to buy or not to buy

[ChrisWP7]

I'm looking to buy a WP7.

Right now I'm leaning towards the focus.

my questions are;

When are the new WP7 coming out?

Should I wait?

Do I buy the focus and mess around with it so i get a better understanding of the phone/OS?

any info is appreciated.

Ty.

 

[ensie]

I have a Focus and LOVE it. It's awesome. I came from an iPhone 3G, and I don't miss it at all. Not sure when the new WP7 sets will be released, but if you want a solid phone with a nice OS, the Focus should make you happy. With the release of Mango later this year, the phone should have everything you could want.

 

[Winterfang]

If you can wait to fall, I will highly recommend that. No need to get stuck with a phone from 2010, even though the software will be up to date.

 

[pdawg17]

I'm in the same boat...I'm sick of my Touch Pro 2 and want an Arrive so badly that it's hard to wait 3-4 more months...an official announcement of some sort would help me wait though...

 

[tiny]

Don't play the waiting game on Sprint. It isn't worth it. Try to buy an Arrive out of contract and then when they finally do release the must have phone, sell your Arrive.

With AT&T, that is a different story. I think the focus is great, but there may be a new option come November that will be very tempting.

 

[m_kock]

If you check out eBay and look at completed listings for the HTC Arrive you'll see they're selling used "mint" condition Arrives for only $220 or so. Upgrading through Sprint's website costs $200 for the phone with a two year contract so why waste your upgrade to begin with. If you just spend the $220, you can have an arrive and save your upgrade for a phone that's released later, that would be the best plan imo.

You can check Amazon too, they have the phone for a new contract for $0.01 and an upgrade for $100.

 

[dtboos]

The new wave of phones will be out in 2-3 months (we aren't exactly sure on release other than Sept-Oct as most likely). So its not a long wait and you will have options with phones using more modern internal hardware with additions like gyroscopes & front facing cameras.

I'd say wait at this point, since Mango's release is so close now, unless you have a little extra spending cash and want to buy a used one now just to get used to & check out the platform until the next wave is released.

The Focus is a very good phone, and is fast as it is let alone how fast it will be with Mango. Its just if you are going to buy one, or more specifically, get one on a contract, I would personally wait a couple months and get one with a more recent generation processor, and more internal storage, that is of coarse, unless you want to toss in a few hundred dollars and mess around with wp7 in the meantime (like I did).

Its all about your budget

 

[selfcreation]

i was kind on in the same situation but ended up getting the FOCUS.

I got my focus stolen from my desk at work ( f*** douchebag ) , and instead of waiting i just went and got a early upgrade and my focus back.

Pros of waiting:

- Maybe 3D camera (gimmick)
- Maybe duel core ( gimmick , and i mean gimmick cause its useless right now )
- front facing ( i dont need it and never will . my GF doesn?t need to see me picking my nose , lol )
- Samsung SUPPER AMOLED 2!!! ( that should be nice if they evan get it on next gen WP7 )
- Gyro is cool , but just an other gimmick for 1% of the phone?s games/apps
- more ram?! lol
- better camera... 1080 instead of 720 . but seriously , w/e lol.

Pros of not waiting:

- start kicking *** on Wp7 ASAP!! hehe

 

[ChrisWP7]

Thanks for the all info guys.

imma start searching on Ebay or craigslist if I find any used Focus' in my price range I will definitely jump on it. Tired of my blackberry and just being on wpcentral and seeing all the cool games and features is just a big tease without the phone!

gotta have me a WP7!

 

[1jaxstate1]

Craigslist. 150 - 200 bucks.

Sent from my Samsung Focus using Board Express

 

[Rico]

I'd recommend eBay over Craigslist, as there's a little more seller accountability on eBay and you're new to WP7 so you may not know what to lookout for. Big thing for Focus, make sure you get a device with the 1.3 firmware, so you can get the Nodo update which most of us are enjoying now. There'll eventually be an update for 1.4 rev phones, but we don't know when. I definitely wouldn't use a contract upgrade at this point as it's a given that there'll be new devices out this fall.

 

[sm07]

I'm in the same boat - my Palm Pre's dying (after only six months :/)

I was looking at the Samsung Omnia 7 for its camera and it's relatively cheap price (brand new). It's gotten great reviews, but does it hold up to everyday use?

I know new phones are coming out but I'd rather not spend $700 on a brand new model, so I might end up getting the Omnia anyway. Are there any huge differences between the Omnia and the Focus?

 

[ChrisWP7]

thanks for the tip!

i did not know that about the firmware

 

[Windows Winner]

Ebay is selling new WP at such a discounted price that you certainly can consider buying one to learn the basics. Just make sure you look after it. Later you can sell it on Ebay as a second hand device and use the money to help pay for a new model when the hardware choices come out with Mango.

 

[ChrisWP7]

Just got my focus today! can't put it down

updated to the NoDo, now I need a good solid case for it!

any suggestions???

 

[tiny]

Just don't drop it!

But honestly if you think you are going to drop it a lot, I'm sure any cheap sleeve on ebay will do the trick.

 

[dtboos]

Just got my focus today! can't put it down

updated to the NoDo, now I need a good solid case for it!

any suggestions???

Search "argyle case samsung focus" on Amazon:

Amazon.com: argyle case samsung focus

Excellent cases. Fits nicely, very thin, makes the phone feel very solid, has good grip factor in hand on on surfaces.

Can find them VERY cheap. Under $1 lol.

Amazon.com: Smoke Argyle Candy Skin Case for Samsung Focus: Cell Phones & Accessories

 

[Exomondo]

For anyone else still wondering whether to wait or buy the thing it really comes down to now is whether you want a front-facing camera since that is the main thing missing in the current crop of devices.

The Mango update not only brings a myriad of new features but also an enormous speed boost even on last year's devices so unlike the phones of a certain fruit-based company you can update to the latest WP operating system and get a speed boost instead of a speed penalty.

 

[Ruined]

I'm looking to buy a WP7.

Right now I'm leaning towards the focus.

my questions are;

When are the new WP7 coming out?

Should I wait?

Do I buy the focus and mess around with it so i get a better understanding of the phone/OS?

any info is appreciated.

Ty.

I think the real question you ask yourself is do you want a front-facing camera and a gyroscope? Because these appear to be the differentiating factors with the new hardware. While some of them may have faster processors or higher res cameras too, the ones in the currently available phones are what 99% of the software is programmed for and is thus sufficient.

Where you will really see a big performance delta is with the Windows 8 phones in 2012 because ny then programmers will be aiming for an entirely new hardware spec.

 

[bear_lx]

the other thing to consider, is most of these new phones may not be released until early 2012. there will be a few more phones coming out this fall for the holidays, but nothing worth waiting for IMO. the early 2012 phones are the ones we will want. in addition with some of this new hardware, like gyroscopes and dual core porcessors, apps and games wont really utilize them until next year...
i agree with finding one on ebay or amazon preowned, and saving the upgrade. wish i would have done that, but i got a free hd7 so it was really hard to resist and i love the phone!!! although it only has a 1230 mah battery, it lasts me almost a whole day with moderate use...