Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

Ha

Ha

Ha

It would definitely land with more impact if there were a GIF attached to this. :P

I’m just totally over dealing with that crazy cat on Tapu.

Man, what a headache.

I’m just pulling your leg—Xiaomi is actually quite decent.
It offers solid value for the money.

I’m not trying to brag or anything, but I’ve been rocking my Redmi Note 6 Pro for almost six months now. Honestly? For the price I paid, I am absolutely thrilled with it. I haven't run into a single issue so far. Updates come through regularly, too—I even already snagged the Android 9 update from them.

Elizabeth Mendoza said:I’m not trying to brag or anything, but I’ve been rocking my Redmi Note 6 Pro for almost six months now. Honestly? For the price I paid, I am absolutely thrilled with it. I haven't run into a single issue so far. Updates come through regularly, too—I even already snagged the Android 9 update from them.

🙂

You're lucky; everyone's happy.

Personally, I tend toward buying a used "premium flagship"—that's my own term for it—even if it's an older model from a major brand like Samsung, HTC, LG, or Sony.
But like I said, if you're satisfied, then great.
At the end of the day, people simply have different requirements for their devices.

Some people strike me as ridiculous; I genuinely know folks who use a smartphone solely and exclusively for making calls.
For heaven's sake, why on earth would those people buy a smartphone in the first place?
If that were the case, you'd just buy an old Motorola Razr, talk as much as you want, and charge the battery once every three weeks.
As a bonus, the phone would be the size of a keychain.

I honestly can't wrap my head around why anyone would still label HTC, LG, or Sony—especially Sony—as "premium" brands when you compare them to Xiaomi, or even Huawei for that matter.

Michelle Palmer6 said:I honestly can't wrap my head around why anyone would still label HTC, LG, or Sony—especially Sony—as "premium" brands when you compare them to Xiaomi, or even Huawei for that matter.

How can you not see it? It’s the classic American mindset of needing a big brand name just to feel important, even if it means buying some cheap tech from Xiaomi...
I'm not talking about Matthew Young35 here, though he's pretty much in the same boat.
By the way, Xiaomi is already sitting at number four in Western Europe sales, right behind the top three. They'll probably hit third place soon in terms of total units sold.

To add to that, after the World Cup, a buddy of mine from Germany called me up and said, "Man, I always thought you Americans only came over because you were broke and working dead-end jobs, but seeing everyone driving the latest luxury cars with flags on them, I realized how wrong I was."
So I had to explain to him that most of those people are drowning in credit and leasing deals—people living in tiny apartments just so they can afford a flashy car loan, because apparently, if you don't show up in a brand-new ride, you're a complete loser. The guy couldn't wrap his head around the idea that someone would actually go into massive debt just to buy a car... especially just to flex on everyone else while being buried under interest payments...

Paul Martinez73 said:How can you not see it? It’s the classic American mindset of needing a big brand name just to feel important, even if it means buying some cheap tech from Xiaomi...
I'm not talking about Matthew Young35 here, though he's pretty much in the same boat.
By the way, Xiaomi is already sitting at number four in Western Europe sales, right behind the top three. They'll probably hit third place soon in terms of total units sold.

To add to that, after the World Cup, a buddy of mine from Germany called me up and said, "Man, I always thought you Americans only came over because you were broke and working dead-end jobs, but seeing everyone driving the latest luxury cars with flags on them, I realized how wrong I was."
So I had to explain to him that most of those people are drowning in credit and leasing deals—people living in tiny apartments just so they can afford a flashy car loan, because apparently, if you don't show up in a brand-new ride, you're a complete loser. The guy couldn't wrap his head around the idea that someone would actually go into massive debt just to buy a car... especially just to flex on everyone else while being buried under interest payments...

Even the biggest, wealthiest corporations in the world use leased fleets. It's standard business practice these days. You write it all off as an expense immediately, then swap the old car for a new one once the lease is up—it’s simple, clean, and efficient.

