Guest whatkatedoes Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Hi all, since getting my vega Ive become enamoured with android os. Id quite like to get an android phone. I currently have an n900 (maemo) and whilst there is a project to get android fully functional on it, its currently slow and very flaky indeed! So! Say i was to mooch for a cheap 2nd hand or refurbished android phone (im locked in a voda contract with the n900 until november) which should i be looking for? id like some that if it isnt froyo by default could be made to be? Thanks for any advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shadow wave Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 I have an LG GT540, it's not prefect but its cheap and can be modded to run froyo. It's about £100 brand new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pyr0x64 Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 the orange san fancisco phones seem quite popular. they can be found for £90 brand new on pay as you go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shadow wave Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 the orange san fancisco phones seem quite popular. they can be found for £90 brand new on pay as you go Actually the San Francisco is probably better, it has a capacitive screen unlike the GT540. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest English Haze Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) I second the Orange san Francisco. £89 + £10 air time from argos. Easy to unlock and install new roms. Very cheap and good entry level option. See the ZTE Blade section of the Android forums. Edited January 30, 2011 by English Haze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest whatkatedoes Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Thanks guys! San francisco seems good! What about the HTC dream / G1 - I like the slide keyboard. I'd really like FM transmit if any have that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trevor432990 Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 I asked a similar question a while back now and the HTC Desire came highly recommended for ease of tethering, etc ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest English Haze Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) The G1 is really not up to the job of running 2.2 imo. I have an old one and it didn't really take to the 2.2 roms that well. You have to install the Danger SPL to make room for the new system if I recall which is a bit nerve racking. It's old technology now as well. I replaced an HTC Hero with the San Francisco and I wouldn't go back to it now. Even the SF with TFT screen is a great quality display for the money and it is so easy to upgrade. Less than 30 minutes to unlock and re-brand. And with a 2.2 ROM the SF tethers to Vega beautifully. Nice and simple. Edited January 30, 2011 by English Haze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest princeotter Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Thanks guys! San francisco seems good! What about the HTC dream / G1 - I like the slide keyboard. I'd really like FM transmit if any have that? It depends on what you want to do with the phone. Can get some good deals with HTC Wildfire (through Quidco & mobiles.co.uk) which can work out around £7 a month after cashback and redemption and as it is already 2.2 can wifi tether the Vega to it no probs. However its screen is not exactly hi-res - useable but not great. San Fran has better screen and is cheap so long as you are happy to get 2.2 by 'unofficial' means. HTC Desire is as good as Iphone for screen etc (and is not Apple yeh!) and can be picked up on 24 month contract (with redemption) for around £20 a month. Mind you if your current contract ends in November it might be worth hanging fire as there will be a slew of Tegra 2 phones out by then and they will be far better (IMHO). So I think I am recommending getting PAYG San Fran for now and putting custom ROM on it to get Froyo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest whatkatedoes Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Less than 30 minutes to unlock and re-brand. And with a 2.2 ROM the SF tethers to Vega beautifully. Nice and simple. Think you've pretty much sold me on it ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest debs626 Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 +1 on the orange san fancisco I own a Xperia x10 and I'm thinking of trading it in for one ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluntslide Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 +1 for san francisco, got my rom from here too (pauls i think?). runs really well for a budget phone. mines an OLED by the way, very nice image quality! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PurpleRob Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Htc Desire all the way imo it has come down in price a bit as well since the release of all the new phones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest newbe5 Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Htc Desire all the way imo it has come down in price a bit as well since the release of all the new phones. The HTC Desire HD is absolutely gorgeous, but a little large for some people. I have a HTC Hero and I love it more than any phone I have ever owned, but it is pretty underpowered in today's market. If you really love modding and playing with devices, the HTC HD2 (Leo) is currently the most flexible phone on the market AFAIK. It's a little old compared to the newer phones, but has a great display and plenty of power, and you should be able to pick one up pretty cheap. The huge benefit of the HD2 is that although it comes with crappy Windows Mobile (the original one) on it by default, you can ALSO run Android AND Windows Phone 7 (the lovely new one) on it too. So it's an extremely flexible phone, and ideal if you like trying out different OS's and ROMS. From what I hear it's also a very easy device to develop for, so it tends to get the latest software updates retty fast from the community, and because it's been around a while you could probably pick one up pretty cheap. Zeb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rvdgeer Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 The HTC Desire HD is absolutely gorgeous, but a little large for some people. I have a HTC Hero and I love it more than any phone I have ever owned, but it is pretty underpowered in today's market. If you really love modding and playing with devices, the HTC HD2 (Leo) is currently the most flexible phone on the market AFAIK. It's a little old compared to the newer phones, but has a great display and plenty of power, and you should be able to pick one up pretty cheap. The huge benefit of the HD2 is that although it comes with crappy Windows Mobile (the original one) on it by default, you can ALSO run Android AND Windows Phone 7 (the lovely new one) on it too. So it's an extremely flexible phone, and ideal if you like trying out different OS's and ROMS. From what I hear it's also a very easy device to develop for, so it tends to get the latest software updates retty fast from the community, and because it's been around a while you could probably pick one up pretty cheap. Zeb The HTC Desire is not the same as the HTC Desire HD... I agree the Desire HD is a bit too big... The Desire however is just perfect to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PurpleRob Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 The HTC Desire is not the same as the HTC Desire HD... I agree the Desire HD is a bit too big... The Desire however is just perfect to me... +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lennyuk Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) If your after a cheap android then the Orange San Fran is easily the best you can get for any where near the price. Edited January 31, 2011 by Lennyuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nigelpwilson Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Deffo the SanFran is the best value for money. I bought one for the GF and liked it that much that I sold my iPhone and got one too (the difference in price almost bought my Vega...bonus !! ;) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest paulwrench Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) I have the Desire (since they came out) and also the San Fran (just recently) and I would say the Desire does it all, and fast, the San Fran will do it all, a bit slower, but probably for the 200 quid sim free price differential the San Fran wins, but if you have the cash the Desire is perfect. Edited January 31, 2011 by paulwrench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest whatkatedoes Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I'm going to finish work early today around 4 and go into town to see if I can get one from the Orange shop - Argos dont have them in stock at either of their stores hereaboots. I'd really like to get one asap and setup tethering for my vega, as I'll be on the go later on in the week in non-open wifi areas, and would love to show off the vega ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sanddancer75 Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I went the other way. I bought a San Francisco & loved it so much I wanted a Vega. Be warned though, only the early models have the AMOLED screens, the white ones & newer grey models have LCD. From what I hear you can still find the AMOLED ones if you hunt about. Take a look at http://android.modaco.com/category/453/zte...ade-modaco-com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lennyuk Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I went the other way. I bought a San Francisco & loved it so much I wanted a Vega. Be warned though, only the early models have the AMOLED screens, the white ones & newer grey models have LCD. From what I hear you can still find the AMOLED ones if you hunt about. Take a look at http://android.modaco.com/category/453/zte...ade-modaco-com/ I am pretty sure they have OLED screens not AMOLED ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MaxiP Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) As a stop-gap between now & contract end when you can opt for a Desire / LG Optimus X2 / other, I'd recommend the HTC Wildfire. decent phone available in Argos for £149.99 - not as powerful as some others but a very nice phone. Edited January 31, 2011 by MaxiP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sanddancer75 Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I am pretty sure they have OLED screens not AMOLED ;) You're right. What the hell am I thinking about!?? ;) Sorry about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bennji_boy Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Has anyone used an LG Optimus One Navigation Edition, are they any good? It has Android 2.2 and looks like I can get a really good deal but the last LG phone I had (viewty) was rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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