I'm putting together a general guide for people to choose an Android phone because increasingly, there are so many choices. This guide will likely be more focused on North American customers at the moment, because that is where I come from and have the most knowledge. This is not going to be completely comprehensive (impossible), but it will be intended to be a good starting point.
I will be updating this thread as new phones emerge and removing older devices.
What to look for when buying a new phone:
Write down all of the features you want. Then take a look at the phones available and the carriers. Remember that specs are not everything (ex: higher megapixel does not mean better camera and clockspeed does not mean faster CPU). Look at how good a carrier is, their coverage, their price, and the customer service. Am I roaming? What are the terms of the contract?
When choosing a phone, remember that each manufacturer will have their flaws:
- HTC: Expensive phones (when buying unlocked), poor battery life, and poor cameras. On the plus side, HTC has the best upgrade record of the Android makers, generally good build quality, and easy to mod (most amount of development at XDA as well), although not always prompt at releasing source code. They use mainly Qualcomm Snapdragon CPUs with Adreno graphics. They are known for their distinct "Sense" UI.
- Samsung: Samsung phones have worse build quality than HTC (they seem to be very fond of soft-touch glossy plastic that makes their phones, even their flagships feel cheap) and they have a bad rep for their slow updates. Samsung generally will have some of the best displays (that is their speciality, although their SuperAMOLED is over saturated), good specs overall (they are a massively integrated company and make most of the parts in their phones themselves). They are also prompt in releasing source code. Cameras are also decent on Samsung phones. They use a variety of different CPUs.
- Motorola: Motorola has good update speed on the American phones, but in the rest of the world, updates are poor. One alarming recent trend is their locked bootloaders, which make it hard to load custom ROMs. They have generally good audio and call quality, but cameras are average. One noteworthy thing is the colour accuracy on their screens is excellent. They use mainly TI's OMAP series of CPUs, although an Nvidia Tegra 2 phone is expected.
- LG: LG has had tough times recently, but seems to be turning around. I have not had a lot of experience with their handsets, but it seems that the build quality is decent, judging by their Optimus series. I look forward to seeing whatever variant of the Optimus 2X ends up in North America.
The next step would be to consider your budget. Low end phones are generally less than $250 USD/about 200 Euros (things are more pricey in Europe), midrange would make up about $250 - $400 USD (200 Euros to maybe 350 Euros), and anything greater than $400 would be considered high end. Higher end phones generally have better build quality, resolution, processors, cameras, and are faster at getting updates, not to mention features that low end phones often skimp on.
Globally: Worldwide, phones will vary significantly based on carrier, coverage, and choice. High end phones tend to come out uniquely for North America and the rest of the world. There are going to be way too many choices to mention here, but here are the ones that stand out. In most cases, I'd recommend getting a phone at least 480x320, becuase that is the resolution that Android was intended for.
- Samsung Galaxy S: Super AMOLED screen, it's own unique variant of the buttons, front facing camera, 5 MP 720p camera, and SuperAMOLED screen. This phone is hampered by no LED flash and defective GPS units.
- Samsung Galaxy Apollo: Mid-range Android phone (need more details)
- Samsung Galaxy Europa: Need details, but looks like low-end phone
- HTC Desire HD: Essentially an Android GSM variant of the HTC HD2 and the HTC Evo. It has a large 4.3" screen, a camera with dual LED flash, standard 4 button Android configuration, but no front facing camera. It's hampered by the poor battery life.
- HTC Desire Z: A smaller variant of the Desire HD with a lower end processor, keyboard, and a smaller screen. I'm not comfortable with the durability of the hinge, but otherwise, an excellent phone.
- HTC Legend: Successor to the HTC Hero, this is phone is a midrange phone and feels pretty snappy. My choice for a midrange phone.
- HTC Wildfire: Lower-end phone (320 x 240), small screen, and light
- Sony Ericsson X10: Currently Sony's flagship. Hampered by Sony's slow updates, and no multitouch. Low storage. On the upside, it has a pretty good camera and a high-res screen.
- Sony Ericsson X8: Pretty decent mid-range phone. Comparable to the HTC Legend in specs, but only has Android 2.1.
- Sony Ericsson X10 Mini: Somewhere in between the X10 and the X8. It's similar to the X8 in most cases and feels like a pretty good phone overall.
- LG Optimus: Well priced mid-range handset. Build quality is pretty good and comparable to the X8 and the HTC Hero.
