yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Captivate General] k2snowboards88:
it would be $185 to replace a phone after one year on AT&T's insurance plan. Not $200. Its not a big difference, but why can't you make a point without exaggerating? I see that kind of thing in advertisements all the time. If you go 3 years without breaking a phone (you really shouldn't be constantly breaking them or you will be dropped from insurance for not being profitable) then the best buy plan would be $360. AT&T would be 305. Again, you really shouldn't be expecting to break your phone. If you are, then you should change your habits before buying insurance. Only buy insurance if you really can't afford to replace the phone if it is broken. And then, buy the plan with the lowest premium so you'll save money when you don't break your phone. You probably won't break it.

edit: you make claims about not expecting to break your phone like not expecting to get into a car accident. The smart money with cars is always getting the lowest premium possible at the cost of a higher deductible. The AT&T plan has this best buy plan beat. Also, you insure a car because you could be bankrupt getting a new car replaced after an accident. A phone probably isn't going to do that.
[Captivate General] uberamd:
I didn't look up specific AT&T numbers, thus why I said

around

$200.

Phone contracts are on a 2 year basis, not 3. Moreover AT&T gives you a refurb, BB doesn't.

As I said, WHO PLANS ON BREAKING STUFF? Accidents happen. Why the heck do you think so many people drop $20+ on cases for their phone? To make them look pretty? I haven't ever broken a phone, but peace of mind is nice. And it isn't about being able to afford a replacement, its not about that at all. Its whether or not buying a replacement is more cost effective vs insurance. Insurance is $240 over the course of 2 years. A new device is $500.

The AT&T plan gives you a refurb phone and makes you pay a deductible. The BB plan is a low price each month with no deductible and you get a new device twice within your insurance period. I could break my device twice in the next 2 months and get 2 replacements for a total cost to me of $20.

Again, $10 a month is nothing to me. I can justify it. I'm not going to waste my time plotting out insurance costs over a 3 year period to determine how I can save $60 across 3 years ($0.05 a day) by getting an insurance plan with a deductible. If you can't foot the $10, get the AT&T plan. Honestly, my sister had the AT&T plan before and I sent her Motorola Q9h in for replacement and they determined it couldn't be replaced and essentially told her to F off. I still have the phone and the letter from AT&T that says that, I'll dig it up someday and show you.
[Captivate General] phishie:
Agreed, AmEx FTW.
[Captivate General] baddress:
With car insurance you haven't paid 100% of the cost of a new car after 20 months - just sayin'.
[Captivate General] tonyc0642:
I think it's either 6 or 10, either way you can just add it to your plan on At&t's site and avoid the hassle of going into a Best Buy.

May or may not be an advertisement, but at the very least the OP is a Best Buy fanboy.
[Captivate General] thedon809:
I bought mine from best buy solely for the warranty. If I get sick of it or want something else, run it over and get a new one. New phones sell better on ebay than refurbs.
[Captivate General] Berserk87:
Your Amex card doubles the manufacture warranty saying that your covered for parts/labor if your phone stops working due to a defect.

nothing X 2 = nothing.

If you brick your phone or drop it or water damage etc... they're not going to cover it.

Plus being a credit card company they make a LOT more money off you using your credit card than at&t or BB would make form you buying the insurance.

I've talked to people that used their credit cards "double warranty" to cover a flat screen tv they bought which later had the back light die, and it still cost the guy $1500 in the end.
[Captivate General] TexUs:
OP must work for BB
[Captivate General] k2snowboards88:
"Phone contracts are on a 2 year basis, not 3. Moreover AT&T gives you a refurb, BB doesn't."

It doesn't matter if a phone contract is only 2 years, It doesn't have to be the same phone. If it takes 3 years for you to break a phone, then you have wasted your money. If you go 3 years before breaking a phone with AT&T then you have wasted money on BB's plan. If (god forbid) you don't break your phone for 3 years and continue to keep it safe, then You've saved a lot of money by sticking with at&t's insurance.
[Captivate General] uberamd:
Don't be so sure. My first used car was $7500 and my car payment was $135/mo which was less than my insurance each month ($220/mo).

