• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Is there an Android device that's basically like a smartphone with no cell service?

N

NiceGuyJon

Newbie
I just bought myself a brand new Droid Ultra on craigslist for basically what I can sell my old Razr HD for on Swappa, so I figured hey free upgrade in the middle of my contract! So I'm thrilled with the new phone, but in the meantime I still haven't posted my old Razr HD on Swappa... I've started downloading a bunch of stuff from my Google Play Music onto it at home with wifi and streaming it through my bluetooth in my car and at the gym without using any data. It's been wonderful! Google play music is always such a data hog and this has cut my usage by a huge margin.

So is there a device like this that I can easily use Google Play Music to manage my music and download directly onto the device using wifi? It's so easy, I don't have to plug it into a computer and move music onto it, I don't have to deal with iTunes, it's basically perfect. I'd love to keep using my Razr like this, but I kinda have to sell it and recoup my money for the Ultra eventually lol... I have to think there is a market for this sort of thing now that most people don't have unlimited data, right?

Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
 
Thank you very much for your reply. That's not really what I'm looking for, though. I do have a Nexus 7 and a Nexus 10, but I'm looking for something that would basically be a dedicated music player. A tablet could maybe work (but not really) in a pinch for streaming music through my car's bluetooth, but it would be completely impractical at the gym.

So basically I guess my question should have been is there anything like a 4-5 inch tablet out there?
 
I own one of these and I think it's exactly what you may be looking for! Polaroid also makes one of similar size if you can't find this where you live, but you probably could find a place with international shipping if you really fancy it!

zipy smartfun 4.3 with camera
 
NiceGuyJon said:
So is there a device like this that I can easily use Google Play Music to manage my music and download directly onto the device using wifi? It's so easy, I don't have to plug it into a computer and move music onto it, I don't have to deal with iTunes, it's basically perfect. I'd love to keep using my Razr like this, but I kinda have to sell it and recoup my money for the Ultra eventually lol... I have to think there is a market for this sort of thing now that most people don't have unlimited data, right?
Click to expand...
Samsung used to make Galaxy Players and Sony Android-based Walkmans but that was several years ago. Nowadays, you'd only find off-brand Chinese stuff. Smartphones have gone down in price significantly that I doubt there's a huge market for dedicated Android players now. Especially so when you take into account that you can buy any GSM Android smartphone and just use it without SIM card. Phone hardware adds what, an extra $10 to the manufacturing cost? Majority of the manufacturing cost is in the display, etc so an Android-based player, if one exists, isn't really going to save you much money assuming all other hardware being equal.

Heck, the Moto G is less expensive than an iPod Touch and I reckon that's what you're looking for - an Android version of the iPT.

Seriously, just keep the Razr HD. At most, you'll only make $100 after you factor in the cost of buying an Android device that's greatly inferior to what you have now.
 
You can root a phone and rip out phone functionality with apps like Root App Delete (and rip out most of Google's spyware NSA services) after rooting. I've done this to several devices.

Though I haven't used Google Play Music at all, so I can't speak anything about that.
 
wonky said:
You can root a phone and rip out phone functionality with apps like Root App Delete (and rip out most of Google's spyware NSA services) after rooting. I've done this to several devices.

Though I haven't used Google Play Music at all, so I can't speak anything about that.
Click to expand...

For one, removing the Phone apk can crash many phones. i've done this by mistake. For two, you shouldn't even use a smart phone if you're worried about that, or the stock ROM. The stock ROM's are full of carrier toys that are checking up on your personal information.

To the OP: In newer Android versions you can easily just turn off the mobile antenna, too.
 
Ok. Maybe I'm missing something here or just not understanding your question. If your asking about using a smartphone as a MP3 player w/o cell service, then just use your RAZR HD. You can down load music from Google Play Music on wifi and select to keep it on device. This will allow you to play the music w/o needing any data.
 
dibblebill said:
For one, removing the Phone apk can crash many phones. i've done this by mistake.
Click to expand...
I have been lucky then.

dibblebill said:
For two, you shouldn't even use a smart phone if you're worried about that, or the stock ROM. The stock ROM's are full of carrier toys that are checking up on your personal information.
Click to expand...