- Motorola Milestone 2: High end handset, but Motorola's seems to be slower with their international updates
- Motorola Defy: Durable handset, mid-range specs, but stuck on Android 2.1
There are many, many cheap phones coming in from China and India that are too numerous to mention here. I'd recommend looking at reviews and examining what you think is reliable based off of your best judgment. Some nations also have their own phones that cannot be bought elsewhere, such as the Meizu M9 and Sharp's IS03.
The North American Market:
North America uses what is known as a subsidy model. The carriers buy the phones from the manufacturers, brand them (often with their own bloatware), and in the case of GSM carriers, apply a SIM lock. I recommend that if you live in North America, that you only buy a high end phone if you are going on contract. The cost of a high end phone (an extra $150-$250 + tax) is not significant relative to the life of the contract. I suppose that if you are buying lower end phones, you could consider something less potent.
LG Optimus is my recommendation for a low-end phone. An alternative are the low-end HTC devices, most notable the HTC Wildfire and HTC Aria. I anticipate that as Android gains more traction here, that we'll begin to see low end, prepaid Android phones within the $100 mark.
Canada (my home country):
The Canadian market is dominated by 3 carriers (Bell, Telus - which shares infrastructure with Bell, and Rogers, the largest). Three drawbacks that we Canucks face is the poor choice of smartphones compared to the US, the expensive data plans, and the 3 year contracts. On the upside, buying a phone unlocked is cheaper than Europe (all electronics are generally cheaper than Europe, but cheaper still than in the US). They all use GSM and HSPA+ at this point, with their phones unlockable and interchangeable.:
Bell:
- Samsung Galaxy S (dubbed "Vibrant", although it is an i9000). Be careful about upgrading to Froyo, bricked devices have been reported.
- Desire Z (your choice if you want a keyboarded phone - luckily, it can be bought and unlocked. At $500 CAD, it isn't a bad deal either)
Telus:
- Samsung Fascinate (GSM version of the Verizon phone)
- HTC Desire (Nexus One Clone)
- It is expected that the HTC Desire HD will come onto Telus in H1 2011
Rogers (best coverage of the three carriers, but poorest Android support):
- Samsung Captivate (i896 - buy this instead of the i897 if you're going off contract; it doesn't seem to have the lag or GPS problems, plus no bloatware)
- Acer Liquid E (cheaper alternative)
I recommend against buying the Dell Streak (poor build quality overall) and the X10 (poor updates). For Rogers particularly, every year, there is a 6gb data promotion that I recommend holding off and waiting specifically for.
United States:
Dominated by 4 carriers, plus a host of smaller CDMA carriers.
Verizon: Largest carrier, CDMA; going to LTE. They seem to have lots of Motorola phones.
- Motorola Droid X (large screen, no keyboard)
- Motorola Droid 2 Global (keyboard, good for world travel as it has a SIM slot, although the GSM SIM card doesn't work on AT&T)
- Motorola Droid Pro (like a Blackberry sized version of the Droid 2)
- Samsung Fascinate (Galaxy S with LED flash, but less storage, and standard Android key layout); Bing
- Samsung Continuum (smaller Galaxy S with a "ticker on bottom")
- HTC Droid Incredible (older phone now, still pretty good device that appears to be derived from Nexus One)
AT&T: GSM carrier; second largest in North America. Be advised that AT&T locks down their phones, allowing no apps from unknown sources. A custom ROM is recommended.
- Samsung Captivate: Variant of Galaxy S; no front facing camera, standard Android button layout
I mentioned that I would only recommend high-end phones, because for the duration of a contract, the extra initial price is not significant. I do not recommend choosing the Sony X10 over the Captivate. AT&T does have a host of lower end phones, such as the HTC Aria and Motorola Backflip.
Sprint: CDMA carrier; currently rolling out WiMAX in many cities (be aware that WiMAX phones carry and extra $10/month charge):
- Samsung Epic 4G (Galaxy S phone with keyboard and standard Android button configuration. WiMAX. Also has LED flash, but less storage. Arguably the best of the Galaxy S variants).
- HTC EVO (first WiMAX design): Qualcomm Snapdragon 1 GHz, 4.3" LCD screen, front facing camera.
Note that there is a significant drop in battery life with WiMAX enabled and that the high frequency of WiMAX can make it hard to get a reliable signal in some buildings and underground. Not all cities have WiMAX yet either.
