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spriter

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2004
1,460
586
Regardless of their tactics, $349 for a 64GB OPO is a steal. No other way around that.

Can't disagree with that.

As for all their blunders, wouldn't it be great if they held their hands up, showed a bit of humility and acknowledged their mistakes, as well as making changes for the better?

That interview with the Marketing guy the other day was a good opportunity to address shortcomings (admit the yellowing was a manufacturing process rather than trying to brush it under the carpet, admit the smashing idea was a mistake, and kill the sexist ideas stone dead). Lots of chances to show they are able to admit faults and people would be actually appreciate that - a bit more transparency.

I have to say, though, that being here for a significant period of time, admitting mistakes is seen as a flaw and the amount of times people keep quiet or attempt to shift blame to save face is almost always the way. Self-preservation and diversion tactics, as seen here by quietly 'disappearing' the sexist challenge, is evidence of this.
 

Jspring86

Suspended
Oct 7, 2011
442
3
Tempe, AZ
I just read about their sexist challenge, that is one of the funniest things I've read in quite sometime. The magnitude of their marketing ineptitude is impressive.
 

Cnasty

macrumors 68040
Jul 2, 2008
3,336
2,106
The price is right but not if there are going to be a ton of quality issues.
 

akuma13

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2006
934
430
It funny that this thread discuses more about OPO's marketing tactics than the actual phone. Despite my OPO's slight yellow banding, it's probably the best android phone i've use since the Note 3.
 

spriter

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2004
1,460
586
So I ordered a couple of 64gb black OPOs on Tuesday (Chinese flash sale) and have been using one since yesterday morning. I'd already handled a couple that other people had but here are my impressions from a couple of days' use:

Design: bezels are a bit bigger than I expected but not too fat. The metal frame exacerbates the non-screen space a bit. Top and bottom areas are pretty porky but at least they curve to their bulge! It's a big device - that much we all know.

Ergonomically, the curvature of the back is good. I have fairly large hands and am used to gripping my 5s and M7. However, it's pleasantly surprising to say the OPO is quite nice to handle. Aside from the back curvature, the other major factor is the sandstone texture. When I tried the other two white OPOs I found them a bit slippy and slidey. I'd go as far as saying the sandstone texture is the best finish to a device I've used - no fingerprints or dirt and excellent stability without having to grasp it.

And to the yellow: both devices I ordered have a tiny amount of slight yellowing, about 3mm from the bottom only noticeable if I tilt the phone forward at a weird angle. Apparently, CM runs warm so maybe if I was in this ROM I would never have noticed. As it is, I would say it exists but I had to go looking for it. Either I got lucky (or unlucky?) or there has been some change to the manufacturing process. It's certainly much less than the prior two OPOs I saw and not nearly as yellowy as my 5s is (from top to bottom).

Software: ColorOS is quirky and not to everybody's taste but I like it. Sometimes I feel CM is a bit too boring. I know, I'm in the minority here! The biggest reason I haven't yet tried CM (I will) is the camera: by all accounts the CM camera is bad and the test shots I've done on ColorOS are very nice. I guess CM is the same but ColorOS on this is on par with iOS smooth wise.

Battery: About 6.5 hours screen on time with plenty of restarts, benchmarking and installing. I need to let this cycle a few weeks first but it's promising as I'm a relatively mild user (my 5s gets me 1.5 days)

Overall, it's good but not perfect. It cost me circa 257 USD thanks to an impatient colleague so I can't complain too much. A nice play-thing and I'll see how it performs over the next month before the big glut or new phones.

TLDR: Overall it's not perfect but is unquestionably cheap for what you get by comparison. A touch large and there's room for improvement but the black sandstone version reduces handling issues. If I was buying outside of China, the support/returning side of things would concern me more as well as not having flash sales to get one quickly and reliably. Oh, and don't bother with the 16gb model. As a harsh critic of OPO it is a good product, just less so the company.
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
16,080
19,080
US
So I ordered a couple of 64gb black OPOs on Tuesday (Chinese flash sale) and have been using one since yesterday morning. I'd already handled a couple that other people had but here are my impressions from a couple of days' use:

Design: bezels are a bit bigger than I expected but not too fat. The metal frame exacerbates the non-screen space a bit. Top and bottom areas are pretty porky but at least they curve to their bulge! It's a big device - that much we all know.

