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I see what they are going for here. They are trying to bill this as a super premium device. Their flyer "not all galaxy s phones are alike" tries to put this phone in a different league than the captivate and vibrant and thus should cost more.
I think this is a mistake. This is $50 more than the equiv iphone 4 and with the captivate selling for $50 I don't see this selling well.
If they wanted to knock it out of the park they should have kept it at 199 and that would have enticed people to get more for their money with sprint....better phone, same price; cheaper plan, more service/value. This phone will not get the adoption of the EVO and thus will not get the development. Bummer if you ask me because I think the phone looks great. Too bad the marketing people missed the mark.
I'm not surprised...for 3 reasons....
1) Sprint ALWAYS charged 50$ more for keyboard phones over none keyboard ones...
2) The retail price of all Galaxy S phones is 500$...EVO is 450$...
3) The Galaxy S hardware wise is better then both the iphone 4 and the EVO by a long shot...
It is only 50$...back in the day we paid 350$ for our TP2s and no one complained >.>
It is only 50$...back in the day we paid 350$ for our TP2s and no one complained >.>
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back in the day it was a different economy and different competition. for me they dropped the ball so much that i'm now looking at t-mo.
I agree that sprint definitely dropped the ball with this pricing. People will see $200 phones and will see no reason to pay $250 when the only glaring difference is a keyboard. But we all know sprint never gets it right, they chose the best of the Galaxy S line and then over price it. lol. But i understand why they priced it at that point and i for one have no problem paying for quality.
paying a one time extra $50.00 does not bother me the slightest, i mean come on, im saving lots of money from switching from at&t to sprint as is, extra $50 once isnt gonna hurt me.
I was fully expecting this phone to be 500 bucks. Us being phone geeks we know that the hardward in it is superior to the evo, but the average consumer is only going to look at the larger screen of the evo and think that is the better phone and think its a no brainer to get it since its also 50 bucks cheaper. I was planning on getting this phone off contract for 500 bucks so i am not suprised in the least. I just hope it lives up to everything i'm expecting. But coming from that POS Hero almost ANYTHING is going to be a step up
I agree sprint pricing is pretty foolish for a company desperate for new subs.
I paid $529 for my nexus, $250 for the epic is nothing.
Sent from my Nextel™ using the XDA app
It's $50. If you're that concerned over $50 perhaps you should not be spending hundreds on a cell phone to begin with?
Who cares if it doesn't generate maximum market penetration or whatever, you're not a chairman at Sprint's HQ or anything, heh. Don't worry about it. I know I'm not.
Give me the damn phone
$50 compare to the $240 in premium data charges accompanying
it is a drop in the bucket.
Sometime you guys kill me. You find any little thing to complain about. $50. Really? $50??? So is $50 going to really change your life? The epic has more features than the other Samsung S phone so why do you feel you wouldn't have to pay more? If you can't afford $50 extra for this phone then "kick rocks" and go get another cheaper phone. I was just hoping it would be around $300. I have had pocket PC phones from HTC(8125, tilt, fuze, TP2...) for the last 6yrs and they were always $500+ and they are no match for this phone. It's the price you pay for new tech. So, I will get my EPIC and you can save your $50, get another phone, and the we can see who is happier in 2 month.
Just my $.02
radar5 said:
$50 compare to the $240 in premium data charges accompanying
it is a drop in the bucket.
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Just to note, that's $240 over two years. Sure, you're signed to the contract for that long, but whatever. As many have done, I'm going to compare it to other plans on the market for what I have
My Sprint Plan:
450 minutes (unlimited nights/weekends) + Unlimited texting/pictures messaging + Unlimited data + Any mobile, any time included + 4G "Premium" data plan + insurance = $75 a month after fees and discounts (which, if you don't have a discount... what is wrong with you? One of the discounts on my line is because I bank with a credit union)
AT&T:
450 minutes + 5000 Night/weekend minutes (really?) + unlimited data + unlimited texting/picture messaging + Early nights and weekends (Standard on Sprint) + AT&T Navigator (Standard on Sprint with a data plan) + insurance= $95 a month... I'm not going to include any discounts (which, again, I'm sure you can get) because I didn't include a couple standard Sprint services that AT&T charges for.
