Nokia 3.1 A and C (from AT&T Prepaid and Cricket) for $89 - Nokia 3.1 Guides, News, & Discussion

Nokia 3.1 A and C (from AT&T Prepaid and Cricket) for $89 - Nokia 3.1 Guides, News, & Discussion

Seems to be a Walmart Exclusive
https://www.walmart.com/ip/AT-T-PREPAID-Nokia-3-1-A-32GB-Prepaid-Smartphone/726574238
https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_3_1_a-9736.php
And Cricket
https://www.cricketwireless.com/cell-phones/smartphones/nokia-3-1-C-just-snow-white.html
Looks like a good starter or burner phone. If anybody gets one, discuss here!

I just got one from Target because I still can't afford the phone I want, and my Honor 5x finally died. I got the AT&T version. It cost me $90. It's a turd, but it's a very polished one.
It runs better than I expected, and after spending 20 minutes uninstalling all the boatware and reinstalling my apps, I'm fairly happy with it.
The ability to enable bootloader unlocking is visible, but disabled in the developer settings. I was hoping I would find a workaround here, but I don't think it's possible, which means no root, no TWRP, and no Substratum.
It forces you to use the gesture navigation, but it's the half assed one that retains the back arrow. I'm not thrilled that I can't use the traditional navigation buttons, nor can I move the back arrow to the right side of the screen, where I have become accustomed to having it.
I wish I could disable the carrier label in the status bar.
Hopefully it will get the Android 10 update, but it looks like, even if it does, it's not coming until mid-to-late 2020.
The resolution is pretty terrible, but the screen still looks pretty great in spite of it. Coming from a 1080P screen I can notice the difference, but it is very subtle. Everything looks pretty crisp and clear, and the colors are good.
I've been using it for 2 days now, and I am very impressed with this phone. It isn't capable of taking great picture or higher end gaming, so I still want to get a better phone soon, but I've lived without those options for years already, as the Honor 5x is also a lower end phone, and I paid more than twice as much for it, back when it was released. I'm very happy with what a current sub-$100 phone can do today.
If you don't already have AT&T or Cricket, than you probably don't want one of these unless you want to switch, or you don't currently have a carrier, because they almost definitely are not carrier unlocked. I was already using AT&T Prepaid, so in my emergency I was only considering phones for that service. I'll buy an unlocked phone on eBay at some point in the future. I would definitely recommend this phone, especially if all you use it for us taking, texting, messaging, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It has no problem playing music or video, either.
Update: I'm fairly certain this phone kills SDcards. The one I had been using for years became read-only, but I just figured it was done, because I'd been using it for years. However, I bought a new 256GB card, and the same thing happened within an hour of use. Reformatting fails, as does attempting to repartition the card, using several different utilities. Beware.

Related

ICS 4.0 Set for Q2 2012? Motherfu-

Well, it's going to be a lengthy wait till we get the official release of ICS.
http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/12/26/l...with-lg-optimus-lte-lg-optimus-2x-and-others/

Read comments at :http://www.facebook.com/notes/lg-mobile/ice-cream-sandwich-ics-os-upgrade-schedule/334420639902596

Now that I've experienced this gorgeous 720 display, I can't go back to any lower, but it seems to me with the way things are going, I wont hesitate ditch LG for any other brand once such resolution is available...
It's a shame, LG, you could've been great...

honest question-
why is this a bad thing? i mean, my phone works fantastically.
sure, i, like you, like to be a first adopter and enjoy leading-edge tech, but what's in ics that's such a leapfrog advancement above and beyond gb 2.3.5 that it's worth ditching a device that performs very very well?
again, honest question, i can't deny i've asked myself this very question. i just can't justify giving up this phone because it won't have the official ics for another 3-6 months-ish.

Well, for starters you and I have different level of acceptance. When I buy a gadget with $600 price tag on it I expect it to be working absolutely flawlessly, perfect, or at least not worse then 1 years old gadget. Nitro out of box might seem fast, at first, but it hiccups, screen and buttons are not very responsive (just tell me how many times you pressed back button and nothing happens, before you realize you have to press exactly at that arrow, which is nearly invisible until you press it (face palm) or when you press something on screen and it takes 1/2-1 sec before something happens? 1.5ghz dual core my ass, excuse my french), compass doesn't work, no notifications through headset (I've been using it successfully on 5 different phones). And if you start installing some basic apps, you'll see how quickly the screen become sluggish, in fact, my 1 year old HTC Inspire with single core 1ghz cpu has better screen response, smooth scroll, just like iphone and it's full with installed apps. Ok, it's could be the apps not optimized for such resolution, but wouldn't you expect hardware to compensate?
Said that I was hoping to see a quick update that hopefully would address all or most of these issues, but it doesn't looks like it's gonna happened anytime soon.
So, for the next half a year or more we stuck with what we got. Yes, yes, we all hope the developers will jump on and we'll see some roms going on, but it's not what I'm talking about, it's the whole official level of support, it's the "lets sell them this half-done product and maybe we'll throw them an update or two a year later" attitude. Other companies probably do the same and some even worse, but c'mon just look at LG Thril, these poor bastards have been expecting GB update back in September, now they have to wait another 6 month!
Of course I'm very disappointed about it.

Also when you use GPS navigation and car charging, this nitro will get very hot and it refuses to charge!
I also have Samsung skyrocket, the phone never get hot like this!

You won't need ICS if we can unlock the bootloader. Why is everybody fussin over ICS?? The custom ROMS would be way better than Stock Android ROMs of any version. Just to prove it to u, my Atrix running on CM7 could do about 85% of the things offered in ICS. When I looked at them showcasing the ICS, I kept telling myself, " I have that, and that, and that as well". Nothing is new, except the face recognition unlock and things intergrated from Honeycomb.
So, in my opinion, big deal about ICS. If it does take LG that long to release the update, then hopefully before the time comes, we can get better ROMs.

You are missing very important things about ICS - optimizations.
It's optimized for HD displays, hardware-accelerated 2D drawings (read as UI). Just this two are enough to be excited about...
@netnerd:
it does get very hot with heavy network usage (navigation uses both GPS and network alot, especially if you enabled any additional layers), however mine haven't gotten to the point of refusing charging, perhaps it's your car charger? If it's output only 1.0A, then it might be not enough, cause the wall adapter that comes with phone is 1.1A.
Also note, the "very hot" feel could be due to the metal plate around the camera which is much better heat conductive then plastic, so you'd feel more heat out of it then without it as on Skyrocket...

[email protected] said:
Well, for starters you and I have different level of acceptance. When I buy a gadget with $600 price tag on it I expect it to be working absolutely flawlessly, perfect, or at least not worse then 1 years old gadget. Nitro out of box might seem fast, at first, but it hiccups, screen and buttons are not very responsive (just tell me how many times you pressed back button and nothing happens, before you realize you have to press exactly at that arrow, which is nearly invisible until you press it (face palm) or when you press something on screen and it takes 1/2-1 sec before something happens? 1.5ghz dual core my ass, excuse my french), compass doesn't work, no notifications through headset (I've been using it successfully on 5 different phones). And if you start installing some basic apps, you'll see how quickly the screen become sluggish, in fact, my 1 year old HTC Inspire with single core 1ghz cpu has better screen response, smooth scroll, just like iphone and it's full with installed apps. Ok, it's could be the apps not optimized for such resolution, but wouldn't you expect hardware to compensate?
Said that I was hoping to see a quick update that hopefully would address all or most of these issues, but it doesn't looks like it's gonna happened anytime soon.
So, for the next half a year or more we stuck with what we got. Yes, yes, we all hope the developers will jump on and we'll see some roms going on, but it's not what I'm talking about, it's the whole official level of support, it's the "lets sell them this half-done product and maybe we'll throw them an update or two a year later" attitude. Other companies probably do the same and some even worse, but c'mon just look at LG Thril, these poor bastards have been expecting GB update back in September, now they have to wait another 6 month!
Of course I'm very disappointed about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this in no way whatsoever describes how the nitro i own functions, i have yet to experience any of the issues you have.
also, i paid $150, not $600.

