Author Topic: "My iPhone is literally free"  (Read 13948 times)

RWD

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"My iPhone is literally free"
« on: December 28, 2014, 06:50:30 AM »
While visiting relatives one of my in-laws asserted that their iPhone was "literally" free (not counting the monthly service plan cost). Their logic was that it cost them $200 to upgrade their phone and at the end of the contract they could sell it used for about $200. I couldn't seem to make him understand that the contract cost was higher to subsidize the cost of the phone...

Indexer

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2014, 09:49:24 AM »
I see this all the time.  Back when I had a Nexus phone I bought directly from Google for $300 and I had a $40month phone bill people thought the phone was outrageously priced.  They didn't get their phone really cost $600 but they got it for $100 because their bill was $100/month. 

Now I just have Republic Wireless, $10/month!

greenmimama

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2014, 11:03:08 AM »
"Subsidised" phone contracts are a form of high-interest loan, but for some reason, most people are not able to see that. They just look at the list price of a phone and their mental reaction is, "$300 for a phone !? That's crazy! I'd rather take out a 50% interest loan so I don't have to pay that up front..."

So it is another tax on people who can't do math :)

I have never been great at math, but I am good at research.

Zikoris

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2014, 12:28:39 PM »
I have to say, it hurts the first time you actually buy a phone - After having contracts my entire adult life, I finally finished my last 3 year contract last summer and switched to a pay-as-you-go company, and oh man, that $50 I had to pay for the phone was painful. There was a promotion going on where I'll get 3 months of free service after making auto-payments for 8 months in a row, so that softened the blow a bit.

socaso

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2014, 12:42:03 PM »
I hate iPhones so much. I've never had one but I'm exhausted by the mindset of people who have one. Every single week I have multiple people coming through the door of my workplace waving their iPhones and asking for whatever type of charger they need for it (the 5, the 6 etc). No "Hi" or anything, just give me what I want. The battery life must be just awful. My little Moto from Republic only needs charging every other day or so but I also don't spend my life glued to my phone.

Travis

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2014, 12:49:00 PM »
I've been a T-Mobile customer for several years so I was there when they started offering the "pay off your phone with no contract" deal.  I never buy a cutting edge device so it didn't cost terribly much, but I still spent a year and a half paying for the phone.  When I was done my bill dropped by the amount of that payment.  It was an eye opener.  I think people pay what they pay because they're led to believe it's simply the cost of doing business.  Once you remove the cost of the phone from your bill you realize how much you're getting screwed.  From my perspective, the get a new phone almost free and pay a huge amount on a contract for 2 years (wash, rinse, repeat) is almost exactly like constantly leasing a brand new car every couple years.

Indexer

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2014, 01:47:05 PM »
I hate iPhones so much. I've never had one but I'm exhausted by the mindset of people who have one. Every single week I have multiple people coming through the door of my workplace waving their iPhones and asking for whatever type of charger they need for it (the 5, the 6 etc). No "Hi" or anything, just give me what I want. The battery life must be just awful. My little Moto from Republic only needs charging every other day or so but I also don't spend my life glued to my phone.

You don't understand.  You don't buy an iPhone because you want performance or battery life.  You buy it for the status symbol, for the brand!  They are the most profitable company because they overcharge, and if you complain you just must be poor.   Buying an iPhone is announcing the to rest of the world "I have so much money I can throw it away!"  Its a great business model when you think about it!

The iPhone 6 has almost the same functionality, screen size, resolution, NFC payments, etc. of a Nexus 4... which came out in 2012!  The Nexus 4 brand new back in 2012 was also half the price of a iPhone 6 today(300 Vs 650).  The new equivalent of a Nexus 4 would be the Moto X(same size, functions, cost, pure android, etc.) :).  Thank MMM for introducing me to Republic Wireless!

marty998

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2014, 02:11:22 PM »
I hate iPhones so much. I've never had one but I'm exhausted by the mindset of people who have one. Every single week I have multiple people coming through the door of my workplace waving their iPhones and asking for whatever type of charger they need for it (the 5, the 6 etc). No "Hi" or anything, just give me what I want. The battery life must be just awful. My little Moto from Republic only needs charging every other day or so but I also don't spend my life glued to my phone.

Conversation with my team at work a few weeks ago:

Me:   My phone battery died
Work team:   Don't you charge it every day
M:   I forgot because I only need to charge it once a month or so
WT: ***Fall on ground with screwed up face Japanese Manga style ***
WT:   We have to charge ours everyday
M:   Why doesn't your phone have a decent battery?
WT:   Smartphones don't last very long, you need to keep charging them overnight
M:   Not very smart then is it
WT:   But how do you live without it?
M:   *shrugs shoulders* Just do

I don't laugh at them for it anymore as it's like standing on the shore commanding the tides and the sea to stop.

I just accept things are the way they are. One day I might change with the new world but there's no need to do it now.