Paul Martinez73 said:How can you not see it? It’s the classic American mindset of needing a big brand name just to feel important, even if it means buying some cheap tech from Xiaomi...
I'm not talking about Matthew Young35 here, though he's pretty much in the same boat.
By the way, Xiaomi is already sitting at number four in Western Europe sales, right behind the top three. They'll probably hit third place soon in terms of total units sold.

To add to that, after the World Cup, a buddy of mine from Germany called me up and said, "Man, I always thought you Americans only came over because you were broke and working dead-end jobs, but seeing everyone driving the latest luxury cars with flags on them, I realized how wrong I was."
So I had to explain to him that most of those people are drowning in credit and leasing deals—people living in tiny apartments just so they can afford a flashy car loan, because apparently, if you don't show up in a brand-new ride, you're a complete loser. The guy couldn't wrap his head around the idea that someone would actually go into massive debt just to buy a car... especially just to flex on everyone else while being buried under interest payments...

Not even close. I'm miles away from that.
I’ve reached a point where I'm actually swapping out a high-end flagship for something that costs half as much. Why? Because my Samsung setup has become an absolute nightmare to deal with. Is there anything more frustrating than a device that simply refuses to cooperate? My S7 Edge has officially hit its breaking point, and frankly, I'm done with it.
You’ve finally found the right person to blame.

I’ve been dealing with cell phones for over twenty years now. Honestly, I’ve been in this game so long that I used to pull apart old analog cellular units back in the day. Is there anything more frustrating than a device that refuses to cooperate? Not when you've spent decades mastering them.
When I talk about smartphones, I actually know what I'm talking about.

Xiaomi has officially climbed to fourth place in Western European sales, trailing only the top three heavyweights. At this rate, they’ll be knocking on the door of third place in total unit sales before we know it. Is anyone actually surprised?

And?
Nokia probably moves more units than HTC these days... So what?
What kind of argument is that? Is it for sale?
I have an Apple monitor stand up for grabs for a few bucks. Any takers?

Let me reiterate: brands like Xiaomi and their competitors truly ARE the gold standard for value.

I should probably add a quick follow-up to this conversation. Right after the World Cup, a friend of mine from Germany called me up. He was blunt about it—he admitted he’d always operated under this misguided assumption that Americans only moved abroad because they were struggling financially or looking for any low-level job just to get by. But he told me that seeing everyone out on the road now, driving around in top-of-the-line vehicles proudly flying the Stars and Stripes, completely shattered his perception. He realized just how wrong he had been.

I tried explaining the reality of the situation to him: most people here are operating on credit or leasing. You see folks living in cramped studio apartments just to afford a car loan, because in this country, if you show up without a decent ride, people look at you like you’re some kind of incompetent loser. He just couldn't wrap his head around the idea of someone taking on debt for a vehicle. Especially when it's clearly just about status—burdening yourself with massive monthly payments just to impress people on the street. Is that really worth the stress?

Cars... blah, blah, blah.
And I’m being quoted in that post too?
It’s not even that I have some luxury car sitting on a high-interest loan. Honestly? I don't even have a driver's license. LOL.

When it comes to hardware, I’ll be honest: I likely have the superior device, and I probably walked away with it for half the price you paid. Is it really that hard to believe?
Is that all? A single emoticon? One might wonder if there was more intended, or if we are meant to find profound meaning in such brevity. Perhaps. Or perhaps not.

To be clear, I’m not writing this stuff just to act like I'm better than anyone else.
Whenever the topic of smartphones comes up, I find myself making the same argument: why chase a brand-new, budget-tier phone from a company like Leagoo—even if they’re riding high on a sponsorship deal with a team like the Tottenham Hotspur—when you could grab a refurbished flagship? I'll always suggest someone pick up a three-year-old Sony XZ or a Samsung S6 instead. It’s common sense, really. You get superior build quality and better performance for a fraction of the price. Why pay more for a cheap imitation when the old giants still hold their own?

I don't hold an ounce of snobbery in my system. Why would I?

