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HUAWEI Ideos X5 Android™ Unlocked Mobile - Dicks Smith $279

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HUAWEI Ideos X5 Android™ Unlocked Mobile - Dicks Smith $279
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dreamscene on 16/07/2011 - 20:22 dicksmith.com.au (679 clicks)
Last edited 19/07/2011 - 11:21 by 1 other user

Was just browsing the net to see what basic level of Android phone I can get for my parents, saw this on special. What do you guys reckon?

Older folks need larger screens to make reading easier, web surfing, GPS, etc this I was thinking this is a good deal compared to those $99 phones on prepaid with really tiny low res screens.

Features:

  • Latest Android 2.2 (Froyo)
  • 3.8-inch full touch screen
  • 5 MP auto focus camera with LED flash
  • High speed HSDPA/HSUPA network
  • WIFI 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 2.1 A2DP Stereo
  • GPS/AGPS
  • 720P HD video capture and playback
  • Over 100,000 Android Market apps
  • PC-like Web Browse supporting Adobe™ Flash 10.1
  • User friendly soft keyboard
  • Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
  • Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
  • Ambient light sensor for auto light adjusting
  • Active noise cancellation with dual microphone
  • SRS WOW HD audio effect
Mobile Huawei Android

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closed Comments

  • lepenseur on 16/07/2011 - 20:28
    +2

    Not sure about the deal. An acquaintance bought one a while ago for $280 but don't know where, sorry.

    But, in case it's important, see this review
    http://www.cnet.com.au/huawei-ideos-x5-339307814.htm
    which points out an unexpected omission that is easy to miss - phone has no wifi hotspot ability.

    This may not be important for everyone.

    • mikkim4eva on 17/07/2011 - 10:49
      +1

      That is not true. Phone got a minor os update and now has wifi hotspots. Just go settings about phone check for updates and hehe you get wifi hotspots.

  • tomo88 on 16/07/2011 - 20:34
    +1

    I was looking at a sub $400 android phone (2nd hand last gen or new) and this does look interesting.

    Yet what you pointed out lep with it not having a wifi hotspot ability is actually a big thing for me. I haven't had any experience with android, but isn't the hotspot feature a software feature? Or is that something built into the hardware activated by software?

    • mastablasta on 16/07/2011 - 21:05
      +3

      I bought this phone a couple of days ago and am liking it so far (my first smartphone, let alone first Android phone). The wifi hotspot feature has been added in the latest firmware (released ~29th May), which can be updated via the phone's interface.

      The phone comes with an 8GB microSD card too.

      Check out the Whirlpool forums for more info, as linked below by cobalt.

  • m2000 on 16/07/2011 - 20:48

    I think it's a good deal as it is UNLOCKED.
    Nice specs:
    3.8" inch screen
    Camera 5 MP
    720P HD Video

    $399 @ mobicity
    http://www.mobicity.com.au/huawei-u8800-ideos-x5.html?gclid=…

  • A Banana4scale on 16/07/2011 - 20:53

    isn't the X10 mini a better deal for newcomers to android. The fact is you will want to have a dual core phone because by Christmas quadcores will be released and you wouldn't want something that is 1/4 as powerful as current tech when you could have bought something 6 months ago that was sort in line with current tech.

    IMO I wouldn't spend more than $100 for a single core at the moment. Of course if you want something with power, check out OCAU forums for those android deals

  • cobalt on 16/07/2011 - 20:56
    +1

    Further discussion of this phone: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1705050&p…

    btw, Android 2.2 isn't the latest version; 2.3 has been out on other devices for a long time now. Please correct your description (although I see that it's wrong on the dick smith site too).

  • brett-au on 16/07/2011 - 21:09

    Interesting.

  • dr_ rusko on 17/07/2011 - 00:32

    this seems like a good forum post…

  • IVI on 17/07/2011 - 03:18

    I'd quibble that it's the latest Android version…

    The LATEST versions of Android are in easier-to-read (eg, 10" screen) tablets: ver 3.x

  • IVI on 17/07/2011 - 03:18

    . mod, kindly delete (was an accidental dup)

  • CarbonTwelve on 17/07/2011 - 10:50
    +1

    For your parents I'd probably recommend the U8150. Can get it for $80 with $20 online unlock if you need. I would think they're not really going to notice the difference between them other than screen size.

    Good deal though.

  • Geewhizz on 17/07/2011 - 11:46

    Telstra smart touch has been on special in varying places now for going on two months - it will cost $99 all up, but has had up to $50 credit thrown in for that price. (buy for $59 when you purchase a $40 recharge etc) Easy to unlock yourself. Target currently has it for $69 with a $30 recharge.

    Hubby has been using one for about a month now, and is getting equivalent to blue tick coverage, although it's not promoted as being a blue tick device.

  • dreamscene on 17/07/2011 - 12:07
    +2

    I was thinking the bigger screen would make reading emails, using the GPS, internet browsing easier for my parents, thus the 3.8" size screen.

  • Hessian Sack on 17/07/2011 - 13:22

    LG Optimus One can be had for $179 on Virgin (slightly more unlocked I believe) and is a decent Android starter. 512MB of RAM doesn't hurt either.

  • dreamscene on 17/07/2011 - 15:07

    Lower resolution on the LG.

  • janf on 17/07/2011 - 18:15

    Can someone tell me if I can use this phone as a GPS when I take it to New Zealand? Would I need a plan or something? How exactly does the GPS on Android phone work?

  • dreamscene on 17/07/2011 - 19:43

    Download an Australian / NZ Navigation software from the Android market and you are good to go.

    • janf on 17/07/2011 - 20:19

      is that Navigation software free?

      • supersabroso on 17/07/2011 - 23:17

        You can use the google one, it's free. However, you will need a data plan for it. It may not be as good as professional ones such as garmin but I think this would be the cheapest option if you're on holidays there for a month or something.

  • redvaldez on 18/07/2011 - 01:10

    I had the older Huawei U8230 and it was quite good for the price. The main problem with the Huaweis is that you can't get a case for them - or at least I couldn't find one for mine. I dropped mine after owning it a fortnight and shattered the screen. And the mobile phone repairers I took it to couldn't source a replacement screen either.

  • tomo88 on 18/07/2011 - 17:04

    Just went and got one from Dickies at Knox City - it was at an original ticket price of $350 and asked the guy about it and came up as $279 on the computer; said he was still changing some tickets.

    Bring a woolies mate with ya - with my staff discount came to $265.05. Really can't go wrong for that price I guess. Esp. combined with one of those month-by-month el cheapo plans, you get a decent feature phone with lots of credit at a fraction of a bigger brand name and on contract.

    http://android.modaco.com/topic/341011-ultimate-guide-to-the… <—- check that out for a customization and tweaking guide for the phone. My first android device so I'm looking forward to having a play with it

  • moneycomein88 on 19/07/2011 - 10:47

    Android 2.2 (Froyo) is perfectly OK for most users.
    I wouldn't go 2.1 or less due to the number of apps that crash, but I have had 2.2 for 6 months and it's great so far.
    Looks like a pretty good deal.

  • dreamscene on 21/07/2011 - 17:28

    With the recent $20 off deal from DSE, this becomes $259. Excellent deal.

    • mastablasta on 21/07/2011 - 19:11

      But that's only on online purchases. Looking at the site, you can only get the phone in-store.

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