Computer Related > Importing a smartphone.	Computing Issues
Thread Author: Roger.	Replies: 96

Wed 16 Aug 17 12:55   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Knowing the caveat that most grey imports won't support band 20, 800mzh, which is the only 4G frequency used by O2 and its MVNO partners, has anyone here actually imported a smartphone from China or Hong Kong? What have been your experiences: for instance have you been caught by/been subject to the 20% import tax, or been caught by non-delivery? I'm considering an import afresh, given that Madame wants a new phone with a 5.5" screen. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 16 Aug 17 19:36   Importing a smartphone. - Zero

Given that you can get a proper phone (Motorolla g4 for example) from under 150 quid, why would you import one from china (complete with no support, no software updates, and useless guarantee) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 16 Aug 17 20:20   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

If he's after a cheap smartphone I'd still not want to import from China. As you say no support and the build quality and software experience might be poor. I can imagine how a Chinese company might put a custom skin on Android. Maybe a second hand phone would be a better option is you won't pay about £150 for something half decent. www.clove.co.uk/smartphones/android A Wiley Fox is £120 from Clove. Might fit the bill. Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 16 Aug 17 at 20:21 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 16 Aug 17 20:58   Importing a smartphone. - Zero

>> Maybe a second hand phone would be a better option is you won't pay about >> £150 for something half decent. Yes you will. A Motorola G4 is more than half decent and comes in at under 150 quid. A g5 is just over 150 quid. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 16 Aug 17 21:05   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

He's probably looking at phones for £40 :-) Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 16 Aug 17 at 21:06 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 16 Aug 17 21:21   Importing a smartphone. - zippy

After a year and a bit, my lad's G4 is still going strong. Huge screen, plenty fast enough for games and moderate battery life (very heavily used)! Might be badged Motorola but it's a Lenovo through and through! Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 16 Aug 17 22:56   Importing a smartphone. - smokie

Mate of mine has a Chinese one, from about 18 months ago, and it's [pretty good. I was recently looking at them and some have very good reviews. I ended up with a ZTE Axon 7, bought in Germany in a hurry when my phone broke on holiday. Reviews have that more or less matching the top of the range phones for features and performance but I only paid €385 for it. Warranty is a potential issue, as it would need to go back through Germany for repairs and I guess the same would apply to a a Chinese one. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 16 Aug 17 23:05   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

He'll tell us next it's a DOOGEE phone (dodgy). Seen one for less than £40 but it's only got 512MB RAM! I wonder if Roger followed a link from here to banggood.com? Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 17 Aug 17 08:28   Importing a smartphone. - smokie

I was looking at the Xiaomi MI6 against the ZTE Axon 7 before I went away. Both get really good reviews and seem well equipped. Neither are budget phones but they have good specs for low cost. I'm happy I ended up with the ZTE, it's pretty good so far. As I said, I had to buy a new phone in Germany and that was the only one of the two which was available over the counter. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Aug 17 19:53   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Announced for release later this month is the Motorola Moto G5 S Plus. 5.5" screen, NFC, fingerprint unlock, et al. I may have cracked it for her. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Aug 17 20:12   Importing a smartphone. - CGNorwich

What's the difference between that and the Moto G5 Plus? Have the latter and it has All the features you mention. Around £230 at Carphone warehouse who are I believe the exclusive retailers in the U.K. Last edited by: CGNorwich on Fri 18 Aug 17 at 20:14 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Aug 17 20:35   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

>> Around £230 at Carphone warehouse And therefore SIM unlocked. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Aug 17 20:38   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

Some differences.... Screen size. Camera a higher resolution on the G5S Plus (front and rear) with dual camera at rear. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 19 Aug 17 22:56   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Screen size is the big difference and an important point for Dee. As an aside, we called into our local CPW in Curry's, especially to see a Moto G5 Plus to look, feel and decide if a 5.2" screen was enough of an increase in size from a 5" one. Not only did they not have one on show, but they knew nothing about them! Poor show from the sole retail shop seller for that specific model. BTW, Curry's online price was showing as £269. Buying direct from Motorola it was £249, with a further tenner off on a promo code. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Sep 17 20:46   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Well, I've avoided the Chinese import grey market and bought a Motorola G5S Plus for her., from a UK store based in Dorset, who assure me (and they are long established) that this is genuine UK stock from Motorola. Oh, and there's a free pair of Pulse M Headphones included Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Sep 17 21:00   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

