Mobile phone hire anyone?

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dpw

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Topic # 84143 25-May-2011 14:49
Sadly my HTC Desire is now on its way back to Clove for repairs. This leaves me without a device to tether my Macbook Pro to while I'm out and about. Is there such thing as smartphone hire in NZ? I have plenty of data allowance on my current Vodafone plan so I don't fancy buying a Vodem for $79. It'd be fantastic if there is such a service in NZ, or perhaps someone with a suitable spare phone willing to rent it out for a fee? Cheers, D. Move along... nothing to see here...

mp1

138 posts

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Reply # 473970 25-May-2011 15:05
VodaRent will do you a Nokia 1600 for $5 a day... Not really a "smart" phone though.

everybodylovesfebs

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Reply # 473988 25-May-2011 15:44
out of interest what happened to your desire? i've got an htc desire hd myself

dickytim

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Reply # 473991 25-May-2011 15:45
I have an acer glofiish x610 you can have for $25 plus postage, don't know if it can tether. Never mind just remembered it is not 3G. I know a little more than nothing but not much...

kiwitrc

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Reply # 473994 25-May-2011 15:51
I have said that before somewhere that there is a market out there for mobile hire, if only to allow you to grab a phone for a few weeks to try before you buy. DPW I was just going to buy a cheapy Huawei Ideos 8150 to use when my Desire went back (reboot fault per chance?) Then flick it at a discount when my Desire came back.

dpw

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Reply # 474081 25-May-2011 18:05
My Desire had a dodgy USB connector. It started with intermittently dropping data connection, then won't make data connection at all but still charged the battery. In the last week it started charging only intermittently, and on the last couple of days it wouldn't even charge the battery. No reboot problems though. I currently have a Huawei X5 review unit for a couple of weeks courtesy of my brother - once that goes back I will be smartphone-less again. On a side note - when I ordered my phone it took a long time to get to NZ due to the unpronounceable Icelandic volcano. Guess what? This time around another Icelandic volcano threw a wobbly as my phone made its way to the UK! WTF?!?! kiwitrc, where were you planning to get that cheapy from? I haven't looked closely at that model, does it have 3G, and can it do wifi tethering without rooting? Move along... nothing to see here...

kiwitrc

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Reply # 474083 25-May-2011 18:17
Hey Dany, I think my Desire was on the flight before yours back then :) Re Ideos I was just going to grab on TradeMe http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/SearchResults.aspx?searchType=all&searchString=huawei+ideos+u8150&ty... When my Desire went back to Clove last year due to the reboot issue that a few had it took 6 weeks in total. Is yours out of warranty? If so you can send it to Singapore or HK which would be quicker.

dpw

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Reply # 474084 25-May-2011 18:30
Yeah, my phone is still under warranty - thankfully it's 2 years warranty according to Clove website. I didn't know about Singapore/HK - that would've been quicker indeed, but probably would've triggered a volcano in Indonesia, or somewhere else nearby... Move along... nothing to see here...

kiwitrc

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Reply # 474086 25-May-2011 18:38
2 Years! I didnt realise that, I will tell my mate you bought it off me. Yeah you could have spawned the HTC Krakatoa! Actually has a nice ring to it, excuse the pun.

dpw

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Reply # 474095 25-May-2011 19:24
kiwitrc: 2 Years! I didnt realise that, I will tell my mate you bought it off me. Yeah you could have spawned the HTC Krakatoa! Actually has a nice ring to it, excuse the pun. You've sold your Desire? What are you using now? HTC Krakatoa makes for a cool model name actually :) Move along... nothing to see here...

kiwitrc

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Reply # 474100 25-May-2011 19:35
My Desire had the same fault twice, rebooting when I did almost anything, I lost faith in it even though when it went it was a fantastic phone. Got a Samsung SGS 2 now.

dpw

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Reply # 474101 25-May-2011 19:38
kiwitrc: My Desire had the same fault twice, rebooting when I did almost anything, I lost faith in it even though when it went it was a fantastic phone. Got a Samsung SGS 2 now. That's a pity - at least your new phone is a very drool-worthy one. How do you find it compared to the Desire in its fully functional days? Move along... nothing to see here...

dpw

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Reply # 474129 25-May-2011 20:17
Another question - does the Huawei U8150 work on Vodafone network? Some of those auctions were listed under 2degrees category. Move along... nothing to see here...

kiwitrc

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Reply # 474183 25-May-2011 22:05
SGS2 vs Desire took a bit of getting used to, just the change from Sense to Touchwizz really I guess. I prefer Sense but getting used to TW. I was fairly familiar with TW as my Wife and son have the SGS1. I would probably still be with the Desire if it wasnt for the faults I had and the constant running out of space ( I did root eventually) Having said all the above the SGS2 is a very very nice phone, camera is great, 1080p video yadda yadda, also I have a Samsung LCD TV so I can play my video, music (not that I ever would) and photos across the wifi direct to the TV. Re your other question, 2deg and Voda use the same freqs, in fact outside the main centres if you are on 2Deg, you are being carried on Voda networks.

dman

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Reply # 477492 3-Jun-2011 16:18
dickytim: I have an acer glofiish x610 you can have for $25 plus postage, don't know if it can tether. Never mind just remembered it is not 3G. still willing to sell it for 25? it is on VF right? dpw: Another question - does the Huawei U8150 work on Vodafone network? Some of those auctions were listed under 2degrees category. yes, pretty much any phone which works on 2D works on VF (and the reverse is true too) good phone btw for the price, I have it Who I am: multi time Ironman finisher, University of Auckland graduate, Freelancer (mainly focused on website development, message me for work). twitter.com/TersoIT