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Looking for a prepaid android phone

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xray45

Lurker
Hello to all,
I have just joined the forum and happy to be here. I hope I'm not out of line posting so quick but can't wait.
I was looking at getting and android phone on a prepaid sevice.
I live in Pittsburgh PA. The best two I was looking at were
Huawei ascend, LG optimus V
Never had an android phone before but had iphones.
Of those two which one is most recomended?
Any other options I may be over looking?

I just don't like being tied into a 2 year contract.
Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and hope to be posting all kinds of good things.
Xray
 
Welcome to Android Forums.I think you will be pleased with most any phone you may choose if you should take the plunge.However,it basically depends on whether you are looking at your purchase as a long term investment or if you're willing to test the waters & possibly upgrade in the near future.If you choose the latter,I'd go w/the HUAWEI ASCEND.It's what I've got w/CRICKET service.The reason I suggest this is the amount of user support surrounding the ASCEND is probably unmatched by any other entry-level model.Its stablemate,the KYOCERA ZIO is about to be re-released with an upgraded O/S to ANDROID 2.2,the ASCEND currently has 2.1,with a RUMORED upgrade to 2.2 as well.
If you not in a big hurry to jump in,I would suggest reading the forums here on the models you're interested in for a few days, to get a true feedback on actual user experiences before commiting to a particular model.
However,if your carrier is going to be METRO PCS instead of CRICKET,I would recommend going w/the OPTIMUS V w/VIRGIN WIRELESS,reason being METRO PCS is reported to NOT have true 3G coverage,you're either going to get 1X or 4G,which neither the ASCEND or ZIO support.Basically,just some side by side comparison between the entry level models and carriers is in order, you should be able to have all your questions answered here @ A/F,please feel free to jump in at HUAWEI ASCEND,ALL THINGS ROOT,we'll be waiting to see you there soon.Once again,thanks for joining us here & Welcome to ANDROID FORUMS.
 
Hello Kolio, Thank you very much for your reply. You seem to sum up allot of what I was thinking.
My carrier woud be Cricket.
I noticed that the support and other ideas are well covered in the forum for the ascend. I was really surprised by how many people actually use this device.
The huawaei is on sale for 109.00 at the cricket site so maybe that's a sign.
I'm going to jump over to that section again and read some more and see what goodies I can find.
thanks and I will post where you suggested as soon as I get the phone.
See you there as well.
Xray
 
Now that we know you are in a CRICKET service area,I would at least wait until the KYOCERA ZIO is re-released,for 1) to gauge others experience w/the upgrade & 2) the ZIO is supposed to have a GPU(please verify),the ASCEND does not,& is still using ANDROID 2.1 O/S.
Not trying to sway your decision one way or the other, as I am a satisfied owner of the ASCEND,just giving some additional information that may be useful in your final decision on the model you choose.
 
If you do like Metro, They've got a new 4G enabled phone out (Samsung Galaxy Indulge). I've heard mixed reviews on it though. Plus you'd need to check the coverage area to make sure where you live is covered by 4G, If not you are buying a pretty great phone without the pretty great coverage. MetroPCS | Coverage Then click on 4G tab.
 
You could go with PagePlus, they allow pretty much any Verizon phone. Any new or used Droid would work with them, plus they use Verizon's service so the coverage is usually pretty good.
 
xray45 said:
Hello to all,
I have just joined the forum and happy to be here. I hope I'm not out of line posting so quick but can't wait.
I was looking at getting and android phone on a prepaid sevice.
I live in Pittsburgh PA. The best two I was looking at were
Huawei ascend, LG optimus V
Never had an android phone before but had iphones.
Of those two which one is most recomended?
Any other options I may be over looking?

I just don't like being tied into a 2 year contract.
Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and hope to be posting all kinds of good things.
Xray
Click to expand...

xray45 said:
Hello Kolio, Thank you very much for your reply. You seem to sum up allot of what I was thinking.
My carrier woud be Cricket.
I noticed that the support and other ideas are well covered in the forum for the ascend. I was really surprised by how many people actually use this device.
The huawaei is on sale for 109.00 at the cricket site so maybe that's a sign.
I'm going to jump over to that section again and read some more and see what goodies I can find.
thanks and I will post where you suggested as soon as I get the phone.
See you there as well.
Xray
Click to expand...

KOLIO said:
Now that we know you are in a CRICKET service area,I would at least wait until the KYOCERA ZIO is re-released,for 1) to gauge others experience w/the upgrade & 2) the ZIO is supposed to have a GPU(please verify),the ASCEND does not,& is still using ANDROID 2.1 O/S.
Not trying to sway your decision one way or the other, as I am a satisfied owner of the ASCEND,just giving some additional information that may be useful in your final decision on the model you choose.
Click to expand...

