Phones and Access

[JayH]

This topic deserves a thread of it's own--  so much moves so far forward  that it is only looking back that you can see  how much has happened and relatively quickly.

The idea for this thread germinated when I read of guys with locked( to the network they signed up for)  phones and wondering what to do on an upcoming visit to the FSU. Throw in the concerns about losing an expensive phone and often the inability to use 2 sims in a phone -- the whole topic needs a revisit.

The linked posts below I offer a few suggestions -- and  it drew the predictable no nothing comment from the local who thinks he knows everything about everything better than everyone else !!

There will be different opinions for sure-- but-- my offering --if your top dollar phone is more than a year old-- chances are that a phone costing a fraction of the cost will now out perform it. My other observation-- 99% plus of you( & users) does not utilise where the top of the range phones MAY be better -there is little in it these days. New models are coming thick and fast -- better cameras.longer battery life,faster charging  etc are the buzz words.

Generally speaking --I think crazy to lock yourself into paying multiples of what you need to pay.
These days -I pay $10 ( USD $7) per month for all national calls and sms-- and more data than I use. In Ukraine  UAH 230 for similar deal with a lot more internet access ( that is about USD$10) --the sim card UAH 50  in one off purchase.Sim stays alive for 12 months after any payment.

FROM THE OTHER THREAD

I have been intending to start an  updated  thread   on phones   and sims ,internet connections etc
I will preface my comments with a this is MY OPINION and thoughts !
The only reason I can see these days for paying crazy money for a phone is it is similar for the buyer to showing off an expensive watch!
For those with Apple and  expensive Samsung models -- they are not necessary-- 99% plus of you will never have a reason to utilise the features that MIGHT set some models aside.
In relation to this thread  -- and for those buying a second phone etc  -- you can spend less than USD $100  and get a phone that will do all the basics -- including video chat  etc and be simple and easy to use-- and set up.
The model I refer to is available in Ukraine  through the Mi stores -- and over the last year through many of the major retailers  for less than UAH2000    -- the model Xiaomi  Go .
Excellent battery life and relatively quick recharge.

I have & have had  had numerous Xiaomi  Mi  & Redmi models  and they are really good value for money.  For less than $300 you get a phone that pushes the best on the market  -- in fact about $180 is probably all you need to spend.
The only issue at the moment-- Xiaomi keep releasing new models and hard to say when excellent is good enough!

My thought to the OP here --I wonder what would be said if you organise  the UAH2000 version I refer to above -- that will allow any communication through all of the video chat methods !

Jay I took your advice and several months ago purchased a Xiaomi Mi after accidentally dunking my old Samsung in water after which it only lasted a few months despite being supposedly waterproof. You do indeed get a lot more for less which pleased me The battery is built in but is huge 4000 as opposed to my old Samsung 1300-1800 ish so lasts a lot longer so it works because of its size so no longer carry around back up batteries. It has a big memory capable of holding many apps so way better than my old Samsung. It's also way cheaper than a Samsung. Plus it has space for two Sim cards. My one and only gripe is that you can't seem to control the layout of the display it seems to be done by Xiaomi, every do often they change it arbitrarily with the user having no control over them doing this whatsoever. They also seem to be able to mess about with where the menu is put in Google Chrome (at the top or bottom) and switch it every so often, the most recent being today. It's s real pain in the perverbial rear when they do it as I've just gotten used to stuff bring all in its place. I kind of get the impression of a Chinese guy on the other side just doing it all for a laugh as a kind of a wind up. Anyway apart from that all has been great for the year or so that I have had it for

Trench-- you liked the advice ! You should try and act on a lot more of the advice you get here !
On the issues you describe -- all fixable -Xiaomi forum will show you how -- and the internet at large  of course-  you just have to take the advice and act on it!!

btw-  Xiaomi do  do updates of operating systems on some models-- and running fixes of problems that arise -maybe that is what you were referring to?

Hi.

I am not sure what you mean by this.  I am only aware of cell phone plans called "friends and family".  If that is what you mean, then I would like to point out that cell phone plans in Ukraine are dirt cheap - $7/month for unlimited data, about $11/month for data and voice.

If it is something else, could you explain?

Steve -- you bought your now wife the Pocophone F1   and a Samsung( yes?) for yourself -- any thoughts?

A FWIW -- Xiaomi is the 4th largest  of phone manufacturers -- and until this last year made little to no effort to sell into western countries generally. They listed in the US in the last few years --the 18th largest company in the world at that time.

