[Q] What's the cheapest smartphone for tethering/server? - General Questions and Answers

What's the cheapest smartphone with HSDPA 7.2mbps I can buy?
I plan to use it for WiFi tethering.
Used is cool. I'll consider Android, iOS and Windows Mobile. I'll try to avoid Symbian and Blackberry OS but I might consider if it hits the correct price spot. No J2ME devices please.
Android preferred. I'm comfortable with rooting and so Android 2.2 is not a must.
And, yes, WiFi is a must too. Display quality and other stuff don't matter.
I found some myTouch 3G on eBay but that's about it. Whatever happened to all those old budget smartphones?

i need this too... waiting mode for any reply...
nibras_reeza said:
What's the cheapest smartphone with HSDPA 7.2mbps I can buy?
I plan to use it for WiFi tethering.
Used is cool. I'll consider Android, iOS and Windows Mobile. I'll try to avoid Symbian and Blackberry OS but I might consider if it hits the correct price spot. No J2ME devices please.
Android preferred. I'm comfortable with rooting and so Android 2.2 is not a must.
And, yes, WiFi is a must too. Display quality and other stuff don't matter.
I found some myTouch 3G on eBay but that's about it. Whatever happened to all those old budget smartphones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I dont know the cheapest but search for a cheap phone with atleast a 1ghz processor, if i were to recommend any phone it would the Huawei Mercury by Cricket

Related

Next "big thing" from T-mobile?

So I was really set on getting an iphone for a long time now because I feel as though no phone has matched it's touch sensitivity, I can notice the menu's catching up to my touch on the nexus one and other android phones I have checked out. I gave it some thought and realized that since I am on t-mobile, I would want 3g and maybe giving up the touch sensitivity for faster internet is worth it. Problem is, Nexus One is no longer in production. What is next? There's a rumor that the Iphone 4 may come to t-mobile but...for now, what should I get? Preferably not HD2 since I would prefer Android OS.
Thanks guys
You want the Samsung Vibrant.
It is freaking hot.
Plus...
T-Mobile is almost half the price of AT&T
T-Mobile gets better service than AT&T (where I live)
T-Mobile has faster 3g than AT&T (once again, where I live)
And Android > iPhone any day.
Plus the iPhone 4 has some serious antenna issues that aren't worth bothering with.
Checking it out, are they still being made with AMOLED? And how bad is it in sunlight? I heard some phones are switching over to SLCD?
AMOLED wipes the floor with conventional LCD.. both in color depth and in power consumption... so its actually an upgrade from LCD.. also i find that the vibrant screen is every bit as sensitive as the iPhone. i think it may even be a touch more accurate. i have both an iphone and the vibrant.. so i can tell you from experience.
andershizzle said:
You want the Samsung Vibrant.
It is freaking hot.
Plus...
T-Mobile is almost half the price of AT&T
T-Mobile gets better service than AT&T (where I live)
T-Mobile has faster 3g than AT&T (once again, where I live)
And Android > iPhone any day.
Plus the iPhone 4 has some serious antenna issues that aren't worth bothering with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
he didn't ask which carrier was better so please reserve from bashing and starting flame wars =\ thought i do share in your iphone/apple hatred =P
current devices on tmobile:
-Mytouchslide: general balanced phone =] this is the phone to get if you don't want a huge phone in your pocket but something you can rely on everyday
-Samsung Galaxy S (Vibrant): beautiful phone and currently the fastest phone on the market
yet released phones:
Tmobile:
-G1 successor (HTC Vision or G1 Blaze)
-Mytouch 3g HD
-Motorola MOTOROI
Unknown:
-LG Optimus Q and Z (they're sexy beasts)
-Dual Core Snapdragon handset
-Windows Phone 7
the Dual Core Snapdragon handset
Is there anymore information on the Dual Core Snapdragon handset?
i have heard of the G1 Blaze, basically a N1 w/ keyboard, which would be nice. but i waiting to see more spec's on it.
But what i really want to know about is the Dual Core Snapdragon handset.
noodlecups said:
Checking it out, are they still being made with AMOLED? And how bad is it in sunlight? I heard some phones are switching over to SLCD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't yet used it in sunlight, just got it yesterday and I love it so far. I'll be going out today Was up all night with it and ended up sleeping til 5PM hehe
Also, it's a SUPER AMOLED. and it's GORGEOUS. Nicest screen I've ever seen on a device. It really is a killer phone if you're looking for a touch-only iPhone alternative.
Also, the Vibrant is rooted so custom ROMs and full customization is available
Danni3 said:
he didn't ask which carrier was better so please reserve from bashing and starting flame wars =\ thought i do share in your iphone/apple hatred =P
current devices on tmobile:
-Mytouchslide: general balanced phone =] this is the phone to get if you don't want a huge phone in your pocket but something you can rely on everyday
-Samsung Galaxy S (Vibrant): beautiful phone and currently the fastest phone on the market
yet released phones:
Tmobile:
-G1 successor (HTC Vision or G1 Blaze)
-Mytouch 3g HD
-Motorola MOTOROI
Unknown:
-LG Optimus Q and Z (they're sexy beasts)
-Dual Core Snapdragon handset
-Windows Phone 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wasn't starting any wars: T-Mobile merely does better where I live.
Tried AT&T for a month, didn't get as many bars.
Also, I did tests: T-Mobile's 3g is like rocket speed compared to AT&T here in Pittsburgh. Even T-Mobile's EDGE is way better than AT&T's.
Not to mention, half of my calls on AT&T got dropped. I was using a Motorola Backflip. Now the only dropped calls I get with T-Mobile are occasionally when talking to my GF who gets bad service on Cricket at her house. Lol.
thats the problem, you had the backflip.
Even the reps in the AT&T store that i frequent say that it was a poorly designed very hard to use handset, and that on average 50% of them came back.
vavaud said:
Is there anymore information on the Dual Core Snapdragon handset?
i have heard of the G1 Blaze, basically a N1 w/ keyboard, which would be nice. but i waiting to see more spec's on it.
But what i really want to know about is the Dual Core Snapdragon handset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/qualcomm-ships-first-dual-core-snapdragon-chipsets-clocking-1-2g/
http://gizmodo.com/5443976/qualcomm...dragon-smartphones-are-about-to-go-hyperspeed
expect it by the end of the year lol
if any of you somehow get your hands on the first else phone I will call you god lol
Danni3 said:
yet released phones:
Tmobile:
-G1 successor (HTC Vision or G1 Blaze)
-Mytouch 3g HD
-Motorola MOTOROI
Unknown:
-LG Optimus Q and Z (they're sexy beasts)
-Dual Core Snapdragon handset
-Windows Phone 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ah yes, I just found out about the mytouch3gHD and the g1 blaze. I think I will be waiting for those two as I can start saving up money for now. Haven't heard much from the 3g HD and the g1 Blaze but I heard the 3gHD will be the one that will reach fastest internet speeds of all phones on the market? Also, are there enough information between the two to have a bias towards one than another at this time? Right now, I just like the mytouch3gHD only based on the fact that it doesn't have a dedicated qwerty (i like my touchscreen to be as touchscreen as possible lol).

