Xiaomi Smartphone, Saga, Update, Customer Report

Less than two months ago, I bought myself a Xiaomi Mi A2 without very extensive research about it. I knew that I didn't want to spend an awful lot, and I was totally disgusted with Samsung, because my J7 hadn't even lasted two years before dying suddenly. Instead of buying a low price phone from a good (expensive) company I bought a top of the line from an inexpensive one.

So far the big pros of the phone are

• the two year warranty versus one year for my Samsung phones
• and the camera
• the size, very similar to the J7, so no adjustment

They are both superior to the Samsung J7 and the previous Samsung I had which was a Samsung Galaxy II Plus, a not too bright but hardy workhorse.

Now for the cons.

• An annoying disadvantage was/is that I couldn't find a selection of cases, just clear ones which showed off the boring black phone. First I decorated the free case which came with the phone with red and white sparkly stick-ons. 
• The serious problem is that many people say they can't hear me clearly when we're trying to have a conversation. Others have no problems talking to me on the phone. And I discovered that some of them are convinced that I talk when washing dishes or some similar noisy pursuit. But I must admit that some of my kids complained that towards the end, they hadn't heard me clearly on the J7.
• It doesn't come with a choice of ringtones. I'm pretty good at figuring out various devices, and although the phone wake-up alarm has choices there are no choices when someone calls. I asked on facebook, and someone suggested Zedge, which gave me a Beatles tune. Yay!

Last week I did find a better/stronger and more "attractive" case, which gave me two choices of  "decoration." They are actually pieces of paper shaped to fit inside the clear protective case. I can live with the sparkly silver one. 

I haven't had a major problem getting used to the different system and figuring things out. Yesterday I did panic a bit when it stopped ringing, but after searching a variety of set-up options, I succeeded in solving that problem.

An annoying thing is that it doesn't use the same plug for charging, but I bought an inexpensive piece to add to one of my old chargers. Of course, it comes with one free charger.

Now for the sixty four thousand dollar $64,000 question...

Do I recommend the Xiaomi Mi A2? Is it a good/great smartphone for the price?

Honestly, I'm still not sure. I don't know any other users. If you have the phone, what do you think?

Would You Believe a New Phone? J7

Well, I took the plunge. I bought a new phone. Actually two, since my husband got the same model, Samsung J7. The J series is more affordable Samsung line. So, we have the most advanced of the less expensive phone they put out.

We aren't wealthy and don't need the most expensive and advanced phone on the market. To be honest, I'm almost more excited by the hot pink case I found for it in the Golan agent's store in Sha'ar Binyamin. I never liked the blue one I had on my old phone, though it did its job for three years.

I got the phone from a store in the Golan Heights, Zip Tech. I asked my gazillion questions on the phone and placed the order, that way, too. He sent the phones by registered mail and charges less than I had seen for them in Jerusalem.

I had gone to the Sha'ar Binyamin place, which is now in the new "mini-mall" across from the optician and furniture store, to have my sim-card cut to the right size for the new phone and get a new case and holder. It ended up that the Golan sim-card came pre-cut and didn't need cutting. But  I'm so glad I went there, because the young man working there did all of the complicated copying things from one phone the other. He really was a sweetheart and also answered my questions.

The most complicated thing to get for this was a new case to hook/loop onto my pouch "belt." The guy in Sha'ar Binyamin had a really nice one, but it I couldn't get the latch/buckle of the pouch through the loop. I finally found one in Jerusalem on King George Street, near Jaffa Street in a store that specialized in "cases." It also had great prices, and the guy was very helpful.

The phone takes great pictures. I used a couple of the photos for the new internet photography group I just joined, 365 Project.

Today in Jerusalem, 365

Raining! Day 4

Yes, I have a new "toy" to play with.

Happily 52Frames

"Cheery"
These colorful umbrellas make me smile!

Location: Jerusalem, Israel

This week's challenge for 52Frames was "Emotion," and I ended up sending in a picture of these gorgeous umbrellas which have been hanging in the sky of downtown Jerusalem, instead of the photo of my husband looking so serious at his computer.

Both photos were taken with my phone, a rather primitive/limited Samsung Galaxy II Plus. That's because we're having trouble, still, with the modem in the house. Gd willing the technician will be over tomorrow and get it all fixed/replaced.

Learning How To Use A Smartphone

Yes, yesterday I bought a smartphone.  Of course I came up with a very basic problem.  My fingers are just too fat to hit the right letters.  I've been watching everyone else (except my husband, but he'll get one in a few weeks) both older and younger than me tapping and swiping like pros.  It's a Galaxy II Plus.  In the end I bought it at Bug, which is a computer whatever chain.  There are branches all over, and they also have reps signing people up for Golan cellphone service, which we have, too.

The same son who taught me how to use my digital camera, the old, trusty Canon 620, helped me get started on my smartphone. He didn't like my choice in rings, but I tried to explain that it must be loud an annoying for me to hear it.  He has promised, or was it threatened, to download a nice Beatles song.  The problem with that will be that I'll sing along instead of answering.

And talking about answering the phone... that he didn't show me.  I figured out how to make calls without any real problem and even guessed what to press to activate the number I had just dialed and then to end the call.  But when I told my husband I needed to find out if it really rings and call me I couldn't' figure out how to answer it.  I kept tapping of course, which is wrong.  When I got home I tried to unwind on the computer a bit and asked my facebook friends and followers.  Luckily one managed to give me enough hints which helped.

Since the guys in the store hadn't hours to send all the numbers to my phone via bluetooth or whatever, now I need everyone to call me so I can add their numbers easily.  If you have my number, then I need you to call and identify yourself, ok?  Thanks!