People used to think I was crazy buying phones as big as 3.8" :O When I went to my Note 2 with a 5.5" screen everyone thought I was MAD. Except one girl in a house where I was fitting a kitchen who thought it was cool. And 5.7", craziness.

I was expecting to go to a larger 6" (NJ) but this 5" screen is actually much easier to hold and use.

And this is the first phone I actually don't want to root. Except one thing: ads. Is there a way to remove them without rooting?

AdBlock for Android. A bit of a kludge but it (mostly) does the job.

Is that AdBlock Plus that does proxy stuff? That is work with mobile data?

Yeah it works by proxy, don't know about mobile data I only use it with wifi.

If it works by acting as a local proxy it should block anything before it leaves the phone, and thus not count towards data usage.

Or just use uBlock Origin which is almost certainly better.

So. Phones.

Lost mine last week, just picked up a replacement at 7-11 store down the street from work for $44 (FiGO Ultra), a 5" with android 6 and ips display, actually quite an upgrade from the Blu Advance 4 it replaces. Getting through to customer service to port over the number (same provider) was a real bitch though, but I was able to keep the airtime in my account.

I bought a OnePlus 6. It is nice, but slightly more than $44

I bought a Pixel 2 XL. Got a 'pristine' refurb for £380. The mic didn't work on calls! So I contacted Google and they sent me a brand new retail boxed one as it was still in warranty. That was a bit of a result :)

Very nice deal!

I tried to buy the phone online but their website kept erroneously rejecting my card. So I thought fuck it, I'll try an actual store. I got a 30% bigger discount, didn't have to pay shipping or faff around with delivery and walked out with the phone in my hand. Jeesh, bricks and mortar. Who knew?

I did get a 5% student discount. But I've just worked it out and that discount is more than the full price of Smithys phone :$

Oohh, nice. What's the XL like? I love my Pixel 2. Is the screen as bad as some people say on the XL?

I gather they can be a bit of a mixed bag, especially the earlier models. Mine seems fine, the only thing I'd say is there's a noticeable blue shift if you look at it from an angle. But if I'm looking at the screen for more than a notification I tend to point it at my face (duh) so I don't really consider it a bad thing as such. Battery life is great. Aside from that it should be about the same as yours I think!

No way you're a student.

Apparently I am, and I even get to be one during work hours!

 8-O