GizmoTX

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2014, 02:54:30 PM »
We use iPhones because they consistently work well, have superlative apps, & automatically sync with our computers or tablets. We will switch to a plain phone the day that we don't need portable access to: a map that reports real-time traffic & gives directions, an app that allows us to view cameras & set controls (such as temperature, security, lights, doors) in our home from anywhere in the world, check bank & investment status, keep a shopping list, view favorite recipes, check aviation weather, listen to out of town radio stations, look up encrypted personal data, & much more. If that day comes, it means I'll be in a nursing home or worse. I have never felt that I am flaunting a brand or image, or need to.

We don't upgrade every 2 years; my last iPhone was 4 years old. It depends on the OS functionality & the condition of the phone. I waited for 2 years to get an iPhone until I could finally port over an essential app & data from my Palm Treo, which otherwise didn't perform as well. I would have purchased my current iPhone up front, but ATT's Next plan essentially provides 0% financing for the full term.

I agree that too many people are delusional about the true price of smartphones. I am concerned that so many children are being exposed to an unfiltered internet on such devices & that they are the targets of the perceived image issue.

MrsPete

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2014, 04:37:06 PM »
I've heard the same thing in regards to cars:

My old car payment was $200, and I had a year to go 'til it was paid off. 
I traded it in, and my new car's payments are $190 -- I saved money!  It'll be paid off in six years.

People BELIEVE this!

RWD

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2014, 07:01:56 PM »
I've heard the same thing in regards to cars:

My old car payment was $200, and I had a year to go 'til it was paid off. 
I traded it in, and my new car's payments are $190 -- I saved money!  It'll be paid off in six years.

People BELIEVE this!

I have a coworker that almost traded in his one year old vehicle for a new one. Said something along the lines of "as long as the payment is lower I think I'll do it." The deal was so bad that the car salesman actually talked him out of it...

steveo

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2014, 08:08:19 PM »
I hate iPhones so much. I've never had one but I'm exhausted by the mindset of people who have one.

I hate all smartphones. I bought one because I thought I was missing out on something. It recently broke and I replaced it with a piece of crap that cost something like $50.

Indexer

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2014, 09:49:10 PM »
We use iPhones because they consistently work well, have superlative apps, & automatically sync with our computers or tablets. We will switch to a plain phone the day that we don't need portable access to: a map that reports real-time traffic & gives directions, an app that allows us to view cameras & set controls (such as temperature, security, lights, doors) in our home from anywhere in the world, check bank & investment status, keep a shopping list, view favorite recipes, check aviation weather, listen to out of town radio stations, look up encrypted personal data, & much more. If that day comes, it means I'll be in a nursing home or worse. I have never felt that I am flaunting a brand or image, or need to.

When you pay 'plain phone' do you mean anything that not an iPhone, or anything that is not a smartphone?   All mid-high range smartphones can do everything you just described.  Just about any app that is available on an iPhone will be available on an Android.  Google also has the hands down best map app, and most Apple phones use Google's map app anyway, but it has extra functions on Android phones so you might even see an improvement there.

iPhone = $650 new w/o subsidy.  Very cheapest plans $35-45.
Moto X = $300 new   Very cheapest plans $10-25(unlimited data).

The Moto X can do everything you just said you needed your phone to do for a fraction of the price of an iPhone.  Plus you get Google Now which takes the google maps(what you are probably already using for maps/traffic) to a new level.  It constantly checks traffic patterns to places you normally go to(like home/work), and it will leave a notification if there is heavy traffic so you know if you need early.  If you have an event in your calendar it will even warn you that given current traffic patterns you should probably leave early.  It also automatically does that for flights.  My phone has alerted me that my flight was delayed before the board updated at the terminal! 

GizmoTX

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2014, 12:25:38 AM »
I meant "plain phone" to mean a device that primarily does phone calls & does not have Internet access.

The advantage that the iPhone enjoys is that switching away requires all new apps, assuming that all we consider essential are even available, which they are not. New apps are usually iOS first & maybe Android later if demand supports it. Apps that are Android-only exploit the open environment while iOS & Mac X have walled it off with developer rules & tougher security. Both the Moto & an Android require jumping thru extra hoops & using Google apps to sync with computers & iPad. We prefer the seamless Apple experience. YMMV.

stripey

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2014, 01:14:59 AM »
Since I am happy to have an 18-month-old phone I just wait for someone to give me their old one when they upgrade on plan, or sell it to me for peanuts.

dang1

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #15 on: December 29, 2014, 01:34:51 AM »
keeping up with tasks is pretty convenient with smartphones, helps me streamline and I'm more efficient. A used 2013 Moto X is still one of the best bang for the buck phones out there. I got mine for $200 off of eBay, a few months back. They're even lower priced now.