You mean the store I recommended in the second response to your original question :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 6 Sep 17 22:55   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

>> You mean the store I recommended in the second response to your original question :-) >> Yes! I'm remiss in not thanking you for your link. Thank you. Apologies tendered :-{ I had a pretty good and quick response from them, to a couple of emails with questions posed, which did engender some confidence. They do charge for delivery, unlike other sellers I found, but with the free headphone offer the package works out at quite a decent VFM deal. I just hope it's not too much of a leap for my technophobic wife, who currently has a Moto G 3rd generation, but wants a bigger screen and Android Pay! With her about to have a better phone than I, perhaps its time, when the shock of actually spending money has ameliorated, to gently start the drip, drip, drip, campaign to get a Oneplus 5 for me!!! Cloud cuckoo land? Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 7 Sep 17 00:04   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

I've not bought from them myself but had heard good feedback on them. Another site I have used for car kits and bits and pieces in the past is Handtec. They also do phones. They also do the Moto G5S Plus. If your wife has a Moto G phone already, then she should be fine. Like you I think I'd get a OnePlus 5 instead. Or for me more likely the next Galaxy S. But the GS6 is still working fine. OnePlus has good after care service. Step-son's OnePlus 3T dropped and screen damaged. He's not given it to me to send back for repair yet. But whilst in warranty they will collect and return via courier for free - just charging for the fix/new screen. I suppose Samsung and Apple would just charge for the repair and they have shops in the UK. Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 7 Sep 17 at 00:06 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 8 Sep 17 22:28   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Well, the Moto G5S Plus arrived today by DPD. It looks and feels a nice bit of kit. It's set up and running, but we might have to tweak the fingerprint sensor as SWMBO does not seem to understand "tap "and insists on a long hard press! The screen is nice and it's certainly a lot quicker, as it should be, than her MotoG3. Blush gold is a bit of a "girly" colour, but she likes it. I found a clear gel case on Amazon which fits very well. Looking at the enclosed instructions, such as they are, makes a proper manual a necessity, but it seems they are not yet available. The CE notice definitely gives Motorola' UK address as the official issuer of the notice and it came with a proper UK type fast charging plug. So far, very happy, but the more complicated camera options will take some time from which to get a benefit. Last edited by: Roger. on Fri 8 Sep 17 at 22:29 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 15 Sep 17 22:41   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Dee is chuffed to little meatballs with her new phone and was like a dog with two tails the first time she used Android Pay (I had to set it up for her though). For the money it IS very good, no worries. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 16 Sep 17 00:11   Importing a smartphone. - Stuartli

I'm assured, surprisingly, that there is no limit to the amount you can pay out using Android Pay, according to one of my offspring. He's surprised quite a few retailers, he says, as a result. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 16 Sep 17 00:28   Importing a smartphone. - smokie

I think some retailers impose their own limit though. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 19 Sep 17 16:33   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

AFAIK the limit is £30 at all the supermarkets we use. From our bank's Adroid Pay Help page. "Android Pay can be used on Android devices with contactless capability (NFC), running the latest Android Operating System, and the Android Pay app downloaded. Some card restrictions apply.* To protect you from fraud, we may restrict the value or number of payments you can make using Android Pay, so please make sure you carry your debit and credit cards with you just in case. Some retailers will also limit individual payments to £30." Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Sep 17 01:33   Importing a smartphone. - VxFan

>> AFAIK the limit is £30 at all the supermarkets we use. It's the same as all contactless payments. £30 is the max limit. Some shops still operate a £20 limit, IIRC. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Sep 17 08:30   Importing a smartphone. - smokie

But I think where a phone is different is that in most cases the technology (and the banks) allow transactions up to your normal daily limit, but if a retailer allowed it (which is often who puts the limit on) you would have to verify an amount over a certain figure by logging on to your phone with your swipe, or fingerprint or whatever. as well as waving it over the reader. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Sep 17 10:42   Importing a smartphone. - VxFan

>> you would have to verify an amount over a certain figure by logging on to your phone with your swipe, or fingerprint or whatever. as well as waving it over the reader. You have to currently verify it anyway with a PIN, fingerprint or whatever. Unlike a contactless bank card, you can't just wave the phone next to the reader to make a purchase. I do like Tesco's PayQwiq system though (soon to be renamed Tesco Pay+). Payments of up to £250 can be made, and it automatically links it to your clubcard. It's a shame that it can only be used in Tesco and can't be rolled out to be used anywhere. Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 20 Sep 17 at 10:45 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Sep 17 10:51   Importing a smartphone. - smokie

