Database Users

The thing that makes me nervous...

Is that I have not seen a review of the Xoom anywhere. Has anybody else? Somehow Motorola was able to get a Xoom in Chad Ochocinco's hands a month ago but I haven't seen any evidence that Motorola has shipped review units to media members. Will we have to wait until after release on Thursday to see any reviews? This release has been so shady that I'm waiting until after I see a credible reviewer verify all of Motorola's claims before I consider purchasing.

Jrockttu said:
Is that I have not seen a review of the Xoom anywhere. Has anybody else? Somehow Motorola was able to get a Xoom in Chad Ochocinco's hands a month ago but I haven't seen any evidence that Motorola has shipped review units to media members. Will we have to wait until after release on Thursday to see any reviews? This release has been so shady that I'm waiting until after I see a credible reviewer verify all of Motorola's claims before I consider purchasing.
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There have been countless reviews. You mean you want an in-depth detailed review from someone who gets to use the device "in the wild". That is not out yet, and that is normal for a new device of this sort. The devices we have seen so far aren't ready for primetime, and we can only hope that the XOOM I pick up in 4 days is ready.
The release isn't shady, it's just a little rushed. They are trying to bring the device to market ASAP. Would you rather they push the release by a month and send out samples to reviewers? I think the review I put on YouTube will be better than most professional reviews, except for the methodical, if anecdotal, reviews Engadget and other upper echelon tech blogs post.

setite said:
There have been countless reviews. You mean you want an in-depth detailed review from someone who gets to use the device "in the wild". That is not out yet, and that is normal for a new device of this sort. The devices we have seen so far aren't ready for primetime, and we can only hope that the XOOM I pick up in 4 days is ready.
The release isn't shady, it's just a little rushed. They are trying to bring the device to market ASAP. Would you rather they push the release by a month and send out samples to reviewers? I think the review I put on YouTube will be better than most professional reviews, except for the methodical, if anecdotal, reviews Engadget and other upper echelon tech blogs post.
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I disagree. It is shady in the way they are forcing people to pay an extra $35 activation fee plus $20 min service just to activate WiFi. Yes, it is stated in the small print but still, bad business and shady in my mind.

keitht said:
I disagree. It is shady in the way they are forcing people to pay an extra $35 activation fee plus $20 min service just to activate WiFi. Yes, it is stated in the small print but still, bad business and shady in my mind.
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If you consider that Verizon has put money into this project, it's fair to expect them to make a profit on each unit. I think that they should have worked something out with Best Buy that allowed them to take a cut from the 800$, but the result would have been the tablet costing 850$.
Hasn't a rumor been floating around that buying direct from Verizon would require no activation? As counter-intuitive as that may sound, it tracks as Motorola is selling the XOOM 3G wholesale for 550$. So if BB sells it, they keep the 250$ difference, if Verizon sells it, they don't need you to pay for a month of service because they have already made 250$.
It's not shady, but arguably bad business from a consumer image angle. People who don't understand what is going on, or people who simply don't care will look poorly upon the policy. Knowing that there is a WiFi Only version for 200$ less down the road should assuage any issues. But you still have the right to be mad, even if it just gives you heartburn

setite said:
If you consider that Verizon has put money into this project, it's fair to expect them to make a profit on each unit. I think that they should have worked something out with Best Buy that allowed them to take a cut from the 800$, but the result would have been the tablet costing 850$.
Hasn't a rumor been floating around that buying direct from Verizon would require no activation? As counter-intuitive as that may sound, it tracks as Motorola is selling the XOOM 3G wholesale for 550$. So if BB sells it, they keep the 250$ difference, if Verizon sells it, they don't need you to pay for a month of service because they have already made 250$.
It's not shady, but arguably bad business from a consumer image angle. People who don't understand what is going on, or people who simply don't care will look poorly upon the policy. Knowing that there is a WiFi Only version for 200$ less down the road should assuage any issues. But you still have the right to be mad, even if it just gives you heartburn
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You sound like a lawyer It is bad business and consumers will speak with their wallets. This price point will not ultimately work. And we still do not know actual issues with the device including what is going on with the SD support. I was all excited about this before but now, I cannot see paying $900 without a single accessory.

keitht said:
You sound like a lawyer It is bad business and consumers will speak with their wallets. This price point will not ultimately work. And we still do not know actual issues with the device including what is going on with the SD support. I was all excited about this before but now, I cannot see paying $900 without a single accessory.
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Yup. I am planning to go to law school . I agree with you. I just have a habit of playing devil's advocate, and trying to inform other consumers so they don't get enraged and end up hurting themselves by getting angry and making sweeping statements they can't take back. Like when Steve Jobs got angry and committed to never having flash, and forever people like me who need flash can't buy an iPad.

setite said:
There have been countless reviews. You mean you want an in-depth detailed review from someone who gets to use the device "in the wild". That is not out yet, and that is normal for a new device of this sort. The devices we have seen so far aren't ready for primetime, and we can only hope that the XOOM I pick up in 4 days is ready.
The release isn't shady, it's just a little rushed. They are trying to bring the device to market ASAP. Would you rather they push the release by a month and send out samples to reviewers? I think the review I put on YouTube will be better than most professional reviews, except for the methodical, if anecdotal, reviews Engadget and other upper echelon tech blogs post.
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I haven't seen a single review, just a few hands-on impressions in a controlled environment. I want something that validates the 10 hour battery life and that tells me if the OS is buggy, etc.
I consider it a shady release for the reasons already covered in this thread. The $800 price tag is high, but reasonable, until you consider that it's a $200 premium for 3g/4g, you have to activate data to unlock wifi, and they'll charge you an activation fee of $35 any time you turn on the data. That last part is the biggest kick in the nuts. Motorola, Verizon, and the retailers are all trying to get their cut of the device and the consumers are the ones being punished.

