Author Topic: Looking for smartphone (Read 167800 times)

kalos · « **Reply #25 on:** September 27, 2016, 06:21 AM »

The EU XIAOMI forum releases a new version every Friday, it removes a lot of the unnecessary Chinese stuff, incorporates better multi-language support, etc, etc.

https://xiaomi.eu/co...hreads/6-9-22.34371/

You can see there that while the Redmi Note 3 is based on Android 5, the Redmi Note 3 PRO is Android 6. And it's reasonably simple to flash them once TWRP is installed and getting that on is pretty easy too.

It's safer to refer to the board name that way you know exactly what model you're talking about, eg. hennesy = Redmi Note 3, kenzo = Redmi Note 3 PRO, kate = Redmi Note 3 Special Edition, etc

For me, MIUI just plain sucks - it's why I flashed my RN2 with something else. Plus the amount of screwing around to remove all the tracking, so being able to remove MIUI comes pretty close to item number 1 on the list w.r.t. a XIAOMI phone, (ie. hardware is good, the OS sucks ).

Some links:
XIAOMI Official ROMs
EU XIAOMI Weekly ROMs - Usually based on the developer build from XIAOMI.
sMiUI ROM Kitchen - Roll your own MIUI based ROM, remove MIUI stuff, add some things, etc.
NeedROMs (XIAOMI) - See what's available.
XDA Forums
OzBargain - Geared towards finding the best deal

@kalos: You need to determine the specs you want, not someone else. eg. Processor, RAM, colour, 4G bands, etc, etc and then YOU go search the internet until you have what you consider enough information to make an informed decision.

eg. The Redmi Note 3 Special Edition has 4G Band 28 (700MHz) because it's made for Taiwan but B28 is also used in Australia. This extra coverage makes this version more expensive but it would be worth it for me, doesn't mean it's worth it to you.
-4wd (September 26, 2016, 07:07 PM)

So which version is for uk? Is there an overview of the versions? Anyway I don't believe all of them are available on ebay, I consider Lenovo K920 even though it has an overheating issue

4wd · « **Reply #26 on:** September 27, 2016, 08:40 AM »

I know you must have done that a while back, but out of curiosity, what did you replace it with?
-tomos (September 27, 2016, 05:25 AM)

Tried a few but settled on Less is More 6.4.
Marshmallow build done by a 3rd party is on the way, if I didn't want a working compass then I'd give the Alpha a try.

XIAOMI have said Android 6 was coming to the RN2 but who knows when that will be, the MIUI developers are slowly working through the models. If they didn't spend so much time trying to irreversibly intertwine their apps into the OS it would have been here sooner ... then again MTK aren't known for speedy releases of kernal source code which is why a phone with a Qualcomm CPU is better.
Still, an official release of Android 6 based MIUI would allow an alternative to be created that much easier since they can just grab the hardware drivers to incorporate rather than source from other similar specced phones where manufacturers have been a little more pro-active.

If you want to see what it takes to remove the "XIAOMI Ecosphere" from an RN2 and tweak battery life, etc, see here. I did it but didn't like the result, (a couple of annoyingly obvious bugs), so I switched ROM.

Think I'll save my pennies for the RN3 SE (kate), since I travel overseas it'd be pretty close to the perfect phone at a good price point, (if only it had NFC also).

kalos · « **Reply #27 on:** September 27, 2016, 01:07 PM »

I know you must have done that a while back, but out of curiosity, what did you replace it with?
-tomos (September 27, 2016, 05:25 AM)

Tried a few but settled on Less is More 6.4.
Marshmallow build done by a 3rd party is on the way, if I didn't want a working compass then I'd give the Alpha a try.

XIAOMI have said Android 6 was coming to the RN2 but who knows when that will be, the MIUI developers are slowly working through the models. If they didn't spend so much time trying to irreversibly intertwine their apps into the OS it would have been here sooner ... then again MTK aren't known for speedy releases of kernal source code which is why a phone with a Qualcomm CPU is better.
Still, an official release of Android 6 based MIUI would allow an alternative to be created that much easier since they can just grab the hardware drivers to incorporate rather than source from other similar specced phones where manufacturers have been a little more pro-active.

If you want to see what it takes to remove the "XIAOMI Ecosphere" from an RN2 and tweak battery life, etc, see here. I did it but didn't like the result, (a couple of annoyingly obvious bugs), so I switched ROM.

