Just what I've been waiting for :)

[jimbo45]

Hi there.

I've an even BETTER idea . !

I am using a SAMSUNG S4 phone with the Shared Screen Wifi Gizmo (all share cast dongle). Now using a blue tooth keyboard and the Dongle I can use a nice 48 inch TV screen as a monitor -- typing is easy and I have all the Touch apps enabled from the phone -- BRILLIANT piece of kit -- can also play movies etc either from internal phone's removable micro 64GB sd card or even from a remote computer.

Great when I'm in a hotel room, at a friends house or simply can't be bothered to connect a remote computer to the TV - much easier this way -- works absolutely fine too. Full 1080p HD output and no wires !!! you only need to connect the gizmo to an HDMI slot on the TV and then simply enable "Shared Screen" on the phone. Works - completely automatically. Now start your application on the phone -- enjoy on the big screen - with audio too. (Uses it's own Wi-Fi system so you don't even need to be using the Hotel Wi-Fi etc - but for Remote file / multimedia access you'll need Wi-Fi of course).

Amazon.com: Samsung WI-FI All-Share Cast Hub, Wireless HDMI Display Adapter (Black): Cell Phones & Accessories

Don't need a tablet now.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Brink]

Preorders begin for the $199 Nokia Lumia 1520 on AT&T; Phones arrive Nov. 22

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Thanks for the links, Shawn.

VZ is hilarious with prices! They want $500 USD for the 928 to buy outright. That's nuts! That's the only Nokia they offer today.

Snip below for the 1520 via AT&T prepay via MS online. Not bad for the price with the added cover and gift card. I have a nephew that works for AT&T out of Twin Cities. I'll see what he can do. I'll have to make my mind up fast, though.

@ jimbo45
Thanks for the info > Good idea. I don't think I'll ever use a phone that way, but I'll check into it.



View attachment 31344

 

[Brink]

I just went with the 2 year contract with AT&T to get the 1520 cheaper since I'll still be using them anyways.

Just don't go for that rip off "Next" plan of theirs. What a joke.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

I just went with the 2 year contract with AT&T to get the 1520 cheaper since I'll still be using them anyways.

Just don't go for that rip off "Next" plan of theirs. What a joke.

A little late in answering this, but as they say better late than never.

Good for you, Shawn! I bet you're excited.

What a "rip off Next plan" are you speaking of?

My nephew is looking into seeing what he can do. I'm hoping he can pull some strings for this "senior citizen". I'm thinking I'll hear from him tomorrow.

 

[Brink]

Hey Tony,

The AT&T Next program is what they hype to be able to upgrade your phone every 12 months instead of every 24 months with a 2 year contract. The problem is that you will pay much more for the phone using the Next program instead of with a 2 year contract.

Basically:

Next - Pay around $27 a month with no up front costs for up to 20 months the no more payments, or for only 12 months if you trade in phone and start over on monthly payments. (Plus monthly service plan costs)

Add that up compared to only $199 (phone) + $36 (activation fee) up front with 2 year contract. (Plus monthly service plan costs)


AT&T Next FAQs

About AT&T Next- AT&T Wireless Support

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
I'm not sure how mobile contracts work in the USA - but if you can source the phone SEPARATELY and just get a SIM ONLY contract it should be decently cheaper than getting a phone included with your contract. The "Catch" is of course that you have to pay up front for the phone. SIM only contracts are also good in the sense they are only for ONE MONTH and keep rolling over until you want to cancel.

I got a Samsung S4 for around 350 EUR and took a SIM Only 4G unlimited data plan for 15 EUR a month - can also cancel at any time.

A similar contract with the phone thrown in would give me LESS data, less talk time, would have to sign an 18 month deal and would cost around 65 EUR a month -- so CONSIDERABLE saving by taking the ist option -- and if you don't make a lot of calls a PAY as you GO SIM might be even cheaper -- all these modern phones can use Wi-Fi even WITHOUT a SIM in them at all BTW.

(Other phones are cheaper but the principle still applies- I wanted the S4 which is just a tad cheaper than the IPhone).

Mobile phone tariffs can be a bit like Airline tickets - you could have a plane of say 130 passengers where EVERY ONE has paid a different price for the same flight. !! It pays to shop around and do your sums. Often too these phones can be sourced separately too -- the newer phones will all handle the US frequencies for mobile communications if they come from Europe / China / Korea etc and even the Chinese ones can be set to English (once you've found out what English is in Chinese - I'm sure in the bigger cities in the USA there would be plenty of people who could find it for you from a Chinese menu).

Cheers
jimbo

 

[HippsieGypsie]

@ Shawn

Thanks again for the info. That surely is a rip off! I know you're doing what's best for yourself, but this old guy is done with "buy now > pay later plans". I thought the two year contracts were rip off. That's much worse! Cokie and I figured out a while back that it costs about $250 to $300 per year for them to subsidize the phone depending on the model. Not only that, but my nephew now tells me there's around a 500% to 600% mark up these carriers make on smart phones! That's gouging so far as I'm concerned.