Oh ok, I thought I just waved my phone over the thing... never really concentrated that much, but I see that it has to be unlocked. :-) I had a Clubcard Plus, where you put money on the card each month to spend in Tesco, till recently, when the announced they are closing it. Anyway, strangely that wouldn't work with PayQwiq. (Nor was it contactless, nor was it chip and pin, so always had to call an assistant to verify my signature when using self scan) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Sep 17 11:24   Importing a smartphone. - VxFan

>> I had a Clubcard Plus, they are closing it. It sounds primitive. No wonder they're closing it ;) Reply to this message | Report message       1

Wed 20 Sep 17 12:13   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

>> Unlike a contactless bank card, you can't just wave the phone next to the reader to make a purchase. I use Barclays and I don't need to enter a PIN, unlock or use a fingerprint to purchase up to £30. It just works with the phone locked. To spend more than £30 you have to authorise and therefore unlock the phone. This is on Android using the Barclays mobile banking app - Apple won't allow anyone else to have access to the necessary security features to allow alternatives to Apple Pay. Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 20 Sep 17 at 12:14 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Sep 17 12:55   Importing a smartphone. - VxFan

I stand corrected. I wasn't aware that Android used a slightly different system. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 20 Sep 17 14:36   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

I am not using Android Pay - Barclays does not support it. They have their own solution via the mobile banking app. As I say Barclays does support Apple Pay because that is a closed system on iOS devices. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 12:32   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

The Android pay will not work unless you have activated security on your phone. Mine needs a PIN, Dee's needs a fingerprint. I've set the time out period before our phones lock at 10 minutes, which is not ideal, but it would be a real hassle to unlock more often in ordinary use. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 14:31   Importing a smartphone. - No FM2R

>> Announced for release later this month is the Motorola Moto G5 S Plus. >> 5.5" screen, NFC, fingerprint unlock, et al. >> I may have cracked it for her. :-) Roger, After you made this comment, and after many conversations gaining opinions, we just got one of these for my daughter. Its a really great phone. Nice looking, quick, latest software, very good camera and the battery [life & charging] seems excellent. Fingerprint scanner works well, no downside at all that I can see. Compares embarrassingly well with the Huawei P10 I just got for myself at a considerably greater cost. So, you may not have realised what you were starting, but thanks. Mark. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 14:35   Importing a smartphone. - No FM2R

p.s. I bought it from www.clove.co.uk/moto-g5s-plus as recommended by rtj. Good service, quick, some rather pleasant free headphones and fully unlocked (carrier & international). Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 15:20   Importing a smartphone. - No FM2R

p.p.s. I paid £246.00 inc. VAT & free headphones. How much did you import one for? Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 17:32   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

He didn't import one - he bought from Clove I believe ;-) So probably paid similar and got free headphones too. I'll be emailing them for my commission on two phones :-) Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 21 Sep 17 at 17:33 Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 17:41   Importing a smartphone. - No FM2R

Did he, I didn't realise that. Bit of a relief to be honest, I was braced for Roger to tell me he'd got it so much cheaper than I did. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 18:10   Importing a smartphone. - No FM2R

>>no software updates Zero, I presume that you mean OTA updates? Are you sure that's true? MY UK bought Huawei P9 has updated itself far beyond the P9s in Chile, and its never been turned on in the UK. All are UK OTA updates which have been received while its been here. I assume that they must come over the Entel Chile network, though to be honest it could have been WiFi, I wouldn't have noticed. However, they were OTA and were automatic, I didn't initiate them. Last edited by: No FM2R on Thu 21 Sep 17 at 18:11 Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 18:23   Importing a smartphone. - Zero

>> >>no software updates >> >> Zero, I presume that you mean OTA updates? >> >> Are you sure that's true? i assumed we were talking about the funny name phones, like wangshite, availble on the chinese bazaar websites. Well know branded phones will update anywhere, provided the manufacturer still supports it with updates. Most of them have a roadmap and end of update level. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 21 Sep 17 18:25   Importing a smartphone. - No FM2R

