Android phone approx $500 outright?

Hello all,

The wife has expressed a desire for a new phone, so I'm thinking I'll look around and if the right deal is around we might both do it.

I bought one of those $99 Telstra smart touch things to have a play with Android earlier this year and see if I was prepared to dedicate more funds to a phone purchase. I like what I've seen so far, and that was on a small screen with only 2.1.

Due to current contract considerations for her, and mine being a work SIM, we are limited to outright purchase.
Any suggestion would need to be NextG compatible, as we are in country NSW and travel to other country areas quite regularly.

The dollar limit isn't super firm at $500, but I don't think I'll be spending "600 on phones so $800 is definitely beyond the budget.

So, what choices are there?
Please recommend and link to reviews and potential purchase locations if possible.

Well if your not going to be doing really anything fancy,
You can have a look at an xperia x10a (i think the 'a' is the telstra version) Few guys on Gu have it and can give you some points about it.

Its fairly cheap these days and pretty good specs for its age. But then again, the battery life isnt the very best.

Care to say what you will be using the phone for?

Looks like you can get a Samsung Galaxy S on telstra for about $500 outright.

Samsung i9000 Galaxy S 8GB NextG | MobiCity

I use one of those on optus and I think it's good, but I keep it in a case so the plastic doesn't bother me. It's a year out of date though, single core, horrifying.

Galaxy S II is about $650 outright.

Samsung i9100 Galaxy S II 16GB | Samsung Galaxy S2 | MobiCity

has all the dual cores, and iphone 4 design styles you can handle.

OR HTC side of things, Desire is $500

HTC Desire A8182 NextG | MobiCity

quite a solid phone, I know a lot of people who have these and are happy with them, they're outdated now though.

These are get-it-right-now prices, I've seen prices for the desire and galaxy S quite a bit lower than that. But they tend to be short term deals. I think $500 is probably a bit high for either of them.

Go the Desire.

Forget about Samsung imo. And Sony.

As for what the phone will be used for:

Both will be used for calls and text, and some surfing. The wife's would probably get little more use than that other than taking pictures.

Mine would definitely be used for email, and exchange email at that. That is one of the key things for me, a decent exchange application so I can work without always needing to be physically in front of my notebook.

I've heard good things from most HTC owners, so I am probably leaning a little towards something they offer, though some of the newer Samsung offerings seem to be getting good verbal responses fomr people I know with them, but their uses may be different to what I'm likely to use them for.

I guess I'd prefer two phones the same for ease of teaching SWMBO about how to use them, and also the "why did you get a different on if the one you got me is so good?" but maybe due to different uses different phones may hit the mark better?

Keep the opinions rolling, even if they echo ones already expressed.

Thanks.

Quote from grandinferno;400154:
Go the Desire.

Forget about Samsung imo. And Sony.

No way he'd go the Desire for $500, when the Samsung S2 is just "50 more? The new dual-core Android handsets are sooo much better than the last gen models, regardless of brand.

Thanks to work handsets, between Elle and I we have a Desire, a Galaxy, an iPhone 3GS and the new HTC Sensation - which shits over all of the previous handsets mentioned, comprehensively.

I've used Eater's S2 many times and it's just as good as the Sensation, bar the build quality.

But, my iPhone 4 still trumps them all and it's what I continue to use. ;)

With the iPhone 5 release imminent, you'll soon find iPhone 4 handsets on eBay around your price range.

Opinions on the Desire HD for $549?

HTC Desire HD - NextG compatible | MobiCity

OK, the Sensation is more like $700, but I'll look further in to that, maybe they wil be cheaper some time if I keep watch on prices.

Again, if you only have to pay "00-"50 more for the Samsung S2 or HTC Sensation, then that is absolutely the right choice.

Buying a last gen Android considering the small price difference for the far, far superior dual-core handsets would be stupid.

That's the kind of thing my gut is telling me, but my wallet says SAVE!

get the xperia play, then you can play minecraft =)

Ok,

After playing with a Desire HD belonging to a relative, my wife loved it but thought it might be a bit big for her everyday needs.
Also, as she was mainly going to use the phone for talk and text, I decided to have her look at the HTC Wildfire S, on sale for "99 prepaid with Telstra.

In short, she found it the best fit for her needs, despite the slower processor and smaller lower resolution screen.

I did tell her I'd rather spend $600 once and for her to be happy than spend $200 and her wanting an update in 3-4 months.

In the end, she decided the Wildfire S was a good entry level Android phone for her, and said the "fancier" ones were probably more my cup of tea due to the things I would do on them that she simply wouldn't.

This means I free up a little more in the total budget to play with, and can consider the higher end phones for myself.

Yeah that's fair enough - if you're a talk and text user then something low end would be perfectly apt.

And now you can buy that HTC Sensation. Win-win. ;)

I've heard only good things about the wildfire and the bang for buck is awesome. Single cores are fine for handsets especially if you root it and put on a custom ROM.