Recall what I said about getting a high-end phone in North America.
T-Mobile: T-Mobile is also a GSM carrier, using mainly AWS banded phones. They were the first Android supporter.
- Samsung Vibrant (not be confused with the Canadian Bell version, this is a variant of the Galaxy S with the standard Android button configuration)
- Nexus S (I'd recommend in most cases that you get this instead of the Vibrant between the two due to fast upgrades, NFC, and gyroscope. On the downside, the concave screen is more fragile, there is no microSD, and no HSPA+).
- HTC MyTouch 4G (latest version of MyTouch, comes with a variant of HTC Sense, and a trackpad)
- HTC G2 (basically a variant of the Desire Z intended for the T-Mobile bands; unique to this variant is that it is close to stock Android)
- HTC Nexus One (aging now, and not available for sale, but an worthy mention as this is the phone that made this generation of phones happen)
Feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome.
sorry for bump, but what would you say is the best in the realms of prepaid-available phones?
note: i just got the optimus V from virgin mobile for cheap and have been playing with it, and am slightly dissapointed at it's quality, but impressed by virgin mobile's actual network service.
ICS phones?
Are there any ICS phones, I am fed up with hw buttons.
When it comes to phones use the tattoo theory. A good one ain't cheap, and a cheap one ain't good. I run on prepaid networks and after dealing with the craptastic phones now I just by any one I want that is GSM based and be happy.
The galaxy line has it burning am waiting till the quad core HTC is released. Hardware should start to slow down after that.
LukeQr said:
Are there any ICS phones, I am fed up with hw buttons.
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Click to collapse
Maybe you can try more.
Hello Guys, was wondering, would you guys recommend a chinese smartphone to use in Tmobile's 4G network? I was thinking of buying rollmid(dot)com/new-arrival-mtk6577-n9776-6-inch-fwvga-smartphone-1-2ghz-dual-core-3200mah-wifi-5-0mp-camera.html
or one of the phones mentioned in some other threads such as Haipai I9220 etc. My question is, would you guys recommend using any chinese smartphone? If so which one would be best for the tmobile 4g network and that can be rooted?
Thanks.
You and i think alike! I am looking at 6-inch, 854 x 480 phones, or "phablets" . For now, the N9776 appears to be the best: It's shortest (158mm), narrowest (87mm), has the largest battery (3200 mAH), and is the only one with Dolby 5.1 speakers, if the specifications are correct. At about $200 shipped, it's also just about the cheapest.
The CarPad Note5 F6 was the first. It may be the best-built and most intelligently designed, like an Apple product Available with an MTK5675 or MTK5677 dual-core CPU. The LCD is definitely IPS; maybe the others, are, too.
The a9800 and i9800 use the older MTK6575 CPU.
The n9880 (corrected from n9800) has only 260,000 colors, so it is not IPS. But it has 8GB of ROM. The Viewsonic n9880 claims to use an MTK6577; other n9880 variations, only the MTK6575.
All have only 512MB of RAM, even if the seller says 1GB.
Although none has the 1700 MHz band, they all have 2100 and of course 850/1900. I plan to join T-Mobile's $30-a-month prepaid online plan: 5GB of 4G data, only 100MB of voice. Yes, I will only get 2G speeds for now. But where I live and work, in the Washington, DC, area, HSPA+ will migrate to 1900 MHz by January 2013.
A friend of mine advised me, "Don't get a cheap Chinese phone! You'll regret it! A smarphone is difficult to make." But I am a family man; I don't have $600 for a Samsung Note, and even a used Note, at $350 to $450, i s a lot of money. T-Mobile will have a Note with 1700 MHz and 1900 MHz for $250, but only if you accept a 2-year contract. No, thanks.
If 6 inches is too large, by mid August there will be 2, 3, or 4 phones with a 5.3-inch display whose resolution reaches 960 x 540. The best-known of these is the MeePad i5270.
Paul in Maryland said:
You and i think alike! I am looking at 6-inch, 854 x 480 phones, or "phablets" . For now, the N9776 appears to be the best: It's shortest (158mm), narrowest (87mm), has the largest battery (3200 mAH), and is the only one with Dolby 5.1 speakers, if the specifications are correct. At about $200 shipped, it's also just about the cheapest.
The CarPad Note5 F6 was the first. It may be the best-built and most intelligently designed, like an Apple product Available with an MTK5675 or MTK5677 dual-core CPU. The LCD is definitely IPS; maybe the others, are, too.
