Related
And I'm not sure I want to stay in the HTC family if they haven't released graphic driver software that can actually make their phones usable.
The phone I'm looking to upgrade to is the HTC Touch Pro 2. So I'm wondering, does anyone have this phone? If so, does it have the appropriate 2D and 3D drivers it should (10fps for video is f**king insanity)?
Finally, if not, what would be a good upgrade from the Kaiser (and don't say the Touch Pro, because it was also released without it's drivers)?
Regarding Touch Pro 2
Have a look on it´s proper section, you can read experiences and recommendations from several users
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=479
I am in the same boat - I can renew my contract at at&t and get a cheap new phone.
I really dislike HTC for the stunts they pulled with the Kaiser drivers.
I am actually eyeing the iphone. If they had it with a 1 year contract, I would jump on it in a sec (even if it was $100 more to buy).
The iphone is a fascinating device indeed. I would love to have one, specially one of the recent 3GS with 32GB memory.
It comes full with functionality, there is plenty of software for it and above all, it has a great user interface and design. It is great to use.
But, there is a major inconvinience: it costs a fortune!
I mean 600 Euro or more for an unlocked iphone, or the equivalent level for plans is very expensive.
Add to that the vulnerabily of the device (never ever drop it, scratch it and take care to not grease the glass all the time), it is a headache to own one.
HTC devices, on the other hand, have two appealing characteristics: they can be obtained cheap (because they do have a long lifetime, so they end up cheap on ebay for a good value price) and they can be hacked, modded and expanded at your hearts will.
Conclusion:
1) If you have the money.
2) If you prefer to USE the device instead of HACKING it.
Get yourself the iphone. You will be happy with it.
Otherwise, just get the HTC one you fancy and live with its limitation, enjoying all the stuff you can do with it (new firmware, cooked firmware, lots of applications, customizations, etc.).
Cheers,
vma
vma said:
The iphone is a fascinating device indeed. I would love to have one, specially one of the recent 3GS with 32GB memory.
It comes full with functionality, there is plenty of software for it and above all, it has a great user interface and design. It is great to use.
But, there is a major inconvinience: it costs a fortune!
I mean 600 Euro or more for an unlocked iphone, or the equivalent level for plans is very expensive.
Add to that the vulnerabily of the device (never ever drop it, scratch it and take care to not grease the glass all the time), it is a headache to own one.
HTC devices, on the other hand, have two appealing characteristics: they can be obtained cheap (because they do have a long lifetime, so they end up cheap on ebay for a good value price) and they can be hacked, modded and expanded at your hearts will.
Conclusion:
1) If you have the money.
2) If you prefer to USE the device instead of HACKING it.
Get yourself the iphone. You will be happy with it.
Otherwise, just get the HTC one you fancy and live with its limitation, enjoying all the stuff you can do with it (new firmware, cooked firmware, lots of applications, customizations, etc.).
Cheers,
vma
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in the same boat as the original poster. I am looking for a new phone since my iphone 2g has the dreaded dead strip which is common for the iphone.
At first when it happened I instantly wanted to replace the iphone with another one however on craiglist the 2g were still going for around $150 to $200. However again these were used and most likely were going to start crapping out just like my current. On mine the volume buttons began get stuck and eventually from trying to plug them out ended up coming off. Then I explored the option of a newer 3g since it is better phone overall of the 2g with better form factor and speakerphone. However they were going for $250 to $300 but then again with no warranty. Also since I am taking it to tmobile it would be without 3g.
