones
Zee_Bukhari
21-06-2014
moto g is a good choice, but budget android phones are not always the best specs, but you can always pick up the nokia lumia 920 or a 820 which has an amazing camera both with 8MP camera, the 820 is £145 and has an SD card slot, removable battery and changeable covers for different colours, or the 920 is £199 at Tesco both sim free, but both run on Windows Phone 8/8.1

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nokia-Lumi...item3ce33037b2
IvanIV
21-06-2014
Originally Posted by 1saintly:
“Does she know shes getting it? Teenagers can be fussy re phones ”

Yes, if you don't have the same one as the pack leader has you are not good enough
IvanIV
23-06-2014
This is worth reading http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/fea...y-can-buy.html
Mark in Essex
23-06-2014
Bear in mind that there is a 4G version of the Moto G coming out next week.

It is already available on Amazon as a pre order for £159.

It's 8gb, but has the added benefit of adding a memory card on this one.

I'm sure places like Tesco will do great monthly deals on it (and even SIM free) and also they do free 4G on their packages (as well as the network Three).
dearmrman
23-06-2014
Originally Posted by 1saintly:
“Moto G will fit youre requirments
moto g photos..
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mo...&bih=983&dpr=1

Unless she is doing photography for a project, then most phone cameras will be ok for her to post on facebook, and look at once then forget about it

Is this a joint choice, does she know shes getting it?

As already said, its a camera/phone/media ctr for less than £200 so if you want perfect pictuers for a college/uni course, forget it.

Does she know shes getting it? Teenagers can be fussy re phones ;-)”

Very true, usually has to be the new Samsung Galaxy or Iphone, nothing else will usually do, and all way more than £200.00.

Would the OP trust their daughter with a contract phone? it's worth looking at if you do, then you can compare all the deals and see what is better.
finbaar
23-06-2014
Please recommend me an Android phone. So one Android phone gets a mention which the OP has already found for themselves, buth THREE Windows Phone devices get a nod. Then we get talk of contracts. The OP may not know much about phones but they do know what they want - an Android phone under £200 with a decent camera. Care to answer the question?
finbaar
23-06-2014
Originally Posted by cat_ballou:
“Hi everyone, I am not very knowledgeable about mobile phones so be gentle please. I have learned a bit through my recent research so can hoefulyl carry on a conversation about them at least!

I need help ASAP choosing a phone for my teen daughter's birthday. We are on a budget so need to keep the price down.

It is important to her that it have a good camera. I was thinking of choosing the Moto G but some of the reviews say the camera is not that good which has me worried it might not be the right choice.

Does anyone have any suggestions of an android phone that is not too expensive (below £200) that has a decent camera? Or, has anyone got the Moto G and can tell me what the photo quality is like?

Many thanks.”

OK, the camera on the Moto G is not brilliant - OK in good light but poor in low. It gets bad reviews when compared against high end phones but it is a budget phone, so it is not surprising.

Looking for alternatives to the Moto G is difficult. Remember at below £200 you will have to make compromises. The Sony Xperia SP is nicely built with a good camera and you can pick it up from Phones for U for £190 (plus £10 top up as it is PAYG, it will be unlocked though). The Xperia M2 is a newer mid range Sony but the SP is better imho.

I would be surprised if there is anything else out there worth considering. For me it is a straight choice Moto G (go for the new 4G model) - good battery life, cheaper and will get software updates for some time or Xperia SP – good camera and maybe has it in the looks department.
IvanIV
23-06-2014
Originally Posted by finbaar:
“Please recommend me an Android phone. So one Android phone gets a mention which the OP has already found for themselves, buth THREE Windows Phone devices get a nod. Then we get talk of contracts. The OP may not know much about phones but they do know what they want - an Android phone under £200 with a decent camera. Care to answer the question?”

Be my guest.
AxeVictim
23-06-2014
Originally Posted by IvanIV:
“Be my guest.”

He just did.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showp...0&postcount=11
Miyagi
23-06-2014
Just bought the Moto G for my mom, as I wanted her to have a good, reliable smartphone, easy to use (she is 70!), good enough camera - she loves it.

She was spending about £12 a month previously on a PAYG sim, so I went for a 24 month contract on Tesco at £12.50 a month for her, and I have capped the data / calls / texts (500mbs / 500 mins / 5000 texts) in case she gets carried away, and and am encouraging her to use Skype and Whatsapp as alternatives for communicating with family and friends as she is a bit of a chatterbox
TheBigM
23-06-2014
I'd recommend the Lumia 920 - it can meet your budget as a sub-£200 phone, it has a great camera, especially for video and night-time shots (which teenagers want).

@finbaar - It is Windows Phone rather than Android but I suspect when half the population says "not very knowledgeable about phones" and Android - they are really saying "smartphone that is not iPhone".
dearmrman
23-06-2014
You have a teenage daughter and are getting her a phone for her birthday, and you want help choosing the right phone for her.

Right first thing...IGNORE what everybody has already said they know nothing, the important thing about getting it right is to tell your daughter that you are getting her a phone at no more than £200.00, then let her choose which phone she wants, that way you will not get it wrong.
henrywilliams58
23-06-2014
Originally Posted by cat_ballou:
“Hi everyone, I am not very knowledgeable about mobile phones so be gentle please. I have learned a bit through my recent research so can hoefulyl carry on a conversation about them at least!

I need help ASAP choosing a phone for my teen daughter's birthday. We are on a budget so need to keep the price down.

It is important to her that it have a good camera. I was thinking of choosing the Moto G but some of the reviews say the camera is not that good which has me worried it might not be the right choice.

Does anyone have any suggestions of an android phone that is not too expensive (below £200) that has a decent camera? Or, has anyone got the Moto G and can tell me what the photo quality is like?

Many thanks.”

Is she 13 or 19? That makes a difference.

£200 for a 13 year old's phone seems to me quite an expenditure.

Is her email address gmail or windows or apple?

If she is on gmail she really needs to stick with Android (as you indicated).
finbaar
23-06-2014
Originally Posted by TheBigM:
“I'd recommend the Lumia 920 - it can meet your budget as a sub-£200 phone, it has a great camera, especially for video and night-time shots (which teenagers want).

@finbaar - It is Windows Phone rather than Android but I suspect when half the population says "not very knowledgeable about phones" and Android - they are really saying "smartphone that is not iPhone".”

Yes but his DAUGHTER will known the difference. I would guess she is like my son who insisted on Android for. Dearmrman has actually given the best advice.
VIEW DESKTOP SITE TOP

JOIN US HERE

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Hearst Corporation

Hearst Corporation

DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK

© 2015 Hearst Magazines UK is the trading name of the National Magazine Company Ltd, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 9EP. Registered in England 112955. All rights reserved.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Complaints
  • Site Map