Verizon:
450 minutes (unlimited night/weekend) + unlimited text + unlimited data + insurance = $97 (doesn't offer a lot of standard Sprint options, no discounts applied again)
T-Mobile:
500 minutes (unlimited night/weekend) + unlimited text + unlimited data + insurance = $85 (no discounts, again... no Sprint standards)
Keep in mind none of these offered free wifi hotspot capabilities and none had anything comparable to any mobile any time (T-mobile has "MyFaves" I guess...)
I am a huge fan of Sprint, but it's really the bill. $50 extra for this phone and $10 a month for "Premium" data doesn't bother me even a little. Plus, I bet if you give it a minute, you'll find it on Amazon for $100 cheaper.
50 bucks man, big deal LOL. what is that like a night of drinking?
Kleany said:
50 bucks man, big deal LOL. what is that like a night of drinking?
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Only 1.5 hours of work for me, but I guess if you didn't go to school and only work at del taco its a lot of money lol
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
$50 more than the EVO, over the life of the contract, is only $2 more per month. Not a big deal.
People on every forum are going crazy over this pricing. I agree if you can afford $200 then $250 isn't a stretch. If you can't scrape an extra $50 then maybe you should rethink buying an expensive smart phone period.
dr.pepper1 said:
$50 more than the EVO, over the life of the contract, is only $2 more per month. Not a big deal.
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This kind of thinking drives me insane. Why don't they charge $299 then? It's only $1 more a week for two years, compared to the EVO!
Consumers are like fruit trees. Some need a shaking for their money to fall off the tree. Some, you have to actually climb the tree to take their money. But the big bonus are the ones that leave their wallet hanging low so no shaking or climbing is necessary.
A lot of you guys seem to willingly fit the last description
Another good metaphor is when you compare consumers to high-school girls...
Either buy the phone or don't. But don't act like your being victimized just because the phone exceeds your personal and arbitrarily-derived spending limit for a smart phone.
My issue with the price is they already plan to get an extra $10 a month for the 4g that I don't intend to use and now another $50 on top of that, I'd guess I'm not alone in this situation. This makes the total cost to switch from my TP2 close to $500 which is making me rethink this phone. I really wanted a nice dev phone but at this price I might as well buy a nexus or something else off contract, or just wait another couple months for the next phone on Sprint which hopefully won't be 4g.
tonyn84 said:
My issue with the price is they already plan to get an extra $10 a month for the 4g that I don't intend to use and now another $50 on top of that, I'd guess I'm not alone in this situation. This makes the total cost to switch from my TP2 close to $500 which is making me rethink this phone. I really wanted a nice dev phone but at this price I might as well buy a nexus or something else off contract, or just wait another couple months for the next phone on Sprint which hopefully won't be 4g.
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Well if you decide to sell your TP2 it will help recoupe some of the cost.
So I have been thinking. What would I be willing to pay for a phone off contract? Well. Bought my Vibrant for off contract, and it took a nice piece out of my wallet.
So my question is for you guys, Would you be willing to pay for a phone off contract for the right price? What would that price be?
Please leave comments on what you think.
I realize this is a very general question but I'm turning to my fellow Vibrant owners first.
Question to you or anybody that bought it off contract...Do you guys have a data plan?
No data plan. The only reason I bought it off contract
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
emonero said:
Question to you or anybody that bought it off contract...Do you guys have a data plan?
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I bought 2 Vibrants off contract when T-Mo had some crazy Bing cash back - like 25% or something. I do have a data plan with both.
Now, we use Even More Plus, so between the two of us we're saving something like $40/month over the rates on an equivalent Even More plan. That quickly adds up to make buying off-contract a better option if you can get phones for even slightly below MSRP, and it's an absolute no brainer for a phone enthusiast who likes to switch often and trade on Ebay or Craigslist.
I'm very disappointed that EM+ seems to be going away. It's one of the reasons I switched to T-Mobile and IMO is about the best value in mobile.
Even more plus, bought off contract with payment plan (reimbursed through work though).
All of my phones eventually become my wife's phones when I choose to upgrade.
contract is a gimmick and you eventually pay full price for phone. What do you think that extra $20 or so month goes to
my no contract Even More 500TTW is $60 on contract its $80 no thanks
To quickly crunch some numbers...
