|
Cheekio posted:Tethering info was very helpful, so I'll have to do a more thorough investigation of whether it'll be worth the cash.
|
#
?
Mar 8, 2012 18:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 23, 2024 21:00 |
|
|
Regarding providers, from my previous question.... Any providers that appear to do better inside of buildings? I forget exactly where I had asked previously, but some buildings completely shut off any ability to call out, while I've been on T-Mobile. The answer I received, is that it was probably the provider, since they use the higher frequencies/band on their phones. Any other info that could be gleaned about this? Thanks.
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2012 05:28
|
|
|
Killer_B posted:Any providers that appear to do better inside of buildings? However there's other factors. First, some devices have better radio sensitivity than others. Second, if you have a weak signal outside too, then the cell tower covering that area for your provider is too far away and it's not just a building penetration issue. Third, concrete-bunkers are a loss for all providers, but often the building will contract with one or more providers to run a repeater inside. Thus, if you work in a building like that, it's worth finding out if there's a repeater and whose network it's compatible with. Finally, T-Mobile should do voice roaming on AT&T (or another 850 band GSM carrier) unless you're on prepaid. If you're not roaming, that might be because the signal conditions are lovely for AT&T too. Or you're in a market where there's no roaming agreement. If you want an Android phone, your best option is to pick up a used Nexus S and run it on a Value postpaid (two year contract) or Monthly4G prepaid plan, depending on your use needs and contract comfort.
|
|
#
?
Mar 9, 2012 05:42
|
|
|
Duckman2008 posted:Kalibar is the resident audiophile around here and I believe his opinion will even add in that the Captivate and other Galaxy phones have superior music quality as well, but I can't completely confirm that. The Nexus S, the original Galaxy S phones, the Infuse, the Droid Charge, and the iPhone 3GS/4/4S all fit this bill. Other phones really have no excuse.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 01:49
|
|
|
I am considering getting an Iphone 4s from Verizon (I get a 20% discount for being with Sears Holdings). I dont plan on streaming too many movies or music, but it would be nice for the few times i go on long family drives, etc. Anyone have any recommendations for the 4g service? Is it worth it to get one of the androids? (they are doubling the data ammounts for the 4g phones, so you pay for 2GB and get 4GB, etc for the same price.) I have experience with both OS's to a degree. I have an ipod 4th gen and an Acer Iconia tablet. I like both but ios is definitely a smoother OS. what should i do? I really am confused D: Looking at Sprint now too. If my co-worker is telling the truth, sprint gives a 25% discount to Sears Holdings.. and for 8 bucks more than verizon, id have unlimited data and 450 minutes of talk time for 60 bucks total a month... Almost sounds more tempting. Considering the data-whoring ive read the 4s does when you dont monitor it like its a baby. It would give me a reason to keep my netflix as well. grimcreaper fucked around with this message at 10:54 on Mar 10, 2012 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 09:51
|
|
|
You'll want to either go into your local Verizon store to try out the Galaxy Nexus, or ask a friend to let you try it out to see how it feels. After all, the Galaxy Nexus has the most recent version of Android, 4.0/Ice Cream Sandwich, which has changed a lot when it comes to the OS. You'll really want to see first hand how it runs with ICS. After you've had some face time with the Galaxy Nexus, it'll all boil down to personal preference, any preferred apps, and if you think you'll use the 4G on the GNex. Remembering what I've read through this thread recently, getting a Sprint contract now is not a great idea. They're in the process of rolling out their 4g coverage, so unless you'd be willing to buy an unlocked Galaxy Nexus for once it rolls out (if that will even work, I don't know as much as the others), you'd be wasting a subsidy on a suboptimal phone. The others in the thread will be able to help you out more than I can though.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 11:07
|
|
|
Do you really think the iphone 4s is a suboptimal phone though? Looking at many of its specs, even thought the cpu is a tad slower than most androids, the camera almost makes up for it. The only android i know of right now with a comparable camera is the Galaxy Note. Even without 4g, the 4s seems to be pretty good speed wise. Yeah i know, im pretty much trying to convince myself the iphone is better even though its on par with others. I really do like the I OS, + i have a ton of apps that would go over from my ipod touch, unless im mistaken and the license is per device and not per account. The only app ive paid for on my Iconia tablet is a remote desktop app. I dont do a lot of custimization on my tablet. I like Android, but it seems clunky at times. Im sure if i got used to it a bit more and tried to change things around i would really love it. I just dont know how that would affect long term love for me, you know?