Ergonomically, the curvature of the back is good. I have fairly large hands and am used to gripping my 5s and M7. However, it's pleasantly surprising to say the OPO is quite nice to handle. Aside from the back curvature, the other major factor is the sandstone texture. When I tried the other two white OPOs I found them a bit slippy and slidey. I'd go as far as saying the sandstone texture is the best finish to a device I've used - no fingerprints or dirt and excellent stability without having to grasp it.

And to the yellow: both devices I ordered have a tiny amount of slight yellowing, about 3mm from the bottom only noticeable if I tilt the phone forward at a weird angle. Apparently, CM runs warm so maybe if I was in this ROM I would never have noticed. As it is, I would say it exists but I had to go looking for it. Either I got lucky (or unlucky?) or there has been some change to the manufacturing process. It's certainly much less than the prior two OPOs I saw and not nearly as yellowy as my 5s is (from top to bottom).

Software: ColorOS is quirky and not to everybody's taste but I like it. Sometimes I feel CM is a bit too boring. I know, I'm in the minority here! The biggest reason I haven't yet tried CM (I will) is the camera: by all accounts the CM camera is bad and the test shots I've done on ColorOS are very nice. I guess CM is the same but ColorOS on this is on par with iOS smooth wise.

Battery: About 6.5 hours screen on time with plenty of restarts, benchmarking and installing. I need to let this cycle a few weeks first but it's promising as I'm a relatively mild user (my 5s gets me 1.5 days)

Overall, it's good but not perfect. It cost me circa 257 USD thanks to an impatient colleague so I can't complain too much. A nice play-thing and I'll see how it performs over the next month before the big glut or new phones.

TLDR: Overall it's not perfect but is unquestionably cheap for what you get by comparison. A touch large and there's room for improvement but the black sandstone version reduces handling issues. If I was buying outside of China, the support/returning side of things would concern me more as well as not having flash sales to get one quickly and reliably. Oh, and don't bother with the 16gb model. As a harsh critic of OPO it is a good product, just less so the company.

Nice write up!
 

essexman

macrumors newbie
Oct 23, 2012
29
1
Have been using it for nearly a month and it's great. They have increased the production now so people who have registered on their website are getting invites. I just have away 3 invites to forum members. Great camera, software, screen etc. It should be available more freely in a couple of months.
Good things come to those who wait.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,072
689
I've got a guy offering me his OnePlus 64GB for 290€ :eek::eek:

I'm really tempted, but I keep thinking the device is too big. Never had a phablet and I'm not a fan of them.

Also the Moto X+1 is just around the corner...
 

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,539
9,510
I've got a guy offering me his OnePlus 64GB for 290€ :eek::eek:

I'm really tempted, but I keep thinking the device is too big. Never had a phablet and I'm not a fan of them.

Also the Moto X+1 is just around the corner...
I think that's around $385?

----------

Oh yeah, we will have Android L in a few days. :)
 

spriter

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2004
1,460
586
I've got a guy offering me his OnePlus 64GB for 290€ :eek::eek:

I'm really tempted, but I keep thinking the device is too big. Never had a phablet and I'm not a fan of them.

Also the Moto X+1 is just around the corner...

Isn't that more than retail price? At least it seems so compared to 2,299 yuan. At least eyeball it properly for the yellow if you're paying above or close to retail (what about returns?).

Sounds like you wouldn't like it and end up selling it on. If you dislike phablets, there are plenty of more suitable devices just aroung the corner.

I think prices will drop as they become more readily available (new and used) and as other flagships get released. As good as it is, OPO could really have owned the May-September space if they'd got a hold on manufacturing. Still a great buy for the price, though.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,072
689
I think that's around $385?

----------

Oh yeah, we will have Android L in a few days. :)

Isn't that more than retail price? At least it seems so compared to 2,299 yuan. At least eyeball it properly for the yellow if you're paying above or close to retail (what about returns?).

