Amazulu

But that's what they've always done - treated their customers with contempt

Fortunately for them they have a captive audience......

Beoz

Got to take my hat off to Apple for marketing. The great man Steve Jobs was a master at knowing how to bring products to market. I didn't even know the Note 4 was recently released but Apple is everywhere. U2 must have cost a fortune.

Their fan base should be telling Apple to put those funds back into their inferior product.

Amazulu

I cracked the screen of my Sony mobile phone so needed to get a spare until I can get a new digitiser. After some research I went for the Motorola G 4G. It was listed at $218 unlocked at TGG but I managed to get it for $205 (maybe the cheapest in the world). For that money it is a total bargain. Beautifully built - looks and feels way more expensive, somewhat like the more expensive Galaxies, more pixels than a Apple 5S, Snapdragon processor, MicroSD slot, stock kitkat, boots quickly and has a very responsive screen

A great phone

Downsides are the camera is not very good (5MP), only 8Gb internal and limited to 32Gb on the MicroSD. Also only a 4.5" screen - which is much smaller than I am used to

Overall I'm very impressed. Great value for $200

Beoz

Nice

I'm after a cheap and nasty, unlocked phone that will allow me to tether.

I'm off to the UK shortly, I have a UK sim but its stuck in an old Nokia without tethering capabilities and I want to be able get internet access at local rates on my Oz Samsung by tethering of a local phone.

Any ideas?

Swerv-o

Have a look at the Kogan Agora - I bought one for my mother, and she really likes it - it's been pretty dependable, 4G and also has dual sim if that's useful to you.

Kogan Agora

Currently $209 including shipping...


S

Beoz

Thanks Swerv-o. I was trying to get away with something way cheaper. Perhaps a second hand something. I only need it for a few weeks.

I always find it a ball ache when I go to the UK and I have 2 phones, one which is crap and I only use for local calls in the UK and the other which is good, but only useful when hooked up to a wifi.

I was thinking there must be so many redundant yet tether ready, call ready and text message ready phones out there.

GarryP

OK, you can pick up the Moto G 4G in the UK (via Tesco) for £105 (~$194) at the moment and unlock it for ~£1.60.

Tesco Mobile Motorola Moto G™ + 4G White/Black - £105 with New Customer code @ Tesco Direct - Hot UK Deals

As I understand it, the UK and Australian versions have the same 4G bands (1, 3, 7, 8, 20)

Major advantage is obviously that it will be supported by Motorola, whereas a chinese phone won't. The lollipop rollout has started for this phone.

Tethering is more a matter of carrier policies than anything though, some do, some don't.

rasen78

Can you not just unlock your current phone and get a cheap 3/4g sim in London? Loads for sale at the airport. I got one PAYG, think I just paid 15 quid for it which gave something like 300 minutes, 300 texts and 2-3 gb of data.

Beoz

Yes I could, but I will need both on at the same time. The Oz business won't sleep while I'm away.

I think the trick here might be asking around and see if someone has an old phone, that tethers, that I can unlock, or wait til I get to the UK and ask around there.

rasen78

Ahh I see. In that case, can't help you :-p maybe see if someone can get an oldie off ebay for you?

Amazulu

I'd wait until you get there. A few years ago we picked up a phone with GBP25 credit for GBP25 - so basically a free phone - at Carphone Warehouse. Crappy phone but great for what we needed. We still have it

For tethering you're going to need some kind of smartphone I'd imagine

This LG has 3G and tethering and has good reviews - GBP50:
LG L20 sim only deals & offers | The Carphone Warehouse

Beoz

I already have 2 old crappy phones from the UK I bought on my last 2 visits. Really need something with tethering this time round.

Good spot on the L20 - I see it for GBP20 at carphonewarehouse. Might add a 3rd phone to the growing list

I wonder if it tethers.

Beoz

Apparently the L20 does tether.

LG L20 specs

and it only comes in whitepink at the Carphonewarehouse.

Winner all round.

Amazulu

Looks like you can get it in black and blue/white too?

I have nothing against pink but I draw the line when it comes to phones!

GarryP

Thought this plot was kind of interesting.



even with their customary Q4 bump, the apple numbers are declining away to less than 10% at some point this year (customarily the 'irrelevance' level). Each bump has been less than the last as less people buy the 'new' phone - trending consistently down over the years.

At the same time, the android phones have reached a performance plateau - no real point in upgrading on a 1 or 2 yearly cycle, the phones are all bigger than 5 inch and with all the resolution you can eat. The money is going instead to the cheap phones and cheap manufacturers - producing a 'good enough' product at a price <$200.

Something will have to break this year, the big brands can't suffer the stock market reverse that seems in the offing off of a stagnant market that won't pay top dollar for phones any more.