Cheap Android mobile phone handset at a bargain price. Note: resistive not capacitive touch screen.
See this page on Whirlpool for more info: http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/huawei_u8300
Huawei U8300 Handset Prepaid on Boost/Optus - $49 Delivered
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You sure that calculator will generate the correct unlock code?
Seems to be for Huawei modems…Not sure 100%, I don't have one of these phones, but was recommended that site by someone who unlocked a Huawai phone with it so I assume by "modem" it refers to the internal chip, not the device as a whole. eg Some "Vodaphone" 3G USB dongles have internal Huawei modems.
Oops typo for "do". However "u" was intentional. But thanks for your help.
Ps: u sounded little rude by asking me to learn how to spell.
There are some threads about these on whirlpool and ocau. If you are interested I suggest you look them up.
I have one and it seems fine. I do not use it for a phone, more as a portable andoid device. Cheap for $50 but I paid that at dse not long ago.
I was experimenting with using it as a htpc remote.It cost me $8 to unlock it.
Where do you unlock it ?
Benny (from whirlpool forum) does it…
Yes, I do $8 for EFT. I've also listed my unlock service on ebay for $9.5
Well you could buy one of these instead of a WIFI modem and have a basic phone too.
Android 2.1 can do WIFI hotspots (I think) - I know 2.2 can
Any OS updates for these?Not sure about that. My u8300 doesn't work as a wireless hotspot, might work if usb tethererd to a lappie.
It runs 2.1 and I do not believe there are any further updates available. Given its unique screen size it does not run firmware from other phones easily, so no easy upgrade path. That was last time I checked, about a month ago.
Mind you my galaxy tab running 2.2 won't do wifi infrastructure mode either.There are apps. for Android 2.1 phones to do wifi tethering. I thought Android 2.2 has portable hotspot support built in (would be suprised if Samsung actually removed it for Galaxy Tab).
It includes a tethering app, but only WEP secuity.
Go Mr Positive.
Got one of these for a family member. It's a great phone for $49. Be wary, though as the battery life and screen is horrible. It's resistive and small to boot.
Does Optus have free facebook on prepaid like Telstra ?
On this Boost plan at least, apparently yes.
More discussion from when it was $98.10: http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/46750
And even more for when it was available at Dick Smith: http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/49507
Do Telstra Sim's work with this after unlock ?
it'll work but not on their 850MHz NextG network.
What does that mean Ill miss out on ?
Telstra NextG pretty much runs on 850Mhz. Without 850Mhz 3G support, you will get the Three/Telstra shared 3G/2100Mhz network - which is quite poor. Both Telstra and Vodafone (now own 3) will abandon the Three/Telstra co-owned 2100Mhz network some time next year.
If you don't care about 3G, then it is okay.
Seems like a good deal for $49. Qualcomm 600MHz CPU, 256MB Ram is a plus, But a 2.6" Resistive screen isn't ideal for an android though, but the Qwerty keyboard is pretty cool.
Also note I wouldn't be paying someone to unlock my phone, there are many forums out there where you can post up your IMEI number (found by dialing *#06# on your phone) and your phones model no. and someone will post an unlock code for free.
www.forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/f88/huawei-mdm-unlocking-codes-…
what's the battery life on these?
About 7 hours of on and off usage. If you are actually playing with it and calling people then not very long at all.
wow, battery life is sucktacular.
I bought my phone a month ago but only just started using it 2 days ago because I only just switched over to a plan. Came here to find out about battery life because I've had to charge it 5 times in 2 days. Here's what happened today: turned on my phone at about 1pm, had it on sleep mode til 6.30pm. Battery life was a 50%. Used FB for 1 min when it switched itself off due to no battery. WTF? The battery has a sticker and it says remove on the corner, is that only for recycling that you remove the sticker or what?
Compingqueen. Your battery life is not normal. Your phone is definitely faulty if what you say is true.
Yeah, going to take it back to the store for sure. How about that battery cover thing though? The sticker. I started to peel it off before realising perhaps it's not supposed to come off at all. It was only just yesterday that I did that
Well, according to auna, "Be wary, though as the battery life and screen is horrible"
A review from the Optus website:
"I've had this phone for about 6 months. and its awful, it freezes non-stop. i can never read my messages. it has stopped charging properly, and even when the charger did work, the battery life was only about 7 hours"
I should say it must come with wrong OS
I've had this phone for a couple of months. Bought it at the same price as this current deal, as an interim phone after my last phone died.
It works using Live Connected SIM (Optus) without unlocking, so only network locked not provider locked.
Battery life is atrocious, this is not a phone you can play with and not charge it though the day.
It can be tethered, but only using WEP with the included App.
The small screen is not great and a lot of Apps display sideways on this screen and will not rotate to landscape.
The backlighting on the keyboard is not great. Keys in the middle of the keyboard are quite dim making it difficult to use in the dark. Also on mine the 'y' key seems to not work each time I press it, but have not bothered to get it looked at under warranty.
GPS takes a very long time to find first fix, and drains the battery very quickly.
I have not had any of the freezing issues others have reported.
But realistically for the price it works well enough as a basic phone with occasional use of some of the other features. I'm only keeping it till the new iPhone comes out.
Peter.
Thanks for the report, petestrash.
I have decided to grab one for a holiday/pub phone. Mostly because I like qwerty keyboards and I am a tightarse (see name :p)Anyway, I have seen mixed reports about OS upgrades for this.
Have you found any way to get it up to Android 2.2 at least? Power consumption should be better on Froyo.
I have not found any site that has 2.2 working well enough to use it day to day.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=947571
2.3 in progress here
D u know how to unlock this mobile phones…is there a free solution…?