[Ares30]

I am not a expert at these types of things like data plans and stuff becase I have never owned an android smartphone. I would like to know if I could get a smartphone wthout having to pay for it every single month. I dont need a smartphone to talk, thats what my prepaid phone is for.

I know thisquestion sounds dumb because it feels dumb as I am writing this right now but could any of you kindly offer some guidance? Im tired of tablets I want something I can shove in my pocket.

[itguyjax8430]

I am not a expert at these types of things like data plans and stuff becase I have never owned an android smartphone. I would like to know if I could get a smartphone wthout having to pay for it every single month. I dont need a smartphone to talk, thats what my prepaid phone is for.

I know thisquestion sounds dumb because it feels dumb as I am writing this right now but could any of you kindly offer some guidance? Im tired of tablets I want something I can shove in my pocket.

Not a dumb question at all. Check out Amazon and look at the phones by the manufacture called BLU. They offer some cheap phones and they have some pretty decent hardware.

Amazon.com: BLU

[Ares30]

Thanksm I am definetyoly interested in BLU. I do have a few questions though

1. Do you have any experience with these kinds of phones? If so, could you explain your epxeriences to me

2. Do these kinds of phones come with 4g or do you have to pay for that?

3. Whats the catch? I find it hard to believe that you could buy a smartphone for 50 bucks! :o
I dont care that much about performance, I just dont want anything crashing every five mins like my tablet. If a game runs slow, Im not going to die

4. What is a sim card?

[Rukbat]

You can't use a phone, smartphone or feature phone (basically a dumb phone) without paying for service. No one gets free service. If you wan to be able to call other phone numbers, you have to pay monthly, the same as you've done in the past.

If you have a smart phone, the carrier will assume you're going to use the data features and most of them will charge you more per month than for a feature phone. If all you want is to be able to make and take phone calls and texts, don't get a smart phone - you're wasting money buying more phone than you need and you're wasting money paying for more plan than you need.

If you want to be able to run apps (programs) in your phone, you need a smart phone.

Most carriers have built out to 4G in almost all areas by now, and almost all current phones do 4G. You pay for data - whether you get 3G or 4G doesn't change the price - but data itself increases the price over a pure voice/text plan on a feature phone.

You can't buy a smart phone for 50 bucks. You'll pay less a month for the plan if you already have the phone. As an example, AT&T charges $25/month if you "buy" one of their phones "for 50 bucks" for a 2 year contract. That's $600 additional - that you're paying for the phone. If you get a top end phone, like an HTC M9 or an S6, you're going to pay $200 or $300 up front, in addition to that $600, not $50 up front, which you'll pay for a $150 or $200 phone (and still pay $600 additional over the course of the contract). Bringing your own phone gives you a line for $15/month, buying their phone gives you a line for $40/month. You figure it out.

[Ares30]

You can't use a phone, smartphone or feature phone (basically a dumb phone) without paying for service. No one gets free service. If you wan to be able to call other phone numbers, you have to pay monthly, the same as you've done in the past.

If you have a smart phone, the carrier will assume you're going to use the data features and most of them will charge you more per month than for a feature phone. If all you want is to be able to make and take phone calls and texts, don't get a smart phone - you're wasting money buying more phone than you need and you're wasting money paying for more plan than you need.

If you want to be able to run apps (programs) in your phone, you need a smart phone.

Most carriers have built out to 4G in almost all areas by now, and almost all current phones do 4G. You pay for data - whether you get 3G or 4G doesn't change the price - but data itself increases the price over a pure voice/text plan on a feature phone.

You can't buy a smart phone for 50 bucks. You'll pay less a month for the plan if you already have the phone. As an example, AT&T charges $25/month if you "buy" one of their phones "for 50 bucks" for a 2 year contract. That's $600 additional - that you're paying for the phone. If you get a top end phone, like an HTC M9 or an S6, you're going to pay $200 or $300 up front, in addition to that $600, not $50 up front, which you'll pay for a $150 or $200 phone (and still pay $600 additional over the course of the contract). Bringing your own phone gives you a line for $15/month, buying their phone gives you a line for $40/month. You figure it out.

I was kind of asking like what if you want all the apps and stuff but you DONT want to talk on it? Would that cost you anything besides the price of the phone itself? Would 4g or 3g also require a monthly plan? Whats the purpose of a sim card and would I even need one?