[Patagonie]

I absolutely agree with what you have said about Xiaomi. 

I come from two iphones and see no reason to pay the apple tax. This is a propietary system, I struggled to save my datas OUTSIDE the Apple world, coming from a Windows world Itune was a nightmare that make me furious and the oldest apple versions have their applicaitons not updated. Add no dual sim card, No external sd card and in the beginning a ridiculous use time due to the little battery. 

I had believed that those phones were durable till I had to change mine due to a failure. I didn't make any conclusion at this moment, BUT
then I discussed with the guy who comes to retrieve it.He told me that dozens of phones are retrieved every day in my region. So I understood that part of the high price is going to the maintenance side.     

A telephone is anyway something you change every two or thre years maximum. So for me it makes any sense to put a grand on this shit.
I am done with Apple. The same with computers.

[Patagonie]

What is for me the most interesting about phones is how you deal with your GF or wife when it's time for to come along such phones.

So as you have clearly understood, I am clearly against those stories of BRANDS when it's not justified (every one has different opinions), but FSU women like those phone (Samsung one grand also). I met one who bought an apple to her young child 

 
So I am interested to know how you deal with such difficult time when (except if she do it herself with her own money, the rarest instance) the phone needs to be replaced?

[Patagonie]

I let apart the traditionnal scam when an unknow and remote woman asks you such phone as a gift or when after the first meeting she wants to visit a phone shop (It happened to me and dropped her in the next minutes like a hot patatoe) and suddenly finds out that would be nice from you to a buy one.

[SteveInBoston]

Steve -- you bought your now wife the Pocophone F1   and a Samsung

No samsung.  I avoid the brand ever since I bought a $1800 TV that died after 16 months - 4 months past the warranty.  A year later Samsung was in the news about being sued for using substandard capacitors in their TV's.

I got the pocophone for my nephew in law.  I got into hot water for that - both T and her sister said I shouldn't get him such a nice phone.  His grades weren't that good and they didn't want to spoil him.  Sure enough, he spent way too much time playing mobile games after he got it.

I learned my lesson.  This year I got him a nice pair of Beats headphones that was on sale on Black Friday.  A few weeks later T said nephew's latest grades were sub par.  So I returned it and we're going to get him a nice backpack for schoolbooks.))


I bought a Nokia 8 for me when I was there.  I think it was about $300. At the time I only had my work phone - iPhone 7 - and I couldn't change out the sim card incase someone needed to contact me, and the company's cell phone plan had expensive international roaming charges.


Cell phone prices are very good in Ukraine except for iPhones, Sammsungs and OnePlus.  Avoid the retail stores like Allo and Foxtrot - buy from internet "magazines" that has an office for you to go pick up the phone.  You can inspect the phone and pay on the spot.  Most prefer cash, which can be a pain, but the prices are much better.  I got both the pocophone and nokia this was and saved $30-$50 from Allo prices.

When getting a sim, use the cell phone company your girlfriend uses. Calls are free for "in-network", but can be charged per minute for "out of network" if she doesn't have a more expensive voice plan.  Many online stores there have several contact numbers for this reason - one for each of the major carriers (Kyivstar, Vodaphone, etc)

[krimster2]

my kids used to break their iphone screens almost every month when they were little...
but there’s an iphone screen replacement kiosk in every mall here...
so you can get this done in 5 min...

what I did when they were little
was instead of buying them the latest iphone model...
knowing they’ll break it in a month...
instead...
I bought a whole box of ones that were 2 models old from here:

http://www.groupon.com/

type in the word “iphone” and you’ll see a lot of older ones that if you want you can buy in bulk...

10 year olds DID NOT know the difference in the model number and didn’t care
that only became important when they were 13...
just as long as they could watch cartoons and play games and chat with their friends
they were happy... so long it was an iphone (and of course they have to have a MAC instead of Windoz)

note: if you are buying from one of these vendors in bulk, say 10 for instance...
don’t buy it through groupon, cuz that takes a 30% cut...
talk to the vendor for at LEAST 40% off list for 10 and without groupon cut....
you might be able to get an iphone for $100...
all ya gotta do is set the menu to Russian and bingo!

these are cheap enough to be a gopnick present...
perceived value of your $100 phone would be like it was a $400 one to a Ukrainian woman...
leverage, I like it...
but what to do with this leverage in Ukraine?
how do you use it?
hmmm?
how, for instance, would you go about getting a young Ukrainian woman in some small village to trade you sex for an iphone...
hmmm... think now....
what would your approach be?

ok...
ya wanna know what mine would be?
well do ya?
well....
OK!
here's what I'do!!!

