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i searched through the internet but there wasnt a solid answer to this question i could find.
the question is, which tablets have sim card support and if so how can i tell if the ones in retailers are different from ones offered from carriers.
like are there 2 models of galaxy tab 2 10.1? one with sim slot and one without? and could someone compile a list of all the current and popular tablets with sim card slots?
A tablet that does phone and uses AT&T or TMobil (assuming you're in the US) has a SIM slot. The SIM is used for the phone portion of the tablet on GSM phones. If the tablet doesn't have a phone, or it has a CDMA (Sprint, Verizon) phone, it has no use for a SIM card.
Well, of course. So the question would be "which tablets include a phone device ?" Nice try for an answer, dude ! BTW, it's not absolutely exact, as I'll explain below.
Ok, then, most SMALL tablets (7" or less) generally include a SIM slot because they allow you to phone without you looking as if you stuck a frying pan over your ear. This includes for instance the HTC Flyer and all Samsung Galaxy Tabs, just to cite the ones I know for sure, but of course there may be many others.
Classic "large" (10" or about) tablets can have a SIM slot too, even if NOT being able to phone. The reason is they allow 3G networking. If we are to cite another example, there is one on some Asus EeePads (not all models, so be careful when choosing).
Now the Eeepad is a bit special, as it has a true PC processor instead of most other models scaled-down 1 GHz ARM phone processors (the same my good old HD2 has already), and when you attach the separate mechanical keyboard to the tablet, you also get classical USB ports, allowing you to add a 3G dongle in case you bought a SIM-less model.
Apart form the Asus that's a bit out of the crowd (though not being more expensive BTW), you'll then have to check for the SIM slot when looking for a tablet.
Your question is of general interest IMHO. It wouldn't be a bad idea to keep a list of tablets with SIM slots to help people choosing, either here or on a dedicated topic, maybe put elsewhere (though I can't find where right now).
Now if you'd ask me which tablet I would choose if I had to, I'd answer "none" at first thought. The reason is, I do need a mobile device, but it has to do ALL : phoning, taking notes and noting down meetings, firing alarms, email and web browsing, remote access to the company's billing and accounting software, and my Word and Excel documents handy. And all this, of course, has to be with me all the time.
So, of course, the 4.3" format is just perfect. So why would I want a tablet ? The answer is just "I don't want one. Period". Now, why would I would want one anyway ? Well, maybe because it would be more confortable to show documents to other people, or just to get a larger workspace, after all.
So maybe the 7" format would be just fine. This, plus the fact it's able to phone, and the special stylus, always made me think about the HTC Flyer. Because I love my HTC HD and HD2, so I may stay sentimentally linked to HTC, so I probably won't be absolutely neutral here. There's also the Samsung galaxy Note, why not ? But if it's just for a larger phone with a stylus, is it worth the change ? Well, maybe for the stylus. The 7" tablet also still allows to phone whithout looking completely weird, though the limit is reached there IMHO.
Anyway, the point is, I want only ONE device to do ALL, and I want it with me everywhere and every time. That's why my HD2 is always in my belt pouch. I wouldn't want a phone PLUS a tablet to bring along. That's why I'm not really considering buying one, despite I really miss the stylus, as I often have to draw sketches and using the finger is just way too imprecise.
Now there's an interesting outsider, and it's once again from Asus : they threw some weird concept, a tablet containing a detachable Android phone ! All documents automatically synchronize when you stuff the phone into the hatch behind the screen, so you can actually always have the exact same and up-to-date documents on each, allowing you to bring and use any of them (or both !) according to what you're going to do and where you're going to. A concept at least worth a look IMHO.
Z80-Man said:
Well, of course. So the question would be "which tablets include a phone device ?" Nice try for an answer, dude ! BTW, it's not absolutely exact, as I'll explain below.
Ok, then, most SMALL tablets (7" or less) generally include a SIM slot because they allow you to phone without you looking as if you stuck a frying pan over your ear. This includes for instance the HTC Flyer and all Samsung Galaxy Tabs, just to cite the ones I know for sure, but of course there may be many others.