Think I'll save my pennies for the RN3 SE (kate), since I travel overseas it'd be pretty close to the perfect phone at a good price point, (if only it had NFC also).
-4wd (September 27, 2016, 08:40 AM)

can I buy the RN3SE from ebay? or a reputable place? on ebay I find 'china version' or 'singapore version' or whatever, I want it to be in english and work in the uk!

also, I read the screen is bad, any opinions?

tomos · « **Reply #28 on:** September 27, 2016, 01:33 PM »

[..]
Think I'll save my pennies for the RN3 SE (kate), since I travel overseas it'd be pretty close to the perfect phone at a good price point, (if only it had NFC also).
-4wd (September 27, 2016, 08:40 AM)

can I buy the RN3SE from ebay? or a reputable place?
-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:07 PM)

why not buy it from 4wd's link?

tomos · « **Reply #29 on:** September 27, 2016, 01:35 PM »

also, I read the screen is bad, any opinions?
-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:07 PM)

Link?
there's lots of video reviews, especially out of India, on youtube -- I havent heard anything particularly negative about the screen, but maybe it depends on what you're comparing it with?

kalos · « **Reply #30 on:** September 27, 2016, 01:40 PM »

also, I read the screen is bad, any opinions?
-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:07 PM)

Link?
there's lots of video reviews, especially out of India, on youtube -- I havent heard anything particularly negative about the screen, but maybe it depends on what you're comparing it with?
-tomos (September 27, 2016, 01:35 PM)

http://www.trustedre...-redmi-note-3-review

I don't trust alibaba to buy from there, I used in the past a similar chinese bullsht called ioffer or something and I lost my money! absolutely no protection or customer support!

by the way, what are the differences of the SE? is it really worth the hassle?

wraith808 · « **Reply #31 on:** September 27, 2016, 02:30 PM »

I don't trust alibaba to buy from there, I used in the past a similar chinese bullsht called ioffer or something and I lost my money! absolutely no protection or customer support!

-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:40 PM)

I haven't had any problems. Did you look at the seller reviews? And you can initiate a dispute- they have a process. And I used it in one case, and it worked.

kalos · « **Reply #32 on:** September 27, 2016, 02:52 PM »

I don't trust alibaba to buy from there, I used in the past a similar chinese bullsht called ioffer or something and I lost my money! absolutely no protection or customer support!

-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:40 PM)

I haven't had any problems. Did you look at the seller reviews? And you can initiate a dispute- they have a process. And I used it in one case, and it worked.
-wraith808 (September 27, 2016, 02:30 PM)

it's too risky
the item is in turkey, they have no idea if it works in uk

4wd · « **Reply #33 on:** September 27, 2016, 04:42 PM »

also, I read the screen is bad, any opinions?
-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:07 PM)

Link?
there's lots of video reviews, especially out of India, on youtube -- I havent heard anything particularly negative about the screen, but maybe it depends on what you're comparing it with?
-tomos (September 27, 2016, 01:35 PM)

http://www.trustedre...-redmi-note-3-review
-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:40 PM)

Different version, unless it's exactly the same then it's almost pointless - the RN2 has 3 different screen manufacturers for the one version.

It's his opinion, doesn't hold for anyone else, could just as easily be his eyesight.

I don't trust alibaba to buy from there,

Aliexpress is arguably better than eBay because of the AliPay system, all transactions are escrow - the seller doesn't get paid until you're satisfied. Dispute resolution is fast, I know, I've used it twice in the last two months.

I used in the past a similar chinese bullsht called ioffer

iOffer is nothing like Aliexpress or any of the other Chinese wholesale sites. iOffer is also an American based company, (like eBay), so now we've cleared up that little misunderstanding it looks like you have nothing against Chinese retail/wholesale sites at all ... but based on past experience with iOffer, you should be wary of eBay.

by the way, what are the differences of the SE? is it really worth the hassle?

Since you're not going to help yourself, I suggest you walk into a store and buy a phone.

kalos · « **Reply #34 on:** September 27, 2016, 04:51 PM »

by the way, what are the differences of the SE? is it really worth the hassle?

Since you're not going to help yourself, I suggest you walk into a store and buy a phone.
-4wd (September 27, 2016, 04:42 PM)

I have no clue! there is nothing in their official website and I can't locate a thread in the huge xda-developers or something!
Will you tell me what is the worth about exactly?
Also, there is no ebay option to buy it?

4wd · « **Reply #35 on:** September 27, 2016, 11:07 PM »

RN3 (older version) (hennesy): Specifications
RN3 (newer version) (kenzo): Specifications
RN3 International version (kate): Specifications
Sellers: Mentioned here + a lot of info.

