Black Friday 2014

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Given that we use a trac phone for travel about twice a year, this looks like it would be right up our alley. I'll have to see how to add minutes and with which carrier. We usually get a trac phone with 20 minutes just for airport pickups type of thing.

It's locked in to Virgin Mobile.

[tubemonkey]

Amazon has some of their Fires on sale again. No expiration indicated.

Tablets/ eReaders --> (retail/ lowest) --- current

Amazon Kindle Fire

• Fire HDX 7- 64GB -- ($279/ $219) --- $219 (AMZ)
• Fire HDX 7- 32GB -- ($239/ $199) --- $199 (AMZ)
• Fire HDX 7- 16GB -- ($199/ $129) --- $179 (AMZ)

• Fire HD 7- 16GB -- ($159/ $109) --- $134 (AMZ)
• Fire HD 7- 8GB -- ($139/ $89) --- $114 (AMZ)

• Fire HD 7 Kids -- ($189/ $159) --- $159 (AMZ)
• Fire HD 6 Kids -- ($149/ $119) --- $119 (AMZ)

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by booklover6

It's locked in to Virgin Mobile.

That's all I needed to know. That won't work for the one remote area we visit, but would work as the airport phone. Thank you!

[Fbone]

Staples is offering $25-$30 Staples gift cards with select Kindle models.

Fire HD 7 8GB is $114 plus $25 gift card
Fire HD 6 8GB is $99 plus $25 gift card
Kindle Basic is $79 plus $30 gift card
Kindle Paperwhite is $119 plus $25 gift card

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Cheap price; but the specs are way to low to recommend getting this phone.

...

In my opinion, the $10 will be better spent at Starbucks than on this phone.

How about an LG Realm (Boost Mobile) for $20 shipped?

- dual core 1.2 GHz
- 1 GB RAM
- 4.5" 480 x 800
- Kit Kat (4.4)
- removable battery
- µSD slot
- 5 MP camera

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jj2me

How about an LG Realm (Boost Mobile) for $20 shipped?

- dual core 1.2 GHz
- 1 GB RAM
- 4.5" 480 x 800
- Kit Kat (4.4)
- removable battery
- µSD slot
- 5 MP camera

Definitely a better phone. My biggest concern would be the low storage. 4GB means you only have 1.3GB of available storage. Keep in mind that not all apps will transfer to a mSD card. A secondary concern is the older dual-core CPU, but that shouldn't pose a problem.

What are your plans for this type of phone? Check this post out.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

What are your plans for this type of phone?

I have no plans for this phone. Just trying to contribute here on a small scale compared to what you do. And I already have too many decommissioned old cell phones (all but one having only 512 MB of RAM, ack!).

But my main problem with jumping on any of these holiday deals is that I'm reading The Snowball, and Warren Buffett seemed to never spend because he thought more of putting all available money to use compounding itself. I'll get over that soon, but for now I'm impressionable.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Check this post out.

I lost track of that post, thanks, will save it.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

My biggest concern would be the low storage. 4GB means you only have 1.3GB of available storage. Keep in mind that not all apps will transfer to a mSD card.

I have a secondary cell phone (Jellybean/4.1.2) in use with 4 GB storage and it's reporting, with a measly 75 apps installed:
- Total space: 1.95GB
- Apps (app data & media content): 1.23GB
- Misc.: 298MB
- Available: 441MB

So for some use cases, it might be possible to live with limited on-board storage if you're reasonably conscientious:
- limit your apps (if needed, you can always swap out [uninstall/re-install] seldom-used apps in a minute or so)
- clear cache fairly regularly (using an app cache cleaner app, or in Kit Kat just long-pressing on ""Cached data" which is in Settings -> Storage)

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jj2me

I have no plans for this phone. Just trying to contribute here on a small scale compared to what you do. And I already have too many decommissioned old cell phones (all but one having only 512 MB of RAM, ack!).

Thanks for the input. These two deals are matching the best deals that were available on BF.

But my main problem with jumping on any of these holiday deals is that I'm reading The Snowball, and Warren Buffett seemed to never spend because he thought more of putting all available money to use compounding itself. I'll get over that soon, but for now I'm impressionable.

...LOL

Originally Posted by jj2me

I have a secondary cell phone (Jellybean/4.1.2) in use with 4 GB storage and it's reporting, with a measly 75 apps installed:
- Total space: 1.95GB
- Apps (app data & media content): 1.23GB
- Misc.: 298MB
- Available: 441MB

So for some use cases, it might be possible to live with limited on-board storage if you're reasonably conscientious:
- limit your apps (if needed, you can always swap out [uninstall/re-install] seldom-used apps in a minute or so)
- clear cache fairly regularly (using an app cache cleaner app, or in Kit Kat just long-pressing on ""Cached data" which is in Settings -> Storage)

I wouldn't automatically rule out most phones (a few I would). We all have different needs and uses and something that wouldn't work for one person could easily work for another. I'm just expressing concern when too many red flags (512MB RAM, 4GB ROM, older CPU, older OS) pop up on one phone.

[gabby98]

Does anyone know of local US chain stores where you can get physical amazon and google play gift card in the $15 denomination instead of $25?

ty

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by gabby98

Does anyone know of local US chain stores where you can get physical amazon and google play gift card in the $15 denomination instead of $25?

ty

Didn't know they had them for $15. I always see $25 and $50 GC when I'm out shopping.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I'm just expressing concern when too many red flags (512MB RAM, 4GB ROM, older CPU, older OS) pop up on one phone.

I should have said I agree wholeheartedly about the $10 phone. Only a very few would find it worthwhile (MP3 playing and little else). I should have given that warning in the original post instead of assuming everyone is up on this stuff enough to recognize a crap phone by its specs.

But I get dazzled by these gadget prices. $10 for a smartphone! You'll pay more for an extra battery (or almost any single part). $20 for a reasonable, usable smartphone!

[gabby98]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Didn't know they had them for $15. I always see $25 and $50 GC when I'm out shopping.

Both their websites claim they are available but I haven't seen one...May have to go with the print myself option

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Staples is offering $25-$30 Staples gift cards with select Kindle models.

Fire HD 7 8GB is $114 plus $25 gift card
Fire HD 6 8GB is $99 plus $25 gift card
Kindle Basic is $79 plus $30 gift card
Kindle Paperwhite is $119 plus $25 gift card

Thanks ...that's a good deal if you frequently shop at Staples.

Fire HD 7 8GB is $114 plus $25 gift card = $89 --> matches BF low
Fire HD 6 8GB is $99 plus $25 gift card = $74 --> not as good as BF low of $59
Kindle Basic is $79 plus $30 gift card = $49 --> matches BF low
Kindle Paperwhite is $119 plus $25 gift card = $94 --> beats BF low of $99

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jj2me

I should have said I agree wholeheartedly about the $10 phone. Only a very few would find it worthwhile (MP3 playing and little else). I should have given that warning in the original post instead of assuming everyone is up on this stuff enough to recognize a crap phone by its specs.

But I get dazzled by these gadget prices. $10 for a smartphone! You'll pay more for an extra battery (or almost any single part). $20 for a reasonable, usable smartphone!

The best deal on a no-contract phone so far was the LG Volt from RadioShack for $30~$40 or from Kmart for $35. I jumped on that one and don't regret it one bit. It's an incredible phone for the price and proving to be an excellent audio/media player.