Hi Xray! Nice to have you here at Android Forums!!! And we definitely hope to have you as a member of the Huawei Ascend Forum as well. :)

I see you already have some excellent advice, but being that I am a woman I feel compelled to throw my 2 cents in as well. LOL

To begin with you say you have not had an Android but you did have iphones. This is almost a red flag as you are going to have a very difficult time switching from iphone to a low-end Android phone. This is my opinion FWIW. However, if you are looking to 'get into an Android' as an entry level learner than I would suggest that either the Ascend or the Zio (either one) would be a nice phone for you. Just dont' expect it to be nearly as fast as your iphones because the simple truth is it will not compare, no matter who your carrier is or what network you have. (same is true with either the Huawei Ascend or the Optimus V)

Personally I would recommend the Ascend. There are many reasons but here are the main ones:

Price! You simply cannot beat this price for an Android phone with 2.1 OS (Note: We are expecting a 2.2 firmware upgrade on the Ascend but cannot confirm if or when at this time!)

Design! It's a very nice size, nice size screen, is comfortable to hold and sleek looking.

Performance! It does what it is supposed to do! But don't expect to pay for a Ford and get a Cadillac. But it will definitely get you there. ;) (I am not being totally fair! The Ascend is a GREAT phone! When I compare it to my friend's phones I guarantee I have nothing to be ashamed of! )

Manufacturer! The Ascend is built by Huawei the #2 Telecom Manufacturer in the world. Huawei has been building handsets for Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and other well known carriers for years. They build an excellent product!

The Ascend Forum! We love our Ascends! The Huawei Ascend has only been out a little over 3 months and already we are ranked the 22nd most active Forum in all of the Android phone forums. If you look at the Zio Forum or the Optimus V forum you will see much much much less activity. Because Customer Service with your carrier will really suck you really need a place to get help. We will always be here for you!

Good luck in your decision! Hope we helped you to make up your mind!

Cheers!!!

~ Jazz

PS...The problem with the Optimus V is that you have to get it through Virgin Mobile and even though they have good plans, if you truly want to get unlimited EVERYTHING at a seriously good price you want to be with Cricket or MetroPCS. And since you have Cricket in your area, they are your best bet!
 
I had a nightmare weekend with everything about our move from apartment to house going wrong, so I'm a little late chiming in, but here goes.

Ascend: For the price and overall performance, you really can't beat it. As an entry-level Android phone that you don't have to commit to a 2 year contract AND pay 200 dollars for, this may be the best choice on the market. With rebates, you can get this for 100 dollars on average, and there is already a custom ROM out there, as well as others under development, including at least a couple that are supposed to be running Android 2.2 OS.

Specs: 3.5" touchscreen, 528Mhz stock processor, 256MB RAM, external SD card up to 16GB supported.

Caveat: No discrete graphics processor, 2.1 OS. No standalone GPU means poor performance on graphically intense games. Angry Birds is a common complaint on this phone, including multiple button presses just to get it to load and display properly, and the framerate will frustrate you a fair amount of the time. 2.1 OS means you do not have the stock ability to install apps to the SD card - they instead install to internal memory, which is not much on this phone, and you will quickly get low memory warnings, curbing your app-downloading binges severely.

The Icarus MOD for the Ascend remedies the apps to SD card issue, and I must say it is worth the time and effort for that feature alone. It also removes preloaded "bloatware" apps that are packaged in by the carrier, and runs significantly faster than the stock installation.

LG Optimus variants: Pretty much every carrier has a version of this phone, the names differentiated by the letter at the end, such as MetroPCS with the Optimus M, or Virgin Mobile with the Optimus V. This phone is stronger than the Ascend, but also carries a roughly $50 premium on price, averaging $149 with rebates. I have personally played with a Sprint version of this phone, which a coworker of mine has, and it is definitely snappier performance-wise than the Ascend.

Specs: 3.2" touchscreen, 600Mhz stock processor, 512MB RAM, standalone GPU, Android 2.2 OS, up to 32GB external SD card supported.

Caveat: This phone, in every variant I've seen, does not have a physical End Call button. This means you will have to wake the screen again to press End. It has a slightly smaller screen than the Ascend, although both run at 320x480 resolution, and the quality is comparable based on what I've seen.

