I've been looking for a new phone for my wife. Initially, I was intending to go with a Samsung Ace Plus. However, I then found out that it doesn't quite have the required frequency (the carrier uses 850 and 2100, while the ace plus uses 900 and 2100), meaning that it will have coverage gaps.

Looking around, it seems that the Defy Plus is very similiar in its specs to the Ace Plus, except that it has the required ferquency bands. However, I've heard that it has some problems, most notably with stability (crashing apps) and "stickiness" in page transitions.

Can anyone familiar with the device confirm this (or not)?

Thx

It looks like a generic Android phone with crappy specs. Why not get something a bit more powerful with Ice Cream Sandwich on it instead? Or at least something you could upgrade to ICS?

Cost, mainly*. It's actually more powerful than the phone she was originally considering, since I convinced her she'd find additional uses for it beyond a phone once she had it.
The main alternative would be an Xperia, which doesn't seem to be better spec-wise.

*cell phones are expensive here due to high taxes on their import, and we don't have time to wait for someone to bring one from abroad

Motorola Defy = http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_defy-3514.php

Xperia Ion = http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_ion_lte-4412.php

I'm not sure which model of Xperia you're referring to, but the Ion has a good bit more power than the Defy does, meaning you won't get the same kind of lag when using apps or scrolling pages.

I was thinking an Xperia Ray (the Ion is nice, but costs more than twice as much; if we were willing to go that high, I'd get a Galaxy SII)

I just got an Xperia Ray a few months ago. Maybe it's just because it's my first smartphone, but I love it. I think the thing to keep in mind is that it's more like a phone that can do smartphone stuff. It's not like the S3 that's a pocket computer that can do everything (oh and you can phone people with it too).

Sometimes there is some lag when switching apps, loading through picture albums, etc. I'm pretty patient so it usually doesn't bother me. I rarely remember it stuttering when scrolling browser windows, but it does happen. On the other hand, the battery life is actually better than any of my old dumbphones; I have a screenshot of the battery lasting five days. During that time I used the phone exactly like I had my old phone, too, so it wasn't like I put it in airplane mode to turn off the radio and stuffed it in a sock drawer for the week.

It's expected that it'll be underpowered compared to flagship products, but I'd say one of the biggest things to watch out for is the small screen size. I actually love its small size, but it does strain my eyes a bit when I'm doing heavy reading (and I still have young eyes). I've compared its size to the S3 and its screen is half the size. I have small fingers, too, so I can type on the on-screen QWERTY keyboard while the phone's in upright orientation, but some people will need to either rotate the phone to type on it or set the option to use good old dialpad T9 when upright.

Wasn't the Motorola Defy's main claim to fame being ruggedized and waterproof? I think there were a few compromises that it made it order to do that.

Ah, okay. I have no idea what neck of the woods you're in so I don't really know what kind of price differences you're dealing with.

Israel.

To give an idea, the Ray is slightly under $300 (the other phones mentioned in the OP are slightly cheaper). The Ion is a bit under $600. (All prices for online shops, which are usually cheaper)

EDIT - about $25 is for Hebrew installation, only the cheapest devices seem to be sold with the option of no Hebrew out of the box

Thanks!
Supposedly, the Defy can (eg) be dropped in a toilet and still work (which is actually a useful property, given that we have two small children, but hardly a deciding factor)
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EDIT - how rugged is the Ray? A review I saw claimed the screen scratches easily)

To be honest, I don't know. It's supposed to have a "scratch-resistant" screen, but I've only had it a couple months and I baby my phone so I put a screen protector on it. It definitely won't compare to the Defy for ruggedness, though, because ruggedness (it's a waterproof smartphone!) is the main selling feature of the Defy.