[itguyjax8430]

I was kind of asking like what if you want all the apps and stuff but you DONT want to talk on it? Would that cost you anything besides the price of the phone itself? Would 4g or 3g also require a monthly plan? Whats the purpose of a sim card and would I even need one?

If you are just going to use the phone as a gaming device or a MP3 and don't care about having a phone number assined to it then no you don't need service. I have a Virgin Mobile LG Tribute that I bought for $40 from Target for my son to use as a MP3 player and also play games. It does not have service on it at all. It just connects to WIFI while at home so he can stream music or needs to download a game. The link to the LG Tribute is below, Target sells it for $39.99 but Bestbuy has it for the same price. Its a nice phone for the money and you are not required to activate it.

Also you can install Google Hangouts Dialer and make WiFi calls. My son does it with his little buddies while he is at home or their house connected to WiFi

As far as the SIM card, that is a card that is put in the phone that connects you to the carrier of your choice. Think of it as a ID card that identifies your device on a wireless carriers network and gives you access to it.

If you get the phone it will try to go through a activation process but you can just wait till it fails. Once it does you can then log in to the phone and get it set up. I put the phone in airplane mode and then turn the wifi back on. This prevents the activation process from popping back up. The phone wifi can turn on while in airplane mode.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e?...token=x5rGyBOe

[Ares30]

Man, I want that LG Tribute! Just 3 last questions though

1. Does the 4g version of LG tribute require a a carrier (Like do you have to pay for the 4g)
2. How long does a phone like this last? Does it crash every five minutes like my $50 android tablet?
3. When it says "4gb internal memory," does that mean 4gb NAND like my android tablet?
4. Are these types of devices rootable?

Thanks for the suggestion, I am definitely going to get this phone in the future

[Crashdamage]

1. For any kind of phone service or internet connection - 3G, 4G, whatever - you gotta pay for it. Service providers don't give their product away.

But.. if you have WiFi access you can use that for internet and Google Voice with the Hangouts Dialer for WiFi calls as Andre Sierra said.

2. I usually keep using a phone for about 2 years. But I have a G1, the original Android phone from 2008 that still works.

3. 4GB internal memory refers to the total memory capacity. Much like say 500GB might be the capacity of the hard drive in a desktop computer.

4. Yes, usually. But don't try it until you are much more experienced and only if you have a real purpose for rooting. Unless, I suppose, you just want to experiment.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

[itguyjax8430]

Man, I want that LG Tribute! Just 3 last questions though

1. Does the 4g version of LG tribute require a a carrier (Like do you have to pay for the 4g)
2. How long does a phone like this last? Does it crash every five minutes like my $50 android tablet?
3. When it says "4gb internal memory," does that mean 4gb NAND like my android tablet?
4. Are these types of devices rootable?

Thanks for the suggestion, I am definitely going to get this phone in the future

1. It does not require to be activated if you do not want to. You can walk in the store grab it off the rack, if someone ask say you will activate yourself. You can take it home and connect it to your WiFi and you are good to go. Virgin mobile uses Sprint's network so if you ever wanted to activate it you could. I bought one of these for my brother to use and he pays $35 a month for 300 minutes, unlimited text, and unlimited data which is really 2.5GB of 4G LTE data and unlmited 3G data. Sprint is not the greatest carrier in the world when it comes to data but it works pretty good for my brother.

Prepaid Cell Phone Plans | Virgin Mobile USA

2. The battery life on the phone is really good, it goes all day if not longer with a 10 year old on it playing games and listening to music. It runs really well for being a $40 phone. No lag and can play just about every game out there just fine.

3. 4GB of internal memory is what it has, that is the only draw back to it. You have the ability to add a micro SD card and move apps to the micro SD card though. It can take up to a 64GB micro SD card of which you can get from anywhere for a decent price. I think I got a 32GB for my son's phone for $15

4. I do believe there is a root for the phone out there. I had no need to root it seeing how my son was using it.

[Ares30]

Thanks for the reply guys! I understand mostly everything now! However, I have one last, last, last question.

On my cheap android tablet, I mostly have game data taking up space on my sd card. Is there anyway I could like link or move these obb and data files to my micro sd card if I bough the tribute without rooting? If the answer is yes then I'm good to go and I can start begging my mom for this great device.

Also, I find it hard to believe that a 1gb ram quad core phone would only got 40 bucks when my android tablet costed like 50 bucks. Its 7 inch though so Im not sure. What do you guys have to say?

But heres another last last last last last question. If I ever bought the 4g lte version, the 4g option in the settings would be useless unless I pay right? And the wifi verision is like a minature tablet that can fit in your pocket?

