4 ms·

This device is only running EDGE and not being a 3G smartphone is a big distinction. In practice, the low memory also makes it a very difficult sell to consumer

This device is only running EDGE and not being a 3G smartphone is a big distinction. In practice, the low memory also makes it a very difficult sell to consumers, so I’m not entirely surprised by the marketing deception here. Shameless plug, my startup wholesales a 3G Android smartphone with 4GB memory running on a Spreadtrum chip that costs $30: https://www.voxsupplychain.com/shop/users/#/shop/product/android-3G/() https://www.voxsupplychain.com/shop/users/#/shop/product/and... We have found that there are some natural dividing lines on low-end Android specs. If you cut more corners, it really impedes the user experience.

sauere 11y ago
How are you able to ship this to Germany for $1?
- historian1066 11y ago
  We can ship 1,000 smartphones to Frankfurt's airport (FRA) for $1,104 USD, which is about a dollar per phone. Our minimum order is 1,000 smartphones, so that's not the same as being able to ship 1 device for $1. Also, we work directly with carriers and get wholesale rates for air and sea freight to major ports. Delivery to Hamburg by sea is about $0.05 USD per device for 1,000 smartphones.
  - sauere 11y ago
    I missed the Quantity field. My bad.
janjongboom 11y ago
Are you sure that 3G license fees are paid on this phone? From my experience sourcing cheap phones this price is not possible unless you avoid the licensing. Lowest we could go for a SC7715 was about 35$.
- historian1066 11y ago
  Yes, it is all rolled up into the price of the device. This pricing is just for delivery to a port (CIP incoterm), so doesn't include customs clearance, duties, VAT or a retail markup.
- mcbridematt 11y ago
  Being China, it could be a TD-SCDMA variant (the stylized '4G' logo hints at being a China Mobile variant). That would escape the WCDMA related patents, but its still technically a UMTS/GSM system.
Narishma 11y ago
4 GB of storage. It only has 512 MB of memory.
- Leynos 11y ago
  That's pretty standard for phones of this size, unfortunately.
  - Narishma 11y ago
    I have no problem with that. My issue is about misleadingly talking about memory when you mean storage.
    - Alterlife 11y ago
      I didn't find it misleading because in my mind memory means storage. For example: I use the terms flash memory and flash storage interchangeably. The other way round, RAM can be thought of as temporary storage that is lost when the device is powered off.
waps 11y ago
Have you thought of making it a bit more hacker friendly ? Having some available GPIO's somehow exposed and documented. A small (optional ?) component to point the camera forward. Something to mount these phones onto a frame in a solid way. An optional way to provide power to the phone without occupying the USB slot. These phones would make excellent autopilots and controllers for RC cars, quadcopters, even regular helicopters, but there's just a few things missing.
- historian1066 11y ago
  We've gotten a few requests for modifications that we are looking at. Would love to hear more about what you are thinking here. My email is in my profile if you'd like to be in touch.

sauere 11y ago

How are you able to ship this to Germany for $1?

historian1066 11y ago
We can ship 1,000 smartphones to Frankfurt's airport (FRA) for $1,104 USD, which is about a dollar per phone. Our minimum order is 1,000 smartphones, so that's not the same as being able to ship 1 device for $1. Also, we work directly with carriers and get wholesale rates for air and sea freight to major ports. Delivery to Hamburg by sea is about $0.05 USD per device for 1,000 smartphones.
- sauere 11y ago
  I missed the Quantity field. My bad.

janjongboom 11y ago

Are you sure that 3G license fees are paid on this phone? From my experience sourcing cheap phones this price is not possible unless you avoid the licensing. Lowest we could go for a SC7715 was about 35$.

historian1066 11y ago
Yes, it is all rolled up into the price of the device. This pricing is just for delivery to a port (CIP incoterm), so doesn't include customs clearance, duties, VAT or a retail markup.
mcbridematt 11y ago
Being China, it could be a TD-SCDMA variant (the stylized '4G' logo hints at being a China Mobile variant). That would escape the WCDMA related patents, but its still technically a UMTS/GSM system.

Narishma 11y ago

4 GB of storage. It only has 512 MB of memory.

Leynos 11y ago
That's pretty standard for phones of this size, unfortunately.
- Narishma 11y ago
  I have no problem with that. My issue is about misleadingly talking about memory when you mean storage.
  - Alterlife 11y ago
    I didn't find it misleading because in my mind memory means storage. For example: I use the terms flash memory and flash storage interchangeably. The other way round, RAM can be thought of as temporary storage that is lost when the device is powered off.

waps 11y ago

Have you thought of making it a bit more hacker friendly ? Having some available GPIO's somehow exposed and documented. A small (optional ?) component to point the camera forward. Something to mount these phones onto a frame in a solid way. An optional way to provide power to the phone without occupying the USB slot. These phones would make excellent autopilots and controllers for RC cars, quadcopters, even regular helicopters, but there's just a few things missing.

historian1066 11y ago
We've gotten a few requests for modifications that we are looking at. Would love to hear more about what you are thinking here. My email is in my profile if you'd like to be in touch.