Can you read, I stated that I hate Best Buy. I never buy anything from there except phones. Can't I enjoy something I purchase from there without being called a fanboy? Of course not...

This. New phones have great resale value, and "accidents" can happen a variety of ways.

I already stated I hate Best Buy. I work for a university. TexUs has always just trolled me about all sorts of things, he is a pretty immature person. Like the last thread where he kept badgering me and calling me an Apple fanboy and insisting I was a total Apple fanboy. I then made a list of many reasons why I am not an Apple fanboy (running an Android website, owning 3 Android phones, my YouTube channel is only anti-iPhone 4 videos and Android tutorials, etc) and he just started ignoring my messages. Hes a troll, and a poor one at that. Get a life TexUs.

I don't use my phone after I renew my contract. I sell my devices when I get a new one. Plus being the primary line on my family plan I actually get contract renewals every year. What do you say about that? Just before the contract is up I can get the device replaced and sell the brand new device. Yep, that sure is a bad deal.
[Captivate General] k2snowboards88:
I say you don't get it. It doesn't matter how many phones you go through before you actually break one. If you go more than 2 years without breaking a phone, then you lost money on the BB plan. I don't plan on breaking phones often so the AT&T plan would be a much better deal. Then again, you have implied that you plan on committing insurance fraud, so I suppose the best buy plan would work out better for you until you are found out or just dropped for being unprofitable.
[Captivate General] uberamd:
I couldn't ever really commit insurance fraud, I am not that kind of person. I just cancel the insurance on my devices and sell them as is (since I take good care of my devices anyway).

My point is simply this, $10 a month is a very very very small amount of money. Very small. To me its worth paying knowing that should an accident happen your phone will get replaced and you won't need to fork out $125-500 for a refurb replacement from AT&T or a new out-of-contract phone. Since I get a new phone every year being the primary line, $120 in insurance sure as heck beats a $125 deducible.

If you don't think its worth it then fine, more power to you. Each to his own. I think its worth it and I suspect I'm not the only person who has paid for the insurance before.
[Captivate General] systoxity:
but... att gives me insurance for 5 bucks...
[Captivate General] sn1per420:
So you'd be saving $5/year, assuming that you actually break the phone every single year. Using your math, just one year without breaking the phone puts you in the red for 24 years ($120 spent on the insurance, divided by $5 savings for every year you do break a phone)
[Captivate General] uberamd:
Incorrect math buddy. I would be saving $5 + 12*$5 for the cost of AT&T insurance which = $65. Nice try though.

As I said, $10 a month isn't much money! You people are arguing as if I am spending $500 a month on insurance for this freaking phone. I'M NOT! Its $10. I was simply saying that I am happy with the services rendered for the cost. Heck my dedicated web server is $120 a month by itself!

Yikes people, pick your battles.

Right, but they also require you to pay $125 if you do break your device and they replace it with a refurb. Thats the difference here.
[Captivate General] sn1per420:
Uh, no actually, if you don't break a phone, you've essentially spent $120 for nothing, and your $5/year savings in years when you do break the phone will take 24 years to add up to that $120

Edit: oh wait, ATT charges you $125 on top of the monthly fee for a replacement? nm, I see what you're saying. Still, a year of not breaking a phone takes 2 years of breaking one to bring you into the black, so I really only think insurance plans are worth it for people who break phones on a regular basis.
[Captivate General] alphadog00:
As I clearly stated above - if i drop my phone or water damage it - it is covered during the first 90 days. If it bricks, it goes back under warranty - no way to tell if it is defective or something i did.

I can't comment on the experience that "the people you have talked to" have had, but Amex has not let me down yet, and I have used their warranty extension a couple of times.

