Is the iPhone SE the 'Best Minimalist Phone' Right Now? (theverge.com) 180
With Apple offering a clearance sale on the iPhone SE earlier this week, The Verge's Nick Statt decided that it was "the appropriate moment to hop on the backup phone bandwagon" and pick one up. He writes: I've always appreciated the classic 5S design, with its overtly rounded corners and its sturdy, not-so-delicate dimensions. It never felt like it really required a case, and its smaller screen and more comfortable, one-handed use is something I've thought far too much about as I've ferried around an iPhone X and now an XS over the past year and a half. Plus, it's got a headphone jack. Would you agree that the iPhone SE is "the best minimalist phone right now," or do you think that title belongs to a different device? Why or why not?
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'best phone Apple has made'
As in, form and function maximized, does it all, reliably, at reasonable or at least lower cost. Somewhat repairable, still performs adequately, yes, it is. If my AD didn't absolutely demand a better camera and more screen, this would be it.
Yes, the SE is a damned good bargain, if only because Apple broke the $1000 cherry and misjudged the market so slightly that it only damaged perception.
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But they make the best goddamn buggy whips you've ever seen!
(Other People's Money - good movie!)
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Yeah, Netflix on a 4-inch screen is pretty much exactly as bad as Netflix on a 6-inch screen. Movies are intended to be a big-screen experience, remember?
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If I had an account, I'd rate this as funny.
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Minimal choice? Minimal features? Minimal specs?
Very minimal. Except the price, you can still get more phone for less money elsewhere, but that's Apple for you.
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Name one android device, and type of device that is a POS that is under $500. You can't.
I can.
Look at the Galaxy S5 or S5 Active. It's around $200 and does 99% of what the vast majority of users need to do.
Replaceable battery, headphone jack IR output, micro SD slot, IP68 rated, happily charges off of any micro-usb cable, nice display...etc etc.
My bad (Score:2)
My bad, they're only ~$140 or so.
Ummm, you were saying...?
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I used to have an S5 til just a few months ago, and it was a good phone. However, I upgraded to an LG V20 for under $200 bucks and it's a better phone. USB C charging and a better battery help, and it still has a removable battery, sd card slot, and IR blaster like the S5 did.
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I used to have an S5 til just a few months ago, and it was a good phone. However, I upgraded to an LG V20 for under $200 bucks and it's a better phone. USB C charging and a better battery help, and it still has a removable battery, sd card slot, and IR blaster like the S5 did.
Thanks for the suggestion- it sounds like a good phone and it'll probably be what I get after my S5 dies.
I really like having an IR blaster- turning off obnoxious TVs in bars and restaurants is a hobby of mine. :)
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Name one android device, and type of device that is a POS that is under $500.
Any $200 Android tablet with a $50 Square credit card reader can be used to take payment at a point of sale.
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You can argue about whether it is minimalist however being vendor locked has nothing to do with the word "minimalist".
It's arguable that limited choice limits the minimal configurations/use cases you have access to.
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While there is less lock-in with Android, they are sneaky ways that Android and phone makers will lock you into their platform.
At work I have to support a mobile app that has IOS and Android ports.
The iOS version is easier to manage even when people upgrade their phones. Android has issues when people switch their phones. Say from Samsung to Pixel.
OS version are different, phone features may be incompatible with the App, and screen size differences may make the usability pure garbage.
The issue isn’t
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How is it 'minimalist' being locked to a vendor's ecosystem
Well it's easier than convincing the holdouts in your family to stop using iMessage and start using a non-SMS-based app like a rational human being.
"I don't know what you're talking about, I get all the messages just fine..."
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I love fragmented messaging! Why should I deal with all of these different variations of AIM just so you can save $5?
So that you don't have to install Square Cash and cover the $5.
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How is it 'minimalist' being locked to a vendor's ecosystem
What locked? From Apple [apple.com] page, it is clearly said 'unlocked' phone.
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It also minimizes the lack of security patches. I love Android but the ecosystem is broken and fragmented. I had a Nexus 6, loved it but it already isn't being updated. I get the latest iOS releases on the mini iPad 2s that my children have. iOS 12 supports the iPhone 5s, which was released prior to my Nexus 6. I had gone from iOS to Android but the lack of support from Google, even my Nexus 7 tablet, released nearly at the same time as theiPad mini 2, isn't supported. I have an iPad Pro and iPhone 7
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iOS isn't robust enough for there to be driver support for anything but a small subset of the hardware Apple chooses. It's the same as with Mac OS. Apple isn't very good at developing software, so they target a narrow subsection of the hardware available.