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 11:45
|
|
|
The 4S doesn't really "data whore". Siri doesn't use much data at all. Also, CPU speeds don't matter across different platforms. For example, a two-year old Snapdragon on Windows Phone 7 was smoother than my dual-core Android phone when it was on Gingerbread. Don't go to Sprint. Their data network is an unfunny joke right now. You'd probably be lucky to hit 2 GB on Sprint at the moment. The Galaxy Nexus and iPhone have both software and hardware differences. The iPhone definitely has the better build quality. The Galaxy Nexus has a big 4.65'' screen, although it's really more like 4.3'' of usable screen space after the on-screen buttons. You may or may not like the huge screen. The Galaxy Nexus also has LTE. LTE right now is really fast compared to 3G, but battery life is at best meh right now. Last, the camera on the iPhone 4S is one of the best right now whereas the Galaxy Nexus is just mediocre. The pluses to Android phones are that you have more customization and the apps that work with Google services are better than iOS. Google Maps is really nice on Android. iOS on the other hand has a much stronger development community behind it. Developers really can't be arsed to care about Android. Media-related things also work a lot better on iOS (i.e. music, photos and camera.) Since you're already pretty well-invested in the Apple ecosystem, get an iPhone. All your apps will work on your iPhone as they would on your iPod. You're trying to convince yourself to like Android, and usually that doesn't go over nicely.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 12:12
|
|
|
Yeah i see that. I like both platforms for what they are. The reason i said the 4s is a data whore is a few of my friends see spikes upwards of 300 megs in less than a day where they are not using anything. 1 disabled the icloud thing but it never seemed to work so he ended up having to pay out the rear for extra data in the end. 2GB of data just doesnt seem like all the much. Verizon offers the cheapest plan i can get, 450 monthly minutes, no texting, with 2GB of data for 52.45 after company discount. The text rate is absolutely rediculous for what ammounts to a few hundred bytes of data piggybacked onto the signal that checks to see if your actually on or not. Edit: I was wrong on the rate. I was thinking of AT&Ts texting rate. 1000 for 10 bucks is still too much, Ill take your advice on Sprint and read up on it a bit more. How does Verizon fare? Also, the Galaxy Nexus does look good.. I dont take a lot of pictures, but i have to admit, it would be amazing to have the 4S' camera when needed. Ive seen a few gnarly things happen when walking to work. If i had a really nice camera phone i could have gotten the license plate of a car whose owner stole a bunch of stuff from my store  I dont think i would use a ton of data. most just for youtube videos while at lunch on the occasional 9 hour shift at work. Maybe a little music or something. grimcreaper fucked around with this message at 12:37 on Mar 10, 2012 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 12:29
|
|
|
grimcreaper posted:Do you really think the iphone 4s is a suboptimal phone though? Pretty sure he meant if you get on Sprint and don't wait for the Galaxy Nexus, buying a "4G" Android now would be getting a suboptimal phone, especially if you get one with WiMax.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 15:11
|
|
|
grimcreaper posted:Yeah i see that. I like both platforms for what they are. The reason i said the 4s is a data whore is a few of my friends see spikes upwards of 300 megs in less than a day where they are not using anything. 1 disabled the icloud thing but it never seemed to work so he ended up having to pay out the rear for extra data in the end. Verizon right now may be more up your alley, especially if you port your number to google voice and avoid Verizons $20 texting fee (hint definitely do that). If you got sprint and wanted android you should buy a used nexus s for $200 and wait for the galaxy nexus. And Fyi sears is a 20% discount on sprint, not 25. And either way, if you want an iPhone just get an iPhone.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 15:17
|
|
|
Thank you guys for all the info so far  Duckman, the 25% i got from a document through my sears associate online services. It lists 25% on sprint, 23% on AT&T, and 20% on verizon. http://www.searsholdings.com/business/thirdparty/3rdPartyDiscounts.pdf edit: Just got a confirmation from one of the CS reps on the 25% for Sears holdings. I am thankful i found the document, one of the AT&T CS guys told me the discount would be no more than 7% off any applicable plan. So now i have ATT to consider as well, especially since they off an extra gig of data for the same price as verizon. at 23% off it would only cost me 1.50$ more for that extra gig and give me access tot he dual feature of the ATT iphone 4s for better speed. edit: I Called my main HR number and it was confirmed to be 23% for ATT. I was told that i need to go into a corporate store though to get it added to my account. grimcreaper fucked around with this message at 22:43 on Mar 10, 2012 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2012 22:01
|
|
|
So, my mother is wanting to get a wireless USB modem for her laptop, but all of the plans, monthly or otherwise, appear to be really poo poo. Like, at most 50MB for $20. Is there any plan that's not poo poo but still affordable?
