Buying phone online or full price from samsung? - Galaxy Note II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi with the note 2 coming out soon, I am wondering if it is better to buy it full price with warranty and everything or to pick one up off craigslist for maybe $100 cheaper?
Thanks

Well you always take a risk when buying "used"... Personally i bought an Int'l version from Amazon thru Worldwide Dist that assures me it is warrantied thru Samsung U.K..... I didn't mind that it lacks LTE, as i am on Straight Talk and my 3-5 Mbps is plenty fast enough for me.
What i would say that might influence your decision is this: Are you planning on rooting? If so, i wouldnt buy a phone without a warranty. And secondly, this phone is so vastly improved over the Note 1, that i think it is worth every penny of the full price to insure you get yourself a brand new, worry free, out of the box experience. You will love this device soooo much and be using it so often, you'll MORE than get every penny's worth. This is UNLIKE any device you have ever used, i promise you that!
$100.00 is not enough of a savings( (in my opinion) to take a chance with a device someone didn't want. Hope this helps : )

Related

So are you keeping your EVO or thinking about the new Droid?

Before I get blasted on this I am not trying to compare which phone is better etc only that I have some concerns with the build quality of the EVO and the 30fps issue..
I don't really have any of the issues others have reported but that doesn't mean I wont down the line and I am stuck with the phone for 2 years.
My 30 days is up July 4 or so and even though I love the EVO I think is safe to say there are some legitimate concerns on build quality reading the forums with screen lift issues and other things.
I'm just curious what other EVO users are thinking. I'm starting to question HTC and some of the things they do.
MrDSL said:
Before I get blasted on this I am not trying to compare which phone is better etc only that I have some concerns with the build quality of the EVO and the 30fps issue..
I don't really have any of the issues others have reported but that doesn't mean I wont down the line and I am stuck with the phone for 2 years.
My 30 days is up July 4 or so and even though I love the EVO I think is safe to say there are some legitimate concerns on build quality reading the forums with screen lift issues and other things.
I'm just curious what other EVO users are thinking. I'm starting to question HTC and some of the things they do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been calling Best Buy since Monday to replace mine, but they are sold out, my 30 days is up July 5 but the way i see it, i won't be able to replace it. I love my EVO, the only concern i have is with the screen thing.
you know you have a 1 year warranty on the device. and how warranty exchanges go on phones is if the sprint store (like one I work at) is an advanced exchange/service and repair store. we will exchange it out for you by ordering a device. if we have one to exchange we will. just all replacement devices after 30 days arent new from htc. they are rebuilt phones.
most people think rebuilt phones mean pre owned. how it works more and more often especially with new phones such as hero/pre/evo/ bb 8530 they are all new. They are built at a sprint warehouse with ALL completely brand new parts out of the bag. The only thing thats reused if anything at all is the radio antenna because thats the most expensive part.
I'm keeping my EVO because I'm a Sprint customer. I've had zero problems with it, and I have an upgrade due in October, so if something amazing comes out next year then I can get one on the cheap.
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Sent from my HTC EVO 4G using Tapatalk Pro.
and as for me, im keeping my evo,
1. i work for sprint
2. i got it for free
3. best phone ive ever used.
I'm keeping mine. I have a full coverage squaretrade warranty that I got for 2 years for $60. I'm not worried about any of these issues since I know they can be taken care of regardless, at any time.
Squaretrade warranties are killer - If they can't replace the phone at the time they pay you the full unsubsidized cost. I've used them plenty of times.. they even fixed my laundry washer I got covered w/ them!
EDIT: Also if you wanted to get squaretrade you have until a month from purchase. Since I am I preview customer I got 30% off. If you are new to them use code TWTYOFF and get 20% off.
rutter9 said:
I'm keeping mine. I have a full coverage squaretrade warranty that I got for 2 years for $60. I'm not worried about any of these issues since I know they can be taken care of regardless, at any time.
Squaretrade warranties are killer - If they can't replace the phone at the time they pay you the full unsubsidized cost. I've used them plenty of times.. they even fixed my laundry washer I got covered w/ them!
EDIT: Also if you wanted to get squaretrade you have until a month from purchase. Since I am I preview customer I got 30% off. If you are new to them use code TWTYOFF and get 20% off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought a warranty with Radioshack, it covers everything for 2 years and costs only 100$, only thing it doesn't cover is abuse or accidental, but thats why we buy insurance. No refurbs for me.
Squaretrade covers accidental. Store warranties are often bloated in cost.
samrozzi said:
you know you have a 1 year warranty on the device. and how warranty exchanges go on phones is if the sprint store (like one I work at) is an advanced exchange/service and repair store. we will exchange it out for you by ordering a device. if we have one to exchange we will. just all replacement devices after 30 days arent new from htc. they are rebuilt phones.
most people think rebuilt phones mean pre owned. how it works more and more often especially with new phones such as hero/pre/evo/ bb 8530 they are all new. They are built at a sprint warehouse with ALL completely brand new parts out of the bag. The only thing thats reused if anything at all is the radio antenna because thats the most expensive part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but do i need to but the sprint insurance for use that warranty?
I'll be keeping mine, I'm pretty sure. The new Droid X looks awesome but I'm sure the developer community will be able to solve all the software issues with the EVO (30fps and screen lag) and all it really requires is a firmware update from HTC if they decided to fix it first hand. I'm not having any major hardware issues and if I ever do, I have insurance with Sprint and I'll just get them to exchange it. By that time, there will be new batches that probably are much better quality.