So yeah the iphone is expensive choice for me since the same plan I have now on ATT would cost me $65 more a month which is $780 more a year. If I decide to take with tmobile then I am paying $300 for an iphone that does not have a warranty. The one year warranty is ridiculous for a phone that retails for $600.
get the touch pro 2 on tmobile 8/12 and be very happy
My phone is on my company's business contract, so I have no choice but to be with Orange (UK). It came up for renewal about 6 months ago but they don't seem to have released a single interesting phone in that whole time. The Hero is the only phone that's even close, but it's so old now I don't really fancy committing to it for 18 months. The Touch Pro 2 was supposed to be out when I started looking but they withdrew it before I had a chance to get one. Later the HD 2 seems to suffer a similar fate. Someone from Orange phoned me last month to ask why I hadn't upgraded yet (obviously concerned that I was getting ready to leave) and she said the HTC Bravo would probably be out in March, which I later worked out was similar to a Google Nexus and so quite interesting. I phoned to check today, but they still have no idea if/when it will arrive.
Does anyone else agree that there's something a bit strange going on when they don't properly release a high-end smart phone for 6 months or more? I mentioned to them I was suspicious that they were just trying not to distract attention from the iPhone but, of course, she didn't offer any useful comment.
The main question is, does anyone have any idea what Oranges plans are regarding high-end smart phones? Is it worth holding out for them to finally release one of the many iPhone-eclipsing devices, or should I be trying to convince my company to open an account elsewhere?
I had been looking on Orange's website to see if they were offering the HD2 as an upgrade. As far as I know they still aren't even listing it but I got an HD2 through Phones 4 U as an upgrade and as a loyal Orange customer got a 10% discount on the Dolphin 35 tariff (albeit for 24 months) as well as the handset for £50 minus £50 for trading in ANY old phone.
The only downside is that I'm now wondering if I should have waited for Win Phone 7 if it's released as early as Sept...
I had been looking on Orange's website to see if they were offering the HD2 as an upgrade
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That reminds me, I meant to mention that the Orange Business website hasn't barely changed their HTC section since I first started looking. That includes the HD Touch Pro 2 which (as far as I can tell) was available for about 1 week, 6 months ago. Maybe they're just trying to make it less obvious to the casual observer that Apple is pressuring them to bury anything better than the iPhone.
I hadn't thought about third party phone shops for a Business account. Can anyone confirm that's an option?
I read somewhere that Orange UK are not doing WM till 7series comes out now
Seems like they're in no hurry with Android either. Since the Hero they've only gone further down-market (Tattoo), passing over several higher end possibilities.
Anybody care to comment on my pet conspiracy theory about cutting out distractions from the JesusPhone™?
I love my gtab but i can see how it might get semi-replaced right off the bat with this Motorla Atrix. Similiar specs and the ports that include laptop key board style usability combined with one for Media outputs will be readily available and easy to find....
My Iphone 3gs contract is up and i am seriously considering this device.
I know there is probably a seperate forum for this phone already but i wanted to see what GTAB users thought about it.
Here is a link fort those in the dark.
It has the Tegra processor, a laptop style doc, a multimedia style doc, and a car doc. Android 2.2.
http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/motorola-atrix.jsp#fbid=Pz0w4Bi9BCz
I wont be getting any locked devices. If Motorola locks the bootloader then I'll wait for something else
I will be getting the Atrix and the docks, this is going to be one bad-azz phone. I am tired of my Iphone after using the Gtab, I have seen the light...
Then again, after reading around about Motorola philosophy of lock down "buy elsewhere" attitude...i may get the Samsung Infuse instead.
Honestly....if i wanted the locked down "buy elsewhere" attitude, why the frack wouldnt i just get the iphone 4 or iphone 5...that attitude kinda DEFEATS the WHOLE purpose of andorid..
No thanks. I'll pass for these reasons:
1. It's a phone, and I have one of those already. I also like to cost of the data plan I'm tied to at the moment.
2. Screen size - I got the G-tablet because I wanted the 10" screen for book/web/whatever reading.
3. If it's going to be locked down like Motorola says it will be, no thanks.
4. AT&T. Plain and simple - I've had way too many bad experiences with them to make me EVER go back.
It's an interesting concept, and if an open alternative which follows that model (specialized docks, etc.) is developed in the future, I may consider moving when I am ready to boot my phone. But at this moment, I'm not seeing anything that's giving me that "I have to have it" wow factor.
