Chinese Android Phones 2 - Read First Post!

corwill

jayo26 wrote: »

Thank you, yeh id want a 32gb model if possible I use cloud storage for fotos and stuff that's no problem but 16gb would still fill up quick enough.
I like the metal curved body and its pretty slim that's the look im after.

Bit of a stunner, alright.

As for memory, even with keeping all your media in the cloud, 16gb is too tight, with APP data, updates, etc, even moderate users will fill 16 GB pretty quickly.

uck51js9zml2yt

I managed to pick up a Ulefone Be Touch 2 today in one of the flash sales for €162 from Gearbest.

jayo26

just see an elephone vowney from that same seller but i dont think they are released yet? it sames limited stock and pre order on the picture so i might just leave it for a few weeks and see because that one might suit me better it has 32gb memory and an sd card support.

corwill

jayo26 wrote: »

just see an elephone vowney from that same seller but i dont think they are released yet? it sames limited stock and pre order on the picture so i might just leave it for a few weeks and see because that one might suit me better it has 32gb memory and an sd card support.

You could be waiting months for it, given elephone's form.

jayo26

corwill wrote: »

You could be waiting months for it, given elephone's form.

Oh really haha, any others you would recommend going by memory and sd card slot and metal shell then and looks nice? In around same budget dont matter if its bit over.

corwill

jayo26 wrote: »

Oh really haha, any others you would recommend going by memory and sd card slot and metal shell then and looks nice? In around same budget dont matter if its bit over.

Maybe the Honor 7? Xiaomi will have the Mi5 out shortly, if it's a premium flagship C.A.P. you're after.

uck51js9zml2yt

jayo26 wrote: »

Oh really haha, any others you would recommend going by memory and sd card slot and metal shell then and looks nice? In around same budget dont matter if its bit over.

Umi iron depending on whether you need 4g.
ulefone Be touch 2.

yupshep

Hi all, i'very been reading through this thread but it's my first time posting i'm looking at getting a lenovo vibe shot phone. It's only newly released at the moment so there are very few full reviews mostly un boxing's and videos from trade shows. For my limited knowledge it seems like a great mix of performance, price and a manual camera which I am very interested in.

has anyone had any experience with the lenovo brand?

Also, I have been looking through the various sites on the first page. Ideally I would like to order from one with a European warehouse. Could someone point me in the direction of one they have used and know to hAve fast shipping and be reliable?

One last question, can these phones be used straight out of the box or do they require flashing and rooting. I've seen these terms here but 7 have no clue about either!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Digital Solitude

yupshep wrote: »

Hi all, i'very been reading through this thread but it's my first time posting i'm looking at getting a lenovo vibe shot phone. It's only newly released at the moment so there are very few full reviews mostly un boxing's and videos from trade shows. For my limited knowledge it seems like a great mix of performance, price and a manual camera which I am very interested in.

has anyone had any experience with the lenovo brand?

Also, I have been looking through the various sites on the first page. Ideally I would like to order from one with a European warehouse. Could someone point me in the direction of one they have used and know to hAve fast shipping and be reliable?

One last question, can these phones be used straight out of the box or do they require flashing and rooting. I've seen these terms here but 7 have no clue about either!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Lenovo are a fairly decent brand, don't think you'd go too far wrong with one.

All the EU warehouses are about the same I'd say. Same courier all the time, different sites always took 5 days from China so I'd imagine they'd be fairly similar in the EU

They can be used straight out of the box, ask the shop are Google Apps installed, if not, request them to. Don't pay for it.
If they won't, then its always a good time to learn. It's a simple enough procedure though

Mick Murdock

tnethacker wrote: »

Which one of these should i pick?



- Lenovo K3 Note (167.56 from eud.DX.com), no VAT, no other fees, since posted from UK or something
.

Was close to checking this out on eud.dx but I don't see any mention of no VAT or customs charges on the site. Their FAQ seems to suggest there may be charges but it's not very clear. A quick Google serach says they ship everything from Hong Kong and the direct part relates to free express shipping?

Anyone know? Would prefer to avoid customs but don't want to pay over the odds either?

Digital Solitude

Mick Murdock wrote: »

Was close to checking this out on eud.dx but I don't see any mention of no VAT or customs charges on the site. Their FAQ seems to suggest there may be charges but it's not very clear. A quick Google serach says they ship everything from Hong Kong and the direct part relates to free express shipping?

Anyone know? Would prefer to avoid customs but don't want to pay over the odds either?

If it ships from Hong Kong you're liable for customs duty.

Why is everyone so adverse to paying customs? It's at most, €30-40 and you pay it on almost all goods anyways, one way or another

Mick Murdock

That's why I asked if anybody knew if they ship from the UK as I've seen mentioned numerous times on this thread.

Not sure why anyone would WANT to pay customs but that's beside the point. I'd rather keep my €30. I'd prefer to get it sooner from the EU and avoid customs altogether. I don't mind paying extra but I'm not paying extra for them to ship it from HK to be then hit with custom charges.

Thanks.

Digital Solitude

Mick Murdock wrote: »

That's why I asked if anybody knew if they ship from the UK as I've seen mentioned numerous times on this thread.

Not sure why anyone would WANT to pay customs but that's beside the point. I'd rather keep my €30. I'd prefer to get it sooner from the EU and avoid customs altogether. I don't mind paying extra but I'm not paying extra for them to ship it from HK to be then hit with custom charges.

Thanks.

