Reader question: What’s the best phone to use in both Japan and the US?
Pocketables reader Mark recently wrote in to ask us what the best option would be for a friend of his who needs a decent Android phone that can work in both the US and Japan, with a Japanese user interface:
A friend here in the US travels to Japan frequently and would like an Android mobile phone that she can use with a US carrier and when in Japan, with Softbank or another carrier. She would maintain two accounts if necessary, but perhaps a less costly option would be to purchase air time out of contract when in Japan. If she has to swap out a SIM card, I think this will still be fine.
Her needs don’t include high speed internet – just calling, text messaging, and voicemail. The UI should be Japanese.
Are there good Android mobile phones available for this purpose? Has anyone else done this on a small budget?
Since none of us are too familiar with Japanese phones, carriers, and mobile plans, we thought it might be best to turn this over to you – our readers. What’s the best solution you can think of for Mark? Let us know in the comments below, and if you have a similar question you’d like to ask our readers, please get in touch.
