Amazon Unlocks Fire Phone & Slashes Price

[Barbara1955]

I was going to get them direct from EA... he can download them But as I said no longer on sale [Sims3]

[tubemonkey]

Finally opened my phone. I posted first impressions in the Fire Phone thread.

[Indio777]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I'm watching an Amazon Lightning Deal right now selling for a price that's higher today than it was yesterday when it wasn't a lightning deal.

I've found that it often pays to take the time to check something like camelcamelcamel that shows the pricing history of an item when considering a lightning deal. These deals aren't always deals.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Indio777

I've found that it often pays to take the time to check something like camelcamelcamel that shows the pricing history of an item when considering a lightning deal. These deals aren't always deals.

Thanks - great site! I've checked it a few times, but keep forgetting to do it on a regular basis.

[zebradude]

Originally Posted by Breathinlady

When you get the SIM and activate you phone please let us know how it went. I have been on SmarttTalk for a year using a really cheap phone. Just got my Fire Phone and want to transfer it to ST. I have ordered the SIM for AT&T and shoud have it this coming Monday. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Any way I can help please let me know. I did get my NANO SIM kit an activated it. The only issue I found is a intermittent MMS reception issue. I hope that this clears up in the next couple of days!

[Indio777]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Thanks - great site! I've checked it a few times, but keep forgetting to do it on a regular basis.

I sometimes forget too!

Another nice feature: you can put a price watch on an item; once it drops below a price that you set, camlecamelcamel sends you an email. Has proven useful, although there have been a few times that the price had gone back up again by the time I received the email.

[Barbara1955]

ORDERED!!! The case will come in 3 days the phone Dec 29th! Prime for a yr unknown .... Since I have Prime until Dec 12th I figuring they will add it then. Anyone have a clue?

[jocampo]

I love my Paperwhite. And love Amazon online bookstore. But I think this phone is a waste of money. As a phone, tablet or whatever other use.

It would be different if it was truly unlocked. And with that I mean, access to Google market. But getting a phone just to browse Internet? No thanks. It's also too small for reading.

I rather spend 100 dollars in additional Amazon Prime subscription and save the extra 100 dollars. At least, that's my opinion.

I'm happy with my iPad Aid and iPad mini. But if I want something smaller or that size that is Android based, I would pick a Nexus tablet instead.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by Katie1

ORDERED!!! The case will come in 3 days the phone Dec 29th! Prime for a yr unknown .... Since I have Prime until Dec 12th I figuring they will add it then. Anyone have a clue?

They will add it as soon as they ship the phone, I think.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by jocampo

I love my Paperwhite. And love Amazon online bookstore. But I think this phone is a waste of money. As a phone, tablet or whatever other use.

It would be different if it was truly unlocked. And with that I mean, access to Google market. But getting a phone just to browse Internet? No thanks. It's also too small for reading.

"unlocked" means you can use it with any cell phone carrier on the GSM network, instead of just one. It has nothing to do with Google market.

Almost anything one could want can be had from the Amazon store, or side loaded from one of the other stores, such as 1mobile.com. It's really not a handicap.

My biggest issue is not the app store, it's the lack of home screen customization. I.E. no wall paper options. A minor and rather ridiculous gripe in the scheme of life.

I already have a Nexus 7.2, and very happy with it. And a Fire HD 6, which I love. The Fire Phone is going to replace my Windows phone, which I am completely sick of. It's forked Android, but at least it's Android! I don't plan to use it for reading (except in emergency cases). Hopefully my favorite games will work well on it.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by booklover6

"unlocked" means you can use it with any cell phone carrier on the GSM network, instead of just one. It has nothing to do with Google market.



Almost anything one could want can be had from the Amazon store, or side loaded from one of the other stores, such as 1mobile.com. It's really not a handicap.



My biggest issue is not the app store, it's the lack of home screen customization. I.E. no wall paper options. A minor and rather ridiculous gripe in the scheme of life.



I already have a Nexus 7.2, and very happy with it. And a Fire HD 6, which I love. The Fire Phone is going to replace my Windows phone, which I am completely sick of. It's forked Android, but at least it's Android! I don't plan to use it for reading (except in emergency cases). Hopefully my favorite games will work well on it.

