Vodafone seems to be clearing out stock of the Nexus S, selling at $299 in store as a prepaid phone but it is unlocked.
It is widely discussed on Whirlpool (link), I'm suprised this isn't listed yet but if it is I can't find it!
Referrer & referee receive $25-$50 credit after referee's 3rd monthly bill.
Not discuss here because already discussed in the INQ Cloud Touch's thread.
Pretty good deal…although an extra $80 will get you a new LG Optimus 2X from Ebay (grey import)…hmm decisions decisions!
Get the Optimus 2X, looks like an excellent phone for $400. Buy it :D
Um why? The optimus 2x is random rebooting trash. The hardware is excellent, but the software is rubbish. Check XDA for the epic complaint thread.
The Nexus S, despite it's lesser hardware, is a far superior phone. And unlike your 2x, it actually gets updated. XD
Wouldn't installing a Custom ROM fix that problem?
Thats what I did :) Happy with my decision :D
did whirlpool discussed about why Galaxy S is a better buy than Nexus?
But $100 more.
I assume you mean S II?
No, S1.. The Nexus S is a modified Galaxy S, it shares many components with the Galaxy S.
Galaxy S wins because it has SD card and AMOLED screen (Aussie Nexus S have sLCD screens), only really "loses" by not having a NFC chip (which at this stage is nigh on useless) and no official Gingerbread ROM (easily fixed by installing a custom ROM if you're happy to do that)
Nexus S without SD card expansion?
I just notice that.
I did not know that. Or I did, but forgot. To be honest, I have barely used 4GB of the in-built 14 GB (usable) of "usb storage" on my nexus S, so can't see myself missing the ability to use SD storage.
It's true that the NFC is currently useless though.
However, I got the import nexus S which also has OLED screen, and comparing with my friend's local nexus with sLCD, we couldn't really tell the difference visually (but I hear OLED is better on battery life). The curved screen of the nexus S is a subtle advantage over a galaxy S, too, if you like the styling. much more natural when using it as a phone.
But the thing is that Galaxy S is crippled with the faulty file extension used for its memory RAM, and that makes it very bad at handling apps, i.e. You'll keep getting black screens as the phone struggles to run apps. Take this from a person who chose SGS over Nexus S.
Not to forget, Nexus S actually had an LED camera light which can go a long way, not just for taking photos at night but also as a torchlight at night..
Galaxy S has had official Gingerbread releases from every provider from what I know.
I got a few RFID tag off ebay and play around with NFC. I have one stick on my office desk and set the tag task on the Nexus S so every time I put the phone around the tag it will turn the phone to silent automatically :)
Buy from OCAU, I think SGS is at $120 right now, instant price is $200 but you might be able to get it for $150
eh? I just checked OCAU - SGS are still going at the $200+ reserve mark…
What's OCAU? Not Overclockers Australia is it?
More likely to do with the new Nexus phone due in the next month or two
Last time I asked Crazyjohns they have around 7x left and no more coming.
doubt it, it's more about the new wave of Android phones hitting our shores (including the next Nexus - Nexus Prime)
this was mentioned in the inq cloud touch post, the price drop happened at the same time. I opted for a cheap cloud touch because this phone is 900/1700/2100, therefore no telstra and half of vodafone's network. So its defacto locked to optus, unless you are travelling overseas.
What? Voda uses 900/2100 frequencies and 850MHz for it's new network.
Optus uses 900/2100
Telstra uses 850/2100
Vodafone doesn't use 3G 900, its 2G 900. So for 3G connections on Vodafone, you are only using half their network i.e. the 2100 network.
http://maps.mobileworldlive.com/network.php?cid=63&cname=Aus…
Telstra's roaming agreement with 3 is about to expire, and soon they will be 850 exclusively.
http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/blogs/gadgets-o…
In short,
Vodafone 3G is 850/2100
Optus 3G is 900/2100
Telstra 3G is 850.
Buying a phone that only has 900/1700/2100 allows you to use both Optus bands, and 1 of 2 of the Vodafone bands.
Its actually pretty bad form for Vodafone to continue selling phones that can not access their entire network.
No Vodafone also uses 900. Less so in metropolitan cities where 2100 is used.
Vodafone uses both 900 and 2100 for UMTS/HSPA. They're also starting to add 850 to increase capacity.
900 is also in metro areas.
