"for one, it’s running an outdated version of Android that may make it vulnerable to hackers"
Then I went to check what version it actually runs, and it's 4.4/KitKat. I do not have any phone with a version more recent than 4.4 (and that's the case for everyone I know). In fact, my phone is only running 4.4 because I went through the trouble to look in Russian forums for custom ROMs for it, since the manufacturer didn't get it beyond 4.2. My phone is a not very popular model, but even for some former flagships the only way to go is to get custom ROMs e.g. on XDA. Sure, I (and my friends) could get a new phone... but we are not interested in changing phones before they are even out of warranty (2 years in Europe).
This is no surprise: Google's statistics[1] indicate 4.4 is still the most used version. Cheaper phones being launched with older Android versions doesn't help, that's true, but these cheaper models are good enough for many people. And to be honest, the features (and change in looks/functionality) introduced in the later versions do not interest me much. If only Android had an update policy more similar to Windows and some Linux distros, where you stay with a major release but get security updates for it, for a sane amount of time...
I'm not sure why the writer mentions this. (It's probably an excuse to link to another Vice article.) The Android version number in itself isn't a good indication of the phone's vulnerability. Stagefright, for instance, was patched for 4.4 in many phones without an upgrade to the API.
An Android phone's security depends on whoever is responsible for maintaining the device's ROM, usually the carrier or phone manufacturer. Samsung, for instance, includes extensions intended to enhance security. Admittedly, for $10 I wouldn't expect much in the way of OTA updates. But except for a few changes to the framework in the way app permissions are handled, the version number isn't the best measure of security.
Upgrades and security fixes were recently de-coupled. Now responsible vendors do a monthly security updates, regardless of version. So if you're on the 4.x or 5.x tree you should be able to get these, OEM depending.
The problem here is that a lot of smaller OEMs will never bother. Google might put mandatory security updates into its next Gapps contract. I guess we'll see.
> the features (and change in looks/functionality) introduced in the later versions do not interest me much.
I think the advances in volta/doze/app suspend for battery life and the 6.0 privacy settings, not to mention the Material overhaul are very big benefits to Android. Android 6.0 is a much more mature OS than the 4.x tree. In fact, I'd say they only recently have reached parity with iOS at this release. I don't get many "I should switch to iphone" feelings anymore. Many of my privacy and battery life concerns were addressed in 6.0 and the 6P is amazing hardware for the price.
Officially Google still provides security patches for Android 4.4 but there is not much information on what this means in practice. How many OEMs actually make use of this and provide security patches for 4.4 devices?
(source: https://source.android.com/security/overview/updates-resourc... - "Android security team currently provides patches for Android versions 4.4 (KitKat), 5.0 (Lollipop), and 5.1 (Lollipop MR1). This list of backport-supported versions changes with each new Android release.")
Google themselves dropped the Nexus 7 v1 from security support a while ago, after having updated it to 5.1.
I am not here to sell iPhone but the number two reason I left Android (I was a Windows 5 mobile user, then Android, with a flag ship model, for ~2 years) is because you can only get the latest from custom ROMS. If Google takes customer service really seriously, Android will be amazing. I feel like Nexus is just a gimmick more than a real thing that Google cares about.
My number one reason is simply the fact iPhone is built and sold by one company. This is a plus and a minus, but in the long run, amortize cost makes that a bigger plus than a minus. My experience so far, iOS devices can live up to at least four major OS updates. That's at least 2 years. I think my iPhone 3GS lasted about 4 years before I switched to iPhone 6 (at that time the power of 3GS was simply too slow to handle map and instant messaging).
Smartphones are close to achieving 'commodity' status as far as I'm concerned.
I just paid $60 (no commitment/contract) for a Lumia 640 (it was a gophone, which works fine on my regular AT&T plan). It's a reasonably fast, decently built phone, and I must say the Windows phone UI is starting to grow on me (and I HATE windows 8/10 on the desktop).
Besides voice calls, I use a smartphone mostly for texting, email, web browsing, maps, music, and the occasional (netflix) streaming video.
A $60 phone can now handle all of these things easily, so I would be stupid to spend more (vanity? status symbol?). If I drop it onto the sidewalk and it shatters, I'll merely sigh, mumble something obscene, and go buy another one. My reaction to dropping a $600 phone would be a bit more... extreme (mostly because I can't afford to replace a $600 phone on the spot).