[Q] Help me choose a new WinMo/Android phone (CDMA, to be modified for MetroPCS)

Its time for me to find a new phone. Ive gone through three first gen MotoQ over the last few years and this last one is finally starting to fall apart which is quite amazing since it was announced five years ago (if it isnt broke dont fix it, and if it breaks fix it!). I've been a MetroPCS customer going on six years now and have no intention of switching providers
Help me find a phone with the following requirements -
Android OR Windows Mobile 6+
Able to be modified for MetroPCS
A full keyboard (can be a slider, flip or front facing keyboard like the MotoQ)
Price under 200$ new or used
Some nice features to have but not required would be -
Charges through standard mini usb
Extended life batteries (or brand new original batteries) available
Some type of tethering solution (currently i do this through USB)
I don't mind if the phone is old, even a model from four years ago if it works well
I am in the San Francisco bay area (LTE is available)
I often use my MotoQ to send MMS and the Google Maps application even though the speed is very slow (perhaps because of my device?).
Three times I have paid someone to add the "foreign" ESN of my phones into the MetroPCS database so it would be a definite plus (not a requirement) if the phone had the ability to directly take over for my current MotoQ without the extra fees (electronic serial number change).
You dont have to give me all the details on how to hack the phone onto metro, if you give me a model number I will do my own homework.
My girlfriend insists on getting me a phone for my birthday. I think she is tired of seeing me carry around this ratty old phone that no one still uses.
Thanks for your suggestions
Based on all your needs, the best fit would be a Sprint HTC Touch Pro 2 (Rhodium). It also runs Android now, as well as WM 6.1/6.5.
I have little experience with CDMA, but from what I understand most devices whether they have a good or a bad ESN can be flashed for any carrier other than the original. I haven't seen any CDMA Rhodiums for sale here on the forums, but you could always try eBay. They're pretty cheap these days too
Good Luck!
Thanks for the quick reply. I will have to look into that model more but so far it does seem to do what I wanted!
I was starting to lean towards the Moto Droid 2. Apparently it is not too difficult to get it functioning properly on MetroPCS and it has decent specs. The price for used models isnt bad and its running 2.2 android stock, with a 2.3.3 hack available
braschlosan said:
Thanks for the quick reply. I will have to look into that model more but so far it does seem to do what I wanted!
I was starting to lean towards the Moto Droid 2. Apparently it is not too difficult to get it functioning properly on MetroPCS and it has decent specs. The price for used models isnt bad and its running 2.2 android stock, with a 2.3.3 hack available
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Also true, with the added benefit that if you ever move away from CDMA, you'll have a GSM radio in there too. I can only speak for the original Milestone, but it was a capable little phone at the time. They reworked the keyboard on the second one, so it seems to be much more user-friendly. I'm not sure how much luck they had with the bootloader on it though, so would pay to do some research there before you buy

