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Thread Statistics | Show CCP posts - 2 post(s) |
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CCP Atropos
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Posted - 2009.11.02 08:07:00 -
[1]
Dear OOPE I'm travelling to New York in December and wish to acquire myself a contract free smartphone, either the iPhone 3Gs or the new Motorola Droid.
However, I don't know the ins and outs of buying contract free phones, beyond the fact that they cost more.
Do any New York-ers know where I could go to acquire either of these phones, or does anyone have any experience with buying contract free phones from the US?
Software Engineer Core Engineering |
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Ashani Osaka
Amarr Ministry of War
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Posted - 2009.11.02 09:49:00 -
[2]
assuming its the same as here in the uk, u can go to any mobile shop that sells the phone you want, and buy it off contract.
but yeah they will charge more.
also consider the new blackberry
http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/blackberrystorm/
best of luck
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Deathhawk
Wise Guys Exquisite Malevolence
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Posted - 2009.11.02 10:10:00 -
[3]
this is the phone you are looking for
the phone you are looking for
Chuck Norris wears Deathhawk pyjamas
One image per sig please. Zymurgist Forum **** at its best. DH |
KingsGambit
Caldari Knights
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Posted - 2009.11.02 10:37:00 -
[4]
Edited by: KingsGambit on 02/11/2009 10:37:12 SIM-free/Contract-free/unlocked phones cost us more as the networks aren't subsidising them. That's how they can sell you a ú200 handset f.ex, for ú50 in the knowledge that they'll be making ú20/month from you for the next year. Without that, we're paying practically the same for the handset the networks themselves do.
As a traveller, you won't be able to easily buy a phone from the web for delivery. Most sites annoyingly insist on a US billing address. If you have relatives there, perhaps you can use their card and/or address. There are sites like Aurora Cell that have fairly good user ratings/reviews and decent prices. Otherwise, you can try places like Best Buy or Wal-Mart, or in general most phone stores that sell more than one network.
Thing is, I know a guy whose business is selling mobiles in NYC, offline. Web site here, man's name is Isaac. They're based in UN Plaza, right across from the United Nations in Manhattan. He could easily sell whatever you want at a good price, but I think they specifically cater to embassy and consulate staff. Could you get the Icelandic government to give you diplomatic status for the length of your trip? Might be worth phoning anyway, tell Isaac you were put in touch by a friend of his (business) partner.
And anyway, why crumby iphone? Omnia II is soooooooo good! -------------
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Midge Mo'yb
Antares Shipyards Phalanx Alliance
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Posted - 2009.11.02 12:51:00 -
[5]
Originally by: Ashani Osaka assuming its the same as here in the uk, u can go to any mobile shop that sells the phone you want, and buy it off contract.
but yeah they will charge more.
also consider the new blackberry
http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/blackberrystorm/
best of luck
dont touch it, if its anything like the origonal storm its a peice of ****.
proud owner of a 9500 awaiting more leaked firmware to make my phone work just a little bit more.....
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Chainsaw Plankton
IDLE GUNS IDLE EMPIRE
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Posted - 2009.11.02 22:43:00 -
[6]
hmmm is it even possible to buy an iPhone without getting a draconian at&t contract
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Trustworthy Joe
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Posted - 2009.11.03 00:00:00 -
[7]
Originally by: Chainsaw Plankton hmmm is it even possible to buy an iPhone without getting a draconian at&t contract
i want to know this as well, for i love my ipod touch, but hate my current phone.
want a sig? thats great! post it in response to my posts!
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Tallaran Kouros
Caldari
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Posted - 2009.11.03 09:45:00 -
[8]
Originally by: Chainsaw Plankton hmmm is it even possible to buy an iPhone without getting a draconian at&t contract
Maybe not in the states, but plenty of other countries will happily sell you an iPhone that's not on AT&T.
I have a PAYG iPhone 3G from O2 UK that I unlocked to run on T-Mobile, but you can buy unlocked iPhones from countries where network locking is illegal.
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Bodrul
Caldari Tadakastu-Obata Corporation The Honda Accord
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Posted - 2009.11.03 17:21:00 -
[9]
Iphones are Rip offs (you would be paying almost double, example 32GB costs 800+ on Pay and Go in the UK but ú260 on contract , then again your paying 800+ on Line rental over 18 Months
Ebay it, ........ 400+ Games to Play for Free while mining or waiting during down time, Classics from Helicopter to Pong X bound |
jason hill
Caldari Clan Shadow Wolf Curatores Veritatis Alliance
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Posted - 2009.11.03 20:15:00 -
[10]
Edited by: jason hill on 03/11/2009 20:15:35 oops he want to use this app in newyork for this Linkage im joking by the way
destroy everything you touch |
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Tallaran Kouros
Caldari
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Posted - 2009.11.03 20:21:00 -
[11]
Originally by: Bodrul Iphones are Rip offs (you would be paying almost double, example 32GB costs 800+ on Pay and Go in the UK but ú260 on contract
Networks have been subsidising the cost of handsets for years - no consumer really pays the "true" retail cost as the operator bites this and claws it back by tieing you into the contract for 12-18 months as you state.
