Free Note 4 arrives in 6 days

[joeboodog]

I got my smart phone.

 

[realbrown1]

iPhone rules all.

Lock thread now.

You mean the all-new bendable iphone6?

 

[TooTechie]

You mean the all-new bendable iphone6?

 

[sortaisle]

Samsung has made gains on Apple. The problem is still Android is really fractured. It's hard to program an app for up to 7 different screen sizes with manufacturers that put their own skins over Android and have different hardware. Apple which now has only 4 screen sizes always has mostly the same hardware no skin over issues is easier to program for and is still the easiest phone to use. Personally I'm an Android guy. But with Apple synching up ios 8 with the new Mac OSX when it comes out, it's really appealing to switch. I have an interesting choice to make here in a few months.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

HTC is making a comeback.

 

[sortaisle]

I have an HTC One M7. Easily the best phone I've ever owned.

 

[realbrown1]

Yep. And when you bend it back, the screen has a tendency to break.

 

[TooTechie]

HTC is making a comeback.

My first true smart phone (not including phones with the Verizon UI) was an HTC (9 years ago) and it could do many of the things iphones can do today.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

I pulled the trigger today and pre-ordered the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 we've been talking about lately and was able to get them to pay me for the $720 phone.

With the iphone 6 plus release, Samsung needs the Note 4 to sell well, so if you agree to pre-order it, they'll give you $200 for any functional smart phone trade-in toward the new Note 4.

Sprint just recently lowered the pre-order price to $299.99 with a 2 year contract AND is offering $150 to anyone who changes from a competing carrier...

Sooo
$299.99
-$200.00
-$150.00
=
them paying me.

You'll be paying for that phone one way or the other with all the fees and phone plans cost.

I spend $37.19 a month for 300 minute and unlimited data and text from Virgin mobile. I just had to buy my phone. I never use the 300 minutes and what I don't use gets rolled into the next month plus the 300 new I get.

There is a subsidy built into all plans. There are exceptions such as T-mobile and some smaller carriers. Even if someone get's a "free" phone they will still pay an estimated $30/month in subsidies over the life of a two year contract. That's $720 right there. But "TooTechie" still got a good deal. Just look at it as breaking even. But once the two year contract and upgrade date lapses that subsidy will still be there on the next go around. Unless, of course, some of these other carriers start to feel the pressure of T-mobile's lower, subsidy free plans and start something similar.

 

[TooTechie]

There is a subsidy built into all plans. There are exceptions such as T-mobile and some smaller carriers. Even if someone get's a "free" phone they will still pay an estimated $30/month in subsidies over the life of a two year contract. That's $720 right there. But "TooTechie" still got a good deal. Just look at it as breaking even. But once the two year contract and upgrade date lapses that subsidy will still be there on the next go around. Unless, of course, some of these other carriers start to feel the pressure of T-mobile's lower, subsidy free plans and start something similar.

The monthly rate is like 85 a month for unlimited everything, less the 25% ups discount so less than I was paying on verizon for unlimited data, 450 minutes and 500 texts a month so I'm happy with the deal overall, however it's annoying that sprint is charging different prices for the same thing depending on what device you order.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

The monthly rate is like 85 a month for unlimited everything, less the 25% ups discount so less than I was paying on verizon for unlimited data, 450 minutes and 500 texts a month so I'm happy with the deal overall, however it's annoying that sprint is charging different prices for the same thing depending on what device you order.

I actually hate Verizon but like many I feel stuck. You simply can't beat their coverage. Verizon knows this and definitely takes advantage of the fact.

 

[oldngray]

There is a subsidy built into all plans. There are exceptions such as T-mobile and some smaller carriers. Even if someone get's a "free" phone they will still pay an estimated $30/month in subsidies over the life of a two year contract. That's $720 right there. But "TooTechie" still got a good deal. Just look at it as breaking even. But once the two year contract and upgrade date lapses that subsidy will still be there on the next go around. Unless, of course, some of these other carriers start to feel the pressure of T-mobile's lower, subsidy free plans and start something similar.

