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Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

arstechnica.com

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Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#111

Post by tostitos1979 »

superuser2 wrote: post #61
martinald wrote: post #3

This is getting really interesting. Between this, the Nexus 5 and the various Lumia's a $649 iPhone is starting to look very, very expensive. Smartphones at the moment seem to have got 'good enough'.

iPhones are not intended to be purchased for $649 except by the very impatient (or people who break/lose their uninsured phones). If you wait your 2 years, it's $100 or $200 on-contract. Of course it's different in emerging markets where contracts aren't the norm, but smartphone prices in the US are pretty damn close in terms of 2-year TCO.

Your math isn't correct. If one switches to T-Mobile in the US, you get pretty substantive savings. The con is that you don't get a phone subsidy.

I did the math a while ago. Don't know how it holds up. As a datapoint, we pay between $90-$100 for two phone lines with T-mobile. Includes 500MB data/tethering per phone, unlimited minutes in the US and text messages.

Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#112

Post by eli »

kombine wrote: post #48
eli wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If battery capacity is your main issue, you can do better with an aftermarket one. I got a 4500 mAh for my Galaxy S3 for $30! Of course, it requires a new case because it's enormous...

It wasn't my main issue, until I got it. I was very restricted with my Samsung before, because I would always end up with dead battery during just a one day of intensive usage. As for the size, it's absolutely manageable, maybe a little thicker than most of the 5" phones.

Fair enough, this thing looks ridiculous. Works great, though.

Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#113

Post by nly »

zobzu wrote: post #100
nly wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's completely unlockable and reflashable from what I can tell

just like nexuses. still sends all the info to google by default, that's not something we can deny. in fact, even if you flash it, you'll want google play services, and it then still sends all the info to google again. So unless you can live without gapps (some apps won't even work without it nowadays, due to calls to the proprietary API), you're a little screwed.. well thats unless you wanna port FirefoxOS to it or…

Even if your concerns are justified, they apply to all Android phones not just the Moto G

Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#114

Post by kllrnohj »

zobzu wrote: post #101
ehPReth wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nah, this one is credible: http://www.beneaththewaves.net/Projects/Motorola_Is_Listenin...

default android phone sends your location to google, as well as your contacts, app list, app usage, calendars, todo list and some other things. You can disable a good part of it manually, thanksfully. Still, he sure has a point.. its not like if that data wasn't sent. It fucking is.

> default android phone sends your location to google, as well as your contacts, app list, app usage, calendars, todo list and some other things.

By default it does none of those things. You have to hit "yes" to enable the location reporting which defaults to off but which you are asked to enable the first time you add a Google account.

The rest isn't done at all unless you are using the Google services to sync that data. Which is only an option if you've added a Google account.

Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#115

Post by mortehu »

skelsey wrote: post #84
TrainedMonkey wrote: post #2

Google is making a big play on smartphone for everyone model. Now if they could get carriers to agree to cheaper data model, their hand would be really strong. To some extent this favors T-Mobile and other no-discount/cheaper plans carriers.

They don't need to. You can get an unlimited data + 100 minute no contract plan from t-mobile for $30/month.

Where's that? I can only find $50, $60 and $70 plans:

http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html

Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#116

Post by coldtea »

sliverstorm wrote: post #107
gcb1 wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

hope you don't plan to travel. nexus 5 would work on most network. also get ready to be disappointed with the camera. even the motoX gets owned by old nokia phones. the sad thing about google/moto only churning out low end phones, is that we now will have to give in to weird rooting/unlocking if we want basic features, like a simple sd card or removable battery. i dread the day i have to abandon my old nexus and star…

The fantastically inexpensive motoX has two flaws, and you're already down on it. Wonderful. It's good to know we should be unsatisfied by budget devices that don't have every single feature of a flagship device. After all, what kind of slob would be satisfied by a phone that doesn't do everything ?

Seems like you are confused. This is a tech site in which we're discussing technology, pros/cons of devices, etc.

Not some religious forum promoting humbleness and gratitude.

Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#118

Post by justin66 »

gcb1 wrote: post #93
glesica wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is actually why I've got a Moto G on order. This will be my first smart phone. Before I heard about the Moto G I always assumed my first smart phone would be a Nexus device, because I refuse to sign a carrier contract and I would rather have a dumb phone than carry around something that cost $600 in my pocket every day. But with the Moto G, I get a cheap-ish device with all the features that actually matter to m…

hope you don't plan to travel. nexus 5 would work on most network. also get ready to be disappointed with the camera. even the motoX gets owned by old nokia phones. the sad thing about google/moto only churning out low end phones, is that we now will have to give in to weird rooting/unlocking if we want basic features, like a simple sd card or removable battery. i dread the day i have to abandon my old nexus and star…

> the sad thing about google/moto only churning out low end phones, is that we now will have to give in to weird rooting/unlocking if we want basic features, like a simple sd card or removable battery.

It sounds like you probably don't know about these: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Samsung_Galaxy... https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=htc_one&hl=...

Samsung S4 and HTC One are available in unlocked "Google Play edition" models. They're as expensive as any high-end off-contract phone, but they do what you want.

Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#119

Post by danjayh »

mortehu wrote: post #115
skelsey wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They don't need to. You can get an unlimited data + 100 minute no contract plan from t-mobile for $30/month.

Where's that? I can only find $50, $60 and $70 plans: http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html

They sell it through wal*mart

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30-Wireless-Airtime-Card/1...

Re: Google’s $179 Moto G puts every single cheap Android phone to shame

#120

Post by hermantoothrot »

mortehu wrote: post #115
skelsey wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They don't need to. You can get an unlimited data + 100 minute no contract plan from t-mobile for $30/month.

Where's that? I can only find $50, $60 and $70 plans: http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html

It's listed on this page (about 2/3rds of the way down):

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

I believe you have to buy the SIM card and then go to this page to pick your plan:

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-activate

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