So, you never experienced any slows down or jittering when scroll apps list or text in other apps? It doesn't delay open any apps for you?
After hard reset everything seems to be smooth, very little jittering in apps scroll, but once some essencial apps get installed, the jittering gets more and more.
The buttons issue, is probably because of unusual layout, but the fact that we can't control lights on them and they almost invisible does make it harder to use.
The $600 is retail price, I payed half of that, but I'm not stuck in the contract. I only mentioned the price just to compare what they ask for and what they actually deliver for that price...

[email protected] said:
So, you never experienced any slows down or jittering when scroll apps list or text in other apps? It doesn't delay open any apps for you?
After hard reset everything seems to be smooth, very little jittering in apps scroll, but once some essencial apps get installed, the jittering gets more and more.
The buttons issue, is probably because of unusual layout, but the fact that we can't control lights on them and they almost invisible does make it harder to use.
The $600 is retail price, I payed half of that, but I'm not stuck in the contract. I only mentioned the price just to compare what they ask for and what they actually deliver for that price...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it seems to me that the phone gets snappier as the programs most used get used. sure, there have been slow downs, just now going into the market, all my app icons took a moment to pop on screen. i noticed that.
opera, gmail, all the apps i use pop up pretty dang quick, more often suprising me with their quickness v. slow. the scrolling too, i don't find troublesome. yes, over the past several weeks of getting the phone dialed-in like i like it there have been times that i've noticed this and that but now that i am getting it finalized, it is snappy snappy.
and i do notice that sometimes the launcher does not recognize my screen inputs, but the stock launcher noticed them quite well, but to me that just means the launcher is probably not perfected for such a fine screen.
re: the price. i see. even so, sure seems like a better price tag than the google phone. what's retail there, $800? and no deals, subsidized price is locked at ~$300 + i'd pay $20 more a month at verizon.
for me (i.e. not for everyone ) this phone *seems* to make sense. could be wrong but at the same time, we all know what it's like waiting for that super perfect phone.

I tried to stick with the nitro through January and couldn't do it. This news of pics coming in q2 justifies my decision to return it and wait for the galaxy note lte or galaxy nexus for at&t. Hopefully a few devs come along and release this phone from its shackles.
Sent from my Full Android on Wingray using xda premium

It's not even confirmed for the Nitro HD, instead LG said it's up to the carriers. It's only confirmed for the international variant, the LG Optimus LTE.
Source: http://www.phonearena.com/news/LG-e...to-select-devices-starting-in-Q2-2012_id25095

So it's even worse then we thought...carriers will only start thinking rather update or not their devices after LG releases the update...

That's the way it's always worked.
Sent from my LG-P930 using XDA App

Once it's rooted n unlocked, i dont think it matters if u use the optimus LTE update, does it?

yay for us! LoLoL!!!

I think LG is thinking all they need to do is put out a phone with monster specs and that's it, they're done. If it were a few years ago, before people knew that smartphones had an OS let alone know what 'Android' was, then yeah you don't have to care too much about OS updates.
But this is today and the Nitro is a competitor to the Galaxy Nexus. You better believe that EVERY OS update that comes out, the Galaxy Nexus is going to be the first to get it...So any 'decent' competitor should up it's game and follow suit closely behind. And 6 months later ain't closely behind.
I'm starting to talk myself out of the Nitro. My true love and want was the Galaxy Note but I got tired of waiting for a US release and jumped on the Nitro instead. But the funky menu/search button, no indicator LED, bad compass, sometimes sluggish performance, etc...

Unfortunately for us there are no rules or regulations how manufactures should handle their products. That's why they more focus on creating new models rather then supporting already sold, maybe it's a good business, but this actually explains why so many people prefer overpriced Apple products...In fact after playing a bit with iPhone 4s on xmas, I'd be sold for it too if I wasn't interested in doing something myself to phone system as we can on android platform.

im sticking to this phone for now, no matter wat. I will make it work with wat it has, n im sure, in a couple of months or so, we will have much more things with this phone. I mean seriously, this phone is only 23 days old, and we make it seem like this has been out for months and has no hopes of improving. Give it a break and show some patience guys. We are even damn lucky to get a permanent root so easily. look at the rezound, who's been out longer than the Nitro; it still doesn't have a permanent root. And in 23 days, we have the support of a couple of devs trying to get us CWM and several great users working hard figuring out the innards of this phone. To give u an idea, Tenfar did not even come out with CWM for the Atrix until April, almost 2 months down the road.
So you know wat, I'm not giving up on them. They've all worked hard to help us have a better phone, and I am not leaving them and their hard work to vain. I know it's about money and being stuck with a phone for 2 years or so, but hey, that's the price we pay as early adopters to technology. Want something proven and guaranteed, wait a couple of months when everyone already has the phone.
That's my 2 cent on the current situation; about ICS, about Unlock bootloader, about this and that. Things will improve in weeks to come, as long as we stick together and help, instead of complaining on how the phone is lacking this or that.
p.s. always remember, the SG II has a much lower resolution with same CPU, thus performing under less stress. And the Galaxy Nexus has a pentile AMOLED screen, again also using less power thus stressing the CPU less. That's where this phone is getting hit with lag and battery issue.

Just came over from iPhone5

Preordered iPhone5. Received it Friday Sept 21. Returned Sunday 2-3 days later. Picked up t-mobile Galaxy S3 right after returning the iPhone5.
So glad I am back on Android. From the 2-3 days of ownership of the iPhone5/iOS (as this was my 1st iPhone and I just wanted to experiment to see how I'd like it), I was not able to do very basic things I wanted, or any reasonable person would expect to be able to do to a phone.
1st off, Ringtones. Anyone owning a phone would have a reasonable expectation to be able to change / add custom ringtones. Should I have to pay for it? Maybe, that is if I don't want to cut the songs myself. I already have ringtones from my last phone which was basic mp3s I could have drag/dropped over. But with iPhone, I had to go through tedious process of utilizing iTunes as a medium, converting to AAC format, moving onto desktop, deleting the ones in iTunes, then renaming the .m4a format to .m4r, then dragging it back into iTunes, then syncing. I could have done all this on Android by just plugging it to my comp, locate Ringtones folder, dropped it in, and done.
Sync was an issue too. I'm pretty sure most people use gmail in some way, and all my contacts are in gmail. Tried to get contacts to sync over to iCloud was a hassle. It would only sync the root folder group of contacts and not the other groups. I had to manually export each contact group to my comp, then import into iCloud. Now if I added/made changes to a contact on my iPhone, I'd have to go back home, and re-enter a new contact in google. It's just not a seamless process.
Also the AppStore. Every 15 minutes I want to get an app, I am asked to enter a password. And Apple requires a complicated pw with uppercase/lowercase, numbers, special characters. It's not by any means easy to type on the phone every time I want to install something.
No widgets either on iOs. No notification widgets to easy turn on/off options like WiFi, screen rotation, GPS, Bluetooth. I have to go into settings and navigate through menus to turn them on/off.
I didn't like how all the apps just show up on the home screen as iOS doesn't have a drawer like Android, and I'd have to dump everything into folders if I didn't want to see it. Also all the icons just align from right to left, top to bottom. I can't change where they are on the page except for the order it flows. I read maybe JailBreaking can help with this customization, but I don't think I want to wait that long for an untethered JB to be available for the iPhone5 to be released.
Forgot to add, I have a TF700 and I utilize TabletTalk to sync SMS to my Tablet and send SMS via the Tablet. This wouldn't have worked out for an Android Tablet with an iPhone.
Side issue that affected me, but unrelated to Apple, was the fact Sprint had deceptive advertising regarding their LTE coverage. As you guys know, iPhone is either 3G or LTE; no WiMax. In DFW, even though coverage map shows I am clearly in 4G LTE coverage, Sprint indeed only had 1 LTE tower up and running in the other side of Dallas of where I am at. And Dallas is a pretty damn big city, so all I ever saw was 3G. Sprint's 3G was < 1mbps down/upload, which is unacceptable as I am paying for "unlimited 3g/4g data" cost of an additional $10/month. It is hardly enough bandwidth to stream music / video or let alone download apps unless I am connected to WiFi; which then goes back to the point of why am I even paying for data. Unlimited data is pointless at that speed and I'm not going to wait 1-2 yrs for Sprint to finish rolling out LTE in Dallas; since by then my contract would have expired anyways and I could just switch to Sprint then.
But overall, I didn't try to / demand anything complicated out of the phone. The simple things I wanted it to do, didn't go as I had expected, even though I kept hearing how easy iPhones are to use, and how stable it is. Stable OS, smooth processing, and pretty, yes. But basic simple customization / syncing, no. And now I totally understand when Android users are trolling iPhone users.