Sounds like you wouldn't like it and end up selling it on. If you dislike phablets, there are plenty of more suitable devices just aroung the corner.

I think prices will drop as they become more readily available (new and used) and as other flagships get released. As good as it is, OPO could really have owned the May-September space if they'd got a hold on manufacturing. Still a great buy for the price, though.

The OnePlus 64GB model sells in Europe for 299€, plus you need to add the 22€ they charge here for shipping. So the total price is 321€.

This guy offered me his OnePlus for 290€ with shipping included. That's 31€ cheaper than buying it directly from OnePlus, and he included the official book case too.

That's why I was tempted. They are going for 350€ on eBay, for example.

It was a great offer, but I turned it down.

I have high hopes for the Moto X+1.
 

spriter

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2004
1,460
586
The OnePlus 64GB model sells in Europe for 299€, plus you need to add the 22€ they charge here for shipping. So the total price is 321€.

This guy offered me his OnePlus for 290€ with shipping included. That's 31€ cheaper than buying it directly from OnePlus, and he included the official book case too.

That's why I was tempted. They are going for 350€ on eBay, for example.

It was a great offer, but I turned it down.

I have high hopes for the Moto X+1.

Ah I see was a pretty good deal then, but if you've reservations then better to turn it down as I caj understand why it's not to everyone's taste size-wise.

Looking forward to the X+1 too but might have to wait a while after launch to get my hands on it.
 

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,539
9,510
How will you have android l in a few days? I thought they said 90 days from L's official release???
Devs are porting it for us. They ported it for few other devices as well...those guys have an OPO now and are very active on the OPO xda forums. You may know them as the guys who ported Android L for the Nexus 4. They're almost done with our port.
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
I'm standing near an Oppo booth right now. Alot of curious people checking them out as Oppo started releasing their phones here less than six months ago. The Oppo Find 7a doesn't look that bad which is just a cousin of the OnePlus One. It's no HTC One M8 but it isn't that bad. I think if OnePlus can emulate more of the G3 footprint level, I definitely would be interested in their next flagship. Their Find 7a and N1 just have too much bezel.

Right now, I put Oppo/OnePlus around the same level as Xiaomi. Then I put Asus and Huawei near the same level a notch below them. I find Lenovo to be substandard. Heavy and buggy skin. No updates. Good luck to Motorola. Gionee is another Chinese brand I'm unfamiliar with but haven't been impressed with so far except their Elife S5.5. But the cam protrudes. At least Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Google Nexus are proving we don't need to pay higher than $400 for a flagship device. Meizu is up there near Xiaomi & 1+1 too but they are still selling only in China.
 

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,539
9,510
New update is out.

Fixed battery idle, proximity issues and touchscreen issues.
 

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,539
9,510
It looks like someone is finally trying to fix their marketing department issues. They are giving away 10,000... Yes, 10,000 invites in a few days!
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
16,080
19,080
US
It looks like someone is finally trying to fix their marketing department issues. They are giving away 10,000... Yes, 10,000 invites in a few days!

Wow! That is a lot of invites! Getting the phone in more customers hands is a good thing.....great phone.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Mar 26, 2010
3,072
689
I was looking at the Mi4 and it's another great Chinese offering aside from the OnePlus.

Has also 3GB RAM, 64GB storage option, better build quality (metal), smaller (5 inch screen), 3000 battery, 4K video recording...

But it's only available on China. It's a really cool looking device.
 

spriter

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2004
1,460
586
I was looking at the Mi4 and it's another great Chinese offering aside from the OnePlus.

Has also 3GB RAM, 64GB storage option, better build quality (metal), smaller (5 inch screen), 3000 battery, 4K video recording...

But it's only available on China. It's a really cool looking device.


Handled one of these last week and thought it was fantastic aside from the ergonomics. It's pretty much the same angular slab feel of a 5s only wider and chunkier, which made it slightly uncomfortable to hold tightly. Would much prefer thinner sides curving to a fatter middle.

Too bad it's only available here but it will sell like crazy, especially the 64/LTE version next month. And I'll be hard pressed not to bite.

I actually prefer holding the OPO despite it's much bigger dimensions due to the curved back and sandstone texture.
 
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