Database Users

Why I Am OK With $530

After reading all the stories, lots of comments on blogs and forums, I have had enough of the BS about how $530 is over priced and way too much and blah blah blah. You guys want the latest and greatest but aren't willing to pay any more than $5 for it.
Every single phone worth money for years has had an unsubsidized price of at least $550 with a few exceptions of course (G1 is only $400, but it is a generation old hardware). An iPhone 3GS 32gb retails for $699 straight up. The HTC HD2 is $899 on Amazon. Good phones aren't cheap as I am sure a lot of you know. So in this respect, $530 is actually a pretty good deal; especially when you compare it to the HD2 which has the same processor and similar hardware. You are getting a next-gen phone with the best screen to ever be on a phone, double the ram of most high end phones, and double the resolution of most high end phones. You expected the best of the best to be cheap? Pfft...
Also, my current T-Mobile plan is superior to what is going to be offered. It will be cheaper and easier in the long run to just buy the phone straight up.
What I am seeing from people is they see $530 and freak the hell out because they have the $180 to compare it against. Sure, there is a big difference there, but you are locked in to a contract for 2 years. $80 * 24 months + $180 = $2100 over 2 years! AND you only have 500 minutes. If you bought the phone straight up and went with Even More Plus for $80/mo, you get unlimited everything. $80 * 24 months + $530 = $2450. Yes, this is more expensive, HOWEVER, how many times will you go over your 500 minutes in the next 2 years? If this is not a problem for you, by all means, go right ahead and get the contract deal since it suits you. But for me, and I suspect most people, 500 minutes is not enough. For the additional $350 over 2 years, or $14.58 and change every month, it is worth having those unlimited minutes.
Does anybody else agree with me on this? All of my phone junkies I talk to agree that $530 is reasonable. Sure, we all would love a less expensive phone, but lets get real here...
Oh, and if this "leak" turns out to be false, than what an awesome waste of time and all of this is moot! LOL

Agree with you on this. My current plan is dirt cheep for unlimited data and no 2 year contract, so I'll shell out the $530 if that's all official after the 5th!

people are trippin over $530 for a phone like this? I paid $550 for my unlocked fuze last year, $800 for unbranded touch pro 2 in April, unlocked motorola droid(milestone) is $800! Al least this phone has some kind of US 3G support, unlike most unbranded phones that come state side. I think I'm a get it day 1, and then get the Bravo when it come out later this year if Sense UI cant be import on the Nexus.

I agree with you guys wholeheartedly. To be honest though, I think it's most telling to compare plans in an apples to apples manner. I'm a dork with a background in finance, so yes, I created a spreadsheet to calculate all the costs incrementally to see where changes in costs were coming from in my comparison.
After running through the numbers and calculating total costs over a 24 month term, for the 500 minute EM and EM+ plans, with the respective phone costs, the total cost over 24 months if I bought the phone unlocked would be $1970. If I purchased it on contract for $180, the total I'd spend over 24 months would be $2100.
There's NO WAY that you'll spend more over the long term with the EM+ plan UNLESS you're eligible for a corporate discount on the EM plan (which I happily am). With my discount, the total for the EM plan comes to $1811, but that doesn't apply to everyone.
The problem here is that most people are spoiled by the subsidized prices of phones. What they're not realizing is that they're paying for that subsidy in the form of more expensive plans...and then some, as my illustration above clearly proves. If T-mobile allows us to finance unsubsidized phones for 20 months on EM+ plans, then this works out to be more manageable for consumers. Either way, though... people need to consider total cost of ownership (TCO)... not just monthly cost and initial cash outlay for the device.

Exactly! Thanks for doing that. People just don't look for future savings and would rather have instant gratification. They are excited by a cheap up front cost and monthly service fee be damned!

I totally agree with you. it is by far the best phone in terms of specifications and price compared to its competitors (iphone 3gs, HD2).
Thanks for explaining this to people.

T-Mo Unlimited Voice/Web/Text $79.99/mo x 24 months = $1,920
Phone: $530.00
====
Total: $2,450.00
IPhone Plan
AT&T Unlimited Voice/Web/Text $149.99/mo for 24 months = $3,600
Phone: $200.00
====
Total: $3,800.00
-No contract for the T-Mobile plan
-No texts? AT&T without any text message plan still comes to $3,320

I was hoping for unlocked-only availability. It would keep certain... um... people... from buying the phone and then flooding the forums with questions, tacky themes, etc.

Dont really care about the price. It's actually not too bad, but if they only offer a 3g for Tmobile version here in the states then why bother selling it from google? Now...if they offer a few versions that can do 3g on several of the networks, or the final device gives us 3g on AT&T and Tmobile (and perhaps they do a verizon version too!)...that would be an awesome sale.

lordmaxx said:
Dont really care about the price. It's actually not too bad, but if they only offer a 3g for Tmobile version here in the states then why bother selling it from google? Now...if they offer a few versions that can do 3g on several of the networks, or the final device gives us 3g on AT&T and Tmobile (and perhaps they do a verizon version too!)...that would be an awesome sale.
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I imagine that Google will be releasing high-end phones for all carriers this year. I think they started with T-mobile for a variety of possible reasons. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that they felt that T-mo should get preference because they were the first carrier to carry the Android torch to market. I also wouldn't be surprised if Google had planned this all along and that T-mobile was promised to get the first "Google phone". Obviously this is all conjecture, but it makes sense from a business perspective.

uansari1 said:
I imagine that Google will be releasing high-end phones for all carriers this year. I think they started with T-mobile for a variety of possible reasons. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that they felt that T-mo should get preference because they were the first carrier to carry the Android torch to market. I also wouldn't be surprised if Google had planned this all along and that T-mobile was promised to get the first "Google phone". Obviously this is all conjecture, but it makes sense from a business perspective.
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But the problem with getting the first of anything is it will be ancient by the time other carriers receive their Android devices

Not necessarily. Given the specs of this phone, I can't see it becoming obsolete as quickly as the G1 did. I could be wrong, but how soon would you think a phone would come out with over 1ghz processor and over 512 ram and rom?

uansari1 said:
Not necessarily. Given the specs of this phone, I can't see it becoming obsolete as quickly as the G1 did. I could be wrong, but how soon would you think a phone would come out with over 1ghz processor and over 512 ram and rom?
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Aren't there already two other snapdragon devices out? What about the rumors of another iphone being released later this year?
I think the g1 may have been just as big when it came out. Times change, so does technology. The N1 may seem like the hottest new device, but it's the Nexus ONE just as the Dream was the Gee ONE. Look at where we are now. With at least half a dozen android capable devices out in about a year and 50+ rumored by 2012.

andythefan said:
Aren't there already two other snapdragon devices out? What about the rumors of another iphone being released later this year?
I think the g1 may have been just as big when it came out. Times change, so does technology. The N1 may seem like the hottest new device, but it's the Nexus ONE just as the Dream was the Gee ONE. Look at where we are now. With at least half a dozen android capable devices out in about a year and 50+ rumored by 2012.
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Your points are well taken. No one's saying that this is THE ultimate phone of all time. It's simply the greatest Android phone to be released yet, and based on its specs, it seems to be a very significant advance forward in hardware as compared to other devices, aside from Droid.

uansari1 said:
Your points are well taken. No one's saying that this is THE ultimate phone of all time. It's simply the greatest Android phone to be released yet, and based on its specs, it seems to be a very significant advance forward in hardware as compared to other devices, aside from Droid.
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Before the Droid all the Android devices were mostly similar (form factor, screen resolution/size, cpu, etc). This is just like the Droid. It was supposed to be the greatest Android device until the next phone showed up a few months later. How do we know a device with similar or better specs won't show up soon? HTC's leaked roadmap has a lot of impressive devices scheduled for this year.
The marketplace is only going to fragment even more Developers aren't happy coding for all these different devices.

