Hi, I bought a Samsung S5 18 months ago. I bought it from an Ebay dealer in mint refurbished condition. I was very satisfied with the purchase because it came with a 60 day warranty and the seller was extremely helpful with the problems (caused by Boost) in getting it in service started. However after being a Boost customer for over 10 years, I've completely had it with the company. In the last year, CDMA coverage has gone down the tubes and my phone will start Roaming even when I'm walking outside in the middle of New York City! I know from speaking with other boost customers I know that I'm not the only person I know having this problem. So, I know it's the carrier and not my phone. So, I want to switch to a GSM phone and another prepaid carrier. Plus, I tripped and damaged the charging port on my S5, so I'm using an external battery charger and swapping out batteries, which isn't too convenient.
Also, I now have to record a lot of phone calls every week as for my part time job. I know all about the legalities of informing the other party (even though I'm usually not required to because to it's been prearranged and pre-disclosed that the call is being recording, blah, blah, blah). Also it's not uncommon, for me literally be waiting on hold with that dreadful music for 5 hours a week or more, while I have my cell on speakerphone and attempt to do paperwork. So, a fast enough processor and memory to turn off the speakerphone & turn the recording app back on is necessary. And of course, excellent call quality are the highest priorities. The recordings do not have to be perfect sounding. They're only made so I can take written notes or so I can transcribe the call personally.
However, I recently learned that my 15 WPM typing skills, are completely my fault and I have a learning disability that inhibits my speed and accuracy. Whenever I have the opportunity to use a decent dictation program or App, I finish my work or personal tasks in less than half the time. So, especially during the times while I'm on the go and not in front of my PC. So, it's also really helpful to be able to dictate notes, lists and simple other tasks to my phone.
Obviously, expandable Storage is Mandatory and a removable battery is a plus, but I know they're becoming nearly impossible on new models. Also, the phone must default to making and receiving calls over Wifi when I'm in locations that don't have strong cell phone signals of any kind such as in an elevator or basement.
Lastly, for myself, I would like to use my phone to take snap occasional Pics AND/Or Short Videos quickly because sometimes I do run into some celebrities on the street. I'm by no means even an armature grade photographer and the Pics & Videos are just for my own bragging collection. So, it doesn't have to be high resolution or anything more impressive than printed to a 5X7 photo or a FB video clip. However, I don't know why, but for some reason my S5 would always take up to 30 seconds to focus its lens for a Single Pic in stable light and up to 45 seconds to start recording video, even when my internal memory had just been wiped so 20% of the internal memory was empty and a newly formatted & Mounted SD Card was just installed.
Other than that, I just use my blue tooth headset to listen to my MP3s audio books during long walks and I try to conserve my battery power for those purposes.
I was hoping a phone budged of $300 would be enough. It doesn't matter if the phone is brand new or dealer refurbished with at least a 30 day warranty.
Additionally, I wish I could find a better way or an App that would allow both my voice and the the other parties on the line to be recorded while I use ANY blue tooth ear piece or headset. I haven't found any app that will do this. Of course, I'm willing to pay a good amount, but I've only purchased 2 then gave up after most of the trial versions of the highest rated apps didn't work with blue tooth (or wouldn't save to my SD card nor offer Cloud Backup, which I need because some calls last over an hour). tested the free trials and I've never gotten any success. so currently, I'm forced to either use a digital audio recorder while my cell phone is on speaker (which doesn't work because the other parties on the line complain they can't hear me well enough), using a cheap line in Mic in the 3mm jack (which still doesn't allow me to have my hands free most of the time and and still has too much live distortion) or having to hold the handset while I dig through paperwork needed for the call. Since, no one will be hearing the recording other than me when I take notes, the quality doesn't have to be great, just understandable. So, if anyone has any suggestions on Apps that record by parties of a phone call while using any kind of blue tooth or even a reasonably priced wired headset to the SD Card, please let me know. However, I think I'm supposed to put this question in another post, sorry.
Thanks from a clueless Noob
Also, I now have to record a lot of phone calls every week as for my part time job. I know all about the legalities of informing the other party (even though I'm usually not required to because to it's been prearranged and pre-disclosed that the call is being recording, blah, blah, blah). Also it's not uncommon, for me literally be waiting on hold with that dreadful music for 5 hours a week or more, while I have my cell on speakerphone and attempt to do paperwork. So, a fast enough processor and memory to turn off the speakerphone & turn the recording app back on is necessary. And of course, excellent call quality are the highest priorities. The recordings do not have to be perfect sounding. They're only made so I can take written notes or so I can transcribe the call personally.
However, I recently learned that my 15 WPM typing skills, are completely my fault and I have a learning disability that inhibits my speed and accuracy. Whenever I have the opportunity to use a decent dictation program or App, I finish my work or personal tasks in less than half the time. So, especially during the times while I'm on the go and not in front of my PC. So, it's also really helpful to be able to dictate notes, lists and simple other tasks to my phone.
Obviously, expandable Storage is Mandatory and a removable battery is a plus, but I know they're becoming nearly impossible on new models. Also, the phone must default to making and receiving calls over Wifi when I'm in locations that don't have strong cell phone signals of any kind such as in an elevator or basement.
Lastly, for myself, I would like to use my phone to take snap occasional Pics AND/Or Short Videos quickly because sometimes I do run into some celebrities on the street. I'm by no means even an armature grade photographer and the Pics & Videos are just for my own bragging collection. So, it doesn't have to be high resolution or anything more impressive than printed to a 5X7 photo or a FB video clip. However, I don't know why, but for some reason my S5 would always take up to 30 seconds to focus its lens for a Single Pic in stable light and up to 45 seconds to start recording video, even when my internal memory had just been wiped so 20% of the internal memory was empty and a newly formatted & Mounted SD Card was just installed.
Other than that, I just use my blue tooth headset to listen to my MP3s audio books during long walks and I try to conserve my battery power for those purposes.
I was hoping a phone budged of $300 would be enough. It doesn't matter if the phone is brand new or dealer refurbished with at least a 30 day warranty.
Additionally, I wish I could find a better way or an App that would allow both my voice and the the other parties on the line to be recorded while I use ANY blue tooth ear piece or headset. I haven't found any app that will do this. Of course, I'm willing to pay a good amount, but I've only purchased 2 then gave up after most of the trial versions of the highest rated apps didn't work with blue tooth (or wouldn't save to my SD card nor offer Cloud Backup, which I need because some calls last over an hour). tested the free trials and I've never gotten any success. so currently, I'm forced to either use a digital audio recorder while my cell phone is on speaker (which doesn't work because the other parties on the line complain they can't hear me well enough), using a cheap line in Mic in the 3mm jack (which still doesn't allow me to have my hands free most of the time and and still has too much live distortion) or having to hold the handset while I dig through paperwork needed for the call. Since, no one will be hearing the recording other than me when I take notes, the quality doesn't have to be great, just understandable. So, if anyone has any suggestions on Apps that record by parties of a phone call while using any kind of blue tooth or even a reasonably priced wired headset to the SD Card, please let me know. However, I think I'm supposed to put this question in another post, sorry.
Thanks from a clueless Noob
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