I just got a new handphone not too long ago. Every two years you'll see a post on me buying a handphone, so do allow me to do a little tech review here. I've been eyeing the Samsung Galaxy S2 for quite some time before really sinking down the money to buy it. For a two year plan, you'll have to fork out 400-500 bucks to get a new one from telco. The good thing is that I waited 1 month between being ineligible to buy and actually buying it to 'think it through', so the price dropped from nearly 500 for a new year plan to $398. All the better for me, of course! I needed some time to think it through because I'm not sure if this is actually worth it. 400-500 can be the price of a tablet or even a laptop. But I figured that I really wanted a handphone that doubles up as a miniature computer so that it's portable.
Rule #1: Give yourself a waiting period before purchasing big items to cool off your impulsive desires. This will give you time to decide if you really want it or it's just a way to fill up some emotional gaps in your life.
With the price tag of around 400-500 for a handphone, it is as good as an iphone. I've mentioned in the cbox that iphone is used by commoners (go ahead and flame me!). Whenever someone whips out a smartphone on trains or buses, it's bound to be an iphone. So that really shows the popularity of apple products and their immense branding. However, I did some asking around and researching around and decided for myself that android is a better operating system for me. It helps also that most of the usable apps in android are free of charge too, even those that needs paying in the apple apps store (stark example: whatsapp $0.99 in apple store vs whatsapp FREE in android market). Nothing beats free right? The samsung phone is cheaper, faster, more spacious and has a bigger screen compared to iphone, but some people still wants an iphone, haha :)
Rule #2: The most popular choice might not be the best choice for you. If you want to follow others like lemmings down the cliff, go ahead.
The deal breaker for me is that I've earned enough money besides my normal income especially for the purpose of replacing my aging handphone. I was doing some trading on iphones earlier this year and earned around 1k for my effort. I've blogged about this in the past - if I want to buy an item for 1k, I'll earn extra 2k besides my usual income so as to 'grow' bigger than my problem and act as an incentive to save even more. It reinforces the 'growing bigger' and 'spending within your means by growing your means' concepts, which I think is another way to look at things for me.
Rule #3: Before you plonk down your cash to buy the latest gadgets for yourself, earn two dollars for every dollar that you're going to spend on that gadget. This will reinforce the concept that you have to grow bigger than your problem and also to live within your means, not by saving more, but by earning more.
I'll write some reviews for the apps that I've downloaded from the android apps store that works for me. Stay tuned for these apps review!
19 comments :
Great to hear about your new mobile phone, LP! Looks very beautiful and sleek. Then again I am a tech-idiot haha.
Incidentally, I also got myself a new handphone recently by renewing my 2-year contract with SingTel. It's a Nokia X3 I got for $0 with no upgrade of plan and also no data plan. Figured I didn't need internet on the go as it may distract me from my family during outings.
Cheers,
Musicwhiz
Now this is the most fearless and mer zia si post I've seen for a long time!
Calling Iphone users "commoners"! LOL! And I thought Apple fans consider themselves cool and so "in".
I do hope you have ghost armour or barkskin protection. You'll gonna need it!
P.S. I am a great admirer of Steve Jobs; but I've never owned an Appple device yet - I've always managed to find similar devices that are more powerful at lower prices. OK, design not as cool though. Who needs cool devices when I already cool?
Ha! Ha!
This reminded me of going to the just ended Comex Exhibiton for all the days, the EX was on.
i am looking for a notebook which is out of "fashion" nowadays.
i keep on thinking sub-conciously why i have never bought one since it has appeared in the market.
i finally decided i still not ready to buy one.
The reason has not changed since day one .
i simply still do not need one now.
i may need one in the future.
i always try not to buy thing, just for "show".
Well, once in a blue i did buy somethings just for show and appreciation.
They may be worthless to you or another person.
It's O. K.
Man does not live on bread alone.
congrats on the new phone. if you are interested, we host an on the go investment chat group using the app beluga. download beluga app from the market place and link up with myself if you are
cheers
Nooooooooooooo!!! iPhone FTW!!!
Hi LP,
Nice phone. I am looking at Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc.
