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Cheapest android smartphone to get me through three months - Meteor

athtrasna · 2013-10-13 18:43:32

I have a SGS3 and it's turned from a great phone into a piece of crap. Main, but not only, problem is I'm only getting about 50% (if that) of text messages sent. I also can't send texts from the stock messaging app as it keeps crashing and have had to download an alternative to even read the few I get. A google search says…

13-10-2013 7:43pm

#1

athtrasna

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I have a SGS3 and it's turned from a great phone into a piece of crap. Main, but not only, problem is I'm only getting about 50% (if that) of text messages sent. I also can't send texts from the stock messaging app as it keeps crashing and have had to download an alternative to even read the few I get. A google search says this is relatively common since last Android update.

So far I have replaced the SIM, and done a factory reset and no success. Am due an upgrade in January but can't cope with the text situation until then. I could send it for a repair but last summer I cashed in all my old smartphones and there is no way I can cope for a fortnight without one.

So I'm looking to buy as cheap a smartphone on Meteor as will keep me sane. Any suggestions?

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#2 13-10-2013 7:53pm

Sonics2k

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athtrasna wrote: »

I have a SGS3 and it's turned from a great phone into a piece of crap. Main, but not only, problem is I'm only getting about 50% (if that) of text messages sent. I also can't send texts from the stock messaging app as it keeps crashing and have had to download an alternative to even read the few I get. A google search says this is relatively common since last Android update.

So far I have replaced the SIM, and done a factory reset and no success. Am due an upgrade in January but can't cope with the text situation until then. I could send it for a repair but last summer I cashed in all my old smartphones and there is no way I can cope for a fortnight without one.

So I'm looking to buy as cheap a smartphone on Meteor as will keep me sane. Any suggestions?

Galaxy Trend is easily available, only €159.99 for it. Nothing fancy but it's a decently speced phone that'll get you through the next few months and serve as a spare.

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#3 13-10-2013 8:03pm

athtrasna

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That's a bit over budget for me, bearing in mind I'll be paying for an upgrade in three months, I ideally want to pay less than €100 for this one.

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#4 13-10-2013 10:15pm

robo

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The Huawei Y300 is €79.99 on the Meteor site & €99.99 in the shop - its not a bad phone. Bought it last week for my sister, set it up & works well, especially for the price. See here for other posts about cheap Android phones.

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#5 13-10-2013 10:17pm

scudzilla

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Due for an upgrade in January? Speak to Meteor, they normally let ya have it a couple months early, i know they do with me

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#6 13-10-2013 10:18pm

biko

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Get a second hand phone on adverts/donedeal? It's only for a while and you can get something for 50.

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#7 13-10-2013 11:02pm

athtrasna

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scudzilla wrote: »

Due for an upgrade in January? Speak to Meteor, they normally let ya have it a couple months early, i know they do with me

They'll bring it forward to next month but if they do I'll lose my current deal. I'm paying €25 a month for their €49 a month plan so I'm loathe to risk it

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#8 13-10-2013 11:20pm

projectgtr

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Forget all them :P , go into tesco buy a 99c SIM pack, bring it into vodafone and buy their Smart mini, since your porting your "number" they give you 20 euro off and it comes to 39.99, unlock it within an hour via ebay for about 1.50, so for a grand total of a little over 40 euro you have a decent little stand by phone thats running pretty stock jellybean and will take any sim.

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#9 13-10-2013 11:58pm

ronano

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If you buy the smart mini through fat cheese you can decrease price to 25 euro, recent thread on bargain alerts, be warned though fat cheese can take forever. Vodafone deliver next day pretty decent

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#10 14-10-2013 5:04pm

imitation

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If your used to a sgs3 any budget handset would be a headwrecker. Maybe a custom rom would help the situation ? Seems to me like a very fixable problem.

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#11 14-10-2013 5:57pm

Dozen Wicked Words

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OP Can't you just sell the SGS3, greatly adding to your budget and therefore choice.

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#12 14-10-2013 7:44pm

redscan

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athtrasna wrote: »

I have a SGS3 and it's turned from a great phone into a piece of crap. Main, but not only, problem is I'm only getting about 50% (if that) of text messages sent. I also can't send texts from the stock messaging app as it keeps crashing and have had to download an alternative to even read the few I get. A google search says this is relatively common since last Android update.