[Q] Looking for a good, cheap, no-contract AT&T smartphone

I don't have my Motorola Atrix 4G anymore, so I'm looking for a good, cheap, no contract smartphone with a physical QWERTY keyboard to buy myself. Right now I'm borrowing a friend's Pantech Link until I get a new phone. I don't want to spend more than around $100, though I'm willing to go a little higher if it's worth it. I mostly use my phone for texting, calling, browsing, Facebook, email, looking up directions/movies/restaurants, and playing Pokemon with an emulator so nothing too intensive, I really didn't need such a high-end smartphone like I used to have.
I'm on AT&T so I need an AT&T phone smartphone or unlocked GSM smartphone that'll work with AT&T. I plan to use the phone for about a year and a half until my contract ends though I might buy another phone before then.
I've been looking at the Motorola Charm that Newegg has on sale for $100. It's unlocked and will work on AT&T, and looks pretty good other than it's 3 MP fixed focus screen and QVGA screen though for $100 it's much better than most of the dumbphones I'll find for under $100.
What do you guys think about this phone and do you know of any other good phones for under $100? Thanks!
Bump.
/10 chars
The LG quantum generally runs ~$100 used on online classifieds. Its a att phone with a slider keyboard, running windows phone 7. WP7 is very different compared to android, but its elegant looking, smooth, and super stable. The Facebook app, angrybirds, email are all really good. I doubt there are any free emulators for it, but there are a lot of good quality apps if you don't mind paying a few bucks.
Other than that on att with a keyboard you may be looking at older Windows Mobile phones, like the Tilt 2, or Fuze. They are great phones, with nice keyboards, but very low screen resulotion, and there are no apps in the way they exist on Android or WP7. You can install programs, but there is no store, and will all be old.
You also have the palm offering that might be cheap now. The veer and pre plus have sliders, and wesOS has an app store, even if it is dwindling. I do love my TouchPad, but didn't like a pre plus.
The next option is ... wait for it ... blackberry. I won't get into that, as that is the only platform I never tried.
I don't know about the TMo offerings, but any TMo phone unlocked will work, but you will only get edge, not 3G. The G1 would probably run in your price range.
If you can convince att to give you an early upgrade you could try for the Captivate Slide. Its almost the best android phone on att, and it has a keyboard. But, off contract will be way above your price range.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
quarlow said:
The LG quantum generally runs ~$100 used on online classifieds. Its a att phone with a slider keyboard, running windows phone 7. WP7 is very different compared to android, but its elegant looking, smooth, and super stable. The Facebook app, angrybirds, email are all really good. I doubt there are any free emulators for it, but there are a lot of good quality apps if you don't mind paying a few bucks.
Other than that on att with a keyboard you may be looking at older Windows Mobile phones, like the Tilt 2, or Fuze. They are great phones, with nice keyboards, but very low screen resulotion, and there are no apps in the way they exist on Android or WP7. You can install programs, but there is no store, and will all be old.
You also have the palm offering that might be cheap now. The veer and pre plus have sliders, and wesOS has an app store, even if it is dwindling. I do love my TouchPad, but didn't like a pre plus.
The next option is ... wait for it ... blackberry. I won't get into that, as that is the only platform I never tried.
I don't know about the TMo offerings, but any TMo phone unlocked will work, but you will only get edge, not 3G. The G1 would probably run in your price range.
If you can convince att to give you an early upgrade you could try for the Captivate Slide. Its almost the best android phone on att, and it has a keyboard. But, off contract will be way above your price range.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice!
The LG Quantum looks nice, and I've heard a lot of good things about the WP7 OS. I prefer Samsung phones over LG phones so I'll start looking at WP7 phones. I don't want anything outdated though so I'm going to stay away from phones like the HTC Tilt2 and HTC Fuze even though the Tilt 2 looks pretty nice.
I'm not a fan of Blackberries so I'm going to stay away from them.