Yes. But rooting a phone and removing phone apps will help eliminate that, right? Unless there is something not showing and you can't remove it?
 
itsallgood said:
Ok. Maybe I'm missing something here or just not understanding your question. If your asking about using a smartphone as a MP3 player w/o cell service, then just use your RAZR HD. You can down load music from Google Play Music on wifi and select to keep it on device. This will allow you to play the music w/o needing any data.
Click to expand...

Well yeah that would be ideal, except that I was counting on the money from selling the HD when I bought the Ultra, so that's not really an option. I was hoping there was something that was cheaper because it didn't function as a phone, but it's looking like maybe the only option is to use an actual phone with no cell service. That Galaxy Player looks promising, but it's about the same price and it's unclear whether I can make music from Google Play Music available offline. I may just have to keep an eye open for a cheap phone on eBay or Swappa and do it that way.

Thank you everyone for your input!
 
I'm thinking I might just go get a used Moto G on eBay for like 100 bucks, I'm telling you it's nice to be able to stream to my heart's content without worrying about data.
 
Why don't you just use your Droid Ultra in the same way?

Download music to the Ultra using Google Play when on wifi to save data and then use it in the gym or through bluetooth in your car like you did with the Razr...
 
wonky said:
I have been lucky then.



Yes. But rooting a phone and removing phone apps will help eliminate that, right? Unless there is something not showing and you can't remove it?
Click to expand...

If it's part of the OEM/carrier modifications to the system itself, only a custom ROM will sort that out.
 
davoid said:
Why don't you just use your Droid Ultra in the same way?

Download music to the Ultra using Google Play when on wifi to save data and then use it in the gym or through bluetooth in your car like you did with the Razr...
Click to expand...

There's no expandable memory on the Ultra and I don't want to bog it down with a bunch of music. What about these Chinese knock-offs? I would never buy one as my main phone but can I run Android and Google Play Music on them? That might be an option... where do I buy them?
 
I just found a Samsung Galaxy Centura Android Prepaid Phone (Net10) on Amazon for $50... it says it runs Android 4.0 and has expandable memory... I don't know about those Net10 phones though, would this do what I want it to do, or will it only work with cell service?
 
NiceGuyJon said:
I just found a Samsung Galaxy Centura Android Prepaid Phone (Net10) on Amazon for $50... it says it runs Android 4.0 and has expandable memory... I don't know about those Net10 phones though, would this do what I want it to do, or will it only work with cell service?
Click to expand...
Just curious, how much are you expecting to get from the sale of your RAZR HD? Because I've got to say, that's one underpowered device. As far as I know, it's also CDMA so service activation might be required.
 
Get yourself a Galaxy Victory from Amazon or Newegg for $79. I use mine as a media player now.

You get about 1GB of app space, Android 4.1.2, 1GB RAM, and a dual-core 1.3GHz CPU. And removable microSD.
 
... Or or or.... get the ZTE Awe for $50, on eBay (there is a trusted dealer on there I got mines from). Same specs as victory. either or I'd say get because I've done work on both of them :P
 
dibblebill said:
Get yourself a Galaxy Victory from Amazon or Newegg for $79. I use mine as a media player now.

You get about 1GB of app space, Android 4.1.2, 1GB RAM, and a dual-core 1.3GHz CPU. And removable microSD.
Click to expand...
This one actually looks pretty decent. The Galaxy Centura is just crap.
 
Or what about a kyocera hydro? $30 on Amazon and has the added benefit of being able to listen to music in the shower, which my wife will like :)
 
I had that before i bought my awe. I hated it. Lagged and its locked down. Aside from playing?music its useless as it can't play modern games
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom