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Best starter android phone?

So I'm looking to get my first android powered device , my question is what do you guys suggest to be a good phone for my first experience? Looking at spending around $500 usd budget (will go over for something I really like, but no $800 desire hd stuff lol), and don't want something "out of date" or have a poor build quality.
here is some info to go off of:
-I am not eligible for a upgrade so will pay retail
-In the us
-at&t carrier, no data, so any at&t specific phones are out of the question
-have wifi in vehicle and anywhere I go (one main reason I don't have a data plan)
-like a big screen and or keyboard since my hands aren't exactly small
Thanks in advance for any help. Also one more question that I haven't found the answer for, I saw a marketplace while signing up but cant view, what are the requirements to view?

p.s. I think this might belong in the Q and A section...

my first smartphone was the palm pixi a fantastic OS but then went to htc hero id say thats now a beginners phone
now im with an epic

You could probably score a used Nexus One on eBay or Craigslist for $500.

TheBiles said:
You could probably score a used Nexus One on eBay or Craigslist for $500.
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That is one thing that I've thought about, I've also looked at the htc desire, its a little more then other phones but i like the design and the extra ram it offers.

I think nexus one. Just my .02

Thanks for the responses, I guess I need to start hunting for a good condition nexus one. Am I correct for saying that you can not buy them new anymore?

if you can get one (UK only afaik), the Orange San Francisco seems to be a good phone to start with, at about £90.
It's the ZTE Blade, and has an HDPI (high res) screen and reasonable CPU etc.
Worth a look if you can lay your hands on one.

zte blade has a nice exterior, probably one of my favorites so far . But the processor seems a little slow (clock wise), anyone have any experience with how well the Qualcomm MSM7227 competes with say a snapdragon or samsung hummerbird cpu?

id get a nexus one or desire, there not too expensive anymore and have ample power to keep up with technology for the next couple of years, the hero is good but its starting to show its age now, it depends what you want, the nexus one is better built imo but the desire has more ram and an optical trackpad instead of a trackball

Just remember if you do purchase a T-Mobile Nexus One - and you end up getting a data plan down the line.. your stuck on Edge forever while on AT&T's network.
There are AT&T Nexus One's out there.. but your going to be paying a premium.

AndroHero said:
id get a nexus one or desire, there not too expensive anymore and have ample power to keep up with technology for the next couple of years, the hero is good but its starting to show its age now, it depends what you want, the nexus one is better built imo but the desire has more ram and an optical trackpad instead of a trackball
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Is the trackball like blackberrys dumb trackball? I hated that thing with a passion when I tried to use it (even though touch screen means I will rarely use it). I have never used a optical trackpad before. Is it like say running your finger on the bottom of a laser mouse? I know it is kinda bad analogy.
avgjoegeek said:
Just remember if you do purchase a T-Mobile Nexus One - and you end up getting a data plan down the line.. your stuck on Edge forever while on AT&T's network.
There are AT&T Nexus One's out there.. but your going to be paying a premium.
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Yes, I have been looking around on craigslist and what not, t-mobile ones in mint condition run about $400, while ones bought straight from google run about $450, which I would want anyways so I don't have all the tmobile bloatware from the get go.

SnafuPossum said:
Yes, I have been looking around on craigslist and what not, t-mobile ones in mint condition run about $400, while ones bought straight from google run about $450, which I would want anyways so I don't have all the tmobile bloatware from the get go.
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Dude... removing bloatware takes every bit of 10 minutes. I'm assuming that you're going to root anyways, so just save yourself $50.

So you can remove it? Did not know that. Yes I will root it, but I just wont our of the box because of a laziness factor lol. (atleast im truthful )

SnafuPossum said:
So you can remove it? Did not know that. Yes I will root it, but I just wont our of the box because of a laziness factor lol. (atleast im truthful )
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Easily, and the chances are that any custom ROM you flash will be already purged of bloatware.

The Nexus One is a great starter phone. I personally started with a cheap G1 I found on craigslist. The owner had bought a new phone and didn't know about modding and even after I told him he wasn't interested in doing it. After a while I traded up and got the Nexus One.
The good thing about the T-Mobile version of the N1 is that if you do decide to get data service, and you're okay with the EDGE speeds (slower than 3G), then you can pay the cheaper price for the data plan. I've heard from here and there of people with the AT&T version of the Nexus One having their phone automatically upgraded to the more expensive data plan because Google must have given them an updated IMEI list for the phones.