Primm

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #16 on: December 29, 2014, 02:31:44 AM »
Since I am happy to have an 18-month-old phone I just wait for someone to give me their old one when they upgrade on plan, or sell it to me for peanuts.

Exactly what I do! I'm onto my 3rd iPhone and haven't paid for any of them. 3, 3S and now a 4S. I'm a bit behind apparently.

Villanelle

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #17 on: December 29, 2014, 02:34:43 AM »
The iPhone hate seems also as status-y an hipster-driven as extreme iPhone love.  I've used other phones (not my own) and prefer the iPhone.  I want it to be small (so the large 6 won't ever be for me) and I like the set up, as well as the fact that is seemlessly syncs with my computer.

Until last year, I used an 3G.  When I lost that, I replaced it was a 4. (Not even 4S) Certainly, I'm not spending much on these phones, and I am not locked in to a contract.

There are ways to have iPhones cheaply.  Nothing wrong with preferring one operating system to another. 

I avoided Smartphones until I moved overseas, to a place where directions are difficult, to say the least.  (Turn left after the 6th crosswalk, turn right at the business with the sign that has a giant bunny in a top hat.<--Actual partial directions I once received.) I also "needed" the smart phone for looking up train directions on the fly.   I doubt I'll ever go back, but I'm also not on my phone all the time.  My battery lasts a couple/few days, though I usually charge it every night since I use it for a white noise app while I sleep and the speaker docking station automatically charges it.  But if one isn't checking Facebook and email a hundred times a day, and one closes apps after use, battery life isn't terrible. 

Paul der Krake

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #18 on: December 29, 2014, 02:47:27 AM »
As of 2014, the iPhone platform has over 40% of the smartphone market in the US. Where do people get the idea that it is still a status symbol?

The employer-issued blackberry was the first real status mobile product in the early 2000s. Then executives' secretaries started getting them, then it was Catherine from accounting's turn, then Joe the whole foods cashier, then our own mothers had one. Sounds familiar? That's because the exact same thing is playing out.

boarder42

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #19 on: December 29, 2014, 03:20:43 AM »
and the iphone is slowly losing market share to the OSs that allow other hardware manufacturers to use the OS with their hardware.

apple is repeating the exact system that caused its demise to windows 25 years ago. 

now they have a cult like following of people maybe it will stick around but droid and windows will continue to outgrow their locked down crap

Zarya

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #20 on: December 29, 2014, 03:24:33 AM »
I guess it all depends on lifestyle whether you "need" the convenience of a latest-and-greatest smartphone or not. My phone is an old Nokia smartphone and I've discovered that I really prefer to do all my computer-type apps on a computer for a number of reasons. (I like using a real keyboard and I prefer to keep my banking, etc. on a more private piece of equipment that isn't as likely to sit out in the open or get lost.) So I've gradually stopped using the smartphone functions on my phone and now use it only for calls, texts, and occasional GPS/map lookups, which means I can go several days on a single charge and also save on data fees. Oh, it also has a good camera that I use once in a while. I've used my colleagues' iPhones plenty and have a good feel for what they can do, but have failed to be convinced that I "need" one. Most of the things people "need" their iPhones for can be easily made up for with just a bit of advance planning, which is a better way to live your life anyway.

prudent_one

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #21 on: December 29, 2014, 07:15:13 AM »
I have an iPhone that I regard with a combination of love and hate. I'm not in love with the fact that it's an iPhone specifically, but that it's a smartphone.  I like what it does compared to my old phone and I know other smartphones can do all that as well.

What I hate is that I bought it on impulse which is something I never do for anything over a few bucks. To this day I can't understand what got into me. We went to the AT&T store to get an iPad for my wife which she needed, and came out with the iPad and an iPhone. When we got back in the car I actually said to my wife, "What just happened there?" and she said she couldn't believe I started talking to the guy about iPhones and ended up buying one just like that.

Now it's pretty old (a 4S) and the case is held together with tape, but it's paid for and it still works.  But man, it still rankles me how I ended up buying it.

odput

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #22 on: December 29, 2014, 08:12:55 AM »
The iPhone hate seems also as status-y an hipster-driven as extreme iPhone love.  I've used other phones (not my own) and prefer the iPhone.  I want it to be small (so the large 6 won't ever be for me) and I like the set up, as well as the fact that is seemlessly syncs with my computer.

To me (a non-New Yorker), Apple is the Yankees...I don't actually hate the Yankees, but I hate Yankees fans.  Generally speaking, they're awful.  There are exceptions, of course, but in general, Yankees fans suck.  It's the same with Apple/Apple fanatics.  While the anti-Apple crowd can be equally annoying, IME, they don't go looking for an argument...they just spout their brand of annoyingness/Google loyalty when an Apple fan provokes them.

Full disclosure: I had an iPhone 4 issued to me from work a few years ago, when I was laid off I switched to the Droid 3 because my brother-in-law was upgrading, so he gave me his for free.  Having used both OSs, I really don't see a difference...they are both super handy and easy to use.  If you have other Apple products, I can see preferring an iPhone, but I don't so to me they are basically the same.