@nano
you're right but
http://www.vodafone.com.au/tools/checker/index.htm
900 is only listed under
Regional Coverage: Mobile internet
Our 900MHz network delivers extended coverage that takes you further than our Standard Coverage into parts of regional Australia. Slower download speeds are generally experienced within this area of typically 300Kbps - 1.5Mbps*
Either way, you are still missing out on the new 850 network.
Thanks for explaining that man, that's pretty bad that Telstra will no longer have access to the shared 2100MHz network.
Good price. I paid a lot more a few months back (although got the OLED screen version), and I am pretty happy with it (aside from the horrible tooth-piercing vibrating sound you get when it's on vibrate and on a hard surface).
I am still thinking whether I should wait for new iphone or new Nexus to be released so that all the price will settle down before I decide what to get (compare older models)
I was thinking about returning my Huawei Sonic and getting the Nexus S… but I think I'll wait a litte longer for a 4G compatible phone and till the prices drop a litte further.
if you're budget can go upto $300 and if you sell the Sonic, the Galaxy S2 may be a possible choice to consider, or the Sensation or the Optimus 2X or the Atrix
Is this the best Android phone available for this price?
big w was selling galaxy S for $299, they are very similar phones.
$300? Damn that's a good price.
Can still get your AMEX $50 cashback from Big-W purchase making it just $249. If you haven't already done so. http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/50042
It's $399 at Big W.
$399 instead I think you mixed up.
I got this phone.using it right now to type in fact.
And frankly I hate it.
Swype beta is shit and the phones always running out of memory. I can't even play flacs properly because it skips every so often.
And it keeps crashing almost on a daily basis. And unless I pull the battery out, it will keep on draining the battery. That's just a bug though, I'm sure most people don't get that.
This is coming from someone who also owned an sgs 2 though.
ditch swype and get Flex T9 from the app store.
As for the other issues, no idea what's going on there. Sounds like you've installed something dodgy. Or maybe your rom just got corrupted somehow.
I tried other swype-like apps, found swype beta to be the best, but still far from functional.
It isn't the ROM, I've tried many but it still happens.
This is what I hate about OzBargain. You voice your opinion and retards neg you like it's their job.
If it's happening across multiple roms, then yeah. Hardware issue most likely. Re flash to stock and return it.
With rom you tried those utilities where you can limit the memory an app takes and if it exceeds it, unneeded apps are closed. Not sure of the exact name but check on XDA
^^^ seriously, who negged him again?
i use swype beta on a daily basis. the only problem i ever had with it was when they updated, and it forgot my entire dictionary >:(
otherwise, works like a charm for me. i have a HTC legend
Love my Swype beta on SGS II, best keyboard ever!
except for swype's password flaw and shockingly inaccurate voice recognition, it is the fast and most intuitive keyboard I have used. and I have used them all but swype beta kicks them all in the b@lls.
This is coming from someone who still owns an sgs 2 though.
Try TouchPal, it's Swype and SwiftKey combined. And it's free for early adopters until some time in October.
has it got password protection because swype stores passwords for it's autosuggestion feature which essentially means anyone can just go through your phone's dictionary and do a dictionary attck on your accounts.
If touchpal excludes password storing, I'm in
No if I'm not mistaken, TouchPal doesn't. You can just give it a go since it's still free. It's gone a long way from its initial beta which I was in. It's more actively developed compared to FlexT9, it seems.
Are you using any task killer apps on your phone? Because they cause Android phones to crash and batteries to die out faster.
And try TouchPal keyboard which is free. If you don't want anymore swiping perhaps you can try SwiftKey if you don't mind paying. You have many good alternative choices.
I've pretty much tried all of them and like spawnpoint above, have concluded that swype is the superior one (sadly).
No I don't install that JD or task killing crap, I use tasker to turn wifi/3G off at night and to SMS crap to people at 4 AM because I find it hilarious.
Lol.. So have you tried TouchPal too?
Ah, it's one of the lesser known ones.
I've tried the major ones with 4-5 stars and figured if they were all crap, others would be even worse.
I'll give it a go since you're putting your life behind this advice. :P
Haha I'm actually using SwiftKey at the moment but I sometimes switches.
Just tried Touchpal today…
It seems like an average swiping keyboard but since most are crap…
I hate how sometimes it randomly generates spaces while others it doesn't. Also when you try to change the word, you have to flick through 3 pages of suggested 'words'. You could retype your selected word and probably cure AIDs before you can find the right word to replace it with.
But again, that's just how I feel about most of the swiping keyboards.
Well, TouchPal is just a free alternative to Swipe, SlideIT and SwiftKey where the latter two are paid apps. Have you tried SlideIT yet?
