• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

1st time android looking for a phone+help please!

Status
Not open for further replies.

blindman96

Member
Feb 20, 2011
81
1
UPDATE: starting new thread this takes to long to scroll and the new thread will be more to the point as I know what I want now.

hey everyone I'm new here and I've never had an android phone let alone a smart phone at all. my birthday is coming up in the middle of march and I was hoping to get a prepaid vodafone or unlocked android phone. I got a limit of $200 Australian (doesn't really matter what country atm the dollar is about the same)

I've been looking for a good android phone for about 2 weeks now with no luck, I've stumbled upon the ideos and the lg optimus but have read nothing but bad reviews, I'm looking for an up to date phone (with latest-ish version of android) with a big screen (I use an ipod touch 2nd gen so it's about 3.2 inches/3.5 size screen. (love the ipod but it's old, I want a better phone and I don't like giving apple money) I love playing angry birds and fruit ninja so if it can play those I am happy. I don't really mind what mp the camera is because i'm use to a 1.5mp so any bigger is a plus.

I heard the huawei ideos x3 (which seems pretty good) is coming out in March (only in japan though so I might be waiting a while, it will hit the rest of the world later but I was hoping to get a phone on my birthday)

thanks for reading and I hope you can help! I do stress the screen size though as I have low vision and can just see the ipod.

EDIT: found out the gw620 doesn't upgrade past 1.5 officially. (I really don't want to root or flash or use roms I don't like to mess around with firmware)

I was really looking forward to the gw620, had a keyboard, it had a nice screen and it looked really good.

does anyone know of a either 2.2 or 2.1 android phone with at least a 3 inch display screen with a keyboard, (kind of like the keyboards how they slide out but it doesn't matter if it has one or not just would prefer it) and a 3+mp camera for under $250USD/AUD?
 

I'm looking for ya. Part of the problem is that I'm in the US and not sure what's available for you.

Do you have a short list of phones you are considering?

I don't know what's available over there within your budget. Your carriers don't subsidize the prices do they?

$200 as your budget doesn't really tell me that much if you have to pay full retail. $200 here in the US gets you just about any brand new high-end device with a 2 year contract.

For example, the Desire HD is a large screen device that should be available in Australia but if you pay retail, it's gonna cost you...
 
Upvote 0
Since the current exchange rate for USD is around the same as Australia's, it should be fairly easy to come across something by searching on (for example) eBay.

Though, because of the different service providers between countries, it's going to be a little hard to find a certain phone with a certain service provider.

Is Android even that well known in Australia?
 
Upvote 0
android is just making a boom down here, more phones are coming out, I've checked on ebay and all i can find is the lg optimus, I'm considering the Huawei ideos, lg optimus and the huawei ideos x3 (that isn't out yet).

they're the only phones I can find but I havn't read many good reviews about them. the exchange rate at the moment is very good, it's about the same but I'm generally looking for an unlocked phone so I can use an australian carrier or a phone locked to vodafone (that's an aussie carrier it doesn't matter)

if I did buy one say in the US even if it's unlocked I don't know if it will work with my carrier and the wall charger will be diffrent I think (not sure about that I'll have to find out)

just to be sure I need a prepaid phone, no contract.

thanks for helping me out
 
Upvote 0
android is just making a boom down here, more phones are coming out, I've checked on ebay and all i can find is the lg optimus, I'm considering the Huawei ideos, lg optimus and the huawei ideos x3 (that isn't out yet).

they're the only phones I can find but I havn't read many good reviews about them. the exchange rate at the moment is very good, it's about the same but I'm generally looking for an unlocked phone so I can use an australian carrier or a phone locked to vodafone (that's an aussie carrier it doesn't matter)

if I did buy one say in the US even if it's unlocked I don't know if it will work with my carrier and the wall charger will be diffrent I think (not sure about that I'll have to find out)

just to be sure I need a prepaid phone, no contract.

thanks for helping me out
Well generally when shopping for a phone, always make sure its a known brand such as LG, Samsung, Sony etc. Huwai is a brand im not familiar with. And since you can't find many reviews for it, that's not very helpful in finding out if its a good brand or not.

Since this is your first Android phone, perhaps go with the LG GT540. It's current price is $180 and is locked to Vodafone. It's new user friendly and comes with OS 1.6 and is upgradeable to 2.1 (or 2.3 if you use Cryogen).

