Sufficient iPhone for DR

rms171

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I travel to Puerto Plata each month to visit my girlfriend. While I am state-side, we speak and text. Because she is not well educated, her reading comprehension is very sparse, which makes texting a challenge, at times frustrating for her.

I own an iPhone, and I know it has great apps that can help with text to voice recognition and also has a very good spell check function. Because the DR is only on 3G is it necessary to buy or use anything more than an iPhone 4 or 4S? She currently has a Claro prepago Blackberry Curve, but I'd spend the money to give her something that makes her life a little easier.

So once you've answered the iPhone dilemma, where can I find an iPhone (other than 5) that I can walk into the Claro stand at La Sirena in Puerto Plata and ask that her SIM card (and phone number be converted) or am I stuck purchasing only the iPhone 5?

Thank you to everyone in advance who can help with this request as its probably the 3rd or 4th on the theme of my needing to find a phone that I've posted in the last six weeks.

RMS
 

AlterEgo

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I use an old iPhone 3gs in DR with absolutely no problem. I brought one down unlocked, and the other they [Claro] unlocked for about $10.
 

H.concience

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Jul 17, 2013
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I have a iphone 4s if you are interested ? 8 months old :) i took great care of it cuz i usualy resell them so the new one comes out cheaper. If you interested let me know.
 

toriemannetje

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uhm, i don't get it at all besides you just asking where you can find an iphone.

but if she has a curve, that means she can download whatsapp!

if texting is a problem, you can send voice messages through whatsapp.
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Insensitive members need not reply to this.

I travel to Puerto Plata each month to visit my girlfriend. While I am state-side, we speak and text. Because she is not well educated, her reading comprehension is very sparse, which makes texting a challenge, at times frustrating for her.

I own an iPhone, and I know it has great apps that can help with text to voice recognition and also has a very good spell check function. Because the DR is only on 3G is it necessary to buy or use anything more than an iPhone 4 or 4S? She currently has a Claro prepago Blackberry Curve, but I'd spend the money to give her something that makes her life a little easier.

So once you've answered the iPhone dilemma, where can I find an iPhone (other than 5) that I can walk into the Claro stand at La Sirena in Puerto Plata and ask that her SIM card (and phone number be converted) or am I stuck purchasing only the iPhone 5?

Thank you to everyone in advance who can help with this request as its probably the 3rd or 4th on the theme of my needing to find a phone that I've posted in the last six weeks.

RMS

Why don't you both download Viber - free calls to DR, I use it all the time. Then you don't have to worry about texting or buying a phone.
 

leromero

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May 30, 2004
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uhm, i don't get it at all besides you just asking where you can find an iphone.

but if she has a curve, that means she can download whatsapp!

if texting is a problem, you can send voice messages through whatsapp.

I agree that Whatsapp is the better way to go here. Send voice messages through the program and problem resolved.
 

H.concience

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Whatsapp is first year free for blackberry if it still is ( dont realy remember) and otherwise its 1 dollar

Cheaper then buying her an iphone
 

gas

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I'm not exactly sure what the question is, but maybe this will help.

I travel to the DR frequently with an unlocked iPhone 4s. When I come to the DR, I simply switch the SIM from AT&T to Claro and have absolutely no problems. I prepay for internet and minutes.

I also gave a 3GS to my girlfriend which she also uses without any problem. You can get a legitimately unlocked 3gs for under $150 in the US, quite a bargain. Things you need to take into consideration with an iPhone in the DR -- battery life is short, particularly for the 3gs. In the US, it's not really a problem with the options to charge so readily available, but that is not the case here. Anyone living here should have a battery case or something similar with the iPhone.

Second, the 3gs has no flash with the camera. This was a big disappointment for my girlfriend. Other than that, she is very happy with the phone. IMO, the 4 or 5 offers no tremendous advantage to justify the cost. Bear in mind I just bought the 5s, haha.
 

leromero

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I'm not exactly sure what the question is, but maybe this will help.

I travel to the DR frequently with an unlocked iPhone 4s. When I come to the DR, I simply switch the SIM from AT&T to Claro and have absolutely no problems. I prepay for internet and minutes.

I also travel to the DR with an unlocked 4S. Go to Claro and for US$20 to US$40, depending on plan, you have minutes and internet. It's very easy.
 

Koreano

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Jan 18, 2012
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If she is having problem texting with BB won't she have problem with "a "smart phones? Get her decently used cheapest 3GS you can find and see if that solves problem first.
 

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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I think the Op wants his girl to talk while iphone types the text as she speaks.
Not gonna happen:
chances are, she lives in an area with lots of noise. colmado music, her own music at home, 20 million people talking at the same time, moto-concho speeding by etc. any sound interference you can imagine will occur so her voice recognition software will cease to function. then her spanish accent and half eaten words will further confuse the iphone or any other phone. then the 3g will be weak and where she lives, maybe low to no signal at all.
Whatsapp does have voice message system so she can send you voice messages. But there is another problem. The voice notes get stored inside the phone so she will fill up her memory in no time.
Solution?
get an educated girl who has a few more brain cells than this one. Believe me, your life would be much more easier in the future.
AZB (the insensitive)
 

rms171

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Skype even stateside I find isn't very good. I use it to call her sometimes and it drops constantly even though we are both sitting literally next to wi fi routers.
 

anthony

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Mar 17, 2010
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I'm traveling to Puerto Plata on Monday and the people I know are asking for Curves - thank God .Like what everyone is sayiing, Whatsapp is the way to go
 

AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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How about facetime with the iphone ? :)

how about no facetime with claro 3g. she will be lucky to just have voice conversation with claro 3g. Don't forget a 2 gb plan will be used up in no time if all you do is facetime and voice chat.
AZB
 

Koreano

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Jan 18, 2012
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Skype even stateside I find isn't very good. I use it to call her sometimes and it drops constantly even though we are both sitting literally next to wi fi routers.
Sitting next to router will not help if one person have crappy connection. In a good day I get about 750k up and 2.5mb down on Claro 1mb/3mb at home and still gets clear voice with lagging video streams on skype without any configuration. If your GF is doesn't have decent and sharing internet with other that downloads movies and programs expect no connectivity what so ever.