Those smaller carriers have really pressured the bigger ones to offer better prices. The downside of the smaller carriers is they usually have more limited coverage areas (mostly around cities) so if you are out in the boonies you probably have fewer options. T-Mobile is smaller but has moved ahead of Sprint into 3rd place behind AT&T and Verizon and has excellent plans if you are in one of their better covered areas.

 

[TooTechie]

I actually hate Verizon but like many I feel stuck. You simply can't beat their coverage. Verizon knows this and definitely takes advantage of the fact.

I live in a suburb of the capitol of my state and when I went to have an oil change done today I had no service on Verizon...VZW has invested a lot in their network but Sprint has also been quietly upgrading in my area in the last year. Guys at work on Sprint said they have good service so I'm taking the plunge.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Those smaller carriers have really pressured the bigger ones to offer better prices. The downside of the smaller carriers is they usually have more limited coverage areas (mostly around cities) so if you are out in the boonies you probably have fewer options. T-Mobile is smaller but has moved ahead of Sprint into 3rd place behind AT&T and Verizon and has excellent plans if you are in one of their better covered areas.

I'm keeping an eye on T-mobile. I'm definitely not switching soon but maybe after my next two year contract with Verizon. I'm not even in the boonies and wouldn't be able to get 4G coverage with T-mobile. It stops just outside the entrance to my neighborhood where their 3G coverage begins. I'm seriously considering the HTC One M8 with Verizon because it has better than average battery life and isn't a giant phablet but not a tiny phone either. It's somewhere in between.

 

[upschuck]

I got T-Mobile, very good where I live, but no so good at my mom's house in a different state. Very good price, pay $95 for 3 lines unlimited talk, text, and data, plus a bunch of free extras.

 

[TooTechie]

Sprint has a really cool deal for the dirty iFans They pay 60 a month for unlimited everything plus $20 a month for an iphone lease program. Every 2 years you get a new iphone for free, no money down.

 

[bill blutnach]

Duh...so are brunettes...lol

I would like very much to learn this...

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Sprint has a really cool deal for the dirty iFans They pay 60 a month for unlimited everything plus $20 a month for an iphone lease program. Every 2 years you get a new iphone for free, no money down.

Well....like I said. Not really free. Realistically most phones should be no money down with the carriers that have subsidies built into their plans. To be honest I think that one could argue that those carriers should really be paying back the difference between the value of the cheaper and/or outdated phones and the accumulation amount of subsidy payments at the end of two year contracts. I've seen people by really cheap and/or outdated phones for zero down and they thought think they came out ahead. NOPE. After two years they will have paid around $720.00 for a phone that was probably already out of date. One guy I work with has had the same phone since 2006. I tried explaining how subsidies worked ant that he's probably already paid out about $2880.00 since he purchased his phone eight years ago and that he should have at least opted for a "free" phone every once in a while because he, in fact, has already forked over enough in subsidy payments to pay for at least four high end smart phones.

Man I tell ya.....the more I learn about cell phones and their carriers the more I feel like I've been swindled by a blind beggar selling snake oil. But the cold hard fact here is that to have a decent phone with decent coverage we HAVE to play this game.

 

[TooTechie]

Well....like I said. Not really free. Realistically most phones should be no money down with the carriers that have subsidies built into their plans. To be honest I think that one could argue that those carriers should really be paying back the difference between the value of the cheaper and/or outdated phones and the accumulation amount of subsidy payments at the end of two year contracts. I've seen people by really cheap and/or outdated phones for zero down and they thought think they came out ahead. NOPE. After two years they will have paid around $720.00 for a phone that was probably already out of date. One guy I work with has had the same phone since 2006. I tried explaining how subsidies worked ant that he's probably already paid out about $2880.00 since he purchased his phone eight years ago and that he should have at least opted for a "free" phone every once in a while because he, in fact, has already forked over enough in subsidy payments to pay for at least four high end smart phones.

Man I tell ya.....the more I learn about cell phones and their carriers the more I feel like I've been swindled by a blind beggar selling snake oil.

Yes and no. I know what you're saying, but for a decent home broadband connection you'd pay about what they're charging for unlimited phone, texting and data.

 

[aiian]

Only had one confirmed Note today... frickin' kid was literally standing at the curb when I made the turn.

4 iPhones, 1 Note and 2 unidentified phone boxes.

iPhone wins... for today.