On contact the phone cost roughly $200 and an additional $20 a month over the EM+ plan. Over the 24 month contract that equals a $680 phone.
From my perspective anything under that price is worth it. Not to mention out of contract allows for mobile flexibility should you need it.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Last fathers day I wanted to cash in on the 2 free phone deal, and being an existing tmobile member for the last 5 years I was not eligible, so I called them anyways and said I have been with tmobile for the last 5 years and want to cash in on this fathers day deal, long story short........got transfered to the loyalty department and they gave me 2 free phones of my choice with the signing off a 2 year contract when my current contract is up at my same no contract rate........here is the greatest part, I can choose any phone whenever I want. so haveing the G1 for so long I said screw it I'll take a Vibrant, now I still have 1 more free phone left to get, my girl likes my vibrant, so I was thinking of handing this one to her and grabbing the Nexus S, but we will see.
Anyways the moral of the story, call and talk to someone, be calm, and ask lots of questions, they are nice at tmobile and they will bend over backwards to keep you as a customer.
Edit: I should also say that I got my G1 for $20 + $50 mail in rebate, so I ended up getting paid $30 and signed a 1 year contract at my current grandfathered rate.......just call and talk to t-mobile
a400meter said:
To quickly crunch some numbers...
On contact the phone cost roughly $200 and an additional $20 a month over the EM+ plan. Over the 24 month contract that equals a $680 phone.
From my perspective anything under that price is worth it. Not to mention out of contract allows for mobile flexibility should you need it.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Well US phones typically have their bands locked down (or are missing bands). Mobile flexibility probably would amtter to someone who has i.e. a Nokia N8 with a pentaband radio - but a Vibrant doesn't have that.
Going on Contract is cheaper. If you ever want to switch carriers you can just ETF the contract. It goes down every month you're on the contract.
That way you don't have to come up with so much up front for the phone.
Also, you get rebates on contract phones that sometimes aren't available if you buy the phone off-contract (i.e. Web Deals, etc.).
If you do the calculations, off contract is cheaper in the long term.
Not by much considerimg it's over a 2 yeat period. Mosy people don't care.
Thr upfront cost for an unlocked phone is simply too high for most.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
For me, going off-contract was good. It saved me $20 (plus tax) a month on phone charges, and, since I am planning on keeping this phone for a while, it's more than paid for. For me, having a contract and "subsidized" phones means being locked in to the carrier, and ending up paying full price (or more) for the phone on the installment plan.
On contract here. I don't think I could shell out $400+ for a phone just to be an early adopter.
I pay $120 a month for the 700 min family plan which includes my Vibrant with data, 400 texts, insurance, 2 extra lines with 400 texts each and [email protected] home. I also get a %15 discount through my work. There is no other carrier that would come close too that price. I will always buy on contract and keep my grandfathered plan.
Haha i got it free from t-mobile somehow i forgot it has something to do with trading in crappy phones.
Two year contract got me a vibrant for free not on an upgrade ;p
The day this phone came out!!
nero beta
badaphooko01 said:
On contract here. I don't think I could shell out $400+ for a phone just to be an early adopter.
I pay $120 a month for the 700 min family plan which includes my Vibrant with data, 400 texts, insurance, 2 extra lines with 400 texts each and [email protected] home. I also get a %15 discount through my work. There is no other carrier that would come close too that price. I will always buy on contract and keep my grandfathered plan.
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Sprint would be cheaper. They have just as good discounts as tmo, better for us, but unfortunately no service..
Oh, and unlimited texts, too.
Important on a droid... No push notifications for most (this) phone for fb/twitter.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
N8ter said:
Well US phones typically have their bands locked down (or are missing bands). Mobile flexibility probably would amtter to someone who has i.e. a Nokia N8 with a pentaband radio - but a Vibrant doesn't have that.
Going on Contract is cheaper. If you ever want to switch carriers you can just ETF the contract. It goes down every month you're on the contract.
That way you don't have to come up with so much up front for the phone.
Also, you get rebates on contract phones that sometimes aren't available if you buy the phone off-contract (i.e. Web Deals, etc.).
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Click to collapse
The vibrant actually does have 3g bands for at&t, even though what you say about missing bands is usually true.
Regarding price, if you have a data plan, em+ saves at least $20/month versus contract pricing, so for contract to be cheaper you'd need to either save $480 on a phone, (or less, if you convince tmo to give you phones more frequently).