That's why the iPhone has those mesmerizing screen transition animations. Supposed to help relieve the headache after all the frustration. J/K.
:silly:

If you have a mac is easier to import your Google contacts to iCloud, or you can set up Gmail as a exchanged account and will import and update all your contacts automatically (kind of like android) anyways, I'm about to return my iPhone 5 is amazing looking device but not for my needs like I said before, the only thing I miss the most(besides a few apps) is battery life in stand by, really good phone not my cup of tea tho
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Nice to see your in the Galaxy... the cryphones will never be better then android. They have no comparison.. you take a phone that does things and can't be changed and "compare" it to a phone that let's u do whatever you want on it.. I just never see it as a fair comparison.. that's like saying the cryphones are a Datsun and the androids are lambos... and then people say the cryphones are better.. there are in different leagues altogether. Cryphones = lockdown no customization like android... but glad to see u here. Many people waste so much time n money on apple.. and now its biting them in the wallet and a$$... he he he I love it. BTW if u have a DSLR cannon camera check out chainfire's DSLR controller app.. I just found it yesterday and I can control my camera with my phone... its so dope!!! Sgs3 BEST PHONE I'VE HAD YET. PERIOD.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

Lots of valid points, but overall it's just an issue with competing ecosystems. You had already had some Androids, so most of your ecosystem was setup through gmail and google.
For a Mac user coming over to an Android phone, much of the same problems pop up (no easy itunes music/podcasts integration, etc)
But overall just by its open source nature, Android is much easier to work with and setup. And conversely since Apple likes to control all aspects of user experience, you don't get all the features and selling points (i.e. the iPhone is so "easy" to use!) unless you are subscribed to the entire Apple ecosystem.

Darmokk said:
Lots of valid points, but overall it's just an issue with competing ecosystems. You had already had some Androids, so most of your ecosystem was setup through gmail and google.
For a Mac user coming over to an Android phone, much of the same problems pop up (no easy itunes music/podcasts integration, etc)
But overall just by its open source nature, Android is much easier to work with and setup. And conversely since Apple likes to control all aspects of user experience, you don't get all the features and selling points (i.e. the iPhone is so "easy" to use!) unless you are subscribed to the entire Apple ecosystem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only way I'd go apple products is if I edited lots n lots of videos... Apple wins that battle all day. But that's there PC and not mobile...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

Tmo has really fast data at DFW, wasn't able to leave the airport hah but in it the 4g was great. For ringtones you can just longpress a song in the media player. No need to even move it.
My gmail calendar syncs between my iPad/net/phone perfectly. Haven't tried contacts but I'm sure there is a way. iOS is definitely a different experience though. I really like the app tray on android too. But iOS has the advantage of searching when you hit home twice.

psykhotic said:
Tmo has really fast data at DFW, wasn't able to leave the airport hah but in it the 4g was great. For ringtones you can just longpress a song in the media player. No need to even move it.
My gmail calendar syncs between my iPad/net/phone perfectly. Haven't tried contacts but I'm sure there is a way. iOS is definitely a different experience though. I really like the app tray on android too. But iOS has the advantage of searching when you hit home twice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google now has that same feature...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

da-pharoah said:
Only way I'd go apple products is if I edited lots n lots of videos... Apple wins that battle all day. But that's there PC and not mobile...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Video and/or Photos (i work with both) so I do run Macs at home. For mobile I'm with you though, loving my GSIII

Since I do not do any media creation I have no reason to keep an apple product. I use my S3 and my Nexus 7 for almost all of my day to day use.
Otherwise I use my little netbook but those times are getting further and further in between.

I was interested in the iPhone 5, but now that you reviewed here and I'd an android user before, I will just wait for the note 2. I do like Apple products, just hate the Apple company...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

yaddamean said:
Iphones are for girls. And queers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's wrong with being a girl, or queer?
I bought a Samsung Vibrant on the recommendation of a queer woman.

da-pharoah said:
Google now has that same feature...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isn't that the universal search feature that got disabled?

I just though I share my story here:
My HTC desire died because of to much freedom after 1.5 year of custom ROM flashing and partition profile switching(hboot).(I think I have switched between all available ROMs for the HTC Desire before it died one months ago)
I always flashed a new ROM because non of them was what I wanted.
Sure Oxygen was awesome but it sopped to receive updates.
MIUI was awesome but it stopped to to receive updates. (For Desire)
I spent most my time on Gingerbread and ICC custom ROMS and always had stability issues.
I know that if I get an iPhone I will still get updates for it 2 years from now.
If I get a galaxy S3 I will get jellybean but after that there is nothing promising that I will get Key lime pie.
When I get an iPhone all apps in the app store will work on it without problem.
That is maybe the case for galaxy S3. But it's not guaranteed.
I'm also tired of all the customization options. It's great to be able to customize so much but I never was able to get it exactly how I wanted it to be anyway.
The iPhone isn't nearly have as much customize options. But still, it's enough for me and I used MIUI ROM so it reminds a lot of the iOS.
I never even used widgets after a while because widget made my already crappy battery run out of ´cream´ even faster.
I'm still thinking of maybe take a S3 though because of the iPhone seems to have a bit of problems(easy scratches and some other minor stuff)
Though the S3 in my eyes is REALLY big. I can still cancel my order on the iPhone so if anyone after reading this can convince me to get the S3. Please go ahead.
I really loved my time with android. But I kind of got sick on it. Maybe if I try both the iPhone 5 and GSIII I can finally make a 100% accurate choice.

CrimzonEyed said:
I just though I share my story here:
My HTC desire died because of to much freedom after 1.5 year of custom ROM flashing and partition profile switching(hboot).(I think I have switched between all available ROMs for the HTC Desire before it died one months ago)
I always flashed a new ROM because non of them was what I wanted.
Sure Oxygen was awesome but it sopped to receive updates.
MIUI was awesome but it stopped to to receive updates. (For Desire)
I spent most my time on Gingerbread and ICC custom ROMS and always had stability issues.
I know that if I get an iPhone I will still get updates for it 2 years from now.
If I get a galaxy S3 I will get jellybean but after that there is nothing promising that I will get Key lime pie.
When I get an iPhone all apps in the app store will work on it without problem.
That is maybe the case for galaxy S3. But it's not guaranteed.
I'm also tired of all the customization options. It's great to be able to customize so much but I never was able to get it exactly how I wanted it to be anyway.
The iPhone isn't nearly have as much customize options. But still, it's enough for me and I used MIUI ROM so it reminds a lot of the iOS.
I never even used widgets after a while because widget made my already crappy battery run out of ´cream´ even faster.
I'm still thinking of maybe take a S3 though because of the iPhone seems to have a bit of problems(easy scratches and some other minor stuff)
Though the S3 in my eyes is REALLY big. I can still cancel my order on the iPhone so if anyone after reading this can convince me to get the S3. Please go ahead.
I really loved my time with android. But I kind of got sick on it. Maybe if I try both the iPhone 5 and GSIII I can finally make a 100% accurate choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I won't try to dissuade you. If T-Mobile hadn't given me a good deal to stay, or I weren't on T-Mobile to start with, I might have decided to give the iPhone 5 a try. That said, my understanding from a relative who happily uses Apple products is that, if as I do you use Google calendar and Gmail, then there's no significant advantage to the iPhone over the Galaxy S III. What you're left with is a choice between two very good products, each of which has advantages and disadvantages.

So you preordered a phone? What provider? Then used it and didnt like it. Then you got a S3 today and you have already rooted it? Judging by your sig?