PS - Sorry members that are Yankees fans...I'm sure you are exceptions, not the general dickheads ;-)

I'm a red panda

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #23 on: December 29, 2014, 09:25:46 AM »
I consider my iphone to be free.  Yes, it is tied to a contract- but the price I pay for our family's phone, text, and data is reasonable.  The iphone was one of the phones without an additional charge from the contract. My husband paid $50 extra to get some Android phone he wanted because he prefered the OS.  I don't like Apple, but I didn't want to pay more.




space

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #24 on: December 29, 2014, 09:59:45 AM »
Yeah, it so happens that not every cellular contract is bad - I remember an era from long ago when it was actually worth it to sign a contract that gave you a "free" phone if you actually used a lot of minutes. This was before cheap VoIP solutions made it practical to drop landlines without having a cell phone, MVNOs were not as developed as they are today and were much more expensive to use if you used significant amounts of talk time, and when calls were much more prevalent. There are some, but very few, plans today that still meet this criteria (Sprint SERO, EPRP to a lesser extent, maybe one of the Verizon unlimited plans if you actually need that coverage and data). Actually, if you have a plan from that time and are grandfathered in, there's a good chance that it's still worth renewing.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2014, 10:02:00 AM by space »

I'm a red panda

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #25 on: December 29, 2014, 10:41:41 AM »
Grandfathering, combined with work discounts is the secret to a good contract plan.

Sadly, we can't change anything.  I'd like to just drop the data entirely- but we found out it would cost more to do that, since we'd lose our old price.

I will also add that my Iphone is a 4 (no Siri or anything), but it's still an Iphone.

wild wendella

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #26 on: December 29, 2014, 01:01:37 PM »
Every single colleague of mine thinks this way.  They think they are getting their iphones for free while on contract.  Every single one.  I work with software developers in the finance industry.

r3dt4rget

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #27 on: December 29, 2014, 03:50:15 PM »
I consider my iphone to be free.  Yes, it is tied to a contract- but the price I pay for our family's phone, text, and data is reasonable.  The iphone was one of the phones without an additional charge from the contract. My husband paid $50 extra to get some Android phone he wanted because he prefered the OS.  I don't like Apple, but I didn't want to pay more.
Reasonable compared to what? The value of phone plans in the marketplace is saturated with highly subsidized contract plans. The actual cost for phone/text/data is very little of what you pay monthly in your bill.

BMEPhDinCO

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #28 on: December 29, 2014, 04:31:17 PM »
My coworker recently asked about my phone plan (I'm with Republic Wireless and talk about them every chance I get) and specifically how likely it was that I'd be able to get service.  I explained that at work, I have the best service in the building, since it's on wifi and our walls suck.  I further said that usually we are on the Sprint network outside, but it will roam with Verizon.  I gave an example of how, when we were in the middle of nowhere, only I had service among like 20 people. I also explained that I had to buy my (non-iphone) outright, but that I only pay $30 a month with taxes for service and data. 

She thought about it, then said she wanted to stay with VZ and her iPhone because she wanted to be able to reach her husband in the mountains and didn't want to learn a new phone.  So it was ok to pay the extra $80 a month.... *thunk*

NumberJohnny5

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #29 on: December 29, 2014, 05:45:09 PM »
I like to buy a 12-18 month old phone. It'll usually be in pretty good shape, and I get it for a steep discount. I can't do this for iphones though. Well, technically I would get a decent-ish discount, but nothing near what I get for other phones.

Just bought a Moto G for Verizon (will activate on Tracfone when we're in the US later next year) for $60. Also bought a Nokia Lumia 928 for under $100 (that's about the price it cost a year ago WITH contract). I really wanted the Lumia Icon, it was "worth" an extra $100 or so (better camera, better specs, etc). I realized I could have my cake and eat it too. Buy the 928 now for $100. Get the Icon next year for $100. Boom, two phones for the price of one!

I also keep an eye out for deals. I can buy a phone, use it for a few months, and sell it for more than I paid. It's even possible to sell for a profit a year later, though I wouldn't count on it.

Heck, I bought two Android phones a while back, within a month I sold the lower-end version for more than I bought both for! Free phones + cheap prepaid service = super win!

I'm a red panda

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #30 on: December 30, 2014, 08:12:33 AM »
I consider my iphone to be free.  Yes, it is tied to a contract- but the price I pay for our family's phone, text, and data is reasonable.  The iphone was one of the phones without an additional charge from the contract. My husband paid $50 extra to get some Android phone he wanted because he prefered the OS.  I don't like Apple, but I didn't want to pay more.
Reasonable compared to what? The value of phone plans in the marketplace is saturated with highly subsidized contract plans. The actual cost for phone/text/data is very little of what you pay monthly in your bill.