BigJohn
BigJohn89 said:
No thanks. I'll pass for these reasons:
1. It's a phone, and I have one of those already. I also like to cost of the data plan I'm tied to at the moment.
2. Screen size - I got the G-tablet because I wanted the 10" screen for book/web/whatever reading.
3. If it's going to be locked down like Motorola says it will be, no thanks.
4. AT&T. Plain and simple - I've had way too many bad experiences with them to make me EVER go back.
It's an interesting concept, and if an open alternative which follows that model (specialized docks, etc.) is developed in the future, I may consider moving when I am ready to boot my phone. But at this moment, I'm not seeing anything that's giving me that "I have to have it" wow factor.
BigJohn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like large?
Try this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyZohb7yhDw&feature=related
To each his own. My experiences with Verizon will make me NEVER go back...EVER.
Years ago i bought a phone with a shared line family plan for me and my wife with verizon...each month the second phone was billed outside of the plan, each month Verizon admitted their mistake, said they would correct the issue and apologized, then the next month..SAME THING ALL OVER AGAIN. After 8 months of that i told them to f*k off and have NEVER been back since.
AT&T on the other hand..i go over my minutes, i call them ask for a new plan...they up the plan and then TAKE OFF THE EXTRA CHARGES...EVERY TIME. Want to drop a line a few months early? No problem...done..no early cancellation fee. They shipped me a bad phone once..no problem..new one sent and old one mailed back, no charge. Battery died a little early once..no problem, service girl in store gave me a free one swapped out of a demo unit..NO CHARGE...the list goes on forever like this. Seriously, their customer service is Five star...its good enough that i am willing to accept the dead zones on I20 in a 4 mile area between augusta and atlanta and one in mid columbia thats about 2 miles long...
Just saying..for every "i hate AT&T" story....i have ones about how Verizon has the WORST customer service in the HISTORY of cell phones when it comes to needing something done. (and not come back the VERY next month..until you LOSE IT and go PSYCHO after 2/3rds of a year...)
OH and coverage? We have all seen the commercials right..the maps? I have traveled with my AT&T to cincinatti, NYC, Richmond, Charlotte, Winston Salem, Columbia, Greensboro, Atlanta, Valdosta, Northen LA, Asheville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinberg, Savanna, Chaleston, Myrtle beach, Hilton Head, DC, Va Beach, North Kentucky, etc...
Zero problems..
My sister and mothers house in Pleasant Graden NC...NO VERIZON coverage...AT&T phone works fine there..no problems.
Maybe i just have bizzaro luck..or maybe the commercials about Verizons coverage are over-hyped??
I dont know...personal experience versus commercials..im going to go with my actual experience
Nuff said.
The G-tab has a 10" screen. These are two completely different products. There's no way I would consider going smaller unless it is as a complimentary device, not a replacement.
1. AT&T Fail
2. Not 10" screen
3. Not a tablet
4. Better products will be out soon enough
I won't be buying it.
At&t 3G coverage as terrible unless in larger city areas. Not as bad as Tmo, but neither are in the same league for 3G as VZW.
Bionic seems interesting, but no buy if the bootloader is locked. I may be keeping my Inc a LOT longer than planned
It works great with gTablet for tethering, so okay with me
BTW, 4.3" seems big (for a phone it is), but try a 4.3" display for about 15 minutes and then try the gTablet. The 4.3" is functionally no better than than a 3.7" in comparison.
I believe a phone that docks into everything is that future, but the atrix isn't quite there yet.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
sanvara said:
The G-tab has a 10" screen. These are two completely different products. There's no way I would consider going smaller unless it is as a complimentary device, not a replacement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well regarding the Atrix it has a VERY small screen...but the orginal post was referring to the ability to use a keyboard 15inch screen laptop as a PORT!
Complimentary device maybe...but with the right phone i might use the gtab...less than i do now.
The iphone is DEFINATELY going...
