Any brands that should definitely be avoided?
Something that has an okay monthly rate and involves me getting the phone itself for nothing.
Maybe a Blackberry of some sort, as a couple of my mates have them and seem to like them.
I love BBs. I don't have enough money to get it, though. But I'm planning to get a qwerty keyboard, as I love it. Plus I'm kinda sick of Andriod phones, battery on those sucks!
I found one 'business phone' for 200 euros. I've been reading comments and reviews and it seems it's great for that price while at the same time it has everything I need. So far that's the only phone I like so far.
My advice to both of you is to avoid BB's.
It's a brand that is dying out with their limited capability, software/app repository and next gen functionality.
Android or Apple is the way to go. It will give you everything you need and even more than you knew you needed. Yes, there are many Android devices that have poor battery life but there are some well rounded handsets out there that deliver on all fronts.
Check out these sites for some reviews, research and ideas:
gizmodo
engadget
phone arena
That's just my suggestion for both of you