I call that being smart, not "isn't very good at developing software". You see in life you've got to choose your battles wisely. Why support all the hardware they don't sell? This makes no sense from a technological standpoint nor from an economical one.
Kyocera Dura Plus. (Score:3)
For other definitions of 'minimalist'.
https://www.kyoceramobile.com/... [kyoceramobile.com]
If you absolutely need it there's even a Opera browser.
Charge it about twice a month. Used it to crack open pistachios that weren't precracked enough. Still available used and for use on the Sprint network (or Ting). Costs about ~$15-20/month.
Has some nice headset options as well, plus bluetooth.
In Europe I know they get a lot of other fancy feature phones. You can get the Nokia 3310, but not sure about the frequencies compared with the US.
https://www.nokia.com/phones/e... [nokia.com]
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Kyocera has a rather nice modern day flip phone with t9 texting plus 4G LTE and hotspot ability without the iOS or Android. Itâ(TM)s a great buy for under $100
Sounds a lot like Nokia 8110 4G, including the price.
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Why am I bringing my phone out of my pocket to 'impress ladies'?
In most cases (Score:5, Insightful)
The best “backup phone” is the one you shoved into a drawer right after you purchased your current phone.
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The best “backup phone” is the one you shoved into a drawer right after you purchased your current phone.
You mean the one that doesn't work any more?
Sounds like a shitty backup phone. You might be surprised to learn that a lot of people don't replace their phone yearly and many of those that do will often use the old phone as a hand-me-down to kids/family. My Nexus 5X was a mere 10 weeks from 3 years of faithful service when it died. Its predecessor, a Nexus 4 was killed by a TSA X-Ray machine. The last phone I still have that I used as a daily was a 2012 Galaxy Nexus. That's 7 years old.
My backup phone
Isn't (Score:5, Funny)
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The SE/30 is a good choice for running NetBSD.
The 512 x 342 one bit framebuffer is a little limiting, but with fvwm you have a usable X desktop.
Re:Isn't the SE/30 supposed to be better? (Score:2)
Some people bought cases with handles for their SE/30s and actually carried them through airports and called them portable, but seriously, who in their right mind thinks an SE/30 makes for a decent portable anything? The battery can barely keep the time! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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Isn't the SE/30 supposed to be better?
Only if you add a Lapis Technologies PDS/30 color board to it with an external NEC multisync monitor.
FWIW: it's the last phone from Apple (Score:2)
I am an SE user, and IMO this is the last reasonable device from Apple. I certainly plan to keep using it until it either falls apart (and replacement is not available), or Apple comes out with another similar form factor device with an audio connector.
Barring that - off to Android. Although I will miss iMessage and FaceTime, audio jack and form factor override those priorities. (I could always learn to like WhatsApp).
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Totally agree. I only bought an iPhone SE because my 3-4 year old 5c's battery was only about 50% usable. If it lasts another three years I'll be happy.
BTW, both cost me $350.
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Barring that - off to Android. Although I will miss iMessage and FaceTime, audio jack and form factor override those priorities. (I could always learn to like WhatsApp).
Well guess what? You'll probably get your headphone jack, but any Android phone that isn't an outdated wad of shit is going to have at least a 5" display. Even the Xperia XZ2 Compact sports a 5" screen. The closest thing to a "small" flagship is now the iPhone 8, which is already a generation behind.
The entire mobile phone industry has given the middle finger to anyone who doesn't want what was, in fairly recent history [wikipedia.org], referred to as a "phablet".
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I didn't say you can't get a small Android phone. The point was small flagship caliber phones are no longer made. You can get something small if you want a terrible CPU and camera (which reviews [pcmag.com] state is the case with that phone).
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I've kept hold of my 5s because by the time I was thinking about upgrading (usually I start after three years) it was all larger phones except for the SE. I wasn't interested in the SE because I see it as Apple deliberately keeping features out of it in order to make people want the larger phones. I want the smaller phone because I want to use it comfortably with one hand as I take the bus and walks lot to do my shopping which means I'm carrying groceries in one hand. Apple offered a terrible solution to u
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Agree. I bought an SE as soon as they (finally) introduced the 128GB version, which is still less room than I'd like.
