Are Off-Brand Chinese Android Phones a Terrible Idea? Or Merely a Bad Idea?
Sep 15, 2014, 2:29 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
Programs: Aeroplan, MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 2,159
Are Off-Brand Chinese Android Phones a Terrible Idea? Or Merely a Bad Idea?
After 10 years of having a cheap $20 voice and text plan, my wireless provider is telling me I can't renew for another term. So I thought I'd go out there and find the next cheapest plan.
What I'd like to do is rather than buying a device from the provider, I thought I'd buy my own unlocked phone instead. Some of the cheap Chinese Androids I see on sites like dealsmachine don't look half bad, but I am a little nervous about dropping $125 or whatever on something that ends up being a dud.
Can anyone with experience speak to the wisdom or lack thereof of this course of action? At the moment I am using an iPhone 3GS and before that it was flip-phones/feature phones, so as you can tell I am not exactly on the cutting edge of tech, although my phone is basically my web surfing/e-mail/photography device when I travel.
If this doesn't pan out I will probably go for one of the Motorola Motos which seem reasonably priced.
What I'd like to do is rather than buying a device from the provider, I thought I'd buy my own unlocked phone instead. Some of the cheap Chinese Androids I see on sites like dealsmachine don't look half bad, but I am a little nervous about dropping $125 or whatever on something that ends up being a dud.
Can anyone with experience speak to the wisdom or lack thereof of this course of action? At the moment I am using an iPhone 3GS and before that it was flip-phones/feature phones, so as you can tell I am not exactly on the cutting edge of tech, although my phone is basically my web surfing/e-mail/photography device when I travel.
If this doesn't pan out I will probably go for one of the Motorola Motos which seem reasonably priced.
Sep 15, 2014, 2:38 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: TPA
Programs: Hilton Gold, DL DIrt Medallion
Posts: 38,267
Devices from Blu get decent reviews on Amazon. As pseudoswede noted, though, you're probably better off looking at the Moto E or even the Moto G for a few more dollars.
Sep 15, 2014, 3:17 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: YWG
Programs: Aeroplan, MileagePlus, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 2,159
Never heard of Blu before... I'll look into it. The stuff I was looking at on dealsmachine was real oddball stuff with brand names that yield nothing whatsoever on google, like Mpie, Onda, THL, Kingelon, Mijue, Leagoo, Doogee, Timmy, Otium, Cuebot, Mixc, Jiake, Feiteng (do the manufacturers come up with a different brand for each phone?!?).
Honestly, maybe the best course of action is to just play it safe and buy an unlocked Moto of some sort. Going with one of the weird Chinese off-brands just seems like a total roll of the dice.
Thanks, all!
Honestly, maybe the best course of action is to just play it safe and buy an unlocked Moto of some sort. Going with one of the weird Chinese off-brands just seems like a total roll of the dice.
Thanks, all!
Sep 15, 2014, 4:51 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LGA - JFK
Programs: UA, AA, DL, B6, CX, KE, Latitude, VIFP, Crown & Anchor, etc.
Posts: 2,589
FT's doing a MR to India soon & have a local connection, might want to see if you can get your hands on a new "Android One" designed for developing (Asia, for now) markets - specs (Quad-core A7 CPU, 4.5" display, 4GB memory, microSD slot, etc.) at around $105 USD, according to this NBC News link.
This is serious competition against ZTE, Xiaomi & Huawei, etc. in those markets. Worth having a look for travelers landing at those places
- even as a secondary or backup.
This is serious competition against ZTE, Xiaomi & Huawei, etc. in those markets. Worth having a look for travelers landing at those places
- even as a secondary or backup.
Last edited by Letitride3c; Sep 15, 2014 at 6:28 pm
Sep 15, 2014, 5:31 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: UA 1MM
Posts: 152
I have a Blu Dash 4.0 for a couple of year and it works fine overseas unless you need LTE bands. Groupon has a Blu phone on sale now for $77.
http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-blu-...00003_200248_0
http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-blu-...00003_200248_0
Sep 15, 2014, 5:40 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP, UA Silver, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,883
Unless you absolutely have to stay around $100, I would go with the Moto E or Moto G. I would expect some discounted 2013 Moto Gs to start popping up pretty soon now that the 2014 model is out.
As for Blu, there are a handful of models they've started updating to Android 4.4.2, so I'd probably stick to those (prices and screen sizes randing from 4.5" to 5.5" and from $125 to $350, but none with LTE).
As for Blu, there are a handful of models they've started updating to Android 4.4.2, so I'd probably stick to those (prices and screen sizes randing from 4.5" to 5.5" and from $125 to $350, but none with LTE).
Sep 15, 2014, 6:20 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,551
(Oops, just noticed the OP lives in Canada.)
Sep 16, 2014, 6:50 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: TPA
Programs: Hilton Gold, DL DIrt Medallion
Posts: 38,267
16 GB Moto G, global GSM. $180.00 shipped if you have Amazon Prime. 8GB LTE (4G) for $200. I don't think you an do better than this for the extra few bucks. Thes ephones will have a warranty you can actually use if necessary.
Sep 16, 2014, 10:05 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,551
Sep 16, 2014, 10:46 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
Programs: **Mucci Diamond Hairbrush** - compared to that nothing else matters (+BA Bronze)
Posts: 15,132
I've had one - a Star W007, designed to look like an iPhone4 - do a Google search and you'll see what I mean. It was hard visually to tell apart from the iPhone, if you exclude the extra thickness and the Android logo on the back. The thing wasn't the fastest phone on earth and had a custom ROM which had some useful features* (Auto switch off at night and on in the morning etc.), removeable battery, was dual SIM (and they were assignable - data/calls/texts etc.) and the camera was useless. *Then there was also some news (http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...re-google-play) about some of them coming with malware preloaded, I stopped using mine after that and went for a Samsung S3 Mini.
Last edited by Jimmie76; Sep 16, 2014 at 11:01 am