First timer Android suggestion?

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rayonline

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#154694 4-Nov-2014 17:49

A family member is getting his first Smartphone after his HTC Wildfire which he didn't really use. Budget is a big issue. He has looked at the Samsung Trend or Ace. How are these? I guess he wants to get into apps he has tried/ borrowed that 4" Huawei and the memory crashed out. How much are we looking at in terms of price?

And should he prefer to have NFC and Miracast how much does the price bump up to?

I haven't told him yet but the new Motorola G 2? Of course there are the Nexus 5, Galaxy S4 and S3 but they are more pricey. Is the S3 still ok?

Cheers.

saeran

139 posts

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#1168702 4-Nov-2014 17:57

Moto G2 is undoubtedly the way to go.
http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=2791866

If NFC + Miracast are a must, the S3 is okay, but I wouldn't recommend it. Samsung isn't providing software updates for it anymore by looks. Moto G will be supported for a long time.

Nexus 5 is good if you need NFC + Miracast. It's not too bad price wise either at the moment. Also being a Nexus it will be supported for a very long time.
http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=2325111

jeffnz

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#1168704 4-Nov-2014 18:01

I'd second the Moto G, I'm a Samsung fanboy but flash custom rom's so don't have an update issue.

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NikT

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#1168833 4-Nov-2014 20:46

If you can give us an actual budget and some must-have features, we'll be better able to help. :)

- Battery life?
- Camera?
- Which network will he be using, would 4G or HD Voice be an advantage? (IMO they always are)
- Concerned at all about device updates/longevity?

Objectively good Android devices with reasonably long-term support for updates start from $199 for the Moto E. Anything less and I'd suggest taking a look at Windows Phones, the Lumia 530 is a steal at $99 on sale. If he's okay paying more, there's a lot of great choices at the $300-$400 mark, including the Moto G 4G, Smart 4 power, Asus Zenfone 5 LTE, and Nexus 5.

Would probably not recommend the Ace or Trend series, but then I speak from an enthusiast perspective.

Product Manager @ PB Tech

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Wade

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#1168854 4-Nov-2014 21:13

I have a moto g 2014, for their price point there is not a better phone IMHO

Its basically a baby nexus, the gen 2 model is the one to get, the camera is far superior to the gen1, has gyroscope sensor, SD slot, twin front facing speakers etc. Soon to get lollipop update and possibly more in due course.

Possible negative is lack of LTE but to be honest in real world terms it almost a moot point, nice to have but far from critical

MrGanye

51 posts

Master Geek

#1172437 10-Nov-2014 21:15

I got a nexus 5 for my first android phone and love it. If that is too expensive then I would definitely go for the moto g

ilovemusic

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#1172733 11-Nov-2014 11:55

i recently bought a samsung ace 3 for a friend when it was on special at jb hi-fi

a nice starter phone with plenty of good features and fairly easy to use for a smartphone novice.

it's no moto g but was much cheaper at only $148

only thing to be wary of is the telecom/spark sourced aces (t suffix in the model code) have a slightly thicker body so most ace cases will not fit.

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wasabi2k

2102 posts

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#1172745 11-Nov-2014 11:58

if you want a positive experience of android - the moto g. By a significant margin.

Low end - particularly the low end Samsungs are GARBAGE.

lNomNoml

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#1172830 11-Nov-2014 13:43

saeran: If NFC + Miracast are a must, the S3 is okay, but I wouldn't recommend it. Samsung isn't providing software updates for it anymore by looks.

Yeah this is true, last update was to 4.3.

NZtechfreak

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#1172880 11-Nov-2014 14:49

+1 Moto G, if lower-end Android is what the budget demands then there is really no option. Agree that the Samsungs around that price are unadulterated garbage.

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