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2012 02:37
|
|
|
Chaltab posted:So, my mother is wanting to get a wireless USB modem for her laptop, but all of the plans, monthly or otherwise, appear to be really poo poo. Like, at most 50MB for $20. Is there any plan that's not poo poo but still affordable? Not really, wireless plans all suck right now for straight laptops. If the coverage is good check out T-Mobile, the plus is no overage charges, just slow internet if you go over. Otherwise verizon and ATT are exactly the same, just get whomever has better coverage. A dark horse is virgin mobile, which is prepaid and last I checked about $45 a month. The downside is slow internet and throttling at 2.5GBs. T-Mobile should be a better deal for better speeds. And dear god avoid cricket.
|
|
#
?
Mar 13, 2012 07:05
|
|
|
Can anyone provide any insight as to what is going on with wireless in the US? The whole industry seems like a scam to me. For example, the outrageous price of texting, or the fact that I pay MORE for a 5gb capped slow as hell 3G "data plan" than I do for my home DSL service. Why did the push toward unlimited data fall by the wayside? I'm curious if this is just collusion between the carriers, or is there really a hardware bottleneck on the networks that requires such tiny data caps (2GB on some carriers for their data plans)?
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2012 12:06
|
|
|
Chaltab posted:So, my mother is wanting to get a wireless USB modem for her laptop, but all of the plans, monthly or otherwise, appear to be really poo poo. Like, at most 50MB for $20. Is there any plan that's not poo poo but still affordable? Is she stuck on USB or does her laptop have wifi? I have this thing which you connect to over wifi, but you can also plug it in over USB and use it that way. If you were to get one, though, get it from Amazon, where it costs about half as much. Lots of other carriers have the same device (you have to buy the right one for the carrier, though), you might shop around for plans. Duckman2008 posted:A dark horse is virgin mobile, which is prepaid and last I checked about $45 a month. The downside is slow internet and throttling at 2.5GBs. T-Mobile should be a better deal for better speeds. 500 megs for $20 or 'unlimited' with throttling after 2.5g for $50. I have never hit that 2.5 gigs, personally. Onto my own question: I mostly text and use data, and call people almost never, so my current 'phone' is an ipod touch and the hotspot mentioned above. However, Virgin has no coverage at my new house. This doesn't matter since I just have home internet there, but Skyping over rural DSL sucks, and if the power dies, odds are nobody else is going to call the power company, so I have to drive into town to call them up. As such, I'm looking for an inexpensive prepaid phone that will work out in the boonies here. Country/Provider: US, no current provider Current contract status: n/a Budget (phone/plan): as cheap as possible Features I know I want: makes calls, gets a signal here Through some digging, I've determined that AT&T has the best coverage here. However, I get the impression from their website that their prepaid phones are all "GoPhones" which - I believe - require 3g service to make calls. Is this accurate or did I misread something? This is all that's stopping me from buying the cheapest gophone they have and throwing a 10c/minute plan on it. Javid fucked around with this message at 14:16 on Mar 14, 2012 |
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2012 14:07
|
|
|
Cmdr. Shepard posted:Can anyone provide any insight as to what is going on with wireless in the US? The whole industry seems like a scam to me. For example, the outrageous price of texting, or the fact that I pay MORE for a 5gb capped slow as hell 3G "data plan" than I do for my home DSL service. Why did the push toward unlimited data fall by the wayside? I'm curious if this is just collusion between the carriers, or is there really a hardware bottleneck on the networks that requires such tiny data caps (2GB on some carriers for their data plans)? Data caps are there because networks are bottlecapped, networks aren't home Internet, they have limits. That's also why unlimited data is gone. That being said, yes the whole industry is a scam and yes there is a ton of price setting. Find loopholes. Google Voice offers free texting. Discounts. Etc.