IDK if you all are missing the point or if maybe im just redirecting it but here goes
This does not fit into how google normally does things. Correct me if im wrong but the formula usually goes
Take good service/software and make it better + dirt cheap or free+data mining = profit$$
If they aren't subsidizing any of the cost, why should we let them have our data?

esincho said:
people are trippin over $530 for a phone like this? I paid $550 for my unlocked fuze last year, $800 for unbranded touch pro 2 in April, unlocked motorola droid(milestone) is $800! Al least this phone has some kind of US 3G support, unlike most unbranded phones that come state side. I think I'm a get it day 1, and then get the Bravo when it come out later this year if Sense UI cant be import on the Nexus.
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I am fully agree with your statement that at least this phone has some sort of US 3G support which many unlocked phones lacked or manufacturers are too slow to release the US 3G version (read: Nokia N95 NAM edition).
I think this angry attitude is a manifestation of our credit-driven lifestyle. Many people don't realize that paying cheaper price for a phone alongside mandatory 2 years contract (and ETFs if we decided to cancel) is more expensive. Even if they do, the fact that they can OWN the product NOW (regardless whether you can afford the whole price or not) is what makes it desirable in this part of the world.
Regarding the fact that it doesn't support AT&T 3G bands, well suck it up because iPhone didn't support T-Mobile 3G either and I'm sure there are many Tmob subscribers are interested to get that capabilities too. Until US cleared up these 3G band fragmentation (which probably won't happen), we are at the mercy of these manufacturers to step up their game and put in Quad Band UMTS as opposed to cherry picking 3 UMTS bands to be put into their phones.

Only thing making me think twice is when will a keyboard version of the hardware come out.

burton14e7 said:
Only thing making me think twice is when will a keyboard version of the hardware come out.
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The keyboard phone with these specs would be the next G1, most likely to come out just in time for the early G1 adopters to renew their contracts.

uansari1 said:
I agree with you guys wholeheartedly. To be honest though, I think it's most telling to compare plans in an apples to apples manner. I'm a dork with a background in finance, so yes, I created a spreadsheet to calculate all the costs incrementally to see where changes in costs were coming from in my comparison.
After running through the numbers and calculating total costs over a 24 month term, for the 500 minute EM and EM+ plans, with the respective phone costs, the total cost over 24 months if I bought the phone unlocked would be $1970. If I purchased it on contract for $180, the total I'd spend over 24 months would be $2100.
There's NO WAY that you'll spend more over the long term with the EM+ plan UNLESS you're eligible for a corporate discount on the EM plan (which I happily am). With my discount, the total for the EM plan comes to $1811, but that doesn't apply to everyone.
The problem here is that most people are spoiled by the subsidized prices of phones. What they're not realizing is that they're paying for that subsidy in the form of more expensive plans...and then some, as my illustration above clearly proves. If T-mobile allows us to finance unsubsidized phones for 20 months on EM+ plans, then this works out to be more manageable for consumers. Either way, though... people need to consider total cost of ownership (TCO)... not just monthly cost and initial cash outlay for the device.
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Expanding on this and assuming no discounts...
Option A) Buy the phone for $180 subsidized and the 500-minute plan for $80/mo, signing a contract to pay $2100 total over 24 mos.
Option B) Buy the phone for $530 unsubsidized and unlocked and choose the comparable 500-minute plus unlimited text/data Even More Plus plan for $60/mo for a total cost of $1970 over 24 mos with no contract.
So over two years of the phone and contract, you save $130 by going with option B.
But will you really last two years? Let's see what happens if you want to change phones after one year, which is entirely possible given the rate at which mobile technology is moving.
Option A) Early reports indicate a $350 early termination fee imposed by T-Mobile during the first 120 days, but no details have been learned about the fee past that window. Let's assume it reduces linearly to zero over the remaining life of the contract, meaning your fee for leaving early would be $210 at the one year mark. This puts you at $1350 to get out free and clear from the phone and contract.
Option B) You have no ETF, so you'll have paid $1250 at the end of one year.
So, even after just a year you still spend $100 less buying unsubsidized. Further, your phone will already be unlocked and unbranded, ready for quick sale on E-bay.
Pretty simple choice for me. Less money & easy to move on = no-brainer.

release date in uk? can this be bought sim free

any idea on this, im desparate for this phone

mox123 said:
any idea on this, im desparate for this phone
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Well it's a CDMA phone so let's hope it never finds it's way to the UK!
I'm currently in the US for 3 months and my partner has just picked up the EVO and I have the HD2 (UK model using it here on t-mobile US edge data system) and the device is good, but, having "played" with it for a good few hours there are serious shortcomings with the Android OS (and that's compared to the Winmo 6.5.X on my HD2, YIKES!).
There is a tackyness compared to the solid feel of the HD2. Battery can drain before your eyes (don't know why that is as the unit is 1500mAh). Tried for 2 hours to sync with HTC's PC Suite, but, couldn't get it to work (and I'm no novice! But, I'll get the bXggXr to work). Micro SD slot under the battery. Yes I said UNDER the battery so no card changes on the fly! It's thicker than the HD2. Etc, etc.
I didn't mean this to be a review, but, I'll keep my HD2 for now.
The killer is that it's CDMA.
This phone is junk when you finish with it. It can't be recyled or unlocked for use on other carriers. It's becomes a very expensive piece of waste matter! Oh and the cost $299 with a $100 mail in rebate on a 24 month contract at $110/month (that's 135 pounds after rebate and 75 pounds a month so you pay 1935 pounds in total over the 2 years!!
My Hd2 cost me 10 pounds and 41 a month over 12 months with mobile broadband included on an upgrade.
BTW the telecoms industry here in the US is nothing short of a joke with consumers being ripped of at every opportunity. The problem being that the market is very immature and the consumers don't know any different so they go along with it.
If the US carriers had to compete in Europe then at least 50% would go under very quickly. We don't know how lucky we are.
Nokia doesn't even have a smartphone in the marketplace here!!!!!!!!!!!