If you get it from the EU, then they've imported it and paid the customs tax, and the price is proportionally higher to take this into account. And its normally more expensive than just the customs too.

I know I'm being no help here, but I don't think DX have an EU warehouse.

Mick Murdock

You're right. As I said I don't mind paying extra if it's shipped from the EU. It's just numerous posts here and the OP on this thread suggest DX Direct ship from a European warehouse. Hence the question.

We'll leave it there. Thanks!

Digital Solitude

Mick Murdock wrote: »

You're right. As I said I don't mind paying extra if it's shipped from the EU. It's just numerous posts here and the OP on this thread suggest DX Direct ship from a European warehouse. Hence the question.

We'll leave it there. Thanks!

The OP is mine :pac: Just had a look and anything from eud.DX.com will ship from the EU with no customs. The shipping time is 1/3rd what it is normally listed from Hong Kong.

Didn't mean to turn it into a squabble, especially seeing as I misunderstood what you were even asking. Apologies for that

Mick Murdock

Digital Solitude wrote: »

The OP is mine :pac: Just had a look and anything from eud.DX.com will ship from the EU with no customs. The shipping time is 1/3rd what it is normally listed from Hong Kong.

Didn't mean to turn it into a squabble, especially seeing as I misunderstood what you were even asking. Apologies for that

http://cs.dx.com/FAQ/Detail/402 seems to suggest otherwise unless with the help of PostNL they are avoiding customs?

Think I'll just order and see what happens since the price isn't far off China anyway.

wiz569

Mick Murdock wrote: »

http://cs.dx.com/FAQ/Detail/402 seems to suggest otherwise unless with the help of PostNL they are avoiding customs?

Think I'll just order and see what happens since the price isn't far off China anyway.

On that link it states they do not have an EU warehouse and all purchases ship from China

uck51js9zml2yt

Mick Murdock wrote: »

http://cs.dx.com/FAQ/Detail/402 seems to suggest otherwise unless with the help of PostNL they are avoiding customs?

Think I'll just order and see what happens since the price isn't far off China anyway.

Customs have copped onto NL Post.

Digital Solitude

Steven Numerous Flare wrote: »

Customs have copped onto NL Post.

They're taking the piss with their delivery estimates then I'd assume?

Most from Hong Kong are 21-60 days or something. DX have 7-9

yupshep

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Lenovo are a fairly decent brand, don't think you'd go too far wrong with one.

All the EU warehouses are about the same I'd say. Same courier all the time, different sites always took 5 days from China so I'd imagine they'd be fairly similar in the EU

They can be used straight out of the box, ask the shop are Google Apps installed, if not, request them to. Don't pay for it.
If they won't, then its always a good time to learn. It's a simple enough procedure though

Thanks very much! Have you any specific shops you have used and that you could recommend?

Digital Solitude

yupshep wrote: »

Thanks very much! Have you any specific shops you have used and that you could recommend?

I've used three or four of the ones in the OP, not in about two years so I'm not sure which I've gotten phones off.

Any of the ones in the OP are grand

yupshep

Digital Solitude wrote: »

I've used three or four of the ones in the OP, not in about two years so I'm not sure which I've gotten phones off.

Any of the ones in the OP are grand

Great stuff. Thanks for your help!

Mick Murdock

wiz569 wrote: »

On that link it states they do not have an EU warehouse and all purchases ship from China

That was my point. I don't seem to be making any sense here at all.

wiz569

Mick Murdock wrote: »

That was my point. I don't seem to be making any sense here at all.

I was trying to backup your point

jayo26

Ye all confuse me but fuk it its great craic altogether.

Digital Solitude

Mick Murdock wrote: »

That was my point. I don't seem to be making any sense here at all.

It's confusing how they have an EU store, with EU shipping estimates, but don't have an EU Warehouse

I'd just avoid them for anything over the €22 limit if you wanted to avoid the taxes

unkel

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Why is everyone so adverse to paying customs? It's at most, €30-40

It's a lot more than that. On a $370 (€340) phone like the one linked above with free shipping from China, the VAT alone is 23%, so €80. Then there will also be an admin charge, which varies but would rarely be less than €10 flat fee

Afaik there is no import duty on mobile phones from China...

The $370 phone is now €430 which all of a sudden doesn't look like a bargain at all any more, does it?

Digital Solitude

unkel wrote: »

It's a lot more than that. On a $370 (€340) phone like the one linked above with free shipping from China, the VAT alone is 23%, so €80. Then there will also be an admin charge, which varies but would rarely be less than €10 flat fee

Afaik there is no import duty on mobile phones from China...

The $370 phone is now €430 which all of a sudden doesn't look like a bargain at all any more, does it?

I always forget how crappy the exchange rate is, and I'm also considering phones in the €150-250 price range, which yeah, is a bad way to make assumptions given the Euros weakness.

Still better value than a €430 Samsung though!

Digital Solitude

Slightly OT but has anyone seen the Mi TV 2S announcement?

http://m.androidcentral.com/xiaomis-latest-mi-tv-2s-48-inch-4k-tv-99mm-frame

It's a 48" 4k TV in a 9.9mm frame, priced at around €415!

Iseedeadpixels

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Slightly OT but has anyone seen the Mi TV 2S announcement?

http://m.androidcentral.com/xiaomis-latest-mi-tv-2s-48-inch-4k-tv-99mm-frame

It's a 48" 4k TV in a 9.9mm frame, priced at around €415!

Would that be hard to get imported here due to the size?