Now I only paid $300 for our vibrants after rebates, so it was clearly cheaper in our case.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
theres alot of talk of switching from this phone to that, but how do they do it? My dad has always handled the purchasing and contract stuff with tmobile, so i dont know. Theoretically if i wanted to switch from my vib to the G2 (NEVER!), would i just sell my vibrant and buy the G2 at full price?
note: this is just an example, G2's are stupid (for me)
Buying the phone outright, at least on T-Mobile, will give you cheaper rates. Part of your monthly bill is to pay back the difference between what the carrier paid for the phone and the discounted price they sold it to you for. For example, my Evo cost Sprint about $450 to buy it from HTC, however in exchange for a higher bill, they can sell it to me for $200 and make back the money about halfway into my contract. Like I said, I think only T-Mobile will give you lower rates if you choose not to buy the phone at a discounted price from them.
So yes, people usually buy them outright or they buy them for cheap off of friends or idiots on craigslist. If you do the math, most of the time it would cost you less to buy the phone for the full price if it means lower service cost. But most people want instant gratification and think...well they don't think lol.
A job helps. I buy my phones outright because the get more plus plan does not give upgrades, but over the long term, it saves money.
me i actually wait until the store is closed and "let myself in" and its usually a alot of phones out on display.
If you did not buy the phone outright (i.e. as an upgrade for cheap), and wanted to sell it and buy a different phone used, would that cause a problem for your account? Or would it just be as easy as logging into your T-Mobile account and selected a different device for "my phone"?
Terrier Hockey said:
If you did not buy the phone outright (i.e. as an upgrade for cheap), and wanted to sell it and buy a different phone used, would that cause a problem for your account? Or would it just be as easy as logging into your T-Mobile account and selected a different device for "my phone"?
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Once you pay for it, it's yours. You can do whatever the hell you want with it. Sell it, destroy it, whatever. As long as T-Mobile's getting their money, it doesn't matter.
dligon said:
me i actually wait until the store is closed and "let myself in" and its usually a alot of phones out on display.
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DEBO! lmao
IMHO, I'd say once a year is more than sufficient to upgrade your phone in terms of the technological jumps. Anymore than that seems like a waste of money. No one says you have to keep upgrading, its just a matter or preference. If you find a phone you love and works for you, stick with it. If you love having the cutting edge stuff and its worth it to you to spend the money, then by all means, spend spend spend.
a job and full price. lol. i haven't had a contract with tmob for like 4 years anyway...
but then again, i went from a g1 to the vibrant, but i typically get a new phone once a year. had a bb curve, wanted android and got the g1, cm wasn't cutting it on the g1 anymore, so i got the vibrant, when a substantially better phone comes out (dual core, better screen, honeycomb, etc), or the vibrant just isn't working for me i'll get a new one (likely the former).
that or my wife needs a new phone (she has a cliq...), so i may pawn my vibrant off on her and grab an sgs2 or vibrant 4g.
I have enormous piles of money all over my mansion. That's how.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
If you don't have any connections, then the best way is to go on T-mobile's cheap plans and then buy the phones used from a site like ebay or craigslist.
The typical cost for a new-ish smart phone is going to be right around $300... so you are paying more than the $200-with-contract price that T-mobile charges.... but you break even on the extra cost in 5-6 months by avoiding the extra monthly cost for service on a contract (since you buy the phone without signing up for a contract).
You can also usually sell the old phone for ~$100 after you unlock it, and put that money towards your next upgrade.
Right now, I plan to see how the battery life on the dual core phones goes. If battery life is improved, then I will shoot for device running "Ice cream" or whatever comes after honeycomb.
If battery life still sucks, then I will keep my Vibrant (and the 3 spare batteries I have for it) in the short term and keep an eye out for cheaper plans
Im in a college town and I can get things cheap off craigslist. I bought my second vibrant for 120 brand new with accessories. Just got an hd7 for 150 and ive bought 4 hd2 plus a couple broken ones from 40-150.
Key to buying phone monthly is patients, checking craigslist every couple hrs, and lowballing. I love to see a listing up for a couple days because its usually the green light.
Every phone i buy i usually see for 2x what I paid for.
