Some advice on my next phone

Jack B Nimble · 02-26-2007, 06:25 PM

So... my tapwave has met with an untimely death. Add to that, my cell phone is getting quite flaky, and it seems to be time for some gadget shopping. My ebook concerns are largely satisfied by my eBookwise, so I am mainly looking for a good quality phone, with a nice keyboard and screen on which to email and browse. Of course, I would not be too upset if I could still use those iSilo files I still have archived, but that's not critical. I live in the US, and while I am currently with Cingular, I may be willing to swtich to TMobile. So, any suggestions?

I have had very poor luck with both PPC/Windows Mobile and Linux handhelds in the past, so I am looking at Palm (Treo 680), Symbian (E70, E62, et al.), Blackberry 8700, Sidekick 3, and others. I am a noted cheapskate, and my teeth already ache at what this is going to cost, so forget those wonderful Uber phones (nokia E90 or anything with an unlocked price of more than US$400). Any feedback or advice would be appreciated.

Jack

NatCh · 02-26-2007, 06:45 PM

One suggestion I'd offer is to consider not bothering with buying an unlocked phone -- just make sure that whatever you buy is a model that the unlocking services can unlock for you (fee is usually in the $30~$50 range, so it's still a lot cheaper than the unlocked versions).

You can find any number of services eager to do the unlocking for you with a simple Google search for phone unlock.

This is the route I plan to go next time 'it's time' to change phones.

Azayzel · 02-27-2007, 12:01 AM

Hmm, been out of the country for a little while now and I'm not sure what the latest is; but I can tell of the few I've used in the past.

a) To begin with, I think the Blackberry is way over-rated. I picked one up a while back and played with it a bit, but returned it due to lack of a cheap upgrade path. With Palm & Windows Mobile devices, there are a ton of apps you can find to extend you phone, not so with the BB and unless you work for a company running Blackberry Enterprise, you won't be enjoying the supposed "excellent" email functionality these are so toughted for. The phone came with some software to install on your PC, but it must stay running resident and forwards emails for you to your phone (I don't like anything opening holes on my PC, esp. a mailer program).

b) While you like Palm, I personally prefer Windows Mobile and haven't gone back to the former OS since I switched. I ended up buying a WM phone by Audiovox. Excellent phone and I was able to unlock it myself using software freely available on the Internet, I could even continue to use it here in Japan but they practically give away phones here so I saw no need (I did test the SIM card though and it worked). Why I loved that phone even more was the Bluetooth (for my GPS & headset) and being able to keep things sync'd w/ work and home using Outlook. Unfortunately TomTom doesn't have any maps for my current area, otherwise I'd continue using this phone.

c) The latest Trio I've seen has slimmed down quite a bit and looks really nice. Not sure about functionality, but of my friends that use the Treo, they all like it and had not complaints.

A final note, almost all Nokias that I know of can be unlocked using freely available programs from most cellphone hacking websites (not pirated software, mind you, but software people wrote to keep people from having to pay to have it done). The Sidekick look spretty cool, but where I lived previously there was no T-Mobile service and Cingular didn't carry that line of phone. Whatever you get, good luck and I hope it works out for you (just make sure it has Bluetooth for your headset

).

02-26-2007, 06:25 PM	#1
Jack B Nimble Groupie Posts: 154 Karma: 672 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Tapwave Zodiac, eBookwise 1150	Some advice on my next phone So... my tapwave has met with an untimely death. Add to that, my cell phone is getting quite flaky, and it seems to be time for some gadget shopping. My ebook concerns are largely satisfied by my eBookwise, so I am mainly looking for a good quality phone, with a nice keyboard and screen on which to email and browse. Of course, I would not be too upset if I could still use those iSilo files I still have archived, but that's not critical. I live in the US, and while I am currently with Cingular, I may be willing to swtich to TMobile. So, any suggestions? I have had very poor luck with both PPC/Windows Mobile and Linux handhelds in the past, so I am looking at Palm (Treo 680), Symbian (E70, E62, et al.), Blackberry 8700, Sidekick 3, and others. I am a noted cheapskate, and my teeth already ache at what this is going to cost, so forget those wonderful Uber phones (nokia E90 or anything with an unlocked price of more than US$400). Any feedback or advice would be appreciated. Jack Last edited by Jack B Nimble; 02-26-2007 at 06:34 PM.

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02-26-2007, 06:45 PM	#2
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	One suggestion I'd offer is to consider not bothering with buying an unlocked phone -- just make sure that whatever you buy is a model that the unlocking services can unlock for you (fee is usually in the $30~$50 range, so it's still a lot cheaper than the unlocked versions). You can find any number of services eager to do the unlocking for you with a simple Google search for phone unlock. This is the route I plan to go next time 'it's time' to change phones.

02-27-2007, 12:01 AM	#3
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	Hmm, been out of the country for a little while now and I'm not sure what the latest is; but I can tell of the few I've used in the past. a) To begin with, I think the Blackberry is way over-rated. I picked one up a while back and played with it a bit, but returned it due to lack of a cheap upgrade path. With Palm & Windows Mobile devices, there are a ton of apps you can find to extend you phone, not so with the BB and unless you work for a company running Blackberry Enterprise, you won't be enjoying the supposed "excellent" email functionality these are so toughted for. The phone came with some software to install on your PC, but it must stay running resident and forwards emails for you to your phone (I don't like anything opening holes on my PC, esp. a mailer program). b) While you like Palm, I personally prefer Windows Mobile and haven't gone back to the former OS since I switched. I ended up buying a WM phone by Audiovox. Excellent phone and I was able to unlock it myself using software freely available on the Internet, I could even continue to use it here in Japan but they practically give away phones here so I saw no need (I did test the SIM card though and it worked). Why I loved that phone even more was the Bluetooth (for my GPS & headset) and being able to keep things sync'd w/ work and home using Outlook. Unfortunately TomTom doesn't have any maps for my current area, otherwise I'd continue using this phone. c) The latest Trio I've seen has slimmed down quite a bit and looks really nice. Not sure about functionality, but of my friends that use the Treo, they all like it and had not complaints. A final note, almost all Nokias that I know of can be unlocked using freely available programs from most cellphone hacking websites (not pirated software, mind you, but software people wrote to keep people from having to pay to have it done). The Sidekick look spretty cool, but where I lived previously there was no T-Mobile service and Cingular didn't carry that line of phone. Whatever you get, good luck and I hope it works out for you (just make sure it has Bluetooth for your headset ).

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