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  • "unlocked" iPhone or other smart phone?

    Advice needed, please. I want a smart phone, but I don't want to use data in particular, I simply want the iPhone functionality and non-data apps. But if I simply buy one through normal channels, my provider requires an expensive data plan.

    What are these unlocked phones I see available? What does unlocked even mean? Is there any way I can simply move my SIM card into a new phone?

    I'm not looking to cheat anybody or get free service, I simply like the idea of minimum hassle. Thanks.

  • #2
    Unlocked means that you are not tied to any particular carrier once you buy the phone. If you want to change the carrier, all you have to do is swap the SIM card from one carrier to another. You can purchase an unlocked iPhone for $850 or something like that.

    Also jailbreaking iPhone means you get to modify the layout of the iPhone (I do not recommend this because it can slow down the iPhone and cause some loss of functionality).
    Last edited by Blademaster; 23 Mar 13,, 14:49.

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    • #3
      Unlocked..or rather "untethered" simply means removing the restrictions which comes with the iPhone, allowing it to be used with other carriers. It was big back when iPhone strictly used AT&T as a carrier but but since that restriction was removed, I really don't see a need for it.

      Jailbreaking an iPhone is not illegal but it will remove any warranty that comes with the phone. To make a long story short, (so even old people can understand ) people jailbreak their iPhone/ipad because it allows them to to get all the apps you see in the App Store (and others) for free. While there are a few advantages to jail breaking an iPhone (free apps being the biggest), unless you're a kid that plays on the phone 24/7, I really don't see much use for it.

      While jail breaking it not illegal, the act of using these bootlegged apps are.

      (iphone has a built in restrictions to prevent using bootleg apps but jail breaking remove that restriction. You can see why Apple really doesn't like people doing that)

      Chogy, a smart phone without data doesn't make sense.

      Maybe you should buy an itouch?
      Last edited by YellowFever; 23 Mar 13,, 16:38.

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      • #4
        If you have an iPhone, you can find instructions on how to unlock/untether/jailbreak iPhone on you tube....

        No reason to pay the amount of money a jail broken phone goes for these days.

        However, if you really need such a phone, just buy an older smartphone without a plan (ebay, second hand...etc) and try inserting the SIM card from your phone into it.

        It'll work with most carriers but not AT&T.
        Last edited by YellowFever; 23 Mar 13,, 17:01.

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        • #5
          Also, all smart phones require a data plan to function. This is something you cannot get around. I prefer an driod over iPhone. The Android 4.0 OS aka Ice Cream Sandwich is a wonderful platform. I use a Kyocera Hydro for the phone. Not a super high end phone like a new Galaxy, HTC or iphone but it works well and is water proof without needing an otterbox. Its also traditionally sized and is not a phablet like the newest phones that now are closer to tablet than phone sized.

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          • #6
            Not sure why people are saying a smart phone without a data plan doesn't make sense. You lose a lot of functionality, sure, but there is plenty you can do with a smart phone without needing a mobile internet connection. Games, camera, music, calculator, any number of random useful apps. Of course, an iPod touch can do a lot of that, too, but then you can't use it as...well, as a phone. Which, for some strange old people, is still the primary purpose of a phone, I think?
            I enjoy being wrong too much to change my mind.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by ArmchairGeneral View Post
              Not sure why people are saying a smart phone without a data plan doesn't make sense. You lose a lot of functionality, sure, but there is plenty you can do with a smart phone without needing a mobile internet connection. Games, camera, music, calculator, any number of random useful apps. Of course, an iPod touch can do a lot of that, too, but then you can't use it as...well, as a phone. Which, for some strange old people, is still the primary purpose of a phone, I think?
              Most of the most useful apps need internet connectivity to work right.

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              • #8
                I use my private and company phones as phones, alarms and calculators.

                one is iOS, the other is Android.

                My son OTOH uses them for games ;)

                Chogy,

                I believe there is option to disable data transfer of your current phone - Turn off cellular data (or data roaming) in settings...

                The beauty is you can still use Wi-Fi for data transfers if/when you need them.

                If changing the operator is not an option for you, buying "unlocked" iPhone is surely an option. However, you have to weight if you will save at the end, assuming you would get the phone for free or at very discounted rate from the operator in the first place.

                Also check if buying such phone is legal.
                No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

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                • #9
                  Locked iPhone in the US. Bought from a service provider and locked to their contract, but phone is less than retail, difference in cost made up in pricing of contract.

                  Non locked bought from manufacturer, greater cost but can be used with any provider. (Qualification: I see only certain providers there can carry certain phones WTF!).

                  All apps I'm aware of can be operated local to your phone and connected when necessary via your home wifi set up.

                  I'm not aware of the rules and regulations in the US as to which carrier carries which phone etc but they seem labyrinthine in the extreme, hence this whole debate.

                  Do not jailbreak an iPhone. There are no apps you can install on you jail broken iPhone that you can't get the same type at the App Store. The reason those other apps aren't there is because 1: their code is buggy 2: they are breaking some law or other. It also means you can't back up your data, settings and apps and you can't get the good apps. It means your limiting your phone to a few dodgy ones, made by pimply faced teenagers or their older equivalent who believe hey are sticking it to the man.

                  The galaxy SIII is currently a better model than any of the iPhone products and I suspect can hook up to more networks.
                  In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

                  Leibniz

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Parihaka View Post
                    Locked iPhone in the US. Bought from a service provider and locked to their contract, but phone is less than retail, difference in cost made up in pricing of contract.

                    Non locked bought from manufacturer, greater cost but can be used with any provider. (Qualification: I see only certain providers there can carry certain phones WTF!).
                    Exactly right.