For me they have been a commodity for quite a while. My main concern is size, it's become rather difficult to find reasonably spec-ed "smaller" phones. Many are advertised as small phones but really aren't (HTC does this over and over). Samsung's Galaxy Mini is getting bigger and bigger with each release. I've never been an iPhone user but before they released their big phones I always saw their small iPhone, their flagship phone no less, as a shining light of reason in a field full of crazy-sized phablets.
I don't mind the phablets, what bothers me is that they're forgetting that some people want a phone that they can use with just one hand. Apparently there aren't that many consumers committed to buying only those kind of phones.
IMO, I use a smartphone enough that minor improvements are worth a fair amount. On its own a low light camera and longer battery life might not be worth much. But, add in larger and better screen, faster CPU, etc. and it's worth it.
PS: Then again, I am on a legacy plan 60$/month unlimited data + lots of rollover minutes, so signing a 2 year contract for a large discount seems more reasonable.
This is why my interests have moved to smartwatches and why I'm happy to see the new LG watch having its own 3G/4G modem. I hope the next generation replaces phones all together. I don't need a huge gaming/selfie machine in my pocket for casual communication. Being able to hold up my watch to my ear and have a conversation and texting/emailing via voice is pretty much all I need 95% of the time.
I'm incredibly torn on this subject. I had a $60 phone which was very much "good enough". I lent it to a friend and bought a $600 phone.
I pick up the old phone and wonder why I bought the new phone. Then as I am using it I remember how slow it is. How bad the camera is. How I struggled to keep good battery life. How it was abandoned for updates.
One can absolutely get by fine with a cheap phone. But they are not quite "just as good", in a mildly pernicious fashion.
Also with everything sync to cloud, your new Windows Phone will be exactly same as old, including settings, sms, phonebook, photos, passwords. Bad for privacy, but awesome convenience.
The only thing holding me into the iPhone is the relative camera quality (not megapixel count, quality) of the meaningfully cheaper Androids. As someone with a mild interest in artsy photography but not enough to carry a DSLR, that's indispensable. Sure the Nexus camera is fine for posed group photos for Facebook, but having had a Nexus 6 for a while, I'd feel a need to carry a dedicated camera.
For $10, I'd use it as an MP3 player at the gym or when out walking... so I don't have to worry about dropping my expensive phone (as I'm prone to do once a month or so). 4 GB would hold more Spotify playlists than I would ever need at one time.
It's amazing that as recently as five years ago, I was paying around $100 for a dedicated MP3 player for exactly this purpose.
I'd have no interest in the "phone" feature... and would never even install a SIM card. I have to believe that many people have thought of this idea, and that has to be a problem for TracPhone since they're probably selling this device at a loss in order to sell phone/data services.
So since it's "Out of Stock" right now, I wonder how many ever were in stock in the first place? My suspicion is that they released a small number of devices as a P.R. stunt to attract publicity. The hope being that some number of people who click the link to check it out will proceed onward to buy one of the "real" devices that isn't being sold at a loss. I'd be surprised if you ever do see this $10 model "In Stock".
What are these devices like for hacking with / and or attaching to other electronics? What is android like for these sort of uses as opposed to, say, a Raspberry Pi (or Arduino)?
I'd love to use something like this to monitor the water in a tank on a hillside. The battery + the Cell connectivity + (potentially) the camera would be perfect. (I'm sure there are suitable solar phone chargers that would work with it too)
I think the biggest advantage of a micro-controller (like Arduino or an MSP) or prototyping microcomputer (like the Pi or BeagleBone) are control of GPIOs from a reasonably high-level language. At least for my applications. serial and parallel ports on PCs used to give you some functionality similar to this too. But smartphones lack that for the most part (the best you can expect is typically bluetooth comms with a separate device).
If you need remote logging, the 3G Particle Electron boards (particle.io) should be released soon, which I'm pretty excited for.
It depends a great deal on whether it's possible to unlock the bootloader. Unfortunately, many of these cheap phones are loaded with the carrier's software. They don't want you to uninstall it, so they don't let you unlock the bootloader, which would enable you to modify the system partition on the device. This means you can't do much with it unless someone discovers a vulnerability that grants you root access.