What new phone style products are coming that might be better options?
rushless said:
BTW, 4.3" seems big (for a phone it is), but try a 4.3" display for about 15 minutes and then try the gTablet. The 4.3" is functionally no better than than a 3.7" in comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The infuse has a 4.5 inch screen..that thing almost seems like a small tablet compared the years i have spent surfing o my 3GS.
Regarding AT&Ts service..you might be on to somehting there. 99% of my travel is to LARGE cities. For the last 4 years namely its been NYC and Atlanta. When i go home though..in the TINY city of lexington SC from my home....3G service works great. At my girl friends home in Augusta GA, 3G service works great. Usually when i am in a small town though, i am at someones house who has wi-fi hooked up (including mine).
To each his own but Verizons customer serivce is so horrible..i wouldnt care if they had 10G service i would not use them. I might feel different if my luck with always having a 3G or wi-fi signal wasnt so good all the time though.
My gtab mainly does duty as a light alternative to my lap top for when im in the bed surfing the net or want to watch a movie on something in bed or on an airplane etc. I use it as a newsreader from a book stand on my desk at work also through out the day and it makes a great orginizer from same position. I have COMPLETELY stopped using it to type on or try to create any content though...couldnt handle the touch screen keyboard, its worse than using both the lap top and the iphone. It also works great to watch movies on long car trips and for quick "let me check on that" type of internet tasks from home when i am too inpatient to wait for the lap top to boot up.
Truthfully all these devices have their role but i initially posted about the Atrix as it seemed possibly capable of crossing into multiple roles.
One more thing to consider regarding carriers and then i will drop it.
This is a HUGE one.
AT&T has grandfathered all of its users who had smart phones prior to June of 2010 in so that they will continue to get UNLIMITED data for $29.00 a month regardless of how many times they renew or change phones.
Verizon may offer that for one time only introductory rate only, but everyone else (and when your contract is up) you will be locked into only getting 2G per month at a rate only $5.00 cheaper a month.
Now in 2013 rolls around ill be able to get 5G or more in data a month using the SAME technology verizon has, for probably HALF the cost (verizon charges I think $20 extra per G over the 2G) while retaining superior customer service.
Math:
5G from Verizon=$25+$20+$20=$65.00
5G from AT&T grandfathered customers=$29.00
This will be the reality by the time i get around to my next cell phone contract (after the one im about to start) as AT&T will have its LTE network up by then in the larger cities..
So there is that...
Allenfx said:
Like large?
Try this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyZohb7yhDw&feature=related
To each his own. My experiences with Verizon will make me NEVER go back...EVER.
(Excess text of AT&T vs Verizon rant removed by BJ89)
My sister and mothers house in Pleasant Graden NC...NO VERIZON coverage...AT&T phone works fine there..no problems.
Maybe i just have bizzaro luck..or maybe the commercials about Verizons coverage are over-hyped??
I dont know...personal experience versus commercials..im going to go with my actual experience
Nuff said.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, I find it quite funny about how you totally ignored the meaning of my post and turned the whole thing into an evangelism for AT&T - all while assuming I use Verizon.
The purpose of my post was to state that I bought the G-tab because I wanted a large-screened tablet for reading/web surfing/similar tasks. I already have a phone with a data plan, and I do not want another. I also didn't go with an iPad or a Galaxy tab for the same reason - to get one at a price point similar to the G-tab, I would have to go with one that is subsidized by a carrier. Which means another data plan to pay for.
BTW, comparing the Atrix and the G-Tab is a waste of time as most people will treat them as two separate products with different purposes.
The Samsung phone you linked to was nice, but you glossed over the fact that I said that I didn't want another phone at this time - or in the near future.
Regarding the whole AT&T vs Verizon thing - I have had bad experiences with AT&T for quite a long time; even going as far back to before AT&T took over Cingular. It wasn't a one-time incident, and eventually I gave up dealing with them. It's my choice not to deal with them as much as it's your choice to use them.
I know there are plenty of people that have had bad customer service issues with my carrier of choice as well - which, by the way, is Sprint and not Verizon.
