HTC Diamond vs. Touch vs. Samsung Instinct for Older Person

**drexappeal** · #1 (**permalink**) 09-01-2008, 05:54 PM

What's up everyone. I'm hoping some of you can provide me some insight.

With the Diamond about the be released, I was considering purchasing that for my Mom, who wants something similar to an iPhone, but she is not exactly the most "technically" savvy.

That being said, if you were to purchase a phone (out of the three above) for your Mom that doesn't know much about technology, which phone would you get for her?

Most importantly, she'd want a phone that she could text with, email with (gmail) and be fairly easy to use. I'm wavering between the Instinct and the Diamond, but when I say it has to be "easy" use, just imagine how you were before you learned anything about computers and you had to learn what everything does (but didn't have the memory to remember anymore). That's the easiest way I could describe the ideal phone purchase for my Mom.

Thanks in advance for any input you might have.

**darren.wlsn1** · #2 (**permalink**) 09-01-2008, 06:01 PM

my mom is exactly the same way. gave her my instinct i had. i only used it for 3 days and she loves it. gps is great plus everything she needs is already on phone. price is right also. if money isnt an issue get the iphone.

**drexappeal** · #3 (**permalink**) 09-01-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darren.wlsn1

my mom is exactly the same way. gave her my instinct i had. i only used it for 3 days and she loves it. gps is great plus everything she needs is already on phone. price is right also. if money isnt an issue get the iphone.

Well, it's not necessarily money that is an issue, it's more "convenience." I pay for my parents lines and they're under my account, so that they don't have to worry about that bill and can get my discount (through the corp. I work with).

Nontheless, is texting/email easy to use on the Instinct?

PocketPcUser · #4 (**permalink**) 09-01-2008, 06:53 PM

Personally, I am always a WM-fan.. There is just so much that a user can grow up with, that you start to realize the device's true potential. I have no clue what Instinct is running off of, but it seems that it just is a glorified GPS/Phone with some multi-media features. Still, I never knew all of the stuff that my 6700 could do when I got it at first, but after 4+ years almost with WM, I am soo glad I didn't go for convenience or simplicity. Don't get me wrong, WM is pretty simple and WM6.1 handles Mobile Email very very well.. I'd just get her the Diamond Pro, and get a good backup program, Spb Backup for example, and have her use this: http://www.scheduleworld.com/ to backup her contacts and notes/tasks/calendar, so it is always up-to-date. Both Spb Backup and the sync-client I mentioned above can be setup to be automatic. So, maybe that is something you'd find helpful.
Andrew,

**drexappeal** · #5 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PocketPcUser

Personally, I am always a WM-fan.. There is just so much that a user can grow up with, that you start to realize the device's true potential. I have no clue what Instinct is running off of, but it seems that it just is a glorified GPS/Phone with some multi-media features. Still, I never knew all of the stuff that my 6700 could do when I got it at first, but after 4+ years almost with WM, I am soo glad I didn't go for convenience or simplicity. Don't get me wrong, WM is pretty simple and WM6.1 handles Mobile Email very very well.. I'd just get her the Diamond Pro, and get a good backup program, Spb Backup for example, and have her use this: http://www.scheduleworld.com/ to backup her contacts and notes/tasks/calendar, so it is always up-to-date. Both Spb Backup and the sync-client I mentioned above can be setup to be automatic. So, maybe that is something you'd find helpful.
Andrew,

Thanks for your input. Thing is when I say she is not technologically savvy, I'm not exaggerating whatsoever. The Touch Pro would be WAY over her head and the Diamond (I'm thinking) would be wayy over her head as well. Only reason I'd consider getting her a Touch Diamond would be if it is as "simple" or easy to use as something like the Instinct.

Anyhow, for those of you that have had or will have experience with the Diamond or Instinct, would you chime in to let me know? The more "rudamentary" the phone is, that is as close to the iPhone as possible, would really be the "ideal" option.

Elephant Rider · #6 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 04:06 AM

Honestly, if I was getting a 'cool' phone for my mom, I would probably tell her to stick with a land line

But for real, for simplicity's sake for someone who is not on the technical side of things, I would go for the Instinct. My girlfriend has one and I've played around with it. Lots of features (for a basic phone), easy to use and pretty simple. What you see is what you get. It's fun to play around with for a while and pretty easy to get the hang of and learn how to use. Exactly what she wants in a phone. Everything you mentioned that your mom would want to do with the phone is pretty simple on the Instinct. To me, a WM phone is more for people who want to do a lot with/to their phone and don't have a problem spending the time and effort to do it. Which is exactly the reason I got a Touch over the Instinct. I get bored with the simple phones pretty quick anymore.

