Android Phone for 200-300 euro

spiderjazz

It's my mothers birthday soon and I'm looking to pick her up a good phone for around 200-300 new. I don't want something too fancy, basically something that will be grand and speedy for the usual apps/internet browsing etc. I've been looking around and it seems that a HTC Wildfire could be a good option, or else a SonyEricsson Experia Ray. I also can get a phone from the UK if there is anything good on PAYG over there that could be unlocked.

Any particular recommendations from people?

coylemj

For your budget, a HTC ONE V, available from next Thu. (26th) from Amazon, will come in at about €290 on your credit card.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HTC-One-Sim-Free-Smartphone/dp/B0078LXM7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335199517&sr=8-1

spiderjazz

That looks perfect for what I need. It doesn't look like Vodafone have it coming in as a PAYG phone so it looks like ordering from Amazon will be the best option.

Jarren

HTC Desire S Sim Free Eur 301.15 delivered

http://www.amazon.de/HTC-Smartphone-Display-Touchscreen-Megapixel/dp/B004NNW0NK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335259680&sr=8-1

spiderjazz

Thanks for that, my girlfriend has the Desire, so I can only assume the Desire S is lovely. I think I'd like to go for something that will have some OTA updates though, as I don't think my mother would appreciate me changing the roms every two months!

Yugioh

This might not quite be the right thread but I didn't want to open another recommendation thread just for me.

I'm similar to the OP that I'm not looking for a top of the range Android but a decent one.
Key things are for me external card slot so I can include all of my music (I have lot so 32GB minimum overall space)

Other than that I'm just looking for standard stuff. Solid camera, does the basics well: email, web browsing etc.

I don't want to pay through the nose so older models that are still good that I can pick up refurbished or 2nd hand is what I'm thinking. I really have no idea what to get though as the only ones marketed are the high end ones and for me they're just not worth the money. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Jarren

This should do


http://www.amazon.de/Ericsson-Smartphone-Tochscreen-Megapixel-Speicher/dp/B005KJ6MQM/ref=sr_1_6?s=ce-de&ie=UTF8&qid=1338301728&sr=1-6

Zonda999

Get a Galaxy S2, you should be able to get one for between 250 - 300€ 2nd hand. It will do everything you have mentioned very well indeed, and has 16gb of memory with scope for 64gb more with a microSD slot. You will also have Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest Android OS

If you really want a new phone, have a look at this. Only 1gb internal memory so would need a microsd card but get a 32gb one and you'd be fine. Still a very nice phone and very well priced now. Getting Ice Cream sandwich imminently too.

cherryghost

IMO the Xperia U has made all current 200-300 euro phones redunant (as long as you're ok with the non expansive 8GB memory on board)

GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100 - ST25i
HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - ST25a
Announced 2012, February
Status Available. Released 2012, May
BODY Dimensions 112 x 54 x 12 mm
Weight 110 g
- Touch-sensitive controls
DISPLAY Type LED-backlit LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 480 x 854 pixels, 3.5 inches (~280 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch Yes, up to 4 fingers
Protection Scratch-resistant glass
- Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine
- Timescape UI
SOUND Alert types Vibration; MP3 ringtones
Loudspeaker Yes
3.5mm jack Yes
- Sony 3D surround sound audio technology
MEMORY Card slot No
Internal 8 GB, 512 MB RAM
DATA GPRS Up to 107 kbps
EDGE Up to 296 kbps
Speed HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, DLNA
Bluetooth Yes, v2.1 with A2DP, EDR
USB Yes, microUSB v2.0, USB On-the-go support
CAMERA Primary 5 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
Features Geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, 3D sweep panorama, image stabilization
Video Yes, 720p@30fps, video light
Secondary Yes, VGA
FEATURES OS Android OS, v2.3 (Gingerbread), planned upgrade to v4.0
Chipset STE U8500
CPU Dual-core 1 GHz
GPU Mali-400MP
Sensors Accelerometer, proximity, compass
Messaging SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, IM, Push Email
Browser HTML5, Adobe Flash
Radio Stereo FM radio with RDS
GPS Yes, with A-GPS support
Java Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
Colors Black, White/ exchangeable bottom caps in white, black, pink, yellow
- SNS integration
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV player
- MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player
- Google Search, Maps, Gmail,
YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk
- Organizer
- Document viewer
- Voice memo/dial/commands
- Predictive text input
BATTERY Standard battery, Li-Ion 1320 mAh
Stand-by Up to 260 h (2G) / Up to 472 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 6 h 36 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 36 min (3G)
Music play Up to 45 h

choons

I got one of these last week:

http://www.expansys.ie/alcatel-one-touch-ultra-995-eu-handset+uk-adapter-black-232797/