The a9800 and i9800 use the older MTK6575 CPU.
The n9880 (corrected from n9800) has only 260,000 colors, so it is not IPS. But it has 8GB of ROM. The Viewsonic n9880 claims to use an MTK6577; other n9880 variations, only the MTK6575.
All have only 512MB of RAM, even if the seller says 1GB.
Although none has the 1700 MHz band, they all have 2100 and of course 850/1900. I plan to join T-Mobile's $30-a-month prepaid online plan: 5GB of 4G data, only 100MB of voice. Yes, I will only get 2G speeds for now. But where I live and work, in the Washington, DC, area, HSPA+ will migrate to 1900 MHz by January 2013.
A friend of mine advised me, "Don't get a cheap Chinese phone! You'll regret it! A smarphone is difficult to make." But I am a family man; I don't have $600 for a Samsung Note, and even a used Note, at $350 to $450, i s a lot of money. T-Mobile will have a Note with 1700 MHz and 1900 MHz for $250, but only if you accept a 2-year contract. No, thanks.
If 6 inches is too large, by mid August there will be 2, 3, or 4 phones with a 5.3-inch display whose resolution reaches 960 x 540. The best-known of these is the MeePad i5270.
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I've seen the youtube reviews, and so far I'm liking these cheap chinese phones! Currently, my sister's and mom's phone and mine took a dumb on us! Since I am on a special plan I have to purchase phones retail price. Do you know if the N9776 is available to be rooted? And have you purchased any of these yet?
Thanks
I don't know whether the N9776 can be rooted. If it becomes popular, I am sure that someone at XDA will figure out a way.
No, I have not bought yet. I was going to get the N9776 because it's only $200 shipped and "may" have Dolby 5.1 speakers (I don't know how). But now I plan to buy the Note5 F6 because of this comment by XDA member Robarnold:
Everything works well so far -.seems much slicker and quicker than my Haipad (though no complaints about that) Although externally it is only a very little larger than the Haipd the increase in screen size is quite noticeable. It came with ICS but suppliers expect a stable JB rom soon and say they'll provide me with a link."
and, perhaps even more so, because of the F6's design details explained on the manufacturer's F6 home page.
I bliv it can be rooted , just like u mentioned, once it gains popularity, Rooting procedures will be made available
Paul in Maryland said:
I don't know whether the N9776 can be rooted. If it becomes popular, I am sure that someone at XDA will figure out a way.
No, I have not bought yet. I was going to get the N9776 because it's only $200 shipped and "may" have Dolby 5.1 speakers (I don't know how). But now I plan to buy the Note5 F6 because of this comment by XDA member Robarnold:
Everything works well so far -.seems much slicker and quicker than my Haipad (though no complaints about that) Although externally it is only a very little larger than the Haipd the increase in screen size is quite noticeable. It came with ICS but suppliers expect a stable JB rom soon and say they'll provide me with a link."
and, perhaps even more so, because of the F6's design details explained on the manufacturer's F6 home page.
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N9776 forum
There's already an N9776 forum. The brand appears to be either Dapeng or Star.
I just bought one of these phones.. and yes you can use it on Tmobile.. for safety sake make your purchase through aliexpress.com they have an escrow service that holds your funds until the seller ships the device and you confirm receipt.. if its not to your liking or it never gets sent you can request a refund and they put the cash back on your card.
Back to the phones.. most of the chinese market is built on the MTK processor The current build is the MTK6577 which is their current dual-core @ 1.2ghz the 6577 is single core @1.0ghz DO NOT purchase any phone with MTK6516 that was their first phone processor and is slow as **** on android.. 6575, 6577 and the 6589 (quad-core) due out this december.. make sure the phone has at minimum a 4GB rom because the OS plus the MTK support software will take up half of the internal memory.. I bought a 7" phone tablet (search for A70 mtk6573) and it was decent for a full tablet with calling ability (rare back then) but it 0nly had a 1gb rom ( I learned though) and its okay its just that all programs have to be installed to SD card. Most of the suppliers will root the phones for you too.. Good luck!! I have 3 of them coming monday ..PS.. always choose DHL shipping 3 days from china to your door.. EMS and china post take FOREVER (up to 21 days) and sometimes lose the parcel. its totally worth the extra 25 bucks!!!