I'd give her a ride in my rented Mercedes
and park somewhere...
and watch some youtube music video on the phone...
then I'd tell her that I'll be leaving Ukraine soon and don't need the phone anymore and would she like to have it as a present?
and when she screams yes, then I'd put my hand gently on her thigh and look deeply into her eyes...
100% I'd get a BJ or HJ!!
mashina cekc...

[JayH]

  A comment on thread -- getting a screen replaced in Ukraine is relatively painless.  Also -- getting a phone fixed -even those  said to be unfixable  at anything close to a remotely reasonable price --or said to be unfixable - can probably be fixed in Ukraine for next to nothing in western terms .

Below ia a link  and a summary of available phones. You can see that they are available via Amazon-- but also many other places ( Gear Best)   at competative prices.

Not listed below-- A2 and A3 -- both less than $200 and excellent phones- You do not need to buy a top of the range phone-- you will still get an excellent phone that takes great photos . My original Xiaomi   took great photos in good light and was clearly better than phones at 5 times the price.Later phones camera's are right up to the best available -- or so close most of you would not notice.

My big point is that buying  a dual sim  phone usable across the fsu does not need to be painful -- but a common sense aquisition.

Another point--these days transferring info to new device is simple-- eg if you have google account on computer and/or phone -- just click sync and all your info and contacts and passwords all come straight to phone -- about 10 minutes and no hassle to do .

http://www.techradar.com/au/news/best-xiaomi-phones
Best Xiaomi phones: these are the top Mi, Redmi and Pocophone devices for you

The best Xiaomi phones are some of the first devices you should look at if you're in the market for a new affordable handset – phones from the Chinese company often offer the sorts of features usually seen in mid-range or even high-end devices, but at relatively low price tags.

Xiaomi is quickly becoming a major player in Europe thanks to its aggressive pricing, with savvy phone buyers seeing the brand as a way to get a device with the latest design and top-end specs, without paying flagship prices.

Xiaomi markets its phones under three brand names: Mi, Redmi and Pocophone; Mi tends to be its main mid-range brand, with Redmi and Pocophone being its budget series.

At the time of writing, our list is mainly populated with Mi smartphones, as that's the brand Xiaomi has focused on in Western markets. However, the company seems to be ramping up releases of Redmi devices, and Pocophone handsets have proven popular too, so we could see a wider mix in the future.

http://www.techradar.com/au/news/best-xiaomi-phones

  A btw and thankyou -- some years ago I was pointed to these phones by a tech savvy member here( thankyou Patrick) and subsequently saw in action in the hands of another member --was all enough to convince me -- and now having owned 6 of there phones cannot be happier .

[Grumpy]

 I have this model works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Telephones-Sangyn-Classic-Landline-Telephone/dp/B01I4SOFGO?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2

[krimster2]

my communication is very efficient, I don't even need a phone!

I used to take the a broom and tap the ceiling of the basement, and then yell to my wife "HEY! bring me a beer!"
but now, I have a better way!
I just yell "Beer!"
and my wife will bring me a beer!

AND SHE KEEPS THE HOUSE INCREDIBLY CLEAN!
Russians are the best housekeepers!
I swear this is true!
especially when compared to the average American woman!!!


cleaning...
cooking
AND...
секс...

Russian women are the BEST!!!

[msmob]

When I read JayH 'advising' on Comms Tech it is a guaranteed hoot.

I have a Samsung S8+..It has only 1sim ...I bought  a MiFi devive and when in a FSU country, buy a local data sim.


I turn on the device..logon to its Wifi with flight mode turned on on my Samsung and make receive calls to the UK ..as if in the UK within my plan there..

I can WhatsApp local mobiles and send /receive local sms via the MiFi sim.

I appear to be in the UK ..but can communicate at local rates.

[JayH]

 

Moby is  such a know all that his posts keep showing how little he does know or understand !

[Darth_Budda]

I used a Ip Blocker program to use my Sling TV "Internet TV"  When I was in Ukraine,,, they blocked Ukraine for some reason, So I just had my computer pretend I was back in the USA....  Because Hotel TV sucks,, and I wanted to watch a movie...

[msmob]

JayH..

I earn my crust in comms and delivery of media content.

As ever, you let my pointing out your 'advice' sucking get to you, too much..