I assume the iPhone you refer to is a iPhone 3GS 32GB as you can get a standard iPhone 3G for a LOT less than that on PAYG - I paid 350 for mine in January as I didn't want to be tied into O2.
I've been *more* than happy with the money I paid for it - best handset I've ever owned, although the HTC Hero is coming close.
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Akita T
Caldari Caldari Navy Volunteer Task Force
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Posted - 2009.11.03 21:05:00 -
[12]
I got myself a brand new LG Viewty (KU990 page @ LG site) yesterday rather cheap (around 80 euro _after_ taxes- wouldn't have bought it otherwise, the damn thing costs around 300 euro without any discounts). HUGE step up from my old style of phones (Nokia 3510, before that Nokia 5110), does most of the stuff the iPhone does, I guess... the only big missing feature is the GPS receiver (this doesn't have one). Camera is good enough, 5MP, images are decent, pretty damn good in low-light situations, 120fps video recording mode, blah blah and so on and so forth. Overal verdict - good
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Bodrul
Caldari Tadakastu-Obata Corporation The Honda Accord
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Posted - 2009.11.04 00:48:00 -
[13]
Originally by: Tallaran Kouros
Originally by: Bodrul Iphones are Rip offs (you would be paying almost double, example 32GB costs 800+ on Pay and Go in the UK but ú260 on contract
Networks have been subsidising the cost of handsets for years - no consumer really pays the "true" retail cost as the operator bites this and claws it back by tieing you into the contract for 12-18 months as you state.
I assume the iPhone you refer to is a iPhone 3GS 32GB as you can get a standard iPhone 3G for a LOT less than that on PAYG - I paid 350 for mine in January as I didn't want to be tied into O2.
I've been *more* than happy with the money I paid for it - best handset I've ever owned, although the HTC Hero is coming close.
its 18 and 24 Months now 12 Months have Gone ........ 400+ Games to Play for Free while mining or waiting during down time, Classics from Helicopter to Pong X bound |
Ukucia
Gallente The Scope
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Posted - 2009.11.04 05:41:00 -
[14]
Originally by: Chainsaw Plankton hmmm is it even possible to buy an iPhone without getting a draconian at&t contract
Mostly.
You have to sign up for the iPhone data plan, so you do have to pay a pretty penny per month for service. But you're not locked in to a contract.
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Allahs Warrior
Gallente Brotherhood of Suicidal Priests
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Posted - 2009.11.04 08:32:00 -
[15]
Edited by: Allahs Warrior on 04/11/2009 08:32:08 I am a New Yorker, and there are a couple dozen stores that sell unlocked phones. Smartphones are a sure thing, but as far as the droid or 3GS, they might be hard to find as I believe both lack simcards (not sure, just guessing cuz iPhone regular doesnt and Verizon doesnt either)
Go along broadway near 28th street and you'll see about 5 different stores that sell "Unlocked GSM phones" and they'll also have US simcards to go with them.
You can also do contract free Verizon pre-pay, and get the droid. There are verizon stores all over, there's an easy one to get to near Union square on broadway between 17th and 18th. Those will be 25c a minute or they have pay-per-day on days you use it plans. Verizon covers New York very well as far as service and 3G.
Thanks can be paid in isk.
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Lindsay Logan
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Posted - 2009.11.04 10:37:00 -
[16]
What is so smart about samrtphones??
I really don't get thier popularity, they do nothing!
Tho I guess people want PDAs but maybe samrtphones sound more edgy? (but is actually less usefull then a proper PDS or mini laptop)
Enlighten me!
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annoing
Amarr Mortis Angelus BricK sQuAD.
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Posted - 2009.11.04 12:15:00 -
[17]
Originally by: Akita T I got myself a brand new LG Viewty (KU990 page @ LG site) ... the only big missing feature is the GPS receiver (this doesn't have one). Camera is good enough, 5MP, images are decent, pretty damn good in low-light situations, 120fps video recording mode, blah blah and so on and so forth. Overal verdict - good
Ive got basically the same phone as you but mine is the KU990i, cost me ú90 PAYG, got everything including GPS reciever on it. The KU990i doesnt have the 'handwriting recognition' like the KU990 and it comes without the plastic pencil to tap on the keyboard/write with. I use a lego lightsaber from my sons lego starwars set for typing messages in the 'keyboard' function (no stupid txt spk here!). Overall, its not a bad phone but i'll be getting a Samsung HD910i next.
