[GTALUG] (off topic) unlocked phones

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

I'm the last person to ask about cell phones -- I barely use them.
But I do have some opinions.

- I like the idea of vanilla Android.  This has been reinforced by my
  brief experience with a Asus Zenphone -- too busy and full of bonus crap.

- Nexus phones have an inferred commitment to frequent upgrades not
  filtered by carriers or manufacturers.  My Nexus 4 and (Nexus 10
  tablet) have just now fallen off this (I'm sad, but longevity sure
  beats other brands)

- I think that Nexus phones are never carrier-locked.

- I have the impression that Motorola phones shared some of the
  culture of Nexus.  Who knows if that will change under Lenovo.

- in raw hardware, among phones with all the bands available in
  Canada, the Asus Zenphone seems like a bargain.

- I agree with you: I don't like locked phones, I don't like the
  hidden costs of subsidized phones, and I don't like the complexity
  of service offerings.  Having said that, I got my Nexus 4 very
  inexpensively through careful analysis and exploitation of a carrier offering.

- I have yet to root a phone, but I like the idea that I could.