[Android] Chinese phones. Anyone got one?

[Dos_Box]

I know, I know, strictly speaking almost all phones are media in (or around) China. Mrs Dos_Box want's a smartphone as her old Nokia N95 simply isn't cutting it anymore and trying to use the internet on it is...well...it isn't. So I thought I's trawl around and see if I could find a decent second hand Android handset so she can use all of the nice feature I commonly use like Google Sky Map and Maps etc.
So I began to look though eBay and Amazon and was suddenly struck by the sheer amount of cheap Chinese looky-likey handsets you can now get over here - all right, they are sent from China although there are some UK resellers around - for instance:


iPhone looky-likey for £104.99: http://www.amazon.co.uk/STAR-Capacit...8860862&sr=1-1


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Samsung Galaxy looky-likey for £109.99: STAR N9770 - 5.08 inch MTK6577 1.2GHz dual core CPU android 4.0.4 ICE CREAM SANDWICH 3G smartphone dual sim 8MP camera WIFI GPS, new google play store and flash player supported, with flip case (black, white): Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

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And yes, I am sceptical too, however there are plenty of reviews by people who have brought (and often own the one it is based on) them on there saying all is well. And the specs are good too, especially given the price. Most come with 1Ghz duel core chips and ICS as well as the Play store. What I want to know is if anyone here has either brought one or knows someone who has one and what do they think of them? I may well be making a purchase next month *

*Actually, I'll wait until after the Chinese new year now. The whole country shuts down for a week or so for that!

[synaesthesia]

I had one for a while, but every time i wing someone i got a wong number.

SORRY! could NOT help myself!

[X-13]

I had one for a while, but every time i wing someone i got a wong number.

SORRY! could NOT help myself!

[Dos_Box]

I had one for a while, but every time i wing someone i got a wong number.

SORRY! could NOT help myself!

YOU are going to the naughty step!

[NikChillin]

YOU are going to the naughty step!

Yeah, and take it on the Chin like a man!

[fiza]

My brother bought a dual sim Iphone lookey Likey. It worked to some degree but the touch screen was next to useless. You had to bash the screen to get anything to register. They made it look like an Iphone but some of the icons went nowhere, it looks like they were just put there for show. Also the phone ran hot when making calls.

It could be he had a duff one but his experience put me off getting one.

[synaesthesia]

how long do I sit on the step for? if it's a minute for every year of my age, I'm off to get my iPad and a thermos of tea!

[Dos_Box]

My brother bought a dual sim Iphone lookey Likey. It worked to some degree but the touch screen was next to useless. You had to bash the screen to get anything to register. They made it look like an Iphone but some of the icons went nowhere, it looks like they were just put there for show. Also the phone ran hot when making calls.

It could be he had a duff one but his experience put me off getting one.

Yeh, I recall looking at them about 18 months back and they were pretty much all like that then, but something has changed recently and now they are apparently producing some pretty decent handsets. I would be very sceptical too, but the sheer level of positive reviews on Amazon somewhat negates that. I suspect it is because they can use Android and that decent mobile chipsets are cheap as well as powerful now.

[Dos_Box]

This is the one I'm considering:

[Gibbo]

Best value phone at the minute is the Intel Orange San Diego.

Initially £199 at launch its now £99, or £79 if you take in your wage slip to an Orange store and get the 20% public sector discount. There are little stocks around though (its no longer available online from Orange) you have to call your local branch to see what stock they have in.

I've just gone to one of these from the original San Francisco (ZTE Blade) which has served me well, and its absolutely amazing. I do a lot of mapping (buy the pro version of MAVERICK, well worth it) and the big screen is brilliant.

And all Smartphones come with a free set of WESC headphones, something like these

[aerospacemango]

This is the one I'm considering:

That looks a pretty freakin good piece of kit.... If it REALLY was that good, I'd be looking at getting one too.

You'll have to keep us informed!!

[Dos_Box]

Best value phone at the minute is the Intel Orange San Diego.

Initially £199 at launch its now £99, or £79 if you take in your wage slip to an Orange store and get the 20% public sector discount. There are little stocks around though (its no longer available online from Orange) you have to call your local branch to see what stock they have in.

I've just gone to one of these from the original San Francisco (ZTE Blade) which has served me well, and its absolutely amazing. I do a lot of mapping (buy the pro version of MAVERICK, well worth it) and the big screen is brilliant.

And all Smartphones come with a free set of WESC headphones, something like these

Hmmm. There are a couple of things that are putting me off there:

1. We don't want a contract/locked phone and..
2. The San Diego is still reported to have compatibility issues with some apps

I think I'll stick with RISC based variants for the time being.

[Dos_Box]

That looks a pretty freakin good piece of kit.... If it REALLY was that good, I'd be looking at getting one too.

You'll have to keep us informed!!

At £109 it's well worth a punt I think. Yes, the screen is only 480x800 but it has all of the required bells and whistles.

[penfold]

Take a look at the Huawei G300 on PAYG. It's available for nearly new on Vodafone. It's what I was going to get before I went contract.

[aerospacemango]

At £109 it's well worth a punt I think. Yes, the screen is only 480x800 but it has all of the required bells and whistles.

I'm not usually swayed by pretty things*.....

But that carousel view really floats my boat!!

* I'm ALWAYS swayed by my wife!