Ah, I get it. I thought we were talking about proper phones bought elsewhere, rather than no-name, copy s***e. I guess those don;t update wherever you are. Last edited by: No FM2R on Thu 21 Sep 17 at 18:26 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 22 Sep 17 19:08   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Look at this one, then............... umidigi.com/page-umidigi_s2_activity.html No NFC, so not for me, unfortunately. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 25 Sep 17 09:18   Importing a smartphone. - legacylad

An acquaintance of mine bought a Moto G4 Plus a few weeks ago, didn't work, so returned it and bought a Samsung Galaxy J7. I think he bought the G4 because you could replace the battery, whereas the G5 you cannot ( don't ask me why). He wrote a scathing report on the G4 on Amazon. I know very little about mobile phones, but do know that at some point I need to replace my Iphone 5S, primarily because I would like a larger screen. Next summer, health permitting, I plan on spending more time backpacking & walking overseas and a smartphone is essential for catching up on emails, surfing the net, booking mountain huts etc and my eyesight isn't getting any better! I'm not particularly good with technology, but love the way my 5S 'Airdrops' photos and video to my IPad when I return home.. I think Android to Ipad would be more complicated but not insurmountable for a dinosaur like me, so maybe a Moto 5 Plus is the future, unless the Iphone 7 drops considerably in price. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 25 Sep 17 09:38   Importing a smartphone. - Duncan

>> >> I know very little about mobile phones, but do know that at some point I >> need to replace my Iphone 5S, primarily because I would like a larger screen. Next >> summer, health permitting, I plan on spending more time backpacking & walking overseas and >> a smartphone is essential for catching up on emails, surfing the net, booking mountain huts >> etc and my eyesight isn't getting any better! What about a 6S with 4.7" screen? If you go to a 7 you have to fluff about with those wireless ear bud things! I bought a 6S last year at a reduced price when the 7 came out. They are even cheaper now. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 25 Sep 17 10:30   Importing a smartphone. - No FM2R

I prefer Android for a bunch of reasons and think them much better than iPhones. However, if you have an iPhone and like it, and if it does everything you want, then why make things hard for yourself for no particular advantage? Duncan's idea of the iPhone 6 is almost certainly exactly the best decision. It will work the way you expect, do all the things you expect it to do, just a bit faster with a bigger screen. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 25 Sep 17 11:17   Importing a smartphone. - legacylad

Thanks for replies. I get on well with my Iphone. All my more 'tech savvy' acquaintances prefer Android ( I used to like my old Windows phone) so I'll catch a train to Leeds sometime, visit the Apple Store in the Trinity Centre and check out the 6S & 6S Plus, see a film at the Everyman, eat a curry, drink a few beers at the Ossett Brewery Tap and catch the train home. Any excuse for a day out in the big city... Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 25 Sep 17 12:16   Importing a smartphone. - Stuartli

Quite a few modern mobile phones have a battery that can't be swapped for another one that's been charged up, but they can have a battery that fails replaced either under the warranty or repaired at the owner's cost. It's a good reason why it's vital to use a sound backup app such as GCloud as otherwise personal data is lost as many have discovered. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 26 Sep 17 21:23   Importing a smartphone. - legacylad

Had a look at an IPhone 6S Plus today.. the model I looked at had 128 GB memory so plenty of space for taking video on my travels. New reduced price of 'only' £649! Crikey. Think I'll keep my 5S for a while and see if prices reduce further And really enjoyed the film 'Wind River'... Last edited by: legacylad on Tue 26 Sep 17 at 21:24 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 01:57   Importing a smartphone. - VxFan

I know you'd prefer a phone with a bigger screen, but have you tried looking at the iPhone SE? Same dimensions as the iPhone 5. They now do a 128GB model, if it's storage space you're after, and it'll be future proof with regard to iOS updates for a couple more years at least. Basically it's an iPhone6s in a smaller package - it has the same A9 chip. A bit like buying a high performance PC with a smaller monitor. Ok, there are one or two features missing from the SE that are on the i6, eg no 3D touch or barometer. I think the facetime camera has less megapixels too. I wasn't that was fussed about those features to be honest when I bought mine, which is the 64GB model. That was the largest capacity at the time. John Lewis have them for £399 at the moment.. I suspect prices are similar elsewhere, but not many offer the 2 yr guarantee along with it. Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 27 Sep 17 at 02:00 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 07:20   Importing a smartphone. - legacylad