Ive been living off my first real phones tmobile mda, samsung blackjack, and moto milestone. Ive been selling and buying since my mda. I try not to use my own money.
And all but not least I dont care for light cosmetic issues, thats what silicon cases are for.
imitebewrong said:
I have enormous piles of money all over my mansion. That's how.
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Lol
Sent from my LG-P500 using XDA App
intruda119 said:
Im in a college town and I can get things cheap off craigslist. I bought my second vibrant for 120 brand new with accessories. Just got an hd7 for 150 and ive bought 4 hd2 plus a couple broken ones from 40-150.
Key to buying phone monthly is patients, checking craigslist every couple hrs, and lowballing. I love to see a listing up for a couple days because its usually the green light.
Every phone i buy i usually see for 2x what I paid for.
Ive been living off my first real phones tmobile mda, samsung blackjack, and moto milestone. Ive been selling and buying since my mda. I try not to use my own money.
And all but not least I dont care for light cosmetic issues, thats what silicon cases are for.
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Click to collapse
Exactly. Thats what I do. Just buy phones, make profit, and keep the cycle going until you have the Phones you want and they cost nothing.
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serban954 said:
Exactly. Thats what I do. Just buy phones, make profit, and keep the cycle going until you have the Phones you want and they cost nothing.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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yup all my phones are a result of selling my PSP years ago.
xD
scrizz said:
yup all my phones are a result of selling my PSP years ago.
xD
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only thing I really paid for was my moto miletone. I loved that phone and it was perfect for me. Everything else is from my original purchase of my mda. I get mad when I hear people trying to choose phones or game systems ect. I just bought a newer white 360 with 20inch moniter for 65 bucks on craigslist. Now I got a 2nd moniter and my girl got another 360 exclusive for kinect. Or just sell it and make 200+ for it.
Next I will get atleast 300+ for my 32gb vibrant( this title will make me alot of moniesssss) soon.
funeralthirst said:
a job and full price. lol. i haven't had a contract with tmob for like 4 years anyway...
but then again, i went from a g1 to the vibrant, but i typically get a new phone once a year. had a bb curve, wanted android and got the g1, cm wasn't cutting it on the g1 anymore, so i got the vibrant, when a substantially better phone comes out (dual core, better screen, honeycomb, etc), or the vibrant just isn't working for me i'll get a new one (likely the former).
that or my wife needs a new phone (she has a cliq...), so i may pawn my vibrant off on her and grab an sgs2 or vibrant 4g.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really. All it takes is a brain. T-Mobile is addicted to promotions. I just upgraded my Vibrant to a HD7 for $200.
Free Online Promotion:
1. Order HD7 from T-Mobile as an Add-a-Line for $0 (they waive the Activation Fee) with a $15 Data Plan and Insurance.
2. Swap the SIMs in the Vibrant and HD7s.
3. Wait 2 Weeks.
3a. Sell the Vibrant for $200+
4. ETF the Line you added when you got the HD7 (it's using your older SIM*).
5. Total Price: $200 (Price of the phone for a new customer).
* You will still qualify for upgrade pricing when you would have if you had kept the Vibrant, because you still have the Vibrant SIM, you ETF'd the new SIM instead
If you're on T-Mobile, watch the promotions and wait. The only time you should feel like you have to get a new phone early is if you've been burned with an earlier purchase - like many [US] Galaxy S users feel they were.
intruda119 said:
only thing I really paid for was my moto miletone. I loved that phone and it was perfect for me. Everything else is from my original purchase of my mda. I get mad when I hear people trying to choose phones or game systems ect. I just bought a newer white 360 with 20inch moniter for 65 bucks on craigslist. Now I got a 2nd moniter and my girl got another 360 exclusive for kinect. Or just sell it and make 200+ for it.
Next I will get atleast 300+ for my 32gb vibrant( this title will make me alot of moniesssss) soon.
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Click to collapse
The newer 360s aren't White, they're black.
Unless you meant a newer white 360 that isn't guaranteed to fail on you sooner or later?
The new Black "S" or pre-"S" Elite Models are fine, though.
The white ones... I wouldn't spend anything on them.
Buy a phone from craigslist and sell your old one on craigslist.
N8ter said:
Not really. All it takes is a brain. T-Mobile is addicted to promotions. I just upgraded my Vibrant to a HD7 for $200.