Jrockttu said:
I haven't seen a single review, just a few hands-on impressions in a controlled environment. I want something that validates the 10 hour battery life and that tells me if the OS is buggy, etc.
I consider it a shady release for the reasons already covered in this thread. The $800 price tag is high, but reasonable, until you consider that it's a $200 premium for 3g/4g, you have to activate data to unlock wifi, and they'll charge you an activation fee of $35 any time you turn on the data. That last part is the biggest kick in the nuts. Motorola, Verizon, and the retailers are all trying to get their cut of the device and the consumers are the ones being punished.
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Agreed. The last part is indeed a true roshambo kick in the nards. I am quite cross about that particular detail as it sort of defeats the purpose of month to month, and makes no sense given my admittedly limited knowledge of how CDMA works. AFAIK all that should be necessary is an OTA provisioning of the tablet when you want to enable service. Something I do on a regular basis for my dad who goes through a new phone every 6 months. He buys crappy flip phones on ebay for 20$ and I activate them using a combination of the Verizon website and a # code on the phone. Easy Peasy, no cost. This makes it clear that they are trying to get you to just keep a minimal data plan month to month, because without a gap of 2 months or more, you will be paying more in the grand scheme if you pay an activation fee each time you lapse. It's almost like a late fee.

Jrockttu said:
I haven't seen a single review, just a few hands-on impressions in a controlled environment. I want something that validates the 10 hour battery life and that tells me if the OS is buggy, etc.
I consider it a shady release for the reasons already covered in this thread. The $800 price tag is high, but reasonable, until you consider that it's a $200 premium for 3g/4g, you have to activate data to unlock wifi, and they'll charge you an activation fee of $35 any time you turn on the data. That last part is the biggest kick in the nuts. Motorola, Verizon, and the retailers are all trying to get their cut of the device and the consumers are the ones being punished.
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It's up the the manufacturer to release the reviewers from the NDA and let them post reviews. The sheer number of developers that have the Xoom is proof that reviewers have had them for a while. Usually reviews don't come out until the device is actually for sale.

Jrockttu said:
Is that I have not seen a review of the Xoom anywhere. Has anybody else? Somehow Motorola was able to get a Xoom in Chad Ochocinco's hands a month ago but I haven't seen any evidence that Motorola has shipped review units to media members. Will we have to wait until after release on Thursday to see any reviews? This release has been so shady that I'm waiting until after I see a credible reviewer verify all of Motorola's claims before I consider purchasing.
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There have been Atrix reviews out for a while, but so far, it's been mum on the Xoom. It doesn't make much sense to me either.
That said, I think "shady" is the wrong word. I would use "bizarre". Everything about this has been bizarre, and the fact that nobody even knows when the thing is being released just flabbergasts me. Most launches include things like, you know, release dates, prices, venues, etc.... Right now, the only thing we know for certain is that it will be available at Best Buy in late February for $800, and we haven't known that stuff for very long.
However much I dislike Apple, Steve Jobs would never have let something like this happen... unless we're talking about the mythical white iPhone 4.

Xevilious said:
There have been Atrix reviews out for a while, but so far, it's been mum on the Xoom. It doesn't make much sense to me either.
That said, I think "shady" is the wrong word. I would use "bizarre". Everything about this has been bizarre, and the fact that nobody even knows when the thing is being released just flabbergasts me. Most launches include things like, you know, release dates, prices, venues, etc.... Right now, the only thing we know for certain is that it will be available at Best Buy in late February for $800, and we haven't known that stuff for very long.
However much I dislike Apple, Steve Jobs would never have let something like this happen... unless we're talking about the mythical white iPhone 4.
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It's just an amazing failure of a launch. It boggles my mind that they can come off of their "Best of CES" performance and get nothing but bad press thereafter. How can they not effectively communicate the price and release dates across media and retailers? Even after Sanjay Jha confirmed the price, the price still isn't listed on the official Xoom website! So much potential wasted. I'm an Apple hater, but nobody can deny that they know how to run a product launch and these other companies need to take notes every June.

Jrockttu said:
It's just an amazing failure of a launch. It boggles my mind that they can come off of their "Best of CES" performance and get nothing but bad press thereafter. How can they not effectively communicate the price and release dates across media and retailers? Even after Sanjay Jha confirmed the price, the price still isn't listed on the official Xoom website! So much potential wasted. I'm an Apple hater, but nobody can deny that they know how to run a product launch and these other companies need to take notes every June.
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Exactly correct. Motorola could stand to take several lessons from Apple, mainly marketing.

Let motorola know this!

http://www.facebook.com/motorola?sk=wall&filter=1
http://twitter.com/#!/Motorola
Go there and bomb the wall, and tweet their lights out
They need to release the dam wifi version, or announce it THIS WEEK, at no more then 499$
We all just saw the ipad 2 (march 11, 499$)
Not sure if moto just wants to throw away thier sales
but let them know about it, pressure is good
As the saying is right now, if they dont act, apples gonna make more money on smartcovers then moto is on xooms

I don't know. 550 maybe but not 500.
- Full FLash
- 1280 x 800 screen
- SD Card
- USB Hosting
- 1G RAM
Even if iPad is a better selling more desired product, 550 - 600 sounds right. 500 would just be to compete, but the extra specs and capabilities warrant a 550 - 600 price tag.
Unfortunately, most people don't care about the better specs. But Moto can't just give those away.

fair enough, id happily dish out 550
but they need to announce the dam thing, and get it on the shelves

Totally agree. They are losing shares and sales as we speak.

SS2006 said:
http://www.facebook.com/motorola?sk=wall&filter=1
Go there and bomb the wall,
They need to release the dam wifi version, or announce it THIS WEEK, at no more then 499$
We all just saw the ipad 2 (march 11, 499$)
Not sure if moto just wants to throw away thier sales
but let them know about it, pressure is good
http://www.facebook.com/motorola?sk=wall&filter=1
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I am sure they are aware of what is going on with their competition. They already have a UK WiFi only model about to be released and there were even leaked ads with pre-order info. They also already announced a WiFi only for US around $600 coming. We all want things now. I waited over a year to get a Honeycomb tablet and it was worth the wait. Google should have anticipated this earlier and had this out last year. I think their mistake was spending too much time and resources on ChromeOS which I have zero interest in. But here we are, the beginning of an exciting year of Android tablets and Honeycomb.