BigJohn
Various blogs have reported that Motorola is leaving the bootloader unlocked.
I read the reviews and it seams the laptop dock is pretty much just a gimmick and not all that useful. Sweet phone though. If I was going to spend a ton of cash on a phone and or a new plan anyways I might consider it. Happy with my gTab and HD2 for now though.
I'm def. not.
599/499 for a phone and a dock with a screen? I think not. It's essentially still just a phone. Some people change their phones every year or 2. So you're either locking yourself into an expensive short term investment or willing to hold on to older tech for longer, in which case maybe it would be worth it. You're also locked into a data contract for 2 years - inflating the cost of the package drastically.
Option 2 is a tablet for 379/399, a $40 wireless mouse/kb bundle from logitech or ms and a $50 hdmi dock, then hook it up to your LCD TV or monitor and voila, similar effect albeit not as mobile as the atrix lapdock, but if you're willing to carry that around in a bag, why not just buy a more powerful netbook or laptop for $300 upfront and let that be that? It just doesn't make much sense at the current price point.
It's a gimmick, imho.
If the entire dock were maybe $100-150 then it might pass as worthwhile. That would essentially give you a phone and 'netbook' transformer for $350 which is around the cost of a netbook/laptop/tablet. At 299/399 with/without a rebate for the dock alone and that's not including the cost of being locked into a contract for 2 years....whereas the VS is 399 off the bat, no catch, it's not really for me. To each his own though. I'm sure there are reasons to get it.
So, who's still stuck in a contract and when does it end? What are your plans when it does end? Upgrade or leave and go to a prepaid plan?
My contract ends on 12/14/13 and am counting down the days when I can leave Verizon and never look back. It makes me sick to pay $180/month service for two smart phones when I can go with a prepaid service and save $80-$90. So I plan on waiting it out and not even toying with the idea of upgrading and locking myself into a phone that will become obsolete in 6 months and a plan that is overpriced and includes ridiculous fees and charges.
I will be looking to spend around $200-$250 on a phone. I know that I can get a SGS2 or Gnex right now for that but in 9 months I'm thinking that the price of a S3 will come down to where I can afford it. I'm also looking at a RAZR or RAZR Maxx. Used of course. I originally started looking on Craigslist, but am thinking Amazon is the way to go.
I obviously want the most for my money and something unlocked or unlockable and plenty of support available for the phone.
What other options will I have in that price range?
HTC?
Samsung?
Motorola?
Sent from my CM10 Droid X2 using Tapatalk 2
I did the same thing last November. I saw how much Sprint wanted monthly for a smartphone and now I have a smartphone for less than I was paying them for just minutes and texting with no data.
I was looking around to buy a phone and I personally felt it was better to spend a bit more money and get the GS3 (which was about $400 when I got it) so that it would last me longer and not already feel very dated. I put it on a card and I've already paid it off - very minimal interest accrued.
If I were you, I'd get the S4 or something if you're looking to buy at the very end of this year - that way they'll be on the market for a while and you can likely find one used at a decent-enough discount over buying new. I feel like it pays to spend more on something better.
Or you could buy an N4 new if you don't care about removable battery and sd card.
You could also just buy a really cheap phone or flash whatever you have now to a pre-paid service - and save the money you were paying to Verizon and put it aside to buy a better phone.
You have a long time. Ultimately, I wouldn't worry about it yet. See what you can save up between now and then, just wait and see where prices will go by then (The Nexus phones aren't much more to save up for you and I'd bet a new one will be released between now and then - a great value if the hardware is right).
Pennycake said:
I did the same thing last November. I saw how much Sprint wanted monthly for a smartphone and now I have a smartphone for less than I was paying them for just minutes and texting with no data.
I was looking around to buy a phone and I personally felt it was better to spend a bit more money and get the GS3 (which was about $400 when I got it) so that it would last me longer and not already feel very dated. I put it on a card and I've already paid it off - very minimal interest accrued.