                    The phones retail anywhere between $300-$600 without a data plan. If you want the latest whiz bang phone, it's always better to buy it with a data plan. Over the long run, you'll save money without the data plan but but a phone costing $199 with a data plan will cost you somewhere close to $500 without one when you pick it up.


                    All apps I'm aware of can be operated local to your phone and connected when necessary via your home wifi set up.

                    I'm not aware of the rules and regulations in the US as to which carrier carries which phone etc but they seem labyrinthine in the extreme, hence this whole debate.
                    An android will give you a whole bunch of more apps than a iphone. Think of the android phone as a computer operating on windows and think of iphone as a computer operating on IOS.

                    It's not so much as rules and regulations but a carrier have exclusive deals with the phone makers (so up to a few years ago, you could only get AT&T with the iphone) but that's relax alot recently so carriers on a phone matter much less these days.

                    I could be wrong but the new Windows phones have a deal with AT&T so if you want one of those, you'll have to go with AT&T. Not sure so don't quote me on that. :)

                    Do not jailbreak an iPhone. There are no apps you can install on you jail broken iPhone that you can't get the same type at the App Store. The reason those other apps aren't there is because 1: their code is buggy 2: they are breaking some law or other. It also means you can't back up your data, settings and apps and you can't get the good apps. It means your limiting your phone to a few dodgy ones, made by pimply faced teenagers or their older equivalent who believe hey are sticking it to the man.
                    Well, no.

                    Once you jail break your iphone, you will be able to access a bootlegged copy of probably 90% of the apps in the app store, plus literally thousands and thousand of "unsanctioned" apps that are mostly (as Pari pointed out) made by pimply teenagers or older equivalents. Like i said before, it allow you to run bootleg apps on your iPhone (which you won't be able to do if not jailbroken). It also has a shitload of not in the app store "adult" apps (I'm mentioning this because chogy sounds like a dirty old man )

                    What kids mostly use a jail broken iphone for......a cooler looking interface. :)



                    The galaxy SIII is currently a better model than any of the iPhone products and I suspect can hook up to more networks.
                    Personal taste but for me the iPhone was much..MUCH better. I use the galaxy SIII right now but if it wasn't for the need for the bigger screen, I'd go back to the iPhone in a heartbeat.

                    Much smoother response all around.

                    For chogy, he'll probably use it to keep notes, maybe look some stuff up (if in the vicinity of a wifi) and such, i'll go with the ihone.

                    If he wants to watch youtube videos, or any flash supported videos, I'd tell him to go with an android.

                    iphone does not support flash (at least not without an after market app)
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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by ArmchairGeneral View Post
                      Not sure why people are saying a smart phone without a data plan doesn't make sense. You lose a lot of functionality, sure, but there is plenty you can do with a smart phone without needing a mobile internet connection. Games, camera, music, calculator, any number of random useful apps. Of course, an iPod touch can do a lot of that, too, but then you can't use it as...well, as a phone. Which, for some strange old people, is still the primary purpose of a phone, I think?
                      This is me, pretty much. I have an iPad supplied by work, so it'd be nice to be able to share certain apps and data, that sort of thing. Calenders and scheduling apps are particularly important. I just don't feel like paying for data because I know that I wouldn't use it much, and there is usually a minimum $ per month for data. Between 4 phones in my house, the monthly bill really adds up. And I am a cheap screw, so there! ;)

                      What I really want it for is a good phone that is simple to use, easy text messaging, etc. Jailbreaking not needed.

                      So unlocked doesn't mean jack to me since AT&T is already my provider. I simply need to find an inexpensive phone, I guess, move the SIM card, and not tell my provider. If I buy a new smart phone, I was told I'd have to have a data plan.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by YellowFever View Post
                        If he wants to watch youtube videos, or any flash supported videos, I'd tell him to go with an android.

                        iphone does not support flash (at least not without an after market app)
                        Youtube does work on iPhones, because it can use html5 instead of flash. But stuff that only works with flash, yeah, no support.
                        Last edited by ArmchairGeneral; 24 Mar 13,, 03:43.
                        I enjoy being wrong too much to change my mind.

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                        • #13
                          I personally recommend the Samsung Galaxy S series. Due to a weird set of circumstances I went through the Galaxy SI, II and III in just under 2 years. While they keep getting better (and the Samsung 4.1.2 Jelly Bean is a wonderful system to run), I've never felt that something was missing from the phones (aside from the fact that the SI lacked a flash for the camera).

                          With regards to a data plan, I realize it's something of a necessary evil. My first phone had no data plan, just Wi-Fi. I managed just fine, but there were times when I could have used it, and not having the data plan made things kinda annoying. Now that I have the data plan, I use it a lot more than I'd like (waaaay too much time on Facebook, for instance), but I can also use decent apps like Whatsapp to talk with people all over the world and GPS apps like Waze, which update the road conditions ahead as you drive, always recalculating to find you the shortest route available.

                          In the end, given the choice between an "unlocked" iPhone 5and a Samsung Galaxy SIII, I'd go Android, merely because you don't have to worry with jailbreaking, it's much easier to customize, and I find Android to be much more intuitive than IOS.
                          Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

                          Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

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                          • #14
                            Iphone has an built in app which allows you to go youtube and wath the vids.

                            Where you'd.have a problem is with embedded video.

                            In other words, I can't see the cool Celine videos on WAB.....

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Chogy View Post
                              This is me, pretty much. I have an iPad supplied by work, so it'd be nice to be able to share certain apps and data, that sort of thing.
                              And here's me thinking you'd want it for the compass and GPS while you were flying.... ;)
                              In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

                              Leibniz

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