I obviously know they're aware, not sure if I came off that way
What I went is let them know the customers are demanding something or else theyll lose them for being complacent

keitht said:
I am sure they are aware of what is going on with their competition. They already have a UK WiFi only model about to be released and there were even leaked ads with pre-order info. They also already announced a WiFi only for US around $600 coming. We all want things now. I waited over a year to get a Honeycomb tablet and it was worth the wait. Google should have anticipated this earlier and had this out last year. I think their mistake was spending too much time and resources on ChromeOS which I have zero interest in. But here we are, the beginning of an exciting year of Android tablets and Honeycomb.
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The UK announcement is 499 pounds (aka 800 USD)..so thats useless
and ya we heard theres a US one around 600, but NOTHING official or no report from them, just saying, if ur gonna release a tablet ONLY to verizon for 800$..and google wants to get Gingerbread out there, why the hell not make it available to everyone.
Its a TABLET not a PHONE, why tie it with a friggin provider
Just saying iPad 2 is gonna have the edge here if they dont act

SS2006 said:
I obviously know they're aware, not sure if I came off that way
What I went is let them know the customers are demanding something or else theyll lose them for being complacent
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I am sure we will have a wifi only version of the Xoom next month. But what we really need is for some of these other companies to get their stuff out as well so their are more choices and competition. It seems like Google decided to give Motorola all the love for the first honeycomb tablet which is why we are not seeing any others release now. This may have been to fine tune the OS before making it more widely available to others, I don't know for sure. But the bottom line is, Honeycomb tablets are not going away and I suspect we will see so many by the end of the year it will be difficult to decide which to buy.

Moto CEO said the US wifi version would be $600. He sounds reliable to me...
Sent from my Droid using XDA App

If they (Google + Manufacturer) want to win the tablet war, they must do drastic movement: Sell them CHEAP! As cheap as possible ...
Don't take too much profit, break even is OK, even lost!
Just take a lot of users whatever the cost is!
Then pump the apps apps and apps as much as possible.
For sure, this will win the tablet war.
About loosing money, if I remember correctly, Microsoft did not make any profit on the earlier Xbox/360. And they are now very competitive.
PRICE IS EVERYTHING for this LEVEL of device. Remember, PRICE is the key for users to buy tablet.
With less money, people can buy iPad 2 which is more or less the same "experience" to use AND has tons of very good quality of apps.
Set aside that SD Card slot (iPad has 64GB model) and OS customization. Those are nice, but for majority they are less important. They dont stare for hours in the home screen!
Come on Google, you can do it.
DatterBoy said:
I don't know. 550 maybe but not 500.
- Full FLash
- 1280 x 800 screen
- SD Card
- USB Hosting
- 1G RAM
Even if iPad is a better selling more desired product, 550 - 600 sounds right. 500 would just be to compete, but the extra specs and capabilities warrant a 550 - 600 price tag.
Unfortunately, most people don't care about the better specs. But Moto can't just give those away.
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BBruin66 said:
Moto CEO said the US wifi version would be $600. He sounds reliable to me...
Sent from my Droid using XDA App
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Action..not words

Moto CEO has said that wifi-only Xoom will be around $600. That's pretty reliable, but by no means cast in stone. Another pricing signal is the the UK pre-order peep, which was for £500, or close to $600 US once the 20% VAT is removed.
That said, iPad2 is the undisputed tablet leader, and with the Xoom's dearth of software support (and missing features, like SD slot and Flash), having a price higher than the base iPad price is a death knell, especially with other cheaper Honeycomb alternatives on tap.
Come April, I'd expect the wifi Xoom to be toeing the $500 price point, as will many of the so-called premium vendors (HTC, Samsung, et al). Other vendors like Acer & Dell, who don't have smartphone offerings to protect their pricing, will be cheaper, and with the same specs.

SS2006 said:
The UK announcement is 499 pounds (aka 800 USD)..so thats useless
and ya we heard theres a US one around 600, but NOTHING official or no report from them, just saying, if ur gonna release a tablet ONLY to verizon for 800$..and google wants to get Gingerbread out there, why the hell not make it available to everyone.
Its a TABLET not a PHONE, why tie it with a friggin provider
Just saying iPad 2 is gonna have the edge here if they dont act
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Click to collapse
Sorry to correct you, but you can't just do a straight conversion in price from GBP to USD and call it a day. There is a VAT etc. in the UK and the prices are inflated. Take about 20%-25% off the price and you'll be more in the ballpark of what the US will pay for the WiFi version. $600USD sounds about right, $200 less than the 3G version. I would not be surprised at all (well, maybe a little) if the WiFi version also coincides with a 3G/4G price drop.
I agree with what you're saying and I don't think you're alone. Motorola will notice (or has noticed already) that they're gonna get slaughtered if they don't have a WiFi version, and dont lower the prices to be AT LEAST competitive, if not undercutting, the competition. And they gotta do it like yesterday.
I want to be positive and say that Motorola know what they're doing, but the way that they launched only the 3G version with no word on the WiFi one is just sad. My theory, which I don't think is any secret, is that Verizon has Motorola by the balls, and is trying to get as much out of the 3G version as possible before the WiFi comes out. They wanna ride the wave and the early adopters and then let the WiFi out. There is no single manufacturing reason why the WiFi model isn't ready right now. Its on their freaking product webpage ffs (along with the GSM variant I might add) lol.

e.mote said:
Come April, I'd expect the wifi Xoom to be toeing the $500 price point, as will many of the so-called premium vendors (HTC, Samsung, et al). Other vendors like Acer & Dell, who don't have smartphone offerings to protect their pricing, will be cheaper, and with the same specs.
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I really hope so, for Motorola's sake. That $499 price point is one that gives you way more exposure than anything. Like I said I think they're trying to ride the "first honeycomb tablet" wave until they get shafted by iPad 2 and the other 3.0 tablets coming out, then they'll play ball and maybe get some decent sales numbers.
I've said before that I'm 100% willing to hand Motorola (or Samsung/LG, for that matter) $600 right now for the WiFi version of this type of tablet, but I'm not gonna overpay for the 3G version I'm not gonna use. The $500 point just has to happen for general consumers to put it next to the iPad though.