Also, Since i cant get 4g are there any alternatives to 4g (sorry for my sentence structure)

[itguyjax8430]

Thanks for the reply guys! I understand mostly everything now! However, I have one last, last, last question.

On my cheap android tablet, I mostly have game data taking up space on my sd card. Is there anyway I could like link or move these obb and data files to my micro sd card if I bough the tribute without rooting? If the answer is yes then I'm good to go and I can start begging my mom for this great device.

But heres another last last last last last question. If I ever bought the 4g lte version, the 4g option in the settings would be useless unless I pay right? And the wifi verision is like a minature tablet that can fit in your pocket?

Also, Since i cant get 4g are there any alternatives to 4g (sorry for my sentence structure)

4G is LTE with Sprint, they are one in the same. The phone has Sprint's Spark 4G/LTE which is just a pretty name for enhanced LTE. The phone has all the capabilities of doing LTE but those won't work until you activate it with Virgin Mobile.

As far as game data on your tablet to the tribute, I wouldn't waste my time with it. I would just start over, you will run in to all kinds of issues with trying to get it to work with the Tribute.

[Ares30]

For the game data, I was asking if I could link my gamedata to my micro sd card without rooting when i get the tribute, since it doesnt have alot of space.

[itguyjax8430]

For the game data, I was asking if I could link my gamedata to my micro sd card without rooting when i get the tribute, since it doesnt have alot of space.

Ah ok, sorry misread it. Yeah you can move you game data over to your micro SD card with out any issue. That is how I have my son's phone set up.

[Ares30]

Could you please explain to me how you did this? Hopefully if I get the tribute for my birthday, I can use that method so I dont run out of space.

Also, Whats the catch? This great quad core smartphone 1GB RAM only cost 40 bucks? Theres gotta be some sort of catch, am I right?

Also could I use wifi like if Im on the bus or something or at school? Probably not, im just curious.

[itguyjax8430]

Could you please explain to me how you did this? Hopefully if I get the tribute for my birthday, I can use that method so I dont run out of space.

Also, Whats the catch? This great quad core smartphone 1GB RAM only cost 40 bucks? Theres gotta be some sort of catch, am I right?

Also could I use wifi like if Im on the bus or something or at school? Probably not, im just curious.

You just go in to the application manager, go to the app you have installed and hit Move to SD Card and that's it.

No catch at all I promise. I bought two of them from Target, I went in and asked the salesperson to unlock the rack where the phones were. They handed me both of them and asked if I needed help activating it, I said no, and paid.

You can use any WiFi you want as long as you know the password to that WiFi.

[Ares30]

Wait when you press move to sd card the app moves to your micro sd card that you have installed???

[itguyjax8430]

Wait when you press move to sd card the app moves to your micro sd card that you have installed???

Correct.

[Wayne Sanders]

Maybe if you don't use it for a phone, your experience may differ, but i will never get another LG phone. Only 4 gigs of memory, it goes really fast and once out of memory it seem you can never get it back, no matter how much stuff you delete. My mom and wife had a LG, and were very disappointed in it.

[Ares30]

Maybe if you don't use it for a phone, your experience may differ, but i will never get another LG phone. Only 4 gigs of memory, it goes really fast and once out of memory it seem you can never get it back, no matter how much stuff you delete. My mom and wife had a LG, and were very disappointed in it.

What a downer
However, I am still going to take my chances because I believe my mom would rather spend 40 bucks than over 100 dollars. Maybe when I get older and get a job, I can buy better smartphones

[Ares30]

Correct.

The apps move to my micro sd card??! Why cant my android tablet do that?? :O

Also Last last last last last last last question for real this time, I promise. I have a prepaid phone which has a sim card. What would happen if I took this simcard and installed it into the tribute?

[Wayne Sanders]

The apps move to my micro sd card??! Why cant my android tablet do that?? :O

Also Last last last last last last last question for real this time, I promise. I have a prepaid phone which has a sim card. What would happen if I took this simcard and installed it into the tribute?

I don't think it runs the apps from the sd card, i think it stores datafrom the app on the card.

[anon8380037]

Now look here! You said that was your last question!

(joking)

This is a thread and you can ask as many questions as you like, which will benefit other members.

Now a little bad news:

Apps won't pop over to the sd card and vacate the entire space in device storage.
4gb will have a certain amount of space allocated for apps and it won't be much. This is a basic use phone, and if you are in to games you will become disappointed and frustrated very quickly, in my opinion.