@OP I moved to the dfw area a few months ago and had Sprint. nearly two months went by, I had absolutely no service and they said it's because they're "upgrading". I don't call that much of an upgrade if I can't even make calls. And the wimax was still awful. So you made the right choice switching. I also switched to tmo, got an amazing deal and am loving the 4g, WiFi calling, and service in general. Plus the s3 makes it that much sweeter.
If you haven't yet, make sure to call and ask them to add the free WiFi calling onto your account.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

RebDovid said:
I won't try to dissuade you. If T-Mobile hadn't given me a good deal to stay, or I weren't on T-Mobile to start with, I might have decided to give the iPhone 5 a try. That said, my understanding from a relevative who happily uses Apple products is that, if as I do you use Google calendar and Gmail, then there's no significant advantage to the iPhone over the Galaxy S III. What you're left with is a choice between two very good products, each of which has advantages and disadvantages.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to visit a local store and try out the S3 and check if it's possible to get my interest back to android.
Than only time will tell if I decide to cancel the order or not and get the S3 instead.
Also the 4G version of the Galaxy S3 is not released here in Sweden yet I think.

1SiK1500 said:
So you preordered a phone? What provider? Then used it and didnt like it. Then you got a S3 today and you have already rooted it? Judging by your sig?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had T-Mobile to begin with (grandfathered with unlimited data). My plan doesn't end until December, but I figured I got tired of flashing unstable roms on my Nexus S that I'd give iPhone a try, as people kept saying "oh it's so easy to use and it's so stable". I used the iPhone 5 from Friday afternoon till Saturday night. I ran into too many customization / sync issues where I just had enough of it and I wiped the phone clean and ready to be returned. Sunday came and I called up Sprint, and cancelled my plan and set up my phone to be returned. Afterwards, went over to T-Mobile as I have the itch for a new phone. Spoke w/ the rep at the store and turns out I could upgrade my account for some reason (though I kept thinking I had to wait the full 2 years to upgrade my line). So picked up the GS3 right then and had everything up and running. I was already using ParanoidAndroid 2.13 on my Nexus S, so it wasn't difficult to get everything up and running. This is much improved over my last phone. 2GB ram vs 512MB (380MB usable) and 1.5GHz+ (oc'd to 1.7 via LeanKernel) vs 1.2GHz Marmite Kernel. GS3 was an overall much better experience.
As for the iPhone, it's a great phone (smooth, fast, and pretty). Great build quality and finish and amazing display. It did feel more delicate as the surface seemed a bit more prone to scratches (back and sides). Mine however was fine, but I don't speak for everyone. The anodized aluminum is more likely to get scratched, and I got the white one so it is less noticeable. The GS3, even though plastic, actually seemed more durable to everyday use, as one would probably not want to constantly worry about scratching the beautiful iPhone shell. Also accessories are scarce for the iPhone. My case was pre-ordered, and still not shipped out today. Cancelled that as I no longer plan on sticking with the iPhone. Also trying to get additional USB->Lightning cables was going to cause me to have to wait another 2-3 weeks due to backorder.
jpirog said:
@OP I moved to the dfw area a few months ago and had Sprint. nearly two months went by, I had absolutely no service and they said it's because they're "upgrading". I don't call that much of an upgrade if I can't even make calls. And the wimax was still awful. So you made the right choice switching. I also switched to tmo, got an amazing deal and am loving the 4g, WiFi calling, and service in general. Plus the s3 makes it that much sweeter.
If you haven't yet, make sure to call and ask them to add the free WiFi calling onto your account.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for Sprint, they had deceptive LTE advertising. I canceled well within the 14 day trial period ( < 72 hours to be exact). Sprint's 3G is the equivalent of dialup. T-mobile's 4G, even though not real 4G, is still comparable to cable/dsl speeds. Fios-like speeds of LTE is great, but not necessary. Just thinking about the data cap from AT&T or Verizon, as I'm not grandfathered on those plans, would mean constant worry about if I'm hitting cap or not. But anyways, I didn't sign up for Sprint to use my iPhone on WiFi or wait the 1-2 years till they finally finish rolling out LTE in DFW.
BTW, did you end up paying any termination fees? You stated 2 months went by. I just figured, I'd GTFO ASAP haha. Sprint's 3G was unacceptable in today's terms.

Aria807 said:
Preordered iPhone5. Received it Friday Sept 21. Returned Sunday 2-3 days later. Picked up t-mobile Galaxy S3 right after returning the iPhone5.
So glad I am back on Android. From the 2-3 days of ownership of the iPhone5/iOS (as this was my 1st iPhone and I just wanted to experiment to see how I'd like it), I was not able to do very basic things I wanted, or any reasonable person would expect to be able to do to a phone.
1st off, Ringtones. Anyone owning a phone would have a reasonable expectation to be able to change / add custom ringtones. Should I have to pay for it? Maybe, that is if I don't want to cut the songs myself. I already have ringtones from my last phone which was basic mp3s I could have drag/dropped over. But with iPhone, I had to go through tedious process of utilizing iTunes as a medium, converting to AAC format, moving onto desktop, deleting the ones in iTunes, then renaming the .m4a format to .m4r, then dragging it back into iTunes, then syncing. I could have done all this on Android by just plugging it to my comp, locate Ringtones folder, dropped it in, and done.
Sync was an issue too. I'm pretty sure most people use gmail in some way, and all my contacts are in gmail. Tried to get contacts to sync over to iCloud was a hassle. It would only sync the root folder group of contacts and not the other groups. I had to manually export each contact group to my comp, then import into iCloud. Now if I added/made changes to a contact on my iPhone, I'd have to go back home, and re-enter a new contact in google. It's just not a seamless process.
Also the AppStore. Every 15 minutes I want to get an app, I am asked to enter a password. And Apple requires a complicated pw with uppercase/lowercase, numbers, special characters. It's not by any means easy to type on the phone every time I want to install something.
No widgets either on iOs. No notification widgets to easy turn on/off options like WiFi, screen rotation, GPS, Bluetooth. I have to go into settings and navigate through menus to turn them on/off.
I didn't like how all the apps just show up on the home screen as iOS doesn't have a drawer like Android, and I'd have to dump everything into folders if I didn't want to see it. Also all the icons just align from right to left, top to bottom. I can't change where they are on the page except for the order it flows. I read maybe JailBreaking can help with this customization, but I don't think I want to wait that long for an untethered JB to be available for the iPhone5 to be released.
Forgot to add, I have a TF700 and I utilize TabletTalk to sync SMS to my Tablet and send SMS via the Tablet. This wouldn't have worked out for an Android Tablet with an iPhone.
Side issue that affected me, but unrelated to Apple, was the fact Sprint had deceptive advertising regarding their LTE coverage. As you guys know, iPhone is either 3G or LTE; no WiMax. In DFW, even though coverage map shows I am clearly in 4G LTE coverage, Sprint indeed only had 1 LTE tower up and running in the other side of Dallas of where I am at. And Dallas is a pretty damn big city, so all I ever saw was 3G. Sprint's 3G was < 1mbps down/upload, which is unacceptable as I am paying for "unlimited 3g/4g data" cost of an additional $10/month. It is hardly enough bandwidth to stream music / video or let alone download apps unless I am connected to WiFi; which then goes back to the point of why am I even paying for data. Unlimited data is pointless at that speed and I'm not going to wait 1-2 yrs for Sprint to finish rolling out LTE in Dallas; since by then my contract would have expired anyways and I could just switch to Sprint then.
But overall, I didn't try to / demand anything complicated out of the phone. The simple things I wanted it to do, didn't go as I had expected, even though I kept hearing how easy iPhones are to use, and how stable it is. Stable OS, smooth processing, and pretty, yes. But basic simple customization / syncing, no. And now I totally understand when Android users are trolling iPhone users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup Apple sucks

[Q] So who was crazy enough to buy one of these??