pa49 said:
Well it's a CDMA phone so let's hope it never finds it's way to the UK!
There is a tackyness compared to the solid feel of the HD2. Battery can drain before your eyes (don't know why that is as the unit is 1500mAh). Tried for 2 hours to sync with HTC's PC Suite, but, couldn't get it to work. Micro SD slot under the battery. Yes I said UNDER the battery so no card changes on the fly! It's thicker than the HD2. Etc, etc.
I didn't mean this to be a review, but, I'll keep my HD2 for now.
The killer is that it's CDMA.
This phone is junk when you finish with it. It can't be recyled or unlocked for use on other carriers. It's becomes a very expensive piece of waste matter! Oh and the cost $299 with a $100 mail in rebate on a 24 month contract at $110/month (that's 135 pounds after rebate and 75 pounds a month so you pay 1935 pounds in total over the 2 years!!
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Click to collapse
Tackyness? The Evo is built like a tank, and weighs just as much as one. The only thing you could consider 'tacky' is the fact that the battery cover gives a little when you push on it. I've never held an HD2, personally, but I do know that the Evo is ridiculously solid, or at least mine is.
Battery life all depends on how you use it. If you keep all of the radios on with maximum screen brightness with all of the apps running, you're obviously going to get some poor battery life. However, there are people who have kept their phone off the charger for over sixty hours without dying.
The Evo isn't the only phone with a microSD card under the battery; HTC did this because the phone is so tightly packed.
Some people like having a thicker phone. I personally enjoy it. As for the etc, etc, I can't imagine what that's referring to.
Even if you don't use it as a phone, the Evo is still an outstanding media player. With Wifi connectivity, the Android marketplace, and a 4.3 inch screen, it beats most portable media players out there.
The cost is $299 with a mail in rebate if you order it from Sprint. Every other store sells the phone for $199 without any rebates involved.
$110 a month? Only if you need the Hotspot functionality, which is easily duplicated by other apps in the marketplace. You don't NEED to pay those $30 a month. Besides, the Overdrive costs $60 a month to use as a hotspot, and that's it's ONLY function. The Evo is only $80 a month to own, which is still much less expensive than an iPhone.

To answer the OP's question.
No, you cannot change sims. No this phone cannot be used overseas. And No, nothing like it has been announced for Europe as of yet. Sorry for the bad news!
As for the above review, I completely disagree. I love the EVO and I paid the full $450 price tag (not eligible for upgrade/new contract.)
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no matter how wrong it is.
Oh, and $110 a month is probably unlimited data, calling, and texting right?
I pay $65, 450 minutes, unlimited calling to other mobile phones, unlimited data, unlimited texting, and wifi hotspot thanks to rooting. Hell of a good deal to me! I use about 20 minutes a month (non-cell phone calls.)
I also get about 24 hours on a single charge with moderate use. I swap my battery for a fresh one each day at about 20-30%. So yeah, bad battery life? Sure, turn everything to on and to max and play a video for 6 hours and it'll be dead, but I don't do that and get over a days usage.

"Even if you don't use it as a phone, the Evo is still an outstanding media player. With Wifi connectivity, the Android marketplace, and a 4.3 inch screen, it beats most portable media players out there.
The cost is $299 with a mail in rebate if you order it from Sprint. Every other store sells the phone for $199 without any rebates involved.
$110 a month? Only if you need the Hotspot functionality, which is easily duplicated by other apps in the marketplace. You don't NEED to pay those $30 a month. Besides, the Overdrive costs $60 a month to use as a hotspot, and that's it's ONLY function. The Evo is only $80 a month to own, which is still much less expensive than an iPhone"
I'm guessing you work in the industry or very close to it!
In any case my comments, which are of course purely subjective, were for the benefit of the OP who if I am not mistaken is from the UK (as I am) and as such I believe he is better placed to understand the basis of my comments.
Even at $80 a month which equates to $1920 over the 24 month term + $199 up front (total $2119), that's a rediculous amount to pay for a phone you will have to throw away when you are done with it! Even if it is cheaper than the xPhone!

pa49 said:
Even at $80 a month which equates to $1920 over the 24 month term + $199 up front (total $2119), that's a rediculous amount to pay for a phone you will have to throw away when you are done with it! Even if it is cheaper than the xPhone!
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Doesn't the UK typically have cheaper phones? So if this was released in the UK it would likely cost less than it does here in the states. Then again, if you're looking at importing a US phone because it's the fastest Android phone on the market with the biggest screen and a freakin kick stand, then who gives a crap about how much it costs (I sure didn't.) We all buy what we can afford, only the stupid people buy what they can't afford (hence why most American's, and Greece, are in debt. Yes, I just called a country and most American's stupid.)

Hold on there! What's made you all so jumpy about this issue/phone?
My comparison was with my UK eye and I was simply relaying my thoughts to another UK member who probably has a similar eye.
I've been in the states long enough to understand the US perspective on all this, however, trust me when I say it's alien to us europeans.
That doesn't make it wrong or right, just different.
And I understand just how a good quality kickstand plays it's part as well as the difference in the cost of equipment that each market can sustain/support.
But, this phone would not be entertained anywhere else but the US (and I think some carriers in AUS) so that really ends it all right there, doesn't it?
BTW I hope all you Sprint customers are liking the headsets you got with your EVOs!
Only kidding cos I LUV GOLDEN CORRAL and we've got nothing like that!

pa49 said:
Hold on there! What's made you all so jumpy about this issue/phone?
My comparison was with my UK eye and I was simply relaying my thoughts to another UK member who probably has a similar eye.
I've been in the states long enough to understand the US perspective on all this, however, trust me when I say it's alien to us europeans.
That doesn't make it wrong or right, just different.
And I understand just how a good quality kickstand plays it's part as well as the difference in the cost of equipment that each market can sustain/support.
But, this phone would not be entertained anywhere else but the US (and I think some carriers in AUS) so that really ends it all right there, doesn't it?
BTW I hope all you Sprint customers are liking the headsets you got with your EVOs!
Only kidding cos I LUV GOLDEN CORRAL and we've got nothing like that!
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UK plans and price point will be completely different than the US if they were to have this phone as well right? (Complete hypothetical here, since we know the UK isn't getting this phone, yet.) Plus it would likely be a phone with a swappable sim.
What else about the phone would someone in the UK not like? The 4.3 inch screen? The 8MP rear camera and the front facing camera? The 1ghz Snapdragon processor? The FM Radio? The kickstand? The smooth glass surface? Dual LED flash? Android 2.1? Next generation internet connection?
So the only real negative if it was in the UK, would be the micro SD card under the battery (I've never needed to hot-swap my SD card.), the battery life (mine is over 24 hours a charge with medium-high usage, including hours of streaming Pandora) and the HTC Sync. I've never used the software myself, but I think that there has been an update since release, you might want to give it a go.
Oh, and you knocked Android as an OS as a whole, comparing it to Windows Mobile 6.5 that even Microsoft thinks sucks and has since dropped it. I love the Android OS personally, over BB, WM6.5, and iOS.
Don't try to make him feel better by knocking the EVO because he can't get it in the UK. We know that's what you were trying to do and the thought was nice and all, but the EVO really is the perfect phone.
(Yes, there was sarcasm in there and a jab at fanboyism.)

post your first thoughts of your new HTC Aria

Well, I'm just wondering what everyone else is thinking. I just purchased the aria after buying (and returning the motorola backflip) - which btw, I have to give *some* credit. I read a lot of bad things about the backflip and I have to say, I really didn't have all that many problems with the phone, i personally thought it was a step up from my tilt2.. I was at my wits end with either winmo or htc.. but the backflip just didn't have enough power for me and I feared att would take forever to release 2.1 for the device.
Anyway, so far ( my first few hours ) with the aria, I am quite impressed. I wanted a small device and I think this packs a nice little punch. My experience has been fairly good. There are a couple things I dislike already about the phone.. the speaker quality is really bothering me, I can barely hear when I'm getting a phone call, the actual handset sound quality is not bad, its crisp and clear, but not NEARLY as good at the backflip.. if anything the backflip should get some excellent credit for having a great speaker and sound quality. The headphones or ear buds are HUGE, I'm not a small guy, but how is someone suppose to stick those huge buds in their ear hole? I'm slightly concerned about battery life, but I understand this may be an issue with most of android phones (or 2.1 down maybe???) but really that's about the only downfalls I'm running into at the moment. Overall I am quite satisfied with the device and think I'm actually going to keep this one. I love how it's just zipping through most screens and programs. I seen some video reviews of android central putting it through some benchmark test along with 3 other devices and this aria kept up with them.. (and even beat the droid, yes, I know, droid has twice the resolution but still.. not bad). Oh and I was also really concerned with the low resolution of the device, I understand a higher res on such a tiny screen would make things very hard to read. This screen is very vivid and I don't know why I was so concerned anymore.
would I buy my mom this phone? heck yah, so far, it's ranked up there in my list of fav phones.. and maybe take the #1 spot here soon after more playing around. (YES, UNTIL MY NEXT DEVICE!!!)
well, just thought I would say Hi to all my fellow aria owners, see what you guys thought and maybe offer some opinions for others who haven't bought the device.

