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I don't think the prices are at all unreasonable, for what the products are. They're state-of-the-art computers at this point and it's amazing to get that much functionality out of something so small.
That said, I'm perfectly happy to get a smartphone that's a few models old...minimally less function, from something less than half the price.
Is 600-800 for a top line smart phone really that expensive? Think about it for a bit and the roll back the clock a decade or two.
What would you spend on the following
A cell phone
A small computer with mobile Internet capability(handheld no less)
A high quality camera
A decent quality video recorder
A daytimer
This looks like a good place to step in.
Last week, I was investigating the smartphone issue, as it applies to me, again because I was attending a workshop where videoing the instructor's dance was possible. I found it was possible to do the task with a point and shoot camera for around $119-300. Didn't buy either but the latter is now under research as a useful device to have in the camera load out.
My standard camera is a Rebel DSLR with a telephoto lens. When bought, I guess each were $400 though the lens comes from the Rebel 35mm. I still go with my "rig" most of the time since it may take some doing on either a point & shoot or a smartphone to get the distant shots I often go for. https://www.flickr.com/photos/40415784@N03/9313835554/
Is it possible for a smartphone to do such? Probably though I wonder about the possibility of slinging that piece of plastic up with one hand, sight and shoot, and slinging down in a second....and I really don't see that piece of plastic as a high quality camera.
For me, a daytimer, aside from the company where I am now reusing their units from previous years such as 1993 for this year, is a notepad and a pen bought from the grocery store.
As far as the computer goes----first of all, I doubt that most people use it as a computer but rather a browser. Secondly, operational data such as maps of the day I memorize in my pretty little head. Third, I keep my head held high instead of down in a screen.
So, essentially, if people are brainwashed that they need this little piece of plastic to run their life, then they will probably pay what they are told for it. IMHO.
I have a moto-e that I got on promo for $20. Suits me just fine, does maps, browser, email just as well as my old galaxy. I don't need a lot of apps or games. Only real downside is no flash on the camera, but hasn't been a huge issue for me since everyone else who has a fancy phone can share the night pictures with me. If you just need basic smartphone the low end of the model lines has come very very far, my experience has been fine.
I always choose from the range of phone options that come free with the plan. I personally like the Motorolas because I think their gps receivers are better. My wife's samsung can never seem to capture gps signal as quickly as my droid.
My wife, though, has a Samsung galaxy note that she is obsessed with. I think it cost her $500 to purchase. When I suggested downgrading our phones, she cried. For the health of our marriage, I will have to continue paying for a smartphone plan. In her defense, she uses it for everything, from scheduling for work to navigating to reading kindle books to skyping with her family. So if I want to save that money I need to cut from somewhere else.
Last edited by redguard57; 08-12-2016 at 12:21 PM..
Last week, I was investigating the smartphone issue, as it applies to me, again because I was attending a workshop where videoing the instructor's dance was possible. I found it was possible to do the task with a point and shoot camera for around $119-300. Didn't buy either but the latter is now under research as a useful device to have in the camera load out.
My standard camera is a Rebel DSLR with a telephoto lens. When bought, I guess each were $400 though the lens comes from the Rebel 35mm. I still go with my "rig" most of the time since it may take some doing on either a point & shoot or a smartphone to get the distant shots I often go for. https://www.flickr.com/photos/40415784@N03/9313835554/
Is it possible for a smartphone to do such? Probably though I wonder about the possibility of slinging that piece of plastic up with one hand, sight and shoot, and slinging down in a second....and I really don't see that piece of plastic as a high quality camera.
For me, a daytimer, aside from the company where I am now reusing their units from previous years such as 1993 for this year, is a notepad and a pen bought from the grocery store.
As far as the computer goes----first of all, I doubt that most people use it as a computer but rather a browser. Secondly, operational data such as maps of the day I memorize in my pretty little head. Third, I keep my head held high instead of down in a screen.
So, essentially, if people are brainwashed that they need this little piece of plastic to run their life, then they will probably pay what they are told for it. IMHO.
You didn't really counter anything I said. I don't care if you don't need the things I listed as that certainly wasn't the point.
For the longest many people signed 2 yr contracts and usually got a high end smart phone for $200. I know the carrier just charged a bit more for the plan and the end result was still typically about $4-600 for the phone or about $5-600 if you bought it out right.
Now with contracts going away and peoples bills being a bit lower, I see smartphones with prices of typically $600-$800+, which is insane. The phones are only about $2-300 to build tops, so I can even understand $400 to maybe $500 for one, but when a Galaxy 7 Note is $850, a Galaxy 7 is $789, and $600 for just about anything else LG, HTC , etc, these phones arent even worth $300 1 year later.
I know the American way is to pay little by little for everything and ignore the outright cost and is probably the reason why even small to medium sized cars are pushing $30k, but do you think the prices of smartphones would go back down if the general public stopped doing installment payments and were buying these phones outright?
Educate yourselves! You have options! Look for an unlocked phone on the internet. I bought a Huawei 15 months ago off of Amazon. Incredible battery life, great processor, large screen, the camera kind of stinks but aside from that, no complaints. If you don't have to have a Samsung or Apple product yyou can have a perfectly nice smartphone inexpensively.
For the longest many people signed 2 yr contracts and usually got a high end smart phone for $200. I know the carrier just charged a bit more for the plan and the end result was still typically about $4-600 for the phone or about $5-600 if you bought it out right.
Now with contracts going away and peoples bills being a bit lower, I see smartphones with prices of typically $600-$800+, which is insane. The phones are only about $2-300 to build tops, so I can even understand $400 to maybe $500 for one, but when a Galaxy 7 Note is $850, a Galaxy 7 is $789, and $600 for just about anything else LG, HTC , etc, these phones arent even worth $300 1 year later.
I know the American way is to pay little by little for everything and ignore the outright cost and is probably the reason why even small to medium sized cars are pushing $30k, but do you think the prices of smartphones would go back down if the general public stopped doing installment payments and were buying these phones outright?
How much do you spend cutting your hair. If you spend more than zero dollars (you can cut your hair yourself) then you are insane.
There's no reason to buy the latest phone when midrange phones are just as good in most situations.
Take the Samsung Note 4 which I consider the best phablet phone today, it was released in 2014 but it is still better than all the other phones out because companies have started phasing out swappable batteries in order to force people to change phones. LG phones also still retain the battery swap feature.
You cannot swap the batteries on many new phones without damaging the metal or glass bodies and it's not worth it having it professionally done for $100 when you can trade in the phone and get new for about the same.
Which is why I say the last great Samsung phones are the Samsung S5 and Note 4.
Key features not available on newer models:
- User Swappable batteries, costs $15 for a new battery
- Micro-SD card, which Samsung brought back with S7 series.
- Infared Remote Port, really nice to be able to control all my home appliances
- easier to fix screens that aren't glued fused with the LCD panels.
Newer Samsung and iPhones have the screen and panel fused making them thinner but more expensive to fix. If you cracked the screen you have to get the screen & panel which is over $150.
My Note 4 cost me $350 refurb still looks great today and runs great. Resale values still high.
I like Samsung Galaxy phones, but I never buy the latest model. I had an S4 until a few months ago when I bought a new (customer return) Galaxy S6 with 64 gb ram for $280 on Ebay and sold my S4 for $100 on Craigslist. Since Samsung has started releasing new models every year the depreciation on older models has accelerated considerably.
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