Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
Sep 19th 2014, 10:39 pm
#31
Lowering the tone
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 7,351
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
Sep 19th 2014, 10:47 pm
#32
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,348
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
He's in St Thomas. A friend of mine went to the Catholic High School. Maybe try there?
They don't sell phones though.
They don't sell phones though.
Sep 19th 2014, 10:53 pm
#33
half a century
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sarf Lundun to East Van :)
Posts: 10,222
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
Sep 19th 2014, 10:59 pm
#34
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,960
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
I don't really want another little gozit running about 
I've had an Otterbox Defender on my 3GS and my 5S. Very useful for a clumsy sod like me, plus one can let the small person hold the phone and if it is dropped it's ok (apart from into water, but they do have a waterproof one - for a certain value of waterproof).
As to the subject under discussion, the current plans from carriers are horrible. Around two years ago you could get an ok iPhone plan (200 local minutes, basic long distance, free calling to / from 10 numbers. unlimited picture and text messaging, visual voicemail, and 6GB of data) for around 65 + tax. To get a similar plan today, it is $125 plus tax. Even if you speak to the retentions departments you will be lucky to get it for $90 + tax a month.
I wasn't too unhappy to take a contract with Bell, for a new 5S, but they simply would not offer me a plan that could match what I already had (I was with them on a month to month with unlocked iPhone 3GS), so I decided to purchase an unlocked 5S from Apple. Yes the initial outlay was a lot more, but it will end up saving me money. How? Firstly, I get to keep the plan I'm on, and secondly, when and if I get a new phone, I can sell the iPhone 5S on and put that against the new phone purchase. As it's unlocked, that will allow the new user to go to whatever network they like.
Note: If you buy a "no term" phone from a carrier then I believe it is still locked to their network, and as with any locked phone, you'll have to pay to get it unlocked, and for iPhones it's $50 + tax. More gouging by the carriers! It does not cost $50 to send the IMEI to Apple's servers and request a wildcard unlock, nor does it require specially trained staff to do this either. In fact, in the UK O2 will allow you to unlock your phone phone for free (within certain conditions), and you can do it yourself via their website. Far more sensible.
As to the subject under discussion, the current plans from carriers are horrible. Around two years ago you could get an ok iPhone plan (200 local minutes, basic long distance, free calling to / from 10 numbers. unlimited picture and text messaging, visual voicemail, and 6GB of data) for around 65 + tax. To get a similar plan today, it is $125 plus tax. Even if you speak to the retentions departments you will be lucky to get it for $90 + tax a month.
I wasn't too unhappy to take a contract with Bell, for a new 5S, but they simply would not offer me a plan that could match what I already had (I was with them on a month to month with unlocked iPhone 3GS), so I decided to purchase an unlocked 5S from Apple. Yes the initial outlay was a lot more, but it will end up saving me money. How? Firstly, I get to keep the plan I'm on, and secondly, when and if I get a new phone, I can sell the iPhone 5S on and put that against the new phone purchase. As it's unlocked, that will allow the new user to go to whatever network they like.
Note: If you buy a "no term" phone from a carrier then I believe it is still locked to their network, and as with any locked phone, you'll have to pay to get it unlocked, and for iPhones it's $50 + tax. More gouging by the carriers! It does not cost $50 to send the IMEI to Apple's servers and request a wildcard unlock, nor does it require specially trained staff to do this either. In fact, in the UK O2 will allow you to unlock your phone phone for free (within certain conditions), and you can do it yourself via their website. Far more sensible.
i used to have that exact 6gb plan...
Sep 19th 2014, 11:01 pm
#35
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
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Sep 19th 2014, 11:08 pm
#36
half a century
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sarf Lundun to East Van :)
Posts: 10,222
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
Gozit - do we need to have the Contraception talk ???
Sep 19th 2014, 11:10 pm
#37
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
BE couldn't cope with an even younger poster
Sep 19th 2014, 11:11 pm
#38
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,348
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
Looks like it.
No parade Gozit. Although if you're that way inclined I'm sure there must be some nice boys around there somewhere.
As for coming looking for you, you're going to have to put some of the effort in yourself...
No parade Gozit. Although if you're that way inclined I'm sure there must be some nice boys around there somewhere.
As for coming looking for you, you're going to have to put some of the effort in yourself...
Sep 19th 2014, 11:12 pm
#39
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Location: SW Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,960
Sep 19th 2014, 11:14 pm
#40
half a century
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sarf Lundun to East Van :)
Posts: 10,222
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
Sep 19th 2014, 11:16 pm
#41
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,348
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
If that's what's needed, then the world's his oyster!
Sep 19th 2014, 11:23 pm
#42
Pictou County Superstar™
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: On top of the Green hill, NS
Posts: 4,219
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
I bought the cheapest android smartphone I could find, the other day. Cost $80 new (which includes $10 worth of service use).
After doing what I needed to do with it (boring development stuff), I put a $100 prepay payment on it. So it'll stay active as a cell/data/text capable device for the next year.
I think the point is, if you can get by using services mostly through WIFI connections, you can run a smartphone for a tiny fraction of the lifetime cost [that you're suggesting] someone might pay...
After doing what I needed to do with it (boring development stuff), I put a $100 prepay payment on it. So it'll stay active as a cell/data/text capable device for the next year.
I think the point is, if you can get by using services mostly through WIFI connections, you can run a smartphone for a tiny fraction of the lifetime cost [that you're suggesting] someone might pay...
Sep 20th 2014, 12:13 am
#43
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
Still in retrospect it was cooler than people give it credit for because at the time everyone thought D&D was played by evil satanists. On second thoughts, no even that can't save it.
Sep 20th 2014, 1:21 am
#44
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
They're a lot cleaner than they were in my day.
Sep 20th 2014, 1:33 am
#45
Bex in the city
Joined: Jun 2013
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 3,899
Re: Gozit's ultimate smartphone buying guide - Sept 2014
iPhone 6 