Free Online Promotion:
1. Order HD7 from T-Mobile as an Add-a-Line for $0 (they waive the Activation Fee) with a $15 Data Plan and Insurance.
2. Swap the SIMs in the Vibrant and HD7s.
3. Wait 2 Weeks.
3a. Sell the Vibrant for $200+
4. ETF the Line you added when you got the HD7 (it's using your older SIM*).
5. Total Price: $200 (Price of the phone for a new customer).
* You will still qualify for upgrade pricing when you would have if you had kept the Vibrant, because you still have the Vibrant SIM, you ETF'd the new SIM instead
If you're on T-Mobile, watch the promotions and wait. The only time you should feel like you have to get a new phone early is if you've been burned with an earlier purchase - like many [US] Galaxy S users feel they were.
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yeah, you could do that. but you pay more monthly on a contract plan than a no contract plan. plus, if i have a problem with something (or want to go to a contract for a phone), tmob is much more receptive to what i want when i'm off contract (and they check how long i've had service with them).
and i think you mean cancel the new sim/line and pay the etf on that. otherwise you lose future upgrade capability on the existing line. you physically swap the sim card between the two phones, but you cancel the sim that came with the <new phone line>. sim cards can't be reused, so you wouldn't be able to make your old sim use the new line's number and i'm pretty sure a sim has to be associated with a line.
why wait 2 weeks and why buy insurance? or is the two weeks to make sure the imei of the new phone takes for insurance (i don't have phone insurance, it's pointless)?
the hd7? that's a downgrade... and 'get a new phone early'? two years (22 months) between new phones is ridiculous, or at least is for any smartphone. once a year is about right with how technology is moving on phones.
i'm much happier just paying full price than doing some 'activate new line, call and ***** they didn't waive the activation fee, make sure the imei transfered for insurance, cancel line, pay more each month, etc.' dance.
xmrtarox said:
Buy a phone from craigslist and sell your old one on craigslist.
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Click to collapse
That depends on where you live. Since this is the Vibrant forum I'll assume we're talking T-Mobile...
Not many people around here have T-Mobile, and their coverage is worst than Boost and Virgin so there are probably more people on Boost than on T-Mobile. Trying to sell a T-Mobile phone here won't get you anywhere.
Plus, the Value of these phones have gone down quite a bit.
Most people don't really see a point in buying a phone at off-contract prices, or anything close, because even if you buy at contract price and ETF 2 weeks later, the phone is cheaper.
So I rather buy on contract knowing I'm not poor and can ETF at any time on T-Mobile than buy a $500 phone and act like I'm better off because I'm off-contract.
$499 off contract, or $199 (with rebats) + $200 ETF fee two a few weeks later to end the contract?
Don't see a point in paying those prices for off-contract phones...
The contract prices only matter if you stay on the contract the entire time, but it's ALMOST ALWAYS cheaper to buy at contract price and ETF on T-Mobile later, than to buy an off-contract phone. You're actually throwing money away if you buy it off-contract.
That is precisely why AT&T and Verizon raised their ETF prices up about $100 bucks. To make the contract price + ETF = retail price. T-Mobile still hasn't, so it's cheaper to buy on contract and ETF break the contract after the first two weeks or month (depending on if you're waiting on rebates).
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.
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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!
I am going to be upgrading to the Note 4 via VZW Edge. I'm rooted and Rom'd and was wondering if you guys would think I'd need to go back to stock before giving my device in. I'm not doing warranty or anything like that so I don't see a reason they'd possibly be upset with anything? Anyway, thought I'd ask the folks.
BasPilot said:
I am going to be upgrading to the Note 4 via VZW Edge. I'm rooted and Rom'd and was wondering if you guys would think I'd need to go back to stock before giving my device in. I'm not doing warranty or anything like that so I don't see a reason they'd possibly be upset with anything? Anyway, thought I'd ask the folks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say it depends on the service rep. Some may check your phone and give you a hard time, others won't even check which was my experience. If you're nervous about it, remove Safestrap and Odin back to stock.
I am thinking I might just do it anyway to make sure I have a good wipe.
The Verizon Edge plans are a rip-off. Your better off going the regular contract upgrade route and selling the phone off when you want a new one.