Even with all the negative press and angry posts about this phone, I really still love it. It's the best phone I've ever used and honestly after using an iphone for quite a while, the iphone has got nothing on this thing. iPhone 4 seems good but the EVO and iPhone have trade-offs in the pros and cons. The EVO just suits me better.
I'm happy for Verizon customers though! The new Droids look awesome (the design looks way better too) and it really looks like VZ and Moto are going in with the Droid branding this time around, especially with the new Motoblur skin. I'll definitely be in a Verizon store playing with them at least.
TheBiles said:
I'm keeping my EVO because I'm a Sprint customer. I've had zero problems with it, and I have an upgrade due in October, so if something amazing comes out next year then I can get one on the cheap.
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Sent from my HTC EVO 4G using Tapatalk Pro.
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here here I bought this off contract, so in Oct i have an upgrade.....but I think I might just stick to buying phones without contract. MIght help out when on month to month after my girl gets an phone that needs the 10 dollars charge I might be able to get a discount off my bill due im paying for unlimited data three times
I'm on the fence. My contract with Verizon just ended, and I was gonna pick up an Evo today (BB, RS & Sprint stores around here have been sold out of them, but Sprint store is supposed to be getting a new shipment in today) but with all the issues I keep hearing about, it's really making me think twice. Obviously any new device is probably going to have issues but I don't know if it's worth jumping ship from VZW just yet.
The thing that's making me still seriously consider the Evo is all the awesome work being done by the developers on here ...
residentgiant said:
I'm on the fence. My contract with Verizon just ended, and I was gonna pick up an Evo today (BB, RS & Sprint stores around here have been sold out of them, but Sprint store is supposed to be getting a new shipment in today) but with all the issues I keep hearing about, it's really making me think twice. Obviously any new device is probably going to have issues but I don't know if it's worth jumping ship from VZW just yet.
The thing that's making me still seriously consider the Evo is all the awesome work being done by the developers on here ...
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Click to collapse
Sprint costs almost half as much as Verizon for my needs.
akarol said:
Sprint costs almost half as much as Verizon for my needs.
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Click to collapse
Which plan are you on? Do you have to pay extra for roaming? I'm in NYC. My roommate has Sprint and says his phone is contantly hopping on Verizon's network... He was on the $70 everything plan but ended up paying almost twice that because of all the roaming.
residentgiant said:
Which plan are you on? Do you have to pay extra for roaming? I'm in NYC. My roommate has Sprint and says his phone is contantly hopping on Verizon's network... He was on the $70 everything plan but ended up paying almost twice that because of all the roaming.
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Click to collapse
Roaming is free and you can also just use that Verizon Hack
at mikevillarroel
no. all phones you buy come with a 1 year warranty. that just doesnt cover accidental, physical, liquid, theft loss etc...
mainly manufacturers defects.
samrozzi said:
most people think rebuilt phones mean pre owned. how it works more and more often especially with new phones such as hero/pre/evo/ bb 8530 they are all new. They are built at a sprint warehouse with ALL completely brand new parts out of the bag. The only thing thats reused if anything at all is the radio antenna because thats the most expensive part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. Oftentimes, from my experience, a phone isn't "refurbished" because it's been defective or damaged in the past, but rather because someone changed their minds after it was activated, before leaving the store. I'm not sure how it works at Sprint Corp stores, but at Radioshack, if the phone's been on someone's account at all, even without being programmed, we have to send it back to get the ESN cleared, and because of that, it's considered refurbished. Ruins the value completely, all because someone couldn't make up their minds.
rutter9 said:
I'm keeping mine. I have a full coverage squaretrade warranty that I got for 2 years for $60. I'm not worried about any of these issues since I know they can be taken care of regardless, at any time.
Squaretrade warranties are killer - If they can't replace the phone at the time they pay you the full unsubsidized cost. I've used them plenty of times.. they even fixed my laundry washer I got covered w/ them!
EDIT: Also if you wanted to get squaretrade you have until a month from purchase. Since I am I preview customer I got 30% off. If you are new to them use code TWTYOFF and get 20% off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The squaretrade warranty that is 60 bucks, only has 199$ of coverage, which means that they wouldnt cover the whole cost, correct? you could have to get the 599$ plan.
samrozzi said:
at mikevillarroel
no. all phones you buy come with a 1 year warranty. that just doesnt cover accidental, physical, liquid, theft loss etc...
mainly manufacturers defects.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, i just call Best buy again and no luck, i will keep trying, in the mean time (wile writing this) i just got the Seidio Innocase Active Limited Edition i bought in Amazon.com, really nice by the way!!!
yeah i got the active case aswell. LOVE IT.
and well the only time we dont send the phones back is when a customers buys the phone, its on their account and has never once been used. not even opened and we will clear the ESN. otherwise. we send them back. etc.

Am I silly to buy a SII now?

Hey guys,
I currently use a Nexus One, however I'm looking to upgrade. The n1 is getting to the point where I'm running out of internal space and I'm disappointed there are no more software updates on it.
I'm really yearning for a HTC One S, but there is a caveat. I am on an older T-Mobile EM+ plan so I do not get a subsidy on my phones and I'm uncertain I want to migrate to a new classic plan. Because of this, I feel like the One S will end up being too expensive. I'm assuming T-Mobile will price it at a minimum of 599 like the current Amaze and SII. Further after the 6% sales tax, I might regret spending 635 dollars on the phone.