I have NO desire to carry a huge tablet that won't fit in my pocket, so I'll stay with the SE until Apple or some other manufacturer comes to their senses. BTW, a bezel-less 5-inch screen exactly fits the SE's body size, which is definitely the largest phone it's possible to run with one hand, even with its 4-inch display. (My ideal phone would be an Andromeda-type pen-capable folder the si
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Diapers frequently need changing, too.
Slavishly adopting whatever a marketing operation in Cupertino 'defines' as the leading edge isn't luddite, but it's the same sort of 'follow the leader' shit that the luddite mob was participating in.
I'm surrounded by computers all day. (Score:2)
If other people want gigantic phones, that's fine, but I don't. I work with computers all day. My phone is not my primary computing device. It's not even my secondary computing device. For a phone, I want something that is comfortable to hold and easy to use with one hand. I can easily hit every corner of my SE with my thumb without adjusting my grip. The biggest thing I'd want would be an SE-sized phone with an XR-style* edge-to-edge screen, but even that would be pushing it, in terms of ease-of-one-handed
The i0Phone is the best model smart phone! (Score:2)
The i0Phone is the best model Apple iPhone. It's the best kind of smart phone too!
Spoken simply as:
i zero phone
The name also sounds perfect to people who view you as a Luddite anyway.
hell no. 100 buck discount is more than its worth (Score:1)
get a moto e5
yes the iphone se is going to need a case... its still crazy expensive.
the vendor lockin is too great to ever consider an apple device.
they are generally hard to use.
that said it does have a physical button for volume control... and that makes me wonder why android 9 is designed to ring in opera and theater and church...
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Jesus, I looked at the website - either the phone is as big as the TV hanging on my wall or the model has dwarf hands. I don't think people in the market for the diminutive SE are going to be interested in owning a quarter acre of phone.
Love mine (Score:2)
Got one when first released as an upgrade to my "no more OS updates and out of internal storage" 4s. I'll admit to being an edge case on use pattern and such, but I get almost 72 hours use out of a full battery charge.
Got it for a 3 reasons -
Form factor. The size is right to me. I don't need/want to carry a "phablet", etc.
Supposed to be last w/ headphone jack. Weird, but this is one of my must haves, as is the ability to use it while charging without paying more money for various adapters.
OS updates. M
Partially agreeing (Score:1)
best for what price? (Score:1)
I got two Moto G6 on sale for $149.99. each.
I do not care about the camera, so I don't know if it's any good or not. I don't watch shows on my phone,
Otherwise, it works great
I just want a smartphone so I can get Uber and a couple of other apps. Oh, and BTW, to talk to people.
There is zero reason for me to pay the Apple tax
Of course not (Score:3)
Good job Slashdot (Score:2)
Thanks for telling me about the sale after its over.
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Thanks for telling me about the sale after its over.
If you're in the USA, you can probably get a better deal on this phone through your carrier anyway.
Metro by T-Mobile [metropcs.com] - Free, if you're porting over a number (get a disposable AT&T number from eBay or something, then switch the phone to your account)
AT&T [bestbuy.com] - $194.99 (Yes, it will work on postpaid AT&T, too)
Verizon [bestbuy.com] - $199.99 (Not 100% sure if Verizon will let you use this on postpaid, as they're a bit anal about that sort of thing)
All of the Carlos [bestbuy.com] Slim [walmart.com] prepaid [walmart.com] brands [walmart.com] (America Movil) have the iPhone
The definition of a minimalistic phone (Score:1)
No. (Score:5, Insightful)
A smartphone cannot be a "minimalist" phone, as that term defines a phone that only makes phone calls. This is all Apple marketing.
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A smartphone cannot be a "minimalist" phone, as that term defines a phone that only makes phone calls. This is all Apple marketing.
Minimalist (n).
1) Marketing. A term to describe a device that can't do half the things it's competitors can do.
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Minimalism as a concept is the reduction of a thing to its essential components. That is, to make a thing that does what it needs to do; no more, but also no less. Which means it's always a scoping question.
A minimalist *phone* would only make phone calls; and possibly would only make phone calls to pre-defined numbers, depending on the scope of what's essential.
A minimalist *smartphone* would do more than that, but how much more is going to depend on what the essential features of a smartphone are for you.
