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Cheap Android phone - LG Optimus $190 Vodafone

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Cheap Android phone - LG Optimus $190 Vodafone
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EggMan28 on 17/10/2010 - 06:38 files.ozbargain.com.au (838 clicks)
Last edited 17/10/2010 - 06:42

Extension of http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/31451 but lower price so thought I'd share.

Wanted cheap Android phone for tinkering with. Went into Vodafone shop in Westfield H’ville to enquire about it. Guy scanned it, price came up as $190. Bought it on the spot.

Comes with 1.6 but I updated to 2.1 following this guide and works well - http://androidforums.com/lg-optimus-gt540/187595-android-2-1…

DIY unlock is done online but not working for me so will try checking with shop later.

It's no iPhone but way better bang for bucks compared to the other phones at that price. And yes, the free Angry Birds runs fine on it :-)

Off to do a test run with the free Lego Mindstorms remote app - http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/news/readmore/default.aspx?…

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  • scrimshaw on 17/10/2010 - 07:56

    How is the touchscreen? Responsive?

    • ozhunter on 17/10/2010 - 15:12

      It's resistive, better to use with a stylus. I recommend trying it out before buying

  • sane on 17/10/2010 - 10:03
    +4

    Can I just point out, if you have a contact in the UK you can buy an Orange San Francisco (ZTE Blade) for £99 (or $160 at the current exchange rate). It can be unlocked for a few dollars. It comes with:
    - Android 2.1
    - 800x480 resolution 3.5 capacitance AMOLED screen
    - 512MB RAM - 150MB of free internal memory
    - 3Mpixel camera
    - FM radio

    eg its basically a Nexus One with a slower (600Mhz) processor. It also already has a community mucking around and improving it.

    At present, with the exchange rate and the poor customer focus of Oz stores, you'd have to have a special reason for buying in the Mall.

    • mick123 on 17/10/2010 - 10:31

      that phone (ZTE blade) looks pretty good. will check out the reviews/prices etc.
      Does anyone have any experience with this phone in Australia?

      • sane on 17/10/2010 - 12:16

        The only real issue with this phone in Oz is its 900/2100Mhz for 3G. That rules out Helstra NextG network usage in the sticks.

    • samfisher5986 on 17/10/2010 - 12:08

      I can't seem to find any online website with this phone, got any links?

      I don't know anyone in the UK :(

      • sane on 17/10/2010 - 12:25

        Here's the online ordering page of Orange:
        http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/San-Francisco-from-Or…
        (note, they require you to buy a £10 topup at the same time)

        And here's a video unboxing/review from the Modaco lot (who are hacking it):
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka-46iUwAbw

        • lambsie on 17/10/2010 - 14:00

          But unless we have people in the UK, are their any alternatives to get it to Australia?

          Any UK stores willing to ship to Australia?

          • sane on 17/10/2010 - 15:23

            @lambsie: Not really, its only really available in the UK, via Orange.

            I stuck the original post up for those who've a route to getting stuff from the UK; and to point up how much $190 for an old LG isn't really that hot a deal. Importing and selling such a phone would be perfectly possible in Oz, except the companies aren't really competing on price…or service for that matter.

            The only alternative for those without a friend (in the UK) is via the mocado forums, where there seems to be tidy trust-based trade in buying phones, checking them for bathtub faults, and sending around the world.

    • imp on 17/10/2010 - 12:27
      +1

      We have ZTE phones at work (cheapest tender)and have had nothing but problems with them. Build quality is extremely poor.

      • lazed on 17/10/2010 - 13:45
        +1

        I would have to agree with this, ZTE are absolutely shocking. I've had to use ZTE devices at my work also for the last 4-5 years, they are complete junk with high failure rates.

        LG products are completely crap too, but ZTE is another step below, I would take an LG any day over a ZTE, but I'd still ask you to shoot me to put me out of my misery.

        • imp on 17/10/2010 - 14:28
          +1

          We had one of our offices call in worksafe re ZTE phones constantly failing at crucial times.

        • sane on 17/10/2010 - 15:05

          Check the reviews.

          The consensus is that this phone is OK, with a few initial niggles possible if you get a lemon (as usual with Chinese manufacturers).

          Also you should consider any smartphone today to have an effective lifetime of 1-1.5 years. After that its going to be obsolete anyway - another reason to avoid the whole idea of 24 month contracts and high prices.

          Frankly after this time and no crowds of naysayers I'd be as confident buying this as any other phone.

          • lazed on 17/10/2010 - 15:14

            @sane: That's a bit of a strange theory(no negative posts = good product), if that generally works for you, great. However you're recommending a phone and/or brand which you've never used. imp and myself have plenty of exposure to ZTE products, they are very poorly built - so poorly built it looks like they are potentially a safety risk if you rely on them(if Worksafe/Workcover are getting involved).

            • sane on 17/10/2010 - 15:30

              @lazed: That's more than a bit far.

              If they were such a 'deathtrap', it would have been found before now. Maybe they were poorer in the past? Frankly, you are more likely to have a problem with the networks and lack of coverage 'if you rely on them'.

              As it is, it seems there only problems are the usual lack of bathtub testing by the chinese manufacturers. Providing you do the usual initial checks, you are no worse off than any other phone (which are all made in the same factories in China anyway).

              You don't work for HTC do you?

              • imp on 17/10/2010 - 18:02
                +1

                @sane: Worksafe did issue an order and the ZTE phones had to be replaced on mass. They never admitted a problem, but we had well over 100 of them and a very large % were experiencing the same problems.

  • mikkim4eva on 17/10/2010 - 13:13

    Do lg touch screen still fails? Cause a few of my friends got the lg touch screen that first came out and end up chucking it cause the touch screen failed…

  • EggMan28 on 17/10/2010 - 14:57

    The touchscreen reminds me of my PocketPC days - nowhere as good as iPhone level but hardly seems fair comparison for the price.
    Not sure if it's just me but having no luck unlocking and they can't help me in shop either. Gave me the number of LG to try to see if they can help but have also asked them to see if can do handset swap if it's just mine.

  • tonyjzx on 17/10/2010 - 15:22

    what's the go with unlocking these??

  • sk1ppy on 18/10/2010 - 00:48

    Got this as my first android phone couple of weeks ago. I love it even if it is only 1.6(looking forward to 2.1 update). It does come with a free unlocking code but girl in vodafone shop couldnt do it as she couldnt find the instructions so i went to the 'Phone Doctor' at Loganholme Hyperdome and they unlocked it for me for free using the code(thanks boys). Just ordered my new Exetel sim who have great discounted plans if you have ADSL with them too.

    • EggMan28 on 18/10/2010 - 07:25

      There's a sticker on the box that says "The device is locked to Vodafone network. To obtain your unlock code free of charge, visit http://vodafone.com.au/unlock" - the code didn't work for me though.

      • sk1ppy on 18/10/2010 - 20:36

        Sorry I probably misled you a bit. I got same sticker but asked Voda girl to look it up and she wrote it down for me after she had probs unlocking it herself. Lucky for me tho the 'Phone Doctor' unlocked it using the code.

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