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2012 14:10
|
|
|
I've been on metroPCS for a while now and I just picked up a Huawei M835. I'm now addicted to android, however I'd like to switch to a phone that doesn't have pitiful battery life and a carrier that doesn't have pitiful data speeds. So I want - An android phone - $100 or under (used is fine) - With decent battery life - Preferably on a prepaid carrier or otherwise contract-free - Unlimited SMS - I don't care about voice, I don't use that much - I'm not sure how much data I need but I would not be using anything heavier than google maps and web browsing (if I do any multimedia streaming it'd be over wifi)
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2012 14:34
|
|
|
Cmdr. Shepard posted:Can anyone provide any insight as to what is going on with wireless in the US? First, the marginal cost to the carrier to send a text is nearly zero. The only per-text fee they might pay is the transit cost to send a text off carrier. For texting within the carrier, the marginal cost is zero. However, texting does incur a pretty big fixed cost, namely that to build out a network infrastructure and maintain it. Furthermore, because of legacy and silly reasons, sending a lot of text messages does tie up network resources more so than bulk data. So while the network can tolerate a reasonable texting load, if everyone within a cell is having text conversations back and forth, the network can't sustain it. The 20˘ fee to send a text is ludicrous, but makes sense from the perspective that it's to encourage customers to buy into monthly texting plans if they intend to send a non-trivial number of (more than 25) texts. Carriers prefer that kind of monthly revenue because it's stable, predictable, and better reflects their fixed cost commitments. Variable revenue makes less sense because the associated costs aren't variable. That said, the 20˘ option is still available because there are some folks who send texts once in blue moon, for which a texting plan really isn't necessary, and this gives them a mechanism to do so. All that said, there's two reasons why texting fees, even considering the above, are an outright scam: 1. When not on a texting plan, you also get charged 20˘ to receive a message, including unsolicited ones. There's no way to prevent this, except to block all text messages altogether. It's unfair to customers that third parties can, unsolicited, DoS their phone bills. 2. Under no circumstance should it be possible to rack up $10,000, or even $1,000 on a single month's bill, outside equipment fees and maybe roaming charges. Didn't buy a texting plan and your kid sends 5000 texts in the first month? Fine, auto-enroll in a monthly plan. Hell, double the first month's cost ($40 for that line instead of $20) as a penalty factor. $1,000+ phone bills do nothing more than to establish the phone company as the abuser in the company-customer relationship. So is it like this due to collusion? Who knows. In any event, the wireless world isn't (and by regulation, can't be) a free market. At best it's an oligopoly, and the pricing model tends towards what would be the result of collusion, even if that's not actively happening. As for data service, "unlimited data" is simply unsustainable in the wireless world (in the wired world too, but wireless is far worse). Carriers have a finite amount of spectrum, and that spectrum has a finite amount of data capacity per-cell. That capacity can be increased by licensing more spectrum (which for a bunch of reasons, is slow and hard to come by), or by diving cells into smaller geographical regions. But even there, cells can only be made so small before noise levels get too high. In contrast, wired service (e.g., fiber) has a fuckton more capacity than wireless channels, and increasing wired capacity is as simple as "burying more wires" and scales rather nicely. 5 GB/mo data caps do, more or less, make sense in the wireless world. Furthermore, data tiers also make sense since some folks will be willing to pay a premium for a larger data allotment to stream video all day, whereas other folks can do without streaming video. The "it's a scam!" factor comes in when carriers adopt a "fixed capacity plus ludicrous penalties" model as opposed to throttling. Also, see if data caps never go up despite adoption of LTE which enables for much more efficient spectrum usage over 3G protocols, or if the AT&T "charge developers for bandwidth!" strategy goes through. In short, yes, the US national-wide providers are all more or less scam artists. There are legitimate technical limitations that underly some of their scammy practices, but they're usually spun/handled in ways that reek of sheer greed. But since there's little