Classic "large" (10" or about) tablets can have a SIM slot too, even if NOT being able to phone. The reason is they allow 3G networking. If we are to cite another example, there is one on some Asus EeePads (not all models, so be careful when choosing).
Now the Eeepad is a bit special, as it has a true PC processor instead of most other models scaled-down 1 GHz ARM phone processors (the same my good old HD2 has already), and when you attach the separate mechanical keyboard to the tablet, you also get classical USB ports, allowing you to add a 3G dongle in case you bought a SIM-less model.
Apart form the Asus that's a bit out of the crowd (though not being more expensive BTW), you'll then have to check for the SIM slot when looking for a tablet.
Your question is of general interest IMHO. It wouldn't be a bad idea to keep a list of tablets with SIM slots to help people choosing, either here or on a dedicated topic, maybe put elsewhere (though I can't find where right now).
Now if you'd ask me which tablet I would choose if I had to, I'd answer "none" at first thought. The reason is, I do need a mobile device, but it has to do ALL : phoning, taking notes and noting down meetings, firing alarms, email and web browsing, remote access to the company's billing and accounting software, and my Word and Excel documents handy. And all this, of course, has to be with me all the time.
So, of course, the 4.3" format is just perfect. So why would I want a tablet ? The answer is just "I don't want one. Period". Now, why would I would want one anyway ? Well, maybe because it would be more confortable to show documents to other people, or just to get a larger workspace, after all.
So maybe the 7" format would be just fine. This, plus the fact it's able to phone, and the special stylus, always made me think about the HTC Flyer. Because I love my HTC HD and HD2, so I may stay sentimentally linked to HTC, so I probably won't be absolutely neutral here. There's also the Samsung galaxy Note, why not ? But if it's just for a larger phone with a stylus, is it worth the change ? Well, maybe for the stylus. The 7" tablet also still allows to phone whithout looking completely weird, though the limit is reached there IMHO.
Anyway, the point is, I want only ONE device to do ALL, and I want it with me everywhere and every time. That's why my HD2 is always in my belt pouch. I wouldn't want a phone PLUS a tablet to bring along. That's why I'm not really considering buying one, despite I really miss the stylus, as I often have to draw sketches and using the finger is just way too imprecise.
Now there's an interesting outsider, and it's once again from Asus : they threw some weird concept, a tablet containing a detachable Android phone ! All documents automatically synchronize when you stuff the phone into the hatch behind the screen, so you can actually always have the exact same and up-to-date documents on each, allowing you to bring and use any of them (or both !) according to what you're going to do and where you're going to. A concept at least worth a look IMHO.
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Very good input. The truth is i'm a sales rep at TigerDirect in Canada. And whenever a customer asks me if the tablet they like has sim support, i'd have to give them a general unsure answer. It's unfortunate because not all tablets have it, and the specs on most sites never really specify either. Furthermore, it's not very realistic to open a sealed box to check if there is. Especially if the customer might not buy. I think it'd be great if everyone on the forums contribute and compile a list of model numbers of tablets that contain a sim card of some sort.
as a user ot the samsung galaxy tab 7.7 i would recomed your customers one of the 7" tablets there are wlan only and wlan/3g devices for each model. with a 3g module it allowes you to send sms or use it as a general mobile phone.
the bigger tablets only use the sim for a mobile 3g internet connection not for sms or phone, like the 10.1.
the wlan only version of the 7.7 is the gt-p6810 and with 3g its gt-p6800.
in canada the tab should be available very easy, but in my country i had little problems to get one of the 7.7 (the old ones 7.0 , 7.0+ , 7.0 2 are easy to get)
because apple sued samsung and said that the 7.7 looks like an ******* ipad.
Oh, maybe we should launch a contribution to offer Apple staff some glasses ?
OK, you did sum up what I thought : 7" tablets either allow phoning or are WLan only, and 10" tablets or bigger are either 3G or WLan only.
Each maker apparently offers both, for the same generic model number, so customers (and sellers) have to be vary careful about small details printed on the box and/or small sub-numbers in the model reference that may help finding more information on the web (preferably on makers' websites rather than half-informed resellers').