The thought of a Galaxy Nexus has crossed my mind, but I figured if I was spending $450 on a phone I should be buying one that is HSPA+ 42, which the galaxy nexus is not. However, vanilla ICS is a big plus in my book.
So then comes the T-989. I found one on Craigslist for 400. It includes a one month old phone, extra battery, 16gb class 2 microsd, charging stand and a body glove case. It seems like the value is there. Furthermore, after contacting the person, they end up going to my university so I have a good feeling about the transaction trust wise. I'm going to check out the phone today.
I'm wondering, is this the phone for me? Am I silly and should wait for the S3, or go for the GN or One S instead? Will I be happy with the SII, especially because it will end up being cheaper than all my other options.
Thanks for the insight,
Mike
well there's one thing you can try to do... Tmobile recently altered their terms and condition where data roaming is no longer free. so if you ever used data roaming, you could fight it and get an early termination without ETF and sign up with them again using a different account holder of course. You can legally try to fight it without ever use data roaming because it is a breach in contract... but it is a lot harder to do... you can check out SD, they have a whole giant thread on it.
okay about the phones
1. i would not wait for any HTC phones because their recent releases have been disappointing.. I have used or played with every HTC phone for t-mobile... and they have fallen since the mt4gs.
sooo i wouldn't hold my breath for any htc phones yet.. maybe after some great reviews from xda members..
2. when the s3 is released, it is going to be very expensive... you're talking about not wanting to spend 635 or not even 450 so I would rule the s3 out of your budget.
3. you can't really go wrong with the galaxy nexus or the tmobile t989.. besides we just got ICS.. well still in the works lol
4. ASK yourself.. is there really a need to upgrade from the n1?
yes our phone is everything better than the n1.. but in terms of usability... do you really need to fish out $400+ for a phone you're already questioning about dropping money on. You can do anything on the n1 that you can on the gs2, don't fall for the hype that our phone has because of all the commercials and stuff.
alternatives:
1. why don't you exchange your phone or any cheap "smartphone" (bb, old iphone, etc) with the microsoft store promo, it's free... you should check that out. although they're WP phones... it would be nice to be rocking the htc radar, titan, or samsung focus by trading a crappy phone.
2. Are you out of contract? since you're on the EM+ plan... you can get a lot of deals by extending your contract another 2 years. If so, I can give you few pointers.
---------- Post added at 04:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:45 AM ----------
holy ****, just noticed this is your first post after 1.5 years lol
Thanks for the reply Teo032!
1,2 & 3 - Thank you for the advice. It is very assuring to hear such things.
4 - This is the hardest question to answer. I don't need to upgrade. However, I have the phone bug itch. I want a new phone. You do raise a good point though, the actual functionality won't differ too much.
A1 - I did not know about that challenge! I would definitely do that if I could. A new WP for free is exactly what I need to fix my itch for a new phone. I live in eastern PA. The closest MS Store would be Bridgewater Commons, which is about an hour away. Unfortunately, that store is still stated as "coming soon" and the promotion ends March 29, 2012. Hopefully they extend it once that location opens, since that would have been worth the drive...
A2 - For a contract extension, I'm a little hesitant since I am moving in about 1 yr and don't want to be locked into a 2 yr contract. Although I would probably have no coverage issues, I would not be too happy if I had poor reception at my new place but it wasn't bad enough for t-mobile to allow me to leave w/o an ETF.
Again thanks for the insight. You brought up some really great points. At this point I really don't know if I can answer that I need to upgrade and I think that might be my answer to whether I should buy the SII or not. I'm really disappointed the Bridgewater MS store isn't open yet, since I would have had made that drive today...
P.S. - Yes! My OP was my first post. After years of lurking, I finally made the leap. If I purchase a new phone today or not, I hope to continue contributing to the community through posting.
Why don't you check the coverage at where you're moving? If anything, use wifi calling.
If you're eligible for an upgrade, you won't get "discounted" phones since you're on em+... but if you talk to the retention department, simply ask them, what is the best deal they can give you if you plan to sign up for another 2 years. Each rep will give you different offers, you can call multiple times to try to get better offers. some will match a previous offer or even best it.
Common offers
$250 credit (this is actually the "discount" for the phones, although you would still be paying the full price for the phone but $350 isn't too bad for a new phone)
or $10 off each month for your contract ($240)
Your rate might even be better depending on what you need. My 5 line is actually paying about $20 less with a better plan now, which is NOT available to new contracts, only loyalty plans.
I called about 4 different reps. I made sure I told them to let me think about the deal and to call me back at certain times.
One guy was able to give me $200 credit + $10 off each month.. they're not suppose to do this, it's usually only one choice... but this guy sounded like a supervisor and hooked me up with a lot of stuff. I asked him to call me back, hoping to get $250 + $10/month from another rep.
next rep told me that it is impossible to apply both deals etc etc, And i was like are you sure? he told me yeah because the system only allows us to apply one discount and what the other guy told me was misinformation. He told me I only could get one or the other... The other guy called me back and I told him, I talked to another rep about the situation, and he simply told me, well lets just say I can do more things than any other rep can.
So my rate for 5 lines, unlimited talk text and 5 gb for 3 lines, 2 with premium insurance (7.99 each) is $155 without the tax and fees + 200 credit.
well unlimited for the 2 primary lines, and 500 minutes EACH for the remaining 3, which is still a lot.