Appreciate your response, but the only reason to change is a larger screen and improved camera/video. Whilst my health allows I intend spending more time away in the mountains next year, some long distance trails, plus several linked 4/6 day 'Tours', and as my eyesight gradually deteriorates a larger screen is imperative for 101 reasons. I'll give it another few months and see if the price of the 6S Plus weakens further. No immediate rush Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 08:12   Importing a smartphone. - Duncan

Have you considered buying used? e.g.:- www.smartfonestore.com/filter-mfr-Apple%20Iphone.aspx Other sellers are available. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 10:43   Importing a smartphone. - VxFan

>> Appreciate your response, but the only reason to change is a larger screen and improved >> camera/video. The camera/video of the SE and 6plus are the same, apart from the facetime camera. www.apple.com/uk/iphone/compare/ Granted, it has a smaller screen, but then there's always pinch and zoom to enlarge what's on the screen. Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 27 Sep 17 at 10:45 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 11:04   Importing a smartphone. - commerdriver

Agree about the iPhone SE, got one about a month ago and like it a lot, but part of the reason for going that way was the compact size without compromising the capability. For someone who wants a "full size" phone it would not be as suitable. Personally if I want larger I prefer to use a tablet, but that's just my choice. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 12:06   Importing a smartphone. - Stuartli

I bought a so-called refurbished iPhone 5s for a friend on eBay from a firm called Fastawave at a cost of £139. On arrival it proved to be in absolutely mint condition and had to be set up from scratch by its new owner. They do the iPhone 6s at £199.99: tinyurl.com/y8ertslg The one purchased has been in use now for around six months with no problems. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 12:21   Importing a smartphone. - Stuartli

>>They do the iPhone 6s at £199.99:>> It's actually listed as a 6 - apologies, not au fait with iPhones, although I do recall that the 5s purchased was, apparently, the first mobile phone to feature fingerprint unlock technology. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 12:23   Importing a smartphone. - Hard Cheese

Wife daughter and one son have iPhones, daughter and son frustrated by lack of removable storage, i.e. no micro SD card slot. IMO Android is far superior, I use a Sony phone (current Z5 Compact, contract up for renewal though phone still perfect after 18 months so I'll go SIM only) rather than the ubiquitous and rather average IMO Samsungs ... Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 12:52   Importing a smartphone. - DP

I'm currently using my daughter's old iPhone 5S, after years of Android, and also two Windows phones through work. I've always disliked iPhones (and Apple generally), but it struck me I'd never actually had one. As my old Android phone quit and I was mid-contract, I decided to try one. On balance, I prefer Android to iOS. The fact you can share files and images via Bluetooth (Air Drop only works with other iOS devices), cast to a TV or other device natively from the OS, and you've had stuff like wireless charging support and full DLNA compatibility for donkey's years. And if you run out of storage, you can simply chuck an SD card in and carry on. The main advantage of iOS is the apps. On the whole, they are better than Android apps. Better featured, more stable, more consistent in their behaviour, which in fairness is as you might expect given the fixed hardware environment and Apple's tight control over development for the platform. On the subject of the failed Android phone, it was an Elephone P9000, a well reviewed Chinese smartphone which I got from Amazon. In performance terms, it was the best phone I've had. Great battery life, great screen, good (Sony) camera and excellent performance, plus the usual Qi wireless charging support, dual sim capability etc. The GPS was unusable, but that wasn't a deal breaker for me. It didn't last though. After 5 months though, the touchscreen became unresponsive in a small band about a third of the way down. Then a software update failed, and wiped out the Android recovery partition, causing the phone to be stuck in a loop where it would nag to update the software, then be unable to do so because the partition had gone. After exchanging some emails with Elephone support in China who were polite, but worse than useless (please download and install these unsigned drivers and software from a dodgy Chinese FTP site, and try this convoluted process which doesn't work, but try it anyway) I lost patience and got Amazon involved. They refunded my money in full just a couple of days later and told me to dispose of the phone myself. It's still sitting in a drawer somewhere. Last edited by: DP on Wed 27 Sep 17 at 12:55 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 13:18   Importing a smartphone. - Pezzer

"I'm not particularly good with technology, but love the way my 5S 'Airdrops' photos and video to my IPad when I return home.. I think Android to Ipad would be more complicated but not insurmountabl" I do this from my Android (SGS6) to my iPad using google photos. Easy to install the respective apps and you are away. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 27 Sep 17 16:36   Importing a smartphone. - legacylad