Well just a update, purchased a Desire HD. Waiting for it in the mail, I can't wait!

Thinking about buying this phone - I have Questions

Right now I have an Evo 4G and while I like it I'm getting a little bored with it. I'm big on flashing Roms and the ICS Rom is great but the lack of a working Camera and the development speed/support just isn't that great. I guess I could/should be more patient.
With that said it seems like the Nexus S would be a good fit for me. I see several ICS Roms out there and it appears everything is working great as well as a ton of support here from the Devs.
I am due for an upgrade in May so here are my questions....
1.) In your opinion is it worth getting this phone for 5+ months until my upgrade?
2.) I don't want to shell out a ton of money for a new phone....Where do you recommend I look for a good used one?
3.) Can I activate a used Nexus easily? I don't want to screw up my 2 year contract and have to start over.
I've searched E-bay and found some ranging from $170+.....I'm not sure what I should be looking for as far as what buyer to go with if I do decide to get one.
What is the best Model?

Sniggity said:
Right now I have an Evo 4G and while I like it I'm getting a little bored with it. I'm big on flashing Roms and the ICS Rom is great but the lack of a working Camera and the development speed/support just isn't that great. I guess I could/should be more patient.
With that said it seems like the Nexus S would be a good fit for me. I see several ICS Roms out there and it appears everything is working great as well as a ton of support here from the Devs.
I am due for an upgrade in May so here are my questions....
1.) In your opinion is it worth getting this phone for 5+ months until my upgrade?
2.) I don't want to shell out a ton of money for a new phone....Where do you recommend I look for a good used one?
3.) Can I activate a used Nexus easily? I don't want to screw up my 2 year contract and have to start over.
I've searched E-bay and found some ranging from $170+.....I'm not sure what I should be looking for as far as what buyer to go with if I do decide to get one.
What is the best Model?
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1. Yes
2. EBay
3. Yes.
Look for eBay posting which clearly states "CLEAN ESN" this means its not stolen and can be activated without a problem. Obviously you want to also look for working condition and all that. $200 is about what they go for.

obsanity said:
1. Yes
2. EBay
3. Yes.
Look for eBay posting which clearly states "CLEAN ESN" this means its not stolen and can be activated without a problem. Obviously you want to also look for working condition and all that. $200 is about what they go for.
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I found one with a Clean ESN for $200.
Model: i9020
MPN: GT-I9020FSTTMB
I haven't had a chance to research the different models. Is this a good one for the price? Or should I look to get a different model?
Also, coming from the Evo how would I go about transferring files(pictures, videos, Backups, etc.) from my Micro-SD card to this phone since the NS doesn't use SD cards?

Unless you plan on switching carriers (EVO is on Sprint) you need a Nexus S 4G CDMA for Sprint. The others are for T-Mobile or ATT which are a GSM version.

Sniggity said:
I found one with a Clean ESN for $200.
Model: i9020
MPN: GT-I9020FSTTMB
I haven't had a chance to research the different models. Is this a good one for the price? Or should I look to get a different model?
Also, coming from the Evo how would I go about transferring files(pictures, videos, Backups, etc.) from my Micro-SD card to this phone since the NS doesn't use SD cards?
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That's a S-AMOLED screen model so a good choice. However, as has been said previously, look for a 4G model.
The Nexus S appears to Windows in the same way as your EVO would - as if it has an SD card, so you can just copy everything across using your computer.

TheManicGibbon said:
That's a S-AMOLED screen model so a good choice. However, as has been said previously, look for a 4G model.
The Nexus S appears to Windows in the same way as your EVO would - as if it has an SD card, so you can just copy everything across using your computer.
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Thanks for the info.
I ended up order that one today and it's already on the way ....Samsung Nexus S 4G, Clean ESN Sprint, Bundle, CDMA, Excellent Condition!....Sounds good and looks good from the pics too.
I assumed that's how it would work as far as the Internal Memory was concerned but thought I'd make sure.
I can't wait to root this and get some pure ICS!!

