Clone of Samsung Galaxy S3

[ameerat42]

Well, it's time to start thinking about a new mobile phone. Yes, even the dreaded "smart" phone.
So here are some findings and a couple of Qs from yesterday's bit of homework.

1. A Samsung Galaxy S3 uses the 3G network and costs about $500 outright
2. The SG S4 uses the 4G network and costs a slab more.
3. A clone of a SG S3 costs $160 outright. I think THIS IS THE ONE. (http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/639233993/Feiteng_S3_i9300_Phone_MTK6577_Dual.html)

Q1: What exactly is the difference between the 3G and 4G networks. I suspect my older Nokia 6300 does NOT use even the 3G network?
Q2: Does anyone have any experience of the clone I have mentioned - or any other similar one?
Q3. Optus has a $36/month plan that (from memory) allows unlimited calls and 4GB data/month. Is that OK?

Ta, Am.

[I @ M]

I'm too dumb to use a smart phone. :D

I only own a phone that makes calls but I was told that the el cheapo units from Kogan work quite well for smart novices.

http://www.kogan.com/au/buy/agora-50-dual-core-smartphone/

[ameerat42]

Same here, Andrew. In a crowd, you'd pick me out by being the one with a smart fone in my pocket rather than stuck in my face.
This one in your link looks different, though.
Am.

[Rattus79]

I will chime in here:

The difference between 3G and 4G is the data connection speed. 4G has a larger bandwidth available to it. I'm not sure the actual speed difference, but it is significant.

The 4G network coverage is currently quite lacklustre, and is only available in some metro areas. 4g phones will revert to a 3G network or HSPDA as available.

There is a version of the S3 Galaxy that has 4G connectivity too.

I recently looked at a couple of these clones for a mate of mine. He ended up with a Samsung Galaxy Ace II due to the smaller size.

From What I could gather about the galaxy 3 clones, they're not quite there. They have half the available ram to the s3 (512 meg vs 1 gig) and the processor is slower too.
I was also dubious about the screens on them too. The S3 is a 720p (1280 x 720) screen, where these are lower res, and will look chunky in comparison.

Also note, that the cover picture of the clone has it running samsung's touchwiz interface, but when you look further you will notice that it's actually a vanilla version of Android's Jellybean, and will not have S-Voice or the other "useful" bits and pieces that samsung thinks you will need (but never use)

If it were me, I'd get the s3 16 gig and get a 32 gig card to go in it. (what do you know, that's what's in my pocket)

[ameerat42]

BLAAARRRSSSTTT!!!
Lost my reply when AP hung!

Don't worry, I'm too legumed off to bother re-constructing it.
Essentially, ta for your info and I am still researching.

Did I say "BLAARRSSSTTT!"?
A(h well)m.

[JM Tran]

In Adelaide CBD alone, where I can get 4G/LTE speed - the difference between 3G and 4G for internet is phenomenal, to the point where I just turn off wifi and use 4G/LTE instead.

With the speed test app on the phone, I average at home about 1-2mbps on wifi, with 4G wherever is applicable, I get a download speed measurement of 35-39mbps, massive difference there.

Great for work and fun, everything uploads almost instantaneously from music to youtube clips to big HD clips on Vimeo.

The only downside is the big drain on the phones battery.

[Rattus79]

I get a download speed measurement of 35-39mbps

Holy Bejesus! ADSL2+ is supposed to be 24meg (count yourself lucky if you get 10-11!) I get about 8-10 at home.

Screw the NBN, 4g looks like the way to go, assuming all those radiowaves dont turn our heads into boiled eggs...

[arthurking83]

The biggest difference between 3G and 4G is:

If you haven't used a smart phone in 3G mode, then you surely won't get value for money in 4G mode!

If you haven't used a phone in 3G mode, then the update/upgrade to 3G mode may be of no consequence to you.
Like you said yerself Am ... you're not the phoneyfaced type .. so you probably won't use the data connection so much.

The only smart way I use my smart phone is for file keeping.
I don't skype/twit/facebook/etc my way through life .. but there are some things(files, links, notes, etc) that I can't do without.
Before I got a smart phone, I did it the hard way .. keeping all my files on a USB thumbdrive or whatever and then editing/fixing stuff by transferring them to a PC and so forth.

I can't stand the tablet/phone for stuff like browsing AP .. it's just so awkward for my 'style' on AP.
The last time I used my 7" tablet for browsing was for searching the price of timber, about 2-3 months back.

I like to use Evernote to make and edit notes for myself .. make em as quick and short on the phone/tablet .. of ideas or links to other stuff, but primarily edit them at home on the PC, once the basic info is inputted.

As for the speed/quality of the mobile network .. 3G is more than heaps for 'us' non interested types. If I ever need to download heaps, I prefer a synced systems(such as Evernote ... Skydrive .. etc) rather than a need to do things in realtime all the time. 3G if more than adequate, and the phones sync once a connection to wireless internet comes into listening range.

My SGSII connects at 5-7Mb/s on the 5G home network .. so you do the Mbit/s math on that.

Ask yerself what sort of usage do you think you will get out of the smart phone? Do you want it for browsing or maintaining your life .. or entertainment.
(the entertainment factor wore off after about a few days with me.. I'm not really into mindless games)


As for the clone type devices .. well you'll have to judge that one for yerself, but my brother got one about a year and a half back and it died about a year and a half back :p
Seriously I dunno what he did, but one day he had it (he made lots'a noises about it's features) but he somehow killed it and had a SGSII a few days later ... but not a peep as to what happened to the clone device :confused013
I vaguely remember that he couldn't charge it or something to that effect.

