Mobile Phones

[PanBiker]

My mobile chucked a bit of a wobbler this morning. When I switched it on it ran through optimising all the apps, then I noticed that it would not wake up from sleep mode. If you let it go to sleep the touch screen crashed and there was no option other than to force a shutdown and restart. I noticed after the third restart that it reported that Facebook had stopped even though it was not actually open on the phone? I uninstalled the app and then re-installed after a reboot and it seems to be OK. I have let it go to sleep at least 5 times now and I can always wake it up and unlock the screen so it looks as if that one is sorted. It must have trashed the app when it tried to update it.

Coincidentally with Kev's post above my phone is a Motorola but the 4G version.

[Stanley]

I don't like 'wobblies'!! The Pluggy Memorial Phone seems settled in nicely now.... Long may it continue!

[Tizer]

Tripps, are you still in love with your Wileyfox?

[Tripps]

We've had a 'trial separation' based on 'it's not you it's me.
Been through a rough patch, and it probably is me. I've just found a new browser called Dolphin which I get with fine - in contrast to Firefox, which is fine for me on the laptop.
They don't make the model I have (Swift) now and I know nothing about the new range. I'm broadly happy with it at the moment . That said, I was out today, and tried to log into OGFB- for some reason I now have an email saying someone has asked for a new password - that would be me on the mobile - but I swear I did no such thing.

Don't take any notice of what I say, but my son and him next door have got Motorola g type and are both very happy with them. Something like this Moto g . At the moment the Wileyfox will do for me. DYOR as they say on less educated sites.

[Tizer]

They're still advertising the Swift and the Spark on their web site. My old Nokia has finally given up on me and I'm forced to get something else but I'm not interested in all the bells and whistles - phone and texts will be the main use but a modern phone will be a lot easier for texts than the old Nokia! Whatever I buy I'll probably go for a PAYG SIM from ID Mobile for £5 a month.

[Tripps]

Mine is a 'Swift' - the current one is a 'Swift 2' - I think. Don't be too dismissive of the 'bells and whistles' - It's amazing what's available, and it's so easy to download, and try an app, then delete it quickly and totally if you don't like it. I can't cope with Ubuntu, but get along fine with Android. I agree with the ID £5 package - looks good value.

[Stanley]

I'm not in a position to comment as I only use the Pluggy Phone for Whatsapp and it never leaves the kitchen. Too small and fiddly for me to read the screen. I use it from the main computer and it's been a godsend!

[Tripps]

I think I'm done with Wileyfox - (the company that is). Spent much of yesterday wondering why I couldn't connect the phone to the laptop, and transfer video files to the phone. It was 'charge only when I connected it. Eventually ( not intuitive, needed a search) found in Settings, that I can change the connection to be either

Files etc / Camera/ or Charge only. But only when it is connected by wire to the laptop.

Files - MTP - does not recognise the device.
Camera - PTP - Sees only the phone, not the SD card - (which is what I need to use).
Charge only - not what I want to do.

Tried the help line phone number which when I first got the phone was brilliant - human operator who spoke perfect English - and actually was helpful. Number unobtainable. I sent an email which has been acknowledged and given a reference number.

Some Googling showed that the operating system Cyanogen (which is an 'open source' variant of Android,) went out of business earlier this year, and have fallen out with Wileyfox.

Checked out possibility wifi transfer and actually paid $1 for an app. Spent a lot of time playing with that.

I've now found a ' workaround' which involves taking the SD card out and connecting it directly to the laptop, via an adaptor, and copying the files that way. Bit of a pain so I await the reply to the email - there is no way I'm sending it back to them though.

Strangely enough - I'm not annoyed at all this. It's actually a challenge to get to the bottom of it all. It's easy to forget that it is a 'telephone' .

PS Well would you believe it. After writing all this I tried again and it works perfectly.

[PanBiker]

Over in proper Android world I just use Google Drive which is accessible from any device. Easy enough to upload into the cloud and then retrieve wherever I want them, Google does any necessary zipping for transfer if moving multiple files.

Doesn't help you of course Tripps but does demonstrate the advantages of having a standard android platform rather than a weird variant. Unless of course you can access Google?

[Tripps]

Not sure about 'weird'. It was well thought of at one time, and said to be better than basic Android. Thanks for the Drive suggestion - I hadn't thought of that. In fact I do have it installed already on the phone, and used it to transfer some documents to someone earlier this year.

My problem with all this is that I struggle with things - then eventually solve the problem - then don't need the process again for a long time, by which time I've forgotten about it.

[Tizer]

I think I'm done with Wileyfox - (the company that is).