Youre right about the price. The price isnt what concerns me. Its just the availability and lack of announcements
I agree with you, Verizon has them by the balls
And thats why you dont give your tablet to a frigin provider
Like The iPad just goes right to bestbuy, brilliance
..idiots @moto

SS2006 said:
Youre right about the price. The price isnt what concerns me. Its just the availability and lack of announcements
I agree with you, Verizon has them by the balls
And thats why you dont give your tablet to a frigin provider
Like The iPad just goes right to bestbuy, brilliance
..idiots @moto
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The one thing that Apple gets right is they don't late carriers push them around with the iPad. They sell it directly from Apple.com either the WiFi version or 3G with no strings attached and if u wanna activate later you can. No carrier BS. Not to mention that the 3G and WiFi versions go on sale the same exact day lol.
Motorola is getting blown up hard over their pricing and availability of different models/versions. I think they probably would've started selling the WiFi now if it weren't for other pressures/commitments.

DatterBoy said:
I don't know. 550 maybe but not 500.
- Full FLash
- 1280 x 800 screen
- SD Card
- USB Hosting
- 1G RAM
Even if iPad is a better selling more desired product, 550 - 600 sounds right. 500 would just be to compete, but the extra specs and capabilities warrant a 550 - 600 price tag.
Unfortunately, most people don't care about the better specs. But Moto can't just give those away.
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Click to collapse
Add to this from what I have read GPS even in the wifi model!

Motorola just lost me. I'm returning my xoom and I'll wait for whatever WiFi options come later down the road. I won't buy Apple. Motorola needs to get their [email protected] straight. Too pricey and lack of options will be their demise. Give people what they want.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA App

With the 32GB iPad 2 releasing at $599 Moto has to match or beat that price. You can guarantee they will do that. $550 would be a big win for Moto and the customers.
Even at the lower price and added hardware specs the device still will not even come close to what Apple will see in sales. One thing Apple has done well and continues to do well is advertise. This unfortunately is where Moto is lacking with the Xoom. Superbowl commercial was nice and money well spent. But what have we seen since then? If you stopped 30 random people on the street and asked them what a Motorola Xoom was, maybe 15 of 30 would know. You would be hard pressed to find someone who did not know what an iPad was. Every night when I am watching the tube, I see that damn iPad commercial with the annoying piano in the background. Moto needs to take a risk and pour some funds in to advertisement. They now have a solid piece of hardware to compete with Apple. Let the rest of the world know that and get aggressive with your attack.
I don't think $550-$600 is too much to ask for this fine piece of hardware and if they want to make an attempt to keep up with the competition, Moto needs to get the WiFi only version out fast. Next Friday is coming up quick and still no word from Moto on a US release date. :/

B Dizzle said:
With the 32GB iPad 2 releasing at $599 Moto has to match or beat that price. You can guarantee they will do that. $550 would be a big win for Moto and the customers.
Even at the lower price and added hardware specs the device still will not even come close to what Apple will see in sales. One thing Apple has done well and continues to do well is advertise. This unfortunately is where Moto is lacking with the Xoom. Superbowl commercial was nice and money well spent. But what have we seen since then? If you stopped 30 random people on the street and asked them what a Motorola Xoom was, maybe 15 of 30 would know. You would be hard pressed to find someone who did not know what an iPad was. Every night when I am watching the tube, I see that damn iPad commercial with the annoying piano in the background. Moto needs to take a risk and pour some funds in to advertisement. They now have a solid piece of hardware to compete with Apple. Let the rest of the world know that and get aggressive with your attack.
I don't think $550-$600 is too much to ask for this fine piece of hardware and if they want to make an attempt to keep up with the competition, Moto needs to get the WiFi only version out fast. Next Friday is coming up quick and still no word from Moto on a US release date. :/
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In the past week I've seen a lot of xoom commercials, far more than iPad, although I'm sure my brain has tuned them out by now.
That vendetta one is on every hour.
Sent from my Droid using XDA App

Money for rooting OTA...I have $50 on it...

I have $50 for the person that roots my EVO. I dont mean next year either. Im talking rooting it in a timely manner. I fully understand devs have lives, and new phones their trying to root in some cases I just wanna add a little incentive for getting it done. I just bought this EVO last night after returning my 3rd Nexus S 4G due to radio issues. The rep told me it would have 2.2.1 out of the box but did not. Although it runs very smooth with 2.3.3 on it, I prefer aosp over sense.

that sux man! is a return an option? I would think you could find a reputable seller that knows the product better than who you received your evo from! my local sprint store can hook up deals on used evos in "exelent condition" check your local store if it isn't corporate. Some sellers on ebay actually know what the product too. that's what the message feature is for. look for someone in florida!!

I payed $100 for this one and have black tie protection so i wouldnt want a used one. But root would be nice. I know it will happen eventually, just want the devs to know that there are people that appreciate their work and time. And, hopefully get someone to take time away from the 3D also

Who is working on rooting it? Is anyone?

no body cares about this phone anymore. HOWEVER, IF YOU TAKE IT TO A SPRINT STORE! ASK THEM TO DOWNGRADE IT FOR YOU! lol! no joke. just do it! BUT you must know the difference between a corp store and franchise

runcool said:
no body cares about this phone anymore. HOWEVER, IF YOU TAKE IT TO A SPRINT STORE! ASK THEM TO DOWNGRADE IT FOR YOU! lol! no joke. just do it! BUT you must know the difference between a corp store and franchise
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LOL, they cant downgrade it any more than we can at this point. There is way to many EVO 4G owners for this thing to go unrooted forever. I hope...

Your best bet at this point is to swap the phone on Craigslist along with the $50. There are a few folks who don't use the phone no more and didn't do the upgrade. There are ads on Craigslist for evo trades only. They get to make $50 but still sell the evo for there asking price.
Sent from my evo

geeksquadryder said:
Your best bet at this point is to swap the phone on Craigslist along with the $50. There are a few folks who don't use the phone no more and didn't do the upgrade. There are ads on Craigslist for evo trades only. They get to make $50 but still sell the evo for there asking price.
Sent from my evo
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Thats something I thought about, I just dont want to lose the insurance from Best Buy. I plan on buying the Photon when it drops anyway, so I guess its not a huge deal. I guess I just thought for $50 someone would take a few hours(or whatever) to figure it out. Its all about the downgrade, that much I know. Hopefully someone figures out a way to get it to work.