It's deciding between the Sensation and the Galaxy SII that is the issue now - I like what I've seen of HTC's phones so far a lot, but I don't know anyone who actually HAS a Sensation that I can look at but I know of a few GSII users who are very happy.

Quote from rec;400176:
But, my iPhone 4 still trumps them all and it's what I continue to use. ;)Well that's the first time I've heard someone say the iPhone 4 is better than its Android competitors. I'm an iPhone 4 user and although I haven't tried my sister's SII, I'm jealous of the flexibility she has that I don't. E.g. being able to do whatever the hell she wants with her media and not being restricted to fucking iTunes.

You can do that if you like, with a very simple jailbreak. Which ultimately is no different to flashing an Android with a different rom.

I personally am happy with everything iOS 5 beta offers out of the box.

Quote from Brookie23;400940:
Well that's the first time I've heard someone say the iPhone 4 is better than its Android competitors. I'm an iPhone 4 user and although I haven't tried my sister's SII, I'm jealous of the flexibility she has that I don't. E.g. being able to do whatever the hell she wants with her media and not being restricted to fucking iTunes.

Be envious of the flexibility, then flaunt the apps, design and functionality of your iphone :P

Quote from Brookie23;400940:
not being restricted to fucking iTunes.

It's called jailbreak. It's the first thing I did to my work iphone. I feel a lot cleaner using it now.

Quote from Milenko;400944:
then flaunt the apps, design and functionality of your iphone :P

ahahahahaha wait, you HAVE an iPhone, you're serious?? I'll give you the design bit - but apps? the only thing you have that i can't get on Android is iTunes and.. well.. yeah... as for functionality. well there's already a thread about that here somewhere ;P

The iPhone App Store remains superior, if not in range, then in quality. I've downloaded most of my regularly used iPhone Apps to my HTC Sensation, and few are as good. And there's a couple missing, too.

As for "functionality" - I don't understand the argument. You can do as much as the hardware will let you on both platforms.

Quote from rec;400951:
The iPhone App Store remains superior, if not in range, then in quality. I've downloaded most of my regularly used iPhone Apps to my HTC Sensation, and few are as good. And there's a couple missing, too.

bound to be similar apps under a diff name if you lrn2search :)

Quote:
As for "functionality" - I don't understand the argument. You can do as much as the hardware will let you on both platforms.

I know: "well there's already a thread about that here somewhere ;P"

Oh, I've got the similar apps. I'm just saying they're inferior. The "like" apps just aren't as good most of the time. That includes Facebook, Flixter, Urbanspoon and so-on. I'm yet to find a good equivalant transport timetable app worth using for Brisbane.

As for outright missing that I use regularly; there's no Westpac app, for example. No FootyTips app either, as another. What about Chess With Friends? Nup. Yellow Cabs? Fail again.

Google Maps rules for public transport. Get latest version and check out the transit stuff.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

this looks like a westpac app to me: https://market.android.com/details?id=org.westpac.bank&feature=search_result

this seems like a pretty full featured brisbane transport app: https://market.android.com/details?id=au.com.oaksystems.gobrisbane&feature=search_result (would be curious to see the iphone one to see what's missing - tho i note sooks upset this one stores on internal memory so that may annoy you).

there's pages of MP chess games.

here's a footy tips app for you: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.noticesoftware.RugbyTips&feature=search_result =)

facebook is fail everywhere so i'm not even looking at that (tho apparently the SE version bundled into their android release is pretty good - never really tried my copy to know).

i can't compare any of those other dual system apps as I don't have an iphone to run them side by side, but Flixster - from their website - appears to be prettymuch the same app on all the devices they support (aside from different UI graphics due to OS reqs)? also urbanspoon looks identical between them (screenshots and feature list) - maybe you tried an early build on android?

crazy that yellow cabs hasn't ported to the larger market yet though. silly business is silly. especially in light of their app already supporting some google tech.

Religious argument.

i'm not arguing! just saying: i can't see a claim for either phone being better than the other - followed by assisting rec in replacing his dud android apps with some that (hopefully) work :)

htc wildfire not bad if you want all the glitz without the power hungry graphics.

The Go Brisbane for Android is inferior. That footy tips app is not the Footy Tips app nor does it have anything to do with them.

yeah that wasn't why i posted the footy tips one =)

Oh and yes there's pages of chess games, just not the best one. :P

There's no argument that the apps on iphone generally have more polish and there's a better selection, and I'm a rabid Android fan.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Quote from jabsy;400945:
It's called jailbreak. It's the first thing I did to my work iphone. I feel a lot cleaner using it now.Yeah, I've kind of been avoiding it coz everyone I know who has done it gets weird bugs and things screwing up from time to time. But jailbreaking techniques have probably improved since I last checked.

having had the opportunity to help someone with their ipad today, fuck apple.

