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Google Refurbished Pixel Fold

sachertorte

sachertorte

Well-Known Member
Has anyone here ever bought a refurbished phone? I might consider it as a second phone to try out. If one were to buy a refurbished Pixel Fold, does one have to take into account the carrier that you use when you buy, or is there no carrier specific version when you buy an unlocked version?

Danny
 
sachertorte said:
Has anyone here ever bought a refurbished phone? I might consider it as a second phone to try out. If one were to buy a refurbished Pixel Fold, does one have to take into account the carrier that you use when you buy, or is there no carrier specific version when you buy an unlocked version?

Danny
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i have had refurbished phones before, mostly because i had some kind of insurance or Geek Squad Protection. never had any issues with them. i would look into getting a carrier unlocked phone so that you can just add a sim card from whatever carrier you wish to be on. plus you do not have all of the carrier bloatware that comes with the phone.
 
I have just bought a refurbished Google Pixel Fold to try out for the wider screen. I know the Z Fold 6 with wider screen will be out soon (or even now), but it would cost more as new, and I also get to try something outside of a Samsung offering by doing this. I bought it on Amazon as "Excellent". It should be here Friday. I hope I do not have to sign for it. That could delay things.

Danny
 
I watched a Youtube video comparing the Z Fold 5 vs. the Pixel Fold. In short, it was very interesting. Essentially, the user felt that you were trading some very good software advantages on the Z Fold 4/5 for the better cover screen of the Pixel Fold. I think that Samsung is doing a good thing with the size change on the Z Fold 6. Since the Note 3?, I have been kind of unhappy that Samsung overall went for the tall and narrow format.

Danny
 
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I am really digging my Fold 6. The wider cover screen is noticeable coming from the Fold 4. The really nice thing is the weight and it is much thinner than the Fold 4. I'm very happy with it so far.

Let us know how you like the Pixel Fold when you get it.
 
ocnbrze said:
I am really digging my Fold 6. The wider cover screen is noticeable coming from the Fold 4. The really nice thing is the weight and it is much thinner than the Fold 4. I'm very happy with it so far.

Let us know how you like the Pixel Fold when you get it.
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I will absolutely do that. In looking at the specs. of the Note 3 (width) compared to the Note 8, Z Fold 4/5 and the Google Pixel Fold, it is amazing how a seemingly insignificant change (looked at in millimeters) makes a significant difference. One question. When you have your Z Fold unfolded and active, then you fold it closed, does the cover screen turn off and go black? Mine does and I can't remember if it always did. I suffered a drop a while ago, noticed that and wondered if it was caused by the drop or if that is normal.

Danny
 
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sachertorte said:
I will absolutely do that. In looking at the specs. of the Note 4 (width) compared to the Note 8, Z Fold 4/5 and the Google Pixel Fold, it is amazing how a seemingly insignificant change (looked at in millimeters) makes a significant difference. One question. When you have your Z Fold unfolded and active, then you fold it closed, does the cover screen turn off and go black? Mine does and I can't remember if it always did. I suffered a drop a while ago, noticed that and wondered if it was caused by the drop or if that is normal.

Danny
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my z fold 6 when i close it, the cover screen just goes to my aod (always on display). it does not go black. i think my fold 4 did the same. now if you do not use aod, then yes it will go black.
 
Ok, first impressions on what I bought. I can't really post more yet till it fires up later tonight when I can devote my attention to it. I purchased "renewed" on Amazon from a supplier called "Cellmigo". Right now, I can only say that I am really happy with it. I bought the Amazon grade of "Excellent". There is a higher grade which they might call "Select", but I am not totally sure on that right now. I only know about that from Amazon's description of the "Renewed Program". I looked quickly on Amazon and did not even see any Pixel Fold from any seller offered in higher than excellent. In looking at mine, I can't see how you could do better than the excellent grade that I got. So far, cosmetically it is flawless. It came in a more utility grade looking box that is still as sturdy as the Samsung OEM boxes, just not with fancy graphics and oversized with lots of air space inside like you get now. Included was a SIM eject tool, some seller written instructions and with a code you can scan to get instructional and informational help from them, I believe. The SIM eject tool looks like it could be the same as what I got with my Samsung, but I would really have to look at it go be certain. The charging cord may be generic, but I really don't know what Google sends when you buy them new. Looking at what I received, I can't imagine there is any benefit to buying more than excellent. The only thing that I can see that was not included that you get on a new phone is the peel off film pieces on the screens and sides. I ended up spending about $40.00 more than what I saw them priced at from other sellers before, but being that the new Pixel Fold came out just now, I did not want to play the pricing game, then find out that this Pixel Fold sells out. I paid $876.73 plus tax, free shipping. I see them currently from other sellers for roughly in the $840.xx to $850.xx range, but those prices could not be found when I bought.

Danny
 
Ok, so, so far, everything seems great and I really like the wider format. Setup was a bit rough, and I did it about four times. I did variations of copying nothing from my Fold 5 to the Pixel Fold and copying only my contacts. Neither was optimum. What I did not like about copying the contacts over is that it also copied over my Fold 5 Device email address and another email address. I tried it without copying over the contacts, thinking I could use Smart Switch to do it. It was not working and I even contacted Samsung Smart Switch help. They said Smart Switch transfer from Samsung to Google Pixel was the only possible use when using these phones. Whether or not that is true, I do not know, so I elected to transfer contacts over during install, then delete the copied over email accounts. I want this phone to have a unique, different Play Store setup/account from my Fold 5. I then setup the new and desired device email, and left it at that.

There might have been other, more sophisticated ways to copy over contacts, but I did not know them or consider burning time to find them.

I like the Pixel Fold a lot, mostly because of the format size. The Android UI on the Pixel Fold seems less sophisticated and not as nice looking compared to Samsung One UI.

Even though I am an Android guy, almost all of my experience with phones is on Samsung with One UI, so I find using the UI on the Pixel to be a change to new ground. Even though are both Android, they work and navigate differently.

The Pixel fold look as installed comes with a color scheme that is largely a Brown scheme and that is going to have to go. The Pixel Fold look also has this kind of 1970s look where there are selectable options and other parts that have these bold, larger "buttons" that have really broad radius corners. One UI has a really sophisticated, elegant look, like Samsung had spent a lot of time paying visual designers to work on; Pixel/Google, not really.

Is anyone here a hardcore Google/Pixel user?

Danny
 
Why not try a different launcher? I love my Nova Launcher. Been using it since day one of Android. I do not like One UI or any of the manufacturer's skins.
 
ocnbrze said:
Why not try a different launcher? I love my Nova Launcher. Been using it since day one of Android. I do not like One UI or any of the manufacturer's skins.
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I have never tried anything like that I generally don't modify my phones a lot.

Danny
 
Right now, if the Z Fold and the Google Pixel stay the same size format, I am pretty sure that my next phone would be a Google Pixel Fold.

Edit: Ok, scratch the idea of going Google Pixel Fold in the future. From what I have seen, the next Pixel Fold is supposed to be going Z Fold form factor. Not much sense buying the slightly inferior (GUI and Hardware) Pixel Fold to get the Z Fold format. Might as well just buy a Z Fold.

Danny
 
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