Compared to pay as you go plans. I haven't found a non-contract plan that offers what we have (reasonable number of minutes, small number of texts, small amount of data)- that would cost less than what we pay for the two of us.  We've been grandfathered for a very long time.

Combined my husband and I pay about a quarter of what most of our friends pay for a single line.  Of course, what they pay is insanity.

MrsPete

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #31 on: December 30, 2014, 05:53:53 PM »
In contrast, my husband's iPhone really IS free.  It is provided to him by his employer.  The funny thing:  He likes my Samsung better. 

JLee

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #32 on: December 31, 2014, 08:18:42 AM »
I've heard the same thing in regards to cars:

My old car payment was $200, and I had a year to go 'til it was paid off. 
I traded it in, and my new car's payments are $190 -- I saved money!  It'll be paid off in six years.

People BELIEVE this!

Hahaha yeah, when I go car shopping I am looking for a specific make/model, and often a specific year and option package. I've gone to a dealer before to check something out and the sales guy is all like "How much do you want to spend per month?"  IRRELEVANT! How much is the car?

gimp

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #33 on: December 31, 2014, 02:48:40 PM »
I can get one 100% free, but I don't feel the need to upgrade... yet... when my current phone starts misbehaving, maybe.

eostache

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #34 on: December 31, 2014, 10:25:06 PM »
I have a Tracfone Android. They came out with some decent smartphones this year. I splurged (with xmas money from my mom) and paid $139 for the new LG Ultimate 2 phone with 1 year of service. That year of service, combined with service I already had and some Tracfone service cards that I got on a half price sale, and with some other Tracfone service churning I was able to do, I now have 6 years of service time and 4000+ talk minutes/4000+ texts/4000+ mb 3G Data. I think I spent about $185 to accumulate all that service. I use very little talk/text/data (I "allotted" myself 60 units of each per month, which is more than I'd usually use) and I probably won't have to buy any more service til 2020.

I use the phone a lot for wifi/camera/mp3/gps. It's a nifty device.

malacca

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #35 on: January 01, 2015, 10:39:11 AM »
The bottom line is some people benefit from a "smart" phone - which is really a portable computer that makes calls.

If you don't need a portable computer, then get a cheap phone. Nokia is by far the best cheap phone but hard to buy in the USA. Even the speaker phone on the $20 model works well.

Batteries don't last long on smart phones as they are computers, not phones.

Android
Lots of variety. Unfortunately, 99% of all Android models are junk. I worked in the industry at a large, famous Korean phone manufacturer when I lived in Korea. We referred to these as "drawer" phones as that is where they quickly end up (and we sell another).

Statistics show that most Android handsets don't last very long. Many just die due to low quality. Many are retired early because the OS can't be upgraded.

The very informed choose the 1% of Android models that are built well. Most people are not well informed.

iPhone
Most people don't know the real benefits of the iPhone / iPad. Also, Apple's handsets are of very, very good functional design and quality. I still have my original iPhone and it still works. It is a music player / toy for kids in car / back up travel phone.

To me the best value are used iPhones. For $200 you can get an iPhone 5 or 5S. Still a great phone and better than 99.9% of models on the market. Or $120 for a 4S (will be EOL soon though).

Which phone for me? My mom? My kids? Techies?

Techies
Techies can make anything work so they use either. Android is a virtual copy of iOS and very solid but not as user friendly as iOS. Many of my techie friends have the latest Samsung handsets and spend a considerable amount of time on them. If I wanted last year's Samsung model I could buy one from them as they all have one or two in a drawer somewhere.

I am an extreme techie but use iPhones as 1) I am lazy. 2) I keep my devices a long time and Apple products end up costing less in this case. 3) I don't care about extreme customization. 4) Security is important / essential.

I have a used iPhone 4S. I use it a lot for business - it is essential for me to make money. I don't do Facebook or any of that social crap. It has saved me hundreds of dollars in gas alone. Best investment return ever.

This is my third iPhone. I have the original that I paid $399 for new. I was in the industry and had to have one. I then got the iPhone 3G (free from relative upgrading). I still have it and it works well.

My Mom
We moved her from a cheap phone to a new iPhone 4S ($100 new last year from one of my clients. Carrier kept giving them handsets free that they didn't need). I was tired of her cheap phones breaking or getting lost (found two in the sofa when she moved). I had to deal with getting a new one and porting the number over (Verizon, no SIM). With the iPhone I can easily track it. "Mom, it is in your car." She barely uses its features. But this is the first time her photos are backed up and not lost. And she actually checks her email occasionally.

No way in hell I would put her in an Android as I am the one who has to support it.

My Kids
No phones but we have iPads. They are great. Worth their weight in gold. My friend bought some cheap Android tablets for his kids last Christmas. They are in a drawer somewhere.