That would be me!! lol. Amazon made me an offer I couldn't refuse -$159- I got the free year of prime- I paid for it last year by accident and ended up getting a lot of use out of it, so this made it easy. And the phone was $60 (after putting $99 towards prime), and I opened an amazon CC which gave me $40 in an instant credit- so this phone was $20 in the end!! plus taxes of course.
Before I pulled the trigger I looked to XDA to see where development was for this phone- and it looks like it is picking up and starting to move- so I will be getting this new fire phone tomorrow!!! I have to confess I have been using an iphone 5s (JB of course!) for the last year and a half and have been missing the challenge of rooting, romming, and making the best out of the hardware that is lacking due to poor software.
My plan is to put on the latest update and add google play market- leave it unrooted for now and see how it goes. But I am keeping my eye on beta CM11 and seeing how far it goes with CM 13 possibly in the future!!
@ggow- you seem to be very ambitious with this phone!!!! You are doing some great work and I am following your development closely :good::highfive:. I have never used safestrap before, but I may just have to give it a whirl. You make it very tempting
Why was I interested in this Fire Phone??? I bought a kindle 7 hdx last year and hacked that to run google market and it turned out to be a pretty great tablet that I also got a great deal on. It has the fire OS running along side google market with a great launcher running to swap back and forth. So kindle, instant videos, amazon music, and all the google apps too. It's specs were very close to the ipad mini and was a third of the cost. I gave it to my daughter to use in NYC running on att and she has had no complaints with how I modded it. And she is not very techy! :silly:
I am getting a little bored with my 5s and wanted a bigger screen- I passed on the 6+ since we are no longer getting subsidies and $850 for a phone seems ridiculous!! I don't know if 0.7 inches will make much of a difference, but for $20, I just had to find out
I have a Fire Stick TV also and I want to see how they work together. Very excited to receive this phone tomorrow.
Even after all the horrible reviews I read and watched on you tube!! Hopefully these modifications developed here will make it great!

Geez!!!! 75 views and no comments? Come on people- loosen up and let me know if you love your fire phone or hate it or Hate me cause I got it so cheap:silly: Please share your experiences with your Fire Phone. By now it's a year old, but still looks like a great phone for $60. I am basically a really cheap bargain hunter and wait for things to go on sale. This was really a good one.
Share what you did to make it a great phone! Would love to benefit from your experiences.:highfive: Do you love the Fire OS? Do you love the Market? Or CM11? Please share And I thank you in advance:good:

Great phone for the money. If throw yourself into the Amazon ecosystem the fire OS works quite well but I think only Jeff Bezos has done that so far. I'm using it with a custom launcher at the moment but when cm11 is final I might adopt it.

sashusmom said:
Geez!!!! 75 views and no comments? Come on people- loosen up and let me know if you love your fire phone or hate it or Hate me cause I got it so cheap:silly: Please share your experiences with your Fire Phone. By now it's a year old, but still looks like a great phone for $60. I am basically a really cheap bargain hunter and wait for things to go on sale. This was really a good one.
Share what you did to make it a great phone! Would love to benefit from your experiences.:highfive: Do you love the Fire OS? Do you love the Market? Or CM11? Please share And I thank you in advance:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you asked:
The hardware is incredible for the price. The antutu benchmark puts it slightly faster than a galaxy s5. However, the bells and whistles (extra cameras, 3D, etc) are irrelevant at best. -- The os is terrible. It works well enough but is far behind other smart phones' os. Also, Amazon's wish to completely control your "experience" gets in the way of good hardware. If you root and then add gapps and the google now launcher, the phone is better to use, but still feels wrong, especially when certain apps can only be added through amazon's app store. -- Finally, I'm still irked by the locked bootloader. It was at this stage I put it in the drawer to use as an emergency backup - or maybe a "mini-gamer" for kids.
Then came ggow and his work to bring CM11 to the phone. Thanks to him, I now use it as my daily driver. I have added Xposed Framework with a few modules, all my favorite apps, and the phone is great! The only annoyance is that there are very infrequent random google play services stops which quickly correct themselves leaving a msg that needs to be swiped away. This is no big deal and ggow might have this fixed by the time you read this. Ggow also mentioned bypassing lollipop (CM12) and looking to "M" for his next major upgrade. How this will happen with a locked bootloader I don't know, but all praise to the person who brought my firephone backed to life.
Enjoy your firephone.

I bought the Fire Phone 6 months ago (I think, don't remember), when it was $189 (and a year of Prime). Having a phone with those specs at $90 was a great deal and hard to refuse. Bought it, got it, and the first day of using it I was amused with how different it was from stock Android. I had a Nexus 5, which got stolen, and I wandered with a low-end phone until I bought the Fire Phone. The Fire Phone couldn't be more different from the Nexus 5, software-wise. I saw the lock screen, toyed with it and thought: "Wow, it moves depending on where I look it from, nice!" (my first lock screen was the one with the time made from the stars and the moon with below it) but also "Did Amazon really need 4 cameras just for that? It might drain my battery" and "Which real-world use could I give to this feature?"
Yes, it was nice to see how things moved thanks to the Dynamic Perspective feature, at least at first; then, like all novelties, my attention to it faded and eventually I disabled it. Having my battery drained wasn't worth for a feature I wasn't paying attention to and which the only real-world use I could think of was showing it to some friend to surprise them a for a little time. And because this phone doesn't have a removable battery, I couldn't afford to lose it for some gimmicky feature.
Then I saw the Carousel, which is the home screen where the most recent apps are shown, with the notifications below it. They were affected by the Dynamic Perspective too. I hated that dotted pattern they used for the Carousel, and then I tried to change it for, say, whatever picture this phone could've come with.
I went to Settings, and was surprised to see, first, that that annoying dotted pattern was there too, and then that there wasn't a way to change the wallpaper. I thought "Come on, it's 2015, every OS in the friggin' world has a way to change the wallpaper. It's the most basic form of customization. Even Apple (which I don't hate), with all that walled garden feeling, allows you to change the wallpaper." But Amazon's FireOS didn't (I haven't ever seen a Kindle Fire tablet). My phone shipped with version 3.6.8, and we had to wait until May to see such a basic feature with the upgrade to 4.6.1. I got annoyed by that, but there was nothing I could to about it.
I checked the pre-loaded games, which make heavy use of the same Dynamic Perspective. I half-liked the Planet Blocks game and played it for a while. After that, I forgot I had it and remained hidden.
Then I went to the Appstore to see what was new. I knew the Appstore didn't have any Google app, and understood it. Amazon had an equivalent to every Google app and, even though I didn't like how they looked, they got the job done, and that was what mattered. Downloading and installing was what I was used to, and updating was a breeze.
But I guess I missed some apps that weren't on the Appstore and was lazy to not sideload all of them. I needed to see good ol' Google on this phone, so I went to XDA and checked if there was a way to sideload Google Play Services. After all, underneath all the Amazon skin and no traces of Google, FireOS was Android at the heart (3.6.8 was based on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which was pretty outdated even then). There was a way to install Google Play Services, and there was a way to root the phone too, but only if you were brave (and foolish) enough to downgrade to 3.5.1 (it was a bad idea, because if you did that, there would be problems with the Amazon account registration and also some nasty overheating issue). So, I stayed with just installing Google Play Services. It went smoothly and finally got Google. With the Play Store I'd be able to download and install SwiftKey and maybe Google Now Launcher or Nova Launcher.
I got no luck with SwiftKey. It installed, but then you couldn't use it unless you activated it via ADB. After that, got SwiftKey. And about launchers, they worked, except for widgets (which weren't supported in FireOS) and the wallpaper (there was a way to change the wallpaper in Nova; you could choose the image, but it never worked; you had to like the black background because it was the only option). I checked other launchers, some supported widgets (not all widgets, but some) and some found a way to change the wallpaper. I stuck with Buzz Launcher, which made the phone look and work most similar to Android.
I hoped Amazon would sometime hear what users here at XDA (and everywhere else) had to say. The Fire Phone was a great piece of hardware, but its software was a bummer. People were trying to google it but all you could do was sideload Google Play Services. The bootloader was locked (and still is), and the Towelroot method for rooting didn't work for 3.6.8, so downgrading was the next stage for googling up the device. I remember seeing some guys here at XDA offering some money to the first person to unlock the bootloader, and some people sending a letter to Jeff Bezos himself to unlock it and then also a Change.org petition, taking the example of the HP TouchPad tablet (it saw new life after HP unlocked its bootloader, after which people flashed Android instead of the built-in webOS, becoming the second-most selling tablet of 2011). It never happened.
Then it was the question if the phone would ever receive a FireOS 4 update (based on Android 4.4 KitKat), given its lackluster sales. It finally happened on May, and came with very necessary changes to help customize the phone.
This new version would eventually be rooted via Kingroot, which is a very shady-looking app for rooting. It worked, and then there was a way to change it for SuperSU, a more reliable root app. With all the long wait, knowing a developer found a way to flash a ROM even with the locked bootloader was a relief. I flashed it as fast as I could. Now I'm using Cyanogenmod 11 and it's great (no trace of Amazon). It's still beta (the developer uploaded the first build just 4 days ago), but it works pretty well right now, and it'll only get better.
Now we can use a phone that has a great price and good specs with a great OS to match. To the people out there wondering if the phone is worth the price (right now it went back to $449 and comes with a year of Amazon Prime, with $99 alone, so the phone's real price is $350), no, it's not, you could get a OnePlus One at that price (which comes with Cyanogen OS), or a Moto X, or a Xiaomi Mi4, or many other great phones below $350 (and then if, and only if, you want Amazon Prime you can subscribe). When it gets a big discount, which happens from time to time (last one was this week and the price went down to $159), it gets more attractive (especially if you were going to subscribe to Amazon Prime). The phone has many gimmicky features which are really useless, uses an OS that is difficult to adapt to, and is overpriced most of the time (no wonder Amazon failed to sell it at launch at $199 with AT&T contact, or later at $649 unlocked, or now at $449), but may be a great deal when bought at discount (this week the real price of the phone was $60, and at that price you cannot get any smartphone off-contract) and if you're willing to tinker with the phone and flash a ROM (Cyanogenmod 11 is the only one right now, but might be more in the future), it makes a pretty good phone.
A quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU, with Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM, a 13MP rear camera and 2.1MP front camera, 1080p recording, 32GB of built-in storage and now the ability to flash Cyanogenmod 11 for just $60? I'd buy it.