If I were you, I'd get the S4 or something if you're looking to buy at the very end of this year - that way they'll be on the market for a while and you can likely find one used at a decent-enough discount over buying new. I feel like it pays to spend more on something better.
Or you could buy an N4 new if you don't care about removable battery and sd card.
You could also just buy a really cheap phone or flash whatever you have now to a pre-paid service - and save the money you were paying to Verizon and put it aside to buy a better phone.
You have a long time. Ultimately, I wouldn't worry about it yet. See what you can save up between now and then, just wait and see where prices will go by then (The Nexus phones aren't much more to save up for you and I'd bet a new one will be released between now and then - a great value if the hardware is right).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're looking for a phone, you're not going to find much for around $200-250 besides well used S2s right now, and S3s aren't going to come down as dramatically as the GNex did when the N4 was announced. The S3 is still a solid powerhouse that will command at least $300 at minimum for a well used one when all is said and done after the S4 drops. If you're just looking to expand your functionality of your phone, but not have to pay the insane carrier prices/payment schemes for equipment, or worse, MSRP, then you may be in the market for a cheap N7 like myself. I was originally looking for a Note or N7, if I could get the Note, that would be the end of it, but since I found a brand spanking new N7 I've been very happy overall with my pair of Androids. I can still upgrade my phone later, but because I'm not relying on my phone to do anything other than handle my data connection and provide me with a physical handheld to use for calls, I'm not quite as concerned about upgrading it anytime soon. I had already anticipated when I upgraded from a beat up Optimus 3D to the S2 that I would have to stick with whatever I got at $250 (I got super lucky, it was only 2 weeks old) for the better part of at least a year before I could even think about upgrading my phone again. I got that itch shortly after when I found myself semi-limited by the phone as far as certain gaming capability. I then eyed a Note or N7 in order to get my gaming fix. The N7 I ended up getting has since been a VERY handy tool for not just getting my mobile gaming fix, but for remote troubleshooting, home network/pc management when I get calls from my roommates for broken services.
Before you make ANY purchase, ask yourself a couple questions about what you really want. Do you want a device to game on? An accessory/toy? An internet connected tool? A better communications platform? I found that I was already satisfied with my phone and only wanted to get a bigger screen, longer battery life, and better gaming support, which made the Note and N7 perfect options. Note if I chose to drop $400 on a used one and have a phablet, or an N7 for $200 and just never take my phone out of my pocket.
Either way, I would recommend looking into Swappa.com, the Marketplace replacement as this is where I found my N7, and Craigslist (though be VERY CAREFUL here) for the S2.
What I mean by be VERY CAREFUL with transactions on Craigslist is that I've heard of people buying a lightly used phone from somebody for decent money on there, only to find the phone doesn't work anymore and rejects the carrier a month or two down the road. This is typically because the original seller bought the phone on a payment plan and have since either stopped making payments, or have dropped the carrier altogether, and the carrier has responded well within the contract and blacklisted the device on the network. Swappa is a lot more reliable for not dealing in possibly abused/misrepresented items, but you'll pay a premium for this peace of mind. Good luck!
I use my phone now primarily for streaming spotify while at work, email, texting and browsing the web. My WiFi connection at work is sometimes unreliable so I rely heavily on my 3g connection. I'm not as concerned about having the latest tech either. I would probably be fine for a couple of years using a gnex or s3. Although I probably would go for the s3 simply because of the removable battery and SD card slot.
Sent from my CM10 Droid X2 using Tapatalk 2
Cynagen makes some very good points. I am mainly interested in changing carriers and lowering my contract price, and was looking at buying something new and unlocked. Tethering to a full-featured, higher spec tablet makes a lot of sense if the main use case is data. I rarely use my phone for voice, and most times am within wi-fi coverage.
=RV=
redvelociraptor said:
Cynagen makes some very good points. I am mainly interested in changing carriers and lowering my contract price, and was looking at buying something new and unlocked. Tethering to a full-featured, higher spec tablet makes a lot of sense if the main use case is data. I rarely use my phone for voice, and most times am within wi-fi coverage.
