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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: New phone for US and China?
I want to buy a phone that is smart, but not smarter than me! Iphones scare me and I'm hoping to buy a phone that can work on a simcard plan in both the US and China, I don't need anything too smart just something that will make calls, text, and be an alarm clock. Internet and a Chinese dictionary would be a plus but not necessary. Should I buy this in China or the States and what brand would you recommend that is on the cheaper side?
The cheapest phone you could get that can translate would be android phone and would recommend the brand Xiaomi cheap and does everything you need to do.
Whatever phone you buy will need to be carrier free (jail broken) so that it can work with US & China carriers. This may seem like a difficult thing, but almost any phone store in China will be able to jail break your phone for a very cheap price.
As far as the phone goes, I would recommend just about any HTC Android phone. And I would recommend that you buy it in the US because phones in China tend to be more expensive for non-Chinese phones.
"This may seem like a difficult thing" - You mean SIM-lock? I bought some phones in China and none of them was with the SIM-lock (locked to the one carrier - service provider).
When buying new phone with "no sim card" - You should buy the one with no "lock", That usually "goes in the package".
When buying a phone not only "lock" is the case, because as far as I know in US there is different then in China (and Europe) GSM standard (PCS). Please look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_frequency_bands
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I have experience with chinese Nokia, and some 2xSIMcards fakes
All of them works well, with no sim-lock, in any european network.
I will just indicate that in USA, once you get a SIM card from a local phone there, the company will "lock" your phone when you satrt using it, and when you return to China your local SIM card will not work here unless it is unlocked.
Verizon did that to me, even if it was my phone (not theirs) and all I had was a prepaid SIM card. Then they refused to give me the code number to unlock it. So, I had to buy another, and now have one for here, and another for when in USA.
WhiteBear:
But what if You buy JUST a prepaid SIM? telling them, that later You will choose phone.
or... buy the card with "disposable" cheap phone
or... lock it with chinese card first, setting YOUR OWN code, so then when You put another card You will need to enter this (Your) code.
In this case any "smart" serviceman or seller will not be able to enter HIS code when he lays his hand on Yoyt thing :D
... unless He will "crack" Your phone's software, which I believe is not legal...
... I'm just thinking ;)
It is better to go to China Unicom office or outlet..lot of option..the best part is that they will repay your cost of phone up to 80% through talk time..
For example ; I purchased one Android phone of HTC of 1200 RMB from Unicom outlet ..two sim card slot.. I am getting 66 RMB as a talk time every month and they will give it for 12 months..also one GB data download free...
There are lot of offers like this..so please visit once..everything will be cleared..
LG Optimus One and Sony Xperia aren't expensive and work good. I'd buy in the US. I had iPhone 4 and LG 3D P925 which are some where in China still. The iPhone was easy to program, the LG was smarter than me, I couldn't figure it out.