Do the math...
I see Verizon Note3 Is going for 4-5 hundred on swappa.
Sent from my SCH-I905 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
MichaelMcC said:
I see Verizon Note3 Is going for 4-5 hundred on swappa.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hah, yeah right. You're more likely to get $300-350 for it. Just because people are asking $400-500 for theirs doesn't mean it's going to sell.
vmod32 said:
The Verizon Edge plans are a rip-off. Your better off going the regular contract upgrade route and selling the phone off when you want a new one.
Do the math...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really depends on what plan your on. If you are on a legacy plan (like me with unlimited data) it is a terrible deal. If you are on the more everything with 10gb of data so you get the $25 discount, it is a great deal.
With the the discount the phone would cost about $5 more a month with no upfront cost. Over 24 months that would be $120. The traditional upgrade would cost you $299.99 plus the upgrade fee.
Sent from my Note 4 using Tapatalk.
Mr. Toad said:
Really depends on what plan your on. If you are on a legacy plan (like me with unlimited data) it is a terrible deal. If you are on the more everything with 10gb of data so you get the $25 discount, it is a great deal.
With the the discount the phone would cost about $5 more a month with no upfront cost. Over 24 months that would be $120. The traditional upgrade would cost you $299.99 plus the upgrade fee.
Sent from my Note 4 using Tapatalk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah. The discounts essentially negate the cost of having a top of the line phone, which WAS upgraded once a year, now 18 months on the new Edge.... but still..... for people who like to keep in a top end device it's still a good deal.
vmod32 said:
The Verizon Edge plans are a rip-off. Your better off going the regular contract upgrade route and selling the phone off when you want a new one.
Do the math...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lets see.. If I want a single line for the SG5 retailed at $599.99, Individual plan starting at $60/mo unlimited talk+text 1GB
Two Year Contract:
Price for the phone - $199.99
Taxes: $47.92 (599.99 x .08)
Upgrade fee - $30
Total Today: $276.92
Per month: $60
If I multiply this by 24 months (and adding what I need to pay today)...60x24+276.92 = $1,716.92
Edge:
Price for the phone - $0
Price for edge - $25
Taxes: $47.92
Upgrade fee - $0
Total Today: $47.92
Per month: $60 (minus 15) = $45 + $25 = $70/mo
If I multiply this by 24 months (and adding what I need to pay today)... 70x24+47.92= $1,727.92
Doing the edge is roughly $10 more big deal. For some people, they don't want to dish out $200 on a contract and rather paying it slowly, thus edge. As for selling your device to get some extra cash, once you're done with edge you OWN the device. Early edge on the other hand requires you do return the device to cancel your contract and converting it to month to month.
To the OP: I think you should wipe and switch back to stock, you never know what may happen and they could deny your phone which then maybe cause you to pay for the phone you turn in as well.
Verizon reps do not pay attention. Once the phone is in their possession there is nothing Verizon can do in regards to "charging you for a rooted phone". All Verizon will do anyway is reflash, clean it up and resell as a refurbished phone.
chriskader said:
Verizon reps do not pay attention. Once the phone is in their possession there is nothing Verizon can do in regards to "charging you for a rooted phone". All Verizon will do anyway is reflash, clean it up and resell as a refurbished phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes in fact they can. If they find the software overly modded its 300 bucks. too much wear or a cracked screen 300 bucks. And the charge will just show up on your account. Also the reps do not get the phone the refurb center does and they do check them out.
RomsWell said:
Yes in fact they can. If they find the software overly modded its 300 bucks. too much wear or a cracked screen 300 bucks. And the charge will just show up on your account. Also the reps do not get the phone the refurb center does and they do check them out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. Don't risk trading the device in modded. Wipe it clean back to stock.
vmod32 said:
The Verizon Edge plans are a rip-off. Your better off going the regular contract upgrade route and selling the phone off when you want a new one.
Do the math...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not if you have unlimited data and still want a new device. I got the note 3 and will pay $320 after one year; I'll trade it in and get something new. I don't get to keep the device, but I never kept mine anyway, so I don't recoup my initial cost. If you have the means and unlimited data, it's a good deal/way to get a new device.
But if you keep the device for 2 years in EDGE, you're not using the program correctly. All the Verizon reps I've spoken with have said as much.