My Dad
No way to move to a smart phone. He once asked me to get him a fax machine so he could use the Internet. Someone bought him a new and expensive Samsung tablet. It is in the drawer. He and his wife could never get it to do email or make video calls - the two things they wanted it for. $400 in the toilet.

Sister 1.
She has iPhones and worked in the industry. Now on budget prepaid with iPhone.

Sister 2.
Has had 2 Android phones / 2 Windows phones / 3 phone numbers in the last 2 years. She is the type that goes into the mobile store and gets whatever the salesperson sells her (aka very uniformed). She has spent much more on her "budget" smart phones than anyone else in the family with iPhones. She can't check email. No photos get backed up.

Low Tech Friend
He was on an older iPhone. It worked. Calls were clear. He is a non-tech guy - couldn't even send a text message. One day he bought a new cheap Android phone. When he called me I knew right away as I couldn't hear him well. He returned it and ended up with a Nokia Windows phone. Good quality handset but crappy OS. He still just uses it as a phone.

You
If you don't need a portable computer then don't get one. The old Nokia stick phones are the best - drop proof, sweat proof, clear call quality, great battery life, light, easy to use. Great speaker phone to boot. Lasts forever.

If you really need a good portable computer then do NOT buy a cheap Android. Get an iPhone or one of the 1% of good quality Android models. Used is best. Just like cars, last year's model is half price.

If you want a portable computer that won't last long, doesn't function well, isn't supported well and has poor call clarity then get a cheap Android / Windows phone.


Are smart phones very Mustachian?

It depends. For me, yes. 1) It saves me a ton of money on gas. I easily find the best route. Messaging saves me from missed meetings or just skipping meetings altogether. 2) At stores I can easily compare prices. 3) I take a lot of photos of stuff - price tags in stores, etc. A way for me to remember stuff. 4) It is the best point and shoot camera. I have young kids and take millions of photos and videos. They are backed up seamlessly. I have very photo I have ever taken on an iPhone since 2007.









« Last Edit: January 01, 2015, 12:28:56 PM by malacca »

Paul der Krake

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #36 on: January 01, 2015, 03:35:30 PM »
If you really need a good portable computer then do NOT buy a cheap Android. Get an iPhone or one of the 1% of good quality Android models. Used is best. Just like cars, last year's model is half price.
How do you go about finding which models are the top 1%?

malacca

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #37 on: January 01, 2015, 08:16:20 PM »
If you really need a good portable computer then do NOT buy a cheap Android. Get an iPhone or one of the 1% of good quality Android models. Used is best. Just like cars, last year's model is half price.
How do you go about finding which models are the top 1%?

Research online. I am sure there are some good sites out there. As I stick to iPhones, I haven't bothered looking.

Or get a used iPhone. Here is an example:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-Unlocked-Apple-iPhone-5C-16GB-4G-LTE-Smartphone/381038154034?&rmvSB=true&rmvSB=true

Can't vouch for the seller or anything. Just an example.

FYI: Samsung makes a few great phones. The rest are junk. Last year they launch over 400 models. Suckers end up with the junk. When you go to a cell phone store the salespeople get "spifs" to sell you the high margin junk models.

space

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #38 on: January 01, 2015, 09:23:43 PM »
If you really need a good portable computer then do NOT buy a cheap Android. Get an iPhone or one of the 1% of good quality Android models. Used is best. Just like cars, last year's model is half price.
How do you go about finding which models are the top 1%?

My personal opinion? HTC devices with available S-OFF or Sony devices (on GSM) for upgradability. Samsung devices in that regard can be hit and miss - flagships are generally good, but moving beyond those can be problematic. Stay away from the absolute latest devices - it's usually not considered predictable as to whether a certain device can support custom recoveries or not in at least the first year of existence, due to people needing time to work on it.

I use an HTC Evo 3D for a phone currently, S-OFF, engineering hboot, on 4.4.4. Used various Nokia devices before - an N900, the ultimate dev phone, and a Lumia 710, which was good as well (a lot of people complain about the OS, and I don't see why - it works very, very well). I changed to a CDMA carrier very recently, though. A somewhat generic Android tablet serves as my current tablet - it has an 8-core chip that until recently (NVidia Tegra K1 Denver) outperformed just about any other chip available. Used an HP Touchpad with Android flashed to it before this (I was very, very reluctant to give up WebOS entirely until about Android 4.2.2 - WebOS was such an advanced OS for its time). Never had a problem with either of them for any function I could throw at it (well, as long as you kept the Touchpad clear of experimental ROMs).

Not a fan of the iPhone - relatively expensive, goes EOL whenever Apple wants it to, doesn't seem to do anything that I can't set up on any other phone in a few moments, always seem to be the last to get new functionality that actually matters (AWS support for T-mobile, Sprint tri-band support - and still no carrier aggregation yet, NFC, increased RAM, and so on. There is a lot of truth comparing the iPhone 6 to a Nexus 4...). Also lacks a good number of features that I may need in the future (dual-sim functionality being a big one).