EDIT: oh and after a year.. the ETF should be about what? $100? $150?
another tip: in my area, the skyrocket goes for less than the hercules. about $50 less, so I would look into that if you're planning to just CL
throw MIUI on the N1 and hang on to it for a bit longer. will feel like a newer phone.
otherwise yea what he said. S2 is still a great phone and will be for quite some time. best phone i've ever owned and I also love my N1
U not silly, I just bought my sII for 29.99 plus tax on Feb. 17...

deal to good to be true?

ok so heres my question. i currently have tmobile and have found a note (tmobile version) 2 on craigslist for sale. hes selling it at an insane price! however, im concerned about getting burned. whats to say he sells the phone to me and then tells tmobile its lost or stolen? will the phone not work for me? maybe im to cautious but even at a great deal im still spending around $500. however if it were an unlocked phone from another carrier it would be ok?
ive been hearing horror stories about this so im just looking to cover my bases. its still a lot of cash.
thoughts?
I would be EXTREMELY careful buying off CL expecially at low prices. I've been hearing and reading about people getting screwed. One guy had his phone for 3 months before it got locked down. Just have to use your best judgement.
Good luck
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
awrnsmn said:
I would be EXTREMELY careful buying off CL expecially at low prices. I've been hearing and reading about people getting screwed. One guy had his phone for 3 months before it got locked down. Just have to use your best judgement.
Good luck
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ya im thinking i will not be doing ebay or craigslist. so it sounds like im stuck with amazon, tmobile, and overstock. any other sites?
also i think i have decided to go ahead and either buy the sony lt28h or the nexus 4. now to make my decision...
kdm212 said:
also i think i have decided to go ahead and either buy the sony lt28h or the nexus 4. now to make my decision...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I owned the Nexus 4 and returned it for the N2. Screen was kind of washed out, battery life was not great. The glass back always worried me. Non replaceable battery as over time batteries go bad. Very fast, smooth, 4.2 is nice. No Facebook sync. Photosphere is neat but a huge battery killer. Great price from play store. But, thats if you can get one.
N2 is ... worth every penny.
kdm212 said:
ok so heres my question. i currently have tmobile and have found a note (tmobile version) 2 on craigslist for sale. hes selling it at an insane price! however, im concerned about getting burned. whats to say he sells the phone to me and then tells tmobile its lost or stolen? will the phone not work for me? maybe im to cautious but even at a great deal im still spending around $500. however if it were an unlocked phone from another carrier it would be ok?
ive been hearing horror stories about this so im just looking to cover my bases. its still a lot of cash.
thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The easiest way to take care of this is to simply meet him at the T-Mobile store to verify the transaction. Tis what we did for our second note we found on CL. Working like a champ!
mdt73 said:
The easiest way to take care of this is to simply meet him at the T-Mobile store to verify the transaction. Tis what we did for our second note we found on CL. Working like a champ!
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Click to collapse
i did ask him for the imei. he did send it to me and even told me that he would give me the receipt. however, i have been told that even though its clean now it doesnt stop him from making a call as soon as i walk out the door.
kdm212 said:
i did ask him for the imei. he did send it to me and even told me that he would give me the receipt. however, i have been told that even though its clean now it doesnt stop him from making a call as soon as i walk out the door.
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Get it in writing. Make a "bill of sale" with the IMEI and signatures, yours, the sellers, and possibly if you go to a T-Mobile store ask if one of the workers can sign it also and get a pic or video holding the "bill of sale"? I know it might seem kinda weird but, you can never be too careful, these phones are pretty new and pretty expensive still, that is a lot of money to risk...
Are you by any chance on TMo classic plan? I have 3 lines on my plan and the closest one eligible for an upgrade is still 11 months away. I sold my S3 and ready and willing to add some money to buy Note 2 full price, either from TMo or ebay. But i took a chance and call TMo for an early upgrade, and they give it to me for the same price as upgrade. Of course with my luck, the day after I ordered, Cyber monday deal cut the price significantly, and they wont adjust the price for me but still i got it cheaper than my S3 sold price :victory:
Red-Dog said:
Get it in writing. Make a "bill of sale" with the IMEI and signatures, yours, the sellers, and possibly if you go to a T-Mobile store ask if one of the workers can sign it also and get a pic or video holding the "bill of sale"? I know it might seem kinda weird but, you can never be too careful, these phones are pretty new and pretty expensive still, that is a lot of money to risk...
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Click to collapse
That will do no good if he calls it in as stolen or had the value plan and quits paying on it. If he paid full price for the phone, that's the only somewhat safest way it would not get locked (unless called in as stolen)
I just don't want to see someone else get scammed. May be legit but you can never be 100% sure off CL unfortunately.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
awrnsmn said:
That will do no good if he calls it in as stolen or had the value plan and quits paying on it. If he paid full price for the phone, that's the only somewhat safest way it would not get locked (unless called in as stolen)
I just don't want to see someone else get scammed. May be legit but you can never be 100% sure off CL unfortunately.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
it wil make a difference in terms of getting your money back...if he does call it in as stolen you have proof of sale so its obviously NOT stolen...and if he stops making payments you can get a refund..you would have to hand over your phone but at least you get your money back
i would just make sure that the document you create states that he phone is either completely paid for or that it states that the seller will continue to make payments until it is paid off in full
someone else posted the same question and i also gave him the same advice...as an experienced phone seller/buyer of ebay and CL i would say that the extra $50-100 that you save isnt worth the headache and paranoia that comes with the savings
if you are going to the tmobile store you could probably even ask the clerk to give you the info on how the phone was purchased and if it was paid off...maybe even ask him how long the account has been active and if the guy has a good track record (the seller will be standing there so its not like you are asking for confidential info without his knowledge)
in my opinion...the only way i would buy a phone that is cheaper than the average asking price is if the seller really did convince me that it was legit (has a legit reason for selling the phone where the price that he sells it for isnt his main focus - ie. he received it as a gift and making $500 on a quick sale is enough for him he doesnt care to squeeze the extra $50 and/or if the seller had a receipt for the phone)..if i have an uneasy feeling i would just pass.always go with your gut
kdm212 said:
ok so heres my question. i currently have tmobile and have found a note (tmobile version) 2 on craigslist for sale. hes selling it at an insane price! however, im concerned about getting burned. whats to say he sells the phone to me and then tells tmobile its lost or stolen? will the phone not work for me? maybe im to cautious but even at a great deal im still spending around $500. however if it were an unlocked phone from another carrier it would be ok?