• CPU : 1.4 Ghz MSM8255T Snapdragon
• System : Android 2.3 Gingerbread (upgradable to ICS)
• Display : 4.3 inches 480x800
• Memory : 2GB ROM / 512MB RAM / microSD slot up to 32GB
• Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 b-g-n / Bluetooth 3.0 / A-GPS / microUSB / 3.5mm jack /GSM 850-900-1800-1900
• Camera : 5MP 2592x1944 / autofocus / LED flash / VGA front
• Battery : 1500 mAh
• Dimensions : 128 x 68 x 9.8 mm
• Weight : 124 g

Nice phone for €230

hiyoo92

choons wrote: »

I got one of these last week:

http://www.expansys.ie/alcatel-one-touch-ultra-995-eu-handset+uk-adapter-black-232797/

• CPU : 1.4 Ghz MSM8255T Snapdragon
• System : Android 2.3 Gingerbread (upgradable to ICS)
• Display : 4.3 inches 480x800
• Memory : 2GB ROM / 512MB RAM / microSD slot up to 32GB
• Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 b-g-n / Bluetooth 3.0 / A-GPS / microUSB / 3.5mm jack /GSM 850-900-1800-1900
• Camera : 5MP 2592x1944 / autofocus / LED flash / VGA front
• Battery : 1500 mAh
• Dimensions : 128 x 68 x 9.8 mm
• Weight : 124 g

Nice phone for €230

Just wondering what is this phone like? Thinking of buying one but its hard to find any quality information about it! Thanks!

choons

hiyoo92 wrote: »

Just wondering what is this phone like? Thinking of buying one but its hard to find any quality information about it! Thanks!

Yeah not much info out there but I'm delighted with it!

For the price, it's a good phone and the 4.3 inch screen is great. Nice and slim, looks good and people are always asking me about it. Very fast and runs any app I've come across. Camera is about average but overall, it's much better than other phones in that price range.

Only drawback is I’m still waiting for the ICS update but will be here soon enough hopefully.

http://www.gsmarena.com/alcatel_ot_995-4661.php

Headshot

Sorry bump but im debating which phone to go for the Sony Xperia U or the Alcatel One Touch 995

They're both around the same price, probably the One Touch being cheaper but not by much

any advice?

Atomic Pineapple

I haven't experienced the Sony device but we have three Alcatel 995's in work and they are just dire devices!! Big blocky design, clunky, slow with an outdated UI style, would definitely not buy one myself.

Headshot

Thanks for the feedback Draffodx.

Anyone know does the sony xperia u have Ice Cream Sandwich?

choons

Headshot wrote: »

Sorry bump but im debating which phone to go for the Sony Xperia U or the Alcatel One Touch 995

They're both around the same price, probably the One Touch being cheaper but not by much

any advice?

Haven't used the Xperia myself but looks like a nice phone with good spec. I'd go for the 995 just for the bigger screen!

draffodx wrote: »

I haven't experienced the Sony device but we have three Alcatel 995's in work and they are just dire devices!! Big blocky design, clunky, slow with an outdated UI style, would definitely not buy one myself.

995 is thinner and lighter than a lot of phones with 4.3 inch screens. Even thinner than the Xperia U:

http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_u-4437.php
http://www.gsmarena.com/alcatel_ot_995-4661.php

I've found it very fast and the UI is just a launcher. You can download a new one from the Play store for free.

Headshot wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback Draffodx.

Anyone know does the sony xperia u have Ice Cream Sandwich?

Both 995 and U run Gingerbread but have planned upgrades to ICS. This means you can update them to ICS at any stage after the update is released. I don't have dates though

Headshot

What's the sound quality like on the 995?

I want it to replace my mp3 player

choons

Headshot wrote: »

What's the sound quality like on the 995?

I want it to replace my mp3 player

I use an iPod for music and to be honest I couldn't tell the difference between the two. Perhaps somebody with a finer sense of hearing could answer that one

darced

This post has been deleted.

opinion guy

What would one pay for a second hand galaxy s2 ?

Shop has one for 350 - seems a bit pricey to me

Headshot

opinion guy wrote: »

What would one pay for a second hand galaxy s2 ?

Shop has one for 350 - seems a bit pricey to me

between 250 and 300

Headshot

darced wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Are you able update to ice cream yet?

opinion guy

Headshot wrote: »

between 250 and 300

Yeah that sounds more like it. You can get a brand new galaxy nexus online for 385 so 350 for a second hand S2 would be mental.

Sigh. I don't know what to get really