=RV=
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an okay idea, but the phone's battery is going to drain FAST if it's constantly tethering. And unless you're paying for tethering, there might not always be a reliable work-around to get it to work anyway.
My S3 lasted about 4 hours of continuous tethering and it was pretty warm. Instead of it being able to manage going to "sleep", you'd have to do that manually - turn your tethering on whenever you want to use your tablet. Which may work depending on patience and usage.
Another idea might be a data-only SIM in a tablet and make calls over VOIP or just keep a spare phone for the minutes if that's what you want.
I have a phone and a tablet and I use my phone more often on a daily basis - it would not be practical to bring my tablet where I most often use my phone - the size difference is big enough to go from "kind of bulky" to "full on leg shield if you can even get it in your pocket".
I'm not knocking the idea, just saying you need to consider the downsides, too. I almost went for it, myself, but with the $30/mo T-Mobile plan I decided just to get the S3. It's a good size for carrying in a pocket, and I have a 10" tablet that's a great size for watching movies, too (bought it from a friend). I'd recommend going to a store and comparing sizes. For me, 7" just didn't fit in - it was too small for what I wanted to use a tablet for and too big to carry around all day - but if you have to carry a bag or something, it might be a better fit.
Pennycake said:
It's an okay idea, but the phone's battery is going to drain FAST if it's constantly tethering. And unless you're paying for tethering, there might not always be a reliable work-around to get it to work anyway.
My S3 lasted about 4 hours of continuous tethering and it was pretty warm. Instead of it being able to manage going to "sleep", you'd have to do that manually - turn your tethering on whenever you want to use your tablet. Which may work depending on patience and usage.
Another idea might be a data-only SIM in a tablet and make calls over VOIP or just keep a spare phone for the minutes if that's what you want.
I have a phone and a tablet and I use my phone more often on a daily basis - it would not be practical to bring my tablet where I most often use my phone - the size difference is big enough to go from "kind of bulky" to "full on leg shield if you can even get it in your pocket".
I'm not knocking the idea, just saying you need to consider the downsides, too. I almost went for it, myself, but with the $30/mo T-Mobile plan I decided just to get the S3. It's a good size for carrying in a pocket, and I have a 10" tablet that's a great size for watching movies, too (bought it from a friend). I'd recommend going to a store and comparing sizes. For me, 7" just didn't fit in - it was too small for what I wanted to use a tablet for and too big to carry around all day - but if you have to carry a bag or something, it might be a better fit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm that it does drain the battery fast! To address this issue I bought a USB-OTG adapter, and just carry one of my 3 microUSB cables with me at all times. When my phone runs low while I'm on the train or bus or something, I use the USB-OTG cable from the tablet to my phone to keep my phone alive, and while it'll drain the tablet faster, I actually get about a 1.25% charge per 1% drained on the tablet (idle), so it's actually pretty efficient (this surprised me). When I'm in the office, I'll let the phone drain down to warning levels <15% and then use the USB cable to connect it to my desk computer in order to charge up, usually towards the end of the day. The tablet I only really charge at home each night when it's practically dead itself. (I practice stretching the batteries out as far as you can stomach (normally <5%) as you're supposed to with Li-Ion.)
I thought about getting a GSM N7, but when I saw it was an extra $100, plus another $30/mo for a data-only SIM card with unlimited service, when I could tether to my cellphone for free, I chose the $200 one-time & free/mo because T-Mobile just sees Android devices and doesn't care.
Evaluate your end goal, and review all possible avenues towards that goal, I chose the cheapest easiest way for myself, and while you may not have these same avenues available, make sure you do all your research to see if you can get anywhere close.
@Pennycake: I don't know how you only got 4 hours of continuous tethering, I get at least 6 straight on my S2. Check what OTHER processes you have running and see about getting a kernel you can undervolt as well as drop to a super bare minimum speed. (My S2 when WiFi tethering to my N7 sits active @ 192Mhz as that's all that's needed to maintain connection, otherwise it hits deep sleep.)
