Questions on the unusual use of a smartphone

[Skybird]

I do not own a smartphone, only a simple emergency callphone of cheap - but reliable - kind, a Samsung E1150i.



It now seems to reach the end of its lifespan after I repeatedly abused it (I dropped it twice onto the tarmac), and I consider to replace it.

I used a prepaid card for it. I have no need at all to invest into a regular full contract with monthly fees and data volumina for download, I do not need mobile internet on a cellphone. The attraction value of such things for me is exactly ZERO - What I use, however, is a digital camera sometimes, and sometimes my separate tablet for GPS-based navigation, using a WLAN-exclusively tablet and Osmand with offline maps saved on the device - no online needed that way.

That are two devices, and when I count the cellphone as well, it are even three. Also, when on tour a 7" tablet still is not really small.

I therefore take into account the ioption to get a simple smartphone of smaller size, which offers me a good camera and reliable GPS sensors.

Questions:

1. When I do not put in a sim card, obviously I cannot go online and cannot telephone. Would I however be able to install software on the device via WLAN, like for a WLAN-only tablet? I need to get Osmand onto it, and stored maps for offline use. Effectively I am talking about a WLAN tablet with GPS and camera - just of much smaller size than a 7" device.

2. What if I put in my old card from my old cellphone, the prepaid card? Can I then use a smartphone at least for telephoning (I do not expect and probably would not get online functionality this way) until the cash reserve is all spend?

3. And finally, what cellphone models would be serving my purpose: being accessible via WLAN, offering a good camera at least with 8 Mpix and solid picture quality, and reliable GPS sensors - and being significantly smaller than a 7" tablet while not costing a fortune? Forget the usual high profile suspects, I will never convince myself of spending 500 bucks on a telephone with display and some gimmicks - price should be below 200 Euros, clearly.

As I said, I never cared for smartphones and so do not know much about them, that's where my probably naive questions come from. Being online while mobile is the least of my concerns. Usually, my simple cellphone I have right now is switched off - that much I need mobile connectivity.

[Aktungbby]

I'm using a similar one with decent speakers, a decent camera and I run my business out of it-200 clients...with all the client numbers. It even BlueTooths to my visor speaker so I don't break the law when driving. It is no longer 'supported' by greed driven Verizon so I'm looking for batteries on line. A new problem has arisen in this AM's paper which makes me even more leery of smartphones. http://www.apple.com/customer-letter/ & https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-wants-apple-to-help-unlock-iphone-used-by-san-bernardino-shooter/2016/02/16/69b903ee-d4d9-11e5-9823-02b905009f99_story.html

[aanker]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

........A new problem has arisen in this AM's paper which makes me even more leery of smartphones....

I apologize for not knowing a solution for Skybird and going OT here... (can't resist ; )

I'm thinking all the fuss in the news over Apple not helping with a 'backdoor' into the terrorists iPhone is disinformation to lull criminals into a false feeling of security.

Surely our and most Governments have the means to access everything on 'devices' but doesn't want anyone to know this - for obvious reasons. Just my opinion.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by aanker

I apologize for not knowing a solution for Skybird and going OT here... (can't resist ; )

I'm thinking all the fuss in the news over Apple not helping with a 'backdoor' into the terrorists iPhone is disinformation to lull criminals into a false feeling of security.

Surely our and most Governments have the means to access everything on 'devices' but doesn't want anyone to know this - for obvious reasons. Just my opinion.

I'm not entirely convinced....the news over here in the UK are speculating that ten wrong guesses will activate an auto-lock which will block any further attempts.

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

I'm not entirely convinced....the news over here in the UK are speculating that ten wrong guesses will activate an auto-lock which will block any further attempts.

They won't block future attempts. They will reformat the cell phone, restoring it to factory new. All data would be gone.

After that they can attempt all they want--it won't matter any more. Apple might still retain encrypted backup files in the cloud.

[Skybird]

Okay, since you all have successfully hijacked my original question - tears and feathers for all of you - , this:

if you want to raise your mobile phoning data security, go Jolla. Its a small company from Finland formed by former Nokia employees, and they sell just one cellphone model with its very own OS, Sailfish, I think it is based on Linux, but I am not sure. No data-krakening. No transportation of data to servers in the US. Little attractiveness for hackers to code malware for it. No bloatware. No profiling. But Android apps can be run on it (then inviting the vulnerabilties for Android malware). Full multitasking capability, showing all open processes on one screen. Probably the safest way to buy and use a cellphone currently.

They struggle to increase and maintain market access, however. Too many people still fall for blinking lights and funny sounds and all the spying clown stuff offered by Google and Apple. With 200 bucks, the price is far from the hilarious status symbols that Apple and Samsung demand for their "flagships".

https://jolla.com/

If I would want a smartphone for mobile phoning, I would have a close look at this one.

[Skybird]

WLAN, 8 Mpix camera, GPS and e-compass.
Maybe I should start by having a closer look at it myself, too.

[Rockin Robbins]

Okay, Skybird, apologies for going with the fork there.

First of all, any smartphone has two radios. One is the cell phone network circuitry, working usually with a SIM card to give the phone an identity on that network.

Second, there is a wireless card for computer wireless networks. Each is totally independent. Most phones you can pull the SIM card, taking the device off the cellular network, but totally retain the ability to act as a mini-tablet on a computer wireless network. As a matter of fact I'm not aware of any cell phone that does not work that way. Some phones don't have SIM cards in the US, and there you just turn off the cellular network in the settings menu.

What you are left with is a mini-tablet Wi-fi Internet machine, just as you want. You can still download apps from the Google Play Store and everything just works as long as you have a wireless network to log into. You just can't make cellular calls.

I'm marooned over here in the uncivilized United States so I can't really help on the search for a suitable phone. The Motorola Moto G would be a good choice in the US.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Most phones you can pull the SIM card, taking the device off the cellular network, but totally retain the ability to act as a mini-tablet on a computer wireless network. As a matter of fact I'm not aware of any cell phone that does not work that way. Some phones don't have SIM cards in the US, and there you just turn off the cellular network in the settings menu.

What you are left with is a mini-tablet Wi-fi Internet machine, just as you want. You can still download apps from the Google Play Store and everything just works as long as you have a wireless network to log into. You just can't make cellular calls.

I enjoy reading that! While I assumed that things would be like this, I still was not sure. Its better to know than to be sorry. Thanks.