All very useful info & feedback, for which I am grateful. Once things settle down... I'm busy with pruning & tidying for family members pre winter ( and currently watching Johnny Farmer bring a large flock of sheep down off the tops across the Ribble valley) I shall investigate further. And seriously look at the option of getting a cheaper Android it it's so easy to transfer photos & video to my IPad Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 Oct 17 18:14   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Update. The Moto G5 S Plus has been working so well that I'm jealous that my wife has a MUCH better phone than I have. (An unlocked Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 on giffgaff ). Juvenile, I know ;-) I can't find a logical reason why I can have a Moto G5 S Plus, as the Vodafone is still working OK, dammit Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 Oct 17 18:16   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

Drop yours down the toilet... sorted. Take out the SIM and any memory card first. And backup photos and contacts, etc. Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 24 Oct 17 at 18:17 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 Oct 17 18:47   Importing a smartphone. - nice but dim

Moto G5 2017 model has now become the standard issue phone where i work after a month or two of testing, higher up get the S model and execs, what they want! Ones before were Moto G4 Play's, and Lenovo K5 but the latter were pulled out early due to poor battery life. The G5 range looks a very good phone and no issues at all. Fingerprint sensor combats some silly Gmail/EWS password requirement issue and they look.feel good in hand even after we've plastered them with glass screen covers and gel cases. Any issues will no doubt bore out later down the line but by then another model will be out. Users still not happy about the shift to Android from iPhone 4/5. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 Oct 17 18:55   Importing a smartphone. - smokie

Funnily enough, I did exactly that while I was actually using the toilet on holiday a week or so back. The phone (ZTE Axon 7) is only a few months old and isn't water (or pee!!) proof, and it passed through the stream and got a full dunking in the bowl. Different bits played up over the next few days but it's mostly now working OK, with the camera being the only bit I have any doubt over at the moment. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 Oct 17 19:14   Importing a smartphone. - tyrednemotional

>> with the camera being the only bit I have any doubt over at the moment. >> ....you weren't using that at the time, were you?...... :-O Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 Oct 17 20:25   Importing a smartphone. - Hard Cheese

Do I understand correctly, you dropped a phone down a toilet, and not even your own toilet, a holiday toilet - and you're still using it? Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 Oct 17 21:56   Importing a smartphone. - VxFan

Contrary to popular belief, us moderators aren't flush with money you know ;) Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 Oct 17 23:37   Importing a smartphone. - smokie

Got it in one HC The virus checker said it was clean... :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 22 Nov 17 19:14   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

I am so lusting after the just released Oneplus 5 T. I'm still not allowed though. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 22 Nov 17 20:42   Importing a smartphone. - rtj70

The Moto G5 Plus is on offer at Curry's at the moment: www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/phones-broadband-and-sat-nav/mobile-phones-and-accessories/mobile-phones/moto-g5-plus-32-gb-luna-grey-10161798-pdt.html Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 22 Nov 17 21:42   Importing a smartphone. - Roger.

Yeah, but it's got a tiny 5.2" screen! Even my cheap old Vodafone Smart Ultra Six has 5.5" Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 11:56   Oneplus 5T - Roger.

I had my hands on the new Oneplus 5T yesterday, in our local O2 shop. It's a lovely bit of kit, with a great display and in my view, compares very well indeed with the latest offerings from Samsung at £££ more. The main difference is probably the camera being not quite so good, but unless you are a camera nut, I bet you would hardly notice. A truly serious photographer would probably have a decent SLR, or similar high end camera. The lack of expandable storage may be a drawback, but with up to 128mb available on board, depending on model, I think most users will have enough. This is undoubtedly the phone I want (but of course, don't NEED) . Drip, drip, drip, in Dee's ears may work, but I'm not holding my breath. (We always make joint financial decisions). Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 12:00   Oneplus 5T - No FM2R

> but with up to 128mb available on board GB perhaps? Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 12:02   Oneplus 5T - No FM2R

Mind you, even the camera looks pretty good to me... www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_5t-8912.php Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 12:18   Oneplus 5T - Zero

No SD card support is an issue, dual sim for most people is an irrelevance and being a new phone it should have shipped with android 8, an upgrade won't be coming any time soon. At over 400 quid to buy, its not as cheap as it should be, the Moto G5 Plus is as good in every respect and half that price makes much more sense. Last edited by: Zero on Fri 1 Dec 17 at 12:18 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 12:30   Oneplus 5T - No FM2R

