Buying 1St Smartphone For Gf

[FarangBuddha]

I will be buying my GF a new smart-phone soon and was wondering what is the best platform for someone who, while she does read and write some English, would need most of the content (internet, games, chats, apps.) in Thai. I have eliminated the iOS and Blackberry platforms because of the cost factor. So my question is, of the 3 remaining platforms, which has the most developed game-apps-communication content in Thai?

I use Android and I like its open nature and the many very good and useful Google apps native and free for this platform but I have yet to find anything in Thai in the Android Marketplace. Anyone have experience with this issue with their partners or what platform their partner's find most useful.

[devdrinker]

Android. Symbian's direction is unclear even for those prompting with yet unproven Meego to succeed it this year. Win7 phone is too restrictive, similar issues to iOS and shitty web browser based on IE7 which crashed when they demoed ebay too me - "that quite a complexed site though" - hmm..

[thaimite]

Android. Symbian's direction is unclear even for those prompting with yet unproven Meego to succeed it this year. Win7 phone is too restrictive, similar issues to iOS and shitty web browser based on IE7 which crashed when they demoed ebay too me - "that quite a complexed site though" - hmm..

A friend is very pleased with her Samsung Wave using the BADA operating system. It has some good Bangkok related Apps to

[lomatopo]

Budget? Network? Carrier? Finally, what is the requirement for a "smartphone"? That is to say, which application(s) will she be using?

The Samsung Wave 8500 is a nice looking phone but it is north of 13,000 baht.

[UberBraun]

You can also take a look at the WellCom A88. I have one and am very happy with it.

http://www.wellcommobile.com/th/a88.html

Sells for less than 9000 baht. There is a WellCom store on the third floor of MBK (the phone floor) and their main store is just off Rama 9 east of Rachada.

Easy to root and then you can get rid of all the google bloat.

[FarangBuddha]

Budget? Network? Carrier? Finally, what is the requirement for a "smartphone"? That is to say, which application(s) will she be using?

The Samsung Wave 8500 is a nice looking phone but it is north of 13,000 baht.

Was hoping to keep it around 10k or under. Samsung has some Android phones around that price point.

[devdrinker]

HTC wildfire I believe 10k (or maybe it was 9.5k) is probably the best deal, relatively new version of Android (vs the aging 1.6 on other low price models), good camera, good design, perfect for the price point. Most places in MBK and Seacon Square stock it. Good reviews

[Rumpole]

Also Sony Ericsson Xperia X8. Tech reviews not so good, but gets much better marks from users. I've had one for a few weeks and am very pleased with it.

[FarangBuddha]

Thanks all for the suggestions.

[lopburi3]

Bought a Samsung Galaxy 3 for teenage granddaughter last month and she is using with wi-fi more than her laptop now. Very nice phone and only 9k.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Android has the biggest future right now. Windows 7 mobile is a big question mark.

[FarangBuddha]

Bought a Samsung Galaxy 3 for teenage granddaughter last month and she is using with wi-fi more than her laptop now. Very nice phone and only 9k.

Saw the Samsung Galaxy 3 and 5 models today and the HTC Wildfire at Central Beach today...they all look pretty nice (but my Desire is still dee tee soot) The Wildfire is a little more than I really want to spend at 10k...the Samsung models are a little less in the 5-6k range.