I picked up the phone yesterday and I have to say I'm really enjoying it so far. For the 600mhz processor it's packing it's actually VERY responsive. I have been pleasantly surprised at the speed this little guy packs (and that's coming from a Nexus One owner!). The screen looks small when placed beside my Nexus One but while using the device I find myself having plenty of room to browse, type, and just about do anything. So far so good!
Ever since I got my Nexus One and ditched iPhone I've been looking at the Legend but didn't want to give up 3G. This device in my opinion is a smaller and more pocketable model. It has the same processor, screen size, and resolution but it's not AMOLED (which doesn't bother me because I can see it in sunlight) and runs just about identical software. Over all I'm impressed with the device.
Now hopefully it will see a root pretty soon and maybe even some ROMs/Kernels if were lucky!

HTC Aria
I just registered to xda-developers to post about the HTC Aria. The thing about the phone is that it's FAST. For a 600MHz processor, it screams. I've seen the EVO 4G and Droid and the Aria seems to keep up in terms of smoothness. Listening to music, surfing the web and getting text at the same time is smooth.
I have the phone fully charged, with brightness set to automatic, and wifi turned on so we'll see how long the phone lasts through out a normal day.

I went to the ATT store yesterday to check the phone out in person. I was pretty impressed with its speed over all. I had no issues with the screen size what so ever. In fact... the fact that the phone is small and very thin (compared to my Tilt 1) makes it one of my first choices for a new phone. BUT... I'm out of contract with ATT on July 5th and am thinking of switching to sprint and getting an EVO but I have yet to get my hands on one to really compare. But again... the size of the Aria is very appealing to me. And I'm not so sure Sprint will have the coverage I need in all the places I go?
I REALLY hate how ATT neuters their phones!!! And hate it even more that i have an UNLIMITED data plan now...BUT.... ATT wants to charge me more a month for a new data plan for "smart phones". $5 more for 200megs $15 more for 2GBs, and I for get how much more if I want to teather... WTF??? I can teather NOW (and do often)... such a rip off... data is data and unlimited is unlimited in my mind!!! Sprint would be the exact same price I pay now for unlimited everything and and i could get an EVO.
I think my biggest concern with the Aria is that... until I root it, and am able to change radios, i'm worried about signal strength!!! My tilt was BAD until I installed the radio I have now around here. It was impossiable to travel and talk on it because I kept loosing signal. I drive a lot for work, and to some remote places too, I could look at my in dash NAV screen and watch the signal drop out every couple mins. Installed the battery eating monster and all was well. But I REALLY don't want to go through that again, I'd actually like it to be good out of the box (imagine that?)
I had recently played with a friends backflip and managed to lock it up inside 15mins and had to reboot it to get it to function again. Plus i didn't care for the keyboard on the outside and lack of 2.1 to start with... So I'm still on the fence... nice sized Arai but still have to deal with ATT, or go to Sprint, get an EVO and the great unknown of how my service will be. Live in 12866 but travle 100+ miles in every direction for work.
So far I'm 60/40 toward the Aria... maybe once it's rooted I'll make the jump??? IDK!
Chris

sentinel_cm said:
I REALLY hate how ATT neuters their phones!!! And hate it even more that i have an UNLIMITED data plan now...BUT.... ATT wants to charge me more a month for a new data plan for "smart phones". $5 more for 200megs $15 more for 2GBs, and I for get how much more if I want to teather... WTF??? I can teather NOW (and do often)... such a rip off... data is data and unlimited is unlimited in my mind!!! Sprint would be the exact same price I pay now for unlimited everything and and i could get an EVO.
Chris
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Actually, if you already have an unlimited data plan, you can keep it as long as you like, even if you switch phones. I had the HTC Fuze for the longest time and as long a you mention that you want to keep your unlimited plan, you should be able to keep it.

lorcharlie said:
Actually, if you already have an unlimited data plan, you can keep it as long as you like, even if you switch phones. I had the HTC Fuze for the longest time and as long a you mention that you want to keep your unlimited plan, you should be able to keep it.
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I had this arguement with the people who work at the ATT store too... I couldn't get them to upgrade me to the Arai and keep my plan AS IS. I can get the phone via the store for $130, or $29 via ATT web site (both with 2yr contract extensions). But both require me to upgrade to the dataplan for smart phones. I'm going to try the 800 # and see if I can get my way... I have in the past.
Chris

Those AT&T guys needs an update. When I went to get my phone on Sunday, I was the only informed person about the HTC Aria. They had to go online to find the phone cause they didn't believe me. I got the only one there that day.
BestBuy Mobile acknowledges that you have an unlimited plan and will keep you on it when I went to ask them on Saturday. If AT&T doesn't work, BB?

go to best buy, i work there and at least at my location the mobile team knows all about the aria, its 129 and we dont have any mail in rebates, its all in store

lorcharlie said:
Those AT&T guys needs an update. When I went to get my phone on Sunday, I was the only informed person about the HTC Aria. They had to go online to find the phone cause they didn't believe me. I got the only one there that day.
BestBuy Mobile acknowledges that you have an unlimited plan and will keep you on it when I went to ask them on Saturday. If AT&T doesn't work, BB?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just spent 30 mins on the phone with ATT and here's where I got....
I'm told that I have the "wrong" data plan for the phone I have now. I find this amuseing because I bought the phone 2 years ago via the web site, and the plan in March at the ATT store. They tell me that as soon as I put my sim chip in the Arai my plan would be automatically upgraded, I call BS!!! (heard this from the guy in the store too). I gave them a "little bit" of hard time and talked to a manager too.
The manager was very cool and was willing to work with me... He offered to change me to the 200Mb smart phone data plan + unlimited text. This would bring my bill up $5 a month for the 2 year contract. He then offered me a $120 credit to my account to cover the extra $5 for the whole 2 years. I told him I wanted to think about it and he put a note on my account and told me I could do the online thing then call back and referance the note and get the credit.
So... I can upgrade to the Aria for $29 via att site, my bill goes up $5 a month, but they will give me a $120 credit to cover it. Not bad...
Now my thought process is this... IS 200Mb enough... I adverage about 15Mbs normally but with a full HTML browser and Android as a new toy will it be enough???? Or do I jump ship for Sprint and a $200 Evo???
Decisions decisions....