On the other hand, I'm fairly comfortable with more or less doing anything to a phone. Haven't spent a lot of time on the Evo, though, once I've finished setting it up and verified all functionality.

steveo

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #39 on: January 01, 2015, 09:36:42 PM »
If you really need a good portable computer then do NOT buy a cheap Android. Get an iPhone or one of the 1% of good quality Android models. Used is best. Just like cars, last year's model is half price.
How do you go about finding which models are the top 1%?

Research online. I am sure there are some good sites out there. As I stick to iPhones, I haven't bothered looking.

Or get a used iPhone. Here is an example:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-Unlocked-Apple-iPhone-5C-16GB-4G-LTE-Smartphone/381038154034?&rmvSB=true&rmvSB=true

Can't vouch for the seller or anything. Just an example.

FYI: Samsung makes a few great phones. The rest are junk. Last year they launch over 400 models. Suckers end up with the junk. When you go to a cell phone store the salespeople get "spifs" to sell you the high margin junk models.

The thing is to me paying $200+ for a phone is simply not worth it. I have a junk HTC phone but the battery lasts and it works as a phone. It cost I think less than $50. Next phone I intend to get will be a proper dumb phone.

malacca

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #40 on: January 03, 2015, 12:53:13 PM »
If you really need a good portable computer then do NOT buy a cheap Android. Get an iPhone or one of the 1% of good quality Android models. Used is best. Just like cars, last year's model is half price.
How do you go about finding which models are the top 1%?

Research online. I am sure there are some good sites out there. As I stick to iPhones, I haven't bothered looking.

Or get a used iPhone. Here is an example:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Factory-Unlocked-Apple-iPhone-5C-16GB-4G-LTE-Smartphone/381038154034?&rmvSB=true&rmvSB=true

Can't vouch for the seller or anything. Just an example.

FYI: Samsung makes a few great phones. The rest are junk. Last year they launch over 400 models. Suckers end up with the junk. When you go to a cell phone store the salespeople get "spifs" to sell you the high margin junk models.

The thing is to me paying $200+ for a phone is simply not worth it. I have a junk HTC phone but the battery lasts and it works as a phone. It cost I think less than $50. Next phone I intend to get will be a proper dumb phone.

As stated above, if you don't need a portable computer don't get one. Smart phones are not phones - they are portable computers that can make calls. $20 Nokia phones are the way to go if you just want to make calls.

malacca

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #41 on: January 03, 2015, 01:00:47 PM »
If you really need a good portable computer then do NOT buy a cheap Android. Get an iPhone or one of the 1% of good quality Android models. Used is best. Just like cars, last year's model is half price.
How do you go about finding which models are the top 1%?

My personal opinion? HTC devices with available S-OFF or Sony devices (on GSM) for upgradability. Samsung devices in that regard can be hit and miss - flagships are generally good, but moving beyond those can be problematic. Stay away from the absolute latest devices - it's usually not considered predictable as to whether a certain device can support custom recoveries or not in at least the first year of existence, due to people needing time to work on it.

I use an HTC Evo 3D for a phone currently, S-OFF, engineering hboot, on 4.4.4. Used various Nokia devices before - an N900, the ultimate dev phone, and a Lumia 710, which was good as well (a lot of people complain about the OS, and I don't see why - it works very, very well). I changed to a CDMA carrier very recently, though. A somewhat generic Android tablet serves as my current tablet - it has an 8-core chip that until recently (NVidia Tegra K1 Denver) outperformed just about any other chip available. Used an HP Touchpad with Android flashed to it before this (I was very, very reluctant to give up WebOS entirely until about Android 4.2.2 - WebOS was such an advanced OS for its time). Never had a problem with either of them for any function I could throw at it (well, as long as you kept the Touchpad clear of experimental ROMs).

Not a fan of the iPhone - relatively expensive, goes EOL whenever Apple wants it to, doesn't seem to do anything that I can't set up on any other phone in a few moments, always seem to be the last to get new functionality that actually matters (AWS support for T-mobile, Sprint tri-band support - and still no carrier aggregation yet, NFC, increased RAM, and so on. There is a lot of truth comparing the iPhone 6 to a Nexus 4...). Also lacks a good number of features that I may need in the future (dual-sim functionality being a big one).

On the other hand, I'm fairly comfortable with more or less doing anything to a phone. Haven't spent a lot of time on the Evo, though, once I've finished setting it up and verified all functionality.


Space - it sounds like you spend a lot of time with your devices. And you seem to have had a lot of devices.

Most people here just want a device that works without spending a lot of time (time = money) to get it to work.

FYI: Apple devices have the longest shelf life - by far. That can be extended but requires you to crack them open - just like all other devices.

Any of these devices - Apple, Android, Windows - can be hacked into doing just about anything. But that is for the hackers - not the general public.