Stupid. (Score:3)
You want a minimalist phone? You can't handle minimalist phone! The truth is if you are going for a smartphone then it's not minimalist at all. Something like this is what you should be looking for: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g... [ebayimg.com]
No. (Score:2)
My cheap ass fallback feature phone beats any iphone hands down in minimalism. And battery time.
"bandwagon"? (Score:3)
The Verge's Nick Statt decided that it was "the appropriate moment to hop on the backup phone bandwagon"
Sounds like he first decided to make up said "bandwagon". Then will come the "backup to your backup phone" bandwagon. The only part I can't figure out is why the phone industry would promote such a concept... oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me if I think about it long enough.
Short shelf life (Score:1)
Apple will probably stop providing software updates in 2019 or 2020.
That's a pretty short shelf life.
Now, something like the 5S but with 5 years of software upgrades is worth considering.
Clearance sale, really ? (Score:2)
BTW, I have a 3 years old iPhone SE, which I really like. I have no intention of buying a bigger phone. But an edge-to-edge iPhone SE2 for the same form factor ? Instant buy.
*Giggles* (Score:2)
Plus, it's got a headphone jack.
The cognitive dissonance is strong with Apple - it's not a "plus" unless it's on an Apple phone. All other times it's "Who cares if it's on Android phones, no one uses it anyway!!!!"
Moto G (Score:2)
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I Am One of the SE People. Apple has it Wrong. (Score:2)
I'm on my fourth SE. I already have fifth in the mail, just in case. My third Amazon refurb. I also carry around an iPhone 7 for work, so I do know some of what I'm "missing" in the newer form factor.
Since the SE, Apple has not made a better phone for me.
1 - The size of the whole phone, when including the mandatory slim case one needs, is right. If Apple wants me to buy a tablet, it shouldn't force me to have a phone that competes with that purchase.
2 - The edges are squared, not rounded. This makes
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3 - It supports fingerprint-based login, not face recognition. This is my strong preference. I do not want face scanning for login. I would prefer to go back to PIN entry first.
Yup, forgot this. FaceID is an anti-feature for me - this, along with the lack of a small form factor phone (and the execrable iTunes as the only viable backup and storage management tool), are the reasons I can't see myself ever buying another Apple phone. The problem is that Google is enough more evil that I just won't buy an Android/Fuschia phone, so my next phone will probably have to be some semi-lame third-party deal. Either that, or I go back to an actual dumb phone as a phone and get something lik
burners (Score:3)
If you want a "backup phone", your best bet is still a cheap burner you can buy at a gas station. The main benefit is that you can have the very satisfying experience of breaking it and then throwing it into a trash can or out the car window to throw the bad guys off your scent like they do on the TV. And you are very unlikely to get any robocalls on it.
The last phone I'd ever use for a backup is an Apple phone. Also, how funny is it that the iPhone model that is being celebrated by nerds is the one that is least like their current flagship models?
$250 is "on sale"? (Score:2)
I still love my 5S (Score:2)
I bought a new 32gb iPhone 5S for my new job in mid 2014. That christmas I picked up a FLIR for it when they had it on sale as they were replacing their "camera back" design with the "radio transmitter dongle" form factor. Since it's a back not just a lightning dongle, it only works with this model of phone.
Nevermind that I've always wanted a FLIR as a bit of a toy, now that I have it I've found it's an incredibly useful tool and I turn it on at least weekly. I'd hate to lose it, and not having to deal w
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Just as a thought, you can keep the device and still get a new phone (and might want to, just to preserve the life of the iPhone so you can keep using it with the camera.)
The FLIR (and most features) will still work fine without a SIM. I've repurposed an old iPod touch as my 'alarm clock' - in Airplane mode it just sits there for 2-3 weeks on a charge and is quick and easy to set the alarm when I need it, and I get to wake up to a tune I like.
Haven't figured out a use for a 1st gen iPad tho...
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What makes it so useful is always having it handy. Is the AC in the room not working? Which server in the rack is overheating? What's affecting the thermostat in that room? Is a component on the board overheating? Do I have a brake shoe dragging on one of my wheels? Which car was the last one to arrive in the lot? Is that remote bro
250 US$? Yeah, right (Score:2)
Minimalist (Smart) Phone? For $250 ? You must be kidding. You get better offers for $100 less. Yes, that won't be an Apple phone, but who cares?
