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Let's see...
Tracfone uses AT&T as the carrier, while most Straight Talk phones use Verizon. So you might want to ask your friend with AT&T or Verizon to come over and see how well phones from those carriers work in your house\neighborhood before you buy one.
Tracfone\Straight Talk are owned by the same company: América Móvil... whose CEO is Carlos Slim Helú, currently the richest person in the world. All their tech support\customer service is based in Mexico and Latin America. I've had to call them twice (to swap out phones) and it required multiple calls. The first time I call, the background is always SO LOUD that you can't make out what the CS reps are saying. I usually hang up and call back, and it's quiet this time. I don't know why.
For Tracfone, I wouldn't pay extra for a "Double Minutes for Life" plan... I'd just buy a phone that already had it.
One thing about Tracfone is that you add airtime and you're given x number of minutes or 90 days, whichever comes first. However, if you add airtime, then add more airtime, your expiration date moves out 90 days from the previous expiration date. So instead of buying a One Year card (which gives you zero minutes but 365 days of service for $50), it's better to buy four 60 minute cards (which gives you 240 minutes (or 480 with DMFL) and 360 days of service for $80).
The expiration dates are really the only catch with Tracfone. There are no "fees" for days you use the phone, nor is there any requirement to buy airtime outside that 90 day window (unlike Virgin Mobile, where you MUST buy airtime every 30 days).
My GF has had Straight Talk for a year and really likes it. No complaints about the service, or the billing (she set it up to automatically charge her debit card, and it's $49.xx for the $45 plan). Her only major complaints are that the Samsung (with the slide-out QWERTY keyboard) looks old-fashioned next to our friends Droids and iPhones... and the "Camera" button is in a stupid place (on the lower right side, right where you'd grab it if you didn't know better).
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