This was posted 6 years 5 months ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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Sharp Aquos S3 Mini - USD $159.77 + GST (~AUD $243.76 Shipped) @ Joybuy

160
Sharp Aquos S3 Mini - USD $159.77 + GST (~AUD $243.76 Shipped) @ Joybuy
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spy on 23/07/2018 - 23:56 joybuy.com (1144 clicks)
Last edited 24/07/2018 - 09:53 by 1 other user

Now that Joybuy has run out of the Aquos S2, Aquos S3 Minis (same 5.5" screen size as the S2) are now dropped to under USD$160.

One of the advantages over the S2 is the 6GB RAM, but no Taiwan/International ROM atm AFAIK. As the phone is relatively new to the market, I suspect official and custom ROMs will start popping up soon especially as its introduced into the Taiwanese market by Foxconn (owners of the Sharp brand name). S3 ROMs are already available on the Sharp TW site so hoping we'll see S3 mini soon.

I find the S2 has poor RAM utilisation so 4GB is often inadequate. 6GB would surely be super handy.

BLACK only!

https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/galaxy-p… for Aurora Store if Google Play cannot be installed.
https://www.xda-developers.com/uninstall-carrier-oem-bloatwa… for removing bloatware without rooting.

Mobile Mobile Phone Sharp Android

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closed Comments

  • samehada on 24/07/2018 - 01:28
    +1

    No NFC compared to Aquos S2

    • pennypincha on 24/07/2018 - 03:41
      +4

      Deal breaker for me. Why would they get rid of NFC? Makes no sense

      • fr33loader on 24/07/2018 - 07:44
        +1

        The non-mini of S3 still has NFC and probably all the features we like with the S2.

  • Diji1 on 24/07/2018 - 01:29

    I find the S2 has poor RAM utilisation

    What does that mean?

    • spy on 24/07/2018 - 01:41

      On the official ROM, the RAM utilisation is not the best. Apps slow down sometimes.

      • Diji1 on 24/07/2018 - 02:12
        +2

        Can't say I've noticed this. I suppose you're going to say it doesn't happen in Lineage OS or something?

        • urahara on 04/09/2018 - 17:29

          Who uses official ram

  • unrealshots on 24/07/2018 - 09:41

    anyone seen any pricing on the full-sized S3? that's the path I'd be keen to explore on a Sharp device…

  • Bellpop on 24/07/2018 - 10:09
    +3

    be careful not to cut yourself

  • videoman on 24/07/2018 - 14:08

    Is this a better buy over the HTC 10 EVO for $186.69 AUD from this deal? - https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/392550

    • samehada on 24/07/2018 - 20:23

      Processor is way too outdated, not power efficient.

  • This Void on 24/07/2018 - 14:11
    +1

    Since when is a 5.5" phone "mini"?

    • garage sale on 24/07/2018 - 20:33

      it’s like fat and clothes sizes ….. size 14 used to be be big, now it’s normal …..same with phones, 5.5” used to be phablet, now it’s normal size and 6.5” is phablet…..

  • goose25 on 24/07/2018 - 14:36

    So I take it this phone doesn't have any way of accessing Google play store?

    • mikkim4eva on 03/09/2018 - 08:32

      see my below reply if you have got one for yourself

  • florencemachine on 25/07/2018 - 13:08
    +1

    I've yet to figure out a way to access Google play store, bought this phone 2 months ago. if anyone can assist, please PM or reply!

    • mikkim4eva on 03/09/2018 - 08:31
      +7

      Got the phone two days ago.

      Not sure how well everyone understands adb, bootloader, recovery mode and rooting.

      but trust me it is worth your time as the phone becomes 1000 times better after it has Gapps.

      The full guide is Here

      I am by no means an expert on this, I understand the basics. Since the guide assume you know everything from the get go, I will try to fill in the rest.

      You will need a PC/Laptop to do this. So here goes.

      1. Stock rom (1270CN) for flashing via OST (service tool)
      2. TWRP (for 1270CN) recovery for flashing via OST.
      3. Unlocking bootloader.
      4. Installing gapps.
      5. Rooting.

      Step 0 - the whole process will wipe all data on your phone, so back up things you want to keep before doing this. Also follow the steps closely, read it read it and read it again.

      Step 1 is for when you brick your phone, you might need the stock img to reflash back onto your phone to unbrick. So for now just download the OST portable and the image file.

      After the OST portable finsihed downloading,
      I.create a new folder on C:\ name it Android and dump everything in there.
      II. Run Launcher.exe
      III. go inside SUT folder and you will find a executable file along the line of OST (see picture attached in XDA forum)

      Step 2 - is for flashing into TWRP (TeamWin recovery Project), here is where you will install your root and gapps (Basically it will boot into recovery with options for you to choose to do stuff)
      I. Download the second image file, this file is used to flash into recovery mode using OST
      II. select the downloaded img (70ish mb), Update option to Normal download.
      III. with the phone connected to pc via usb, turn it off completely and put it into download mode with holding vol down + power button until it shows download mode on the phone screen
      IV. If it was sucessful, the greyed out next button will go away and so you can press next. If not, read below

      If it worked for you, congrats! If not you will need to do the following because it didn't detect your phone is connected to the pc:

      If it doesn't work, you will be in download mode, to get out of it, hold power button until it reboots. leave it on as you will need to use the pc to put it into a download mode that OST can pick up.

      General guideHere
      you will need to download a adb driver installer, put your phone into developer mode and then turn on usb debugger.

      I. follow instructions on the video to install drivers
      II. ensure usb debugger is turned on
      III. with the pc, in the search bar just type in cmd and press enter, you will be greeted with a command screen.
      IV. put in the following commands
      cd C:\Android\SUT
      adb devices -(once you put that in, your phone will prompt to ask if you would allow it, check never show again and click yes on the phone)
      adb devices -(if sucessful, you will get the a device listed after the command line)
      adb reboot bootloader -(the phone will reboot and put itself into download mode)
      V. Check OST and see if you can click next, if yes, follow the instruction on the post (format data, meaning you will lose all your data)
      VI. Congrats, you have learnt how to manually boot into TWRP because this phone is too obselete and it requires you to jump through hoops.

      Step 3 - Bootloader doesn't need to be unlocked, unless you want to flash custom rom on it. but since you have been doing so much already, just unlock the bootloader.
      if i remember this correctly
      follow steps above to boot into Download mode
      and via the pc once you are in download mode, type in fastboot oem unlock
      phone will pop up asking if you would like to unlock, follow instructions on post

      Step 4 - I actually did step 5 before step 4

      Step 5 - follow the link and download latest magisk.zip, put the whole zip in the phone internal storage or your external storage.
      Follow Step 2 until you booted into TWRP, click install, follow prompts, look for the zip file and install the zip with TWRP

      Step 4 - similar to step 5, this time you need to download the Gapps, I chose pico because i did stock and it failed to install, you can choose pico and when you get playstore, you can install all the Google apps you want from playstore.
      once downloaded, follow step 2 to boot into TWRP and use install option to install Gapps

      You have now rooted your phone and installed Google playstore.

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