It's quite a puzzle, so maybe opening a Wiki here on XDA to list the "good" references could help people sorting things out.
I often say to myself, that there must be more makes and models of mobile devices out there than the variety of vehicles these days. If that turns out true, it's no wonder. This industry is the fastest growing market right now. With such a selection, features, brands, and prices, it's hard to choose which device will be the best for you. Hopefully this guide will give you an idea on what to look for in your next device.
FIRST OFF:
GSMArena is your friend. They provide detailed specifications of many devices out there. The ones they don't show, well, a good rule of thumb is that the device is probably not popular enough to warrant your attention, if you want to do some of the things this site is known for (more on that later).
A cool feature of GSMArena is the ability to be able to compare two (or more) devices side-by-side, so once you have a small handful of possibilities, you can compare features easily.
One thing you do need to be careful of, is that GSMArena does not feature every variation a carrier may instill. So the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini you may see at the Bell Aliant store really has 16GB of storage space, but Bell may be the only carrier that uses that variant.
NETWORK:
Those looking for a Wi-Fi only tablet can skip this section...but a must-read for everyone else.
If you have a handful of devices in mind, right off the bat you should rule them in by checking their network status. I cannot tell you which one will work for your network, but your provider will tell you what technology (or technologies) they use (CDMA vs GSM/HSPA/HSPA+/LTE), and at what frequencies. My provider runs HSPA+ and LTE at 1700 and 2100 mHz only (no 2G), so that narrows my options for phones. As an example, last years Moto G LTE would work, but not this year's version due to mismatched frequencies.
Network technology is quite important, especially if you use CDMA. This means you would have no SIM (a tiny device that contains your subscriber information that you get from your provider) card (unless it has world phone capability, and even then, the bands probably won't work for your region) and are stuck with the carrier you buy the phone from. There are some CDMA-based network phone's, like the Motorola Photon Q (released for Sprint), that have their SIM card non-removable (a CDMA/GSM hybrid) where people have modified by soldering in a proper SIM slot. However, the GSM bands used for this device no not work for North America providers.
REFUSALS:
Think of a list of what you don't want. Want to avoid a phablet? Check! No to an Android OS older than Kitkat? Got it! No Samsung devices? You are on fire!
Maybe you can even think of some of the basic internals we take for granted. Usable space is one of them. It's hard to tell, but there is a big disconnect between the ROM size and what you have available to use. Heck, the system data's gotta take up space too! But the big question, what does this leave me? My recent phone, an LG Optimus F3Q, came with a JellyBean ROM, on a 4GB device. I had 1.3GB to play with. Not a lot, in light of the F3Q's predecessor for T-Mobile, the Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G had a 8GB ROM (Ice Cream Sandwich) and 5GB to play with. Why the downgrade, I never understood.
Seems as though a couple years ago, 16GB or more was reserved for high-end phones, 8GB for mid-range, and 4GB for budget phones. I am still seeing phones set up this way, such as the LG G3 S (aka Beat). This is a phone that was released with a 8GB ROM (the smaller cousin to the LG G3, much like the relationship between the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S4 Mini) and KitKat as an OS, upgradeable to Lollipop. This phone is in preparation of space-hungry Lollipop, and it shows when you look at this device's usable stoage space. For a 8GB ROM, you get around 2.4GB available to you. Since Lollipop's new runtime doubles the space of applications (un-compiled version, and compiled version of everything) compared to previous Android versions, the situation is just as bad with this phone as I have previously complained about with the F3Q. Thus, my refusal is no less than 8GB for Jellybean-age devices, or no less than 16GB for Lollipop or newer.
FEATURES:
Okay, so now you know what you don't want. What about what you want? Time to start a second list. Be reasonable, as in don't add features that won't be in phones for the next several years (like 1TB storage). This could be a quad-core processor (which seems to be the bare minimum for decent devices these days, or maybe 2GB of memory/RAM).
