Chinese Android Phones 2 - Read First Post!

Capt'n Midnight

Trond wrote: »

Lads ive gone back about 10 pages and haven't seen any so pardon my request...

Is there a list of current sellers on Ali Express where VAT is avoided?

All those selling stuff for €26.08 or less avoid VAT.

After that it's VAT evasion. :P

Stevek101

Anyone ever have any issues with a device getting no network connection? Have a relative that picked up a Xiaomi Mi Max off Hong Kong Goldway having this issue.

Tried a few different SIMs and none can connect to the network. I have factory reset, re-flashed the global firmware, tried resetting the APN and manually selecting LTE/GSM using the *#*#4636*#*# but to no avail.

I can see the available networks listed networks in manual selection but I cannot connect to them. Any suggestions?

ED E

Stevek101 wrote: »

Anyone ever have any issues with a device getting no network connection? Have a relative that picked up a Xiaomi Mi Max off Hong Kong Goldway having this issue.

Tried a few different SIMs and none can connect to the network. I have factory reset, re-flashed the global firmware, tried resetting the APN and manually selecting LTE/GSM using the *#*#4636*#*# but to no avail.

I can see the available networks listed networks in manual selection but I cannot connect to them. Any suggestions?

APNs come into effect after you're registered on a network. If its not registering at all (getting bars, able to call/text) then I'd query if the wrong baseband has been flashed.

marty66

Mine connects but keeps dropping. Three have checked my apn details and are correct.

Lenny17123

Any views on the xiaomi Mi5s.. Doing some research it looks to be a top phone. Anyone have problems with it.. Or best spot to buy it. Have been looking at aliexpeess. Any sites with a Eu warehouse have it?

Framed10

Lenny17123 wrote: »

Any views on the xiaomi Mi5s.. Doing some research it looks to be a top phone. Anyone have problems with it.. Or best spot to buy it. Have been looking at aliexpeess. Any sites with a Eu warehouse have it?

Just bought Mi5 prime from honorbuy.com, EU warehouse. Arrived today.
Had it within 3-4days

Framed10

Anyone know anyway of restoring an iphone 4s to a Mi5?
I have it backed up in itunes.
I have all my contacts but I would like to see what else I can restore to Mi5.
Is there a way to get text messages and whatsapp messages restored? I did backup my whatsapp messages but cant find a way of restoring them. thanks

Lenny17123

Framed10 wrote:

Just bought Mi5 prime from honorbuy.com, EU warehouse. Arrived today. Had it within 3-4days

How much did you get it for? Initial thoughts on it? Just checked there they don't seem to have black in Stock at the moment 😕

Framed10

Lenny17123 wrote: »

How much did you get it for? Initial thoughts on it? Just checked there they don't seem to have black in Stock at the moment 😕

http://www.honorbuy.com/687-xiaomi-mi5-prime-3gb-ram-64gb-rom-smartphone.html
yes had to go with white in the end. I havent used it yet much. Only got it this evening somcant report much.
compared to my old dinosaur of iphone 4 its another world.

paddym1

Lenny17123 wrote: »

Any views on the xiaomi Mi5s.. Doing some research it looks to be a top phone. Anyone have problems with it.. Or best spot to buy it. Have been looking at aliexpeess. Any sites with a Eu warehouse have it?

I can't comment on the Mi5s, but I've had an Mi5 since August, and I find it to be a great phone. I've had no problems at all, but 2 small issues, worth mentioning:

The default SMS app does not work in landscape mode, only in portrait. I tried Textra, but that does not seem to receive all texts, so I'm stuck with portrait.

I set my phone to automatically install the OTA upgrades, and a couple of months ago it auto-updated to Android 7. However, it seemed to be a "pared-down" version of Nougat. Also, I was unable to pair with the Bluetooth system in my car (which is apparently a known issue) so I had to revert back to Android 6.

I didn't buy it from an Eu warehouse, but I bought from a store on AliExpress that guaranteed no duty would be payable if DHL was selected as the shipment method (the 64Gb/3Gb version cost me €312 including delivery). I don't know how it worked, but it was shipped via UK, and arrived as promised. However, I've had a look now and it no longer seems to be an option. In case its any help, this is where I bought:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Xiaomi-Mi5-M5-Mobile-Phone-Snapdragon-820-Quad-Core-3GB-RAM-32GB-ROM-5-15/32612664442.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.0.rE2EBB

Stevek101

ED E wrote: »

APNs come into effect after you're registered on a network. If its not registering at all (getting bars, able to call/text) then I'd query if the wrong baseband has been flashed.

I was thinking that was only related to data. I have never managed to get it to connect to the network at all. Any way to fix that and does it entail unlocking the bootloader? Both sim slots have an IMEI number

Kavrocks

Lenny17123 wrote: »

Any views on the xiaomi Mi5s.. Doing some research it looks to be a top phone. Anyone have problems with it.. Or best spot to buy it. Have been looking at aliexpeess. Any sites with a Eu warehouse have it?