Well, it's running Android, so all you'd need to do is make an Android app to do this. Android SDK is pretty powerful even without root access, so what you're wanting to do shouldn't be a problem from a software perspective (now, whether the hardware is appropriate, I have no idea).
Very exciting to see $10 pocket supercomputers in ubiquitous retail, but surely this is a just a loss leader? Wouldn't the patent transfer payments alone put this underwater?
Has anyone traced the origin of this model? Is it remaindered stock from somewhere (and therefore a sunk cost)?
OK, I understand the value of hyperbole here and there, but calling this a supercomputer is akin to calling it a floodlight because its screen glows, or a space heater because its back gets slightly warm when charging.
The smallest/cheapest thing that can hyperbolicaly yet somewhat reasonably be called a supercomputer nowadays IMHO is a PC with several beefy GPUs.
Give me a tablet this cheap and I'm ordering 10 of them, to finally hang touchscreens in every room of my home and wire them up to an LCARS interface.
(Actually, I recently had an opportunity to get some tablets for $8/piece from a bank that was getting rid of the equpiment, but unfortunately me&my friends got outbidded by some company :<.)
EDIT: any source for tablets that are less than $40 / piece and decent enough to work as wall-hanged touchscreens (doesn't look like total crap, is able to run Android and some apps while connected to Wi-FI without getting unresponsive) would be much appreciated.
You can get decent tablets in China for $30-40. Not like a few years ago when everything low end was crap. Except cameras which usually isn't very good still. Of course it's hard to know what you are buying unless you have it in your hand. The cheap ones are usually mediatek, allwinner or similar.
There is a certain 'rub' when people compare two pieces of technology.
While it's certainly true that the cpu/memory are faster or better than an iphone was 8 years ago.. and at such a low price.. when people compare specifications they always lose perspective on build quality.
It's very hard to quantify that from a product data sheet, but if this thing was built like a early 00's Nokia, then it would be worth a lot.
But for $10, do you need a smartphone at all? why not grab one of those "burners" that have a battery life of 2 months which additionally can survive some abuse?
I understand that for $10 people should curb their expectations, but the title is comparing apples to oranges.
"$400 smartphone from 8 years ago with high build quality vs $10 phone now with unknown build quality"
Is that 10 dollars as in 10 dollars, or 10 dollars plus a 2-years contract for phone and data that sums up to something like 500 dollars (as it is with the iPhone)?
Obviously in the latter case the money is made on the contract, not on the phone.
This is why I thought the Android One program was a waste of time and effort. Just by sheer economy of scale, we have a $10 Android phone without any Google intervention. The Huawei U8150 IDEOS ended up becoming a $60AUD locked prepaid / $99AUD off contract phone in Australia at the end of 2011.
OK, here's the real $9 computer. Screen, USB port, TV cameras, audio, storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GSM, all in a nice little package. This could replace the Raspberry Pi in many applications. What does it take to just use it as a computer, with no cell phone account?
This headline has gotten this a lot of attention, but why? The original iPhone came out 7 years ago. A computer (and phones are small computers) with specs that outdated are really only priced based on materials cost.
[+] [-] gbl08ma|10 years ago|reply
Then I went to check what version it actually runs, and it's 4.4/KitKat. I do not have any phone with a version more recent than 4.4 (and that's the case for everyone I know). In fact, my phone is only running 4.4 because I went through the trouble to look in Russian forums for custom ROMs for it, since the manufacturer didn't get it beyond 4.2. My phone is a not very popular model, but even for some former flagships the only way to go is to get custom ROMs e.g. on XDA. Sure, I (and my friends) could get a new phone... but we are not interested in changing phones before they are even out of warranty (2 years in Europe).
This is no surprise: Google's statistics[1] indicate 4.4 is still the most used version. Cheaper phones being launched with older Android versions doesn't help, that's true, but these cheaper models are good enough for many people. And to be honest, the features (and change in looks/functionality) introduced in the later versions do not interest me much. If only Android had an update policy more similar to Windows and some Linux distros, where you stay with a major release but get security updates for it, for a sane amount of time...
[1] https://developer.android.com/intl/zh-tw/about/dashboards/in...