Also, why would I only get Edge and not 3G if I used an unlocked T-Mobile phone? The Motorola Charm for example supports 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM bands; AT&T uses 850/1900 MHz and T-Mobile uses 900/1800 MHz so I'm not sure why I'd only get Edge.
Thanks again!
That charm might work on att 3G. The TMo branded devices generally lack at least one if not several of the att bands (TMo also uses 1700 and 2100). The vibrant is the only one I have heard of working on att, and it didn't support all the bands (I want to say it included 850, but not 1900), so it only worked in some regions.
I like Samsung over LG too, but the quantum is the only QWERTY WP7 device branded for att. The Samsung devices don't have keyboards. WP7 doesn't have the fragmentation that Android does. Microsoft put stricter hardware requirements on the OEMs, so I am fairly certain all of the devices are upgradeable to Mango. I know the original Focus (Samsung not Ford) was upgraded, and ran Mango perfectly. I had a Focus for a month, and was impressed with it, but ultimately went with SGS II, as I am an Android power user.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
quarlow said:
That charm might work on att 3G. The TMo branded devices generally lack at least one if not several of the att bands (TMo also uses 1700 and 2100). The vibrant is the only one I have heard of working on att, and it didn't support all the bands (I want to say it included 850, but not 1900), so it only worked in some regions.
I like Samsung over LG too, but the quantum is the only QWERTY WP7 device branded for att. The Samsung devices don't have keyboards. WP7 doesn't have the fragmentation that Android does. Microsoft put stricter hardware requirements on the OEMs, so I am fairly certain all of the devices are upgradeable to Mango. I know the original Focus (Samsung not Ford) was upgraded, and ran Mango perfectly. I had a Focus for a month, and was impressed with it, but ultimately went with SGS II, as I am an Android power user.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
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Click to collapse
I defiantly want either an Android 2.1/2.2/2.3 or a WP7/WP7.5 phone with a physical QWERTY keyboard that's cheap so there's not a lot to choose from. I looked online and the Motorola Charm doesn't support 3G on AT&T so that phone's off my list now. :/
I've been reading reviews on the LG Quantum and it looks like a really nice phone. Two main problems though. For one it doesn't have some of the Applications that I rely on that Android has. Notably, a SMS/MMS Backup Application. Second it's too much for my budget, it's about $160 new at the cheapest, plus CA sales tax. I'm kind of iffy about buying a phone used, do you know if it's cheaper anywhere else?
Thanks again for all your help!
I thought of a few more QWERTY att phones. The Dell Venue pro is a portrait slider running WP7. The Motorola Backflip (att's first android phone that everyone forgets about) has an interesting keyboard, it folds out, so when closed the keys face out, instead of sliding. But, I think its stuck on android 1.6. Motorola also released the flipside and flipout on att, both on 2.1. The flipout is smaller, and the keyboard rotates on a pivot, sliding out at 90 degrees. The flipside is more like a normal slider.
The SMS backup was a problem for me on the Focus too. Albeit not a huge problem, but one I never found a solution to. As far as apps, I found it annoying that some apps weren't there, and didn't want to stick it out until they were.
For QWERTY android phones its going to be tricky. HTC made great QWERTY WinMo phones, but no android ones for att (several for TMo). Samsung made the sprint version of the galaxy s QWERTY, but that won't work on att. The G2 on TMo is QWERTY, but won't get 3G data. The Motorola QWERTY android att phones are odd form factors (backflip and flipout), and weren't popular.
The flipside may be your best bet, and on eBay they are close to your range. I believe they run motoblur, which is known to cause poor performance, and generally one of the worst android skins. (What was on the Atrix is not the same, scaled back compared to those earlier versions from what I understand)
As far as used phones, I have never had issues buying used phones. Check the water indicators, and place a test call if buying local. If buying online many eBay sellers offer 30 day warranties.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)

wana purchase hp palm phone plz suggest which one?