>>the Moto G5 Plus is as good in every respect That's the one my daughter got, right? If so then yes, its very good. Very good indeed. Dual SIM does matter for me, its very useful if using the same phone for different purposes (Personal & Business) as I do. My friend also uses Dual SIM, though in his case its because he does a lot of trading of junk which he advertises in newspapers and the like. So he can use the second number for that. No SD card would be an issue for me on my phone because I have 32GB internal, but if I had 128GB I don't think it would bother me at all. Mine says its currently using 20GB on the phone and 30GB on the SD card. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 12:33   Oneplus 5T - No FM2R

p.s. Apparently hers is the G5S Plus - I don't know how different that is. But it was £150ish and is damned good. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 13:09   Oneplus 5T - DP

My experience with Chinese smartphones is less succesful. I bought an Elephone P9000 which had good reviews, and cost the princely sum of £200 from Amazon, SIM free. Spec was fantastic with a 13MP Sony camera, Octacore processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB storage etc etc, it was a great bit of kit. Apart from the worst GPS receiver I've ever encountered, it was a fantastic phone. Fast, good looking, responsive and stable. Unfortunately, after a few months, a corrupt OTA update wiped the Android recovery partition meaning the phone got stuck in an endless cycle of downloading updates, rebooting, and coming back up without updating, downloading updates, rebooting etc. While I was engaged with Elephone "Support" trying to decipher various Chinglish instructions and download and install heaven-knows-what from Chinese FTP sites, the top third of the touch screen packed up. After being given the runaround by "support" for a week, I dropped Amazon customer services a line, who gave me a full refund. The phone had a hammer put through it to render it unusable, and went in the appliance recycling at the local tip. Brand names only for me from now on. Last edited by: DP on Fri 1 Dec 17 at 13:10 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 19:58   Oneplus 5T - Roger.

>> p.s. Apparently hers is the G5S Plus - I don't know how different that is. >> >> But it was £150ish and is damned good. >> The G5S Plus has a 5.5"screen and costs £259. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 14:35   Oneplus 5T - Duncan

>> >>the Moto G5 Plus is as good in every respect >> >> That's the one my daughter got, right? If so then yes, its very good. Very >> good indeed. Interesting how varying the spec can make it cheaper - or dearer:- www.amazon.co.uk/Motorola-Moto-Single-SIM-Free-Smartphone-Blush-Gold/dp/B074DYXFCQ?th=1 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 20:00   Oneplus 5T - Roger.

The Onepus 5t last a bigger (AMOLED) screen than the Moto G5S Plus Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 1 Dec 17 19:56   Oneplus 5T - Roger.

>> > but with up to 128mb available on board >> >> GB perhaps? >> Er -yes. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 30 Dec 17 19:06   Oneplus 5T - Roger.

ROTTEN 'ECK - my 11 year old granddaughter had a Oneplus 5T(8 GB & 128 GB model) for Xmas. She DID pay about 50% of the cost from her savings, though. Bought directly from Oneplus with a 10% discount supplied via her stepbrother's Uni student status. Seriously envious. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 30 Dec 17 23:19   Oneplus 5T - smokie

Bought SWMBO a Xiaomi MI A1 for Christmas, to replace a seriously degrading Galaxy 5. She is dead chuffed with it, and I would be too. Only issue for me would be lack of NFC but that doesn't bother her. Performs at least as well as her old phone, and the benchmarks indicate it's up there with the premium phones in many areas. I suppose it wouldn't' work for any badge snobs on here though. It was about £160, but 6 weeks delivery from China. I paid a couple of pounds extra to cover 1) loss in transit and 2) any import dues payable. www.techradar.com/reviews/xiaomi-mi-a1 Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 9 Jan 18 14:11   Oneplus 5T - Roger.

The constant drip DOES wear away stone! SWMBO eventually agreed I could "if you really want it" get myself anew phone :-) When push came to shove, I could not, for my use, justify spending from four-fifty to five hundred quid on a phone such as the Oneplus 5T, so have settled on one exactly like hers, but in grey, i.e. a Moto G5 S Plus. I bought it from Argos at £229.95, which, with free delivery, seems a very decent price. I'll flog my old Vodafone Smart Ultra Six (unlocked) on eBay, for whatever it'll make, which I guess will be about twenty notes. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 9 Jan 18 23:52   Oneplus 5T - Hard Cheese

Why not get one on contract? That £230 is basically a tenner a month over two years for just the phone, whereas for ££20 a month you can get a £350 + phone plus data around 500 mins call time and unlimited texts. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 10 Jan 18 08:16   Oneplus 5T - Roger.