My opinion is the 5 is better than the 5S and cheaper too.

Framed10 wrote: »

Anyone know anyway of restoring an iphone 4s to a Mi5?
I have it backed up in itunes.
I have all my contacts but I would like to see what else I can restore to Mi5.
Is there a way to get text messages and whatsapp messages restored? I did backup my whatsapp messages but cant find a way of restoring them. thanks

All of my WhatsApp messages are backed up to Google Drive and restore automatically within the app. As for text messages I'm not aware of a way.

jozi

How did you get whatsapp to backup to Google drive on an iPhone? I've had the same issues with my other halls phone.

I asked the same question I Reddit recently, might be of some use https://www.reddit.com/r/xiaomi/comments/5w9seh/_/

You can export contracts from icloud and import on the new phone. WhatsApp I still haven't managed to backup and I haven't tried sms, photos I did manually

Lenny17123

paddym1 wrote:

I can't comment on the Mi5s, but I've had an Mi5 since August, and I find it to be a great phone. I've had no problems at all, but 2 small issues, worth mentioning:

paddym1 wrote:

The default SMS app does not work in landscape mode, only in portrait. I tried Textra, but that does not seem to receive all texts, so I'm stuck with portrait.

paddym1 wrote:

I set my phone to automatically install the OTA upgrades, and a couple of months ago it auto-updated to Android 7. However, it seemed to be a "pared-down" version of Nougat. Also, I was unable to pair with the Bluetooth system in my car (which is apparently a known issue) so I had to revert back to Android 6.

paddym1 wrote:

I didn't buy it from an Eu warehouse, but I bought from a store on AliExpress that guaranteed no duty would be payable if DHL was selected as the shipment method (the 64Gb/3Gb version cost me €312 including delivery). I don't know how it worked, but it was shipped via UK, and arrived as promised. However, I've had a look now and it no longer seems to be an option. In case its any help, this is where I bought:

Cheers for that. Will continue looking at the few sites and see what I come accross. Had you any trouble flashing a ROM onto it?

Kavrocks wrote:

My opinion is the 5 is better than the 5S and cheaper too.

Oh really... Any reason for this. Have you got one yourself. Would def go for the cheaper of the two if that's the case. Thanks

Framed10

Kavrocks wrote: »

All of my WhatsApp messages are backed up to Google Drive and restore automatically within the app. As for text messages I'm not aware of a way.

Ok thanks, Ill have another look.
I backed them up on iphone but not sure where they backed up to, dont think it was the google drive. I thought once I downloaded what'app on new phone I could restore, some messages have been saved but the main ones i need are missing.

jozi

Framed10 wrote: »

Ok thanks, Ill have another look.
I backed them up on iphone but not sure where they backed up to, dont think it was the google drive. I thought once I downloaded what'app on new phone I could restore, some messages have been saved but the main ones i need are missing.

See my post above and links on Reddit.

Kavrocks

Lenny17123 wrote: »

Oh really... Any reason for this. Have you got one yourself. Would def go for the cheaper of the two if that's the case. Thanks

The fingerprint sensor on the 5S is supposed to be worse than the 5. The 5S camera doesn't have OIS. There is virtually no difference in the Snapdragon 820 and 821 and the battery bump isn't supposed to be noticeable in day to day use.

I went for the 5 over the 5S.

Lenny17123

Has anyone bought from these lads before.

eglobalcentral.eu/xiaomi-mi-5-64gb-dual-sim-4g-lte-sim-free-unlocked-white.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA_9nFBRCsurz7y_Px8xoSJAAUqvKC1LN1Xk6hBwaySqPuOxMTZBKl29ebAVQAmKH-jPskBBoCewfw_wcB#/product/17627

CreepingDeath

Framed10 wrote: »

http://www.honorbuy.com/687-xiaomi-mi5-prime-3gb-ram-64gb-rom-smartphone.html
yes had to go with white in the end. I havent used it yet much. Only got it this evening somcant report much.
compared to my old dinosaur of iphone 4 its another world.

I ordered a white 3Gb RAM/32GB official OTA international ROM version from the Hong Kong warehouse of geekbuying.
They have a Spanish warehouse, where you pay extra to prepay the customs duty within the EU.

I bought mine @ $239.99 plus around $15 for around 5-7 day DHL delivery.
They declared the value on the package at $40 so I only paid something like €23 import charge from customs.

Very happy with the phone at the moment ( day 2 ).
Sharp 16Gb camera, although a panorama shot was quite dark (late afternoon shot) although stitched together seemlessly.

I had issues with the "Menu" button, but they had software mapped it to another key. When I eventually found the Android setting to switch it to "Menu" it was fine.