Michelle Palmer6 said:I honestly can't wrap my head around why anyone would still label HTC, LG, or Sony—especially Sony—as "premium" brands when you compare them to Xiaomi, or even Huawei for that matter.

Not compared to Huawei, no. You have a point there.
But I'm not saying that in the way you implied; rather, I mean that Huawei has essentially entered that premium tier itself.

And yes, you're right—Sony and LG have been struggling quite a bit over the last couple of years when it comes to build quality.

Not gonna quote anyone here
Look, there’s a massive difference between running a business in the States and leasing a car for tax write-offs, versus being some guy washing dishes in Chicago for minimum wage, crammed into a tiny studio apartment with three other people, and then deciding to finance a brand new Audi A7 just to flex on everyone... You barely drive the thing two days a week since you can't even afford the gas to get to work, making the whole thing a total waste of money.

And honestly, I know plenty of people who moved over here and did exactly that—it's practically a cliché. Within three months of landing, they're already dropping cash on a car... and not even a sensible one, but the absolute latest model just because they can...

Matthew Young35 said:🙂

You're lucky; everyone's happy.

Personally, I tend toward buying a used "premium flagship"—that's my own term for it—even if it's an older model from a major brand like Samsung, HTC, LG, or Sony.
But like I said, if you're satisfied, then great.
At the end of the day, people simply have different requirements for their devices.

Some people strike me as ridiculous; I genuinely know folks who use a smartphone solely and exclusively for making calls.
For heaven's sake, why on earth would those people buy a smartphone in the first place?
If that were the case, you'd just buy an old Motorola Razr, talk as much as you want, and charge the battery once every three weeks.
As a bonus, the phone would be the size of a keychain.

I use mine for calls and texts, and I usually watch YouTube until I fall asleep at night.😁
But I haven't gone for flagships like some people; I've always stuck to entry-level models, though they tend to struggle after two years, which I suppose is reasonable for budget tech.

Now I’m looking to pick up something in the $250 range, but I'm not entirely sure what the best move is—I'm weighing a Huawei Mate 20 Lite against a Poco F1, which is only about $25 more.

Yeah, I’m taking that answer back. 😬

Paul Martinez73 said:Not gonna quote anyone here
Look, there’s a massive difference between running a business in the States and leasing a car for tax write-offs, versus being some guy washing dishes in Chicago for minimum wage, crammed into a tiny studio apartment with three other people, and then deciding to finance a brand new Audi A7 just to flex on everyone... You barely drive the thing two days a week since you can't even afford the gas to get to work, making the whole thing a total waste of money.

And honestly, I know plenty of people who moved over here and did exactly that—it's practically a cliché. Within three months of landing, they're already dropping cash on a car... and not even a sensible one, but the absolute latest model just because they can...

You can't explain depreciation to idiots. A car is an asset that loses value faster than anything else on earth, and the ROI is perpetually zero.

I remember meeting this mechanic once. He was beaming with pride, telling me, "Man, look at this new BMW I just picked up! I basically became a half-millionaire overnight." 🙏 🤣 🙏

Either you’re just buying it out of pure, unadulterated spite, even when you have absolutely no use for it, ☕
...

Larry Fox5 said:Even the biggest, wealthiest corporations in the world use leased fleets. It's standard business practice these days. You write it all off as an expense immediately, then swap the old car for a new one once the lease is up—it’s simple, clean, and efficient.

I've actually been crunching some numbers lately since I'm looking at buying a new house. I was trying to see how much I managed to save over my career and during five years living in my first place (which was a mortgage). Looking at my company records, it turns out I’ve probably only saved maybe 15% of what I've earned—actually, probably even less. So, today I did a deep dive into everything I’ve bought, spent, or paid off over the last 12 years. Back in 2008, I bought a new Ford Fiesta on credit, and between the car itself, gas, maintenance, registration, and tires, I’ve spent roughly $35,000 to $40,000. 🤦 I've spent about $35,000 on travel. 🤦 For my first home, including the mortgage payments and furnishing, I spent about $40,000, though after selling it, I basically broke even—maybe even lost a little because those interest rates are tough to overcome. I guess that one car ended up costing me as much as a whole new house did in five years. It’s easy to miss how much these things swallow up, especially since that was one of the cheaper cars out there. If a Ford Fiesta does that, I can only imagine what a Mercedes or an Audi would cost... Lately, I've mostly been biking. That B-Twin from Target, $800, will probably serve me well for at least another 10 years.