Originally by: Zeba Its all the pron. Fappy people are happy people |
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CCP Atropos
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Posted - 2009.11.05 10:59:00 -
[18]
Originally by: annoing
Originally by: Akita T I got myself a brand new LG Viewty (KU990 page @ LG site) ... the only big missing feature is the GPS receiver (this doesn't have one). Camera is good enough, 5MP, images are decent, pretty damn good in low-light situations, 120fps video recording mode, blah blah and so on and so forth. Overal verdict - good
Ive got basically the same phone as you but mine is the KU990i, cost me ú90 PAYG, got everything including GPS reciever on it. The KU990i doesnt have the 'handwriting recognition' like the KU990 and it comes without the plastic pencil to tap on the keyboard/write with. I use a lego lightsaber from my sons lego starwars set for typing messages in the 'keyboard' function (no stupid txt spk here!). Overall, its not a bad phone but i'll be getting a Samsung HD910i next.
I intensely dislike LG mobiles. I had the LG Chocolate and it was a horrible phone; heat sensitive touch pad was either too sensitive or not enough, camera was appalling, battery life was non existent and the charge would dissipate after an hour of use.
Software Engineer Core Engineering |
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Illagemma Tsetsu
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Posted - 2009.11.05 12:37:00 -
[19]
Buy an iPhone, from Australia and ship it over to Iceland.
We Aussies have got it good, no draconian AT&T. I bought my unlocked iPhone for $870 AUD. That included shipping, well domestic anyway.
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knifee
Caldari Euphoria Released
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Posted - 2009.11.05 13:05:00 -
[20]
About the Droid, I think I read something the other day that said the reason we are having to wait in the UK (and europe) is that the model on sale in the US uses CDMA and not GSM.
So it might be worth making sure that it would work outside the US.
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Akita T
Caldari Caldari Navy Volunteer Task Force
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Posted - 2009.11.05 13:27:00 -
[21]
Edited by: Akita T on 05/11/2009 13:32:47
Originally by: CCP Atropos I intensely dislike LG mobiles. I had the LG Chocolate and it was a horrible phone; heat sensitive touch pad was either too sensitive or not enough, camera was appalling, battery life was non existent and the charge would dissipate after an hour of use.
Well, mine is still pretty new, but I've been putting it through the ringer the past 3 days and it doesn't seem to have any of these problems. The touchpad doesn't noticeably change sensitivity from around 10 to 25 degrees Celsius (granted, I didn't have a chance to test it in higher/lower temperature ranges), and I really love the tactile feedback (even if it probably eats a bit more battery - but you can set the vibration intensity on that to lowest and still benefit from it). The camera is nowhere near as awesome as advertised (has a bit of a fuzzy thing going on with the fine details if you zoom in on the picture on your PC, but is not bad at all especially considering it's a phone camera (I've seen most HP standalone older 2MP cameras taking worse quality pictures).
With a headset (came with the phone in the package), I've had around 2 hours talk time and after I was done, there was still (allegedly) about half battery left. I've also taken about 150 photos from a not-quite-full battery charge, all with the camera flash turned on, and again, not enough to go into low battery warning mode... I seriously got bored at pressing the trigger all that time, or I would have been taking more to see just how long it lasts. P.S. It's very likely this will go down in the future as the battery won't stay new forever, but still...
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annoing
Amarr Mortis Angelus BricK sQuAD.
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Posted - 2009.11.05 14:24:00 -
[22]
Originally by: CCP AtroposI intensely dislike LG mobiles. I had the LG Chocolate and it was a horrible phone; heat sensitive touch pad was either too sensitive or not enough, camera was appalling, battery life was non existent and the charge would dissipate after an hour of use. [/quote
My daughter had the LG chocolate and I agree, its a rotten phone. But dont let the one bad LG phone take away from the fact that the LG KU990i is a GOOD phone. Not great, but certainly good and for the price and freebie apps its a bargain.
Originally by: Zeba Its all the pron. Fappy people are happy people |
Akita T
Caldari Caldari Navy Volunteer Task Force
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Posted - 2009.11.05 16:21:00 -
[23]
Originally by: annoing My daughter had the LG chocolate and I agree, its a rotten phone. But dont let the one bad LG phone take away from the fact that the LG KU990i is a GOOD phone. Not great, but certainly good and for the price and freebie apps its a bargain.
The KU990i is a later and cheaper (by roughly 50 euro) but also ever so slightly lower-quality version of the KU990, with just one extra relevant feature (the GPS). Camera lens is slightly lower-quality (not noticeably, but still), phone package has other costs cut here and there (no headset, no stylus, no data cable, no software CD), has no "image stabilization" feature, phone can't operate on the 4th 2100 MHz GSM band, etc.
But yeah, I'd say that both the KU990 and KU990i are good enough phones. At least for how much cost they're a very nice deal, IMO.
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