Chinese phones.

[Sean]

So, you have a Galaxy S4 or HTC One or Experia Z. Good for you. What did you pay for it? I was going to get a HTC One until my phone carrier started to be an arsehole about price plans and data usage. So I started looking into the Chinese market. And discovered Xiaomi. If you haven't heard of them, believe me, you will. They're three years old and now a $10 billion company. The Xiaomi Mi2s is the fastest phone in the world. It beats the S4 octa on Antutu. Price? About 350 USD.

I was gonna get one of those until I realised that Xiaomi are about to release the Mi3. Snapdragon 800, 5" 1080p screen, 2GB ram. It's going to piss all over everything else on the market.

September 17th, people, make a note.

 

[kbate]

My upgrade isn't for another 13 months. I don't buy new phones, I wait and get it free. My ego doesn't require the latest, fastest, bestest phone; nor does anything else I do.

 

[Sean]

My upgrade isn't for another 13 months. I don't buy new phones, I wait and get it free. My ego doesn't require the latest, fastest, bestest phone; nor does anything else I do.

If you're on a contract, you're paying through the nose anyway. I'll never go back to to a contract phone again.

 

[kbate]

If you're on a contract, you're paying through the nose anyway. I'll never go back to to a contract phone again.

I've never done the research to see if I can get 6 phones cheaper without a contract than I can with one. Probably never will because the price isn't killing me and worrying about phones isn't something I need to add to the list of things to worry about

 

[Liar]

I was gonna get one of those until I realised that Xiaomi are about to release the Mi3. Snapdragon 800, 5" 1080p screen, 2GB ram. It's going to piss all over everything else on the market.

Same specs as the new LG. Getting my hands on that tomorrow for eval. Premium price tag though.

 

[Sean]

I've never done the research to see if I can get 6 phones cheaper without a contract than I can with one. Probably never will because the price isn't killing me and worrying about phones isn't something I need to add to the list of things to worry about

Hey, I'm a nerd, so sue me. I will say that bill pay customers get ripped off, though. It's only since I've actually been working in the field that I've realised how much.

 

[RobDownSouth]

I upgrade my phone on Labor Day weekend on odd-numbered years, and was not happy to find out that Verizon unilaterally extended my upgrade period to January. Bastids.

 

[planetqueen]

I need a new phone - and have just been putting it off and doing without. the reason for this is just because I can not be arsed to think about which one to get. I don't have a phone at all and it is getting difficult.

If you just tell me which one to get - that would be great - thanks.

 

[Sean]

Same specs as the new LG. Getting my hands on that tomorrow for eval. Premium price tag though.

The LG? Gimme a review when you get it. The Xiaomi is going to be about a quarter of the price.

 

[Sean]

I upgrade my phone on Labor Day weekend on odd-numbered years, and was not happy to find out that Verizon unilaterally extended my upgrade period to January. Bastids.

It's weird, the land of the free has the most monopolized mobile phone market in the world. Even your broadband market is a rip off compared to the rest of the world.

 

[lovetoread]

Nokia windows phone dear, those are the bestest.

 

[planetqueen]

Nokia windows phone dear, those are the bestest.

any particular one - or should I just ask for that.

I had one of those big Samsung ones - which I liked - but I dropped in the loo

 

[lovetoread]

any particular one - or should I just ask for that.

I had one of those big Samsung ones - which I liked - but I dropped in the loo

I have this one

http://www.nokia.com/global/products/phone/lumia920/

 

[Sean]

Nokia windows phone dear, those are the bestest.

any particular one - or should I just ask for that.

I had one of those big Samsung ones - which I liked - but I dropped in the loo

If you want a cheap, good phone. http://www.fastcardtech.com/Jiayu-G3T

 

[planetqueen]

I have this one

http://www.nokia.com/global/products/phone/lumia920/

If you want a cheap, good phone. http://www.fastcardtech.com/Jiayu-G3T

Thank you

 

[islandman]

You've made them 2.5X bigger by revenue than they actually are.

Other than that, meh.

 

[Sean]

You've made them 2.5X bigger by revenue than they actually are.

Other than that, meh.

http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-valued-at-10-billion-2013-8

 

[Liar]

I have this one

http://www.nokia.com/global/products/phone/lumia920/

The 920 is nice. It weighs like a brick though.

 

[Liar]

any particular one - or should I just ask for that.

I had one of those big Samsung ones - which I liked - but I dropped in the loo

Which is why I tend to recommend Sony's Xperia Go, Xperia S or Xperia Z depending on your price range. They're waterproof.

 

[islandman]

http://www.businessinsider.com/xiaomi-valued-at-10-billion-2013-8

That's valuation.

They're on track to be a $4.4B company - http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/16/xiaomi-announces-2-16-billion-revenue-in-1h-2013/

 

[Sean]

That's valuation.

They're on track to be a $4.4B company - http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/16/xiaomi-announces-2-16-billion-revenue-in-1h-2013/

Still not bad for a three year old company. And their kit is the shiznit.

As soon as they allow pre-orders for the Mi3, I'm ordering one.

 

[lovetoread]

The 920 is nice. It weighs like a brick though.

You get used to it.

 

[islandman]

Still not bad for a three year old company. And their kit is the shiznit.

As soon as they allow pre-orders for the Mi3, I'm ordering one.

I dunno.

Everything data-related that comes out of China has a hardline to the MofInformation.

 

[Sean]

I dunno.

Everything data-related that comes out of China has a hardline to the MofInformation.

LOL. The first thing you do with an android is root it. And if they want to track my pre-pay account, fair play to them.

 

[islandman]

LOL. The first thing you do with an android is root it. And if they want to track my pre-pay account, fair play to them.

I've seen SoCs come out of China that sends CDRs back to the motherland at the component level. Not sure rooting it will stop that. In any event, not a headache I'm willing to spend money on.