GIMMICKS:
In your feature list, did you add dual-SIM support, QWERTY keyboard, or some other gimmick? Be careful with that - a lot of manufacturers don't handle gimmicks too well, and only put them on lower-specced devices (Samsung Duos line comes to mind). These devices are not meant to push a lot of units, so the prices of them usually are quite higher. Keep in mind that dual-sim is not quite a gimmick, but it strays from the norm enough that you would be confused if it wasn't.
TO MicroSD OR NOT MicroSD?:
This is increasingly becoming a gimmick sadly. I like spending less on a device and then supplementing it with cheap memory. But this cannot be the case for many. Some manufacturers are bringing them back, others, are abolishing them from their devices. It's hard to see what the weather will be like there.
It comes down to personal choice, if it's a worthy feature or something you can live without.
BATTERY:
Battery life holds a big importance. Typically you want to look at the number of mAh the battery holds (as a comparison to like devices), but for say, different screen sizes, a smaller battery will work just as well on a smaller screen. So you need to look at screen-on-time metrics to know how long you can use your device, and how long you can go before a recharge. The challenge is that manufacturers usually advertise battery life by idle time, which is a perfect-world scenario (all sensors and radios turned off, no screen-on-time - basically the device is hibernating more aggressively than you will ever let it).
Another consideration is whether the battery should be removable. I used to be a strong supporter of removable batteries, since I would replace a faulty battery from time to time, but these days, I'm ambivalent to that idea. With external battery packs, you should never have to pop the back cover because the battery went dead. With the fact you can turn off a bootlooped phone after pressing power for many seconds, you never need to pull the battery either. Although, the big reason for a removable battery is for longevity of the phone, as the battery is usually the first to fail (after-market batteries are tested to function well for 300 charges). With a user-replaceable battery, you can easily buy and insert a replacement, be it from the OEM or third party (which often provides a little more juice). Once again, it comes down to personal choice.
DEVELOPMENT:
Okay, by now, you must have some decent candidates. But how do they stack up to this site? If the device does not have a forum yet, there is no guarantee it will ever get one. Even if it has a fourm, there is no guarantee it will get any amount of development. This becomes a judgement call whether your phone will be rootable, and have the ability to install custom ROMs (if that's your thing). If you are not concerned about that kind of support, no loss has been made, but if custom ROMs are your thing, don't buy and then "hope and wait" for something that may never come because you got a device noone cares about.
FINALLY:
Sometimes you cannot have everything you are looking for and not looking for. So this becomes time to prioritize and find the best match of features and refusals. It is not necessarily settling, but if we could all have our "Homer", the cost of phones would be astronomical (and some people place certain price points as refusals).
If you still get stuck, there is the device suggestion thread where others suggest the best device out there for your needs.
Hope this helps someone on their next purchase.
I've had the gear S2 (sport) for about 1 week.. I really like the watch, but i'm wondering if the model is right.
I've been a smart watch user for long time. Pebble classic, Sony SW2, Pebble Steel, LG G Watch R, Pebble Time.
I've run into a few instances where my phone is tied up in the car with a six year old playing a gaming or streaming Netflix when i run into a store only to come out and have my wife go did you get my text about getting.... Granted This happens maybe one a month or every other month.
Gear S2 3G.... I don't run so i doubt the GPS would add that much... I might be wrong.
Gear S2 Classic... I do like the idea of being able to use any watch band and the classier look.
Who else has opinions on the Plus/minuses of the 3 models.
If you need call capabilities on your watch without your phone being connected via bluetooth, then go with the 3g model. Same if you want a watch with a speaker. Otherwise the Gear S2 sport or classic models should work fine. I prefer the Classic because of the look, plus I love the customization options that come with being able to use regular 20mm straps. Some prefer the sporty look instead. So basically decide if you need/want 3g/speaker. If not, then choose the look you want (sport or classic). My two cents
sefrcoko said:
If you need call capabilities on your watch without your phone being connected via bluetooth, then go with the 3g model. Same if you want a watch with a speaker. Otherwise the Gear S2 sport or classic models should work fine. I prefer the Classic because of the look, plus I love the customization options that come with being able to use regular 20mm straps. Some prefer the sporty look instead. So basically decide if you need/want 3g/speaker. If not, then choose the look you want (sport or classic). My two cents
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Honestly i could care less about the call ability.. The Ability to receive text messages when i don't have my phone i can see.. I have had a handful of times were i could see it beneficial.
