So.............not sure how many techies we have on here. I know Justin, Todd, and Germ are fairly technical though, so I figured I would give it a shot here. So what kind of handheld dataphones do you guys have? It's pretty sad that I don't have a better phone yet, the software I sell has a component written specifically for access from a handheld smartphone, but I've been on a regular old cell phone for years now. My Verizon contract is up though (finally), and now I'm looking to switch to AT&T, simply because Lisa is on it and we can get a family plan, and AT&T is also the only carrier with solid coverage at my camp. It will be nice to surf this site from a tree this coming fall. :d So what devices are you guys using? What do you like/not like about it? I'm really looking heavily at the new iPhone 3G since the new 3G network is supposed to be so much faster, and now I can hook it up to the Exchange server at work to get work email. The iPod and GPS features are a nice touch as well. Any reason I should be looking at something else?
I know nothing about the smart phones. But I just switched to Verizon because they are the only ones I can get reception on my property with.
I had a Palm Treo 700w and the phone was great, with the exception of the $130.00 monthly bill. I loved having the internet at my hands, well, pretty much having a very small computer, but the internet around here isn't too great and the phone was very slow. It was nice checking in on the boards while sitting during the slow part of the day on stand. The battery life was awsome but the camera in the phone was pretty bad. Mine came with Windows Media Player so I could watch videos or listen to music on it. Overall it was a great phone, but I don't think that it is worth the $700 price tag even when setting up a new contract.
I have a Pearl and love it. I'm huge on small phones. I didn't have much of a choice as it's what the company offers. I like the blackberry software, but I haven't had any others.
I currently have a Motorola Q that sucks terribly bad, and I'm looking forward to an upgrade soon. I'm looking at the Blackberry Curve 8330. I've done some research and read quite a few reviews of this particular phone and from what I can tell it's one of the best smartphones on the market. Todd had a Palm Treo 700w for awhile and loved it. He wouldn't stop raving about how much he loved that phone, but then he got bit by the iphone bug and got one of those, which he also loves. I would consider it, but I really don't want to leave my Verizon network. AT&T just isn't as reliable nor do they have as good of coverage outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. I'm sticking with Verizon until I really have a reason to change. Check out http://www.phonescoop.com/ for some good reading material on smartphones. :D
Justin--There is an all touchscreen Blackberry coming out soon that should kick the iPhone in the ding ding. I am a Call Center Manager for Verizon and will let you know when they are out. Or if you want a Curve I know some reps that have won them recently and might sell them outright for cheap if you want to avoid the contract thing. I am using the Pearl but plan on getting the Blackberry Thunder later in the year. I have used a Treo 650, 700W, 700P, Blackberry 7130. I love the Pearl but hate double tapping when I type
Thats a bunch of big words I don't understand!! I just learned to text last March. My phone has no camera, doesn't flip.........damn I'm a cheap mofo.
Work foots the bill for mine I also carry a personal line I pay for and have a Motorola KRZR:smash: I am getting the new Motorola V750 with the newly updated VZW Push To Talk, we finally brought out a product comparable to the setup times and response times of Nextel but without all the call drops and crappy signal issues.
I have the Motorola Q and definetly agree with Justin. I can't wait for my contract to be up so I get the discounted price on an upgrade. Think that I will be making the switch to a Blackberry.
Hmm....a Blackberry touchscreen you say? Interesting! My contract is up on my phone next month so I'll be eligible for the upgrade at a cheap price, plus work pays for mine since I'm on call pretty much 24x7 so I'm not too overly concerned about the price as long as its reasonable. I like the idea of the VZW Push-To-Talk as I am a Nextel convert (couldn't take the crappy signal and customer service any longer) and have been very happy w/my Verizon coverage so far.
Here is a link http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/05/13/blackberry-thunder-the-touchscreen-blackberry-weve-all-been-waiting-for/
That was a speculated mock up of the device. Here is another link to an actual Thunder. http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/06/08/blackberry-thunder-live-shot-damn-were-good/
Thanks for the input guys. I actually took a half day today from work to go wait in line at the Apple store to pick up a new iPhone. When I got there at around 12:30, they had already sold out of the entire shipment that came in this morning. Looks like the demand is outta control for these things. The AT&T stores have a 10-13 day waiting list, and the Apple stores are on a first come first serve basis. The local Apple store said despite shipments every day, they have sold out of the phones every day since 7/11 before noon. :huh: They are updating on the Apple sight every night at 9pm what models what locations will have in stock the following day so that you can get there early and wait for one. The store opens tomorrow at 8am. I feel like a pasty white, 13 y/o video game nerd waiting the first day to get my paws on a Playstation 3.................but I'm gonna be there at around 7:30am tomorrow waiting on my black 16gb model.
You may not be very satisfied with the AT@T 3G network. Out of Sprint and VZW the AT@T 3G network is by far the smallest. Your 3G iPhone will work like the original iPhone in a lot of areas. There have also been lots of reports of menus freezing, data on the phone being erased when synching into iTunes and overall slow speeds, even in the 3G network. Go to the following site and pull up the phone and read the reviews. www.phonescoop.com, www.phonearena.com and CNET's site. Here is a link to a map showing AT@T's data network. Everything in orange is what the standard iPhone runs on, the dark orange is the HSPA 3G network. http://www.rcrnews.com/assets/jpg/hpsa.jpg The following map shows where Sprint PCS, Verizon, Alltel and Bell Canada have coverage, all companies roam off each others networks. Sprint, Alltel and VZW have agreements to allow each other access to their 3G networks in areas that their is no native coverage. They all have plans that include data use for Canada as well. The EVDO coverage on th following map is equivalent to the HSPA 3G network AT@T offers in speeds only much larger coverage. http://www.rcrnews.com/assets/jpg/evdo.jpg We have starated to see a significant number of people leave VZW for the iPhone 3G only to return within a week or two due to the hardware issues and lack of 3G coverage/poor data speed performance. P.S. the Motorola Q is not worth its weight in dog poop.
I hear ya D-tizzle........but the one main problem for me is that Verizon and Sprint have absolutely no coverage at my camp, and I really need it there. AT&T has decent coverage at camp, not 3G network speeds.......but fast enough for me to keep up with my work emails from the cabin or while in a tree. That and the ability to work in the main application I use every day for work (has a web based component specifically for handhelds) all from camp or while in a tree............well that gives me a ton of flexibility to "work from home" if you know what I mean. I already have wireless access for the laptop that I have configured to the cabin from my fathers house across the street, but phone access from the cabin to follow up on work calls between hunts, and the ability to at least keep my inbox tidy from a tree really allows me a lot of flexibility to be down there more.
Very Valid reasons indeed. Good luck tomorrow, hope you are able to get one. I'll call the Nerdy guy in the glasses and tell him to get to your cabin in the meantime
Got it today. I'm impressed so far, but I've really gotta play with it more before I can give a good review. I will say that it's plenty fast. Will post more once I've got some more time behind it.