Chinese 6-inch phones: CarPad F6, N9776, and N9880
Great tips, Vinski. I just bought a Star N9880 from Fastcardtech.com and arranged for it to be sent by EMS, which the seller strongly recommends. EMS was at least $15 cheaper than DHL. Here's hoping all goes well. With a spare battery, a case, protective film, and a 4.5 percent Paypal fee (yes, I had to pay it), my total came to about U.S. $275
I had been leaning toward two alternative 6-inchers: The Carpad Note5 F6 and the (Star?) N9776. The Carpad is a class act of design and manufacture; at 256 grams, it's also the heaviest by a good 2 ounces. But in 6577 trim, it would have cost $35 more than the comparably spec'd N9880. More to the point, the F6's designer/developer, "Kay send" (as he's called in the Google translation of the Note5 F6 forum), is continually improving the model (better battery, free second-color back) and hinting at successors. I would have felt like a chump paying a premium for a phone that would soon be eclipsed. The forum members are clamoring for a 6577 version with an IPS display and 960 x 540 resolution, or an MTK6588 version in January with IPS and 1280 x 720. I haven't owned a phone in more than 3 years, and I'm tired of waiting.
Most N9880s come with a slim flip case; that's a plus, since the phone-case aftermarket hasn't caught up with the size of these jumbo phones. In truth, I tried to order an iron-colored N9776 at Rollmid.com. But PayPal reported something like "This seller cannot currently accept payments," and my purchase was automatically canceled. I then almost ordered it from Alibaba for the same price. But on Alibaba it was offered only in white and I saw no way to order the "optional" case. (The case was listed nowhere on rollmid, either.)
N9880s are starting to appear on eBay. But they all use the older, MTK6575 CPU and have only 260,000 colors. The N9776, with 16 million colors, a shorter length, a narrower width, and Dolby 5.1 speakers (don't ask me how), handily beats them. Nearly all of Alibaba's 9880s likewise use the older CPU and claim to have only 260,000 colors.
The 9880 sold by Fastcardtech can't match the N9776's smaller area, but it does match its internal specs: 6577 1.2 GHz CPU, 16 million colors, largish battery (2800). In fact, it has two features the N9776 doesn't: Bluetooth 2.1 (vs. 2.0) and a lithium-polymer battery (vs. lithium-ion). So I bought it. I dunno whether the brand is Dapeng, Star, Telsda, or Viewsonic. When I receive it, I'll report what I find in this thread. I'm hoping the claimed 1GB of RAM is for real.
My only reservation about this model is that, unlike the N9776 and the F6, it currently has no enthusiast forum. But maybe the three phones, and the lesser Dapeng i9800 / Star i9800, are all similar enough that ROM tricks and OS updates will work for all of them.
N9880 with MTK6577
Hmmm. FastTech just dropped the price of their high-end N9880 from $234 to $212. I wonder whether they'll credit me the difference. Next to the price, it says, "in stock; ships in 1-3 working days." But in a response to a comment posted today, the company says that it's not yet in stock. A delay no longer than a week or so would be worth it if it means the phone would then come with Android 4.1.
4g working?
Does the 4g or 3g actually work in North America? I had bought a Gooapple V5 3G but the 3G never worked in North America because of the band it operated on. It does however work in the UK and Europe which is what I wanted.
The 4G and 3G on these phones won't work on 3G networks that use CDMA (Verizon, Sprint), 3G networks that use HSPA+ on 1700 MHz, or 4G networks that use LTE (Verizon, AT&T). But they should work on 3G networks that use HSPA+ at 1900 MHz (AT&T, and increasingly, T-Mobile).
Hi Paul,
Can you confirm the CPU (1.2 GHz, dual-core), the RAM (1GB), the screen quality (IPS? wide-viewing angle, 1.6M colors) and camera (8MP) when you receive the device please?
Seeing different specs on sites regarding cores, RAM, 356K vs 1.6M colors and camera (5 vs 8 MP).
Thanks!
I'm planning on getting this to use on the T-mobile network.
Paul in Maryland said:
Great tips, Vinski.
The 9880 sold by Fastcardtech can't match the N9776's smaller area, but it does match its internal specs: 6577 1.2 GHz CPU, 16 million colors, largish battery (2800). In fact, it has two features the N9776 doesn't: Bluetooth 2.1 (vs. 2.0) and a lithium-polymer battery (vs. lithium-ion). So I bought it. I dunno whether the brand is Dapeng, Star, Telsda, or Viewsonic. When I receive it, I'll report what I find in this thread. I'm hoping the claimed 1GB of RAM is for real.
