CJs have got this phone on special for $62.00. Note that there is a bug on the website. You need to navigate to mobile phones and then click on the prepaid phones tab that is below the main menu bar. Otherwise it will want to charge you $116.00.
EDIT - I know there are good/better deals around for Telstra 850/2100/NextG capable phones. I put this up for people who wanted a phone for the Optus network.
Yeah. I bought the Ideos U8150 off CJs 2 years ago and had to get an unlock code off the usual Chinese people for $20. I assume it will be the same this time.
Free delivery by the way. About as good as it gets really. I looked around all day for a good deal on an EDGE phone with 900/2100 3g and this was all I could find.
You can get unlock code from ebay for <$10
Can you please send link if you have any. Thanks in advanced.
Search for "Dr Unlocker" on Ebay
Isn't it likely that CJ's are getting these from Vodafone?? If so I'd be first trying to unlock for free via the Vodafone website. I had no problem doing that with two Voda prepaid $69 X3's bought recently from Woolies. See dimefan's link below.
They are indeed. Mine arrived today branded with the Voda logo. Unlocked without a problem via the Voda website. For $62 this is a great little phone, Im fully chuffed.
Yes, the one I just received was Voda locked, and also was able to unlock free from the Voda website. Purchased for my Mum, a pensioner, great price @ $62. Thanks OP!
Go for the LG Optimus Spirit from Coles instead. Better build and cheaper price at $49 (provided you have a Flybuys card). Plus it only costs $2 to buy the unlock code off Ebay (US).
Yes as 256mb isn't enough and the LG has a faster clock speed. The only advantages of the X3 is the screen is better with more colours (fine for everything except video's where it's obvious), it's slightly but noticeably smaller and it's stock apps are quite good especially the keyboard.
spirit doesn't have 900 3g though.
Exactly. Plenty of deals around for 850/2100 Next G phones (Sony Xperia Play for 199 from Kmart, Galaxy W for 250 from Vodafone prepaid) but hardly anything for 900-capable phones. It was either this or the Galaxy Ace for $205 from unique mobiles, not a great deal.
I'm intrigued. What are the advantages of having a 900-capable phone?
Optus uses 2100 mhz around metro areas for its 3g. Outside of those areas, the only available 3g signal is its legacy 900 mhz network.
I live in New Farm near Brisbane and I frequently have to use the 900 signal. Also a pain in the arse when you are driving and cant use Google maps well because your phone wont access the 900 mhz network.
I got the lg optimus spirit. How do i get it unlocked in $2?
same phone is $69 at woolworths, locked to vodafone but you can unlock for free on the vodafone website.
http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/71100
https://unlock.vodafone.com.au/voila/handsetunlock/self-serv…
Bugger. If I knew that I would have gone there and saved myself the wait. At least I'm not out of pocket anyway.
Having said that, I checked out the Woolies thread and it seems as though half the people are unable to unlock their phones via the Voda page. So at least with this option you are guaranteed an unlocked phone for $72.00 ($62 + $10 unlock code off ebay).
$72 vs $69 is not much of a muchness - so I suppose in hindsight I would probably still have ordered this rather than off Woolies. Still, I probably will try putting my IMEI in the Voda site before I order a code off Ebay just to see if it might work.
For a Woolies purchased Voda handset try entering the IMEI code before removing the box's plastic wrap. The IMEI code needed to request the unlock code is also printed on a label on the outside of the box. If it doesn't work you can return it to Woollies and buy another to try.
Specs at CJ's say 900/2100mHz 3G BUT its listed as 850/2100 at Voda.
I wonder which one is correct? No doubt the phones are the same.
I would normally trust the parent seller but hey, its Voda…
BTW this issue came up when they first emerged and I have never been sure which is true. They are listed as 900/2100 @Huawei too but there can be variations…
Gsm arena has it as 900. If its 850 I will make sure to have a good and proper whinge when it arrives.
I must say I was surprised to hear that voda is offering this phone as I understood that they used the 850 frequency.
Yeah Voda still sell both 900 and 850 devices but they are known to make mistakes (many) :p
Would really like to know for sure.
My suspicion is that Voda is clearing them out exactly because they are now investing in massive data network upgrade on the 850 frequency - and customers would be right to be pissed off and complain if they bought a branded handset from the network operator that was incompatible with that operator's best network.
Got my phone from the Crazy Johns courier today. They delivered it to my home instead of the work address, as I specified, luckily the other half was home.