Also they try to force you at every step to create/sign into the Xiaomi Mi account, sync all your data with them etc. Even switching the wallpaper on the stock Android launcher tries to get permissions it doesn't need.

All can be avoided, and I use Nova launcher instead.

One thing, in the first 4 hours my phone fell off the table 4 times.
The back of the phone is practically frictionless and the phone is light, so any tap or if the phone vibrates it tries to slide off the table like a lemming!

There was no real instructions with the phone, so it took me a quick google to realise that the fingerprint scanner was embedded in the front "home" key. I was used to a circular fingerprint scanner on the back from my old and disasterous Elephone P7000.

pcuser

Has anyone used the Letv Le 2 LeEco X527?
Im seriously considering ordering it.

paddym1

Lenny17123, flashing the ROM was pretty straightforward - you have to request Xiaomi to unlock the bootloader first (takes a few days). You have to give them your reason for the request, but you'll find all the details on the Mi forum.
Then there is a specific Xiaomi flash tool which I downloaded. I'm not sure about flashing any non-Xiaomi ROM's, but I was able to download the previous Global ROM from the Mi forum and it flashed without any problem.

One big advantage - if you stick with the stock MIUI, the Mi5 has a feature in the settings that allows you to make a backup of the phone. Before flashing I backed everything up, then copied the backup file to my laptop. After flashing the down-graded ROM, I was able to restore all my data (contacts, text messages, e-mails, call logs) without a problem. However, it did not restore my apps or settings. It wasn't a big issue - just a bit tedious having to re-install them and then set up the phone again.

Lenny17123

paddym1 wrote:

Lenny17123, flashing the ROM was pretty straightforward - you have to request Xiaomi to unlock the bootloader first (takes a few days). You have to give them your reason for the request, but you'll find all the details on the Mi forum. Then there is a specific Xiaomi flash tool which I downloaded. I'm not sure about flashing any non-Xiaomi ROM's, but I was able to download the previous Global ROM from the Mi forum and it flashed without any problem.

paddym1 wrote:

One big advantage - if you stick with the stock MIUI, the Mi5 has a feature in the settings that allows you to make a backup of the phone. Before flashing I backed everything up, then copied the backup file to my laptop. After flashing the down-graded ROM, I was able to restore all my data (contacts, text messages, e-mails, call logs) without a problem. However, it did not restore my apps or settings. It wasn't a big issue - just a bit tedious having to re-install them and then set up the phone again.

That's great info thanks for that. Will hopefully be pulling the trigger on this phone in next two weeks. Looks a serious bit of kit. My Galaxy alpha is on its last legs at this stage 😂😀

jozi

The mi5 also has good custom Rom support. I've been using lineage os for a couple of weeks now, no issues what so ever

RossieMan

With EU warehouse, you shouldn't pay any customs or vat, that's the point. It was shipped from China, that's why you got stung. Get back onto the seller and get your refund for the vat.

paddym1

Lenny17123 wrote: »

That's great info thanks for that. Will hopefully be pulling the trigger on this phone in next two weeks. Looks a serious bit of kit. My Galaxy alpha is on its last legs at this stage 😂😀

If you haven't actually seen the phone, and you're based anywhere near Newbridge, I'd be happy to meet up so you can cast your eye over it. PM me if you're interested.

Iseedeadpixels

No luck selling the PPTV king, might advertise it as a 6 inch tablet....could work

Lenny17123

paddym1 wrote:

If you haven't actually seen the phone, and you're based anywhere near Newbridge, I'd be happy to meet up so you can cast your eye over it. PM me if you're interested.

Thanks for the offer but I'm based a bit further down the country unfortunately. Based on what reviews I've read and people's opinions I'm sure il be very happy with it one I pull the trigger on it. Hopefully an offer pops up for it in the next week or two ☺

Iseedeadpixels

Lenny17123 wrote: »

Thanks for the offer but I'm based a bit further down the country unfortunately. Based on what reviews I've read and people's opinions I'm sure il be very happy with it one I pull the trigger on it. Hopefully an offer pops up for it in the next week or two ☺

Honestly I don't think you can go wrong with Xiaomi, they are great phones.

DANNY2014

LeTV LeEco Le Max 2 X829 5.7 inch 4GB RAM 64GB ROM Snapdragon 820 Quad core 4G Smartphone... Has anybody got this phone??? What's it like for the price €200...

ED E

DANNY2014 wrote: »

LeTV LeEco Le Max 2 X829 5.7 inch 4GB RAM 64GB ROM Snapdragon 820 Quad core 4G Smartphone... Has anybody got this phone??? What's it like for the price €200...

X829 is the same as X822/820 but just US aimed stock. As far as users can tell no other differences.

See my previous post in thread for a review.