I'm on a Tracphone and mostly satisfied. Best feature is the cost. I pay about $100 per year and the minutes roll over. I did the extra cash up front for "lifetime" double minutes... that is life of the phone. First phone I had was not very good... second was more expensive and more powerful. At the moment I have over 2000 minutes because I don't use them all... may have wasted my money on the double thingy. Downsides! They will kick you off the air if it is busy. Not dropped... they just won't let you call or it will say "emergency only". Most of the time it works just fine but not at all during lunchtime when everyone is calling someone. Texting is poor because of the cheap phone but it does allow it. Texting is popular around here because we have weak signal and text will go when voice won't. I think they ding me 1/2 minute per text. I don't use it much but it is a nice option... helps to have a friend that will let you send a couple practice texts while learning how. I really like the voice mail! My home voice mail was often a pita... machine broke or ran out of room. Almost worth the phone just to have the mail. Tracphone has some really cheap phones. About $15 should get you the lowest which comes with a few starter minutes. If it works for you they have better phones available on the website. If you buy minutes for the cheap phone then get a better one they will transfer but that deactivates the old phone. I will probably watch this thread as I'd like something a bit better. Just waited 90 minutes to make an important call because the airwaves were "congested". Suppose the call got made... and emergency service was available if that had been the situation. : ) lyra

Any of the cellular phone companies will want to talk to you. I have had cell service with three different companies in Southern Maryland. All offer voice mail. With differing levels of service, I would say that Verizon had the best coverage for midatlantic region... Val

1. There will be a sense of disconnection Smartphones have dramatically changed the way we communicate with other people. They made it easier and more accessible. Technology used to limit us as we were forced to languish in front of a landline while waiting for a call. Today people have become much closer to each other. Now, in order to talk with the desired person, a couple of touches on the smartphone are enough. However, the absence of this miracle gadget will make you feel separated from the world, which often leads to an acute feeling of loneliness. In addition, you may succumb to incessant boredom. 2. It will become harder to navigate without GPS The days of people using maps to get to the right place are almost gone. All smartphones are equipped with GPS, which helps us to reach our destination without much difficulty and wandering. Life has actually become much easier thanks to GPS, because this navigator shows us the right direction right down to the smallest turn. Therefore, in the absence of access to the global system, many people will not be able to correctly and quickly navigate in an unfamiliar area. Navigators have become such an integral part of our lives that most travel enthusiasts and those who often go on business trips can hardly imagine their lives without a smartphone with its indispensable GPS.

This isn't a phone brand issue ... this is a battery issue. I've had a Macbook battery that did a partial melt ... my ipad battery is having issues ... my sister had a macbook battery that also charred ... so you should all probably get rid of your Apple products too! My son was also recently having battery issues with his Google phone overheating. Again, this is a battery technology issue. My husband is into remote control planes and he charges most of his batteries in special heat/explosion resistant containers. Just the nature of the technology. I'll continue to buy ipads and I'll continue to buy Samsung phones. My son will probably buy another Google phone. When you look at the total number of phones that have sold worldwide, the number of defective products is very small. I even owned the infamous Samsung Note 7, mine had no issues, but were still recalled. I've owned the Samsung Galaxy 7 without issues and will probably upgrade soon to a Note 9 or Galaxy 10, or wait for the Note 10 later this year.