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Buy the AT&T GoPhone version for $150 (if on the AT&T network) and it's only $150, or at least it was 6 months ago when I got mine.
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Small yes, minimalist no (Score:2)
The iPhone SE is small, yet quite powerful. That can make it an attractive phone for those who want to carry less without compromising too much on functionality. It's an awesome compact phone.
But it's that functionality that disqualifies it as a minimalist phone in my book. The functionality comes at a cost that a typical minimalist seeks to eliminate.
I'm thinking complex configuration (by minimalist standards), worrying about charging, maintenance (app updates, etc.), relative high cost for what one really
I want just a bit more (Score:2)
I jumped the 5 and 5S, and went straight from an iPhone 4S to a 6. For me, that's still a one-hand phone. It does more than I need, and battery life isn't atrocious, though it's not great.
I don't see myself wanting anything larger, though.
No (Score:2)
"Is the iPhone SE the 'Best Minimalist Phone' Right Now?"
No, that award would likely go to any basic Android phone costing between $200 and $300 or so.
I got an iPhone SE about 6 months ago (Score:2)
About 6 onths ago I "downgraded" from my third iPhone 6 Plus that froze and had serious digitizer issues. The way I got my iPhone SE was by buying it from Best Buy as an AT&T GoPhone device, $149.95 plus tax out the door. I worked with AT&T to move this device to my account, and I haven't looked back.
For the first 4-6 weeks, my brain kept noticing how small the phone was, but as I got used to having it fit so well in my pocket I stopped noticing it.
When I put my phone on the table at restaurants, fr
Definition needed (Score:2)
absolutely not even close (Score:2)
yes... kind of (Score:2)
It has the best form factor. I sincerely dislike those phablet style crap that doesn't know if it wants to grow up and become a tablet or not. My phone's most important attribute is portability. I want to be able to put it into a pocket and not feel that it's there. The SE achieves that, the 6 and its cousins of the same size don't. I know, because I have both (private phone SE, work phone 6).
Other people want other things, that's fine with me. If I were a women and put my phone into a purse, I'd probably n
It has removable battery? And a headphone jack? (Score:2)
Yes. Yes it is. (Score:2)
Power of a 6 in a form factor easily held in the hand or shoved in a pocket ... and 3.5 mm audio socket.
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He sees you. He tracks you. And he's coming for you.
He'd better hope he doesn't find me. I have little patience for ignorant, draft-dodging cowards like him.
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I don't remember you ranting against Bill Clinton or Joe Biden...
You should probably get your hearing checked.
I ragged on Clinton for all sorts of things, but on his worst day he was still head and shoulders above President Temper Tantrum. At least he knew how the government worked and had held elected office before becoming president.
Comparing Donald Trump to Bill Clinton- is that really the hill you want to die on?
Re:No. Of course not. (Score:4, Informative)
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Define "program". Like all smartphones you can develop for it if you choose. You'll need a Mac whereas with an Android you'll need a Mac or PC
I remember dreaming about a full computer that would fit in my pocket. Now, all you can get are toys/appliances that cannot be used to program themselves.
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I remember dreaming about a full computer that would fit in my pocket. Now, all you can get are toys/appliances that cannot be used to program themselves.
How would a computer that fits in your pocket have the UI for you to program it? I don't know about you but when I program something, I need a keyboard, mouse, and a full screen monitor. Also I tend not to program on the computer itself. I am generally writing programs for another system: server code, SQL code, web code, etc. that doesn't run on the machine itself.
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How would a computer that fits in your pocket have the UI for you to program it? I don't know about you but when I program something, I need a keyboard, mouse, and a full screen monitor. Also I tend not to program on the computer itself. I am generally writing programs for another system: server code, SQL code, web code, etc. that doesn't run on the machine itself.
My Nokia N900 has a real, physical keyboard. It also comes with Xterm and Python. I've used it as an SSH terminal in various emergency situations. It's not much and I wouldn't want to work with it extensively, but it's been very handy on those few occasions. Moreover, it's a nice idea that when you've paid money for real computer hardware, you're allowed to use it like a real computer, instead of putting up artificial barriers.
It's also interesting that you mention server code etc. -- it's almost like us
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Punkt MP02
For $350???
How about an LG B470 [newegg.com]? $50 at the AT&T store.