I don't give a shit what it offers once jailbroken, the need to do things through itunes and having it say, "well if you want to do anything we'll have to erase all your shit". I understand you can tick a box somewhere and that turns this off, but you have to do this on one specific computer, before you know that you need to do it.

apple can suck it. I will still recommend it to people who need to be coddled, but I wouldn't touch it myself unless it was free, and I don't mean work "free", where I have to use it but not jailbreak it, and not do anything fraudilicious.

This is opposed to an android tablet I also got to help with today, where you plug it in and have full access to the internal/external storage (external usb port). The closed box bullshit that Papple force on people is utterly frustrating.

Ok, I think I'm going to buy the Sensation, if I can find a NextG compatible one anywhere near the GSII pricing available.

Please let me know if you happen to see one somewhere I might have missed, noting that brand spankers with warranty is all I'm interested in.

Mobicity is $730 I assume you already seen that?

Yes, thanks Harb.

I'm hearing a fair bit on whirlpool about mixed success purchasing outright from JB HI-FI for $650, and have a copy of the receipt that has been used for some of the successful purchases.

Heading to Adelaide next week so I might try my success where I have some chance of going in to more than one store.

Ok, now I'm becoming torn... iphone people, is a 3GS for $429 something I should be considering as well?

iPhone 3GS Pre-Paid

No. In fact you may as well bend over and start fisting yourself now while you're $429 ahead.

dont fucking touch it. see my second last post in the ereader thread for details :P

Nein on 3GS.

iPhone 4 will be about to drop price, we're a week away from the iPhone 5.

Ok, so the casino fairies donated me $500 to the phone cause and JB hifi did me $670 with no effort at all so I'm typing this on my shiny new sensation. Love it so far, but I haven't had it long.

Thanks to all who replied, I'm sure I'll be bugging you all again soon with app questions.

\o/ *non-turtleneck-wearing hug for unscarred*

obviously the first app to install is the free-to-android-users Angry Birds ;)

Quote from Aegis;401928:
\o/ *non-turtleneck-wearing hug for unscarred*

obviously the first app to install is the free-to-android-users Angry Birds ;)

followed very closely by your first app uninstall the free-to-android-users angry birds :P

bah, i still have angry birds on my phone :P

There are birds on my phone, and yes I think they are angry.

Quote from Aegis;401936:
bah, i still have angry birds on my phone :P
i too still have it, as well as seasons and Rio... but man it pisses me off, completed all but just cant get 3 gold stars on certain levels... makes me an angry human..

P.s. Aegis, Anime overdose man, finished copying the HD last nite, onto the DVD case tonight lol, had to make so much space

Here's what I have installed:
reslo's HTC Desire on AppBrain

My top apps:
http://www.appbrain.com/user/reslo/apps-i-cant-live-without

I don't actually use Appbrain itself anymore as the market has become easier to navigate, but I've sync'd my current setup so you can see what I've got and its handy to use to re-install apps in one hit if there is ever a problem with your phone.

Cut the rope is a great game, currently not installed but new levels came out this week, so it's going back on.

haha neat :)

Angry birds is awesome. Rio is crap, The physics seem to be optional in some levels. If I destroy the bottom of what a birds on, the whole thing should fall down, instead it floats in mid airs.

Stupid ninja's is good to pass the time. Oh and 3D Pool Master is good to, but it won't run on older devices like my Desire. Only on phones like the Galaxy s2 I got for the missus (What have I done...).

Galaxy S II up for $499 from Kogan

grey import jobby.

Samsung Galaxy S II - Unlocked - Only $499 + Free Shipping - Cheapest Yet - OzBargain

which reminds me. Sony has forced Xperia10.net to close its doors. for those here with xperia x10 handsets, their most recent useful post included porting some neat gear from the Xperia Arc back to the X10:

Android 2.3.4 goodies ported to Xperia X10 | Xperia X10 Blog

Quote:
Sony Ericsson has started to release the Android 2.3.4 update for its 2011 range of Xperia handsets. If you want to know exactly what this includes, we did a comprehensive feature roundup here. As Xperia X10 owners are unlikely to see any more updates past Android 2.3.3, people have been trying to port the new features, apps and widgets over to the X10.

Thankfully most work quite easily on a stock Xperia X10 running Android 2.3.3. We already provided the new Power Save app and Timer & Clock widgets that all work on the X10. However, if you want a more complete Android 2.3.4 experience, then check out this xda thread. Files are provided which includes support for Facebook inside Xperia 2.0, the new music player with extensions, home launcher and keyboard (including swipe text input). There’s certainly enough there to keep stock Xperia X10 owners happy for a while!

the powersave one is cool - kicks in when your battery is getting low and shuts off services you tell it you dont want running in low power state.

Quote from Aegis;402796:
which reminds me. Sony has forced Xperia10.net to close its doors. for those here with xperia x10 handsets, their most recent useful post included porting some neat gear from the Xperia Arc back to the X10:

Android 2.3.4 goodies ported to Xperia X10 | Xperia X10 Blog

the powersave one is cool - kicks in when your battery is getting low and shuts off services you tell it you dont want running in low power state.

Are you running stock lars?

yup