runcool said:
no body cares about this phone anymore. HOWEVER, IF YOU TAKE IT TO A SPRINT STORE! ASK THEM TO DOWNGRADE IT FOR YOU! lol! no joke. just do it! BUT you must know the difference between a corp store and franchise
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Click to collapse
no sprint store has that capability, only htc does , and even contacting them directly about it just produces a nice " we cannot downgrade it because it would render your device innoperable" ......
im sorry but short of desoldering nand and reflashing ...yeah...just wait till they are tired with the 3d and somone MIGHT get back to evo, but for now, i think there are thousands of us on the "i kinda hate my phone now" boat , someone will eventually do it i guess, i personally think this release is a trainwreck , and id rather have stock froyo than this tbh but we are pretty boned for the time being..

mikeyinid said:
Thats something I thought about, I just dont want to lose the insurance from Best Buy. I plan on buying the Photon when it drops anyway, so I guess its not a huge deal. I guess I just thought for $50 someone would take a few hours(or whatever) to figure it out. Its all about the downgrade, that much I know. Hopefully someone figures out a way to get it to work.
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downgrading/rooting 2.3.3 its the same problem,i believe the hboot simply WILL NOT let you install anything other than a signed , higher version newer date ruu
unless someone finds a way to change the version number on the ruu package itself (short of impossible to do judging by what little understanding i have of code and programming) you cant install anything thats the thing...
the hboot on the 3d is similar i believe to the evos hboot, once they crack that one , that knowledge may make doing it on evo 4g a possible task, but im just monitoring the pertinent threads/channels at this point until i can upgrade on sprint or i manage to sell my evo so i can get a 3d

I chose this unrooted EVO 4G over the 3D last night. The 3D is really nice, but the screen size is a little narrow, and that was one of my big issues with the NS4G.
Well, this offer will stand for a few weeks. Ill say August 8th is the cutoff for me to give $50 to the person that gets us root. If my phone is rooted by that day, the person that figured it out is getting paid.

mikeyinid said:
I payed $100 for this one and have black tie protection so i wouldnt want a used one. But root would be nice. I know it will happen eventually, just want the devs to know that there are people that appreciate their work and time. And, hopefully get someone to take time away from the 3D also
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used there black tie and they sent me a refurb 2.2 on it try that

liable said:
I used there black tie and they sent me a refurb 2.2 on it try that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And if they dont send me one with 2.2, I just swapped a brand new phone for a refurb.

do it 3 times and you get a brand new device

Fraudulant insurance claims are probably one of the main reasons the manufacturers are locking their phones down. Im not saying not to do it, Im saying I prefer not to do it.

liable said:
do it 3 times and you get a brand new device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and at the end its just going to cost both him and the company money, and solve nothing, as all phones come with 2.3.3 now, even more so if its a new one....
so as others have said, your best bet is craiglist or waiting pretty much

as of thursday no they dont i just got my refurb 2.2 with black tie its free to replace for any reason but lost or stolen

mikeyinid said:
I have $50 for the person that roots my EVO. I dont mean next year either. Im talking rooting it in a timely manner. I fully understand devs have lives, and new phones their trying to root in some cases I just wanna add a little incentive for getting it done. I just bought this EVO last night after returning my 3rd Nexus S 4G due to radio issues. The rep told me it would have 2.2.1 out of the box but did not. Although it runs very smooth with 2.3.3 on it, I prefer aosp over sense.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android 2.2 went live Aug 3, 2010 and it was rooted Aug 26, 2010. Which for those of you who can't add thats 23 days. Android 2.3 went live June 15, 2011 and its July 10, 2011 which puts us at 25 days. So I would say that we are right on course for something to be announced soon.

mikeyinid said:
I chose this unrooted EVO 4G over the 3D last night. The 3D is really nice, but the screen size is a little narrow, and that was one of my big issues with the NS4G.
Well, this offer will stand for a few weeks. Ill say August 8th is the cutoff for me to give $50 to the person that gets us root. If my phone is rooted by that day, the person that figured it out is getting paid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best bet is to wait but keep in mind there is no guarantee that the 3d will be rooted by then either.
Sent from my evo

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Transformer for $250 on black friday at best buy

If you can stomach dealing with crowds and BBs bs. sorry if this is a double post.
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i envy you americans for this.
i feel totally ripped off concidering shops in germany are asking
350€ for the 16gb version (roughly 480$)
that is DOUBLE the price...just not fair

pseudoheld said:
i envy you americans for this.
i feel totally ripped off concidering shops in germany are asking
350€ for the 16gb version (roughly 480$)
that is DOUBLE the price...just not fair
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't envy us too much. To get this deal you usually have to camp out in the cold most of the night and wait in a huge line for tickets to be handed out (# tickets = # items in stock) and then hope you are close enough in line to get a ticket for the item you want. I used to work at Best Buy back when I was much younger and these "Black Friday" deal days were fricken insane. People dang near killing each other for a few bucks (and in some cases actually killing each other by trampling people to death, etc).
Personally I will probably never get a "door buster" deal because I value my time and health. Getting the flu and freezing my arse off for X hours in the cold just isn't worth it.

Price is right but I wouldn't bother if I'd be a meat popsickle AND they would be sold out by the time I got there, lol. I don't hit BestBuy with sales in mind so much as check the local stock before ordering somewhere online.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

um, can you buy it now or within whatever the refund period is for best buy and then walk in on black friday and get a price adjustment or just return it and rebuy it?
250 bucks less than prime is awfully tempting but i'm still going to go with the prime.

morphiend said:
um, can you buy it now or within whatever the refund period is for best buy and then walk in on black friday and get a price adjustment or just return it and rebuy it?
250 bucks less than prime is awfully tempting but i'm still going to go with the prime.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. Not unless they changed the rules. The price is only valid on the products in the store that are sold as this door buster promotion. (granted my knowledge comes from some 15 years ago)

So I'm guessing that selling my rootable TF for 300 is out of the question now?

thebadfrog said:
So I'm guessing that selling my rootable TF for 300 is out of the question now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not totally as its rootable these probably won't be
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium

thebadfrog said:
So I'm guessing that selling my rootable TF for 300 is out of the question now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am always amazed at how much people sell and buy used stuff for, especially electronics. But really this is a pretty stellar sale and far from a normal price so I wouldn't be surprised if you could get 300 for it.

thebadfrog said:
So I'm guessing that selling my rootable TF for 300 is out of the question now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pfht no, you can easily sell it for $300. Most of the general population is not going to be able to get this thing for that price. They will have like 10 per store. This is not a "week long sale item."