And yes, they do make a lot of money off me (about 2% of every transaction), but only if i use the card - they also have a lot of expenses - just like AT&T or Best Buy - both of them make a lot of money off insurance. They wouldn't offer insurance if they were not making a killing off it. And since SquareTrade offers it for cheaper, I would say that BestBuy and AT&T find it very lucrative.
[Captivate General] uberamd:
I'm not going off of stats for not breaking my device. I'm saying in the event that it does break the Best Buy plan is less money. You said, and I quote, "So you'd be saving $5/year, assuming that you actually break the phone every single year." If I break the phone on AT&T after a year I end up paying $125 for the deductible + $5 a month for 12 months which = $185. If I break it on the Best Buy plan I pay $120 for the year and get it replaced. Thus, if I break it I save $65.

I could make the same argument about my car insurance which I have been paying $220/year for the last 3 years for. I haven't ever gotten in an accident, but in the event that I do it will save me money.

And who really cares? Why are you beating this so much? Its $120 a year.... do people really flip s**t over $120/year?

I have always been skeptical of square trade, has anyone here tried it before? I can simply cancel my BB insurance and go with ST but I haven't known anyone who has used them before.
[Captivate General] sn1per420:
Yes, you're right that BB's insurance is cheaper, but I think the bigger issue at hand is that the insurance is not worth it in the long run. The auto insurance example doesn't work, cause you're legally obligated to have car insurance.

Let's be serious here: insurance companies aren't looking out for you; they're trying to turn a profit, and if their insurance plans were worth buying, they wouldn't be making much of a profit, would they? If you took that $10/month and set it aside, you'd be able to buy yourself a new phone in the event of an accident, and you'd have an extra $120/year if you didn't break the phone. I don't know if $120 is pocket change for you or what, but money saved is money saved.
[Captivate General] uberamd:
You're absolutely right, insurance companies are looking to turn a profit. Then again, so is Google, Microsoft, Apple, and even Land o'Lakes dairy company. Every company is looking to turn a profit. So many people here thing Google loves them to pieces but the reality is that Google is just after your money like every company out there. I am aware of that, I know how businesses work, I am an adult after all.

But I also can't ever follow that "set $120 aside a year" methods. Setting money aside instead of buying something never pans out for me.

My rationale for getting the insurance is this: I am a very busy person and rely on my phone every day. I have my phone with me everywhere whether it be at work, school, vacationing, canoeing, etc. I used to switch to a crap phone before I went out on the water or on winter days when I had to walk some distance to class in the snow, but no more. For me paying $10/mo to protect my phone from potential unfortunate accidents in the snowy rainy climate I live in is worth it to me. It just seems worth it to me given my situation, thats all.

Some people throw their phone in a case and baby it to keep it from breaking. I prefer to not use real cases and to treat my phone like any other phone. Each to their own. These insurance companies exist because clearly there is some demand, and the insurance companies do make profit but I am also very proactive. If I realize that my contract is nearing the end of the year and I haven't caused damage I simply cancel the insurance. I may have lost $100, but I also potentially saved money too. Peace of mind is valuable to me.

Each to their own.
[Captivate General] alphadog00:
It is a personal decision. I don't think any of the plans are bad, it just really depends what your history is like and can you afford to gamble. Some people just have bad luck with handhelds and electronics and the warranty is worth it to them. Others like me (unless i just jinxed myself), have never had issues, and don't need to spend another monthly fee.

The analogy of saving the money over time isn't quite right either - if your phone suffers damage in month 10, you may have saved $100, but no one will sell you subsidized phone for $200 - you don't get that special deal until at least month 18 (they do make exceptions some times). So you would need spend full price on new one. You only come out ahead if you go most of the distance without damage - but the odds are in your favor.

The insurance companies (BestBuy, AT&T included) are not looking out for anybody. They know that X% of the policy holders will make claims and it will cost them y Dollars. They price their plans knowing what percent of the people will buy them, and what profit they want to make.

As soon as claims start going up, the coverage cost goes up for new buyers. Most people will not ever make a claim - this is the nature of all insurance plans for any product.

