Smartphones

Tuco_sl said:

so here's my activation process so far:
1. Get phone, navigate to tmobile site, it's down (see above)
2. Call tmobile's activation service. Guy takes all my info then says that he doesn't have the 30 dollar 5GB data plan at the bottom:http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans
3. Refresh tmobiles site every few hours until it works sometime this afternoon. It says my activation code is invalid, I'm thinking the guy somehow activated my phone and put it in a bad state.
4. Drive to the nearest tmobile store half an hour away. Guy says he doesn't have the 30 dollar5GB plan but I can do it online (lol) or go to walmart.
5. Go to walmart, they say their 'wireless service associate' went home for the day and will be back sometime tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Sounds like T-Mobile on a good day.

Its a hell of a good plan I hope to see more carriers copy them. If only their coverage were a little better here I'd be on it.

I've gotten 4 SIM cards from online T-Mobile and managed to activate all 4 of them on the $30 plan without a single issue. I know there are issues (as in they won't work) if you try to go to an actual T-Mobile store to buy them.

I don't know how they can claim it is a "Walmart Only" plan when it is advertised right on the main page of the prepaid section of their website (albeit near the bottom in a kind of obscure way) but whatever, at least you got it working.

Long story short my wife left her Bionic on the roof of the car while we were on vacation this last week, and needless to say it flew off at 65mph and got ran over by someone else before we found it. I am due for a new phone in a few weeks but I was going to stay on my Bionic due to not wanting to lose unlimited data, but I figure I'll get myself a new phone and give her my Bionic. We are on Verizon.

I have been out of the smart phone loop for a bit. I am currently really eyeing the Galaxy Note 2, and have been since they came out. I know the Note 3 is coming out this fall and I would love to wait for that, but I really can't wait that long as she needs a new phone ASAP. Not super interested in the S4 as I really love the phablet thing after playing with a few and have not really been sold on the S4. Also I do not own a tablet nor will I probably ever buy one, so phablets are nice for me in this sense.

Anyways what I am wondering is are there any worthwhile alternatives to the Note 2 that are out or coming out before the end of July? I've heard a bit about a Sony Xperia Z?, and some HTC one? Don't really know crap about them, but I am curious if any of these or any other phones are worth looking at, or if I should just get myself the Note 2 and be done with it? Also I am not really interested in Windows Phone, and although there are some games that interest me towards iphone, I couldn't handle switching to such a locked down OS, and they are way too tiny.

LG optimus G Pro would be your other option. Mouthful of a name there and I'm not sure if it is available on Verizon.

HTC and SONY both have phablet type phones coming out soon, but won't meet your timeframe. Sony's is so huge I have difficulty calling it a phone actually.

I've been using the Note 2 since release. Its an amazing device.

My Bro in Law has the Note 2 and I got a chance to play around with it (I have the S3). It's an awesome piece of electronics.

I got the Droid DNA a few months ago when it was free (normally $200). It is an excellent phone and will be getting the new HTC Sense 5 and Jelly Bean 4.2.2 eventually.

It's not cutting edge anymore, but they have been offering it free, every so often

Droid DNA is $49 on Verizon right now. My Note 2 is on the FedEx truck right now. You just missed it though, last week is was $199 it's back up to $299 now

EDIT: NEVERMIND FEDEX JUST GOT HERE, WOO HOO!

Double Edit: Anyone want a scratch free six month old Nexus 4 16GB? I have one for sale now lol.

Gaige_sl said:

Droid DNA is $49 on Verizon right now. My Note 2 is on the FedEx truck right now. You just missed it though, last week is was $199 it's back up to $299 now

EDIT: NEVERMIND FEDEX JUST GOT HERE, WOO HOO!

Double Edit: Anyone want a scratch free six month old Nexus 4 16GB? I have one for sale now lol.

Click to expand...

Trade you my Amazon credit for it =p

Just traded in my Galaxy Nexus for a note 2 today at Best Buy. $50 off of Galaxy phones plus the $53 for the Nexus means I snagged this bad boy for a little over $100 after tax. Love this thing so far the latest Android update from Verizon Dan near killed my Nexus for some reason.

I'm a little hesitant buying anything Samsung / Google (I have the Galaxy Nexus) anymore. The speakers on this phone are awful and JellyBean killed Volume+ app. Are the phones you guys have have great speakers?

Gaige_sl said:

Droid DNA is $49 on Verizon right now. My Note 2 is on the FedEx truck right now. You just missed it though, last week is was $199 it's back up to $299 now

EDIT: NEVERMIND FEDEX JUST GOT HERE, WOO HOO!

Double Edit: Anyone want a scratch free six month old Nexus 4 16GB? I have one for sale now lol.

Click to expand...

How much you selling it for? Might be interested.

Kuriin_sl said:

I'm a little hesitant buying anything Samsung / Google (I have the Galaxy Nexus) anymore. The speakers on this phone are awful and JellyBean killed Volume+ app. Are the phones you guys have have great speakers?

Click to expand...

Pretty much the only phone I've ever used that had what i would consider good speakers was the HTC One. Every other phone has speakers that are varying degrees of crap to mediocre. Even a cheap set of earbuds are going to sound better than 99% of phone speakers out there.

Thanks for the tip, Tuco. I was planning on getting a new phone this next week. Looks like I'm breaking my rule and going to Walmart.

Ended up getting a Note 2 a few weeks early by adding a 3rd line and dropping it to a dumb phone and then switching the Note 2 to my line to keep my unlimited data. Had to try 3 Verizon shops, but I got one to pricematch Sam's Club website, and got a Note 2 for 148.88. Can't really beat that. Loving it. After playing with my Bionic after getting the Note, I can't believe the Bionic seemed high tech and big up until a week ago. The thing seems so archaic now lol.