we can do about that here, we try to keep the "wireless is loving us!" banter to a minimum. What we do, do, is make folks aware of strategies (five-way family plans, iPhone flipping, GV for free texts, etc.) to maximize the value in their wireless plans, since that's the best anyone can really do right now. Socket Ryanist posted:I'm now addicted to android, however I'd like to switch to a phone that doesn't have pitiful battery life and a carrier that doesn't have pitiful data speeds. The used Nexus S is really the best option, but you might be hard pressed to get it for under $100. A used G2 (hardware keyboard) is another solid option. If you're comfortable hacking it, a used Vibrant should go for < $100 if you look around and can be made to run almost-as-good-as the Nexus S, although you may not have much luck with the GPS feature. ExcessBLarg! fucked around with this message at 17:53 on Mar 14, 2012 |
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2012 17:49
|
|
|
What's the general opinion the Atrix 2? Ctrl-Fing the last 20 pages of this thread has turned up very little discussion on the phone and AT&T is offering it for free (I'm stuck with AT&T due to forces beyond my control) in my area and I'm due for a new phone. My budget is effectively around $150~ so compared to phones in that price range I suppose. As for features, I've never owned a smartphone and never really planned to but due to some strange voodoo with my old contract with Alltel being grandfathered in and other asshackery, it costs me like $8 more per month to get a smart phone. So instead of looking at specific features, I'm looking more at the abstract picture of "how 'good' is the phone" in general? Canine Blues Arooo fucked around with this message at 19:49 on Mar 14, 2012 |
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2012 19:43
|
|
|
Canine Blues Arooo posted:What's the general opinion the Atrix 2? Since you're a first time smartphone buyer, unless you have specific reason not to, you're best purchasing (perhaps used) the best iPhone model you can afford. Anything else is likely to lead to frustration unless you know what you're getting into.
|
|
#
?
Mar 14, 2012 19:55
|
|
|
My old phone was practically a rock, but it turns out running it through the wash will still kill it. So I'm looking to finally enter the modern age and get some sort of smartphone. Country/Provider: California/ Verizon Current contract status: Family Plan, upgrade available Budget (phone/plan): Looking to pay 0-200$ for the phone itself after subsidy, don't know what data is available or needed since I am new to this, but probably don't want to pay more than $40/month more than I already am. Features I know I want: I'm not great with touchscreen keyboards, so a phone with a QWERTY keyboard would be cool, unless there is a phone with a really good touchscreen someone can recommend for someone who has sausage fingers. Long battery life would also be a key feature. I'll be using it mostly for maps/gps and web browsing.
|
|
#
?
Mar 15, 2012 06:04
|
|
|
Droid 4 has a hardware keyboard, Galaxy Nexus is all touchscreen and somewhat larger, iPhone is all touchscreen, somewhat smaller, but it Just Works. I'd advise going to a Verizon store if possible and trying out those three since you seem undecided about the keyboard.
|
|
#
?
Mar 15, 2012 07:09
|
|
|
Mince Pieface posted:My old phone was practically a rock, but it turns out running it through the wash will still kill it. So I'm looking to finally enter the modern age and get some sort of smartphone. Galaxy Nexus would probably match you needs, and the screen is frickin huge. Keyboard phones have become bastard children in wireless and don't get good software updates, so I would avoid the Droid 4. The Nexus has a really good touchscreen. If you decide you want an iPhone, just get an iPhone.
|
|
#
?
Mar 15, 2012 14:32
|
|
|
Anyone have any advice on used android GSM phones around $250 or less? I'm looking for one that will run skype (or similar) over wifi since cell reception at home is crap on all of the major carriers. I don't want to sign on for a data contract because of the cost, so I'm planning to use the phone exclusively over wifi and as a normal cell phone. At some point when I'm rich and famous I'll pull the trigger on a data plan, but not now.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2012 07:05
|
|
|
o muerte posted:Anyone have any advice on used android GSM phones around $250 or less? I'm looking for one that will run skype (or similar) over wifi since cell reception at home is crap on all of the major carriers. HTC G2 or Samsung Vibrant (with the Vibrant, immediately flash to Cyanogen. You will obviously have to buy used, but they should be pretty cheap now a days.
