$139 Android phone...

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mp1

142 posts

Master Geek

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#85786 25-Jun-2011 03:56

Did anyone see an advert on Friday night television for an android phone costing $139, had $60 off and from memory it was the Vodafone 845. Does anyone know which retailer it was?

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869 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#485673 25-Jun-2011 09:18

Best not to go near it they are a complete waste of money, really bad quality. But i think it is JB HiFi

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jillann

102 posts

Master Geek

#485674 25-Jun-2011 09:24

It's Noel Leeming :)

mp1

142 posts

Master Geek

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#485683 25-Jun-2011 09:39

CdTDroiD: Best not to go near it they are a complete waste of money, really bad quality. But i think it is JB HiFi

I wondered that. I used to have a Vodafone 543 which is the model or two below the 845 (obviously didnt have android), and it was one of the worst phones i've ever owned. I used to phone people instead of sending an SMS as the touchscreen/keypad couldnt keep up with my tapping speed.

nitrotech

1285 posts

Uber Geek

#485688 25-Jun-2011 09:50

It's got a resistive screen so it's not the best, having said that the features you get for the price eg. wifi, gps, google nav etc make it a good budget device - review link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y6Yn6IFIbc

mp1

142 posts

Master Geek

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#485690 25-Jun-2011 09:52

nitrotech: It's got a resistive screen so it's not the best, having said that the features you get for the price eg. wifi, gps, google nav etc make it a good budget device - review link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y6Yn6IFIbc

Hmmm - i'll have a watch.

To be honest anything at the moment would beat my Huawei 6600 ($99 2degrees jobby)..

eXDee

4032 posts

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#485709 25-Jun-2011 11:10

tbh the IDEOS U8150 is worth the extra investment, for the decent screen. but if you want to get something cheap, then this has a lot of features, you just get what you pay for.

Wade

2225 posts

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#485715 25-Jun-2011 11:29

I just sold an as new 3mth old u8150 for $120 the other day, troll TM and you will pick one up for similar money I suspect

Linuxluver

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#485727 25-Jun-2011 12:15

mp1:
CdTDroiD: Best not to go near it they are a complete waste of money, really bad quality. But i think it is JB HiFi

I wondered that. I used to have a Vodafone 543 which is the model or two below the 845 (obviously didnt have android), and it was one of the worst phones i've ever owned. I used to phone people instead of sending an SMS as the touchscreen/keypad couldnt keep up with my tapping speed.

I've bought 2 of these VF 845 phones. My daughter has one and loves it. You can't get what is effectively a full blown smart phone for cheaper anywhere.

There are 4 things you need to do to make it usable:

1. Calibrate the resistive screen with a fine-tipped object like a stylus or kniting needle. DO NOT use your finger!

2. Buy and install the "SlideIt" swiping keyboard. Not Swype. Not some other hunt and peck QWERTY keyboard....SlideIt. This lets you press firmly on the screen and "slide" from letter to letter and it does actually get the right word most of the time. This gets around the soft keys being too small for the human fingertip as currently evolved. SlideIt is the swiping keyboard that isn't beta, doesn't accumulate word fragments...and does let you add words on the fly and create custom shortcuts.

3. Put a MicroSD in it. It doesn't come with one.

4. Buy a stereo Bluetooth headset. The wired ones that come with the phone are crap...but via Bluetooth it sounds as good as any phone at any price.

Big negative for the 845 for me is no wifi hotspot (as stock). But you can USB tether a PC to a dial-up modem on the phone? That sucks.

Set up this way, it will be as good as any resistive screen phone out there...for half the price.

Or pay the extra money and get a capacitive screen phone. That will always be better.

_____________________________________________________________________

I've been on Geekzone over 16 years..... Time flies....

kyhwana2

2563 posts

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#485742 25-Jun-2011 13:19

I have an 845, I don't use it as a phone though. It sits on the desk by my bedside and acts as a clock/omg I should look something up thing. (With no SIM)

As a full time phone, i'd stay away from it unless you really only have $140 to spend on a phone. (To be honest, you'd be better off spending a bit more cash on a IDEOS U8150)

nitrotech

1285 posts

Uber Geek

#485748 25-Jun-2011 13:36

kyhwana2: I have an 845, I don't use it as a phone though. It sits on the desk by my bedside and acts as a clock/omg I should look something up thing. (With no SIM)

As a full time phone, i'd stay away from it unless you really only have $140 to spend on a phone. (To be honest, you'd be better off spending a bit more cash on a IDEOS U8150)

Funny thing is that no matter what you do to the ideos it doesn't perform very well, it's great that it's got a capacitive screen (and will do multi touch with a custom rom) but the fact is that it's painfully slow - much slower in real world situations than the 845 (also with custom rom).

mp1

142 posts

Master Geek

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#485759 25-Jun-2011 14:26

kyhwana2: unless you really only have $140 to spend on a phone. (To be honest, you'd be better off spending a bit more cash on a IDEOS U8150)

To be honest it is probably about my limit, but I might wait a few weeks to increase my budget, and keep an eye out on TradeMe.

CdTDroiD

869 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#485780 25-Jun-2011 15:12

The 845 will never be as good as any capacitive phone. Your much better off getting something different I'd rather have a n95 or something. Try one first they are rubbish, save another 100 and you should be able to get a HTC Wildfire or something. Anyone who says these are good as any other capacitive phone has obviously not had both lol. Its just not worth wasting your money dude. Like I said get a n95 or something, then at least you will get a good camera then

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CdTDroiD

869 posts

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#485787 25-Jun-2011 15:24

I had a look for you...

HTC Desire $200 no reserve closes 22 hours
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Mobile-phones/Vodafone/HTC/auction-386609486.htm

10x better than the 845 you can hardly even call the 845 a smart phone, unless you have tiny little fingers you cant even use the keyboard properly, this is a proper smart phone ;)

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CdTDroiD

869 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#485792 25-Jun-2011 15:37

Heres another few...

Samsung B5722 (capacitive)
http://einfo.co.nz/shop/samsung-b5722-brown-p-18320.html

Sony x10 Mini (capacitive)
http://einfo.co.nz/shop/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-white-p-19375.html

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mp1

142 posts

Master Geek

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#496288 21-Jul-2011 14:36

I think i've narrowed it down to two phones now, i'm not a huge fan of anything Huawei really, but i'm hoping if its running android I won't have similar problems to what I have had recently. Not really hugely keen on the Vodafone 845 anymore.

Deciding between:

http://dicksmith.co.nz/product/E4057/ideos-trade-with-google-trade-powered-by-android

http://dicksmith.co.nz/product/E6849/lg-optimus-me

Both currently $229.00.

Whats the better phone of the two?

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