And have you tried using other music players available on the Market to try playing your FLAC files? Because Google doesn't have much rights to codes they couldn't make Nexus S play a lot of stuff like, unable to record in 720p, and maybe also FLAC files..
I've tried it on both the stock music app and with winamp but it stutters on both. And I thought that the Nexus S couldn't record 720p due to a hardware limitation, not a software one?
Anyway, after the phone locks up, it attributes that lost battery to 'Email'.
Even after several attempts at finding the solution, I still have no idea why.
Is your Nexus S then running the latest firmware?
Then try PlayerPro and PowerAmp if you haven't since they have full demo versions and i think I saw either one or both mentioned about FLAC..
And yeah, there was the whole issue of whether it was software or hardware limitations for the 720p recording but what I got back then was something to do with Google's codecs limitation which contribute to either they made the camera hardware cannot support or not.
Player Pro says that it only plays FLAC if your phone supports it, but they are working on making it work even if not.
I have one and the only time anything has gone wrong is when using the crappy Facebook app. No memory problems and the battery lasts for a day with heavy use.
God the Android FB app is so crap!! drive me nutz…
Or anybody don't mind Voda and postpaid you can get it on $25 plan from crazyjohns.
I am considering about it because if I get it outright $299 and go for TPG $15 plan. Total price around the same.
$299/24 = $12.5 + TPG $15 = $27.50, Of course not with Voda, more calls and data from TPG but good for anyone don't want to pay $300 upfront.
But your locked into Voda for 24months which is a big negative…
Yeah just if you don't want to pay $299 upfront.
Crazyjohns call rate is just a bit more than TPG but with less credit and 900MB data instead of 1.5GB data of TPG.
This + TPG sim = extremely cheap way of getting a good phone
That's the ozbargain way of thinking, I like
Where is the link to get the phone? I couldn't find it on their website.
Is this deal still on? I can't find it on the Voda website, the only page on Nexus S doesn't show any $299 deal.
In store only, check Whirlpool.
Wow, this phone must be a-ma-zing. Check out the rating on the Voda site.
http://shop.vodafone.com.au/mobile-details/Nexus-S
Nexus S reviews: 5.7 out of 5 (!)
Get one now, this phone is so awesome it totally pwns mathematics…
best way to sell phones. rate them higher than the possible limit.
I just bought one and it's locked - How do you unlock it for free?
Damn! my local Vodafone store is sold out. Anyone know of any other places including overseas shops selling for a similar price?
which one woudl that be?
Vodafone Store in Altona Gate.
Yesterday, I saw it in DickSmith in Macquarie Shopping Centre, Macquarie Park
how much stock?
Hmm Vodafone resellers are refusing to sell it outright, any idea which vodafone store might have stock?
The voda store on george st in sydney (near wynyard) had about 10 black and a few white when I was there this morning.
Thanks, are oyu sure the one you got it locked? Has anyone else bought these, did oyu get a locked or unlocked phone?
It wasn't locked, I was being retarded
I just bought one in Macquarie Shopping Centre.
Hmm seems like it is down to luck whether you get a locked or unlocked phone :(
Mine came unlocked despite of a sticker in the box saying that was locked to Vodafone.
All Nexus S in the market are unlocked.
Don't worry about the sticker. It tells you to unlock the phone from their website but when you enter the code on the page it will say "it's already unlocked".
does rooting and installing a custom rom unlock the phone?
Money back by MoneybackCo is not applicable cause the phone is available in store only, not online. Even if it were online, the money back amount should be $30 (10%), not $84 cause this one is prepaid, not plan.
I got one from George street and apparently there were many people from here who bought one from the shop. So can anyone who did buy from there tell me if your phone is unlocked? I am scared to open in case it's locked :-(
Got one from Dandenong Plaza. Works with my TPG sim… So unlocked!
can any one access vodafones unlocking page? it seems to be down
I went to Bondi Junction Vodafone store and asked a rep to get a prepaid Nexus S. He tried to go to the unlock page and type in the unlock code in front of me but it gave an error. Then he said not all the phones can be unlocked. Where can I buy the phones that can actually be unlocked?
From the people that have commented here, the phone comes unlocked. Don't worry about it.
my sgs has a broken memory card slot after 9 months :/ may be a faulty unit but u still have to consider samsungs faulty file system that was mentioned above
I bought one yesterday in WA, unlocked. Very nice phone.
Awesome! I might just have to sell my Huawei Sonic and upgrade to this…