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2012 14:44
|
|
|
I'm finally upgrading from my Milestone since I'm getting frustrated with it being so old. I live overseas and the selection of Android phones from my carriers is pretty limited so I'll buy an unlocked one. As for the physical keyboard, I'll learn to live without it. Basically I just want the best freaking Android phone available that won't give me any headaches. Is it pretty much between the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy SII or are there other phones of the same caliber available?
|
|
#
?
Mar 16, 2012 21:18
|
|
|
Labradoodle posted:I'm finally upgrading from my Milestone since I'm getting frustrated with it being so old. I live overseas and the selection of Android phones from my carriers is pretty limited so I'll buy an unlocked one. Just Galaxy Nexus.
|
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2012 01:12
|
|
|
Edited for conciseness -I have an att number/sim card -Live in US -Im buying the phone outright and using the att "pay as you go" plan. -I want a touchscreen, sliding keyboard phone. -Don't want a smart phone that has to have a data plan to work. -1st concern is the best sound quality, signal reception, camera, and battery life. -2nd concern is the ability to custamise the phone and apps and remove bloatware. Im considering learning about the android os. -Price is unimportant. Also, how would I go about buying an unlocked phone? Would it have to be direct from the manufacturer? Can I just pop my att sim card into a GSM phone made by motorala and branded for verizon? WorldsStongestNerd fucked around with this message at 16:03 on Mar 17, 2012 |
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2012 15:41
|
|
|
WorldsStrongestNerd posted:List of desirables. These days the "hardware keyboard" requirement is a serious limitation on device selection. Please consider if you really need it. Most smartphone users find that they adapt quickly to on-screen keyboards that offer a host of useful features like autocorrection, such that they end up not using their hardware keyboard much after the first week or so anyways. That said, if you need a hardware keyboard, then you need one and there's no compromising. If you do need a hardware keyboard, your best options are a used T-Mobile G2 or Bell Desire Z, the latter which you have to import from Canada. They're the same phone, save that the G2 is only compatible with T-Mobile's 3G service while the Desire Z is only compatible with AT&T. Since you're not interested in using data on the device, it doesn't really matter much. Neither device ships unlocked, but that's not a problem as either can be trivially unlocked by downloadable software. The downside to these two devices is that they're over a year old now, and may not run the latest version of Android, certainly not officially anyways. The T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide is a slightly-newer device with better hardware, but the stock software is far less attractive and I'm not sure what the current hacking situation with it is. Otherwise, if you could live without the hardware keyboard, importing a GSM/UMTS Galaxy Nexus is your best option. The only problem there is that AT&T might still require a data plan for prepaid since Samsung has given them their international IMEI lists in the past (e.g., for the Galaxy Note). It would be best to confirm first that folks are able to use this device on AT&T prepaid without data. But if so, it's by far the best non-hardware-keyboard option. WorldsStrongestNerd posted:Also, how would I go about buying an unlocked phone? Would it have to be direct from the manufacturer? WorldsStrongestNerd posted:Can I just pop my att sim card into a GSM phone made by motorala and branded for verizon? ExcessBLarg! fucked around with this message at 18:29 on Mar 17, 2012 |
|
#
?
Mar 17, 2012 18:26
|
|
|
I don't really know if this would be the right thread to post this, but it's the most fitting I could find. Last summer, I went to Japan on holiday. Softbank, a network provider there, has an offer for tourists to rent a 3g dongle that provides wireless internet. This easter, I'm visiting to the fine states of 'murrca, and I was wondering if any providers over there had similar offers. I'm from Norway btw, and I'll be staying for two weeks. One week in Florida and the next in New York (Dunno if this would be an issue. In Japan you could pretty much return the dongle to any Softbank counter.) I tried to look around a bit, but the sites of AT&T and Verizon were confusing as gently caress 
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2012 17:54
|
|
|
I am still on my parents family plan and they are making the jump to smartphones. We are all eligible for upgrades (besides my brother, he just got an iPhone) and I am the one willing to make the first dive into an Android phone Country/Provider: US/At&t Current contract status: Just renewed, eligible for upgrade Budget: Under $200 (after subsidy), but cheaper is better. Features I know I want: •Customization (I like to mess with things and change them) •Durable (I tend to drop things) •Less than horrible battery life (at the very least a day or 2 of mostly idle) I read back a few pages and the Nexus S appears to be free with subsidy from Best Buy and a rather popular option. My only concern is that when I asked my friend about it he said he thought the Nexus S felt "cheap". I plan to go see what I think of it myself on Tuesday, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask if you had any additional advice or suggestions.
|
|
#
?