A real review of the Redmi Note 3, albeit not this particular version it is, however, more indepth than anything you'll find on "TrustedReviews", read it and comprehend. Then go find out what the differences are and how they'll affect what you want to do.

XDA Forums

That's it from me, I don't recommend or not recommend this phone - it's your choice, do the research.

NOTE: Any link I've put to a seller is not indicative of my endorsement of that seller, it just happens to be a link with the necessary information. Find your own seller.

tomos · « **Reply #36 on:** September 28, 2016, 03:32 AM »

http://www.trustedre...-redmi-note-3-review
-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:40 PM)

you're being a bit silly now:
they say the screen is 'OK' -- *not* 'bad' as you quoted -- and while not clearly stated, they are obviously comparing with $400+ phones.

It seems to me you should get something less complicated --
their "12 Best Android Phones in 2016" have a couple of recommendations that wont break the bank:
http://www.trustedre...id-phones-1_round-up

edit// and with the above recommendation, I dont mean to be patronising: I am also considering something that will require less, eh, thinking ;-) (and as said above, I'm not in any rush with a purchase anyway)

tomos · « **Reply #37 on:** September 28, 2016, 01:16 PM »

can I buy the RN3SE from ebay? or a reputable place? on ebay I find 'china version' or 'singapore version' or whatever, I want it to be in english and work in the uk!
-kalos (September 27, 2016, 01:07 PM)

oddly enough, the best and safest-looking offer on ebay.de is from a UK supplier, presumably they also sell on UK ebay
http://www.ebay.de/i...6:g:88IAAOSw8KNW~O2O

Unfortunately it's gold

4wd · « **Reply #38 on:** September 28, 2016, 03:50 PM »

RN3SE (International) (Kate) isn't available on eBay atm, they have enough orders to fill via the Chinese retail sites. Currently it's also a Chinese national holiday which slows things down. Any that are on eBay are likely to be a Chinese supplier anyway and it's probably cheaper to go direct since there's no eBay overhead and you can still use PayPal or AliPay.

Geekbuying shipped from Spain warehouse:
2GB Gold
2GB Gray
3GB Gold <- In stock @ 20161005
3GB Gray

Not recommending Geekbuying one way or the other, (I have bought from them), just pointing out there is a place in the EU you can get them, (when they're in stock - a very popular phone at the moment).

Curt · « **Reply #39 on:** September 29, 2016, 03:56 PM »

I'm in awe for 4wd

You know, Jesus told his followers to walk WITH people, not FOR them...

4wd · « **Reply #40 on:** September 29, 2016, 08:24 PM »

If you want to find out when a deal comes up on this particular phone, check OzBargain - Australians want phones that have B28 because it doubles the data bandwidth on 4G.

Android tip:
For those with a 32GB microSD limit, try formatting a 64GB or 128GB on a Windows PC using GUIFormat and then see if your phone will read it.

My 32GB limited Redmi Note 2 is currently happy with 128GB and a 64GB also worked ... chance to double/quadruple your storage for nothing but the cost of a card, (which will always come in handy somewhere else if it doesn't work).

kalos · « **Reply #41 on:** October 02, 2016, 06:25 PM »

RN3SE (International) (Kate) isn't available on eBay atm, they have enough orders to fill via the Chinese retail sites. Currently it's also a Chinese national holiday which slows things down. Any that are on eBay are likely to be a Chinese supplier anyway and it's probably cheaper to go direct since there's no eBay overhead and you can still use PayPal or AliPay.

Geekbuying shipped from Spain warehouse:
2GB Gold <- In stock @ 20160930
2GB Gray
3GB Gold <- In stock @ 20160930
3GB Gray <- In stock @ 20161001

Not recommending Geekbuying one way or the other, (I have bought from them), just pointing out there is a place in the EU you can get them, (when they're in stock - a very popular phone at the moment).
-4wd (September 28, 2016, 03:50 PM)

thanks 4wd!

I am about to buy this;
3GB Gray <- In stock @ 20161001

is it the best option? I don't have time now to research in depth so I need your expertise!
also, after it arrives, what's next? do I flash it with another/better firmware or something?
advise please!
thanks!

4wd · « **Reply #42 on:** October 02, 2016, 07:40 PM »

is it the best option? I don't have time now to research in depth so I need your expertise!
also, after it arrives, what's next? do I flash it with another/better firmware or something?
advise please!
thanks!
-kalos (October 02, 2016, 06:25 PM)

You want me to tell you whether this is the best phone for your usage patterns and needs and whether or not you will love or hate MIUI?