I don't tether all that often, so it's not a big issue to me (it was on a train ride and I probably won't be travelling again for another year).
Another idea is to use the $30/mo data only and use Google Voice + a VOIP service (like Groove IP) - turning the tablet itself into a phone that way. I read an article about someone who did it and really considered it for a while (in my case, I'm glad I didn't because I don't have the data coverage to make calls everywhere I normally am - sometimes I'm getting only GPRS where I can easily make a call, but not so much over data).
After reading a comparison on S3 compared to One X, it seems as though overall the S3 looks better. Has better battery life, SD card slot, better camera. Now that HTC is out of the picture, I will look into comparing the RAZR phones to the S3. I have heard that Motorola phones have better reception than Samsung. Is this true or just a few people's experience?
Sent from my MB870 using Tapatalk 2
To op. You can talk about early cancelation. Sometimes it doesn't cost as much as you'd think. I did that with at&t thank god for it. That was the worst and so over priced. I'm with Verizon and love it but you sound like you're paying way to much. I pay 99 a month unlimited text and data (my plan started before this family shared data thing) and 500 anytime min but I use Skype anyway.
I think I might switch depending on the shared data thing since there are 2 users on my plan.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
5imp7y said:
To op. You can talk about early cancelation. Sometimes it doesn't cost as much as you'd think. I did that with at&t thank god for it. That was the worst and so over priced. I'm with Verizon and love it but you sound like you're paying way to much. I pay 99 a month unlimited text and data (my plan started before this family shared data thing) and 500 anytime min but I use Skype anyway.
I think I might switch depending on the shared data thing since there are 2 users on my plan.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Early termination would be too much for us. We currently have three lines, two of which have data plans, the third just an extra line that we added almost two years ago to use it for an upgrade. Our two main lines would cost about 200 each and we would then have to buy two phones.
Sent from my MB870 using Tapatalk 2
Hello guys!
Do you have the problem like I do that I really would like to buy a fresh, new, fast phone with a new original battery, but looking at the current market I can not find any that suits to me? I am not talking about poor performance or lack of choice, but size... I'm really not interested in those enourmous 6"-6.5" phones because that big size is not comfortable for me, even though I have big hands.
Where is the era of 5"-5.8" phones gone? Do you think the large phones trend will ever stop?
In my situation I'm trying to look at used phones market, but this is also super problematic. If I find a used 5.5" device that suits me, it's battery is pretty much dead. I could buy a new battery and replace it without a problem, but there is no way I can find an original/genuine battery that will have a reasonable and solid life time. This is pathetic I think the dying 2-years batteries is the main trick that corporations use today to force us to change phone every 2-3 years ?
Do you feel me?
Well the way I've decided to combat this is by subscribing to Samsungs access program where I pay like 40 a month and in 9 months I can upgrade to the note 21 or S21 (if I choose to switch). I had the note 9 for 2 years and what I've noticed is I refuse to outright sell my phones for cheap rates after dropping 1200 plus on it. So now I've accumulated phones over the years since Samsung switched up and stopped allowing the early upgrade program with carriers. I got stuck with an s7 plus and 2 note 9s that are just collecting dust. I'm not selling either one for a few hundred dollars. And with insurance from Verizon, if anything happens to my phone I can just get a refurbished one sent to me and then I'll just trade that one back in when I'm ready to upgrade next year. This way I get the fresh new flagships every year and stop accumulating phones. The only downside is the fact that I wanted a phone with dual sim capabilities but Samsung only sells single sim in the US. I guess you can't have it all. Hopefully they eventually fix this issue and provide esim and/or dual sim capable phones in the future.
Now as far as smaller phones, I am not too sure. I believe all the major brands now have been offering smaller variations like the s20 e or fe or whatever its called. The only downside to this is I believe although they are cheaper then the full size flagships, they sadly do have less features and/or tech such as the cameras.
Sent from my SM-N986U1 using Tapatalk