Yesterday, on a whim, I dragged out a couple of flip phones and activated them. Once the nostalgia wore off, I began to realize how simple and convenient they are. I will keep them active for a week just for a change. Between the two (Samsung mm8300 and Kitana Eclipse X), I'm really enjoying the Eclipse. Small, compact, sleek - absolutely perfect. What was the last flip phone you used?
Until a few weeks ago, I was using a Kyocera DuraXT E4277 Sprint flip phone On Tello that I got for $10(used). I actually think the voice clarity is better than on more advanced phones. This phone actually cost about $275 new in 2012, I believe, and they were used by fire depts., construction crews, etc.
The Dura XT is really nice, although quite a chunk. (No one would describe that one as 'sleek'.) . It was considered Mil-Spec. $10 is a great price! I picked up a pair for a friend about a year ago, but paid closer to $20 each.
Sprint still sells a Dura X type device for $270.
Yes--better described as rugged, sturdy, or perhaps ugly than sleek. I bought mine a few years ago from a seller on Ebay. It was listed as in fair condition, but has worked flawlessly. I also bought a Kyocera DuraPlus E4233 bar phone from same seller that was listed in good condition for $15, which I set up on the TPO $7.99 unlimited talk,text,data plan for a relative who prefers a feature phone. I just hope Sprint doesn't do away with 3G coverage any time soon.
One good thing about flip phones is the battery life is excellent. However, texting is a real chore when compared to modern keyboards. I used to be able to compose accurate texts on these like a speed demon without even looking. Not any more.
Battery life is crazy good---a matter of days or even weeks. And, yes, texting is archaic. They should hold a texting speed competition for people still using these phones, which might be surprising.
My last real flip-phone was a LG 3280 / VX3300 (carrier dependent). Nothing to make you love it, except it worked well enough and was really rugged. My method in selecting it was to look at friend's phones that were horribly abused and scarred, but still totally functional (construction guys, landscapers, carpenters). I don't think any of my friends were particularly proud to own it, and more than one wished it would break so they could buy something more impressive. Not in the same league as the Dura models for ruggedness, but those were way out of my price range.
I still have an active LG505C (Tracfone model) non-smart "messaging phone"-- a sideways slider with a physical qwerty keyboard. Screen around 2.8", it's similar in size to a flip with many of the same advantages other than screen protection. Battery life around a week with light use, 2+ days with intensive use. Messaging phones had GUIs based around texting as a primary function. The screen is actually more readable for texting than a 4.5" Android with virtual keyboard, and they typically included features like persistent notifications & screen navigation cursor control.
I might still be using a similar phone as a 'primary carry' if they were friendlier to use with a GV number.
The only thing I could do was have the phone ring when my GV# was called, and was able to transfer my contacts to it via bluetooth. The DuraXT, though not sleek, actually fits in one's pocket more comfortably than most smartphones. I think I read that Flip phones are very popular in Japan.
Edit: just saw this: Tech in Asia - Connecting Asia's startup ecosystem
For my first 2 months on TPO, I was using the Samsung M330 slider phone. The internet function wouldn't work on most web pages because they're too heavy for the browser, and the battery would struggle to last more than an hour of calling because of 7 years of heavy use. I replaced it with a $35 unlocked Moto G 4 Play. Much better battery life, HD voice, and usable data. The m330 will be kept as a placeholder meid. If I were to choose a flip phone today, it would probably be the Alcatel Go Flip, as it's one of the few with LTE.