That's it from me, I don't recommend or not recommend this phone - it's your choice, do the research.
-4wd (September 27, 2016, 11:07 PM)

Sorry but I'm ignoring this thread from now on.

kalos · « **Reply #43 on:** October 03, 2016, 04:40 PM »

oh don't be so harsh
I am not talking about personal preferences here, I am talking about objective advantages and disadvantages!

wraith808 · « **Reply #44 on:** October 03, 2016, 07:14 PM »

oh don't be so harsh
I am not talking about personal preferences here, I am talking about objective advantages and disadvantages!
-kalos (October 03, 2016, 04:40 PM)

It's not objective. That's the point... it's subjective. Do a bit of research and decide for yourself which best fits your personal needs.

4wd · « **Reply #45 on:** October 04, 2016, 12:38 AM »

oddly enough, the best and safest-looking offer on ebay.de is from a UK supplier, presumably they also sell on UK ebay
http://www.ebay.de/i...6:g:88IAAOSw8KNW~O2O
-tomos (September 28, 2016, 01:16 PM)

Just one more thing, that's not the same model - check the 4G bands, it only has 1/3 of the ones covered by the International (Kate) version - ergo, it will be limited 4G connection-wise if you travel overseas.

tomos · « **Reply #46 on:** October 04, 2016, 11:00 AM »

oh don't be so harsh
-kalos (October 03, 2016, 04:40 PM)

kalos, you consistently ask question after question here, giving the minimum amount of information; doing little or no research - apart from where, like in this thread, you get pressured into it. Now you've done a little research, and come back with this when you're told you now need to sort this out yourself.

I'm actually smiling now thinking of your nerve. Maybe you haven't noticed all this. Maybe you have, but this is just the way you 'work'. You'll get a certain amount of answers working like that, but not much respect. Maybe you dont need respect. And dont care. That's all fine.

But just thought I'd point it out (again?). In case you havent noticed.

Harsh! Lol, you've been treated with kid gloves here

kalos · « **Reply #47 on:** October 04, 2016, 03:45 PM »

You accuse me for not supplying information, but the truth is that I don't have any other information to supply apart from my first post in this thread. I just need a phone that will work in UK, I am not tech expert to have special requirements like to be able to connect to 4G+ network in Kuala Lumpur or whatever.

Also, you accuse me that I did no research, while the truth is I did but the information is scarcely available, not offficial and in various forums here and there. I did research, I did find the trustedreviews review, which is a mainstream reliable source.

And I don't ask for something exotic, just the differences of the models in few words, which if someone knows can mention in few seconds.
And to be honest, I don't find any big price differences between the models so I would go for the most feature rich anyway.

wraith808 · « **Reply #48 on:** October 04, 2016, 04:35 PM »

You accuse me for not supplying information, but the truth is that I don't have any other information to supply apart from my first post in this thread. I just need a phone that will work in UK, I am not tech expert to have special requirements like to be able to connect to 4G+ network in Kuala Lumpur or whatever.

Also, you accuse me that I did no research, while the truth is I did but the information is scarcely available, not offficial and in various forums here and there. I did research, I did find the trustedreviews review, which is a mainstream reliable source.

And I don't ask for something exotic, just the differences of the models in few words, which if someone knows can mention in few seconds.
And to be honest, I don't find any big price differences between the models so I would go for the most feature rich anyway.
-kalos (October 04, 2016, 03:45 PM)

Can we get away from the accuse? That's starting to get a bit aggressive, and I don't think that anyone is accusing- just stating the obvious from what's been going on, and trying to help to get things on a more even keel.

I think that if you had presented that, and presented where you had looked, and what you were confused about, it would have become apparent that you tried. And I think that's the main thing-to give a best effort at putting your mind to the problem, and making use of the information given.

And to counter a bit:

You want me to tell you whether this is the best phone for your usage patterns and needs and whether or not you will love or hate MIUI?

-4wd (October 02, 2016, 07:40 PM)

That's the part that rubbed people the wrong way. You've been given the information- more than enough information to make your own decision. No one here is going to make that for you. It's a risk. But a risk that we all take, based on the best information we can find. Give a man a fish, and all...

kalos · « **Reply #49 on:** October 04, 2016, 04:46 PM »

OK I figured out that the kate version is just more 4G compatible and I don't think I need that.