Dos_Box Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 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-Capacitive-Screen-Android-SmartPhone/dp/B008C0PAFU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358860862&sr=1-1 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 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 Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 I had one for a while, but every time i wing someone i got a wong number. SORRY! could NOT help myself!
X-13 Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 I had one for a while, but every time i wing someone i got a wong number. SORRY! could NOT help myself! http://www.clevescene.com/binary/3e89/1349813923-thats-racist.gif 3
Dos_Box Posted January 22, 2013 Author Posted January 22, 2013 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! 2
NikChillin Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 YOU are going to the naughty step! Yeah, and take it on the Chin like a man! 1
fiza Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 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 Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 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 Posted January 22, 2013 Author Posted January 22, 2013 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.
Gibbo Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) 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 Edited January 22, 2013 by Gibbo
aerospacemango Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 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 Posted January 22, 2013 Author Posted January 22, 2013 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 Posted January 22, 2013 Author Posted January 22, 2013 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 Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 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 Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 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!
ZeroHour Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 I'm not usually swayed by pretty things*..... But that carousel view really floats my boat!! * I'm ALWAYS swayed by my wife! Carousel view not included, its an app but it does show it works at least.
aerospacemango Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) Carousel view not included, its an app but it does show it works at least. It's an APP???? Where? What's it called? I MUST HAVE IT!!!!! Come on, @ZeroHour, where are you? I NEED to know!! Anyone? Anyone else know???? :hellllppp: Edited January 22, 2013 by aerospacemango
pscott Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spb.shell3d I think thats what they are using, but £10 for a launcher... 1
aerospacemango Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spb.shell3d I think thats what they are using, but £10 for a launcher... Indeed.....that has somewhat quashed my ardour for it! Now if it came pre-installed.....
3s-gtech Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 There are some compatibility issues with the San Diego, but not found them particularly problematic. Great phone for the money though, very close to my SGS2 (which cost far more).
Arthur Posted January 22, 2013 Posted January 22, 2013 There are some compatibility issues with the San Diego, but not found them particularly problematic. According to AnandTech, most ARM apps should work on Atom smartphones, although I don't think the latest version of Flash Player does? Lava Xolo X900 Review - The First Intel Medfield Phone http://i.imgur.com/aTjixTj.jpg
X-13 Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 1. We don't want a contract/locked phone and.. Order it from France. They have to let you unlock it for free if you ask. A lot of people did this with the iPhone. [No idea which one.]
Dos_Box Posted January 26, 2013 Author Posted January 26, 2013 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!! Well, I've taken the plunge and ordered. Hopefully it should be waiting for me on my return from BETT. The company I ordered it from (via Amazon) has pretty good delivery times apparently, so I shall wait with baited breath (it's already showing on the couriers tracking site )I have to admit, it's not just the price/features and reviews that have persuaded me, but whilst there are similarly prices Android devices available in the UK, they are relatively small screened 2.x.x devices. And if it does turn out to be bobbins, I haven't wasted a fortune and someone on eBay will always buy it! I do have high hopes for it though and even once you remove some of the (obviously) shill reviews, the genuine ones from the UK shine through for it. I do note with interest that the one star reviews are by people who haven't either RTFM or have little experience with smartphones. Oh, and I shall do an in-depth review once it has arrived and I have used it for a bit
Arthur Posted January 26, 2013 Posted January 26, 2013 The company I ordered it from (via Amazon) has pretty good delivery times apparently It's a shame China isn't in the EU, since you are probably looking at an extra ~£33 on top of Amazon's price once you add the VAT and Royal Mail handling fee. I shall do an in-depth review once it has arrived and I have used it for a bit It will be interesting to know if you have any of the issues described here, especially once you have loaded it with apps: Ultra low cost from China - a guide to Mediatek
Dos_Box Posted January 27, 2013 Author Posted January 27, 2013 It's a shame China isn't in the EU, since you are probably looking at an extra ~£33 on top of Amazon's price once you add the VAT and Royal Mail handling fee. It will be interesting to know if you have any of the issues described here, especially once you have loaded it with apps: Ultra low cost from China - a guide to Mediatek Nope. I brought it via Amazon. On the sellers page it says: If you are come from UK/Belgium/Denmark/France/Germany/Ireland/Netherlands/Italy/Spain/Portugal/USA, you do not need to pay import tax.Delivery could take 6-12 business days after dispatching. Postage is also covered as well. There are one or two complaints from people who have purchased from other suppliers via Amazon about them getting stung for delivery charges which is why I chose the one I did. I shall post details of the supplier on the review once I've 100% confirmed delivery etc.
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