[+] [-] rtl49|10 years ago|reply
An Android phone's security depends on whoever is responsible for maintaining the device's ROM, usually the carrier or phone manufacturer. Samsung, for instance, includes extensions intended to enhance security. Admittedly, for $10 I wouldn't expect much in the way of OTA updates. But except for a few changes to the framework in the way app permissions are handled, the version number isn't the best measure of security.
[+] [-] drzaiusapelord|10 years ago|reply
The problem here is that a lot of smaller OEMs will never bother. Google might put mandatory security updates into its next Gapps contract. I guess we'll see.
> the features (and change in looks/functionality) introduced in the later versions do not interest me much.
I think the advances in volta/doze/app suspend for battery life and the 6.0 privacy settings, not to mention the Material overhaul are very big benefits to Android. Android 6.0 is a much more mature OS than the 4.x tree. In fact, I'd say they only recently have reached parity with iOS at this release. I don't get many "I should switch to iphone" feelings anymore. Many of my privacy and battery life concerns were addressed in 6.0 and the 6P is amazing hardware for the price.
[+] [-] zurn|10 years ago|reply
(source: https://source.android.com/security/overview/updates-resourc... - "Android security team currently provides patches for Android versions 4.4 (KitKat), 5.0 (Lollipop), and 5.1 (Lollipop MR1). This list of backport-supported versions changes with each new Android release.")
Google themselves dropped the Nexus 7 v1 from security support a while ago, after having updated it to 5.1.
[+] [-] yeukhon|10 years ago|reply
My number one reason is simply the fact iPhone is built and sold by one company. This is a plus and a minus, but in the long run, amortize cost makes that a bigger plus than a minus. My experience so far, iOS devices can live up to at least four major OS updates. That's at least 2 years. I think my iPhone 3GS lasted about 4 years before I switched to iPhone 6 (at that time the power of 3GS was simply too slow to handle map and instant messaging).
[+] [-] jzarra|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] digi_owl|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sdegutis|10 years ago|reply
Why not just build the Android OS yourself and upload it?
[+] [-] jcadam|10 years ago|reply
I just paid $60 (no commitment/contract) for a Lumia 640 (it was a gophone, which works fine on my regular AT&T plan). It's a reasonably fast, decently built phone, and I must say the Windows phone UI is starting to grow on me (and I HATE windows 8/10 on the desktop).
Besides voice calls, I use a smartphone mostly for texting, email, web browsing, maps, music, and the occasional (netflix) streaming video.
A $60 phone can now handle all of these things easily, so I would be stupid to spend more (vanity? status symbol?). If I drop it onto the sidewalk and it shatters, I'll merely sigh, mumble something obscene, and go buy another one. My reaction to dropping a $600 phone would be a bit more... extreme (mostly because I can't afford to replace a $600 phone on the spot).
[+] [-] rpgmaker|10 years ago|reply
I don't mind the phablets, what bothers me is that they're forgetting that some people want a phone that they can use with just one hand. Apparently there aren't that many consumers committed to buying only those kind of phones.
[+] [-] frabcus|10 years ago|reply
e.g. Look at Fairphone http://fairphone.com/
[+] [-] Retric|10 years ago|reply
PS: Then again, I am on a legacy plan 60$/month unlimited data + lots of rollover minutes, so signing a 2 year contract for a large discount seems more reasonable.
[+] [-] drzaiusapelord|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sliverstorm|10 years ago|reply
I pick up the old phone and wonder why I bought the new phone. Then as I am using it I remember how slow it is. How bad the camera is. How I struggled to keep good battery life. How it was abandoned for updates.
One can absolutely get by fine with a cheap phone. But they are not quite "just as good", in a mildly pernicious fashion.
I do miss the small size though.
[+] [-] balakk|10 years ago|reply
It most likely won't :) it's (was) a Nokia.
[+] [-] dump100|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] superuser2|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 3stripe|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] StevePerkins|10 years ago|reply
It's amazing that as recently as five years ago, I was paying around $100 for a dedicated MP3 player for exactly this purpose.
I'd have no interest in the "phone" feature... and would never even install a SIM card. I have to believe that many people have thought of this idea, and that has to be a problem for TracPhone since they're probably selling this device at a loss in order to sell phone/data services.
