I'll be traveling later this year and I would like to be as in touch with other people as I can be. I want a mobile device that allows me to contact my family in the states as well as people I know throughout Europe. It would be great if the device also had a fairly decent camera on it so that I don't have to pack a completely separate device(Trying to do this with a carry-on). I've looked into various cell phones, but I don't know what the best option is. I'm not massively techy, so $800 on a phone doesn't seem terribly practical to me.
Really, I just want a good camera and the ability to, if needed, call and/or text internationally (whether I have Wi-Fi or not).
Nothing is set in stone. What has worked for you?
Posted by
Orange Park, Fl
985 posts
Hi Katie - you might check to see if this will fit your need. mobal
I'd go with the deluxe phone and sim. Keep the data turned off unless you need it and I would think 1 GB would be plenty.
I myself have an older windows phone that I use daily. I take it with me, turn the data off, and use wifi to look things up, make phone calls using whatsapp or communicate through facebook messenger.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
I have an iPhone 6s that I use here all day, every day. Has an excellent camera built in. I'm a die-hard Apple product fan. I buy a SIM card when I get to Europe which is quick and easy, install it and I'm all set.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
Katie, what do you use to keep in contact now? Land line? Email ? Do you own a camera you like ?
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you all for the quick replies! I'm looking at the Mobal site now and seeing what my options are. Right now, I have a cheap phone that allows me to text and call whomever as long as their in the U.S. The fees for international texting/calling are just so high that I thought there had to be a better way. I also have a camera that I like, but it would be ideal to have a two-in-one so that I'm not carrying around multiple devices/chargers/etc.
Posted by
866 posts
Have you tried here?
Posted by
4622 posts
iPhones will text any iPhone for free with WIFI. Whatsap will text any Whatsap account for free with WIFI. I never needed more than that.
Posted by
Royaume-Uni nul points, pas plus
2557 posts
The best value smartphone is the Moto G5. Using the Android operating system it will do everything you want at a fraction of the price of an iPhone.
You then either take an American SIM with your US number to Europe (shop around for the best international plans) or buy a SIM(s) for whichever countries you visit in Europe.
Services such as Skype and WhatsApp, among many others, allow free calls and texts over Wi-Fi.
Posted by
Eugene, Oregon...Formerly Ventura, CA
2261 posts
I agree with two others on the iPhone 6s and WhatsApp. Simple, great camera for stills and video, does other things that are very handy for a traveller-a compass, for example. Even a used iPhone, like a 4s or a 5...(not a 4) can be had inexpensively and can give good results. If you intend to take LOTS of photos, you'll want to be aware of storage space on the phone, or perhaps the cloud. Note that very low light situations can be a challenge for a cellphone camera.
Posted by
San Francisco area
1844 posts
Just to clarify on skype calling. It's free to other Skype accounts but charges 2.3 cents per minute to call US landlines and mobile numbers on a pay as you go service. It doesn't seem to work well when internet service is slow (as in some hotels).
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
For someone in your position I would look into a used Nexus phone such as a 5 or 5x. You should be able to get one for less than 300 bucks, some a lot less, and there would also be resale value after the trip. The camera is decent though no substitute for a real photographer.
Here's why Nexus: You could also get Project Fi, simple and cheap service that also works in Europe. The base charge is $20/mo plus $1 for every MB of cellular data that you use. You can use a dedicated app like whatsapp for texts, or just regular sms texting. With Fi, if you are on wifi there is no additional charge for a text.
If this isn't good enough for some reason, then you probably should plan to spend more.
Posted by
San Francisco area
1844 posts
Regarding project fi, I hope that's a typo. $1 per MB would be very expensive.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
@rocket: Yes, my bad. It's $10/ GB, but prorated, so you don't pay for data you don't use.
Fi is only available on Nexus and Pixel devices now, which is why I thought a used nexus would be a good pick for Katie.