Mar 18, 2012 19:52
|
|
|
Get a rugged case for it if feels cheap. No other AT&T Android phone is good, short of importing an HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus which'll cost a shitload of money. AT&T customers on a budget (an oxymoron!) are basically lucky than an 850/1900 version of the Nexus S exists.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2012 00:35
|
|
|
QuasiQuack posted:I don't really know if this would be the right thread to post this, but it's the most fitting I could find. Not really. Tmobile would be your only real hope.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2012 01:15
|
|
|
If you want to be a hair unscrupulous, you could probably buy a Verizon Mifi when you get here, then return it before you leave.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2012 15:30
|
|
|
My girlfriend is interested in getting a new phone that'll work with her T-mobile pay-as-you-go plan here in the US, as well as her German O2 sim card that she swaps in occasionally to send text messages overseas. It doesn't have to be a brand new, bleeding edge phone; the only real requirements are that it works on both of these networks, has wi-fi with decent web browsing capability, and isn't too expensive (<$200). Is there a decently priced unlocked (or easily unlockable) phone that anyone here would recommend?
|
|
#
?
Mar 20, 2012 03:46
|
|
|
Samsung Vibrant, but only if you'll take the time to put CyanogenMod on it
|
|
#
?
Mar 20, 2012 05:32
|
|
|
nobody- posted:My girlfriend is interested in getting a new phone that'll work with her T-mobile pay-as-you-go plan here in the US, as well as her German O2 sim card that she swaps in occasionally to send text messages overseas. Does she intend to get a T-Mobile data plan (e.g., the $30/mo prepaid one) or is she using it for just voice, SMS, and WiFi-only data? Pretty much every US T-Mobile phone should be compatible with European GSM/UMTS networks. Furthemore, pretty much every GSM phone should be compatible with T-Mobile's GSM voice and SMS service if you don't particularly care about 3G data. If she cares about 3G data, the simplest option is to pick up a used Nexus S (GT-I9020T) model. I don't know if you can find one for < $200 used, perhaps locally, but it's worth paying for as anything else is likely to turn quickly into a headache. The Vibrant is an OK option, but it has to be hacked, and it might not do GPS well--either of which may make that a headache from your perspective. If she doesn't care about 3G data, then a used, unlocked/jailbroken iPhone 3GS might be a good option. An iPhone 4 would be fine too but those take micro-SIMs and I'm not sure if you can find them for below $200 used either.
|
|
#
?
Mar 20, 2012 20:04
|
|
|
Country/Provider: US (LA), Mexico (Mexico City) I'll be traveling to LA for 5 days, then Mexico City for another 10 days afterwards, in May. I'm looking to not get buried under lovely roaming charges while I'm traveling, and I've frequently seen advice given here to get a prepaid SIM in whatever country one is traveling in. Are there similar options for me where I'm going? I'll be toting a GSM Galaxy Nexus, and while I don't need to have constant data access, I would like to have the ability to toggle on data and do some browsing/navigating 5-6 times a day while traveling.
|
|
#
?
Mar 20, 2012 22:57
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 23, 2024 21:00 |
|
|
Country/Provider: USA/T-Mobile (open to changing carriers) Current contract status: Expires in May Budget (phone/plan): Phone up to $200, $250ish with a new plan, total monthly plan cost $80 (I get $40 per month reimbursed by my job since I'd use it for work) Features I know I want: physical QWERTY keyboard, low amount of carrier bloatware. I don't want to have to root the phone unless it's an amazingly reliable ROM or other method of operation. I'd love ICS but would be OK if it's on a list for future ICS. I basically need something to replace my old warhorse G2. I'd also like better battery life if there's any such 4G phone that can last longer than 10 hours standby like my G2. Also, it has to be usable as a mobile wifi hotspot. I don't mind waiting a few months if a good phone is coming down the pipe - I'm in no hurry to ditch the G2 unless it's the right phone.
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2012 20:54
|
|