In my objective opinion, the Optimus is definitely going to be a stronger performer overall, with double the RAM and a standalone GPU. My coworker's Optimus made my Ascend feel slow, even with Icarus installed on it. I don't know what benchmarks between the two would look like, but based on my experience, it has to be at least a reasonable gap. If you need to get out with the least money possible, and playing higher end games/running lots of apps isn't something you'll likely be doing, then I recommend the Ascend. If you have the extra money and you want overall better performance, then I would have to recommend the Optimus. All things considered, had I done a little bit more research and known a couple more things, I would have gone with the Optimus M, being on MetroPCS, but part of that is because I am used to quickly testing the limits of a new toy. The other part of that is, I never owned a smartphone prior to the Ascend, and after finding out all the wonderful things I can do with it, and seeing where it fails, I personally want more. your mileage may vary.
 
Thanks to all for your replies. I am still trying to figure out what I want to do.
I should explain though, I had 2 different iphones but not for very long. Sent them back before after a week or so. Did not like the idea of the fact that for the next two years I would have to have the same phone and service.
Oh well, I would like to make up my mind pretty quick because my super cheap $19.99 flip phone is killing me!
Thanks and I will keep updates as to what I shall do.
 
I would recommend the Virgin Mobile Optimus V. It is an entry level Android but it has a 600 mhz processor and there are two other smaller chips that it uses to handle the load with. It is not a triple processor phone, but at times it can handle the work load like it.
it has 512 megs of ram and is very responsive.
Probably not like a iPhone, for that you would need one of the higher end Androids.
Try to do your homework on phones before you buy, Samsung has been selling dog crap and passing it off as Android phones lately, Intercept is a good example, they also have another craptastic droid phone that I did not have the displeasure of buying (Intercept was nightmare enough for me). Motorola seems to be making a comeback on quality but but I am still not brave enough to put my money down on the brand yet.
Two brands that I will buy in a heart beat are LG and HTC.
The Optimus V is a kick but phone for having such low end specs. It is an example of how things should be done right. And HTC, I am sure there are reviews out there for their phones that are less than stellar, but I have yet to see one.
Even their low end phones are priced competitively and operate better than more expensive phones.

Best of luck in your search.
 
Get the LG Optimus V on Virgin Wireless.I have had it 8 days and love everything about it.There will be something that will be off no matter what phone/service you buy.But..this is a great mix all around.
Peace.. Kilo
 
I have Virgin Mobile LG Optimus V for 10 days now. Definitely great bang for the buck ( bought mine at BB for $129). Network could use improvement, but $25 for unlimited data with no contract on an Android is unbeatable. Unless you're looking to spend lots more money for a higher end device and better (verizon?) service, I highly recommend this phone.
 
hey xray, you could try for the Huawei ideos x5, it's a major upgrade to the ascend but doesn't have a physical keyboard. in australia at dick smith it's going for about $350 USD/AUD, you could probably buy it off ebay as well, it' sonly just been released and huawei said it will get android 2.3 which is as of now the latest android OS that's been released not so long ago, it has a 3.8 inch scree, 800mhz processor and android 2.2 as it's default.

hope I helped.
 
Hi all, thanks for the great info and please bear with me as I break lose from my old reliable 'pocket flippa' and jump ahead with my first new droid. And please no offense to previous extremely helpful post (thanks for the inside heads up on X5!) I just want to be sure I get how things work:

Even if I purchased the X5 off the inet I would not be able to use it since there is NO service provider in the US that has included this particular model in their service plan yet. Is this right?

And if that is the case, what is the top model Android 2.2+ I can buy on my own that PagePlus will provision and activate for me? Are you sure I can buy "any" high end VZN compatible Droid online and bring it to PagePlus?

I cant remember if anyone said it here about Optimus One M with MetroPcs... Please consider PCmag says it only runs 1G on MetroPcs and to get 3G use Virgin Mobile's Optimus V :cool:
 
metropcs is getting the samsung galaxy indulge, probably the best phone you can get for prepaid. It's an LTE phone but if you don't have lte then you're stuck on 2G.
 
Hey ari, thanks for pointing me to this phone. I hope we still can keep my question active because from what I read so far, the graphics resolution on the SS Indulge does not stack up to other select top of the line screens displays and it may be a bit bulkie with a plastic feel(?). Sounds like some experienced users have also pointed out they wish the keys didnt lay so flat (better if slightly raised like BB) and a report of not so silent plastic clicks on this qwerty(?). And of course, I have read some very satisfied opinions as well but this bad boy is not the phone for me, even at G4.

Still hoping to hear more top choice droids I can to bring to PagePlus... or other top droids for any prepaid.
 
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