[noise747]

Making and receiving phone calls
As above but for text
Reading emails, I don't normally reply to them with the phone, I wait until I get home
Looking at facebook when I am having my break at work.
finding the odd bit of info if i am away from my computer
Taking the odd photo

That is about it to be honest.

I did do a bit of online banking, but gave up with that on the phone, use desktop only now. I use a MP3 player now for music, using the phone takes the battery down.

in fact because I do not use as much data as I thought I would I am looking at reducing my data package on the phone and saving me money.

I thought maybe I would use tethering more to connect my tablet, but i don't even use the tablet that often.

the reason why I am not going to replace my Nexus 4 for a few years is because I only use it for basic stuff, so no point in paying out for another phone.

[aurichie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark in Essex

You send text messages on yours.... WOW!

I just use my G5 to make the odd call.

iMessage is a wonderful technology. It's worth the price of the iPhone alone.

[noise747]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aurichie

iMessage is a wonderful technology. It's worth the price of the iPhone alone.

But useless if you want to message someone on another platform. i thought we would have got pass this platform specific message systems by now

[aurichie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

But useless if you want to message someone on another platform. i thought we would have got pass this platform specific message systems by now

Not useless, it just sends the message as an SMS. But thankfully 99% of the people I communicate with after savvy iPhone users.

[de525ma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aurichie

iMessage is a wonderful technology. It's worth the price of the iPhone alone.

How does it differ to Hangouts on Android, or Skype?

It's just instant messaging. It's been around for a long time.

[iGeek2014]

I chiefly use my mobile phone for texting, Internet Banking, maps and Spotify.

Hardly make any calls from it; and whilst I use the camera a lot it's not a replacement for my DSLR.

[noise747]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aurichie

Not useless, it just sends the message as an SMS. But thankfully 99% of the people I communicate with after savvy iPhone users.

so more or less the same thing that hangouts now do on on android phones, not that I ever use Hangouts and still use the old messenger system that came with my phone.

Also I don't pick the people I communicate with because of what phone they have. the people i know have a mix of Android based phones, Blackberry phones, Iphones and none smart phones.

[barbeler]

I can see the benefit of texting because it's useful if you want to leave some written instructions with somebody when they're not available to talk, or when a voicemail might be misheard.

I really can't understand the point of instant messaging though as you might as well just call somebody.

[noise747]

Quote:

Originally Posted by de525ma

How does it differ to Hangouts on Android, or Skype?

It's just instant messaging. It's been around for a long time.

Yep, Yahoo, AOL/AIM, MSN and there is another one I can not think of the name.

Been using this sort of thing since windows 95. come to think of it I think I had something on the Amiga, but that was before the internet and on BBS systems, but it was running on the BBS not on the computer.

[Miss C. DeVille]

I've got a Galaxy S3 mini which has a 4" screen. I like it because it's not too big or too small.

Apart from calls and texts I have apps for getting live transport times, route planning, a few games like scrabble, news papers, Kindle, calendar with reminders, language translation, flashlight, Spotify, some shops, ebay, Amazon, Google Earth and TV catchup. I use all these apps only occasionally, but it's nice to know they're there if I need them.

As I have BT broadband I can use all the free wi-fi hotspots so it doesn't use my data up if I don't want to.

With texting I find it difficult using my fingers so I use a stylus and I've found the predictive text good. Sometimes I use S voice to write texts and that's been pretty good too.

I have used the camera for photos and video and both have come out ok. It's alright for when I forget to take my proper camera out.

[HHGTTG]

Yes but ask yoursel,f would you take your smartphone on a long trek to some isolated place but which has a mobile signal, knowing that their batteries are so short-lived without regular charging.
If I went anywhere like that I would still take my trusty Nokia candy bar phone which has a standby time of many days without looking for the nearest 3 pin socket.
Smartphones are OK for cities and their environs but little else. They are at best trendy fashion accessories but seriously flawed because of their battery life - assuming of course that you don't have a pocket full of spare batteries?