sentinel_cm said:
I just spent 30 mins on the phone with ATT and here's where I got....
I'm told that I have the "wrong" data plan for the phone I have now. I find this amuseing because I bought the phone 2 years ago via the web site, and the plan in March at the ATT store. They tell me that as soon as I put my sim chip in the Arai my plan would be automatically upgraded, I call BS!!! (heard this from the guy in the store too). I gave them a "little bit" of hard time and talked to a manager too.
The manager was very cool and was willing to work with me... He offered to change me to the 200Mb smart phone data plan + unlimited text. This would bring my bill up $5 a month for the 2 year contract. He then offered me a $120 credit to my account to cover the extra $5 for the whole 2 years. I told him I wanted to think about it and he put a note on my account and told me I could do the online thing then call back and referance the note and get the credit.
So... I can upgrade to the Aria for $29 via att site, my bill goes up $5 a month, but they will give me a $120 credit to cover it. Not bad...
Now my thought process is this... IS 200Mb enough... I adverage about 15Mbs normally but with a full HTML browser and Android as a new toy will it be enough???? Or do I jump ship for Sprint and a $200 Evo???
Decisions decisions....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That really depends on how you are going to use it. If you use wifi most of the time and don't use 3G to do much multimedia streaming, then you should be fine. Don't download big email attachments and don't send them while on 3g. 200mb is not a lot of data for this type of smartphone, but if you don't want to pony up for more data, you can stay within 200mb with some discipline and judicious use of cell data. Restricting most of your playing to wifi will help a lot.
T-Mobile and Sprint both offer more attractive data plans that might work for you. But where I live and travel, only AT&T and Verizon offer the kind of service that make it worth having a cell phone at all. If I lived and traveled in a more urban area, I'd have a lot more choices.

sentinel_cm said:
I just spent 30 mins on the phone with ATT and here's where I got....
I'm told that I have the "wrong" data plan for the phone I have now. I find this amuseing because I bought the phone 2 years ago via the web site, and the plan in March at the ATT store. They tell me that as soon as I put my sim chip in the Arai my plan would be automatically upgraded, I call BS!!! (heard this from the guy in the store too). I gave them a "little bit" of hard time and talked to a manager too.
The manager was very cool and was willing to work with me... He offered to change me to the 200Mb smart phone data plan + unlimited text. This would bring my bill up $5 a month for the 2 year contract. He then offered me a $120 credit to my account to cover the extra $5 for the whole 2 years. I told him I wanted to think about it and he put a note on my account and told me I could do the online thing then call back and referance the note and get the credit.
So... I can upgrade to the Aria for $29 via att site, my bill goes up $5 a month, but they will give me a $120 credit to cover it. Not bad...
Now my thought process is this... IS 200Mb enough... I adverage about 15Mbs normally but with a full HTML browser and Android as a new toy will it be enough???? Or do I jump ship for Sprint and a $200 Evo???
Decisions decisions....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's some clarification on how the data plans work. In the past, there were a total of five data plans: Media Net, PDA, Blackberry, iPhone, and aircard data. Out of these five, only Media Net truly had unlimited data, but it was only for non-smartphones, such as the Samsung Eternity, or more recently, Samsung Sunburst, etc. The PDA, iPhone, and Blackberry plans were all $30, but none of them were truly unlimited. In the fine print on the brochures that had this plan, or if you ask any honest AT&T rep, you truly had a 5GB limit, just like the aircard plans.
This being said, you may have had Media Net on your phone before, but Media Net is not the internet plan associated with smartphones, the smartphone plans are. And if you did not have any of the smartphone data plans before, it is IMPOSSIBLE for AT&T (it is not a clickable option in the activation system any longer) to give you that old plan. For me, this doesn't matter. The AT&T online bill payment system has the option to see a nice graph of data usage for the previous six months to give you an idea of how much you use, and I think there is some truth to AT&T's statement that 98% of their users do not exceed 2GB. I myself peaked at 300 mb in May, so while my average is above the cheap $15 200 MB limit plan, It is well beneath the $25 2GB plan, which is cheaper than the archaic 5gb limit plans.
So you see, the unlimited smartphone data plan is a lie, there has never been one for AT&T (and of course, Verizon, because their plans mirror each other).

Not an owner yet.. but I have a renewal coming up, and I'm kicking the idea around. I've used Windows Mobile for a while now, but I really like the flexibility & apps available with Android.
I'm debating whether to just get the Aria, or use my upgrade to get an iPhone 3G, sell it then turn around & buy a Nexus one.
Assuming I do the adb thing to allow apps and then do a root to get rid of the bloatware, what would the pros & cons be between the Aria and the N1? I know the N1 has a larger screen and the faster processor, the Aria has the HTC interface.. is there anything other than that?

attn1 said:
That really depends on how you are going to use it. If you use wifi most of the time and don't use 3G to do much multimedia streaming, then you should be fine. Don't download big email attachments and don't send them while on 3g. 200mb is not a lot of data for this type of smartphone, but if you don't want to pony up for more data, you can stay within 200mb with some discipline and judicious use of cell data. Restricting most of your playing to wifi will help a lot.
T-Mobile and Sprint both offer more attractive data plans that might work for you. But where I live and travel, only AT&T and Verizon offer the kind of service that make it worth having a cell phone at all. If I lived and traveled in a more urban area, I'd have a lot more choices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never paid for a data plan on my Windows phones, I've always turned off pictures in my browser and rarely checked anything. I'd spend like $2-$3 per month on data..
But on this upgrade, it looks like I have to add a data plan, which is ok with me because of the new $15 option. Other than general web browsing, I might download or email small files (word/excel etc) here & there.. I run some websites that I might edit from time to time (if I can get used to the touchscreen keyboard).. I can't see myself doing any streaming.. The most data-intensive thing I can see myself doing is Google Maps/Navigation. Think I'd be ok with the 200MB plan? Is tethering possible on the new plans? I'd definitely do that if it was possible (but again, just for general use, no streaming or large files or anything..)

sentinel_cm said:
I just spent 30 mins on the phone with ATT and here's where I got....
I'm told that I have the "wrong" data plan for the phone I have now. I find this amuseing because I bought the phone 2 years ago via the web site, and the plan in March at the ATT store. They tell me that as soon as I put my sim chip in the Arai my plan would be automatically upgraded, I call BS!!! (heard this from the guy in the store too). I gave them a "little bit" of hard time and talked to a manager too.
The manager was very cool and was willing to work with me... He offered to change me to the 200Mb smart phone data plan + unlimited text. This would bring my bill up $5 a month for the 2 year contract. He then offered me a $120 credit to my account to cover the extra $5 for the whole 2 years. I told him I wanted to think about it and he put a note on my account and told me I could do the online thing then call back and referance the note and get the credit.
So... I can upgrade to the Aria for $29 via att site, my bill goes up $5 a month, but they will give me a $120 credit to cover it. Not bad...
Now my thought process is this... IS 200Mb enough... I adverage about 15Mbs normally but with a full HTML browser and Android as a new toy will it be enough???? Or do I jump ship for Sprint and a $200 Evo???
Decisions decisions....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was going to say that even though I have unlimited data, I realize that almost everywhere I'm at, I have Wi-Fi. That's something else to consider if they won't let you have unlimited data. You could probably do most of your steaming/downloading on Wi-Fi and only do 3g when necessary.
I just checked when I had my iPhone 3gs and I only used 300MB of 3g on average, which means most of my internet interactions were on wifi.
Just a thought. And yes, I can't wait for this phone to be rooted.