$200 42" tv looks good.
But I agree with everyone else. I drove by a best buy a couple years ago on A MONDAY and there were already about 20 people camped out with tents and the whole deal. Yes a monday lol, so if 4 days is worth saving $150 then so be it. It os for some I guess but not for me.

Keyboard dock's going to be $99 as well.

The Transformer at Best Buy has a different model number made just for them to hit that $249 price point for black friday "TF101-X1". Its also a different sku than the regular 16GB model on their website. The regular model numbers are TF101-A1 "16GB" and TF101B1"32GB". There is no telling what they had Asus take out to hit that price, regular glass instead of Gorilla glass maybe who knows. And, they don't have to disclose that because in the instructions of just about every device it stipulates that features or functions are subject to change without prior notice. I'd be a little leery on this one.

bkrodgers said:
Keyboard dock's going to be $99 as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you can get it on new egg for 99 bucks right now !
Sent from my PG86100 using xda premium

timlot said:
The Transformer at Best Buy has a different model number made just for them to hit that $249 price point for black friday "TF101-X1". Its also a different sku than the regular 16GB model on their website. The regular model numbers are TF101-A1 "16GB" and TF101B1"32GB". There is no telling what they had Asus take out to hit that price, regular glass instead of Gorilla glass maybe who knows. And, they don't have to disclose that because in the instructions of just about every device it stipulates that features or functions are subject to change without prior notice. I'd be a little leery on this one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doubt there's actually any difference. It wouldn't make sense to produce a different model for this, especially when there's a new model coming out soon. What retailers sometimes do is have the model numbers for their Black Friday deals tweaked to make it hard to go elsewhere and price match, or to ask for a price match on prior purchases. It's *possible* there could be actual differences, but I would be surprised.

I just asked my dad who works at bestbuy n he said basically what the guy said above me. Now if u saw this at wally as a everyday low price then you know things would be changed or taken out.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium

pseudoheld said:
i envy you americans for this.
i feel totally ripped off concidering shops in germany are asking
350€ for the 16gb version (roughly 480$)
that is DOUBLE the price...just not fair
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my TF101 in Germany while I was traveling around europe, I was shocked when I saw the price, it's really hefty overpriced if compared to USA.

I can't wait until the prime comes out so I can sell this lovely piece of machinery. My question is... I am moving to S. Korea in February should I wonder if it will be cheaper in taiwan, I could just take a day trip there!

I am currently in the market to buy an Android tablet, and of course, this deal caught my attention the second I saw it.
I'm just having two issues making my mind up whether I should buy it or not:
- As we all now, the Prime is coming out sometime in December. I'm just wondering if the TF101 will feel old/slow compared to the newer Tegra 3 devices. Basically, I feel like I'm jumping on ship and everyone else is moving on to the next thing while me and my TF101 are getting left behind.
- The no built in 3G data is a huge deal for me, I would like to have everything sync on it while I'm on the go plus use it to stream music/video while out. Tethering using my phone is an option, but I feel like it would be to much of a drain to constantly be using it. I guess I could use a 3G USB stick, as that seems as the only other solution, do I need the dock to use the 3G stick?
Anyways, also curious to hear other people's opinions who are interested in this great deal.

Jaysont34 said:
I am currently in the market to buy an Android tablet, and of course, this deal caught my attention the second I saw it.
I'm just having two issues making my mind up whether I should buy it or not:
- As we all now, the Prime is coming out sometime in December. I'm just wondering if the TF101 will feel old/slow compared to the newer Tegra 3 devices. Basically, I feel like I'm jumping on ship and everyone else is moving on to the next thing while me and my TF101 are getting left behind.
- The no built in 3G data is a huge deal for me, I would like to have everything sync on it while I'm on the go plus use it to stream music/video while out. Tethering using my phone is an option, but I feel like it would be to much of a drain to constantly be using it. I guess I could use a 3G USB stick, as that seems as the only other solution, do I need the dock to use the 3G stick?
Anyways, also curious to hear other people's opinions who are interested in this great deal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm in the same boat you are. but this price is too good to pass up $250 + $99 for the dock. i'm going to try to just get the TF1 from best buy (unless its all sold out (which is very likely)) then resell the tablet for $325 - $350 and the dock for $50 - $75 and then use that $ to get the transformer prime.

Well. So much for Note 5. Samsung is giving 120$ off price

Cant say Im surprised. Its gonna get much worse if they keep their new Apple-wannabe design.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/26/9402621/samsung-promotion-galaxy-s6-note-5-discount

Samsung is not giving $120 off the price of the Note5. You need to get your facts straight.

CafeKampuchia said:
Samsung is not giving $120 off the price of the Note5. You need to get your facts straight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. Discount. Is that a better word choice?
http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/26/9402621/samsung-promotion-galaxy-s6-note-5-discount

toofimoofi said:
Ok. Discount. Is that a better word choice?
http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/26/9402621/samsung-promotion-galaxy-s6-note-5-discount
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, because it's a potential rebate of future payments due, not a discounted sale price. From Samsung's website:
Buy a Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+ or Galaxy Note5 on an installment plan or lease and get a rebate of all monthly device payments up to $120 following valid online claim.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And the thread title and OP are still misleading. You make it sound like this move is being made because the Note5 is an inferior device. I get from your post history that you're quite disappointed with it, but obviously the Note5 is not the focus of this promotion. Samsung timed it with the release of the iPhone 6s and 6s+, and all the devices in the promotion compete directly with the 6s & 6s+. It's much more likely that they're just trying to keep a few people from buying iPhones. It has nothing to do with the Note5's "Apple-wannabe design."

No non-Apple smartphone OEM sold more of a single high-end device than they did last year. Samsung will sell fewer S6/S6+/Note 5's than it did last year. The market's changed and high-end non-Apple smartphones are tanking. Primarily due to the Western markets being saturated and highish-end phones being sold at 1/3 to 1/2 the price of big brand flagships in emerging markets. Flagships help sell lower tier phones like Samsung’s A-series which they're pushing the hell out of. Samsung sold more smartphones in Q2 this year than they did last year. But with selling price and margin down because they make less on lower tier phones they posted declines in revenue and profit. The latter for the year is $5+B. The only other OEM that turned a profit was LG who made $173K (thousand isn't a typo) last quarter. The rest lost hundreds of millions of dollars. This is the new reality and no single flagship is going to change that; for Samsung or anyone else.