I'm thinking Nokia/MS has an exclusive contract with AT&T selling the 1520. I remember when AT&T had the exclusive on the iPhone. The only place you can get it at one time. This is what gets my goat > Why can't we cut out the middleman, buy the phone from a manufacturer, get a SIM card from any carrier we choose, and be on our way? No! Not in America > The land of the free! It's becoming more like corporate slaveland all the time!

Rant over....

I spoke with my nephew last night. He can't get deals on phones anymore. He climbed the ladder to R&D. He said he got free phones all the time when he was in sales. Manufactures would give out phone to sales people, but they all cut that program. Everyone has tightened up in this economy.

I will pay the outrageous price of $550 and go prepay. This includes the AT&T SIM card. I will see if there's a SIM card from another carrier I can slip into it. Nothing says I have to go with AT&T prepay service at this moment. I will research.

@Jimbo

As you can see I'm looking for the workaround. There usually is one if one looks for it.

 

[Brink]

Yep, the 1520 is exclusive to AT&T.

I hear you. It seems like these corporations just want to nickle and dime us to death. They better realize that when we go broke, they go belly up.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

I'm sorry to say that they will nickle and dime us to death unless we change our shopping ways. It pays to buy outright and go prepay.

Here's the scoop with me. I got the answer today making calls.

I bought the 1520 intro special via MS online store which includes AT&T SIM card (like that's a big deal ), the $50 Windows Store gift card, free regular shipping (Ooo > another big deal > feel special now! ) and a white protective cover case. I online-chatted with them for a black case for my black phone, but it's a no go. All they offer is white???!!! Black phone > white case. Red phone > white case. White phone > white case. I wonder who came up with that?!! And get this > They show a yellow phone on the 1520 page, but it's not even offered in the spaecial! LOL and 1/2! Microsoft Store - Product Information

OK, so when I get the phone, head down to my local AT&T store (who I spoke with), buy a monthly prepay plan, and they connect it to their system including keeping my number. Walla! I will be happy. This is roughly 1/3 the cost of what I've been paying. This includes more minutes, text, and data. And all with a new phablet that I don't have to pay them for subsidizing.

In all fairness I called Vz to see if they could get the phab to work on their system with prepay, but that's a no go. The phone is made for the AT&T system. I'm not going to loose sleep over that one! Bye-bye Vz! You snooze > You loose.

Now the wait.....

 

[Brink]

I'm just wondering if my contacts from the Galaxy S2 Android phone will transfer over on the SD card on this Windows 8 phone, or I'll end up manually entering them again. :shock:

 

[HippsieGypsie]

If you have a Gmail account you can export them .csv to your 8/8.1 PC People/Contacts. They would be synced/shared with the phablet that way, correct?

 

[Brink]

I'll find out. Hopefully so.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

I haven't done it in a while, but I know one could export/download it from a Gmail account. I placed them in an Excel.csv file. We should be able to import them.

 

[jimbo45]

I'm just wondering if my contacts from the Galaxy S2 Android phone will transfer over on the SD card on this Windows 8 phone, or I'll end up manually entering them again. :shock:

Hi there
if you download KIES (Samsung application for its phones on Windows) you can run the Backup application which backs your entire phone up (internal memory / apps / email etc) -- not the external SD card if you've fitted one -- that you can backup via windows explorer. Then presumably you can restore the data from your external SD card to the windows phone (data only as the applications are .apk files for android).

I use a Samsung S4 and am always messing about with custom ROM's etc - so it's useful to be able to backup and restore phone apps and data.

The UK link works for the European versions GT 19505 / LTE (Snapdragon processor) -- you might need the US links for the US models.


Software Upgrade - THRU KIES | SUPPORT | SAMSUNG UK


Cheers
jimbo

 

[Brink]

If not, then I need to update them all anyways.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Thanks for that info, Jim.

Shawn, have you received any info on a shipping date? I'm thinking it will arrive during the week of the 25th? Hopefully before Thanksgiving day.

 

[LADYPINKtomato1]

Ok Guys and Gals.. I've just ordered my RED Nokia 1520 pkg.. like HGypsie ordered, NO Contract.. from the Microsoft Web Store.
I received the White back cover.. Free sims card, free shipping and $50 dollar shopping card.

When it arrives , I plan to take it to the ATT Store, get my plan set up, not sure exactly what I'll choose yet with the NO Contract. .... any suggestions will be welcomed.

I now have a contract , that expired way back with ATT( after the 2 year contract ended )..... this will goooooooo away for good.

OH dear.. I failed to ask when I could expect it to arrive.

 

[LADYPINKtomato1]

Did you see this link ?
Introducing Windows Phone Preview for Developers

 

[Brink]

Coming Soon: Emulators for Windows Phone 8 Update 3

Hmm, I sure would like to be able to run that in a VM in a Windows 8.1 desktop.