ShinerDraft said:
I've never paid for a data plan on my Windows phones, I've always turned off pictures in my browser and rarely checked anything. I'd spend like $2-$3 per month on data..
But on this upgrade, it looks like I have to add a data plan, which is ok with me because of the new $15 option. Other than general web browsing, I might download or email small files (word/excel etc) here & there.. I run some websites that I might edit from time to time (if I can get used to the touchscreen keyboard).. I can't see myself doing any streaming.. The most data-intensive thing I can see myself doing is Google Maps/Navigation. Think I'd be ok with the 200MB plan? Is tethering possible on the new plans? I'd definitely do that if it was possible (but again, just for general use, no streaming or large files or anything..)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The "option" to teather is listed @ $45 per month. So $15 for 200Mb, $25 for 2Gb or $45 for 2Gb + Teather which is decribed as... "2 GB of data to share between your phone and your laptop or Netbook"
I'm sorry... but that is a TOTAL ripoff!!! $20 more to SHARE the same amount of data between my phone and laptop???

I just got my Aria yesterday and am so far happy with it. I still need to figure out how to push apps to it with the side step procedure linked elsewhere here in the forum, so the AT&T restriction really doesn't seem to be that big of a problem to me.
I concur on the insanity on the data plans with AT&T. I've got it doubly complicated as I have a Family plan shared with my husband's iPhone which has the grandfathered in unlimited data and we have unlimited text. The online upgrade system was still giving me the option last week of adding on to my phone for data unlimited for $10 more as we have the text option. But of course I got the same song and dance from the store monkeys on the 'well that's not for smartphones' dodge. Nicely done as far as SNAFU'd corporate communications goes. Though I wouldn't expect anything less from AT&T .
My only complaint with my phone so far is that it is unable to refind my unadvertised home wifi net after a reboot or extended sleep. There's probably a fix, I haven't looked yet for it.

I REALLY hate how ATT neuters their phones!!! And hate it even more that i have an UNLIMITED data plan now...BUT.... ATT wants to charge me more a month for a new data plan for "smart phones". $5 more for 200megs $15 more for 2GBs, and I for get how much more if I want to teather... WTF??? I can teather NOW (and do often)... such a rip off... data is data and unlimited is unlimited in my mind!!! Sprint would be the exact same price I pay now for unlimited everything and and i could get an EVO.
Chris,
I just went through the data question w/ AT&T (I know I can barely stand them) I was told that my 'unlimited' data plan was grandfathered and I didn't have to change anything, however, I did have to talk with customer service to have them set it up.

ShinerDraft said:
Assuming I do the adb thing to allow apps and then do a root to get rid of the bloatware, what would the pros & cons be between the Aria and the N1? I know the N1 has a larger screen and the faster processor, the Aria has the HTC interface.. is there anything other than that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just went from an N1 to an Aria and like the change. Even though the N1 has a faster processor, the Aria is just as fast because it doesn't have as much to power. There are some articles out there which show it's comparable to the Evo and N1 in terms of speed (despite lower specs) (try http://forum.dailymobile.se/index.php?topic=24656.0). I was saying in another post that the Aria can actually juggle 7 or so apps at a time while the N1 will start seriously lagging at just 3 or 4. This is before I had upgraded the N1 to 2.2, but a lot of Market apps were not available or compatible with that build (and some of the stuff I'd already purchased didn't show up!). Of course, the 2.2 build on N1 is 450% faster than the 2.1 build and could easily be considered the fastest android build out there.
I also had a lot of trouble holding onto the N1. It was sleek, but just a little *too* sleek, if you can imagine! I'd also had a negative buying experience with Google where their checkout software screwed up and then the manager-less customer service reps didn't have any idea about what to do (even though that was just my own personal experience).
The N1 did have a gorgeous, big screen and it was sweet on 2.2. The Live Wallpapers can be a thrill, if you are as easily amused as myself. But the Sense ui on the Aria is amazing and seems more interactive than what was on the N1.
Plus, if you root the N1, you void your manufacturer's warranty - your boot screen will display a message to that effect. With the G1, I was able to reload a stock rom and it was accepted under the original warranty. I'm hoping the Aria will be the same way. I was thinking I could root it (if/when that happens) and overclock, but it just doesn't seem to need it now....
Btw... anyone want to buy an N1?

damn pixie said:
I just went from an N1 to an Aria and like the change. Even though the N1 has a faster processor, the Aria is just as fast because it doesn't have as much to power. There are some articles out there which show it's comparable to the Evo and N1 in terms of speed (despite lower specs) (try http://forum.dailymobile.se/index.php?topic=24656.0). I was saying in another post that the Aria can actually juggle 7 or so apps at a time while the N1 will start seriously lagging at just 3 or 4. This is before I had upgraded the N1 to 2.2, but a lot of Market apps were not available or compatible with that build (and some of the stuff I'd already purchased didn't show up!). Of course, the 2.2 build on N1 is 450% faster than the 2.1 build and could easily be considered the fastest android build out there.
I also had a lot of trouble holding onto the N1. It was sleek, but just a little *too* sleek, if you can imagine! I'd also had a negative buying experience with Google where their checkout software screwed up and then the manager-less customer service reps didn't have any idea about what to do (even though that was just my own personal experience).
The N1 did have a gorgeous, big screen and it was sweet on 2.2. The Live Wallpapers can be a thrill, if you are as easily amused as myself. But the Sense ui on the Aria is amazing and seems more interactive than what was on the N1.
Plus, if you root the N1, you void your manufacturer's warranty - your boot screen will display a message to that effect. With the G1, I was able to reload a stock rom and it was accepted under the original warranty. I'm hoping the Aria will be the same way. I was thinking I could root it (if/when that happens) and overclock, but it just doesn't seem to need it now....
Btw... anyone want to buy an N1?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah just keep them both! Lol...I am and I'm still enjoying the hell out of my Aria. This thing doesn't skip a beat! Its easily the fastest 600mhz phone I've ever used. I'm guessing the smaller screen size needs less processing power or something because this little guy flys. I can't even imagine what it would do with a snap dragon! If we can get a root and maybe a 800-850mhz over clock on this bad boy it will be crazy fast.
On a side note my Aria is easily kicking my Nexus Ones ass in battery life. Im extremely surprised.

Can anyone who has an Aria comment on call sound quality, speaker phone quality & volume, and how the phone performs in general in reguards to having a signal vs. not having a signal on the network???

[Q] Where to go now...

Well, after loving the **** out of my Leo I find myself needing to reup my contract and with AT&T buying tmobile I am not so sure I want to stick around, but so far everyone tells me they are the only two networks that would support my phone. So I ask you guys are there any newer phones that are this loved and open ended as the Leo is?
I mean this phone is just beyond words awesome and I am dragging my feet to leave tmobile cause of it. But with all these new phones coming out and dual core phones I am just wondering if someone could give me some suggestions for another phone this open and easy to flash and hack.