Sooo, @BarryH_GEG, are you saying that this has nothing to do with Samsung ditching SD cards and removable batteries while apeing iPhone design language? If not, it must be that the iPhone can open Angry Birds faster
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Samsung got irritated with people saying that Samsung made cheap plasticity build phones. ..lag laden touch wiz and bloated features and gimmicks that no one used. ..those who were loyal to samsung bought them still bit for others who didn't. .that was their reasons
So they said enough. ..if that's what people want. ..well we will give it to them and they did a great job with that. ..
For 1...I am not complaining. ..and they have been slowly changing their design language with the note every year. ..and what they did now with note 5 was an eventual change
ścribbled from my Note 5

Early buyers always pay more. End of story.
Rebates and discounts are bound to happen. For all companies.
Apple themselves will barely offer promotions like this because they make so much money and have a very loyal fanbase. They don't need to.
However, retailers, carriers and other outlets will have promotions and discounts for iPhone's.
Apple sells two versions of 1 phone (previous models too), they have a much easier time maintaining and controlling things (hardware/software) as opposed to Android or Windows Phone OEM's.
The Note 5 will never sell as much as the iPhone 6s Plus, because there are so many other variants/models at that "phablet" size in the Android market.
While for Apple, the Plus is the ONLY model at that size. Whether that be the 6 or 6s.

CafeKampuchia said:
Sooo, @BarryH_GEG, are you saying that this has nothing to do with Samsung ditching SD cards and removable batteries while apeing iPhone design language? If not, it must be that the iPhone can open Angry Birds faster
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Expandable storage and removable batteries aren't even in the top ten features purchasers consider when buying a smartphone. Design is. Does anyone here think a Note 5 that followed Samsung's earlier formula of a peel off plastic back cover and the design that relegates them to would have sold better? If they went that way instead of people *****ing about batteries and storage they'd be *****ing about another in a series of carry over designs.
They needed to do something major and I for one am pleased with the result.

This isnt a deal you can take if your phone is from a AT&T. They also have a $100 Google Play credit for some carries, also not AT&T. I think this is more of a play to get the other carriers sales of the device is all. Its a solid phone. I never thought I would like a Samsung device and I love this phone more than any of the previous HTC or Nexus devices I have had.

What an ignorant post. how is the note 5 anything like the iPhone design? Just because it doesn't have removable back and sdcard?
Obviously you don't need an android device. If you think having no sdcard is the end of the world then you need to go elsewhere. I can find at least 1 easy way to extend my storage to 96gb

I must admit I have a bit of a problem with samsung's desperation. They want to get that Apple recipe for success so bad. Instead of looking at what makes apple so successful and generates such brand loyalty they try to get apple sheep to switch. As if...
Apple is one of the only companies in the world that can make you buy the same thing twice. There's a reason for that. Design language was a step in the right direction. Focusing on getting people away from apple rather than making your own customers experience better is a fail in my opinion. Because while and if they succeed at luring a few clients away from apple, they are losing the same amount if not more to them.
Why don't they take care of the clients they do have? Just thinking out loud guys...

mrnovanova said:
I must admit I have a bit of a problem with samsung's desperation. They want to get that Apple recipe for success so bad. Instead of looking at what makes apple so successful and generates such brand loyalty they try to get apple sheep to switch. As if...
Apple is one of the only companies in the world that can make you buy the same thing twice. There's a reason for that. Design language was a step in the right direction. Focusing on getting people away from apple rather than making your own customers experience better is a fail in my opinion. Because while and if they succeed at luring a few clients away from apple, they are losing the same amount if not more to them.
Why don't they take care of the clients they do have? Just thinking out loud guys...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think Apple gain any customer from Samsung at all. If anything its the other way around, it just so happen Samsung is being competing with other Company that also have Android i.e HTC, Miezu, Huawei, LG and One plus. Why would people pay for an 800 device when a 400 device is just as good and have more "options". Apple just so happen to stay at the top because they are a monopoly, they dont release their OS to any other company therefore making them the only company to buy Apple product ,it should be illegal really but hey when you have money you can pay off the judge right? If you combine all Android device in the world, it would substantially killed the Apple phone sales stats.
Apple is a company that will always be second to someone, they lose to Microsoft and now they lose to Google. They only stay afloat by making themselves a monopoly. Blackberry could have save themselves too but they join the android game too late, honestly their CEO should be fire, what an idiot! He obviously dint study the mobile market and just try to release more BB product. Blackberry Market is facing extinction, even if they switch to android, its too little too late, but I digress.

mrnovanova said:
Why don't they take care of the clients they do have? Just thinking out loud guys...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because you can't grow with a dwindling number of loyal existing customers. Two cases in point. HTC had larger market share than Samsung in 2011. Through a series of product and marketing missteps on their part teamed with great competition their customer base began to dwindle. The M7/8/9 are highly regarded phones and have won critical acclaim. Each sold fewer units than the last. All that's left of HTC's customers are a shrinking group of loyalists. Net result is HTC is on its death bed. Saab is another good example. They were the anti-BMW at their peak and sold an enormous amount of cars. Saab owner loyalty was incredible. There just weren't enough of them to keep sales going and, like HTC, a series of product missteps and increased competition sealed their fate.
Existing customer support is critical but not at the expense of responding to changing demographic and market conditions. And that statement is broader than just Samsung's situation.

BarryH_GEG said:
Because you can't grow with a dwindling number of loyal existing customers. Two cases in point. HTC had larger market share than Samsung in 2011. Through a series of product and marketing missteps on their part teamed with great competition their customer base began to dwindle. The M7/8/9 are highly regarded phones and have won critical acclaim. Each sold fewer units than the last. All that's left of HTC's customers are a shrinking group of loyalists. Net result is HTC is on its death bed. Saab is another good example. They were the anti-BMW at their peak and sold an enormous amount of cars. Saab owner loyalty was incredible. There just weren't enough of them to keep sales going and, like HTC, a series of product missteps and increased competition sealed their fate.
Existing customer support is critical but not at the expense of responding to changing demographic and market conditions. And that statement is broader than just Samsung's situation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Makes sense. From a business perspective you are absolutely right. My comment was coming from an emotional place though. I can't help but feel that samsung should actually listen to people like us. I don't know about you but I've owned every single iteration of the galaxy family s and note since the s2. They almost lost me a few times but I keep coming back. That screen though... Best screen on any phone. Keeps me coming back, Lol.

