So T-Mobile has this new thing where they are switching everyone to super-cheap plans and no longer offering discounts on their phones.
Yesterday, I dropped my MyTouch and the screen is now all cracked and spiderwebby and stuff. It works, but it’s hard to see bits of it and it’s only a matter of time before it dies. As a result, I need to obtain a new smartphone, and don’t want to spend the ~$500ish T-Mobile stores seem to want for non-discounted ones.
I don’t need something “state of the art”; this MyTouch doodad had been out for at least a year when I got mine, and before that I had a G1 that had been out for 3-4 years I think.
My wife just got a Galaxy something-or-other 4G and that seems like it’d do me fine.
So, where do I go? I know I can get a used phone on eBay for peanuts, but I don’t want to have to worry about the phone being stolen or no longer warranted or any of that stuff. So I need to buy it from an authorized outlet - but cheap.
I don’t think you can beat buying the Nexus 4 off-contract directly from Google for $299. For some reason it’s much more inexpensive through them than getting the phone from T-Mobile off-contract. I’ve been testing the phone for the last week and it is excellent. Unfortunately, I don’t get T-Mobile signal in my office so it’s going back.
If your price point is very, very low, why not just buy the cheap ones off eBay? You don’t need a warranty if you can just buy another cheap one should it get stolen or broken.
I am somewhat concerned that something I buy from eBay might have data mining software or other nasties on it. AIUI, I would have to root the phone in order to format it and ensure there are no such nasties, and while I might be a more advanced user than Granny, smartphone operating systems are beyond my ken.
I was hoping to spend in the $200 range. I could totally swing $300 for the Nexus 4, though.
That’s pretty overkill. I mean…I suppose it’s technically possible for the previous owner to install a root-level program that data mines and tries to steal your passwords or CC info, and that a regular, non-root level, format won’t erase that program…but very unlikely.
Just buy from a reputable eBay seller with a high rating and you’ll be fine.
My suggestion, for a good inexpensive smartphone on Tmobile:
Go to Walmart (in person or on-line), buy a new Exhibit II for TMobile ($160 or so), ignoring the packaging that says it’s for pre-paid minutes only. Take the SIM card out of your current TMobile phone and put it in the Exhibit II.
Enjoy 4G smartphone with decent speed and display.
[many pre-paid phones are locked down and won’t work with a regular SIM card, but the Exhibit II will. I know from multiple experience. If you’re really worried, buy it in person, and test it right there, so you can return in instantly if it doesn’t work with your SIM card]
Ehh…I’d be wary of this. The Exhibit II is an older model. It runs a version of Android that is now 3 versions behind (it’s on 2.3, will never, ever get an update from Samsung. Android is currently on 4.2, though to be fair, most of the “Flagship Phones” form the manufacturers are, at best, only on 4.1. Only a few phones/tablets (Galaxy Nexus, Nexus, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10) are at 4.2.)
But that’s still 2 versions behind what a lot of current phones are at. So it won’t be long before several apps might not work properly. In addition, it has some lower-tier specs, so even running an older version of Android, it doesn’t do it well.
Looks like the Exhibit II is $180, and is roughly equivalent hardware to the phone I already had. At that price point I think I’d rather just drop the additional $120 and get the Nexus 4 (which is what I’m leaning toward doing anyway, having spent the day looking at the prices for other “state of the art” phones and been shocked at how much less the Nexus 4 is).
Used Galaxy Nexus? Just avoid the Sprint & Verizon models as their radios won’t work with T-Mobile. The standard Galaxy Nexus will, though, same radio capabilities as the Nexus 4. Up to date software, and not bad hardware at all, if not quite as shiny as the 4.
I’ve had my Nexus 4 for about a week, and it’s absolutely amazing. Even when I compare it to my Nexus 7 tablet. I would highly recommend that to you. The only drawbacks are its fixed memory size (no microSD card slot), and battery life. I can still get about a day’s worth of use out of it before charging, but it seems to drop a lot faster than either of my two previous Android phones. I’m going to chalk that up to its relatively large screen size. Get the 16GB version if you want a lot of apps, music, or video, though.
Thanks. I’ve been using a 2GB microSD card in my current phone for a couple of years so I doubt I’ll fill 8GB. Unless I find some totally amazing deal I think I’m going with the N4 - so a big thank you is due to ReticulatingSplines!
Hey, awesome! Enjoy it - it’s the best Android phone I’ve ever used, and if you want to take it to AT&T or something after your contract is up, you can do that too.
So, the Nexus 4 is now dying. I cracked the corner of the screen like six months ago, and it hasn’t spread, but the volume and screen on/off buttons now work only intermittently.
I need a replacement, but the Nexus 6 is $650 (!) and out of stock anyway. Suggestions?
The sales model is truly odd (you need either an invite to purchase one, or catch one of their 1-hour presales that are open to the public), but it’s easily the best deal out there.
Otherwise, check places like Cowboom.com for a lightly used compatible Android.