Good phone to take around the world?

shuffles03

I'm off in October for a year travelling around the world and I'm looking for a good phone to take with me. The idea is to carry an unlocked phone with me and to buy credit sim cards throughout my trip. Any suggestions? I'm thinking a Nokia but not sure what model. I used to have an iPhone so the more features the better.

El Soarab

Something dual sim, not too expensive so as not to be a target for robbing.
Many dual sim phone's dont have features like Wifi, VoiP & the ability to run some maps application.

Where do you plan to travel to? if you are going very remote I would recommend a satellite phone

blaz

OP, which countries will you be visiting? At the least you will need a quad band phone and if you want to make it work in South Korea and Japan it will have to be 3G as well. Most modern phones should fit that description.

drunkmonkey

You need something, durable and easy to replace. A smartphone is too connected, you'll be travelling but you'll never really get away for the year with one.

Don't laugh but the top phone I'd pick for traveling is a Nokia 5140i. Pretty indestructible, good battery, flashlight, compass, safe for the beach, easy replaced, cheap, easy to get parts anywhere and retro cool.
You'll have more of an adventure with the Nokia. The smartphone will take the fun out of it.

shuffles03

Heading to India , Thailand, Bali, NZ, LA. I was thinking of the N8 but not sure. Yeh maybe something really retro would be cool and funny! Maybe an old Nokia 7110 or if I'm feeling fancy an N91?

kirving

I'd go with an N8 too. I love the mapping capabilities of it, which make it great for travelling around. I'd more durable than an iPhone, has a great camera if you don't want to carry another one on smaller excursions, can connect to USB keys (Camera card into phone, upload everying to SugarSync or similar when you find a wifi hot-spot in case you lose anything), can connect to a HDMI tv to watch movies you have on it.

I wen't interrailing with an N85 and used the maps every single day to find new places. With Android or iOS, you'll need a data-connection for maps on the go, which you won't have abroad.

Battery life is ok, for a smartphone. You can also charge over USB, or a normal Nokia charger, or even with one of Nokia's range of battery powered charges if needs be.

It doesn't have a light though, which could come in handy sometimes. Apps aren't as plentiful as iOS or Android, for sure, but all the main things you need are there for free.

For travelling, I can't think of a better smartphone.

shuffles03

Kevin Irving wrote: »

I'd go with an N8 too. I love the mapping capabilities of it, which make it great for travelling around.

This was one of the reasons I was thinking of getting an N8. It would be a lot easier to just pick up credit sim cards wherever I go. Will the N8 accept local sim cards and work in India, S.E. Asia, NZ and the states?

shuffles03

Got an N8. Loving it so far (especially the vibration in the screen when you type a letter) although I haven't figured out the best setup on the phone yet. Don't think all my settings are in properly yet. Looking forward to the free maps.

The N8 is streets ahead of my old iPhone. Using one of these now, my iPhone seems like a really dumbed down piece of kit.