So far I have replaced the SIM, and done a factory reset and no success. Am due an upgrade in January but can't cope with the text situation until then. I could send it for a repair but last summer I cashed in all my old smartphones and there is no way I can cope for a fortnight without one.

So I'm looking to buy as cheap a smartphone on Meteor as will keep me sane. Any suggestions?

If it's a software problem I would head over to XDA developers (http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3) There will be instructions on how to install a nice custom ROM on it with none of the mentioned problems. Save your cash!

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#13 14-10-2013 10:14pm

athtrasna

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redscan wrote: »

If it's a software problem I would head over to XDA developers (http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3) There will be instructions on how to install a nice custom ROM on it with none of the mentioned problems. Save your cash!

This sounds interesting but I haven't the foggiest what you're talking about.

Problems with the phone include, stock messaging app crashes every time I try to open it, not getting all text messages, phone randomly rebooting, phone randomly vibrating when in vibrate mode, dialpad really slow to open.

I'm pretty tech savvy normally but tend not to mess with phones, it took me months to psych myself up to do a factory reset and I'm still not happy with the phone setup since I've done that, missing apps, shortcuts, app settings changed.

I checked that link and it takes me to a null page. The forum own site has a whole load of American network phone issues. Forgive me for my ignorance but I genuinely don't know where to start

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#14 15-10-2013 11:09am

redscan

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athtrasna wrote: »

This sounds interesting but I haven't the foggiest what you're talking about.

Problems with the phone include, stock messaging app crashes every time I try to open it, not getting all text messages, phone randomly rebooting, phone randomly vibrating when in vibrate mode, dialpad really slow to open.

I'm pretty tech savvy normally but tend not to mess with phones, it took me months to psych myself up to do a factory reset and I'm still not happy with the phone setup since I've done that, missing apps, shortcuts, app settings changed.

I checked that link and it takes me to a null page. The forum own site has a whole load of American network phone issues. Forgive me for my ignorance but I genuinely don't know where to start

Essentially a ROM is the software that makes your phone work. The stock ROMs provided by companies such as Meteor can sometimes be a bit laggy etc.

Here is a video explaining how to install a custom ROM on your phone and give you an idea of what it entails: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuELTbfrH_U As with any process like this there is a possibility of 'bricking' your phone. However, I have switched ROMs on my phone countless times with no problems. It means my aging Galaxy S2 can have very up to date software even though Samsung stopped supporting it long ago!

How I would go about it:

Step 1: 'rooting' - http://www.androible.com/root-galaxy-s3-i9300-android-4-0-4-4-1-4-1-1-4-1-2-4-2-official-firmwares/

Step 2: installing the custom rom - http://www.androible.com/install-paranoidandroid-v3-97-rom-galaxy-s3-i9300-jelly-bean-custom-rom/ (ParanoidAndroid is a popular custom rom)

Be aware that you will lose all your data. There are apps noted in the instructions which can help with saving your data.

There is a bit of a steep learning curve with installing custom ROMs but once you get the hang of it it is relatively easy. Best place for any help is xda developers. By the way you probably have the 'international' S3 in case you were wondering about all the American carriers mentioned.

There are probably people on here a lot more qualified than me with this stuff but I hope that helps!

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#15 15-10-2013 11:29am

zarquon

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Very easily fixed by installing a custom rom such as paranoid android or Omega which is closer to stock.

Tons of guides on XDA and pretty simple to do:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1663656

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1911726

Takes less than 30 mins all in. The end result will be complete data loss just like a factory reset so backup anything you need.

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#16 15-10-2013 11:45am

vibe666

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i was in a similar position a couple of months ago (waiting for the note 3 to come out) and got the vodafone smart 3 (big brother of the mini) and it was awful. dog slow and just drove me demented every time i needed to use it. i'd avoid anything even remotely related to it and look into a new custom rom for your sgs3 personally. it's likely just a software issue that will be resolved by switching roms or possibly even just from a factory reset of your current one.

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#17 15-10-2013 4:44pm

BroLo

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He already tried a factory reset of his own.

Custom ROM or a Cheap Chinese one would be my suggestions.

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#18 15-10-2013 11:28pm

athtrasna

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Thanks so much guys! Sounds like a little study could save me having to buy an interim phone. And then the fun in choosing a replacement will begin after Christmas Think I'm gone with the Galaxy range!!

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