My only reservation about this model is that, unlike the N9776 and the F6, it currently has no enthusiast forum. But maybe the three phones, and the lesser Dapeng i9800 / Star i9800, are all similar enough that ROM tricks and OS updates will work for all of them.
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Click to collapse
You bet I will, webdoctors. I'm guessing my N9880 will arrive shortly before September. I, too, will be using my phone on T-Mobile.
I completely agree that some of the specs are suspect. Here are the N9880 specs that may be worse than we have led to believe:
- 1GB RAM (will probably be 512MB)
- 16 million colors (may be 260K, like the display on the MTK6575 variants)
- IPS (never claimed, but we all inferred this from "16 million colors"
At the same time, here are specs that may turn out to be BETTER than we had thought:
- Android: Spec says 4.0, but today I saw an N9880 screen shot or video somewhere that definitely said 4.1, with a ROM or installation dated July 30.
- Cameras: Spec says 0.3 / 5.0MP, but I've started to see claims of 2MP / 8 MP.
- Bluetooth: Spec says 2.0 but I'm also seeing 2.1.
- Battery: Spec used to say lithium-ion but now says lithium-polymer.
It seems to me that if you want to be sure of getting a 6-inch phone with the best specs, you go with the N9776 or Carpad Note5 F6. If you want to be sure of getting the lowest specs, get an i9800 or N9880 with an MTK6575. If you want to spin the wheel and take your chances, go for the N9880 MTK6577.
---------- Post added at 09:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:05 PM ----------
To appreciate the size of these phablets, here's the N9880 beneath an iPhone 4. I explain to people that on a 6-inch phone, the glass is about the same size and shape as a 3 by 5-inch index card.
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"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
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"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
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}
---------- Post added at 09:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 PM ----------
Soon there will be a handful of sixes:
1. Note5 F6
2. i9080
3. N9776
4. N9880
5. HiLive [awaiting name]
It was announced 2012-08-04.
EMS from China to the USA should be quite fast. From previous experience buying stuff from Taiwan/Japan, EMS is less than 4 days door-to-door.
Paul in Maryland said:
You bet I will, webdoctors. I'm guessing my N9880 will arrive shortly before September. I, too, will be using my phone on T-Mobile.
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did anyone see the iHTC One X posted at fastcardtech? Is it legit?
Its advertised as having a 4.7 inch IPS screen, 960*540 pixel, 1 GB RAM, dual core 1.2 GHz, and under $200 (199).
Too good to be true? I don't see the model posted at any other stores, so not sure if the specs arae a typo. Not sure of iHTC build quality, it could be some fake company trying to create poor HTC knockoffs rather than their own brand/quality control.
The quality gap between 'cheap Chinese phones/clones' has narrowed
Has significantly narrowed due to the evolution of the wireless chip sets: Microtek has come more up to the 'phone kit' packaged design that Qualcomm has traditionally offered the market. MTK provides the device manufacturers with increasingly inclusive kit designs through their network of suppliers of moldings, software, supplementary circuit components etc. The device suppliers job becomes more of selecting among the suppliers and doing final development and assembly operations. As many experience, the added refinement from the Chinese suppliers often is not much: many simply take the designs and burn the ROMs packaged up with Android software... rushing the products out even while some things do not work or do not work well. That is why GPS, WiFi, motion sensors may not work well until upgrade ROMs are available.. they hack the products to get them to the market in time to meet the window of market demand. XDA and other groups then serve as the talented group of folks that put together the fixes while the Chinese suppliers move on to the next product. That is what happened with many of the MTK 6575 devices. Those are more mature.. the stuff like GPS and WiFi now works and the devices can load up many apps and run most any software on par with expensive name brand devices costing 2-3 times more. Samsung. Apple, HTC maintain a leading edge in interface camera and video, software and hardware refinements that make the clones look second class in comparison but the gap has closed compared to where it was just a year ago.
The next step up for the Chinese suppliers will be improved screen resolution and more refined hardware... for them to stop using their customers as unwitting guinea pigs for pushing out half-baked products on the market. The first MTK 6577 products will be interesting to look at: will this prove to be similar to MTK6575 in which the YouTube videos look impressive but once you get it in your hand, some will find the Wi-Fi reception is weak, the sensors do not work or only work with some programs and not others due to incompatibilities between the ROM and Android or whatever?