Trading 2.20 One X for one with 1.85

I was hesitant to hijack a similar thread about finding a 1.85 One X, so I figured I'd ask separately. I've found a couple One X's on Craigslist, and at least one new-in-box running 1.85. However, the guy selling it wants $100 on top of trading him my phone (a couple days old, running 2.20). I tried offering $50, but he's solid at $100.
Was just wondering, since I'm newer to these boards than most (and to the rooting procedure for Androids)... would it be worth it to trade the phone and $100 to get one I know I could root? Warranty-wise I should be okay, as someone stated elsewhere that the phone's protected for a year with HTC regardless (though I'm assuming AT&T would no longer cover my phone in case something breaks?). Just trying to weigh out if it's worth the extra cash to be able to root this otherwise fan-frigging-tastic cell phone, or if I'd be better off waiting to see if either HTC/AT&T throws us a bone or someone finds a loophole.
Apologies if asking for a purchasing opinion like this makes me a gigantic asshole, but otherwise, thanks for the input.

I would never do that
But if your willing to pay that.much for root then go for it
Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2

That's just too much. I was able to sell mine and buy a new one with 1.85 on the same day for the same price I sold it. Just be patient and wait for the right deal.
HOX on craiglist are selling for around $300.00.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

eortizr said:
That's just too much. I was able to sell mine and buy a new one with 1.85 on the same day for the same price I sold it. Just be patient and wait for the right deal.
HOX on craiglist are selling for around $300.00.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
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Thanks, yeah. Thinking I was letting myself get a little root crazy. Just sucks to see such a sweet device begging for root. Ah well, I'm sure patience will be rewarded.

Whether its worth it or not completely depends on how much that extra $100 means to you, and how much rooting (and unlocking the bootloader if you want that) means to you. For some people, $100 may be a perfectly affordable luxury, and it may bring them great joy to mod the phone, play around with custom ROMs, etc.. For others, they may be on more of a budget, or simply not mod the phone enough to justify the expense.
Charging an extra $100 for something that a lot of people want doesn't seem too unreasonable. Especially since its new in box, and yours presumably is not.
Of course, the worst case scenario would be if a root solution (or AT&T allowing the bootloader to be unlocked "officially") right after you make the trade and spend the $100. That would be a real bummer. But not really much of a way of knowing if either is going to happen anytime soon, and how long your are willing to wait.
Coming on here and asking opinions is fine (certainly doesn't make you an a$$hole IMO). But in the end, looking inside yourself is where you are going to find your final answer.

What's the main reason why you want a rooted/unlocked device? If it's for custom ROMS, waiting isn't necessarily a bad thing because right now the 4.1 Sense custom ROMs for US phones are not quite final. If it's free wifi tether, there are a couple apps that don't require root (have not tried them myself though).
$100 is a good amount of cash if you assume that a 2.2 root/unlock is coming eventually. By then, you may even have a Jelly Bean ROM that is fully working so may be worth the wait. I would say enjoy your phone and wait for the 2.2 Root.

Stick with the GS5 or go with the OPO

I have an AT&T Galaxy S5 right now, but the One Plus One seems to be the better phone. Should I make the switch? Or stick with what I have?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

jellymonster442 said:
I have an AT&T Galaxy S5 right now, but the One Plus One seems to be the better phone. Should I make the switch? Or stick with what I have?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Personally I'll never but a mobile Samsung device again, so were I to advise you I'd drop the S5 and get the One. It's cheaper, won't have a locked bootloader and should have tremendous community support due to the affordability and CM relationship.
Of course, the last part is contingent on overall availability - hopefully that won't be an issue.

sell it and use the money to buy two OPO if you can get your hands on them. lol

Since you're on XDA we'll assume rooting and customization are important to you which pretty much makes the AT&T version of the Galaxy S5 a non-starter.
The OPO is closer in size to the Galaxy Note 3 than the S5 though, so you'd need to decide if the size is right for you to begin with.
GS5 has a great camera so that might factor into your decision too. We have yet to see any head to head image comparisons between GS5 and OPO but it's my understanding the OPO uses the same camera as the Oppo Find 7/a. I *have* seen a head to head comparison between the Find 7a and GS5 and the Samsung images were better, so it's reasonable to assume similar results may be seen with the OPO. I look forward to seeing a good shootout comparison, hopefully soon.
Since you're on AT&T it's worth noting that OPO only supports two out of AT&T's four LTE bands. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I assume the AT&T GS5 supports all 4 AT&T LTE bands, meaning it may perform better on AT&T's network in high traffic areas where those other two LTE bands are in use.
If you're eligible for a subsidized phone on contract from AT&T then the GS5 is cheaper. Otherwise at full price the OPO is cheaper.
Finally, OPO has no SD card expansion slot, the battery is not removable and it's not waterproof, so the GS5 wins in those categories too (except the lack a 32GB version of the GS5 is lame despite the SD card slot). The workarounds are to buy the 64GB OPO variant, carry a portable charger and don't drop it in the toilet. Probably not deal-breakers but still worth noting.