I know what unlocked means, on this context.

What I was referring to is that being able use Google market.

If I'm going to use it as a smartphone, I don't see the advantage, but that's my opinion.

For 300 dollars (100 dollars more) you can get better Android phones out here, without that customized Os layers that Amazon phone has and actually faster.

And yes, Windows phones are another waste of money, at least at this moment. There are just a few useful apps. Their app market is too limited. They have good hardware but no apps. But I think that may change following years (I hope so) the new CEO is pushing hard on that aspect.

Ohh, and by the way... I do own Microsoft shares :-) so I really want Microsoft to get some traction on the smartphone world. It is already doing well on most areas, the stock is showing that.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by jocampo

If I'm going to use it as a smartphone, I don't see the advantage, but that's my opinion.

For 300 dollars (100 dollars more) you can get better Android phones out here, without that customized Os layers that Amazon phone has and actually faster.

For people like me, who don't pay for data, $100 for the Fire Phone is a good price for a piece of high quality hardware. No way would I pay $300 for a phone. I pay $25 a month for unlimited texting and some calls. $100 is more than I normally pay for a phone, but I decided that in this case, with it's specs, it's worth it. I'm not sure I could get a google android phone with these specs, for $100 (no contract required). Can you point to one? Yes I would rather have a nice clean Android with the Fire specs for $100 or less. (Love to have a Nexus HD 6 tablet for what I paid for the Fire HD 6, too!).

I'll put up with the forked android to get the hardware. (I don't care about the fancy 3D or other stuff. I am talking about processor and ram specs, and 32 gb storage).

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by booklover6

For people like me, who don't pay for data, $100 for the Fire Phone is a good price for a piece of high quality hardware. No way would I pay $300 for a phone. I pay $25 a month for unlimited texting and some calls. $100 is more than I normally pay for a phone, but I decided that in this case, with it's specs, it's worth it. I'm not sure I could get a google android phone with these specs, for $100 (no contract required). Can you point to one? Yes I would rather have a nice clean Android with the Fire specs for $100 or less. (Love to have a Nexus HD 6 tablet for what I paid for the Fire HD 6, too!).



I'll put up with the forked android to get the hardware. (I don't care about the fancy 3D or other stuff. I am talking about processor and ram specs, and 32 gb storage).

But how many people get a smartphone only for texting? To me, it makes no sense. And actually, you may get an old flip phone for texting and get better battery life. If all you do is texting, that's probably better and way less expensive. People get a smartphone and use it as smartphone, because the ability to browse Internet, Facebook, etc.

Yours is a valid point. But I'm not sure it will be the majority of the cases.

And yes, you can get several old Sony Experia phones for 150 or 180 without a contract.

My wife has a Nexus phone and I paid 300 something a year ago, no contract, Tmobile.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jocampo

But how many people get a smartphone only for texting? To me, it makes no sense. And actually, you may get an old flip phone for texting and get better battery life. If all you do is texting, that's probably better and way less expensive. People get a smartphone and use it as smartphone, because the ability to browse Internet, Facebook, etc.

A flip phone would have to have a qwerty keyboard to make texting really viable. I use a Samsung old-school flip phone and texting is a time consuming pain without a keyboard. So my texts are short and full of abbreviations.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by jocampo

But how many people get a smartphone only for texting? To me, it makes no sense. And actually, you may get an old flip phone for texting and get better battery life. If all you do is texting, that's probably better and way less expensive.

Have you ever tried texting on a flip phone, the kind where each number has three letters to choose from? I'd rather spend the night in a pit of poisonous snakes!

Originally Posted by jocampo

People get a smartphone and use it as smartphone, because the ability to browse Internet, Facebook, etc.

I can do all that, just on wifi. I am not paying for data. I don't feel the need to be checking email and facebook at the mall, the grocery store, etc.....as I see SO many people doing.

Originally Posted by jocampo

And yes, you can get several old Sony Experia phones for 150 or 180 without a contract.

That's a lot more than I paid for the Fire Phone, since it comes with a year of Prime.