I was ultimately wondering if the extra sensors/data of the 3G model provided something more that i wasnt' thinking about.
I bought the S2 Classic for the dressier look. I also like that it is easy to find other watch bands. I have switched to a black metal mesh band that goes very well with the watch. I also like that the bezel is textured and easy to operate.
Unless you plan to wear it while you workout get the classic. No brainer IMHO.
Got the 3G after 2 weeks with wifi version.
Having owned the original Gear S, there were somethingsome that I was expecting from a smart watch. For example a speaker, something the wifi version was lacking. After nothat having it, I realized just how much I missed it. Plus, not being able to detach from my phone and still have the ability to make and take aND take a phone call from my wrist. I'm really happy with it now.
I'm actually own tmobile 3g version. It is one fun watch. Now I can leave my phone in the pocket while driving and answer phone call from the wrist. Also quick look on Gmail, text, incoming call without need to reach for the phone is very useful. I only wish for more apps available for that watch. If LG Urbane 2 watch wasn't recalled I would have hard time to choose one.
At the time I bought my s2 I was actually looking at getting the 4g from tmobile but the cost was over double what I paid for my wifi sport. I just couldn't justify paying that much,.
I bought the 3g model because it had the speaker. I will not be adding it to my plan because I don't need a separate line just for my watch. But coming from the gear s, also without a separate line, I have become very used to being able to answer a call from my watch. Being able to do so is one of the most useful features of a smart watch. I wish the classic model was larger and also had a speaker. Maybe the second edition will be larger for all models as that seams to be the number one complaint, it's just too small (all models) but as someone who jumps on the "newest" and "greatest ", I bought it even though it's too small. That being said, once AW adds speaker support, I'd switch back to AW as it is a lot more useful, mainly due to Google now and app integration
persichini said:
Gear S2 3G.... I don't run so i doubt the GPS would add that much... I might be wrong.
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Something you might not know about the S2 regarding GPS (I didn't until I got the watch -- it's not a well-advertised feature): There is a feature called, "Send SOS Message". You can configure it so that when you press the home button quickly 3 times, the watch will immediately start recording your voice for a brief message ("chest pains! help!"), and then send an SMS to up to 4 people with the recording attached, and text saying "help" (or something similar, not configurable, tested it but don't remember) with your location (lat/lon).
Even if you're a young whippersnapper with no health issues ("get off my lawn, ya damn kids!"), accidents happen. And for us older youths (I'm 53), it's definitely some peace of mind while hiking alone, for example.
I prefer the 4g model I got from tmobile. Just love being able to answer my phone from my wrist and not having to have an ear piece.
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
dcpyro1394 said:
I bought the 3g model because it had the speaker. I will not be adding it to my plan because I don't need a separate line just for my watch. But coming from the gear s, also without a separate line, I have become very used to being able to answer a call from my watch. Being able to do so is one of the most useful features of a smart watch. I wish the classic model was larger and also had a speaker. Maybe the second edition will be larger for all models as that seams to be the number one complaint, it's just too small (all models) but as someone who jumps on the "newest" and "greatest ", I bought it even though it's too small. That being said, once AW adds speaker support, I'd switch back to AW as it is a lot more useful, mainly due to Google now and app integration
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Some people claim that 3g classic version was already released in Korea
dcpyro1394 said:
I bought the 3g model because it had the speaker. I will not be adding it to my plan because I don't need a separate line just for my watch. But coming from the gear s, also without a separate line, I have become very used to being able to answer a call from my watch. Being able to do so is one of the most useful features of a smart watch. I wish the classic model was larger and also had a speaker. Maybe the second edition will be larger for all models as that seams to be the number one complaint, it's just too small (all models) but as someone who jumps on the "newest" and "greatest ", I bought it even though it's too small. That being said, once AW adds speaker support, I'd switch back to AW as it is a lot more useful, mainly due to Google now and app integration
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Funny, I thought the gear s2 classic was indeed too small when I bought it...but after a few months I realize the real problem: my other watches are too big lol. I've been wearing big watches because that's where the style was headed, but after getting used to a standard size like the gear s2 classic I'm all about the smaller watches now. My uncle's omega and Rolex are even smaller (38mm). It all depends on your wrist size and personal taste too of course. I hope the next gear is no larger than 40mm personally. Ok maybe 42mm max
sefrcoko said:
Funny, I thought the gear s2 classic was indeed too small when I bought it...but after a few months I realize the real problem: my other watches are too big lol.