ive been hearing horror stories about this so im just looking to cover my bases. its still a lot of cash.
thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I were you, I would go to TMO and see what they can do for you about getting the phone directly from them. I was in the same situation as you were about a week ago....wanting the Note II so badly, but had already used my upgrade a couple of months ago for the HTC One S. I basically walked into my closest TMO store and asked the rep what they could do to get me the Note without having to pay full price.
In the end, they were able to get it for me for $200...after rebate, but I had to pay $150 migration fee (Originally $300). I then sold my HTC One S on eBay for $300. So how you look at it, I only paid $50 for the Note II!
Trust me, go into TMO and talk to them....that is one thing I like about them over the other carriers is their customer service is better, not awesome, but better than ATT & Verizon.
kdm212 said:
ok so heres my question. i currently have tmobile and have found a note (tmobile version) 2 on craigslist for sale. hes selling it at an insane price! however, im concerned about getting burned. whats to say he sells the phone to me and then tells tmobile its lost or stolen? will the phone not work for me? maybe im to cautious but even at a great deal im still spending around $500. however if it were an unlocked phone from another carrier it would be ok?
ive been hearing horror stories about this so im just looking to cover my bases. its still a lot of cash.
thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually if you haveto ask this question its a bad idea.
its just the cheapskate in you trying to justify the purchase
here are your options
1) buy the craigslist note 2, worry about everything under the sun (is it stolen, does it WORK, are they gonna shut it down etc.) and take a chance of getting ripped one way or the other
2) dont be a cheapskate, save another 189$ dont have to worry about anything, ANYTHING!
i appreciate ALL of the feedback! at the end of the day the phone would have costed $450 plus 3.5 hours of driving round trip and probably $30 in gas. so for a total of $480 i just think ill save the few extra bucks and buy it from the store. i really do appreciate it.
just need to decide on a phone. n4, n2, s3, or the sony lt28h.
gotta admit $450 is a hell of a deal though lol.
kdm212 said:
i appreciate ALL of the feedback! at the end of the day the phone would have costed $450 plus 3.5 hours of driving round trip and probably $30 in gas. so for a total of $480 i just think ill save the few extra bucks and buy it from the store. i really do appreciate it.
just need to decide on a phone. n4, n2, s3, or the sony lt28h.
gotta admit $450 is a hell of a deal though lol.
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Click to collapse
NOTE 2 for sure...you're in the note 2 forum so that will be the dominant answer.
but seriously the note 2 has been the best phone i have ever owned or used...and i am a phone fanatic...once you use it for a week you can't go back to smaller ones...whenever i see other phones now they look like toys...i remember a few weeks ago (before i bought the note 2 and had my nexus) i thought my sisters S3 was huge...now when i hold that phone in my hands it looks really small and dull
i definitely wouldnt put the s3 in this class of phones (unless its the international one)...i would only go with the n4 is your MAIN focus is on development and/or this phone is too large for your liking

[Q] ATT Mobile Insurance

ATT mobile insurance is $7 per month. But the deductible for the i317 is $200.
Do you think it is worth it to have? is ATT's replacement policy similar to that of Apple for instance. meaning with 100% satisfaction rate or do they give people hard time before replacing any device.
Thanks
I had them replace my note twice for charging port issues, they never gave me any grief. In fact they send a brand new device the second time.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2
It is hard for me to pay those crazy fees now for insurance. I would compare Squaretrade, at least that has a capped rate(one time fee vs monthly).
Here is the kicker for AT&T that they don't always tell you: no matter what is wrong with the phone, after 12 months you pay the $199 deductible. So you paid $8x12 months(or more) and the phone fails to power on but has ZERO damage, you are still required to pay the $199 deductible. That is $296 minimum @ 12 months. Squaretrade is upfront fee of around $100(they offer coupons so it varies look on Facebook) and a deductible of $100(I think).
You need to do the math to see if it is worth it for you. I personally will never pay those fees again bc they are wasted if you don't use it. Your screen is the most likely thing to repair and odds are I can repair it for less than $200. Basically around the same amount of money but I only spend it if needed. Also, do not forget that there is now a real out of contract replacement available: Nexus 4. Once the back order is caught up in a month or two you would be able to get a high end replacement device for 299 or 349, again only spending money if you need to vs spending it every month regardless.
All in your perceived value.
Gvndeb60 said:
It is hard for me to pay those crazy fees now for insurance. I would compare Squaretrade, at least that has a capped rate(one time fee vs monthly).
