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The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

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Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#71
post #14

My HP printer is region-locked. When I moved from Europe to the US it refused to accept ink cartridges bought in the US.

Wow. This should be illegal or at least require labeling. Intentionally crippling a product in an obviously unexpected way should at least require disclosure.

Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. It's a Samsung problem. You don't see crapware on iPhones do you?

Actually you do. Tell me again why I can't delete either Game Center, Stocks or other stock Apple apps on the iPhone.

Features =/= Crapware

Apple was not paid by a third party to include it's own software features.

Game Center is like S Voice, a first part developed software that is billed as a "Feature".

Apple has no equivalent to "Pizza Hut" bookmarks that can't be deleted, because they control their carrier relationships better than Samsung who is willing to give their partners the freedom to install and screw up what they want.

Fortunately, Samsung is generally pretty good about letting us users have custom roms, which IMO trumps the Apple advantage for us power users. A custom rom > non-bloated default iOS, to me.

Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. It's a Samsung problem. You don't see crapware on iPhones do you?

Actually you do. Tell me again why I can't delete either Game Center, Stocks or other stock Apple apps on the iPhone.

There is a difference between default apps and apps for which the manufacturer was paid to put on the phone in order to advertise to the purchaser.

Apple does not get paid by another company to load its default apps onto the phone.

Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. It's a Samsung problem. You don't see crapware on iPhones do you?

Actually you do. Tell me again why I can't delete either Game Center, Stocks or other stock Apple apps on the iPhone.

At least now you can bury them in a folder.

Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#75
post #16

Last time I asked a Canadian shop (staples and one other I think) for local sim card I had to explain the concept of a separate sim card in detail. Are sim cards more common now (or is this the one place where Americans has an edge on Canadians? ;-)

I'd love to have the number of choices that Americans have in the wireless market, compared to the rather protected cartel we have in Canada. Verizon dropped some hints about coming here, recently, and the Big 3 wireless companies here launched a huge campaign to try to stop it.

Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. It's a Samsung problem. You don't see crapware on iPhones do you?

Actually you do. Tell me again why I can't delete either Game Center, Stocks or other stock Apple apps on the iPhone.

Also, you can't put Newsstand into a folder

Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

#1 is not a GS3 problem, it is a carrier problem specific to Vodafone, which had a marketing deal with Pizza Hut at the time of the GS3's release. Other carriers did not forcibly include undeletable Pizza Hut bookmarks.

No. It's a Samsung problem. You don't see crapware on iPhones do you?

Samsung doesn't own OS like Apple does. Despite Samsung selling more phones than Apple, they don't have the clout like apple does.

Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#78
post #37
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't worry, you're paying that entire $650 (and usually then some). It's just hidden in your contract price.

THIS is what I don't understand. Why do people call it "subsidized" when you're locked in to a 2 year contract with an early termination fee. IT IS NOT SUBSIDIZED, PEOPLE. You may say, well I'm paying the same per month whether I take a new phone or not from the carrier, so... it's subsidized right? Nope, they're just gouging you when you're on an old phone. Taking the new phone just slightly reduces your disadvantag…

Not sure how it works in the US but last time I bought a new phone in the UK I calculated the total cost of ownership over 24 months of various options, including buying the phone unlocked plus a SIM-only airtime deal, and getting the phone-plus-airtime on a contract.

The contract worked out cheaper. That's a subsidy isn't it?

Re: The new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. It's a Samsung problem. You don't see crapware on iPhones do you?

I don't like it any more than you, but to Samsung and its investors, the undeletable Pizza Hut bookmark is a feature. Not only does it generate additional revenue with little additional design time, but it also indicates that Samsung has a healthy and attractive business in which other businesses would like to participate.

It also cheapens the brand.
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