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So... Smartphones... what exactly are we paying for, again?

G

GruntPuppy

pfm Member
having broken another phone through my own clumsiness (dyspraxia being one of those wonderful unappreciated fators of autism), I went looking for a replacement. The phone that got broken was a Gome U7, and a damn fine phone for the money - but being me, I thought I'd look for something a little better.

So... Gome U9. 6.18" FHD+ display, 2.5ghz octacore processor, 6gb RAM, 64gb ROM, dual rear cameras (12mp and 5mp), 16mp front camera, blah blah etc, under £90.

OK, don't get me wrong - the phone doesn't have a halo. It doesn't have the biggest battery on the planet, and (at the moment) it's got a proprietary version of android 8.1 on it. This will change.

But - when I look at these specs, and then at the specs/prices of the "mainstream" phones available, I can't help but feel that there's a lot of ripping off going on...

How much margin are these guys making, do you reckon?
 
GruntPuppy said:
So... Gome U9. 6.18" FHD+ display, 2.5ghz octacore processor, 6gb RAM, 64gb ROM, dual rear cameras (12mp and 5mp), 16mp front camera, blah blah etc, under £90.
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Unfortunately, you are used to a very good phone, and even if your Gome is only 20% less good, in a few weeks or months you will ask yourself why you have to go through the daily ordeal of using a device you don't like.

Same thing said with less words: ultra-cheap phones (and especially tablets) are krap. All of them, of any brand and country. I recently bought a new iPhone 8 for roughly £400, it is still a steep price for an already aging phone, but I use it a lot so I don't intend to save any money on a thing I carry with me every day.
 
But if you take an older phone that is rootable, install a trimmed down OS without the bloat it can feel a lot snappier than the newest devices. Also removes a lot of the software that watches/reports home.

Using a Samsung J5 2015 here, rooted and its super snappy.
 
sam_cat said:
But if you take an older phone that is rootable, install a trimmed down OS without the bloat it can feel a lot snappier than the newest devices. Also removes a lot of the software that watches/reports home.

Using a Samsung J5 2015 here, rooted and its super snappy.
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And you use this pentagon-approved fortress for everything, including e-banking ?
 
My flip phone was under a hundred Canadian clams, but I still feel ripped off. For one, the secret emergency button does nothing!


Joe
 
Cheese said:
And you use this pentagon-approved fortress for everything, including e-banking ?
Click to expand...

Hardly pentagon approved, but the software is open source so has been vetted by (many) other eyes.
Been running like this for a few years, and yes, used for ebanking, email, online shopping, paypal, btc trading.
Run strong unique passwords for everything that matters. Use 2fa. Use firefox.

Not perfect, but then what alternative do we have?

How is your mobile OS any different security wise to your windows/mac pc? All can be compromised, usually by lack of care and insecure practices. Windows certainly tracks everything you do and reports back (if you dont stop it), as do most browsers etc.

MikeMA said:
My pfm banner is now showing "Samsung - Leftover Phone Stocks"
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No PFM advertising (or any other advertising) for that matter... Phone runs an ad-blocker/anti-tracking software.
 
sam_cat said:
Hardly pentagon approved, but the software is open source so has been vetted by (many) other eyes.
Been running like this for a few years, and yes, used for ebanking, email, online shopping, paypal, btc trading.
Run strong unique passwords for everything that matters. Use 2fa. Use firefox.

Not perfect, but then what alternative do we have?

How is your mobile OS any different security wise to your windows/mac pc? All can be compromised, usually by lack of care and insecure practices. Windows certainly tracks everything you do and reports back (if you dont stop it), as do most browsers etc.



No PFM advertising (or any other advertising) for that matter... Phone runs an ad-blocker/anti-tracking software.
Click to expand...
Can you give me a link which shows how to do this rooty magic to a phone and/or tablet? I've a Nexus 7 which doesn't get OS updates anymore, and it could do with a good poke.
 
I have to say, my Gome U7 was superb, until I trod on the screen. It's still working despite the screen cracks, but I HATE cracked screens! The other thing I will be doing is putting standard Android Pie on this, then a couple of loader applications to customise the OS to my satisfaction. The great thing with Android is the customisability.


MikeMA said:
Can you give me a link which shows how to do this rooty magic to a phone and/or tablet? I've a Nexus 7 which doesn't get OS updates anymore, and it could do with a good poke.
Click to expand...

Google "root nexus 7" for a shedload of options. Also "upgrade nexus 7 to android 8" - there's even sites showing upgrade methods for android 9, depending on year.
 
davcoll said:
May I politely suggest you whitelist pfm on your adblocker ,this forum does require assistance in the cost of running it

Dave
Click to expand...

Rather donate, and not as easy as 'whitelisting pfm'... PFM is whitelisted, but the server thats send out the adverts/tracking are not.
 
You don't have to give up much quality at all. An example being the Umidigi F1 available at £130 to £170, I paid £140 from Amazon. Big good screen. Battery lasts 2 to 3 days.

UMIDIGI F1 Mobile Phone Unlocked Dual 4G Smart Phone Sim Free Android 9 Pie 5150mAh Battery 128GB ROM+4GB RAM 6.3" FHD+ Smartphone with NFC [Black] https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MFD4MNL/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

There are other Chinese makes which are similar. If you worry about Chinese...most phones are made in China anyway.

Phones are disposable, breakable & easily lost so I won't spend a grand on a hi-end phone.
 
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