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^This :good:
My reaction was the same. I like my Huawei, but it really is a giant hockey puck on my wrist compared to any other watch I've ever had (and like many here, I'm a "watch guy" -- got many).
FWIW, the big size of AW watches is one of the more common complaints in the blogosphere.
It's a tough challenge for a smartwatch: A display big enough to be practical and useful (it's a smartwatch!), yet physical size to be stylish and attractive as a piece of attire.
We're getting there. The way this will be solved is with refinements to the UI. The display doesn't need to be biggger -- the design of the UI needs to show information in a clean, uncluttered, big-enough-to-easily-read manner. The S2 with the rotating bezel and circular UI elements is a good step forward -- expect this exact (through licensing) or something similar to become more mainstream.
Well today I returned the sport version for a classic.. I gave up on the 3g... added cost for uses I'll only use once and a great while.
persichini said:
Well today I returned the sport version for a classic.. I gave up on the 3g... added cost for uses I'll only use once and a great while.
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I can totally understand
For a bit different perspective, I'm on a 4-line, 18GB shared data plan with 4 smartphones for my family. Given what we spend for our Verizon bill monthly, an extra $15/mo for the additional line on the watch seemed rather trivial, given the added capability.
dwallersv said:
I can totally understand
For a bit different perspective, I'm on a 4-line, 18GB shared data plan with 4 smartphones for my family. Given what we spend for our Verizon bill monthly, an extra $15/mo for the additional line on the watch seemed rather trivial, given the added capability.
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It is only $5 with Tmobile
darekz said:
It is only $5 with Tmobile
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Checked my bill, same at Verizon. I'd really like some of whatever I was smoking
Over the course of the past month and a half, I've tried a total of 8 Samsung Galaxy S7's. I didn't set out to exchange so many phones and I really didn't need the inconvenience of all the swapping involved, much less of all the inspecting, testing and comparing I've done. I'm not a reviewer or a device tester. I'm only someone who wants (and expects) good and consistent quality among relatively expensive products if and when I purchase them.
Having stated the above, I've found that certain variants of the S7 do not perform equally in some ways (such as involving certain SoC functionality). On one model, the API necessary to activate and utilize a certain hardware capability (that's indeed supported by said device's circuitry) is not supported by its factory-flashed firmware. Moreover, there's an absence of information available addressing this issue on the Internet or even from Samsung itself. So it can be quite difficult to gain direction on the possibility of a resolution.
Here's my case in point concerning the above mentioned missing API. While the unlocked US variant of the S7 (i.e., the SM-G930U) genuinely comes with a built-in, fully functional FM broadcast receiver chip, phone buyers are not able to easily access the chip's functionality. I suppose I should clarify by adding that the FM chip would be fully functional if Samsung chose to enable it within the firmware that comes on this model. But they have chosen not to do so and it's not entirely clear why.
I have personally confirmed that the FM chip on the 930U can be activated, and that it will thus receive local FM broadcast signals. One merely need flash a major carrier variant of the S7 firmware onto their 930U. Or at least I can confirm that the SM-G930P (SPR) firmware will achieve this end. That's all it took to get my last 930U up and running on the local FM broadcast band. Once the flash had completed my 930U began receiving local FM radio stations via its headphone jack antenna input and the NextRadio application. Note: I had trouble with the first flash attempt because the stock 930U partition was too small to accept the 930P firmware image and thus required an adjustment.