@Rukbat here can explain better. I will try to add a link.

You may be able to get a Moto G 1st generation pre-owned or refurbished (8gb 3g,16gb 3g and 4g/LTE with an sd card slot) and it's night and day. Don't get a 1st gen Moto E.

Lots on the market, lots to think about, but if you can wait to spend a little extra it would pay dividends.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/sho...d.php?t=315804

[itguyjax8430]

Now look here! You said that was your last question!


This is a thread and you can ask as many questions as you like, which will benefit other members.

Now a little bad news:

Apps won't pop over to the sd card and vacate the entire space in device storage.
4gb will have a certain amount of space allocated for apps and it won't be much. This is a basic use phone, and if you are in to games you will become disappointed and frustrated very quickly, in my opinion.

@Rukbat here can explain better. I will try to add a link.

You may be able to get a Moto G 1st generation pre-owned or refurbished (8gb 3g,16gb 3g and 4g/LTE with an sd card slot) and it's night and day. Don't get a 1st gen Moto E.

Lots on the market, lots to think about, but if you can wait to spend a little extra it would pay dividends.

link to follow -

I don't think the phone is thst basic I have the phone and I have played Swinging Stupendo on it with my son. (I may have installed it on my phone after playing it. Don't judge me! ) The phone did not stutter one bit and its a pretty face paced game. My son plays Clash of Clans and Heros Charge on it and both games have 0 lag. The Tribute has the same exact same processor and gpu as the Moto G. For the money it's a really good phone for that price point. Definitely cheaper that the Moto G

http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/com...hp?p=4325,4534

Current devices - T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4, Surface Pro 3 Core I5, and Nexus 9

Past Devices - Phones: Nexus 6, Nexus 5, Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy S2, HTC Incredible, HTC EVO 4G, HTC EVO, HTC Hero, Motorola Photon.

Tablets: Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 7 (2012), Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Windows 8.1, Dell Venue 8, Galaxy Tab Pro, Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition, Galaxy Note 10.1, Galaxy Note 8, Kindle Fire HD 8.4, Kindle Fire HD 7, Kindle Fire, iPad 2, iPad 1, Nook HD, Nook.

[anon8380037]

That $39 on Amazon at the mo is a great price. I would just worry about the app space available with 4gb for a gaming youth, or dad! - and the sd card has been shown to not provide an answer, only a very temporary solution to free a little device space.

I tried to find one of @rukbat's dissertations on app device linkages to part storage on sd cards. All depends on how extensively or badly an app has been written, apparently. You probably know more than I.
It's logical, and there have been a lot of sob stories on this forum about 4gb, even 8gb devices actual app space.

That said the Tribute does seem awesome value considering the rest of the spec. The Moto G with LTE is the only 2013 version with an sd slot, I have one. Though while it was better than my Samsung GS2 I traded in, I have a Note 3 as my daily, use the Moto G very little and dislike the screen and vanilla experience. It's boxed to change after 6 months.It does have a higher resolution, but at 4.5" it probably isn't noticeable.

I'm actually in London finishing late, but maybe there is little else in that price range. I just wanted to point out the downside.

[itguyjax8430]

That $39 on Amazon at the mo is a great price. I would just worry about the app space available with 4gb for a gaming youth, or dad! - and the sd card has been shown to not provide an answer, only a very temporary solution to free a little device space.

I tried to find one of @rukbat's dissertations on app device linkages to part storage on sd cards. All depends on how extensively or badly an app has been written, apparently. You probably know more than I.
It's logical, and there have been a lot of sob stories on this forum about 4gb, even 8gb devices actual app space.

That said the Tribute does seem awesome value considering the rest of the spec. The Moto G with LTE is the only 2013 version with an sd slot, I have one. Though while it was better than my Samsung GS2 I traded in, I have a Note 3 as my daily, use the Moto G very little and dislike the screen and vanilla experience. It's boxed to change after 6 months.It does have a higher resolution, but at 4.5" it probably isn't noticeable.

I'm actually in London finishing late, but maybe there is little else in that price range. I just wanted to point out the downside.

I am completely with you on the 4GB not being a lot of space. I have trained my son to delete games before he downloads more. He has gotten pretty good at it now so he doesn't bother me very much other than trying to talk me in to buying him more crystals for one of his games. (in app purchases are ridiculous) I do find my self glancing at the phone sometimes and thinking "Man I only paid $40 for that thing, that was a sweet deal"