So for the last few years I've just been dealing with shitty cell phones and drooling over my friends' phones. My current phone just shit itself, and i decided its time to get a smart phone of some kind. Thing is, I don't have an upgrade for a year and a half, and I don't want to spend too much.

So whats a good smartphone I can get for < $500, and If I should buy it from not-verizon, (I know they try to rip out the asses of their customers via prices) then where? Thanks in return.