So since it's "Out of Stock" right now, I wonder how many ever were in stock in the first place? My suspicion is that they released a small number of devices as a P.R. stunt to attract publicity. The hope being that some number of people who click the link to check it out will proceed onward to buy one of the "real" devices that isn't being sold at a loss. I'd be surprised if you ever do see this $10 model "In Stock".
[+] [-] _lce0|10 years ago|reply
There's plenty of sensors --and opportunities-- for less than $10.
- Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 1.2 GHz Dual-Core MSM8610
- 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA
- 65K Color TFT, 480 x 320 pixels, 3.8" (HVGA)
- 1,540 mAh / 7hours talk - 9day stand by
- microSD 4Gb (included) -- up to 32Gb
- 3MP Rear-Facing Fixed Focus Camera with Flash and WVGA Camcorder
- Accelerometer
- 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0
- GPS
I'd like of another sensors not listed there; like light, proximity, or magnetic .. maybe anyone with the phone can confirm?
[0] http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phones/lg-L16C-lucky
[+] [-] sambeau|10 years ago|reply
I'd love to use something like this to monitor the water in a tank on a hillside. The battery + the Cell connectivity + (potentially) the camera would be perfect. (I'm sure there are suitable solar phone chargers that would work with it too)
It's so cheap I could afford to break a few...
[+] [-] thearn4|10 years ago|reply
If you need remote logging, the 3G Particle Electron boards (particle.io) should be released soon, which I'm pretty excited for.
[+] [-] rtl49|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jnbiche|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] djfergus|10 years ago|reply
Has anyone traced the origin of this model? Is it remaindered stock from somewhere (and therefore a sunk cost)?
[+] [-] unsigner|10 years ago|reply
The smallest/cheapest thing that can hyperbolicaly yet somewhat reasonably be called a supercomputer nowadays IMHO is a PC with several beefy GPUs.
[+] [-] agumonkey|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ck2|10 years ago|reply
They are designed to sell minutes/data plans.
[+] [-] unknown|10 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] TeMPOraL|10 years ago|reply
(Actually, I recently had an opportunity to get some tablets for $8/piece from a bank that was getting rid of the equpiment, but unfortunately me&my friends got outbidded by some company :<.)
EDIT: any source for tablets that are less than $40 / piece and decent enough to work as wall-hanged touchscreens (doesn't look like total crap, is able to run Android and some apps while connected to Wi-FI without getting unresponsive) would be much appreciated.
[+] [-] km3k|10 years ago|reply
http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Display-Wi-Fi-GB-Includes/dp/B00T...
$50 for 1
$250 for 6 ($41.67 each)
[+] [-] gozo|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] smackfu|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tomcam|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dijit|10 years ago|reply
While it's certainly true that the cpu/memory are faster or better than an iphone was 8 years ago.. and at such a low price.. when people compare specifications they always lose perspective on build quality.
It's very hard to quantify that from a product data sheet, but if this thing was built like a early 00's Nokia, then it would be worth a lot.
But for $10, do you need a smartphone at all? why not grab one of those "burners" that have a battery life of 2 months which additionally can survive some abuse?
I understand that for $10 people should curb their expectations, but the title is comparing apples to oranges.
"$400 smartphone from 8 years ago with high build quality vs $10 phone now with unknown build quality"
[+] [-] simonh|10 years ago|reply
[1] https://www.panic.com/blog/the-lightning-digital-av-adapter-...
[+] [-] ck2|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rsp1984|10 years ago|reply
Obviously in the latter case the money is made on the contract, not on the phone.
[+] [-] olefoo|10 years ago|reply
Unless your target audience is exclusively wealthy people who run only recent iOS devices. In which case, carry on.
But if you are building something that needs to be widely available then this should be one of the devices on which you do extensive testing.
[+] [-] azinman2|10 years ago|reply
The invisible costs are huge.
[+] [-] jldugger|10 years ago|reply
Chips are cheap on the margin; the big expensives are chip design, testing, and constructing fabs at evershrinking scales.
[+] [-] unknown|10 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] lbradstreet|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|10 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] tedchs|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] richardboegli|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Animats|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ebbv|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] yitchelle|10 years ago|reply
Anyone got good project ideas for a lazy weekend? I was thinking of a Sonos replacement.
[+] [-] morganvachon|10 years ago|reply