[finbaar]

I currently have a ZTE Blade (Orange San Francisco) which is running a custom FroYo ROM. I must say I am really enjoying the Android experience especially for £99. Anyway both ZTE and Ha have unveiled some new Android phones:

ZTE Skate (runs Gingerbread and 4.3" display)
http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_skate-3784.php

Huawei Ideos X5 (runs FroYo, 3.8" display but same GPU as Desire HD) there is also a X6 with a 4.1" display
http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_u8800_ideos_x5-3596.php

Hands on the ZTE Skate here:
http://mwc2011.techradar.com/2011/02...skate-review/#

Depending on price I could be tempted by either. I was going to go for a high end phone later in the year but I am wondering what is the point? I want Flash support and Android 2.3 (which the Huawei ones should get) so why pay more?

[Awshum-Yawn]

do you have a price for these phones?

You get what you pay for... and the san fran feels like my daughters £1 toy phone from poundland.

[finbaar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awshum-Yawn

do you have a price for these phones?

You get what you pay for... and the san fran feels like my daughters £1 toy phone from poundland.

Yes and it's only £99 so it does not have to last and in fairness I would say it was well made with cheap materials. It feels much better with a gel case which costs about £5 so invest in one of them. No idea about prices but I would only be interested in something below £200. Personally I am nterested in modding phones as well so a decent community is also a must.

[alanwarwic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awshum-Yawn

You get what you pay for... and the san fran feels like my daughters £1 toy phone from poundland.

I imagine this attitude come with being miffed at paying £500 for a high end and maybe metal chassis phone.

Its £99 and has a bit of plastic showing around the screen. Which means its no doubt far more shock resistant then almost any metal chassis phone.
Function over form could be the term.

[belleville1]

I think I'm the only person in the world using the Chinese Alcatel-badged OT-980 that CPW are selling, but I'm more than happy with it as an £80 Android 2.1 device.

It doesn't run the latest or flashiest version of Android, and the screen is rather low-res and resistive - but you don't have to type on the dodgy touchscreen because of its killer feature, a slide-down QWERTY keyboard in the style of the Palm Pre.

My main use for a mobile is mail and messaging rather than games and entertainment, so it's ideal for my needs. Why pay for an expensive contract or £400 touchscreen-only smartphone when this £80 device works perfectly for me?

[GB-UK]

I cannot decide between the skate or the x5, ive got the san francisco at the moment so was leaning towards the ZTE device but the x5 does look nice!

[finbaar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GB-UK

I cannot decide between the skate or the x5, ive got the san francisco at the moment so was leaning towards the ZTE device but the x5 does look nice!

I think the thing we need to remember at this end of the market is that brand loyalty is for fanboys - let them waste their money while we laugh at them.

[Awshum-Yawn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by finbaar

I think the thing we need to remember at this end of the market is that brand loyalty is for fanboys - let them waste their money while we laugh at them.

Laugh?

I go with what gives me the biggest bang for buck.

4.0 inch capacitive Amoled screen, 480 by 800 res, 16m colours, gorilla glass.
8GB internal memory, 512mb RAM, 2GB ROM.
1GHz Cortex processor, PowerVR SGX540 GPU.
Bluetooth 3.0 and wifi b/g/n
5mp cam and front facing cam.
TV Out
GPS

build quality and excellent call/speaker clarity are some of the things that helped me choose my phone at £337.

£99 Android phones... they're great for what they are, cheap little generic handsets that are helping drive the platform forward but they do not compare to higher specced phones.... my wife happily uses an HTC wildfire at £129 it's a great bit of kit for the money but again it doesn't compare to handsets further up the ladder.

I wouldn't ask someone... why pay more? when the answer is obvious!

They can afford to and wanted a better phone!

[finbaar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awshum-Yawn

Laugh?

I go with what gives me the biggest bang for buck.

4.0 inch capacitive Amoled screen, 480 by 800 res, 16m colours, gorilla glass.
8GB internal memory, 512mb RAM, 2GB ROM.
1GHz Cortex processor, PowerVR SGX540 GPU.
Bluetooth 3.0 and wifi b/g/n
5mp cam and front facing cam.
TV Out
GPS

build quality and excellent call/speaker clarity are some of the things that helped me choose my phone at £337.

£99 Android phones... they're great for what they are, cheap little generic handsets that are helping drive the platform forward but they do not compare to higher specced phones.... my wife happily uses an HTC wildfire at £129 it's a great bit of kit for the money but again it doesn't compare to handsets further up the ladder.

I wouldn't ask someone... why pay more? when the answer is obvious!

They can afford to and wanted a better phone!

Ho ho ho ho. Hit a nerve there old chap. So you have wasted £228 getting the 'latest' thing and your bound to be a bit sensitive. Listing a load of specs is pointless, what are you going to do with them. Your phone is not more than three times better than the Blade and sounds like it is no better than the new cheap devices

The Wildfire is looking very underpowered against the latest cheap Android phones and as you say does not compare.

So yes I am laughing at you. Now.

[alanwarwic]

The faster A8 type CPU in those phones only adds $10 maximum to the build price.
I certainly think the cheap Skate will be renamed when it hits Britain.

The real next generation current stuff is Tegra 2 type which adds a good $30 to costs.

[Awshum-Yawn]

You didn't hit a nerve you hit on a point I disagree with... I thought hard about which handset I wanted and the choices where...

HTC Desire HD at £399 from Amazon.
Motorola Defy at £275 from Amazon.
Samsung Galaxy S at £337 from o2 retail.

HTC was too big, Moto has way too many problems and the Samsung Galaxy S won on price, features and reliability.

Each to their own. If you believe your £99 handset is better than any of those I've listed then fair enough... I don't.

[kobashi100]

I have the ZTE Blade with Jellyfish 2.2

Great device and for me its perfect as I only use my phone for SMS, calls, push email and GPS. This phone allows me to download apps and only cost me £100.

Games don't interest me as I have a DS which beats in mobile phone for gaming and will be getting a 3DS also. Have a dedicated PMP media player for Video and music so spending £300+ on a phone just makes no sense for me.

£200 is will always be my limit for a phone so will get the X5 if it meets that price range. I do like the look of the skate though.

The days of me spending silly money on a phone are long gone. Spent £280 on a SE phone years ago, long before the current smartphone trend and will never do that again.