I personally find it discouraging that Samsung doesn't give owners of the 930U a convenient way to activate the device's built-in FM receiver function. Since it appears there have been no instructions published yet on this topic, 930U owners who want access to the device's FM receiver will have to rely upon the trial and error approach and attempt to resolve the matter with a firmware flash (as I did). I believe it's currently the only option. I'm guessing the reason the receiver is not enabled by default in the factory supplied firmware is because the cellular carriers have no real incentive to request that Samsung incorporate the necessary API component. And Samsung itself obviously doesn't care enough to simply include it. And I suppose Google may fit in there somewhere as well. The result is of course that the average S7 owner is neither supplied with the knowledge nor the choice to enable FM reception on the 930U. Granted, most phone users aren't terribly interested in gaining FM broadcast reception capability. But it can be a big deal for those of us who are.
Yet another difference between the 930U variant and the cellular carrier variants, and even the 930U variant and the international unlocked variant, is that the 930U seems to have a persistent wifi sensitivity issue. That is, the device can't see wifi signals that are below a moderate signal level. This conclusion is based upon my comparative testing of three 930U devices to several 930P devices (Sprint variant), and one 930F device (international unlocked variant). This wifi concern, by the way, is the main reason the 930U has been ruled out as an option for my personal situation. I like the absence of bloatware (well mostly - I want to retain Sprint Zone functionality) and I like the potential for interchangeability between major US cellular carriers, be they GSM or CDMA based. But I can't handle the crippled wifi reception! Any device I use needs to be able to see and establish connections with wifi nodes that produce signals below a moderate level ( i.e., less than -85 dBm) at locations where I may need such capability.
Still further concerns for me are various inconsistencies between new S7's within a single variant group. Some of these inconsistencies include the following: 1. Obvious display color differences (e.g., some S7's produce vivid and bright colors, while others seem to display colors that are noticeably washed out). 2. Some S7 camera's seems to see better in extremely low lighting environments (clearer, brighter detail and less graininess) than do others at the same ambient light levels. 3. Most of the S7's that I've possessed have poorly aligned overlay ports around the front and back camera lenses. In most cases, this is purely an aesthetic annoyance. But for a phone that costs $650 to $700, I personally expect better quality control. 4. On some S7's the very same cellular network signal levels will produce more signal bars than on other S7's.
I understand that issues like the ones I've observed on the S7's I've assessed may be present on mobile devices produced by other manufacturers as well. I have to say, though, that I tend to expect a bit more from a rather expensive device that's touted so highly by so many
What I've noticed with mine is the awful quality of video indoors with light, especially in 1080p60fps. Also indoors I noticed a yellowish tint in the center of the screen and a darker ring around it that's visible in pics and videos. None of them are visible outside in day, but mostly at night with artificial light.
Hello, if i'm posting this in the wrong place please migrate this message somewhere better. Also I could post separate topics but i'm trying to wrap them into one. (if it's better to separate let me know - another board I stepped on toes for having "too many separate posts" that were lightly linked)
I'm trying to buy a Tracfone. Specifically a Tracfone "with 1 year service/minutes" bundle, actually i'm looking for two of them (me and GF) because her phone seemed to just implode recently for no reason.
Two places I know of having "bundling deals" are QVC and HSN, if there are others please let me know? I'm aware of shopcelldeals but those arent bundles, just minute-less phones usually.
One of my TOP priorities is finding phones that can root, yet searching for nearly every Tracfone for sale on either site keeps showing the same things - others asking for root with no success, talk of locked bootloaders, and similar. I am wondering if this is something across the board, if some manufacturers are worse than others, if some tend to have root methods show up later, etc. I can live without it for now, I just can't put certain cool things on until then.
If finding a rootable Tracfone is hopeless i'm probably shopping for conventional phones for BYOD but then no minutes deals with either a free phone or barely more cost obviously.
Makes little difference to be if 3G or 4G (despite the impending 3g sunset), CDMA or GSM, other than really trying to find Verizon or ATT Tracfones because of superior coverage where I drive. Actually ideal might be one ATT and one Verizon due to complimentary coverage. (where one is out the other usually is present)
The above probably already is a pretty short list of phones (if any at all) so not even sure if more details is needed, other than preferring a larger screen to make Google Maps more usable. (5-5.5" is nicer than smaller) That's honestly the most demanding application we are likely to need. Something with a replaceable battery preferred - note i'm not afraid of "non user replaceable" batteries that just make it hard/involve disassembly, have tools for that long as it's possible and there's a guide.