Thus far, the MTK6577 products are still in the experimental entry into the market stage where the early adopters serve as guinea pigs to test out what works and what doesn't and for the many experts here to contribute their great skills to fixing the problems that will almost certainly be found.. and adding refinements that the rest of the market never gets or must wait for the operator upgrades.
I am very interested in the new 6 inch 'Phablet'/'car pad' devices - but will likely wait until others report how well they work and that there is a support group that is interested in supporting the ROM upgrades, etc. beforehand. I would like to see higher resolution 6"-7" models which would more aptly serve needs for both a tablet and a SmartPhone.. the 'one device' solution for personal and road use. qHD to HD quality screen with a mini HDMI output would be hot imo.
N9776 - Where to buy?
The N9776 looks like the best of the 6 inch phones to me. Does anyone know a reputable place to buy it from? The only place I can see that sells it is Aliexpress and none of the sellers that are offering it there fill me with confidence.
andymac66 said:
The N9776 looks like the best of the 6 inch phones to me. Does anyone know a reputable place to buy it from? The only place I can see that sells it is Aliexpress and none of the sellers that are offering it there fill me with confidence.
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IMHO, I think CarPad note5 F6 is better than N9776. It has 8MP real camera and 2MP front camera. And they have their own forum for support of ROM update or custom ROM, although it is in Chinese. However, if you can wait, you may want to wait for 6-inch 540x960 resolution version, as I think 400x854 is still not good enough.
I'm giving this a try :silly:
http://www.androidforcheap.com/note...3-os-wcdma-3g-gps-wifi-smart-phone-p-310.html
or this
http://www.androidforcheap.com/i930...-pixel-camera-micro-sim-card-phone-p-453.html
amazing what they can produce here :cyclops:
check out some china phone reviews
http://www.chinaphonereview.com/
mengfei said:
I'm giving this a try :silly:
http://www.androidforcheap.com/note...3-os-wcdma-3g-gps-wifi-smart-phone-p-310.html
or this
http://www.androidforcheap.com/i930...-pixel-camera-micro-sim-card-phone-p-453.html
amazing what they can produce here :cyclops:
check out some china phone reviews
http://www.chinaphonereview.com/
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You may want to consider Haipai Noble I9220 or X710D as both phones has support thread in this XDA forum, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1646544
Off: LG G6
,,...The device also features wireless charging and a Hi-Fi audio DAC, but unfortunately, these features are going to be region specific. So, while wireless charging will be available only in the US, the audio DAC will be limited to select markets in Asia. LG says that this is an informed decision based on consumer wants and needs in each particular region. For example, the demand for wireless charging is quite high in the US, while it isn’t as important in other regions, such as South Korea...,,
..money is money.. HiFi Quad DAC in Asian .
The rest of the Snapdragon 821 plays music. Or the private import ..
Any thoughts on how to import? I am interested in the Hi-Res DAC Version as a replacement for my Pixel XL. Are there any downsides of using the Asian version in Europe like missing bands?
chortya said:
Any thoughts on how to import? I am interested in the Hi-Res DAC Version as a replacement for my Pixel XL. Are there any downsides of using the Asian version in Europe like missing bands?
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Click to collapse
Who do you know that? But if you go out from the LG V20-, the Asian version of me in the middle of Europe is working well.
It might be ship-able from middle east like Dubai. Korean and Chinese manufacturers always launch them there earlier than the rest of Asian market (after their homeland launch of course).
If someone wants the dac in the US they should just go for the v20, I think the g6 looks nice but as far as features and functions go the v20 is superior. The 821 processor has very little performance difference from the 820 in the v20.
It's LG's sell out phone in my opinion it looks like LG is just going to follow other developers.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Quick update from my side. I have recieved my LG G6 from Korea and I love the audio quality. Sounds slightly better then my DragonFly black.
Compared to the Pioneer XDP100R DAP I have also owned DAC applies to all sound not only native player.
Gesendet von meinem LGM-G600L mit Tapatalk
Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for a DAC that may downsample and not work correctly. LG still hasn't fixed the V20 DAC firmware, so I wouldn't put a lot of stock in this device either, especially if you only want it for the DAC. I would simply get a cheaper phone you can buy domestically and buy a small portable DAC that will actually work properly.