We are limited by coverage at home as the only two providers capable of a decent signal indoors are O2 and Vodafone plus their network partners such as Giffgaff. I've never found a contract deal which meets all my criteria. Giffgaff are my choice because their goody bag fits our usage and is very flexible. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 10 Jan 18 13:45   Oneplus 5T - Stuartli

>>Giffgaff are my choice because their goody bag fits our usage and is very flexible. >> GiffGaff is excellent. I have the £10 Goodybag (500 minutes, unlimited texts and 3Gb of 4G data) which more than covers my requirements, especially as there are so many wi-fi hotspots. GiffGaff keeps informing me that my usage means I could buy a cheaper Goodybag and not lose out, but I prefer to have a margin for unexpected use. I buy my own phone, currently an HTC 10, rather than have a contract though. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 16 Jan 18 17:18   Oneplus 5T - Roger.

Final thoughts on this: I'm chuffed to little meatballs with the Moto G5 S Plus. It is definitely a good step up from my Vodafone SU 6 and I'm pleased I went for it, rather than a much more expensive one. It does all I'll ever want. As an aside, I'm flogging the Vodafone on eBay and the bids are up to £26, with a couple of days to go! Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 11:11   Moto G5 S Plus - sherlock47

Moto G5 S . £199 from JLP now with 2 year warranty. Moto G5S Plus £199 Currys Should I be tempted - I need the 32 G storage!? to replace G4 (II)? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 13:50   Moto G5 S Plus - Roger.

The MOTO G5 S Plus is not on Curry's listing. The G5 Plus IS there at £199 The main difference is screen size: the G5S Plus is 5.5 inches, whereas the G5 Plus is , afaik, 5.2 inches Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 14:09   Moto G5 S Plus - tyrednemotional

..over the last few months I've replaced a G4 (I and II) with a G5S (one mine, one number one son's). If you're used to the G4, then the G5S will be more than adequate (and an improvement). The "Plus" additionally brings you 4K video, faster processor and graphics (though the plain S is no slouch) and (for me the killer) a slightly bigger footprint through the bigger screen - that's a step too far for me - I have other devices if I want a bigger screen. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 14:17   Moto G5 S Plus - nice but dim

>> Moto G5 S . £199 from JLP now with 2 year warranty. >> Moto G5S Plus £199 Currys >> >> Should I be tempted - I need the 32 G storage!? to replace G4 (II)? >> Can i ask what the 32GB storage is needed for? In this day of cloud and always internet enabled (home Wi-Fi4G), I have barly little on my phone. My 8GB Moto has plenty of apps and I store my taken and acquired pictures and music on Google Drive and stream as needed (I do pay for the data but its reasonable) I also backup the Google Drive to a PC via the Sync App and then back that PC up to a USB Drive. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 14:40   Moto G5 S Plus - No FM2R

Daughter #1 has the G5S Plus. Absolutely loves it. A great success, and she's is pretty demanding and critical about such things. . Highly recommended. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Wed 17 Jan 18 15:13   Moto G5 S Plus - sherlock47

Can i ask what the 32GB storage is needed for? Not for data storage - purely Apps I seem to spend my life juggling and deleting apps to load something (or update) essential requirements within 16GB on existing MotoG. Everything that will run in extended memory has been moved. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 15:23   Moto G5 S Plus - nice but dim

Ah in that case, no problem. Makes me cringe when some people state they have lost or had stolen phone with pictures and everything they hold dear and not even aware that most things replicate or sync in the background. If they took the time to understand that rather than straight on FB, Instagram etc telling everyone the minute they get the phone. About the updates yes, I've noticed a huge difference between the app size and the amount required to download to update. Normally I would think stay put but the G5 range is very good, put the old phone to purpose though. A G4 is too good to sit in a drawer. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 15:30   Moto G5 S Plus - Hard Cheese

Don't they have a micro SD card slot? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 15:57   Moto G5 S Plus - sherlock47

Don't they have a micro SD card slot? Yes, and your point is? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Jan 18 16:32   Moto G5 S Plus - Hard Cheese

Just wondered, not all do, namely iPhones. Reply to this message | Report message