RiffyDivine said:
Well, after loving the **** out of my Leo I find myself needing to reup my contract and with AT&T buying tmobile I am not so sure I want to stick around, but so far everyone tells me they are the only two networks that would support my phone. So I ask you guys are there any newer phones that are this loved and open ended as the Leo is?
I mean this phone is just beyond words awesome and I am dragging my feet to leave tmobile cause of it. But with all these new phones coming out and dual core phones I am just wondering if someone could give me some suggestions for another phone this open and easy to flash and hack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no phone like the HD2, and so far I'm not incredibly impressed by the dual-core phones. The sensation is laggy, the SGS2 is ugly and I don't need 1080p recording on a freaking phone.
I'm holding out for quad-core devices or the iPhone 5, unless I just get sporadic and pick up a new device just cuz.
I would just wait till AT&T-Mobile releases a phone that gets both ATT and T-Mobile 3G so you have awesome coverage, no phone right now can do that besides the Vibrant.

I don't know that there are any phones like the HD2 out there, but I am in the same boat as you and can offer a suggestion.
Stick with T-Mobile a little longer but don't lock into a contract. The AT&T deal might not even go through, and even if it does, you wont see any affects of it for several years.
T-Mobile has a new "Value Plan" where if you buy a phone out-right, you don't have to sign a contract and the monthly rate is a lot cheaper ($20 less per month) than if you subsidize it and lock into a 2 year contract. You can switch to this and continue to ride the HD2 wagon, or buy a new device - In which case, if you dont want to pay the full price of the phone up front, they offer a payment plan, where you pay part up front, then $15/month for 20 months. So compare that to the 2-year contract plan and you're saving $5 a month for 20 months, then $20 a month for the last 4 (and beyond). If you decide you want to leave prior to the 20th month, you just pay off the remaining ballance on the phone and you're free to sign elsewhere.

Hamburg said:
I don't know that there are any phones like the HD2 out there, but I am in the same boat as you and can offer a suggestion.
Stick with T-Mobile a little longer but don't lock into a contract. The AT&T deal might not even go through, and even if it does, you wont see any affects of it for several years.
T-Mobile has a new "Value Plan" where if you buy a phone out-right, you don't have to sign a contract and the monthly rate is a lot cheaper ($20 less per month) than if you subsidize it and lock into a 2 year contract. You can switch to this and continue to ride the HD2 wagon, or buy a new device - In which case, if you dont want to pay the full price of the phone up front, they offer a payment plan, where you pay part up front, then $15/month for 20 months. So compare that to the 2-year contract plan and you're saving $5 a month for 20 months, then $20 a month for the last 4 (and beyond). If you decide you want to leave prior to the 20th month, you just pay off the remaining ballance on the phone and you're free to sign elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You lost me towards the end there mate, all I know is that tmob keeps bugging the **** out of me to reup and that sure as hell ain't going to happen anytime soon. My plan is still good and stuff I only pay I think 70 a month of unlimited everything.

RiffyDivine said:
You lost me towards the end there mate, all I know is that tmob keeps bugging the **** out of me to reup and that sure as hell ain't going to happen anytime soon. My plan is still good and stuff I only pay I think 70 a month of unlimited everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What he's saying is the "no contract" plans are $20 cheaper than the contracted ones.
The 500 minutes/unlimited data is $80 a month if you're on a contract. The same plan is $60 a month if on the "no contract" plan.

orangekid said:
What he's saying is the "no contract" plans are $20 cheaper than the contracted ones.
The 500 minutes/unlimited data is $80 a month if you're on a contract. The same plan is $60 a month if on the "no contract" plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^ What he said. Just go to a t-mob store. They'll explain it better. Hard to explain in a post.

I got it the second time, thanks. True 60 is nice but dropping the 15 more for unlimited mins text and data doesn't seem so bad...still don't see how unlimited can mean 5 gigs, but then I don't work marketing.
Mostly I was just hoping to find the next phone to jump to for a boost in specs but still having the total freedom this phone gives. I mean I can reflash any rom I want to test and then just throw out a restore if I don't like it. There isn't anything this phone hasn't been able to do for me. I am looking and starting to think no one will ever make a phone this good again.

RiffyDivine said:
I got it the second time, thanks. True 60 is nice but dropping the 15 more for unlimited mins text and data doesn't seem so bad...still don't see how unlimited can mean 5 gigs, but then I don't work marketing.
Mostly I was just hoping to find the next phone to jump to for a boost in specs but still having the total freedom this phone gives. I mean I can reflash any rom I want to test and then just throw out a restore if I don't like it. There isn't anything this phone hasn't been able to do for me. I am looking and starting to think no one will ever make a phone this good again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sensation is kinda like that now, you might give that a shot.

[Q] For those who own one, would the N4 be a good fit for me?

Hey guys, been reading a bunch of reviews and have been wondering about which phone to get for my upgrade. Coming from a T-Mobile G2 (HTC Desire Z), I've really been struggling between all the flagships like S3, Note 2, N4, and even the new Nokia. Some facts:
- I'm on T-Mobile Classic Plan, so an N4 upgrade would cost $200
- No, I don't plan on switching from T-Mobile any time in the near future
- I'm a student, so there is WiFi in 90% of the places I go
- I intend to use the phone primarily for texting, social media, and news
- I don't game on my phone and my music library is under 50 songs
- I am very satisfied with the build quality of my current phone, I have only dropped it 1-2 times in 2 years, but would prefer a phone that can survive a fall or two
- I want a phone that is built to last the next two years before I can upgrade again
If anyone who owns an N4 can tell me if it seems like a good fit for me, I would greatly appreciate it! Reading reviews and posts about specs like AMOLED vs. LCD and benchmarks really doesn't translate into real world use for me.

It seems like a good fit for you. I would just get a case to help project the phone.

Go Nexus 4 if you want the best Android ever built...and also for Development, mods, and etc if you love flashing roms by some of the best devs on xda we have it all here...
other than that go Note 2 its a beast just like the N4 but without all the extra I posted above....

You should probably know that the price is $199 down and 20 payments of $15. The phone will cost you $499.
Ordered my Nexus 4 on the 13th. Still waiting.

Should last 2 years easily, as Google gives updates for a full 2 years. The hardware is top notch as well, so it won't lag behind. I certainly recommend the N4

estallings15 said:
You should probably know that the price is $199 down and 20 payments of $15. The phone will cost you $499.
Ordered my Nexus 4 on the 13th. Still waiting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is? Huh. I thought the down payments applied for people on the Value Plan and the Classic Plan subsidizes the phone cost so you only pay the initial down payment. Could be wrong though.
Well, for $500 bucks ($300ish if I wait a month or so I suppose) a Nexus 4 doesn't seem nearly as attractive anymore.

Hohumhurrdurr said:
It is? Huh. I thought the down payments applied for people on the Value Plan and the Classic Plan subsidizes the phone cost so you only pay the initial down payment. Could be wrong though.
Well, for $500 bucks ($300ish if I wait a month or so I suppose) a Nexus 4 doesn't seem nearly as attractive anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was under the impression they only offered it with value plans. I'm probably wrong.
Ordered my Nexus 4 on the 13th. Still waiting.

