I hate phones. Period. I have an old flip-phone for emergencies..

[albacore]

...but I reluctantly need to join the fucking herd that walks around staring at their devices.
Is the "Google Pixel 4a - Unlocked Android Smartphone - 128 GB of Storage - Up to 24 Hour Battery" a good place to start?
I am NOT going to spend $1500 for something that tells my my car warranty will soon run out 5 times a day, but if you have suggestions, I'd appreciate them.

[Tetrachloride]

1. May I suggest an iphone 7 or 8 or X

1. I am anti Android overall. more than a bias but not flat out banned. Reasons are price, and security. I don’t buy new phones.

2. You will likely want 2 charging cords. One for car or work and one for home

3. You may need assistance in getting used to battery, notifications, refresh, browser , email and various instant messengers.

Either way, Android or iphone, loads of people to advise

4. charging will be a lot more constant. 2-3x a day

[albacore]

8. If I want to use any of the apps... like traffic or weather... do I need unlimited data? nt

[Tetrachloride]

9. no. videos use the most

[TygrBright]

2. Who is your service provider?

I have Consumer Cellular and like them very much. They have several reasonable "entry level" 4G smartphones that won't bust a wallet. Your provider may also have some recommendations.

I finally had to trade in my ancient Nokia-bar-phone-with-actual-keys when all the providers stopped supporting analog-based phones, and got a cheap digital flip phone which I rarely used for several years, then was forced to upgrade again when I got digital hearing aids that needed >gag< an iPhone to manage their functions. However, Consumer had a (comparatively) inexpensive previous-generation 4G iPhone available.

I can't say that I love it, and I deeply resented all the time I had to spend going through various settings menus and turning off all the unwanted privacy-destroying functions and 'helpful' (effing annoying) apps and services. However, I DID eventually get it pared down to essentials and hopefully I won't have to trade it in or update it for several years.

Good luck on your quest!

ruefully,
Bright

[albacore]

7. We have CC too... I'll look into it... thanks...

[Alexander Of Assyria]

3. Business needs them, everyday consumers do not.

Essentially a very annoying and distracting toy.

HeadsDown Citizens!

[usonian]

4. Just one data point.

I hope my iphone 8 lasts forever. Focus is your personal responsibility. I use:

• Safari (99% for catching up with DU)
• Photos and camera ( some of my nicest photos are with this device). And I upload photos for DU.
• Weather app. Given 100 degree weather for weeks and no end in sight, I plan to move near the ocean so I can delete the weather app entirely.
• Mail, mostly from myself, with links to photos on imgbb, bc DU doesn't do uploads of photos.

• I message family only. Same for phone calls. Roughly 5 a week.

That is 99.99% of it.
I am nearsighted, so I take off my glasses and the screen is easy to read at 4-6 inches away.

I have hundreds of apps ( cuz I made a living with computers) and 236 pending app updates but I just ignore them all.

No FB, no twitter.

It's actually OK.
YMMV!

[MOMFUDSKI]

5. I would go a bit older IPhone

and check out Selectel out of Nebraska as your carrier. Or Spectrum for your carrier. Good luck and welcome to the world that we oldies did not grow up in.

[AllaN01Bear]

6. i have att and they killed their four g network and my long time flip phone . went to verison and

their office was closed temperarly and i went back to att. am thiniking going to mint mobil with $15.00 unlimited net , text and voice . am also thinking of doing the $75.00 /year . fire and forget and send me a bill at the end of the year.

[ItsjustMe]

10. This Motorola Moto G Stylus Is on sale for $85.00 at QVC

https://slickdeals.net/f/15917416-qvc-tracfone-6-8-moto-g-stylus-smartphone-with-1500-minutes-talk-text-data-84-96

I bought one a few months ago during another sale, it's a really nice phone.
https://slickdeals.net/f/15709369-hsn-motorola-moto-g-stylus-6-8-fhd-tracfone-with-1500-min-text-data-99-99-or-less

Stay away from the iPhone, you do not really own them.

[Ptah]

11. Another vote for Motorola Moto G Stylus

I bought mine about a year ago, for less than $200.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. Phones cost significantly less than $1500.

I doubt I've ever paid over $300 for a phone.

And, it's up to you if you walk around staring at your phone. That's a choice. Oh, and the car warranty crap arrives on my computer more than it does on my cell phone.

I use my cell phone for making phone calls or sending texts. Almost nothing else. When I am on the internet, such as here on DU, I'm on a computer -- laptop or desktop -- because I vastly prefer a real keyboard to type on. I HATE trying to do texts on the cell phone, as I cannot touch type on it, and I am a very good touch typist on a real keyboard.