[slackline]

misses just got a new S3 and 600mins, unlimited text and 650mb data for £22 month 24month contract with a bit of haggling which was too good not to get.

Does she use that many minutes/texts/data?

They S3 are £284 to buy outright and you can get similar packages for roughly £10/month SIM only.  Over a two year period this doesn't really save much (£4) but you're not tied into a two year contract, and can thus sell the phone before two years and lots of depreciation.

Anyone looking for a new phone would benefit from using Bill Monitor (Ofcom approved) which points you to the "best contract" (customisable) based on the last three months of your phone usage.  I get emails telling me I can save £0.24/year if I switched contracts.

[tomtom]

I just had some spam from Expansys.com - they've got the S3 mini for £179..... sim/contract free etc...

[Bubba]

S3 Mini doesn't get great reviews...

[Jaspersharpe]

Life isn't complicated. You get what you pay for.

Unless you want an imprint of an apple on your phone.

Bless you.

[mrjonathanr]

S3 Mini doesn't get great reviews...

t

I have one. Works fine foe basics, I don't do anything too technical. A bit difficult to see screen in v bright sunlight.
£17 a month for 24 months w 02.

[Jim]

misses just got a new S3 and 600mins, unlimited text and 650mb data for £22 month 24month contract with a bit of haggling which was too good not to get.

Does she use that many minutes/texts/data?

They S3 are £284 to buy outright and you can get similar packages for roughly £10/month SIM only.  Over a two year period this doesn't really save much (£4) but you're not tied into a two year contract, and can thus sell the phone before two years and lots of depreciation.

£22 a month for 24 months split as follows:
£10 month for 24 months for phone = £240 for phone, roughly £50 saving on phone.
£12 a month for 24 months for tariff, I bet you can't find anything that comes anywhere close to that sort of allowance for £12 a month sim only so irrelevant if she uses that much or not, and no there wasn't a lower tariff that we could of had.

[Jaspersharpe]

Also the good thing with those new O2 contracts is you're not "tied in" as such cos you can always pay the phone bit off whenever you want. It's basically £12 a month contract for a load of usage and an interest free loan to buy the phone.

I'm getting the same for Mrs S tomorrow (and she uses most of the 600 mins too).

 

[slackline]

  Interesting, thanks for sharing details.

[slackline]

Back on topic Android remote lockdown live.

[slackline]

Cyanogenmod for all \o/

Raised $7million to build a "better" Android

An interesting post from the developer of Focal, CyanogenMods own camera on the direction CyanogenInc may be taking which seems somewhat contradictory if its bears out as suggested.

[Paul B]

Although I had a few (massive) headaches with my newly acquired Nexus 7 II, now that it's up and running I'm really pleased with it, the implementation of separate user profiles makes it much easier to share with Nat without it becoming a mess.

It also looks like the Nexus 10 MK II has been tentatively announced (vague specs and a release date of one day before the next iPad). Essentially it looks like the same tablet with a slightly lighter (same res.) screen and potentially a micro SD slot (it'll also run the newest version of Android, KitKat).

My parents are currently looking for a 10" tablet and whilst previously I'd have suggested an iPad (for the "just works" aspect) the Nexus 10 original is currently being discounted and looks like it'll do everything they want for much cheaper (the only vaguely complex thing is my Dads music collection [12Gb] which he uses extensively on multiple devices but Google music looks like a solution?) the rest of the things they require are fairly standard (browsing, sky player etc.). Have I missed a glaringly obvious failing of the device which would make an iPad superior?

[slackline]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/googles-iron-grip-on-android-controlling-open-source-by-any-means-necessary/

[Muenchener]

I'm looking for a reasonably robust, reasonably cheap smartphone for my 10 yo son.

I have a Motorola Defy+ as my mountain phone and it's close to fitting the bill - available for 130 Euros on amazon.de and definitely robust: I've had mine in my jacket pocket on heinous weather alpine hikes when I was soaked to the skin for hours, and it was fine. It's rather slow though, and comes with an ancient version of android (and doesn't seem to be supported by CyanogenMod without extensive risky fiddling that I can't be bothered with)

So: should I just get another one of these, or is there something similar but more modern and not too much more expensive?

[tomtom]

Its not android, but the Nokia 520 has had very good reviews (and I believe is the best selling WP8 handset) - and is about that price...

[slackline]

No idea of the spec of the model you mention but if its not high and you want something half decent consider second hand.  Samsung Galaxy S2 would be my biased recommendation (not being flush enough to buy a new phone every week and compare them).  Mine survives everything I throw at it, getting wet in pocket whilst cycling, taken up routes in the Dolomites, cragging etc. etc.  Recently installed CyanogenMod-10.1.3 on it, its very nice and as I'd already rooted my phone was a piece of piss to install (even more so as I purchased the pro version of MobileOdin which is a brilliant app).

[Bubba]

I've just got rid of my Samsung Galaxy S2 and it was a great phone.  It's the first time I've felt like I didn't really need to upgrade even after 2yr contract had run out.

About £130 on ebay for an unlocked used one:

example 1

example 2

[Jaspersharpe]

 

I only upgraded cos mine had a smashed screen (fortunately about a week before I was due an upgrade).

What have you got now then Bubba?

[Bubba]

S4 - very nice, the screen is stunning

[Jaspersharpe]

 

[Paul B]

Its not android, but the Nokia 520 has had very good reviews (and I believe is the best selling WP8 handset) - and is about that price...

The mother-in-law has just got one of these and I was really impressed with it, especially given she was paying less than £10/month (with terrible amounts of data, but still).

I even considered going that direction as a cheap solution (three offered Nat and I a really cheap deal if we were taking out two contract) but I just don't know enough about Win mobile (and haven't yet had chance to look into it). Something tells me I just won't like it.

[tomtom]

Its not android, but the Nokia 520 has had very good reviews (and I believe is the best selling WP8 handset) - and is about that price...

The mother-in-law has just got one of these and I was really impressed with it, especially given she was paying less than £10/month (with terrible amounts of data, but still).

I even considered going that direction as a cheap solution (three offered Nat and I a really cheap deal if we were taking out two contract) but I just don't know enough about Win mobile (and haven't yet had chance to look into it). Something tells me I just won't like it.

£100 sim free if you look around... cheap for the real estate it buys...

I had an 820 for a while (until the screen cracked) and I really liked it - WP8 is fine and does some things much better than the others (contact integration for one - and one place where all you facewipe/twitter etc.. updates were focussed). I was lured back into iOS by the screen breaking experience and MrsTT's constant nagging that I couldnt face time her etc.. That said I like the ip5.. But fondly look back on my WP8 experiences..

[slackline]

Interesting article on external storage direction under Android

[B Diamond]

Got me a 64gb card on my Galaxy Note. Still gets eaten up by HD images and video,.. and also ROMs

[Fultonius]

I picked up a new phone about a month ago after my old HTC Sensation went the full distance down a route the other day, and probably finished up in a crevasse.

So, what I got to replace was pretty much the most poorly named phone I could imagine NGM Dynamic Fun

What a brilliant phone! It's about the right size for my liking, runs Android, is DUAL SIM!! and has great battery life (3 days of moderate use, 5 days if barely used). Ok, the screen doesn't have amazing viewing angles, it can be a tiny bit laggy at times and probably doesn't have a warranty (it's Italian...) but I think it's great value for money - I got mine for €140)

[slackline]

The history of Android: The endless iterations of Google’s mobile OS (from 0.5 to 4.4)