[finbaar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHGTTG

Yes but ask yoursel,f would you take your smartphone on a long trek to some isolated place but which has a mobile signal, knowing that their batteries are so short-lived without regular charging.
If I went anywhere like that I would still take my trusty Nokia candy bar phone which has a standby time of many days without looking for the nearest 3 pin socket.
Smartphones are OK for cities and their environs but little else. They are at best trendy fashion accessories but seriously flawed because of their battery life - assuming of course that you don't have a pocket full of spare batteries?

Absolutely. Smartphones are now the most esential tool of modern life and certainly not a "trendy fashion accessories" - what a ridiculous ststement. Mine comes with me when I am fell running. It acts as my complete navigation tool thanks to the great mapping apps you can now get. And when you are in the middle of nowhere it is very simple to have a charging brick in your pack so there are no problems about battery life.

[barbeler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by finbaar

Absolutely. Smartphones are now the most esential tool of modern life and certainly not a "trendy fashion accessories" - what a ridiculous ststement. Mine comes with me when I am fell running. It acts as my complete navigation tool thanks to the great mapping apps you can now get. And when you are in the middle of nowhere it is very simple to have a charging brick in your pack so there are no problems about battery life.

They can't be that essential as I can rarely be bothered to lug mine around. Mine's too big to fit comfortably into the pocket of my jeans, so where on earth do people put them?

I must admit that I'd be tempted to take it with me next time I'm out fell running with my charging brick.

Brick? WTF?

[lem ramsay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lidtop2013

Out of interest what do you watch on Dailymotion that you can't find on YouTube? I thought YT had everything lol

I personally found some videos were removed on YouTube, but can still be found on Dailymotion :P

[HHGTTG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbeler

They can't be that essential as I can rarely be bothered to lug mine around. Mine's too big to fit comfortably into the pocket of my jeans, so where on earth do people put them?

I must admit that I'd be tempted to take it with me next time I'm out fell running with my charging brick.

Brick? WTF?

Ha, Ha. Yes, a great reply when you're out in the styx with you so essential phone showing less than 10% charge left - still, where's my brick?

[McTeagle]

I use mine for:

Calls
Texts
Personal e-mails (I refuse to have work e-mail on there)
Skype

Facebook
Twitter

Spotify - I connect it to a boombox at home or my car stereo through Bluetooth
TuneIn Radio - same thing for internet radio
Shazam

YouTube
Sky Go

Google Maps for sat nav
CamerAlert app for speed cameras

Amazon
eBay
Kindle

Banking apps

Camera

London Tune and Bus status app

Football club app
Football live scores

Plus a couple of game and leisure apps - Pool Master Pro and FlightRadar24, for example.

If I only used my phone for calls and texts, then I would have a bog standard Nokia that lasted for ever on a single charge.

I'd find it very difficult to go back now. I do have an extended battery though, so I'm rarely out of charge. I'd also agree that my phone is pretty essential to my daily life, although I could function perfectly adequately without it. Adequately - not brilliantly.

[TheBigM]

I use mine for email, whatsapp and twitter primarily.

Other things I do:
1. Listen to podcasts
2. Listen to music through the free Nokia MixRadio
3. Read the news using Bing News app
4. Sports updates using Bing Sports
5. Train times using National Rail app
6. Transport for London (bus, tube stuff) using London Travel
7. Weather forecast (check in the mornings before I leave the house so I know whether to take brolly or not) using Bing Weather
8. Mobile banking
9. Radio using TuneIn radio app - sound quality is digital, much better than FM radio
10. App related to TV shows
11. Facebook
12. Browsing the web
13. Reading my favourite websites
14. Satnav - Here Drive+
15. General mapping - Here Maps
16. Social networking using snapchat and instagram
17. Tinder (occasionally)
18. Reading docs or books (occasionally)
19. Buses using Buses Due
20. Calendar
21. Camera
22. Calculator
23. Hailing taxis using apps like addison lee, kabbee and Uber
24. Professional networking - LinkedIn
25. SMS
26. Phone calls
27. Beaming photos and videos to my TV or laptop
28. Taking notes
29. Splitting bills with friends
30. Controlling presentations with Office Remote

There you go: about 33 uses using about 45 apps.

[zantarous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbeler

I've tried to collate those suggestions into a single box so I hope it works.