Here is the kicker for AT&T that they don't always tell you: no matter what is wrong with the phone, after 12 months you pay the $199 deductible. So you paid $8x12 months(or more) and the phone fails to power on but has ZERO damage, you are still required to pay the $199 deductible. That is $296 minimum @ 12 months. Squaretrade is upfront fee of around $100(they offer coupons so it varies look on Facebook) and a deductible of $100(I think).
You need to do the math to see if it is worth it for you. I personally will never pay those fees again bc they are wasted if you don't use it. Your screen is the most likely thing to repair and odds are I can repair it for less than $200. Basically around the same amount of money but I only spend it if needed. Also, do not forget that there is now a real out of contract replacement available: Nexus 4. Once the back order is caught up in a month or two you would be able to get a high end replacement device for 299 or 349, again only spending money if you need to vs spending it every month regardless.
All in your perceived value.
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Thanks for your argument... I was considering buying the insurance myself
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Gvndeb60 said:
It is hard for me to pay those crazy fees now for insurance. I would compare Squaretrade, at least that has a capped rate(one time fee vs monthly).
Here is the kicker for AT&T that they don't always tell you: no matter what is wrong with the phone, after 12 months you pay the $199 deductible. So you paid $8x12 months(or more) and the phone fails to power on but has ZERO damage, you are still required to pay the $199 deductible. That is $296 minimum @ 12 months. Squaretrade is upfront fee of around $100(they offer coupons so it varies look on Facebook) and a deductible of $100(I think).
You need to do the math to see if it is worth it for you. I personally will never pay those fees again bc they are wasted if you don't use it. Your screen is the most likely thing to repair and odds are I can repair it for less than $200. Basically around the same amount of money but I only spend it if needed. Also, do not forget that there is now a real out of contract replacement available: Nexus 4. Once the back order is caught up in a month or two you would be able to get a high end replacement device for 299 or 349, again only spending money if you need to vs spending it every month regardless.
All in your perceived value.
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Click to collapse
Have you ever used them? never heard of them.
I have not personally used Squaretrade, but they are highly reputable and I read nothing but good things about them on other forums.
To put it in perspective, IMO, Apple offers the best extended warranty called AppleCare+ for $99 for their devices. I have used it before on my iPad and my wife's iPhone. It is amazing and they cover everything. On imore.com which is an apple site, the forums have lots of people saying they choose Squaretrade over AppleCare.
That is just an example, again I have not used them so I am just sharing what I have read.
But I have used Best Buy coverage, AT&T insurance, and Sprint insurance. Best Buy was horrible in all ways as was Sprint. Both grilled you with tons of questions, and honestly looked for ways to void your warranty. Sprint even called a huge bright white spot on the middle of my HTC EVO a cosmetic problem. Both AT&T and Sprint use Asurian as the insurance company, and both times I have had to swap phones they gave me damaged models. With Sprint I went through about 4 Palm Pres before getting one that wasn't noticeably damaged. ATT swapped my Atrix out without any hassle but the first one was damaged as well.
I could be biased bc of my experiences but remember they are not in business to help you, they are in business to make money. Do the math to see if it is worth it. I will say that I have used it before for the first 2-4 months when a device is first released bc of the high cost. Normally the out of contract cost drops after a month or two.
Good luck.
Gvndeb60 said:
I have not personally used Squaretrade, but they are highly reputable and I read nothing but good things about them on other forums.
To put it in perspective, IMO, Apple offers the best extended warranty called AppleCare+ for $99 for their devices. I have used it before on my iPad and my wife's iPhone. It is amazing and they cover everything. On imore.com which is an apple site, the forums have lots of people saying they choose Squaretrade over AppleCare.
That is just an example, again I have not used them so I am just sharing what I have read.
But I have used Best Buy coverage, AT&T insurance, and Sprint insurance. Best Buy was horrible in all ways as was Sprint. Both grilled you with tons of questions, and honestly looked for ways to void your warranty. Sprint even called a huge bright white spot on the middle of my HTC EVO a cosmetic problem. Both AT&T and Sprint use Asurian as the insurance company, and both times I have had to swap phones they gave me damaged models. With Sprint I went through about 4 Palm Pres before getting one that wasn't noticeably damaged. ATT swapped my Atrix out without any hassle but the first one was damaged as well.
I could be biased bc of my experiences but remember they are not in business to help you, they are in business to make money. Do the math to see if it is worth it. I will say that I have used it before for the first 2-4 months when a device is first released bc of the high cost. Normally the out of contract cost drops after a month or two.
Good luck.
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Thank you Bro.
I've done some research on both.
Before I was under the impression they give you a brand new phone, but it seems a Refurbished one is the way to go for them.
It appears to me that after: $199 + $100 it is not worth it to get a refurbished phone after let's say 12 months of usage. One may just use this money and do an early upgrade if anything goes wrong with the phone.
BTW squaretrade doesn't allow theft coverage.
You don't always get a refurbished... I was given a brand new device once.
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Best Buy Hacking

Last year I sold my Samsung S1 watch back to Best Buy using their Insurance program, then I used that money to buy a Nintendo Switch. I didn't know I was able to do this, and it was the customer service rep who told me about this option. The device has to be able to turn on and somewhat function in order to take advantage of this feature of "insurance", was the only thing they told me was needed. Benefit? You can constantly keep updated with the latest tech with spending little extra money. You get back (at time of purchase, so if there is a price drop, it doesn't count towards/affect your return) the price of the insurance, device and any tax in the form of in-store credit. Making insurance kind of worth it, for that alone. I don't know how many people know of this trick but it's kind of a handy feature and if you're like me and need the best and newest tech as it comes out, then kind of makes that initial buy-in worth it. Also, don't forget to abuse their Amazon price matching feature, it's how I got the Tab S3 for $100 off and the keyboard for nearly 50% off.