Hohumhurrdurr said:
Hey guys, been reading a bunch of reviews and have been wondering about which phone to get for my upgrade. Coming from a T-Mobile G2 (HTC Desire Z), I've really been struggling between all the flagships like S3, Note 2, N4, and even the new Nokia. Some facts:
- I'm on T-Mobile Classic Plan, so an N4 upgrade would cost $200
- No, I don't plan on switching from T-Mobile any time in the near future
- I'm a student, so there is WiFi in 90% of the places I go
- I intend to use the phone primarily for texting, social media, and news
- I don't game on my phone and my music library is under 50 songs
- I am very satisfied with the build quality of my current phone, I have only dropped it 1-2 times in 2 years, but would prefer a phone that can survive a fall or two
- I want a phone that is built to last the next two years before I can upgrade again
If anyone who owns an N4 can tell me if it seems like a good fit for me, I would greatly appreciate it! Reading reviews and posts about specs like AMOLED vs. LCD and benchmarks really doesn't translate into real world use for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have nexus 4, note ii and siii with me. To answer your questions first thing you want to decide is, are you going to do lot of flashing and rooting and tweaking on your phone? If yes then stop thinking and get nexus 4 right away. There is no better option if you wanna do that. No need to even read further. If not then i would recommend note ii. There are multiple reasons for that. 1) you said you are not going to play lot of games on your phone. Note ii and nexus 4 are similar in many aspects but gpu. Nexus 4 gpu is much much better and hence much better gaming. As gaming is not your concern it would be fine... 2) You are going to do lots of texting, social media and news. In these cases bigger screen comes in handy. Also according to some reviews note ii performs much better with html 5 benchmarks than nexus 4. Also features like pop up browser and all comes in handy. Speaking from experience. 3) You are a student. S-pen might help you a lot for taking notes and all. 4) Nexus 4 has gorgeous build quality. But great things comes with great responsibility. you have to be careful with this device with glass on both sides.
This video might help you a bit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cZp6YGBEW0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I use both the phones. I have to have one working phone for my business and other reasons. And i also love to do all the rooting and flashing roms. I learnt the hard way not to do this on same phones. I love both phones for completely different reasons.
Hope this helps...
Forgot to add one thing. I am not anal about the displays and color rendering and all. I personally like note ii display. Not for colors and all. I am no professional or expert on all that. I just like bigger screen. Hehe..
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

It's offered with the classic plans as well. I can confirm that I paid $200 for mine with a two-year extension.
estallings15 said:
I was under the impression they only offered it with value plans. I'm probably wrong.
Ordered my Nexus 4 on the 13th. Still waiting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Mandatory prepaid post
I think it's mandatory when someone posts a thread like this for someone to suggest they go prepaid. I guess I'm that guy. So, why not go prepaid?
On the cheapest classic plan, you're paying $70 per month for 500 minutes and 2GB of 4G data. Over two years, that's:
$70*24 + 200 = $1,880.
If you want more minutes or data, of course you're paying more.
You can do Straight Talk and get a T-Mobile SIM card and pay $45 per month. Unlimited voice, uncertain amount of data but probably at least 2GB per month. You buy the phone from Google, of course.
$45*24 + 350 = $1,430.
If you don't like Straight Talk, you can try Solavei for $49 per month or possibly the new Go Smart mobile for $45. They offer at least 4GB of high speed data per month.
And if you end up not liking their service or network, you can switch to AT&T's network any time you want.
The savings are significant enough that I'd seriously consider waiting a month or two to get my phone.

dan in la said:
I think it's mandatory when someone posts a thread like this for someone to suggest they go prepaid. I guess I'm that guy. So, why not go prepaid?
On the cheapest classic plan, you're paying $70 per month for 500 minutes and 2GB of 4G data. Over two years, that's:
$70*24 + 200 = $1,880.
If you want more minutes or data, of course you're paying more.
You can do Straight Talk and get a T-Mobile SIM card and pay $45 per month. Unlimited voice, uncertain amount of data but probably at least 2GB per month. You buy the phone from Google, of course.
$45*24 + 350 = $1,430.
If you don't like Straight Talk, you can try Solavei for $49 per month or possibly the new Go Smart mobile for $45. They offer at least 4GB of high speed data per month.
And if you end up not liking their service or network, you can switch to AT&T's network any time you want.
The savings are significant enough that I'd seriously consider waiting a month or two to get my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe? I'm not sure what the costs boil down to in the end, but I know that my whole family (5 people) is is on the Classic Plan with my father simply adding 4 other lines to his plan. I believe additional lines have significantly lower costs, but thanks for the heads-up, I'll check out the costs.

It seems like a good fit BUT you are wasting money staying on the classic plan, you'd be better off paying $300 for the phone and switching to the $30 prepaid or straight talk.
The build quality is better than the G2 by a good margin, I have a G2 and that hinge is janky, but don't expect the N4 to survive multiple drops without a case. The N4 will be the most up to date phone for the next 2 years, that is available today, you might be looking for something else in a phone but to me that was important.
I was fully expecting to spend $650 on a phone, I was going to buy the iphone 5 off contract and still will but it'll be 6mos from now, so I could have bought any of the flagship phones right now and IMO the N4 is the best choice out of the current crop of android phones.
---------- Post added at 11:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:46 PM ----------
Hohumhurrdurr said:
Maybe? I'm not sure what the costs boil down to in the end, but I know that my whole family (5 people) is is on the Classic Plan with my father simply adding 4 other lines to his plan. I believe additional lines have significantly lower costs, but thanks for the heads-up, I'll check out the costs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With tmo usually the 2nd line is cheap to add ($10 or less) but on the 3rd/4th/etc line it is usually the same $10 add on fee plus whatever the data/texting costs are (for me to add a third unl data/taxting line was going to cost ~$50 total.) I would definitely sit down with your dad and see if tmo is really giving him the best deal a lot of people still aren't taking the long view with phone contracts (sure the phone is $200 to start but it costs you an exxtra $2k over the course of 2 years.) AND tmo charges you ~15% in tax, I negated that with a 15% plan employee discount but still with prepaid you can avoid it altogether.

It seems like a good fit for you.

The G2 is pretty old.. you'll have to get used to the lack of a physical keyboard (I used to have a Nokia N97 before switching to touchscreen keyboard).
Hm, if you like flashing roms and having the ability to customize your phone, then I would say N4 is a good fit. Since you're on a classic family plan then having one additional line is just $10 more plus data (do you have family texting bundle?). If you don't mind putting more money down, then I would suggest to not buy it not from t-mobile as it's the exact same phone as what google offers, but the price is so much higher. As long as you don't mind with dealing with buying from third parties. You can either save your upgrade for when the iphone 5 comes out and perhaps resell that at a higher value, or to get something like galaxy s3 now to resell. Also, if you speak with a tmobile loyalty rep over the phone, you may be able to get a phone for less than the standard price since you'll be upgrading.
The N4 definitely has a nicer feel to it, though I don't know how well it will survive against falls due to the front and back glass. But.. you stated you rarely drop your phone so that's good .

i think jalshah05 makes some pretty good points when it comes to the note ii. i mean you get the best of both worlds or a tablet and phone. i had an s3 and it was awesome........until i accidentally dropped it face first onto concrete the day before i was about to sell it. =(
i was able to get a hold of the N4. aside from at&t not recognizing the phone officially and not getting the 4g speed i was paying (i finally switched over and get out of at&t), it's a pretty solid phone. you just have to be careful if you don't have a case since the glass could crack if dropped (some people reporting that). i guess the big thing is that you'll always have first dibs on any android updates that come out. if you like to flash different roms, i guess that won't make much of a difference.
but i'm like you. i don't game much. mainly for texting, calling, web surfing, social media, random internet apps (like looking up movies or sports scores) and i couldn't be happier.

go with Nexus 4!