Wow!! Great responses guys. I thank you for taking the time to offer your opinions and I really look forward to receiving my Fire phone

Got my Fire phone!!
I really like the screen- overall size of the phone is not really bigger than my 5s but the screen real estate is a little bigger. It's not so lite that you will drop it or so thin you will drop it either. When I use my 5s bare, I have a hard time hanging onto it. It's in a wallet case that I can get a good grab onto. I like a little heft to it and it does feel good in your hand.
I have the incipio folio case on this fire phone that I got for $10 from ATT online store. That was a really good deal. Also did a screen saver just because I like them and the protection from minute scratches they provide.
So, on my Amazon account it was registered to me and the free prime was added on. When I went to set up the phone it requires you to register again to your account and I got all errors that it couldn't be done at this time, blah blah blah. I researched it and apparently this was a big problem at launch too.
So I updated it to the latest of 4.6.1 (820) and tried again, same deal. It just wouldn't register. So I de-registered it on my computer, and tried again on the phone, no go. You can't use the phone without it being asso. with an amazon acct- no apps at all are usable, even the preinstalled ones. So I chatted online, they couldn't help me and wanted to have their Fire Team support call me back- but I couldn't at that time so I will deal with it tomorrow. I'll have to search this forum and see if there's any info about it.
In the meantime I got the google apps working so now I at least have a pretty good list of apps, but no amazon services working yet. I still have to add a sim card and check the basic call functions- since it is a phone.
The benefit of picking up a phone that is a year old is you guys have already tackled the tough parts of rooting, modding, roms, etc. I checked out this forum before purchasing and was pleasantly surprised that you just made the break through just this week for CM. I may have to check that out! I have the att Mega and that poor orphan phone is so crippled most guys just walked away. I Love it for it's 6 inch screen size. The iphone 6+ was in my thoughts but can't justify that price tag. My mega was a penny when we still did subsidies.
I thank you all for your perseverance and hard work and your stick-to-it-ive-ness:good: This could actually be a decent phone with all the modifications. I am hoping I can leave it as is and swap between the Fire OS and the Nova launcher. Hopefully I'll get it registered correctly tomorrow. It's nice getting back into android after apple. I like them both- but I do get bored.
*************************************************************************
So even though it is 3 am here, I just got off the phone with fire phone support and I was told it was a system wide outage and there are many people having this problem. They will get back to me!! I won't hold my breath here
**************************************************************************************************************
Talked again to amazon and I am "on the list" to have this registration fubar sorted out. She took additional info- my mac address on the phone specifically, and supposedly this will be fixed OTA magically. We'll see.
I do have a working sim in and phone calls work fine. I have issue with the tinny sounding speakers that are suppose to be stereo- Sounds terrible- especially with music clips ringtones. Pandora sounds bad too. I did read the reviews about the sound and it appears to be true.
******************************************************************************************
So Amazon finally fixed the registration problem OTA. I can now access my Amazon stuff. Problem solved.

Leaving my Verizon G4

I decided to sell my Verizon G4 and Iam kinda bummed in doing so. I've had a string of phones leading up to the G4 in which a locked bootloader was not an issue. I first started flahing with my Verizon Fascinate, then I had the Samsung Galaxy 3....then came the LG G3 which impressed me enough to upgrade early and snag the G4. I love the phone but HATE the lack of flashable flavors. So, I purchased the Motorola X Pure and I am looking forward to having more flashing possiblities. It has basically the same specs as the G4. This was a great phone but lesson learned. I will check back here frequently to see if any progress has been made and I wish all you other G4 good luck! Hopefully some exploits will be found to allow more freedom on this great phone but my patience has waned.

djcrystals said:
I decided to sell my Verizon G4 and Iam kinda bummed in doing so. I've had a string of phones leading up to the G4 in which a locked bootloader was not an issue. I first started flahing with my Verizon Fascinate, then I had the Samsung Galaxy 3....then came the LG G3 which impressed me enough to upgrade early and snag the G4. I love the phone but HATE the lack of flashable flavors. So, I purchased the Motorola X Pure and I am looking forward to having more flashing possiblities. It has basically the same specs as the G4. This was a great phone but lesson learned. I will check back here frequently to see if any progress has been made and I wish all you other G4 good luck! Hopefully some exploits will be found to allow more freedom on this great phone but my patience has waned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like your only options with Verizon will be to get an unlocked Nexus going forward. All Samsungs since S5 are locked, they blocked HTC M9 from HTCDev to unlock, and all the LG since this phone are locked. Verizon knows to get the big contracts they must have the most secure phone. This is not an attack on this community...it is just collateral damage. You can thank malicious hackers and identity thieves for this.

KennyG123 said:
Looks like your only options with Verizon will be to get an unlocked Nexus going forward. All Samsungs since S5 are locked, they blocked HTC M9 from HTCDev to unlock, and all the LG since this phone are locked. Verizon knows to get the big contracts they must have the most secure phone. This is not an attack on this community...it is just collateral damage. You can thank malicious hackers and identity thieves for this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have always had some interest in Nexus devices but I never pursued purchasing one due to the lack of MicroSD support. I am sure I could manage without it but if I am spending a chunk of money on something I'd prefer that one luxury. The next best thing I could find was the Moto X Pure. All the freedom of a Nexus device plus a MicroSD slot. Oddly enough, I was also tempted to purchase the Nextbit Robin but I prefer a larger screen size. I played with a Galaxy 6 Edge+ phone as well. I think it's a beautiful phone but again, no MicroSD card slot and lacking the flashing freedom of unlocked devices. I am hoping I enjoy the Moto X Pure as much as I think I will. It arrives Monday and I've been reading up on how to unlock and root it. This will be my first Motorola phone since the Flip Razor.....lol.

You know the Samsung 7 has dual SD cards...at least that's what I read

Walt750 said:
You know the Samsung 7 has dual SD cards...at least that's what I read
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But on Verizon it will still be bootloader locked and no root.

Don't blame ya. Guess I'm limited to paying full price for Nexus phones.

Samsung is only building one version of the S7. It has all the radios. Seems like you could buy an unlocked one and use it on verizon. There was a EU G4 that worked on VZW. Although I can't imagine advanced calling and Video chat working. The Nexus 6 (Moto) was universal too.