This opinion comes from someone who just recently popped their WM cherry. I got a Touch a few days ago and it's my first my WM phone. I love it. I'm a WM convert now. But I wouldn't even suggest a WM phone to my parents. They do pretty good to be able to check the voicemail on the simple phone they do have. It's odd to me... But the thought of either of them trying to work a WM phone is not something I want to witness, nor teach. And I know it's not hard... it's just too many options for them.

edit: Oh yeah, I also wanted to mention that the on-screen keyboard on the Instinct is big and seems pretty easy to hit the right keys. I don't know if that's a factor for your mom or not.

**drexappeal** · #7 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephant Rider

Honestly, if I was getting a 'cool' phone for my mom, I would probably tell her to stick with a land line

But for real, for simplicity's sake for someone who is not on the technical side of things, I would go for the Instinct. My girlfriend has one and I've played around with it. Lots of features (for a basic phone), easy to use and pretty simple. What you see is what you get. It's fun to play around with for a while and pretty easy to get the hang of and learn how to use. Exactly what she wants in a phone. Everything you mentioned that your mom would want to do with the phone is pretty simple on the Instinct. To me, a WM phone is more for people who want to do a lot with/to their phone and don't have a problem spending the time and effort to do it. Which is exactly the reason I got a Touch over the Instinct. I get bored with the simple phones pretty quick anymore.

This opinion comes from someone who just recently popped their WM cherry. I got a Touch a few days ago and it's my first my WM phone. I love it. I'm a WM convert now. But I wouldn't even suggest a WM phone to my parents. They do pretty good to be able to check the voicemail on the simple phone they do have. It's odd to me... But the thought of either of them trying to work a WM phone is not something I want to witness, nor teach. And I know it's not hard... it's just too many options for them.

edit: Oh yeah, I also wanted to mention that the on-screen keyboard on the Instinct is big and seems pretty easy to hit the right keys. I don't know if that's a factor for your mom or not.

Awesome. Exactly what the type of response I needed. As much as I know the Diamond will be a better device overall, I'm just trying to figure out what would be most "ideal."

Believe me, I really wish I could just tell my Mom to stick with a land line, but she's very progressive. Although she has absolutely NO clue about technology, she's still fascinated by it and wants to learn about it and wants all the cool new "fads" when it comes to technology...but I also don't want to take half a day trying to teach her how to text on the phone or use her email (which I'd have to program for her)...LOL.

Vertigo · #8 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drexappeal

but I also don't want to take half a day trying to teach her how to text on the phone or use her email (which I'd have to program for her)...LOL.

That remind me when I gave my Mom her first computer... Me and my great ideas...\

Go with the Instinct! less teaching for you!

**drexappeal** · #9 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo

That remind me when I gave my Mom her first computer... Me and my great ideas...\

Go with the Instinct! less teaching for you!

OMG...Don't even get me started on when I bought her a laptop. Just to give you an example, this was one of her questions regarding her AOL account, "How come I can't find my AOL email?"

My response..."Mom, you have to open Internet Explorer and type the website in www.aol.com."

My Mom's response..."What is Internet Explorer?"

Even though I've explained the difference between a "web browser" and a "program" to her over and over again AND wrote down the definitions, it still hasn't sunk in for her. Although, I really can't blame her because considering her age (70), I'm just glad that she is still completely functional on her own and still interested in learning about "new things."

Elephant Rider · #10 (**permalink**) 09-03-2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drexappeal

Awesome. Exactly what the type of response I needed. As much as I know the Diamond will be a better device overall, I'm just trying to figure out what would be most "ideal."

Believe me, I really wish I could just tell my Mom to stick with a land line, but she's very progressive. Although she has absolutely NO clue about technology, she's still fascinated by it and wants to learn about it and wants all the cool new "fads" when it comes to technology...but I also don't want to take half a day trying to teach her how to text on the phone or use her email (which I'd have to program for her)...LOL.

Glad I could help.