Oh, and I only got into this because the title and OP sound like a paid advertisement. Insurance is not "the Most Amazing Captivate Case" - if you don't want your phone to get scratched, get a case. I doubt BB is going to give out a new phone, every time you get a mark on the outside.
[Captivate General] Lancez:
its all about taking your hard earned money out of your pocket by any means necessary, even if they have to lie to you. take care of your expensive toys is the best thing you can do.
[Captivate General] baddress:
Either you have a bad driving record or live in a bad part of town, because $220/mo for auto insurance is off the charts ridiculous for a $7500 used car. I pay $1780 a year on a friggin 2010 Viper.
[Captivate General] KewlRobD:
I think everyone arguing in this thread needs to realize that ATT insurance only carries a $125 deductible for the first few months after a phone is release and I think that is only on high end phones like the captivate. After that the deductible is only $50.

Check out this document which lists the current deductible rates on all ATT phones.

According to this document the only phones with $125 deductible are the Pre Plus, Blackberry Bold 9000/9700, and the Captivate. Last month’s list said the Aria was a Tier 2 with the $125 deductible and now it is only $50.
[Captivate General] mesasone:
Agreed, I have had TERRIBLE experience regarding Best Buy's ESP/insurance... I think your money is much better off elsewhere, namely your pocket or savings account.
[Captivate General] uberamd:
Maybe its a bad part of town. I am 22 years old (I got my car when I was 20) with a perfect driving record. I'm the guy that goes 71MPH on the 70MPH freeway while everyone flies past me going 80.

Then again, when you're making car payments you need full coverage which is quite expensive. I have tried various quotes and they are all similar.
[Captivate General] acandia007:
I got this plan during the weekend after two weeks because my phone fell on friday and got some chips on it, so i decided to get the best buy insurance since it has no deductibles compared to the att one.

but people do talk about bad stuff about best buy, so should i keep my insurance with them?? i did buy a case for the phone and the 3 for 10 att.

probably buy the full body screen from zagg too.
[Captivate General] krakerx:
OK, let me straighten things out for all of you... I work for Best Buy, more specifically Geek Squad [let the flaming begin]. The $10 you pay a month is not a replacement plan, it is a service plan, sorry to burst your bubbles. There is seriously only about a 25% chance that your phone will be replaced depending on the damage, with neglect not being covered. Thats where the insurance with AT&T differs, if you are the type of idiot to run over your phone with your car, AT&T will cover it, Best Buy will not, and at that point you are out a phone. So when you look at the cost to stupidity ratio, some things work out. If you are a careful person that never drops your phone, but want to protect it for the "I just spilt water on it," go for Best Buy. But if you are the idiot that drops there phone in the toilet, runs it over with your car, or lets your dog use it as a chew toy, go thru AT&T.

Now, before you start the "well my iPhone was replaced," or "my Blackberry was replaced." Your iPhone wasn't replaced, it was a refurb, it's why it took 3-5 days to get it to you, most from the same place that refurbs them for Apple and AT&T. Your Blackberry, that's because RIM doesn't want anyone servicing them but themselves, so they made a deal with retailers to swap them out.

Any questions, feel free to ask
[Captivate General] acandia007:
good response.

well since i got the best buy one last weekend and cancel it, can i get my 10 dollars back or there gone already?

Thanks
[Captivate General] iamamp3pimp:
gets me man, people buy a 500 dollar phone and wonder if they can get their 10$'s back from a protection plan that they never should have bought in the first place.

Im not running with a protection plan, im just going to keep mine skinned and be careful with it.
[Captivate General] krakerx:
Yeah, you're able to get it back
[Captivate General] Asori:
People should stop harassing the OP because he found a plan he likes. Stating he works for Best Buy because he posted this plan is ludicrous. Companies don't pay people to advertise things on a thread that has 4,000 viewers. They have automated programs that do that for them. I don't see people running to threads where people have bought accessories saying "Obviously you work for [insert company name here]."

Regardless, the OP is doing a very common business strategy called risk management. He's analyzing the use of his $500 phone and the likelihood that he will break it and feels $10 a month is a fitting investment in the protection of his merchandise. Anyone silly enough to chastise another for this is a troll.