Yea looking at the Verizon S6 forums, they are in the same boat. No roms or anything.
The days of custom roms and root are close to being over unless they can find some miracle break through.
Yea so unless you pay full price for international S7 that is unlockable bootloader (still no word if thats the case).
Sucks.

I think people are nuts for buying a $500-800 computing device and having all sorts of bloat, advertising and tracking software installed and forced upon us.

I have an early Samsung Galaxy Nexus (not currently activated) and the LG Vista VS-880 (that replaced it),
which I plan to sell to finance a newer model.
I'd like a Google-free phone & it looks like CM & other custom roms have passed the VS-880 by.
The LG G4 & Moto X Pure Edition appear to be affordable ($240.) used.
May both be loaded with CM (or other Google-free custom rom) in
USA/Verizon models?
I have read some posts that suggest maybe only non-USA models.
Thanks!
[Soapbox: Do phone companies so control the USA administration
that the monopolistic blocking of rooting & custom roms cannot
be defeated?]

In short, the Verizon model cannot be rom'ed. EU and tmobile ones can.

Are there any phones in the same class, and available used around the same $240. price,
that may be rom'd in the USA on Verizon?
OR, maybe just run-out the current data contract then roll-back to a minimalist phone
& carry a small wifi-or-wait Linux or Tizen tablet?

Moto developer edition phone or nexus. Otherwise you have to port a non Verizon phone in. There won't be advanced calling features in these cases.

Thanks for the tips!
Moto Developer Edition (older tech, slower, smaller display compared to LG G4 or Moto Pure)
Moto Nexus 6 (older tech, slower, lower res display compared to LG G4 or Moto Pure)
But, both appear to be 100% root & rom-able & play nicely with Verizon. Yes?
My eyes would benefit from the better display on the LG G4 or the Moto Pure Edition.
Sure would like to have a micro-SD slot (why none on the Moto's?).
Other compromises ...
Hmmm ... change or run-out contract & downgrade ... hmmm.

Even on stock Roms you may only get HD voice but not video chat with moto or a nexus on vzw. Check on that. Having had tons of moto phones I can tell you that the camera will be the biggest downgrade.

I just left the Verizon G4 because of its many issues. Most won't have problems unless you wireless charge. It burns out after a while. I went though 6 replacements and all burned out after a while. My last G4 also had wireless connection issues where it would connect, disconnect, connect, disconnect in rapid increments until a reboot was performed.
Verizon said it was a known issue, credited my $199 that I spent back in June and I applied it toward a Galaxy S 7 Edge, that also sucks. The beveled screen allows touches from your palm when holding it to type; hitting things like Send and shift at random times. Over the course of the weekend, I sent tons of half completed emails and messages. Also when holding it and enough skin is touching the screen, it stops receiving inputs when typing until you reposition. And if you are normally using it, the edges are less sensitive to prevent "palming". It mostly works but freaks out occasionally and gets more input than it can handle. Also the curve of the screen and usable space (technically the whole screen is usable) makes the screen feel narrow and confined, like a smaller screen.... hard to explain. It just felt smaller compared to the same sized G4. I didn't buy a case yet but a case should help. Screen protectors are going to be a pain too.
I called Verizon and they swapped it out for a 64gb Note 5. It's the physical same size as the G4 with hard buttons to increase screen size to 5.7" but the same physical body. So far it feels like a solid device. The SPen will probably come in handy for my work. The Note 5 feels like the G4, which is what I like.
Since Root and Unlocking is basically dead... it doesn't really matter what device you pick now. I miss the buttons on the back. Physical home button makes up for lack of Double tap to wake. I still use Action Launcher with Double tap to sleep. Wireless Charging on both the S7E and Note 5 are built in.

This thread pretty much confirms what I've been feeling for some time now -- If I want a fully unlocked, rootable, bloat-free phone I have to go with a Nexus.
My Galaxy Nexus was a pretty great little guy back in the day, the only real problems I had with it were battery life. Hopefully newer Nexus phones are a little better there.
Maybe it's also a good idea to start looking into Google Fi.

I have a Google Fi invite that I am pretty sure I can give away if anyone wants it.
As far as the International s7, they are about the same problems as we do, with Qualcomm's secure chain-of-trust and whatnot... They aren't in a better boat, not by much at any rate.
If you want the Moto Nexus 6, Costco has it for a penny on a two year contract.

I used to love modding my phone. I have t had to with my g4. It has M. It has the latest features I want. It has great performance I don't need to push a ROM to optimize anything. Root was nice but I find I haven't really needed that either as cracked apks are available.

Good point.
In my case I'd prefer to have Borg/SkyNet/google completely out of my phone - so a generic load won't do & Apple isn't an option either.
It's pretty pitiful that no one will make an affordable privacy-respecting phone for use in the USA.

This phone still worth buying in 2017?

Simple question. I asked the same question on another phone I'm interested in, got some good response, am asking it here.
I need a new phone, battery is getting hinky on my HTC One M8 plus the camera is ca-ca and I need a better camera for my job because I have to use the phone's camera quite often.
Out of principle, I simply don't want to spend more than $350 or so for a phone. I toyed with the idea of going over to the dark side with an iPhone, but I'm not going to spend that much money for a phone, I've got other things I need/want to spend money on instead of phones that cost more than some cars I've driven in my life. I'm also too invested in Google's ecosystem and I just prefer Android.
I also need to be on VZW's network. Have toyed with going GSM, I need to stay with Big Red.
Phones within my price range that I'm interested in are an HTC 10 (my last two phones have been HTCs and I've liked them), a Moto X Pure (that's the other phone I asked this question about), a Samsung S7 (all that glass scares me to death, I'm a klutz and the brick-like cases my phones reside in bear that out), Moto G4 Plus or the new Moto G5 Plus (which is having all kinds of issues on the VZW network unless you disable HD calling) — and this one, which really really intrigues me.
I know it's three years old, but I see that there's still a vibrant community supporting it, I've seen people online call it "the best phone Samsung ever made and probably ever will make," and the specs are still righteous compared to newer and flashier phones.
I don't care about new and flashy, my phone is a tool, period, and I need it to work for me.
The Note 4 also apparently is rootable ... I've never owned a non-rooted phone, have never rooted one myself although I've flashed ROMs. (I've got a line on a mint used one running Noble Rom; can anyone tell me about stability of that?)
So after this long-winded drivel, I repeat the question ... this phone still worth buying in 2017?

Depends what you're looking for I guess. If you're looking for a decent phone for around $200, it's decent. Beware the emmc failure error though, these things seem to choke themselves out at either exactly one year or exactly two years after purchase. Not all of them but a large enough percentage that its worth mentioning.
Edit:Also this is anecdotal but I suspect that refurbished note 4s don't have real gorilla glass. I dropped my note 4 easily hundreds of times from around 3 feet, sometimes with some force, with only the s view cover fit a case. The screen never had problems until insurance replaced mine due to failing emmc, then it cracked on the first drop after that.
Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 07:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:19 PM ----------
Also, if you get it I would use one of the newer note rom TouchWiz ports
Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

Modtronix said:
Note 4 is very rootable including the V variant many active devs for it. Sprint model here and was an amazon purchase. Been rock solid. Many of the others you mentioned are nice as well. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it is as well . great device lotta development and now I saw they go for $149 new . Will it hang with the Note 8.....no of course it won't it is almost 5 yrs old now but it at 149 unlocked its less than 1/8 th the projected price of the note 8 .

There are lots of reasons to love the Note 4. Replaceable battery, holds up to 256GB micro SD, IR support, big bright screen, rootable with Magisk support, great ROMs from anything from nearly stock to basic 7.11 versions. If you like to use your spen, get a Touchwiz ROM.
I bought my first one on the day of release. Since then, I've bought nine more over the years for friends and family. All (except one) has been rooted and are running newer ROMs. The holdout is my daughter who thinks rooting is bad. Kids, you can't teach them anything ... ugh! However, they are difficult (shall I say tricky) to root, it's well worth it. I bought the N7 when it was released. Had it two weeks. Hated the 'edge' because I would pull that out accidentally, or couldn't close with the X because my finger was right on the edge. I was sorta glad to return it. Needless to say, I bought a refurbished N4 on Amazon and several more since then. My neighbors wanted new phones, but didn't want to pay $600+ for them. I talked them into the N4 and set them up. They love them, but don't use half of the features. Newer phones are slimmer, not as wide, but that never bothered me. The only reason I would want a newer model would be for more RAM, however I like having the extra cash in my pocket, so I'm perfectly happy and will continue with the N4 series as long as I can.