Few things to note about amazon price matching: 1) Has to be shipped and sold by Amazon, 2) if you're buying the insurance for the product, the insurance pricing-tier will match what the original store price was. In the case of the Tab S3 they had it for $550, which pushes it up to the $150/2yr insurance price, where if it were at the $450 I was buying it for due to price-matching, it would have been about $100.
Some fun tips and tricks I thought I'd like to share with you guys. Especially those who want this tablet but are waiting for the 256GB version since Best Buy in Chicago seemed to have alluded to it being released at an unknown but later date. You can do just that. I don't know if that's how insurance works across the board, but I definitely know that's how Best Buy has it set up.
I am familiar with most best buy features ad tricks, but idea what you are talking about here? can you provide a link to this "insurance" with details?
sounds scammy and scummy to me and a way to raise insurance prices because of abuse. i don't think xda is the place for these types of posts either.
yourmumsbootloader said:
sounds scammy and scummy to me and a way to raise insurance prices because of abuse. i don't think xda is the place for these types of posts either.
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Says the newbie that joined today lol.
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yourmumsbootloader said:
sounds scammy and scummy to me and a way to raise insurance prices because of abuse. i don't think xda is the place for these types of posts either.
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If it's a legitimate service offered by Best Buy, WHY would it not be ok to discuss? As for taking advantage of BestBuy... oh please give me a break, every sale, every markup/down, their price match, their ADH insurance, hell their 99 dollar HDMI cables, are all there to scam their customers out of whatever dollars they can get. If you can turn one of these scams to your advantage and make them honor their blatant false and misleading advertising, MORE POWER TO YOU!!!
I get pretty much every thing from Best Buy making them honor their price match, and still am told regularly, "oh that's too cheap I won't honor that" even if it's from one of their "Key Online Competitors"
But still know nothing about any price guarantee insurance, unless the OP is talking about ADH insurance that gets "broken" when a new model comes out? People have been doing that for years, which is why best Buy almost never actually honors their ADH insurance.
yourmumsbootloader said:
sounds scammy and scummy to me and a way to raise insurance prices because of abuse. i don't think xda is the place for these types of posts either.
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Click to collapse
It's not, it's a trade in feature. Also, I don't know how you'd abuse it. Since you have to re-buy the insurance. So if you buy this insurance plan let's make numbers up: 600 for a tablet, 100 for insurance, = 700, yet when you trade-in with their program you only get the 600 and tax back in store credit. So you're out the insurance money. Though, the Tab S5 comes out, you can buy it outright, most likely even though the Tab S4 is now going for 450. You can get the 660 (since tax by me is 10%) back to pay for the S5, and then pay the 100 for the insurance. That's how the program works, not a hugely gameable program, just a feature that people don't realise when they buy a two year plan at best buy. Hence me bringing it up.
https://www.bestbuy.com/usw/termsconditions/anonymous
There is the link it's their "Buy back feature" the device has to be running and in decent condition. You can't bring a broken tablet in and expect them to go along with it, or a tablet with a cracked screen either.
dcoke said:
It's not, it's a trade in feature. Also, I don't know how you'd abuse it. Since you have to re-buy the insurance. So if you buy this insurance plan let's make numbers up: 600 for a tablet, 100 for insurance, = 700, yet when you trade-in with their program you only get the 600 and tax back in store credit. So you're out the insurance money. Though, the Tab S5 comes out, you can buy it outright, most likely even though the Tab S4 is now going for 450. You can get the 660 (since tax by me is 10%) back to pay for the S5, and then pay the 100 for the insurance. That's how the program works, not a hugely gameable program, just a feature that people don't realise when they buy a two year plan at best buy. Hence me bringing it up.
https://www.bestbuy.com/usw/termsconditions/anonymous
There is the link it's their "Buy back feature" the device has to be running and in decent condition. You can't bring a broken tablet in and expect them to go along with it, or a tablet with a cracked screen either.
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obviously I'm looking at the wrong plan. Looking at the Buy Back plan, if you return in the first 6 months you get "up to" 50% of purchase price back. That's worthless especially if you're paying them for the plan on top. Any tablet or computer that less than 6 months old you can sell for well over 50% of purchase price.
gottahavit said:
obviously I'm looking at the wrong plan. Looking at the Buy Back plan, if you return in the first 6 months you get "up to" 50% of purchase price back. That's worthless especially if you're paying them for the plan on top. Any tablet or computer that less than 6 months old you can sell for well over 50% of purchase price.
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Click to collapse
Yes, I've been told the same thing, and YES, it is up to each person how they feel about using or abusing the "warranty". First, it is pertaining to the Accidental Best Buy warranty that covers anything. It has been suggested quietly by a Best Buy employee that you could "accidentally" drop, sit on, crack screen, etc. shortly before the warranty period expires, and because of the Accidental warranty that covers everything you could trade in the device for credit of the value you paid for it. To me, it is definitely abusing the system if you intentionally break your device just to use the warranty.
Second, you are correct that it is not a trade-in for like value. The device has to be damaged just like any warranty claim. So, if you intentionally break the device, you are not taking advantage of the policy, you are abusing it.