Btw, as a telco investor, I thank you for ur contributions (tongue in cheek) ^^ Lol.
Hi LP
Enjoy your new phone!
Hi mw,
Haha, yeah, I knew about your new hp :) I wasn't very keen on data plan until I was convinced that it's very good. Once I signed up, I realised how much I've been shortchanged - it made my life so much more productive! Never looked back since :)
Maybe you should try. It never did distract me from my family moments. It's just courtesy not to use your hp while there's another person right in front of you, haha :)
Hi SMOL,
Haha, being a blogger must have strong opinions :) If I'm just like the rest, why would anyone wants to read the blog? :) I meant every word here - iphone users are commoners. Iphones are uniquely common!
Like you, I love the way apple creates new market, but the forerunner might not always be the best in terms of value...haha :)
Hi Temperament,
Indeed, if you don't need something you don't have to get it. But sometimes hor, if you don't have it, you don't know how much you need it, so how do you resolve this? haha!
Hi Drizzt,
Sure, I'll check it out, np :)
Hi beary,
Haha, iphone is good for trading :) If people wants it so much, sell it to them! Don't compete with them to buy it!
Hi DW,
Oh, I was looking at that too, besides this. I decided that galaxy S2 suits me more, so I got that instead :) Haha, my money channelled to telco channelled to your pocket as dividends :)
Hi PG,
Thanks! Once every 2 yrs event, haha!
hi LP if u managed to checked it out and have an account, email me with the email u use to register the account at kyith.place@gmail.com
Oh I love to quote you "iPhone are for commoners" Hahahhah.
I got the Galaxy S2 also, after my Galaxy Ace of 6 month's started to run out of memory & hangs often whenever I am on skype calls etc.
Traded in the Ace & E72 to partially finance the S2. I think it is well worth it.
Free & "free" Apps is definitely the plus point for me. No need to jailbreak or whatever else there is.
Have fun.
SnOOpy168
Whatsapp for Android is free for first year only. Subsequent usage is chargeable at USD1.99/year. So actually iPhone users have a better deal of one time fee of USD0.99. :)
Hi drizzt,
Sure, but most likely I won't use it, haha :) I think cbox is good enough, so thanks for the invite!
Hi Snoopy,
You too? wow! The good thing about this phone is that it has huge internal memory, rivaling that of iphone. With an external sd card in, it'll even beat iphone in terms of storage capacity. But so far, I'm just using my 2Gb sd card, haha :)
Hi Daniel,
Yes, you're right, thanks for letting me know! I didn't even know that it's free for the first yr, haha :) But seriously, I don't mind paying it on a per yr basis because it will save me lots of sms-es since a lot of my contacts actually use whatsapp. You just have to type 50 whatsapp messages to break even, haha!
Of course, iphone users will be even better :)
No fun one. I was hoping for a bloodbath...
LP, you must have an immunity pass or some attack deflecting runes.
And I thought Apple fanatics treat it as a religion... Not a single attack on you for heresy!?
Life indeed is not fair. All I got is my trusty maggi mee pot for protection...
Draw me an immunity token leh! (Now that the fat indian boy pic no power already!)
Hi SMOL,
Haha, I think you're right! The readers from my blog are very civil indeed. Perhaps the iphone people are not that crazy afterall - the world still has hope!
Wait for my sumo wrestler to protect you lah, but no time to finish it yet, haha!
heheh... as my WhatsApp trail was near expiry, a friend told me a few tricks and I managed to get extension of 10 years on my WhatsApp. Heheheh.
Bought a cheap 16Gb micro-sd card and plug in. Wow. I am still downloading stuff daily having so much fun.
Am in Europe now for a biz trip. Showed it to some friends at the pub last friday. And everyone (incl those at the next table peeped over) got a SHOCK with the S2, when I showed them "Air Attack" game. They never seen this kind of high end stuff and the graphics was stunning.
The fastest around is perhaps a used 3GS. Heheheh.
SnOOpy168
Hi snoopy,
You must teach me how to do that whatsapp trick!
Haha, I knew that galaxy s2 will be one of the fastest phones around. Good for us!
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