The fallback worst case scenario is just buy a pair of used Samsung Galaxy S5's one VZ one ATT and do the bring own device tracfone SIMs, but i'd like to see if there is something competitively cheaper since money is sorta tight. Any advice on anything directly or indirectly mentioned in this thread would be appreciated as helpful.
Actually, strongly consider used (as in pre-owned) CDMA (and specifically ex-VZW) phones; they can be purchased from many Amazon sellers, Wirefly, etc. Also, not all VZW customers trade in their phones (and especially not since VZW has the hypercheap Samsung Galaxy J3 that they are pushing to non-unlimited customers - my Mom bought one to replace her Galaxy Nexus, which I now have).
Once you have your ex-VZW phone in hand, order a SIM Kit from Tracfone via their BYOD page - https://get.tracfone.com/bring-your-own-phone/
While you are waiting for your SIM Kit to show, select your replacement ROM of choice *and* remove the old SIM - you won't need it for any of the prep steps. (You will need a wireless router with at least 2.4 GHz N support, though.)
For Samsung-based ex-VZW phones (which I suggest and which I will use as an example), grab the Universal Android Toolkit (current version is 1.5.6). While it is a Windows application, it is a "character mode" Windows application that runs windowed - no mousing here. The UAT supports features that ODIN flat out lacks; even better, you don't need to use that unique-to-Samsung "download mode", either. It doesn't just support flashing community ROMs/firmware; it can also restore supported devices to bog-stock (REALLY useful for phones you "inherit" from others). It even includes a mix of rooting utilities, and supports custom recoveries (it includes two versions of TWRP for the Galaxy Nexus, for example - with alternatives from the old CWM and Carliv's/Philz Touch (should you not like TWRP).
Some common misconceptions are about to get sliced and diced in this paragraph - so PAY ATTENTION.
First misconception - Tracfone requires a stock configuration. Not true of BYOP, and never has been. What firmware you run on your phone is YOUR business - Tracfone, in fact, could care less.
Second misconception - you have to start fresh (no porting). Patently false; you can port existing numbers to Tracfone BYOP just fine; I ported a lifeline number from Tracfone's Safelink Wireless division.
Third misconception - you can't port numbers from feature phones. See second misconception above; the number I ported was from a feature phone. (Safelink Wireless just started shipping Android phones itself; until Christmas of this year; the standard lifeline phone was a feature phone - typically from Alcatel, and connected to T-Mobile's 3G network.)
Last misconception - Tracfone uses a weak network backbone. While that was certainly the case with T-Mobile's network (which is still used by Safelink's feature phones), the LTE side of Tracfone (and Safelink's Android phones) is driven by Verizon Wireless - which is as solid as it gets in most of the US. As VZW predecessor company Bell Atlantic Mobile used to remind us in their video ads, a cell phone is only as good as the network it runs on.
Some surprises about the Galaxy Nexus in particular - first off, it doesn't support SD cards - at all; by that, I mean there is no way to physically mount them. (Therefore, don't even think about that option.) However, basic storage is capacious - out of the 29 GB of total storage, only 3 GB is used by my chosen firmware (PureNexus 7.1.1 for Galaxy Nexus) and GApps (Dynamic 7.1.1.) For that reason, I therefore have LOTS of room for files and apps (especially apps) - and without getting hamstrung by lack of basic storage space. (All too many devices compensate for that lack of basic storage by using SD cards; however, the tradeoff and hamstringing comes into major play with Lollipop and later, as they normally don't let you run apps from the SD card - that is why workarounds like APP2SD exist.) That capacious storage also covers why it's still supported - and especially why the Android community is still writing new ROMs for it, despite the dual-core TI OMAP CPU. (That's right; I did say dual-core.) In general use, there is surprisingly little bog in the GNex - even compared to a more modern phone such as the Samsung S7, let alone the J3.