I don't understand
Please help me understand something.
It's not just this thread, but I see multiple threads on XDA and several other sites.
"should I keep X, or switch to Y".
Does your current device work, are you happy with it, does it do everything you like?
Why would you switch then, other than fill a fixation with something newer.
I see it all the time. People replace their phones, cars, houses, because something new
comes along or "everyone" is doing it. I guess I'm old...I just don't get the narcissistic need
to be getting the newest anything all the time. Is ANYONE happy anymore?

p51d007 said:
Please help me understand something.
It's not just this thread, but I see multiple threads on XDA and several other sites.
"should I keep X, or switch to Y".
Does your current device work, are you happy with it, does it do everything you like?
Why would you switch then, other than fill a fixation with something newer.
I see it all the time. People replace their phones, cars, houses, because something new
comes along or "everyone" is doing it. I guess I'm old...I just don't get the narcissistic need
to be getting the newest anything all the time. Is ANYONE happy anymore?
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Click to collapse
We're not meant to understand it. You and I grew up in a different time when we learned to be content with what we had and make the most of it. We drank a simpler KoolAid.
Over the last 20+ years advertising has zombified the millenials to believe that a new version of X is what is required to be happy. You see it everywhere these days. 4 year old car? So sorry you almost paid it off, come trade it in so we can bilk your for a new one. Cell phone almost 6 months old? Rent a new one from us at a premium price!
It's the new oppression/slavery. Keep you in debt buying smartphones so that you never look up to see that they've taken your rights, your savings, away. The TV industry is now attempting to follow suite with cellphones. HD4K is here and HD8K is already being touted attempting to get folks to dump their current 1080p displays.
For once, I'm glad to be older.

p51d007 said:
Please help me understand something.
It's not just this thread, but I see multiple threads on XDA and several other sites.
"should I keep X, or switch to Y".
Does your current device work, are you happy with it, does it do everything you like?
Why would you switch then, other than fill a fixation with something newer.
I see it all the time. People replace their phones, cars, houses, because something new
comes along or "everyone" is doing it. I guess I'm old...I just don't get the narcissistic need
to be getting the newest anything all the time. Is ANYONE happy anymore?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My current device works, but not at 100%. The USB port no longer functions so I can't hook it up to my computer. Also, my battery is giving out (dies in half a day). Otherwise, it does everything I like. So I'm shopping around for a new device. I'm just dropping by to see if it's a reasonable upgrade, or if I should wait for something else.
So people's decision to upgrade isn't always simply fixated on something being newer. People get new houses when their family outgrows their older one. People often buy themselves a nicer car when they can finally afford one after getting a better job. Plenty of reasons why people do the things they do. You shouldn't judge them for it, even if it's simply because they want something newer.

Buying one soon..

Hi, I have currently owned a one plus one for about 7 years now. Amazingly it has lasted all this time with no probs at all (I'm on my second battery, and have flashed a decent more modern ROM a while back so it still works with current apps etc). But I have been waiting for some new tech to be released before upgrading. And as that new tech is now here, I have decided to invest some of my hard earned cash to buy one.
But before I do,, thought I'd pop in here and ask you guys if there was anything I should be aware of before buying. Im in the UK, so are there any spec'd phones that would not work in the UK properly? I have heard of Chinese specific ones, maybe a rumer, maybe not?
Did any of them actually come with 512gb in the end? I'm after the rose coloured one if that makes a difference?
Should I not upgrade to the latest ui? As I see some are having problems with bugs..
Just anything I should be aware of really?, as its a lot of money to loose if something goes wrong...
Thanks chaps!..