Just sayin' :)

[Edit]

This post basically proves my first point. :) Anyone who really works with a company honestly has nothing to gain or lose by telling the truth outside of work. They generally will tell you the truth.
[Captivate General] wesblog:
Have any of you actually had a good experience with an insurance plan?

I'll admit OP's description sounds nice, but the two times I have paid for BB insurance and the item has broken BB simply refused to cover.

Great marketing plan! Peace of mind for $10/month. Works great unless you need it.
[Captivate General] Jaycdenton:
I pay $4.99 through att and it covers the exact same thing OP said. That's not the reason I got a case though. I'm not going to return a phone just cause I got a key scratch on it and a case protects against that so I get a case AND have insurance in case I drop it down the toilet.
[Hero CDMA Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Bowlsnapper:
I apologize in advance for not researching this properly myself (in fact I'm usually doing stuff like this for other people), but I am simply overwhelmed by the plethora of information and unlimited posts of ROMs, OC kernels, and all that. I am no longer android retarded; That's for sure.

But I have a busy weekend here looking for an apartment and moving, and I just don't have the time (really) to sift through all this stuff! There's just too much! But in the meantime, the lag I am experiencing on the Hero is pissing me the **** off and I know it can be better, even "snappier" at 768.

I was hoping you guys would be able to give you opinion at the very least on this. I really wish you could just flash once and have everything set-up, but that would be too convenient. I would have to make sure the kernel doesn't break functionality, that the kernel actually works with the rom in the first place, flash the kernel, find a matching wifi module to match the damn kernel, flash the damn module... you get the picture.

So please guys, help me out here! I AM overwhelmed in every sense of the word, and I need your help.

1. Opinions on most stable ROM with most features.

2. Recs for an OC Kernel that will work with it!

3. The wifi module to go along with it.

4. Anything else I'm forgetting...

Thanks in advance and I apologize again for not doing it on my own. I just can't...lol.

_______________

May the time always be 4:20... wherever you are.
[Hero CDMA Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] DrunkenOstrich:
Word - subscribed. Just bought a Hero for my gf, trying to get it proper, but man, I used to do this with HTC WinMo phones, and this is the exact reason I went to iPhone platform - too much reading, maintenance, reflashing etc (read: TIME) to get the phone to work the way you want. So, I opted to just lose any choice or control over the matter and have a phone that works fine enough and has good app ecosystem ;)

But, I want to get her phone at least fast and stable (most important), I think I'm throwing 2.1 with the .6 update, and will just downgrade to root in the future if we really need wifi tether.

If there is some good info in this thread on which ROM and which kernel with minimum hackish patches etc to make it all work, then I'll go to that! I'm hoping someone just finds a root exploit for .6 since it seems there are some good lag fixes in that update as well.
[Hero CDMA Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] kwheel596:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=703267
[Hero CDMA Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] DrunkenOstrich:
So is the method to root on 2.1 .5 version and then install this ROM over the top (which keeps your root)?
[Hero CDMA Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] rexant1:
yep, you got it
[Hero CDMA Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Bowlsnapper:
Wow..

So I finally got some time to do even minimal research and came across these:

ZenHeroFX 2.0 ROM

xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=731951

Darchstar's Kernels

xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=705074

I wiped everything (including battery *whatever*), flashed the rom, flashed the 768MHZ kernel, flashed the % battery meter, and the 2.0 update for the ROM. I never expected it to boot the first time... BUT IT DID! Holy ****! Really?

Now, after setting frequency with SetCPU this thing flies! I cannot describe the difference. Holy ****-BALLS! Finally no lag at all, not even at the keyboard. And no overheating. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect flash!

DrunkenOstrich: This is the perfect setup for you! It worked the first try for me with no issues at all. Just follow the directions step-by-step and you will be good! Also, don't trip out on how long it takes to boot or if it's slow at first. Give it a few minutes to sync up and everything will be badass.

God I feel like such a noob after proofreading this post. lol.