Gyroscopic Investing

I will be obtaining a new cell phone.

Interested in what model cell phone each of you use, what you paid for it. Also, how much you pay each month for access?

I bought my first cell phone in 2018. It was a Motorola. Battery swelled so I got a new one in 2021. After a few years its battery swelled. Though it was out of warranty got GoogleFi to give a free replacement last October. On Sunday noticed its battery is also starting to swell.

Not looking to start a battery swelling discussion.

Just want to know what you own and why. And, your chosen carrier. Any advice you'd give my my needs.

I've been on GoogleFI since 2018. Started at $25 a month (all in) and the price has stayed at that since. That is just for phone and text. Data is charged at the rate of $10 per GB used. But I usually use far less than 1 GB a month. Sometimes as little as 115 MB in a month, which translates to a charge of $0.12.

I am NOT married to my phone. I tell everyone I'm a computer person and not a phone person. Only use my phone as a last resort.

When home its only use is being able to tie its texting to this computer so that I can do all the texting writing using this computer keyboard.

When I am out .. it is the only option. Make few phone calls on it. Do use both phone / Facebook for texting. Do use Google Chrome for web browsing. But as you can see from my monthly data use I'm not using a lot of data for this web browsing.

The other is that I live in a rural area. I first tried Ting but that was not going to work because the only access for a call I had was being in my driveway and not in this bedroom.

I went with GoogleFi because at the time they were the only one who allowed calls to be made via WiFi. I understand now almost all carriers allow that? For me for whoever I switch to that is an absolute essential, to be able to make calls over WiFi. When I lost internet access a few weeks ago and was calling various equipment manufacturers I kept having dopped calls as access is generally so weak in my rural area.

Finally, the present Motorola phone is 6.7", which I like as it helps read words like if I was in this forum. I've had recommendations for an iPhone SE but I see its 4.7" screen being a huge drawback.

Finally, finally GoogleFi is offering this phone:

Motorola Moto G Stylus - 2025 | Unlocked | Made for US 8/256GB | 50MP Camera | Pantone Gibraltar Sea


For $100.

However, rather than the 256GB it has 128GB. That'd not be an issue for me as I rarely use the phone for taking pictures and no videos. So little storage needed for that. I'm a camera person. Taking 1,250 pictures with it last Saturday. 400 pictures with it Tuesday night for one 1.5-hour softball game.

My present phone has 64GB of storage and 48GB is being used. So 128GB seems like it'd plenty enough for me.

$100 seems like a great deal for me. Seems like paying more for a phone gives you more storage and better picture taking? Neither are a priority for me so seems a waste of money to pay more for a phone for those attributes.

I've been happy with US Mobile. They're a "super carrier" that offers service on all of the big 3 and even lets you switch between them. Note that they refer to each network with a unique name, I assume that's due to contractual restrictions on branding, etc. I use "Warp" which is Verizon, for $25/mo. Be sure to look at all of their plans, they offer some cheaper pay-as-you-go and minimalist plans.

Coverage Map is an interesting site for checking carrier coverage, customer-reported download speeds, etc.

Can't offer any advice on phones. I used to geek out on phone specs back in the day but once I had a wife and two kids on iPhones & iPads I realized that resistance was futile. They are just appliances to me now and whatever they do is good enough. I have an iPhone 11 from 2019 (originally paid for by my employer) but I might upgrade this year, we'll see. Being in technology for over 30 years I've never had to pay for my own device!

yankees60 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 31, 2025 9:08 am Interested in what model cell phone each of you use, what you paid for it. Also, how much you pay each month for access?

I’m still running a Pixel 6a, which was $376 after the rebate. (No trade-in rebate, or it would have been even cheaper).
My carrrier is Google Fi, so I pay the same as you, ~$26 per month.

I’ll be interested to see what you go with, Vin, as I have read that getting the Pixel’s A-series may no longer be worth it. In other words, a 9a isn’t that much cheaper than the superior 9.

