Android on a Budget?

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JBenci

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So I need a worthy temporary Android phone for a few months until my phone contract expires.
My budget is 1000-2000 rand. What phones are worth checking out?
 
There's that Sansui thing Hifi corp are selling if you want to fiddle?
 
HiSense U1 for R799excl vat at Esquire. Specs are similar to the Moto Defy just that it's HVGA.
 
The galaxy pocket isn't bad. It's still on gingerbread though.

R800 or somewhere around there I think. I enjoy mine.
 
Vodacom is selling the Samsung Galaxy Ace Advance for R2200.

CNA is selling the HTC Desire C for R2200.

I would go for the HTC, cos it runs ICS, and you will be able to get most apps from Google Play.

Damn, not much at that price. :(
 
Facing a similar dilemma, and having missed out on the Huawei P1 frenzy, but more out of choice and sheer contrariness, I ordered a Jiayu G2S from Antelife. It was about R 1750 + import costs. Very nice phone indeed, nice 4" high-res screen, looks very solidly built. Unfortunately the microphone stopped working after two days, so I have sent it back to China, trusting that they will replace it. I think that I was just unlucky, haven't seen any reports of other (engrish-speaking) people having the same problem. Bit of an experiment really, will know soon enough if it was a dumb one!
 
Unfortunately there aren't a lot of cheap Android phones (that are worth buying).

Galaxy Ace Advance
Galaxy Pocket

You can try shops like Edgards and American Swiss, but your prepaid options are rather limited. Perhaps try to buy a second hand phone?
 
JBenci said:
So I need a worthy temporary Android phone for a few months until my phone contract expires.
My budget is 1000-2000 rand. What phones are worth checking out?
Click to expand...

At that price range I always recommend that people buy a decent second hand phone because new phones in that price range are generally disappointing. You could probably pick up a second-hand Desire S or even an S2 in that price range and honestly you'll be much happier than sitting with a new Desire C. Especially after a few weeks and then you play around with someone else's phone...the sadness will hit you hard.
 
venom said:
At that price range I always recommend that people buy a decent second hand phone because new phones in that price range are generally disappointing. You could probably pick up a second-hand Desire S or even an S2 in that price range and honestly you'll be much happier than sitting with a new Desire C. Especially after a few weeks and then you play around with someone else's phone...the sadness will hit you hard.
Click to expand...

^ This * 1000

I played with a Samsung galaxy pocket and even if it technically looks ok vs my old HTC Desire the screen size & build just make it a crap experience.
 
Last edited:
AlphaJohn said:
^ This * 1000

I played with a Samsung galaxy pocket and even if it technically looks ok vs my old HTC Desire the screen size & build just make it a crap experience.
Click to expand...

True.

I picked up a working Galaxy Pocket in a CNA and was absolutely horrified.

Terrible Android experience.
 
kingrob said:
True.

I picked up a working Galaxy Pocket in a CNA and was absolutely horrified.

Terrible Android experience.
Click to expand...

Thing is its ok for someone that just want Evernote + Facebook and a phone, its absolute **** for anything else....and the moment you start posting in this forum you fall in the category of people that want anything else. :D
 
AlphaJohn said:
Thing is its ok for someone that just want Evernote + Facebook and a phone, its absolute **** for anything else....and the moment you start posting in this forum you fall in the category of people that want anything else. :D
Click to expand...

I don't think it can actually run Facebook, cos the screen is too small?
 
kingrob said:
I don't think it can actually run Facebook, cos the screen is too small?
Click to expand...

Just checked, it can kinda ****ty but it can. My maid has one. was R800 at Edgars.

Edit: I'll ask her if I can borrow the phone to test and will post actual screenshots of apps so people can understand.
 
Last edited:
kingrob said:
True.

I picked up a working Galaxy Pocket in a CNA and was absolutely horrified.

Terrible Android experience.
Click to expand...
I feel that Samsung damaged their "Galaxy" brand somewhat with these. I know of an older lady that now says that she had a "Samsung Galaxy" phone and that it was horrible, she now has an old blackberry and thinks its better then the "Samsung Galaxy" phones. :rolleyes:
 
Park@82 said:
I feel that Samsung damaged their "Galaxy" brand somewhat with these. I know of an older lady that now says that she had a "Samsung Galaxy" phone and that it was horrible, she now has an old blackberry and thinks its better then the "Samsung Galaxy" phones. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I had a similar experience, but the problem was when they tried out the phone, their money disappeared at a rate of knots as no-one told them that data costs R2/MB...
 
As promised, screenshots of a Samsung galaxy pocket.

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and this is actual resolution, and as you can see, even if it can play games like angry birds & temple run it still sucks as an overall experience!!!
 
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