Buying a new car on credit is nothing short of flushing money down the toilet. By the time you’ve finally finished paying off that loan, you’re left holding nothing but a worthless heap of scrap metal due to the sheer speed of depreciation.
Another critical factor when you're looking at vehicle purchases is how much value evaporates based on mileage, age, and general wear and tear.
In this regard, German engineering—think BMW or Mercedes-Benz—usually holds its ground much better, and you won't bleed cash quite as fast as you would with other brands over the years.
If you pick up a two or three-year-old German model, that's likely your sweet spot for minimizing value loss.

It also comes down to what you actually need the vehicle for. For instance, I can't perform my job consistently unless I have a reliable car readily available; a bicycle isn't exactly a viable option when you're dealing with massive distances. In cases like mine, you have to weigh the loss in vehicle value proportionally against the income it enables you to generate.

On the flip side, if someone lives in the heart of downtown and works right there too, without any real need to commute, then owning a car is often just an unnecessary burden of extra metal and mounting expenses. I couldn't agree more on that point.

I bought mine half in cash and half through financing. The loan itself wasn't the issue, it's more about everything else that comes with owning a car. For instance, my car is nearly 11 years old now, I've put about 100k miles on it, and it's still in great shape. I’ll probably need something bigger once the kids grow up, but maybe I can hold off for a few more years. Between driving around town and road trips, I cover about 9,000 miles a year, which is roughly $2,500 in gas. I always stick to the dealership for service, which usually runs me about $1,500 to $2,000 annually. Registration and fees come out to around $200. Then you've got two seasonal tire swaps and storage which total over $233. Until recently, I was also paying $67 in taxes. Gas is about $8, and other miscellaneous stuff is maybe $400. I sometimes get the feeling you spend the most on gas just because you're filling up every week. It is the biggest expense, I guess, but not by a massive margin compared to the rest. Though, I should mention my car is small, so everything costs a bit less. A buddy of mine recently picked up a used Mercedes for about $30,000; he's from a small town in Alabama. He inherited a place from his mom, so I assume he didn't have a mortgage, but still. $30,000 for a used car? You could probably find a tiny studio apartment in Chicago for a little more than that and rent it for life.

Oh, we actually drove to Germany recently, to this small town in Bavaria. I honestly thought people would look at me like some poor guy from overseas driving an 11-year-old clunker, but then I saw the exact same Fiesta—just an older model—parked twenty meters away on the same street. You see cars like that everywhere. I think the average age of cars is pretty high across Europe, and even in the US. My car is pretty much the average age for a vehicle here. Cars built in the last 15–20 years seem to break down way less; if you stay on top of maintenance and don't drive them too hard, they can last decades. Back in the day, my brother and I pushed an old Golf Mk2 to 300k miles before it finally ended up at the scrapyard for $300. I guess you just have to drive them as long as they keep rolling and make sure to take care of them.

Spending $1,500 to $2,000 a year on a car is actually a negligible expense when you look at the big picture.
You should just be grateful you aren't dealing with massive mechanical failures; there isn't a heavy repair bill and the fuel economy isn't terrible either.

For me, registration, full coverage insurance, and taxes alone easily climb toward $1,100. And don't even get me started on what I spend at the pump.
But hey, that’s just the cost of doing business, I guess...

Honestly, my best years were twenty years ago when I was driving an old Volkswagen Golf. Man, that thing could pull 40 miles per gallon and it practically never broke down. I’d only take it into the shop once every two years, and even then, it was mostly because I felt guilty about not giving it a little tune-up...