Now he's using a Galaxy Note clone device and having briefly used it, it kind'a works OK .. a lot smoother than I was expecting it too. The only thing missing with his new mobile is the stylus ... otherwise I'd get one myself too.

[ricktas]

I agree with JM, my S3 is the 4g one and the speed on 4g is VERY fast. 4G is (mostly) limited to within 4-5kms of capital city centres and most major airports. I can get 4g sitting in my loungeroom but not in my bedroom.

But it depends on what you use your phone for. 4g is really only data, so you will only notice it if you use the phone to browse the net, send pics to fb etc.

Clones. If you get a samsung then you have access to firmware upgrades and newer version of the Android OS. Most clones come with a version installed that is an old version to start with, and never give you upgrades. I saw one recently advertised..with Android 2.3.. current version is 4.2.2

[ameerat42]

...the difference between 3G and 4G for internet is phenomenal, to the point where I just turn off wifi and use 4G/LTE instead...

Ta JM. I guess you mean you don't use your home network and use the smart phone directly for the internet.


Holy Bejesus! ADSL2+ is supposed to be 24meg (count yourself lucky if you get 10-11!) I get about 8-10 at home.

Screw the NBN, 4g looks like the way to go, assuming all those radiowaves dont turn our heads into boiled eggs...

Ta Greg. Oops! Fair few of them around already!


[inter alia] The biggest difference between 3G and 4G is:
...
If you haven't used a smart phone in 3G mode, then you surely won't get value for money in 4G mode!
...
My SGSII connects at 5-7Mb/s on the 5G home network .. so you do the Mbit/s math on that.
...
Ask yerself what sort of usage do you think you will get out of the smart phone? Do you want it for browsing or maintaining your life .. or entertainment.
...
As for the clone type devices .. well you'll have to judge that one for yerself, but my brother...

Ta, AK. I will certainly check this out v. carefully, comparing s/w, features, etc.


I agree with JM, my S3 is the 4g one and the speed on 4g is VERY fast. 4G is (mostly) limited to within 4-5kms of capital city centres and most major airports. I can get 4g sitting in my loungeroom but not in my bedroom.

But it depends on what you use your phone for. 4g is really only data, so you will only notice it if you use the phone to browse the net, send pics to fb etc.

Clones. If you get a samsung then you have access to firmware upgrades and newer version of the Android OS. Most clones come with a version installed that is an old version to start with, and never give you upgrades. I saw one recently advertised..with Android 2.3.. current version is 4.2.2

Ta Rick. I guess some data when not at home. I was suspicious of that very fact about firmware upgrades. I will certainly be asking about that.

Am (grateful to all).

[MissionMan]

The difference between LTE and 3G is phenomenal. Here is an example of the speed i picked up at the airport. To put it into perspective, that translates into being able to download a song in a second or an entire movie in 2 minutes. You could go through 1GB of data (most allowances) in 3 minutes of downloading. Don't worry, you won't go through it that quickly unless you decide to download an entire film on your phone but I honestly couldn't go back to 3G after this.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A9YNp3oCMAAISSc.jpg

[ameerat42]

Ta MM. That's impressificating (extra syllable for emphasis). I don't think this clone I'm talking about is 4G, only 3G.
Am.

[ricktas]

mine using 4g

[macmich]

who started this
i was just reading the posts and checked out the kogan site and have a new phone on the way
cheers macca

[ricktas]

who started this
i was just reading the posts and checked out the kogan site and have a new phone on the way
cheers macca

Send the bill to Am for payment, it his his fault :D

[ameerat42]

Send the bill to Am for payment, it his his fault :D

Yes, true! And I will be forced to default!:(
Anybody know a good, cheap debtors' prison?
A(lack!)m.

[Rattus79]

For comparison:

3g speed coming from Telstra network with full 3g reception on a Galaxy S3 with a Custom ROM (Cyanogenmod 10) Jellybean 4.1.2

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/38457527/Screenshot_2013-05-10-09-36-52.png
Note, those speeds are Kilobits per second, not Megabits per second as opposed to the above.

[MissionMan]

For the non-tech people, the 3G comparison is about one tenth of the speed of the LTE examples shown.

[Rattus79]

I just noticed,

you actually use the Smart Stay function Rick? (based on the eye icon from your screenshot)

I found that it was constantly turning the screen off on me when I was looking at it. I also found that it seemed to use a chunk of battery power too.

[ricktas]

I just noticed,

you actually use the Smart Stay function Rick? (based on the eye icon from your screenshot)

I found that it was constantly turning the screen off on me when I was looking at it. I also found that it seemed to use a chunk of battery power too.

I turned it on recently to see how it goes, not really that impressed, but will give it a bit longer. Also use juice defender ultimate and that usually reports that it has extended my battery life at least 2x.

[Rattus79]

I used juice defender, but I got annoyed at having to reload pages every time I opened a webpage or facebook because it had disabled the net.

It certainly did save battery though.

I now use Llama to save batteries by turning on and off wifi and bluetooth depending upon my location. - a very useful bit of software if you do repetitive tasks. like streaming music through your bluetooth car setup. play/pause on connection.

I also use it to control ringtone volume depening upon location and time. quiet at night, silent at work, loud every other time/place

Free too!

[Clark]

removed. read the site rules. rules 3 - 7 in particular