Note 4 well worth the money!
I definitely recommend the note 4 it is an amazing phone best phone i have ever had! You will be very happy if you do decide to purchase im rooted and using twrp and custom rom! I also read a article talking about how people have decided to stick with the note 4 instead of upgrading to note 5 or 7 this is because the note 4 was way ahead of its time because of the harware that is used in it. The phone has a very good processor i highly recommend this phone!

i bought an LGV20 this week, thats going to be sold, and the note 4 will continue to be my daily driver...at least until the note 8 comes out

This phone is spectacular. I have 2. Never any problems at all outside of my own rooting quandaries. Only complaint is front facing cam. I'm not into selfies but if I get decent haircut and I want to remember it or just notate something stupid like my teeth for my own personal use, the front facing cam sucks.

prw94 said:
Simple question. I asked the same question on another phone I'm interested in, got some good response, am asking it here.
I need a new phone, battery is getting hinky on my HTC One M8 plus the camera is ca-ca and I need a better camera for my job because I have to use the phone's camera quite often.
Out of principle, I simply don't want to spend more than $350 or so for a phone. I toyed with the idea of going over to the dark side with an iPhone, but I'm not going to spend that much money for a phone, I've got other things I need/want to spend money on instead of phones that cost more than some cars I've driven in my life. I'm also too invested in Google's ecosystem and I just prefer Android.
I also need to be on VZW's network. Have toyed with going GSM, I need to stay with Big Red.
Phones within my price range that I'm interested in are an HTC 10 (my last two phones have been HTCs and I've liked them), a Moto X Pure (that's the other phone I asked this question about), a Samsung S7 (all that glass scares me to death, I'm a klutz and the brick-like cases my phones reside in bear that out), Moto G4 Plus or the new Moto G5 Plus (which is having all kinds of issues on the VZW network unless you disable HD calling) — and this one, which really really intrigues me.
I know it's three years old, but I see that there's still a vibrant community supporting it, I've seen people online call it "the best phone Samsung ever made and probably ever will make," and the specs are still righteous compared to newer and flashier phones.
I don't care about new and flashy, my phone is a tool, period, and I need it to work for me.
The Note 4 also apparently is rootable ... I've never owned a non-rooted phone, have never rooted one myself although I've flashed ROMs. (I've got a line on a mint used one running Noble Rom; can anyone tell me about stability of that?)
So after this long-winded drivel, I repeat the question ... this phone still worth buying in 2017?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got my Verizon Note 4 about 2.5 years ago and I still like it a lot. I did have the failing motherboard problem, but Samsung fixed it completely for only $70. It's working great now and I'm hoping to keep using the phone for at least another two years.
So, yes, I would certainly consider buying another Note 4 today. The only caution I would take is to make sure I bought a brand new one. Otherwise you are likely going to be buying someone else's phone with a failing, or soon to be failing, motherboard. Perhaps a phone that has been refurbished by a very reputable company could be acceptable (e.g., from Samsung, or Verizon), but I would want to make sure it has a very good warranty (preferably much longer than 90 days). I definitely would not buy a used phone that is being sold as-is (even if the buyer claims it works fine).
I have seen new Note 4 phones advertised on Amazon for about $300. Refurbished phones seem to be going for about $200 (but I think the extra $100 is well worth the cost for a new phone).
I've never rooted my Note 4. It sounds like versions from some carriers are easier to root than others. If you are on Verizon it sounds like it may be rootable, but it is more difficult. I would read the Verizon specific threads on rooting the Note 4 if you intend to buy a phone specifically for rooting. Personally I really don't feel the need to root the phone. For me it works fine (although I do use a custom launcher so I can customize the look and feel). I also disable any bloatware that I never use. Unfortunately you can't completely remove the bloatware without root.

The Note 4 is still an amazing phone whether you want to use it stock and unrooted or whether you want to root and flash roms. Be advised tho this particular model is a pain in the rea to roo but keep at it and you'll get it done no problem.

Personally? I can't find a phone to replace it. For me, I'm network flexible, and I've considered a V20 on TMO, but honestly I can't find a reason to switch. Rarely if ever do I feel like I need more ram, and that's basically the only significant feature that the v20 would pose for an upgrade. And I'd miss EVERYTHING ELSE about the samsung. Reasons to buy it? Cheap, plenty of power left in the processor/ram category IMO, REMOVEABLE BATTERY (this is something I can't stress enough for me personally. And I can not stand that newer models don't have it.) IR support (why would they get rid of this, why?! why?!?!) and its TWRP/root capable. Again, something I can hardly stand to live without. My phone is ad blocked, xposed, etc... I'll be eating out and I'll start changing TV volumes and my friends just get this WTF look on their face... And I can't find a newer phone to beat it, that has all the same features, and can still be TWRP. My opinion? Yeah, it IS the best phone, and maybe the last GOOD phone samsung ever made. I know there's tradeoff arguments to be made. But they'll drag me to the grave with my note 4. No way I'll be switching until the last boat leaves the dock, and the phone simply can't function in society any more. Hopefully by then, there will once again be another option with removeable battery, IR, TWRP.... but we can only hope.

For what its worth, I switched from a note 4 to the v20. I miss the stylus occasionally but there's a solution for screen writing included with the phone. I like the v20 more
Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

I've had mine since about 6 months after release. It was a decent phone when it was still locked, but once we got root, it became a phenomenal device. I've been eligible for upgrade for over a year, but I haven't seen a new phone I'm willing to replace it with. Getting hard to find removable batteries and SD cards. I'm curious about the upcoming Pixel 2, but mostly I'm just hoping my phone will last forever.
At this point, if it dies, I'll probably hunt down another Note 4.

I think the note 4 has been a decent phone. I purchased mine new in 2015. It's always had a really poor camera that dosent auto focus without shaking it repeatedly (common issue). It's also had a round of boot looping, which could only be corrected with a factory reset. After boot looping and other random crashing issues where it suddenly powers off. I've decided to move to an LG v20. P. S. You can buy a brand new note 5 for 259.

For fun, thought I'd drop in now that 2018 is looming.
I love my Note 4 (T-Mobile). I'm a flashaholic, and there's plenty out there (though my ext sd card makes Marshmallow roms my preference, since Nougat keeps wanting to reformat the 128g sd I have in this thing!).
I've flashed a few dozen different roms on this thing and it doesn't mind at all. Bought it used off ebay (I didn't know about the emm memory mess back then, which would have given me some pause even if ebay does favor the buyer). But it runs perfectly for me. I use a rubber case because I'm paranoid.
Reasons I really like this phone?
1. big screen.
2. durable.
3. REMOVABLE battery.
4. External SD card slot (at least 128g works just fine, maybe even more?)
Reasons to not go with it?
1. Ya gotta have the newest and shiniest.
2. Small but real possibility you'll run into the emmc memory issue (if you do, get your money back from whoever sold the phone to you and/or chuck it in the trash - game over).

I love the Note 4 and was thinking about rooting it. It's the longest I've ever had a phone. Been about 3 years now and it still runs strong for daily use. Most people don't even use a phone for its full potential. It's a tool for their social media, snapping a few pics, browsing the web, paying some bills (which we all hate), getting directions, etc. As a daily driver, it's been great and I can't find a reason to upgrade to a flashier new phone for $800 plus. I'm the type that if it still works well, then there's no point in replacing it. It still performs as well as middle of the pack models even 4 years after it's release. And the 515ppi 5.7" screen with 2k quality doesn't make the phone feel dated at all. Only the style of the phone feels dated but most of us have a case on it anyway. So hopefully with a new 3220mah battery and a root, this phone will last me a little longer since it still does what I tell it to and with T-Mobile LTE, which is nearly 2 times faster than Sprint, and WiFi through Verizon Fios keeps it snappy and feeling smooth.

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