I always dream of getting a modular/ environmentally friendly phone like a Fairphone or a Terracube, but the build quality just isn’t good enough.
I daydream of getting a Punkt phone but they don’t have great reviews and once in a while I do need real smart phone capabilities.
I think about switching to Mint mobile for an even lower monthly fee, but ..inertia. I’m just happy with GoogleFi.

P.S. I see on the thread over at hoglebeads that you’re leaving your phone plugged in all the time. Don’t do that.
You’re charging too much!
Also, you may want to replace the cable in case it’s the cause of your problem.

dualstow wrote: ↑Thu Jul 31, 2025 1:41 pm

yankees60 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 31, 2025 9:08 am Interested in what model cell phone each of you use, what you paid for it. Also, how much you pay each month for access?

I’m still running a Pixel 6a, which was $376 after the rebate. (No trade-in rebate, or it would have been even cheaper).
My carrrier is Google Fi, so I pay the same as you, ~$26 per month.

I’ll be interested to see what you go with, Vin, as I have read that getting the Pixel’s A-series may no longer be worth it. In other words, a 9a isn’t that much cheaper than the superior 9.

I always dream of getting a modular/ environmentally friendly phone like a Fairphone or a Terracube, but the build quality just isn’t good enough.
I daydream of getting a Punkt phone but they don’t have great reviews and once in a while I do need real smart phone capabilities.
I think about switching to Mint mobile for an even lower monthly fee, but ..inertia. I’m just happy with GoogleFi.

I did buy the above Motorola phone. Stay with GoogleFi for four months and I will not get charged the $200. Gives me four months to see if I want to leave GoogleFi for something less expensive.

iPhone 11 ProMax 256GB purchased new October 1, 2019. I don’t remember the price but was likely close to $1k before trading in my iPhone 7. I’m considering getting a new iPhone in the next year or two as my current phone battery has declined to about 85% of new capacity after almost 6 years. FWIW I charge to 100% overnight. I rarely allow battery level to drop below 75% before topping it up to 100%. I think the iPhone has a great battery management system, i.e. optimized charging.

Verizon Wireless is my carrier as other companies have horrible, if any, service in the areas I live in and sometimes travel to. Cost is about $50/month all taxes and fees included.

Charge to 100% when you get low battery warning then unplug. Operating systems are designed for that. Trend of taking away user control and customization. I dont like that I cant take the battery out of new laptops and throw it in the fridge.

boglerdude wrote: ↑Thu Jul 31, 2025 9:10 pm Charge to 100% when you get low battery warning then unplug. Operating systems are designed for that. Trend of taking away user control and customization. I dont like that I cant take the battery out of new laptops and throw it in the fridge.

If I waited until I got low battery warning, which will be when I'm out, then I lose access to my phone.

Charging to 100% and then unplugging requires constantly monitoring the phone.

My iPod 1 from 2012 is always plugged in and it is still going!

There’s something about Apple which seems to handle overcharging better.
But which is more likely: that you had bad luck and got three bad products in a row from Motorola?
or that you’re overcharging it?

dualstow wrote: ↑Fri Aug 01, 2025 11:28 am There’s something about Apple which seems to handle overcharging better.
But which is more likely: that you had bad luck and got three bad products in a row from Motorola?
or that you’re overcharging it?

I could be the culprit in two ways.

I have one of those white blocks that you plug. Then you can plug into it several 120 volt three prong plugs, USB, and C (for phones).

Is that putting out too much charge? No problems with any other devices plugged into the USB or C plugs.

Then I am using an inexpensive Schlange cable between it and phone. Could that be the cause?

Once I get this new phone I will charge it on the supplied cable and charger.

If the issue again occurs then it will be all directly related to what Motorola provided to me.

Tortoise would know, but I don’t know if he’s around.

dualstow wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 4:55 am Tortoise would know, but I don’t know if he’s around.

Do not remember ever having prior seen that name.

yankees60 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 6:16 am

dualstow wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 4:55 am Tortoise would know, but I don’t know if he’s around.

Do not remember ever having prior seen that name.

Search the members list. Tortoise joined in 2010 and has over 2700 posts. I don’t remember the last time I saw one of his posts.