Daisy

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #42 on: January 03, 2015, 01:04:58 PM »
As stated above, if you don't need a portable computer don't get one. Smart phones are not phones - they are portable computers that can make calls. $20 Nokia phones are the way to go if you just want to make calls.

I used to be a proud dumb phone owner. Then my company provided us all with unlimited data plan smartphones. I have gotten used to the data access. But as you say, it's more of a tablet than a phone.

I've wondered what I would do once FIRE'd. I really use my smartphone mostly around WiFi. I can control any desire to have internet access while away from WiFi pretty easily. The one thing I may want is the use of maps while out and about. I'm pretty good with orienting myself and look at a map at home before departing, but occasionally I've used it to fine tune my way around a traffic congestion or something like that.

My preference would be dumb phone with a cheap plan for talk and text and use the old work smartphone (if they let me keep it) as my portable tablet and camera and use it on WiFi which is EVERYWHERE.

steveo

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #43 on: January 03, 2015, 07:11:24 PM »
As stated above, if you don't need a portable computer don't get one. Smart phones are not phones - they are portable computers that can make calls. $20 Nokia phones are the way to go if you just want to make calls.

We are on the same page here. I think going forward all I will get will be one of those Nokia phones.

The only thing is I wonder why anyone needs a portable computer.

Adventine

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Re: &quot;My iPhone is literally free&quot;
« Reply #44 on: January 03, 2015, 07:38:08 PM »


As stated above, if you don't need a portable computer don't get one. Smart phones are not phones - they are portable computers that can make calls. $20 Nokia phones are the way to go if you just want to make calls.

We are on the same page here. I think going forward all I will get will be one of those Nokia phones.

The only thing is I wonder why anyone needs a portable computer.

That would be people like me, who literally own no other electronic device apart from their smartphones. I use mine for calls, texts, email, social media, photo taking, expense tracking and posting on forums like this. I don't have any other device. No separate PC, tablet, landline, or camera. Don't see the need to buy any of these things, as my smartphone fits my needs just fine.

I have one of those midtier Android phones made by Alcatel - got it completely free as a gift from family a few years back. Obviously the specs aren't amazing, but like I said, it suits my needs just fine.

NumberJohnny5

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #45 on: January 03, 2015, 07:41:15 PM »
The only thing is I wonder why anyone needs a portable computer.

At times, we virtually need one.

It's been several years, but my wife used to be a travel nurse (will probably do that again next year). You need a phone so you can get calls from the recruiters and do phone interviews with the hospital. When an assignment is posted, you need to quickly decide if you want to be submitted or not. We don't want to say "yes, submit her" unless we are at least 80% sure she'd accept. So I need to hop online and check out the facility, see how much it'd cost us to get an apartment for 3+ months, etc. I can then email the recruiter back saying "it's a go." I also like all communication to be done via email, so I prefer the initial "hey, there's an assignment you may be interested in" to come in via email as well, so I need to be able to receive email at all times.

True, when she was doing travel nursing, I only "needed" a smartphone for 3-4 weeks out of the year. But having it may have helped get her profile at the top of the list (if you're not in the first dozen or so submitted, there's no sense bothering...your info won't even be looked at). Even if it only helped her work for one extra week, it more than paid for itself.

What's my excuse for the past 3-4 years then? We text using data (either google voice or viber), and make phone calls using data as well. I stocked up on a bunch of $10 SIMs that come with 3GB of data for a month. No call or text credit, but that's fine; all communication is done via data anyways. $10/mo for prepaid service in Australia may not be the cheapest, but it's certainly not bad. Plus, when I'm bored it's nice to waste some time browsing the web.

RWD

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Re: &quot;My iPhone is literally free&quot;
« Reply #46 on: January 03, 2015, 11:13:43 PM »
That would be people like me, who literally own no other electronic device apart from their smartphones.

You own no television or stereo either? I'm impressed. I assume you're excluding electronic appliances like microwaves, refrigerators, stoves, etc.

Adventine

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #47 on: January 03, 2015, 11:39:07 PM »
That would be people like me, who literally own no other electronic device apart from their smartphones.

You own no television or stereo either? I'm impressed. I assume you're excluding electronic appliances like microwaves, refrigerators, stoves, etc.

No stereo. I only have a TV because it was included in the fully furnished condo unit I rent. No cable, so it's really only used when a friend comes over with a USB full of movies they downloaded.

I didn't include kitchen appliances, though I do have a microwave and coffeemaker (I don't own those either, my landlady does). The stove runs on gas. That's about it.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2015, 11:41:37 PM by Adventine »

steveo

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Re: "My iPhone is literally free"
« Reply #48 on: January 04, 2015, 02:59:53 AM »
^^^

Those examples make sense. We have 3 computers in the house (admittedly we just bought one recently for school for my daughter).

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!