Some of those are interesting, for instance web browsing; my Lumia 520 isn't one of the smallest phones, yet I still find the screen far too small to view any websites properly. The idea of watching a video on it seems very strange. Surely it can't be enjoyable - after all, that's why most people seem to buy the biggest TV they can afford.

p.s. It would have taken me an hour to type this on my Lumia keyboard

It sounds like the device you bought is just too small, my Mrs has a 520 as a work phone and it is tiny. I have a Note 3 and that is like 5.6". The screen is gorgeous I can look at most websites with ease.

I use mine to watch a lot of video, even when I had a iPhone many years ago the 3.5" screen was huge compared to my old Sony Ericsson walkman phone. People may by the biggest TV but they can't lug it around with the when out and about, I watch video on my commute to work and even streamed World Cup matches on my way home from work.

I pretty much use my phone for just about everything:

Web surfing,
Banking,
Booking tickets,
Travel info,
Train time table,
Tube departures,
Bus countdown for when the next bus is due,
GPS map directions,
Restaurant bookings,
Messaging friends,
Skype,
Facebook,
Email both personal and work,
Reading books,
Listening to music,
Netflix, YouTube, TV catch Up, Virgin Media TV Anywhere
Games,
Reading the news,
IMDB look ups,

The list is probably endless.

Text entry can be a issue if you don't use something like Swype, that really helps typing fast, it may seem weird at first but I can compose long text and emails really fast now. If you don't know what swype is have a look here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ-RAefCG_c

They are pretty much portable computers now and a large one can almost double as a tablet.

[cnbcwatcher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lidtop2013

Out of interest what do you watch on Dailymotion that you can't find on YouTube? I thought YT had everything lol

There are a lot of episodes of TV shows that might have been removed from YT but have been uploaded to Dailymotion. That's what I sometimes use it for.

[whoever,hey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aurichie

Not useless, it just sends the message as an SMS. But thankfully 99% of the people I communicate with after savvy iPhone users.

That platform is so useless, not everything you send even gets to them. I bet you thought it did. Pictures are the worse culpret, but it even happens with text.

You are deluded if you think its good.

[Alan1981]

Calls,texts sat nav and taking photos. With the odd bit of web surfing thrown in.

[Anika Hanson]

I use mine for the following:

Listening to music, podcasts and audio books

Watching Videos e.g YouTube, Netflix, videos ripped from DVDs etc (use my tablet more though)

Email

Web surfing

Reading the news

Shopping

Online banking

Alarm clock

Calender / organiser

Making notes

Checking the weather.

Playing games

Calls/messages

Facebook

Camera and photo editing.

GPS, checking train times etc.

Remote control for my TV, Blu Ray player, Apple TV, Chromecast etc

Storing files.

Calculator

Reading books and comics (use my kindle and iPad more though)

Torch

[Summer Breeze]

I use my to make calls and texts and do watsapps and take photos.
It is a smart phone with internet in the package I have, but I never use it.
The camera on it is so good for a little thing.

[noise747]

Quote:

Originally Posted by finbaar

Absolutely. Smartphones are now the most esential tool of modern life and certainly not a "trendy fashion accessories" - what a ridiculous ststement. Mine comes with me when I am fell running. It acts as my complete navigation tool thanks to the great mapping apps you can now get. And when you are in the middle of nowhere it is very simple to have a charging brick in your pack so there are no problems about battery life.

But what about if you are there for a few days? My old Nokia 3310 battery lasted for almost a week.

I think I could cope without my smart phone, in fact i have when i have gone away with friend for a couple of days because there is no signal there or not enough to worry about, may just about get a text off if need be.

I am looking at lower my package to save a bit of money, i get about 750MB of data at the moment, I don't use a quarter of that, so I will be finding something a bit cheaper and with less data.

[neo_wales]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

But what about if you are there for a few days? My old Nokia 3310 battery lasted for almost a week.

I think I could cope without my smart phone, in fact i have when i have gone away with friend for a couple of days because there is no signal there or not enough to worry about, may just about get a text off if need be.

I am looking at lower my package to save a bit of money, i get about 750MB of data at the moment, I don't use a quarter of that, so I will be finding something a bit cheaper and with less data.

A lot of 'outdoor' types take a battery bank(s) with them. I use them to power an android tablet when out using small ham radio rigs (I run a data base on the tablet). 50,000 mA/h will charge your smart phone many times.