But keep looking. You may find something better for less than $200. And if you do, let me know. I'm also looking for a new phone.
 
Upvote 0
thanks dex the lg gt540 does seem alright, was hoping to get android 2.3 though but that's good. I'm not very familliar with rooting and ROMS and cryogen, heard its easy to brick you device. Huawei is a Chinese company normally supplying telcos with fibre optics and suppling carriers with network gear and stuff, no idea how reliable they are for an update, don't know much about them except for that but I'm still looking for other phones, the HTC phones look awesome but all out of my price range :( any other suggestions anyone?
 
Upvote 0
Well, the Ideos U8150 has a 2.8" screen. That is pretty small and as you mentioned, you want a bigger screen...I would not want a 2.8" screen as that is too small IMO.

The LG Optimus is a decent handset from the reviews I have read. It is not designed as a "high end" device so if the reviewers don't take that into account, it could leave them less than satisfied. Several variants of the Optimus have reached the major carriers in the US as well. 3.2" screen, running Android 2.2...doesn't seem like a bad device. On Verizon here in the US, the device is known as the LG Vortex. I've read many of the the reviews posted HERE and it seems that battery life, screen size (3.2" is still considered a small screen) and app storage space are the biggest complaints. The devices has a recent version of Android (2.3 is the most recent and this phone has 2.2 but only a few phones have 2.3 as of now).

Based on what I've read about the Huawei Ideos X3, it seems like it might be a slightly better phone than the Optimus phones...but it has a 3.2" screen and 256MB of RAM like the Optimus (based on the unofficial specs I've seen). It's not the device to "WOW" you. Then again, if you are looking around a $200 price range, it might end up being your best choice.

Here is a site I found that gives available phones and their current prices. Phones | Ausdroid

I would check there, look at the prices they have listed and tell me what devices you can find in your budget. I'll give you a rundown of those phones as well. Cool?
 
Upvote 0
EDIT: just found out lg gt540 doesn't support flash :( that might be a deal breaker, if I can't find anything better though I'll just get that

Oops. I think I'm confusing some models. The LG model you referenced is known as the Optimus...but we never saw that model in the US. We have variants of the Optimus "One" which is a newer device.
 
Upvote 0
Well when it comes to Flash, it depends on what you'll be looking at. If you look at Youtube, there is an app for it. As for other sites, I'm not so sure. I heard there is a substitute for Flash but I dont recall it's name.

I'd say the most decent one would be the GT540. Getting a used HTC from eBay is a good idea but if anything goes, they wont take it back and since it you don't what store it came from and have no reciet, they won't take it or repair it.

So eBay is pretty risky. If I were you, I would stick with buying something from a store brand new.
 
Upvote 0
From what I'm seeing, it looks like they won't be updating it any further. One of they're scheme's to get us to buy newer phones.

Well it's a hard decision to make. Personally, I'm going to get a GT540. They may not be updating anymore (as far as I know) but at least it will still run plenty of apps at a good speed.

If you're worried about screen size, I think the GW620 has a bigger screen size. And since it has a pull out keyboard, it will be easier to see what's on the buttons.
 
Upvote 0
Well when it comes to Flash, it depends on what you'll be looking at. If you look at Youtube, there is an app for it. As for other sites, I'm not so sure. I heard there is a substitute for Flash but I dont recall it's name.

I'd say the most decent one would be the GT540. Getting a used HTC from eBay is a good idea but if anything goes, they wont take it back and since it you don't what store it came from and have no reciet, they won't take it or repair it.

So eBay is pretty risky. If I were you, I would stick with buying something from a store brand new.

I'm not here to disagree with anything you have said. eBay does have much more risk than buying from a store.

However, consider this...A $200 new phone may frustrate you because it has too small of a screen, too slow of processor and not enough RAM. A $200 used phone on eBay may result in a much better user experience.

I bought a Samsung Fascinate (US Galaxy S variant) off of eBay for $275 that was only 3 months old and in mint condition. The Fascinate is STILL selling for $200 with new two-year contract through Verizon Wireless. Retail price is $500. There are deals to be had if you are willing to take the risk. But at least you are investing your money in a device you feel will satisfy your needs.
 
Upvote 0
Status
Not open for further replies.

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones