Mobile phone, advice please

[Jurassicspark]

A long time ago, I know, but when I bought my first smart phone, a Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3

That phone was a gem! Lasted for years.

I worked out that I could actually buy a phone from Amazon, put the same money in a savings account to buy another in 2 years and have enough left over for £5 of allowances per month, all for the same or less money than the price of a contract then on sale at the likes of phones4u.

So that is what I did.

Buying second handed phones from a genuine known shop is also what I sometimes do. Much cheaper while having a good condition..

 

[securespark]

That phone was a gem! Lasted for years.

Indeed. Loved it!

I am prone to dropping my phones, so I bought mine a Ballistic case. It had a three part case, with a rubbery all over cover, followed by a plastic back, then a clip- on front which to be fair, I didn't often use.

I spend a fair time in hospital and I drop off at the drop of a hat too. Once I was waiting in a wheelchair chair in a waiting area, fell asleep, dropped my Mega, and it bounced across the waiting area and down some stairs!

Another time I was in a room when I broke my leg (not this time, but 10 years ago) and the phone was on an internal sill and the nurse knocked it out of the window (we were two floors up!), she apologised and went to retrieve it and it was fine!

Buying second handed phones from a genuine known shop is also what I sometimes do. Much cheaper while having a good condition..

The only issue you have to worry about with old versions of Android is security updates.

 

[securespark]

I'm currently using an Android One phone, a Nokia XR20. It also has a military spec build so I can throw it around without fear of busting it, which I do multiple times daily.

They have X number of Android updates and within each Android update there are security updates too. Mine started with Android 11 and now has Android 14, despite saying it would stop at Android 13.

But it appears that these phones are dying out now.

So it would be worth looking up this brands that have a goodly number of updates included.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Thanks again all. I'll look into the 'not suitable for UK' aspect. tbh we're not choosing the phone, our relative is and he's not young not old It's a Christmas present for him.

 

[JohnD]

Do you think it might mean the charger has a European plug?

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Do you think it might mean the charger has a European plug?

Maybe, see below from their website faq section. UK retailers flog it so, to some extent, it must be ok.

Why I received two chargers?

Your order box contained 2 different version chargers, one is UK version, the other one is EU version, which is our good will gesture for our valued customers. You could use it when you travelling to the other European countries.

 

[Jurassicspark]

The manufacturer providing chargers with the phone is good news. As I am aware, Apple and Samsung don't provide a charger or headphones to cut costs. Yet they still sell their phone for a grand!

 

[JohnD]

I've always had chargers with my Samsungs.

 

[Jurassicspark]

"Samsung smartphones come with a USB Type-C data cable, but they do not come with earphones or a charger plug in the box because we want to minimise the impact our products have on the environment. More and more Galaxy users are making sustainable choices in their daily lives to promote better recycling habits."

The important bit is the adapter.

 

[JohnD]

Ah, it looks like Samsung are meeting the EU standard that all portable devices have a standard charging connection, so the house no longer needs to be littered with numerous chargers and cables.

I just bought a Samsung laptoy, it came with a USB-C connector, and a slightly larger smart PSU rated at up to 65W. It has a USB-C output.

It also charges the phones at whatever they need.



The print is so tiny I can hardly read it.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Ah, it looks like Samsung are meeting the EU standard that all portable devices have a standard charging connection, so the house no longer needs to be littered with numerous chargers and cables.

I just bought a Samsung laptoy, it came with a USB-C connector, and a slightly larger smart PSU rated at up to 65W. It has a USB-C output.

It also charges the phones at whatever they need.

My new Acer has a USB C, which Acer claim it can be used to charge the laptop, along with a charger, with coaxial plug. Some reports suggest that it will not charge via the USB C - I have yet to try that. It is able to power a HDD, via the USB C, I tried that.

 

[JohnD]

"Today is the day. Welcome to THE charger!

USB-C is officially the common standard for charging electronic devices in the EU.

This means:

The same charger for all new phones, tablets and cameras

Harmonised fast-charging technology

Reduced e-waste

No more “Sorry, I don’t have the right cable”

One charger to rule them all."




Good thing too.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Except it doesn't always work in reality, not all phones work with all cables work with all chargers. Anyone who thinks otherwise is uneducated.

 

[denso13]

Except it doesn't always work in reality, not all phones work with all cables work with all chargers.

Not saying your wrong but I have never found that to be an issue. We tend to use the same charger for all of things we have, it just stays plugged in all the time.

 

[Jurassicspark]

Except it doesn't always work in reality, not all phones work with all cables work with all chargers.

My only experience in this was with an electric toothbrush which didn't charge with a USB type A to type C. It came with a type C to C cable which I misplaced. Upon investigating, it was the manufactures fault, they saved 10p by not adding 2 resistors on the cc pins. With that said, all my devices work with one charger. I know there are a lot of variants of type C cables but every laptop universal type C adapter will definitely work with a phone or whatever devices is being charged.