Also, using the Amazon price-match isn't really a hack, since they give absolutely zero hassle on the price match. The only thing it has to say is "Fulfilled by Amazon". It doesn't have to be sold by them, as long as the seller stocks the item in an Amazon Warehouse and Amazon fulfills it.
NoFaQ said:
Yes, I've been told the same thing, and YES, it is up to each person how they feel about using or abusing the "warranty". First, it is pertaining to the Accidental Best Buy warranty that covers anything. It has been suggested quietly by a Best Buy employee that you could "accidentally" drop, sit on, crack screen, etc. shortly before the warranty period expires, and because of the Accidental warranty that covers everything you could trade in the device for credit of the value you paid for it. To me, it is definitely abusing the system if you intentionally break your device just to use the warranty.
Second, you are correct that it is not a trade-in for like value. The device has to be damaged just like any warranty claim. So, if you intentionally break the device, you are not taking advantage of the policy, you are abusing it.
Also, using the Amazon price-match isn't really a hack, since they give absolutely zero hassle on the price match. The only thing it has to say is "Fulfilled by Amazon". It doesn't have to be sold by them, as long as the seller stocks the item in an Amazon Warehouse and Amazon fulfills it.
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Click to collapse
Ok yes if we are talking the accidental damage plans and not the trade in program then yes this has been something people have been using/abusing(often failing) for years. You can pay 30% for a warranty which if you are hard on your toys might be worth, but as a "trade up" program on a tablet I would not recommend. Best buy still sells New Tab S2s 4+ years after release so the odds that they will give you your money back vs just giving you another tab s2 or more likely a refurb are pretty slim. The same is true for the S3 too and I'm sure will be true for the s4. Now the same math is not true for TVs and certain other tech and it is possible to make out with this plan. That said Best Buy often will not give money back in that instance and offer you a TV "like" yours that is much cheaper.
What I strongly recommend people do "take advantage" of is Best Buys Price match. It is fairly easy to get them to price match lots of stuff from lots of online stores. I generally save 20-50% on almost everything I buy, just by doing a little searching and making them honor their policy. That said I did pay near retail for this tab as I "really" wanted it and no one was discounting, but paid only 30 dollars for my book cover.
gottahavit said:
Ok yes if we are talking the accidental damage plans and not the trade in program then yes this has been something people have been using/abusing(often failing) for years. You can pay 30% for a warranty which if you are hard on your toys might be worth, but as a "trade up" program on a tablet I would not recommend. Best buy still sells New Tab S2s 4+ years after release so the odds that they will give you your money back vs just giving you another tab s2 or more likely a refurb are pretty slim. The same is true for the S3 too and I'm sure will be true for the s4. Now the same math is not true for TVs and certain other tech and it is possible to make out with this plan. That said Best Buy often will not give money back in that instance and offer you a TV "like" yours that is much cheaper.
What I strongly recommend people do "take advantage" of is Best Buys Price match. It is fairly easy to get them to price match lots of stuff from lots of online stores. I generally save 20-50% on almost everything I buy, just by doing a little searching and making them honor their policy. That said I did pay near retail for this tab as I "really" wanted it and no one was discounting, but paid only 30 dollars for my book cover.
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I agree that the price matching is pretty hassle free. The managers actually have a lot of empowerment to make decisions outside the normal price matching, too. I got Best Buy to price match a Surface Pro 4 with the Microsoft student price deal. I was just honest and asked if they would price match it, since I would rather buy their accidental protection plan, and I was going to buy the computer one way or another. Either Best Buy or Microsoft store. The manager accepted the price match, no problem.
NoFaQ said:
Yes, I've been told the same thing, and YES, it is up to each person how they feel about using or abusing the "warranty". First, it is pertaining to the Accidental Best Buy warranty that covers anything. It has been suggested quietly by a Best Buy employee that you could "accidentally" drop, sit on, crack screen, etc. shortly before the warranty period expires, and because of the Accidental warranty that covers everything you could trade in the device for credit of the value you paid for it. To me, it is definitely abusing the system if you intentionally break your device just to use the warranty.
Second, you are correct that it is not a trade-in for like value. The device has to be damaged just like any warranty claim. So, if you intentionally break the device, you are not taking advantage of the policy, you are abusing it.
Also, using the Amazon price-match isn't really a hack, since they give absolutely zero hassle on the price match. The only thing it has to say is "Fulfilled by Amazon". It doesn't have to be sold by them, as long as the seller stocks the item in an Amazon Warehouse and Amazon fulfills it.
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Click to collapse
The device doesn't have to be broken to take advantage of the Geek Squad Protection plan is what they call it by me, and I think the trade in is only offered on the 2+ year plans. So the 1 year plan doesn't offer it and then you'd have to buy the trade-in feature, since I never bought the trade in feature on its own. I just always opted for the 2 years. I did it first with my Gear S2 watch, it was 100% working, looked brand new just due to its age, battery couldn't hold a charge. They don't heavily advertise it since by the time the next generation of device comes out, they're out money since the last gen usually drops 100 dollars less, and they'd probably get maybe half of that price back from parts or Samsung alone. I think it's that reason they don't heavily advertise it and it's kind of a "secret menu" item.
Limeybastard said:
Says the newbie that joined today lol.
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This, coming from the guy who's only been here 5 years.
raduque said:
This, coming from the guy who's only been here 5 years.
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11 years... Pleb.
Yeah, so all on all that Best Buy feature may work in certain scenarios for certain products.
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This is great info. Going to try this. Thanks!

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