venture160 Posted June 25, 2006 at 08:37 AM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 08:37 AM Hey everyone, I am looking to buy a Treo 650 in beijing here. I am wondering if anyone here has had any experience buying one over at 中关村？I went there last weekend and saw a number of treo 650's, I was qouted in the 2200rmb to 3000rmb price range. How do these prices sound to you guys? Can you do a pinyin input on the qwerty type pad, this is important for me as I do alot of SMS messaging here in China in Chinese. venture160 Quote
gato Posted June 25, 2006 at 08:54 AM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 08:54 AM That's a very good price, considering Treo 650s are still going for $400-500 in the US if you don't have one of those initial sign-up deals. See http://web.palm.com/products/communicators/config/zip_entry.jhtml?categoryId=30025 Are these brand new? Any written warranty or a replacement policy? You should definitely be able to use pinyin for SMS. The specs also say that the Chinese model has Chinese handwriting recognition software built-in. Quote
roddy Posted June 25, 2006 at 08:58 AM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 08:58 AM That's half the price of what's showing on zol.com.cn - unless you're a bargaining genius then I'd want to know why . . . Quote
venture160 Posted June 25, 2006 at 09:04 AM Author Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 09:04 AM these are all imported Treo's either from Korea,HK or the states, the warranty cards were included with the phones. I didn't get a qoute above 3,000rmb. I saw a treo 600 for 1,100 after bargaining. Quote
venture160 Posted June 25, 2006 at 09:08 AM Author Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 09:08 AM btw the new QTEK Q200 or the MINI II, is selling for 3,800 (new) there as well, some people might be interested in that. Quote
wushijiao Posted June 25, 2006 at 03:00 PM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 03:00 PM As it happens, I just went shopping today and was quoted 3,900 in Shanaghai for a Treo 650! Quote
gato Posted June 25, 2006 at 03:19 PM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 03:19 PM I see some discussions saying that the CECT-labeled Treos are the legitimate ones, going at the higher prices; whereas the PalmOne-labeled Treos are so-called 水货, going for less than 3000. Beside the obvious difference in warranty coverage, I wonder what the differences between the two are. http://group.zol.com.cn/frmView.php?u=http://group.zol.com.cn/4/57_34520.html Treo 650 智能手机行货水货鉴别方法 http://www.tompda.com/bbs/display.asp?luntan=24&forumID=2072290 CECT 大陆行货(礼品机)TREO 650 就当水货卖 http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/7778109.html 问题补充：水货好象不到3000块，很想整一台啊！ Quote
wushijiao Posted June 25, 2006 at 03:52 PM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 03:52 PM At the store today, they said that the 水货 ones could only be fixed at that particular store (because they were smuggled). The legit ones could be fixed within a year in China. I wonder if there is any quality difference? I doubt it. Thanks for the links gato. Quote
roddy Posted June 25, 2006 at 05:45 PM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 05:45 PM I doubt there's any difference in quality, it's just a matter of warranty issues and pre-installed software - you're unlikely to find Chinese input as standard on a US import. However, if the savings are that much, you could buy the software (ahem) and still be ahead. Quote
badr Posted June 25, 2006 at 07:32 PM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 07:32 PM I, too, would say just go for it and please let us know where you got that quote. I have not been able to find them for less than 3800 in Beijing. The official list price here is still 4500 RMB Quote
venture160 Posted June 25, 2006 at 11:40 PM Author Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 11:40 PM I walked up to several vendors, and they started at 2,900 to 3,000. I talked to two vendors who did not currently have a treo, but they said right now they are selling for 2,200, but the lowest price I was qouted for was 2,600, this could be due to the fact I am an LaoWai. The 650 is not by any means a new phone, so I am not surprised by these prices. Also, these were all 水货 as not many are "officialy sold" in China, and the Chinese version was already installed on them, yes that means it was opened, but the boxes were in pristine condition and so was the phone. Quote
gato Posted June 25, 2006 at 11:45 PM Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 11:45 PM A guide to buying these water-logged cell phones. Plus a news item about the relevant departments' determined effort to dry up the market, again. http://www.xici.net/b616302/d36438198.htm 水货手机挑选大法 事实是，水货并非假货，只是没有得到中国政府相关部门认定准许在大陆销售的机器。同样的道理，我们的行货机器拿到香港甚至欧美去销售，在当地政府眼里，那也叫水货。所以，当大家发现国产品牌居然也有水货的时候请不要吃惊，那些机器是保税区生产必须反销国外的，但通过了某种手段偷逃税款变成了本地消化。由此，水货里也有了康佳，托普等等品牌。 http://tech.163.com/05/1103/03/21JR8HEE00091KT0.html 各部委联手打击水货手机 水货手机末日即将来临 一位国产手机厂家高层表示，由于中国加入WTO的5年过渡期是到明年底，而手机产业作为其中一个被保护的产业，目前正面临前所未有的困难，几大国产手机厂家集体连续报亏，市场份额持续下滑，根本无法对抗洋品牌。政府原想通过手机牌照核准制为手机行业注入新鲜血液，但基于市场竞争压力，大部分国产手机新军都裹足不前。他认为，由于国产手机厂家不约而同将失利的矛头指向“黑手机”，作为相关管理部门不可能熟视无睹，必然会花大力气来肃清市场。 相反，水货手机主要源头是走私。广东省政府副秘书长、省打私办主任罗欧指出，水货手机团伙化走私趋势明显加剧，走私分子采取“购、运、储、销”一条龙的走私链条，整体运作，各个环节分工明确，组织严密，反侦查、隐秘性大大增加。此外，“水客”走私也相当严重，在深圳沙头角，罗湖口岸“水客”走私已趋向职业化，正在形成“看水”、阻碍缉私、冲关的走私链条。 Quote