Lo and behold, the handset was branded with the Voda logo. I went to the Voda website, typed in the code, and bobs your uncle, phone unlocked!
no indication anywhere whether it is 850 or 900. will confirm.
Seems to be 900 from all indications.
Plus, you get a 2gb micro sd card! Didnt even realise that until I opened it up. Seriously, you can't complain about all that for 62 quid. Except if you're one of the poor Chinese punters that gets paid a pittance to put it all together I suppose.
RE:Prepaid Huawei Ideos X3 $62.00 on Crazy Johns
I looked there, do you pay a shipping cost on top of that, id rather pick it up if possible. Is it a 3.2in screen paizuri? The 2.8in is pretty small compared to the 3.2in, im looking for my grandaughter, i liked the Samsung mini i saw today in white, anybody know about this one, any help appreciated.
No shipping charge, it was delivered by courier for free. If you want to pick one up your best bet might be woolies, either way it seems mostly luck as to whether you can unlock for free.
screen is 3.2 inch hvga
Thanks for your help, im torn between the "Samsung S5570 Galaxy Mini White Android" and the "Huawei U8510 IDEOS X3" $62 for my grandaughter. I guess for a teenager the "Huawei U8510" might be good, as long as the screen is big enough, the 2.8in on the "Huawei IDEOS X1(U8180)" is way too small. What do you think of the screen size on yous?
Why dont you pop into any store that sells phones (vodafone shop, CJ, BigW, DSE etc) and feel the phone yourself. It will answer most of your questions.
I was using an old Ideos 8150 before this. The screen on the X3 feels like a significant improvement over the 8150, but its not a world apart. Typing on the gingerbread keyboard still feels a bit cramped. It doesnt worry me overly as I mainly use it for short emails and casual internet use, but if I was doing a lot of messaging maybe it would start to grate, perhaps.
Then again, the X3 still has 3.2 inches compared with 3.14 on the Galaxy Mini. So I guess the next real step up would be a Galaxy Ace or Galaxy W, which I was looking at getting, but then you're talking $200 vs $62.
My wife uses a Nokia e72, and I tried to get her to use this phone but she threw it back at me, saying that she preferred the physical keyboard on the Nokia, which is fair enough.
Thanks paizuri for the detailed experience of the phones, it was what i was hoping for, now i know what to do.
JLove, thanks for your help. I did go to Optus/Vodo shops to look at both phones, but they hover over you with sales pitches, thats why i was hoping to get feedback from here.
Thank you for all the help, very much appreciated.
No worries. I was half minded to get a mid-range phone myself (either the Galaxy Ace, Galaxy W or Galaxy S2, or the Sony Xperia Play) but virtually all the well-priced phones were 850mhz rather than 900 (more suited to Telstra rather than Optus).
No wonder the Optus people swarmed you as you entered, Im not surprised what with the lack of decent deals on offer there - the Huawei X1 is $121.00 at the Optus store, for instance, and most of the phones are more expensive for prepaid than what you could buy unlocked online. Then you have the bloatware that they cram on all of the phones to boot.
I noticed it was only recently that the Huawei X1 increased in price! It used to be $99 when it was released and it stayed at that price or decreased till 2012, while other low end phones like the Huawei X3 is stable at $99 (or decreased to $69 recently).
Im quite surprised seeing the X1 a fairly low spec-ed phone still running Froyo!
For screen size, if your granddaughter is upgrading from a fairly old phone like a nokia E63, she'll probably find a 3.2 screen big, but if she's coming down from a Galaxy phone for example, the screen will be tiny.
"Samsung S5570 Galaxy Mini" was $149 at Optus with bonus head/phones. Ive seen them on line for as low as $128 with $10 shipping from dealers, with a couple of "used" private ones going at $55 & $79 starting bids. Just wondering why people buy and change their minds on phones, when having only for a week and then up grade?
E/Bay sellers have been selling the "Huawei IDEOS X1(U8180)" like hot cakes, cheap, go as low as $32 in bidding!
My grandaughter is 12, it will be her first, she likes the white Samsung Mini.
Compared to the "Huawei X1" screen its much bigger, and nicer looking too.
Target have the "Galaxy Ace" this week for $206 pre paid, its a 3.5in touch screen.
I have to say, i love my BlackBerry.
CJS have the Huawei IDEOS X3 on E/Bay bidding for starting bids at $69, they go for near $90 with $12 shipping! The same phones all over E/Bay at different prices and different deals with CJS.
It realy pays to shop around and do your homework, but nice to have people like you with a personal touch, thank you.
I assume locked to CJ since some phones on that page are marked Comes Unlocked?