So am I and I haven't even bought one! Before seeing Tripps' post I'd been searching more reviews on Wileyfox phones, particularly on the TrustedReviews.com and TechRadar web sites. There are now two types of Wileyfox phone, the Spark (cheap) and Swift (more expensive). The reviews of the Spark were abysmal, I've rarely seen such a drubbing. Reviews of the Swift were a lot better and the reviewers can't understand why the company let the Spark ever go on sale. But I also found that the basic Swift is £159 whereas the as the Moto G5 is available for £150 and LINK gets a better review. Tripps mentioned his son and neighbour being happy with their Motos. Is that what Panbiker has too? Mrs Tiz has a Moto which I've sometimes used so the G5 would probably be familiar to me. Everything now points to me buying the Moto G5.

[PanBiker]

I have been very happy with my Moto G, it was voted best mobile of its class in 2013, 2014 then is successor the E variant took over the accolade for 2015. Sally has the later one, it has a bit better camera but in essence it is the same. No problem in recommending if you don't want to spend an arm and a leg. Does everything and more than I will ever need.

Just looked at your link Tiz and see that it comes with 16Gb base memory. Mine had 8Gb and I put a 16Gb memory card in. Latest Android release as well as a better processor, 8 core @ 1.4Ghz. I would buy one now if mine wasn't still fit for purpose.

[Tizer]

Thanks for that. Looks like I'll be the `last of the big spenders' this weekend - but at least I'm not buying the latest Apple offering at several times the price!

[PanBiker]

Definitely not Tiz but it will do most of what the Apple does, if you look at the motif when you get it you will see that you have bought a bat phone.

[Stanley]

Reading all this I am so grateful to Pluggy...... I have enough problems with crossheads!

[Tizer]

I've now grown to recognise that logo Ian. And one of Mrs Tiz's college friends from the 1970s married a man who went to work for Motorola. They've lived in various places including US, China, Eastern Europe and he's about to retire - it'll be interesting to see where they end up! I believe the Wileyfox business was set up by an ex-Motorola director.

[Tripps]

Well - I've satisfied myself that the connection problem was due to the connecting cable. I've changed back to the original supplied cable and all works fine. Device recognised. Part of my research involved youtube where I came across this guy with an intriguing accent change the cable. I didn't believe him, but I thought I had tried it with no result. There are some spoof clips on youtube.

I got an email response from Wileyfox at 10 pm last night from one Daniela, but was able to say that I no longer needed her help. I thought all USB cables had the same function - just different sizes, and I have since tried another cable (from my HUDL tablet) and that works OK.

[Stanley]

I can't remember the context but I once hit that problem David. Being a simple minded old bugger I thought that if the plug fitted it must be right!

[Tizer]

Carphone Warehouse doesn't want me to buy a mobile phone! I tried to buy the Moto online but it kept rejecting my details. I think they don't like me having been at this address only a few weeks. So Argos will get my custom - they're offering it at the same price.

I've seen a lot of claims on the web that if you buy your SIM-free phone from places like Carphone and John Lewis their phones lock to the first SIM you put in them and you can't change to a different provider's SIM later. I wonder if it's true?

[PanBiker]

I don't know about the claims Tiz but you can unlock a phone quiet easily if you need to.

[Stanley]

Pluggy knows about it..... we are so lucky, if we get baffled in Barlick just ring Pluggy and he'll wave his wand.

[PanBiker]

The vast majority of mobile devices if locked to a particular network can be disengaged by using an unlock code. Phones are supplied locked in an attempt to keep you tied in to a particular provider. Never had a problem with any I have wanted to move.

[Pluggy]

You can often get an unlock code just by ringing customer services of the network its tied to. If its out of contract they will give you one. They'll often give you one if its not a very expensive phone before the contract ends. If the first bod you get on the phone refuses, just ring again, the next one might. Or there's your local phone shop or you can get them online. Pricey newish phones are a lot more expensive to get unlocked than old cheap ones. They hold you to ransom if its residual value is not trivial......

Or you buy one unlocked outright on Ebay or Amazon. depending on the calls you make its often cheaper to buy the phone and get cheap PAYG rather than pay a contract for two years. Be warned the major players will stiff you good on PAYG. You go to one of the virtual piggy backers instead.

Example : https://www.1pmobile.com

I don't use them so I can't vouch for the quality. I use delight : https://www.delightmobile.co.uk/ at 3p a minute. EE network, passable customer services. You can set it to automatically top up when the credit gets low.

[PanBiker]

My £1 a week EE tariff auto renews and I get a text when my credit is running low.

[Stanley]

I have that EE tariff as well Ian but have never used it apart from on Wifi so never exceeded my credit.... I use it solely to enable Whatsapp.
Janet made me bite the bullet so that she and I and others could have totally private conversations when she was dying. It was brilliant and I have kept it up.