venture160 Posted June 25, 2006 at 11:59 PM Author Report Posted June 25, 2006 at 11:59 PM when I was in Harbin there was a 水货 market for cellphones, a huge place where brand new Nokia n70's could be had for 2,200 and razrs for 600 rmb. I also know of a dealer whom can get me 水货 ibooks from Japan for 600rmb a pop. not kidding, they were second-hand though, but had been refrubished. New ibooks could be had for 1,000 rmb. Quote
Prodigal Son Posted July 1, 2006 at 11:22 AM Report Posted July 1, 2006 at 11:22 AM what's a 水货 market? are we talking stolen goods or something? Quote
peterou Posted July 1, 2006 at 10:59 PM Report Posted July 1, 2006 at 10:59 PM Venture160, Did you ever end up buying the 水货 Treo 650 in ZhongGuancun. I also live in Beijing (currently in the USA for the month) and am contemplating whether I should buy from Ebay while I'm here as shipping charges are cheaper or go back to Beijing and buy it in ZhongGuanCun. Not sure what the prices are now but in terms of prices, but if they really are as low as 2300 - 3000 rmb, which seems to be a bit better pricing than Ebay and assumedly includes the Chinese software of CJKOS, that may be just easier to deal with but I'm just concerned if for sure this 水货 version functions as well as the real version. From what I understand the only difference is the 1) the logo, 2) the warranty. If you already bought the Treo 650, have you had any problems with yours? just want to make sure I can use my M-Zone SIM card and also send SMS using pinyin to write and receive Chinese characters. Also, wanted to see if I can surf the web somehow and check email. Lastly, was hoping I can also use the phone when I also visit the USA or HK by just replacing with the respective SIM card. Please let me know what you ended up doing and if it's working as smoothly as hoped. Also, can you let me know what you ended up paying and where? I want to decide whether it's best to take advantage of my time now in the US and just buy on ebay or just wait when I'm in beijing again. Thanks alot!! -peter Quote
gato Posted July 2, 2006 at 01:50 AM Report Posted July 2, 2006 at 01:50 AM 水货 here refers to cell phones that are smuggled into China without paying the import duties, which are very high to protect domestic manufacturers. It's called "water product" probably because one way of smuggling is by boat. Quote
gato Posted July 3, 2006 at 02:53 AM Report Posted July 3, 2006 at 02:53 AM By the way, if you do get the TREO in China, its builtin CJKOS only allows one-character entry and not by phrases because it doesn't have the phrase book installed. You need to download CJKOS v4.621 here and add it yourself. Read the readme file of CJKOS for more info. http://www.dyts.com/en/index.html To get phrase association working, you need to install PhrGBF.PDB, and then turn on Association and Reverse Association in the preferences menu. Phrase databases Phrase*.* PhrGBF.PDB Simplified Chinese phrase Database, 44374 phrases. The builtin Chinese font on the TREO 650 is also low-res. You can try installing one of these files in the FONT directory, for example, FGB12F.PDB. Font Database FONT*.* Naming system is:FCPSIX.PDB CP CharSet, GB(Simplified Chinese GB2312), GBK(Chinese GBK), B5(Traditional Chinese BIG5), JIS(Japanese EUC-JIS and Shift-JIS), KSC(Korean KSC-5601) SI FontSize, 12(12X12 Font) or 10(10X10 small font) X Size, F(Full Version), L(Light Version - Standard Font only, saving memory), only one of them may be installed at one time. FGB12F.PDB FGB16F.PDB FGB24F.PDB 24X24 Simplified Chinese 8178 words, for Sony CLIE 700/710C Quote
Prodigal Son Posted July 3, 2006 at 07:22 AM Report Posted July 3, 2006 at 07:22 AM anyone ever try out the Treo 600 to see how it compares? Quote
venture160 Posted July 3, 2006 at 08:36 AM Author Report Posted July 3, 2006 at 08:36 AM the resolution on the treo 600 is way too low, its cheap though if you can find one second hand. Quote
venture160 Posted July 13, 2006 at 11:04 AM Author Report Posted July 13, 2006 at 11:04 AM So last weekend I finally bought the Treo650, and I love it!! I don't yet have pleco installed on it, but I have the old oxford Chinese dict on it, so its fine for now. I love being able to write an email, talk on MSN/IM, and make a phone call at the same time, All while on the subway on my way home.. just awesome. Final price 3,600 rmb phone 3,400 rmb (CECT Chinese brand, I got too scared of the 水货， i'll take my warranty card) exras 1gb card, screen protector, clear plastic case 200rmb Quote
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