i there
i had gifted him android phone few months back but he dint liked it
he told its complicated for my age
now i want to buy a simple and fluid webos phone for my old father
can u suggest which model should i go for
phone should b fast and fluid
i need a gsm unlocked phone
i need your suggestion
Pre 2 or Pre 3 if u ask me...Pre 3 might work out better because of its larger (and higher res) screen and keyboard. They should both be fluid enough for all tasks.
The Veer is also a good choice; the build quality is excellent, and is still speedy. 4g is also nice. And you can get one for $50 without looking hard. Small screen? Yes. Charger is odd too. But for a basic phone, it works well, and on a Straight Talk bring your own GSM phone, economical.
SIROSISOFLIVER said:
...on a Straight Talk bring your own GSM phone, economical.
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Click to collapse
LOLz - I don't think they have Straight Talk in Bahrain where the OP is from.
Important for you is getting a European model - NOT North American - so that your comm board is compatible with the carriers in Bahrain.
Veer or Pre 3 might be a good choice to get 4G data speeds - but for ease of use with any GSM carrier and a more proven model go with the Factory Unlocked GSM Pre 2... Just my humble opinion.

Chinese Phone Thread

I have gotten fascinated by several Chinese phones lately, and plan to own one with Straighttalk or simpletalk soon.
I want to use this thread discussing the top Chinese phones by price/budget. I have added some names below - please suggest more. I also intend to put the supported bands, so people looking to use it on specific carriers will have best luck with these phones.
(Copied from a different thread For AT&T, the band is 850/1900 MHz for both GSM and WCDMA 3G. For T-Mobile 850/1900 MHz GSM and 1700 MHz for WCDMA 3G. If your phone is WCDMA 900/2100, 3G will not work for both AT&T and T-mobile. You must have at least one band that matches with your network. For best 3G coverage, both bands must be supported by the phone.
For under $200
Jiayu G3 - not yet release - MTK6577 chipset, 1GB RAM, Android 4.1
Star ule v12 - MTK6577 chipset, 512MB RAM, Android 4.0.3
HDC Star One - MTK 6577 chipset, 512MB RAM, Android 4.0.3
For over $200
Meizu M2
Good places to buy
AliExpress.com
DHGate.com
365Gate.com
FastCardTech.com
walletless said:
I have gotten fascinated by several Chinese phones lately, and plan to own one with Straighttalk or simpletalk soon.
....
Good places to buy
AliExpress.com
DHGate.com
365Gate.com
FastCardTech.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, did you ever get any of the chinese phones? If so, wher did you buy your phone?
I'm fairly settled on the upcoming 1GB RAM version of G2, but I'm having trouble deciding where to actually make the purchase. I've been in talks with etotalk, and while they don't seem to be out to scam people, it has become apparent that specs on pre-release devices are totally unreliable and should be triple-checked with their salespeople prior to purchase.
On XDA, it's apparent that FCT has some very bad rep and only people with single-digit post-count come to their defense. (Yeah.. totally trustworthy. )
So, have you any experience to share?
I wouldn't trust my money with those phones it's much better to save up and buy an official, 'real' phone for the security and support
jman2131 said:
I wouldn't trust my money with those phones it's much better to save up and buy an official, 'real' phone for the security and support
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jman, you're entitled to your opinion. I value your input. I'm not looking at the chinese phones because of the money, and would in fact gladly pay up to twice their price if they were on purchase here, with EU-mandated consumer protection and warranties.
The reason I'm looking at them is because I have looked at the offerings from the brands established-in-the-western-world and they're all pathetic. Show me a dual-core dual-SIM phone with screen no larger than 4.0", and a battery with a capacity at least 1.7 Ah.
Goophone Y5, soon launching Goophone I5 are great. Also S3 clones are quite trustworthy.
johhu12 said:
Goophone Y5, soon launching Goophone I5 are great. Also S3 clones are quite trustworthy.
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Hi Joh, thanks for the suggestions, but I'm asking about which e-shop to choose. Have you made a purchase at any?

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