The hate continues.

I see they are now on ebay for 579. Unbelievable. I paid 200 more for this.

ekerbuddyeker said:
I see they are now on ebay for 579. Unbelievable. I paid 200 more for this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess it depends on how you look at it. For $579 you're getting a Singaporean 32GB Note 5 with no warranty and no support available from Samsung U.S. even if you're willing to pay for it. Unlike the past you can't use Odin to run Western (EG: Europe) ROMs because with different model numbers assigned it'll fail in Odin. It won't work with Samsung Pay and may not work with Android Pay depending on what Google's using to validate the device's market applicability.
There's been posts from people with Asian phones complaining about missing features and settings so that's something to consider. Rooting will fix it for those inclined and with no warranty anyway that's an option. But with root you loose multimedia features (EG: AllShare) unless root cloaks can help get it back. You're also relying on Monoprice (the eBay seller) to satisfy you if there's out-of-box issues like screen imperfections or less than perfect build quality. I'd imagine if any follow-on support was needed upon receipt of the device you're looking at a bunch of back-and-forth and out of pocket expense for return shipment plus the time that'll take. Certainly not support like you'd get from a carrier who has an invested interest in you beyond just selling you a device.
I don't know what carrier you're with but I'm on AT&T's Next 18 which allows me to get a new phone every year. The forgiven balance from my Note 4 was $400. So I overpaid getting it originally at $800ish but actually paid $400ish with the forgiveness factored in. The caveat being $400 high-end phones every year only works if I continue with AT&T.
So I guess whether or not $579 is a good deal depends on how you look at what you're getting and what you're giving up as well. Especially taking the comparative net of any benefit from carrier subsidy/financing programs in to account. Like so many things discussed here value is a big YMMV.
P.S. - My Note 12 is Singaporean and I've owned about a half-dozen grey market devices. So I know the drill.

Am on att, and very happy with the device! Best device I have ever owned.
And it's quite interesting to look over the threads and see how few complaints, if any, there are about this device. Everything works. No issues.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920AX using XDA Free mobile app

BarryH_GEG said:
I guess it depends on how you look at it. For $579 you're getting a Singaporean 32GB Note 5 with no warranty and no support available from Samsung U.S. even if you're willing to pay for it. Unlike the past you can't use Odin to run Western (EG: Europe) ROMs because with different model numbers assigned it'll fail in Odin. It won't work with Samsung Pay and may not work with Android Pay depending on what Google's using to validate the device's market applicability.
There's been posts from people with Asian phones complaining about missing features and settings so that's something to consider. Rooting will fix it for those inclined and with no warranty anyway that's an option. But with root you loose multimedia features (EG: AllShare) unless root cloaks can help get it back. You're also relying on Monoprice (the eBay seller) to satisfy you if there's out-of-box issues like screen imperfections or less than perfect build quality. I'd imagine if any follow-on support was needed upon receipt of the device you're looking at a bunch of back-and-forth and out of pocket expense for return shipment plus the time that'll take. Certainly not support like you'd get from a carrier who has an invested interest in you beyond just selling you a device.
I don't know what carrier you're with but I'm on AT&T's Next 18 which allows me to get a new phone every year. The forgiven balance from my Note 4 was $400. So I overpaid getting it originally at $800ish but actually paid $400ish with the forgiveness factored in. The caveat being $400 high-end phones every year only works if I continue with AT&T.
So I guess whether or not $579 is a good deal depends on how you look at what you're getting and what you're giving up as well. Especially taking the comparative net of any benefit from carrier subsidy/financing programs in to account. Like so many things discussed here value is a big YMMV.
P.S. - My Note 12 is Singaporean and I've owned about a half-dozen grey market devices. So I know the drill.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, pros and cons to owning each.
Here's my take:
Personally, I don't see it as that big of a risk. I've never received a device that was malfunctioning or broken in any way. If so, in most cases, the seller has to give you a replacement or refund. As as warranty goes, in a worse come to worse scenario, I can always get it fixed at a local repair shop. Plenty of those around now a days. Me personally, I have a friend who operates one in Philadelphia.
Android Pay is installed and works fine.
I'm not sure about any missing features or settings, haven't come across anything I'm missing aside from carrier bloatware.
Purchasing a phone at $580 is a great deal, in my opinion. I paid $750 by the way only a few weeks ago for mine. Think about it like this, you said you're paying around $400 every year on AT&T Next. Just to upgrade to a newer phone. If you buy that model you referenced above for $580, after a year you could easily sell it for at least $400 (judging by what I got for my Note 4 after one year). So in the end you only paid $180 to upgrade to the latest and greatest.
AT&T, in my opinion, is known for ripping you off on Next upgrades. You end up paying more (total) than you would on T-Mobile or Verizon.
My experience so far with the international model has been excellent. Super fast speeds on AT&T, no carrier bloatware or control over updates. Beautiful gold color, which stands out in a see of black and white phones. No dependence on a carrier known for late updates or anything else.
I called Samsung inquiring about Samsung Pay on this phone. They said once it rolls out to Singapore. It should be able to work in any participating country. That being said, the list of participating U.S. banks is minimal at the moment so it doesn't really interest me anymore.
After my call with their support specialist, I really thought about Samsung Pay, mobile payments as a whole right now in America. With the transition to chip and pay in this country, mobile payment systems from Apple, Samsung and others in the early stages. It didn't make sense for me to wait. I'm going to update my phone again in a year or maybe earlier. So I'd rather wait until mobile payments is more broadly supported.
I rooted my phone immediately after that call. Lol. In the end, I think mobile payments still have another year+ more to go before they're really any good and useful enough to replace my wallet.
After rooting, my phone is even better than before! So much more I can customize and do. My phone feels quicker, battery life seems better and much more. Granted I just rooted recently, so I want to test it more. Aside from T-Mobile, that's something the U.S. carrier Note 5's can never do.
As you said in your post "YMMV". I think this 100% true. Everyone's miles vary. For me the international gold Note 5 rooted is the best Note 5 for me personally.
Just my two cents.