Author Topic: Tell Ricercar what cell phone to get (Read 5850 times)

ricercar · « **on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 14:09:06 »

My Treo 700palm keyboard failed. Ricercar needs a new phone today or tomorrow.

Will be used primarily for business phone calls. Would be nice to have web access, email, BBS access. Non-Negotiable needs:

Sprint
Sync with windows Outlook calendar and address book
Decent voice quality

Open to any OS.

Blackberry? - never used one.
WindowsMobile 6? - 8 months blissful experience, then Moto Q9c died suddenly.
Palm/WeboOS? - 16 years experience, many purchased apps.
(iPhone is not Sprint)

Sprint subsidizes the following phones in my price range

BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130
Centro™ by Palm®
Samsung ACE™
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8530 smartphone
HTC Snap™

With motivation I could consider:

Palm® Pixi™
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8350i Smartphone
Treo™ 755p

An eBay Sprint phone is acceptable.

Share your opinions. I know you have them.

ironcoder · « **Reply #1 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 14:23:19 »

The Pearls are oddball phones, you have to really be a fanboy to want one. They have two modes of operation. They have 2 letters on each key, in the first mode, the first letter works when you press the key and the 2nd letter works when you press the key twice. The second mode is you just press a key once and keep going until you get to the end of the word. If the phone can figure out what word you really meant it uses that word, if not, it gives you a pull down list and you pick the right one. It learns after a while and you can be fast with it.

The 9700 (not on your list) seems to be the hot one now, especially if you have good 3G coverage. You didn't mention that at all, is it not a concern? If you don't need 3G or don't have coverage, the 8900 hyperlinked and I have rules. The 85xx are nice little phones with pretty good specs although the camera is definitely limited and it has a small screen.

The 8350i doesn't look like an upgrade from the 85xx, it has a 2.5mm headphone jack and only 128M of RAM which is going to start boxing you in eventually.

Note, you need to pay for a data plan with any BlackBerry. What that gives you is the absolute best push email on earth and a lot of other neat stuff, but it is an extra cost. Outlook calendar updates are aftermarket only, but the included software will sync contacts. The BB desktop software is abominable, because most business users run on a corporate BB server that has all that integration and RIM hasn't figured out retail customers need support too, they're a little behind.

Don't know about the other phones on your list, check phonewreck and gsmarena to see if you can get specs and other info and of course the manufacturer's sites.

itlnstln · « **Reply #2 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 14:24:42 »

I had the Palm Centro, and that would fit all your needs. I would, however, push yourself for the Pixi or the Pre. The plans that go with the Pixi and Pre gave me a big drop in my bill when I switched from the Centro to the Pre. That, and I get to upgrade every year, now, and not 18 months.

salcan · « **Reply #3 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 15:17:37 »

I'd probably say the BB 8530. Don't get the Pixi, it's underpowered, the Pearl, or the Centro.

Are you not considering the Pre? That sounds like an OK bet if you have to be on Sprint. The Hero isn't the best Android phone, but at least it's Android.

itlnstln · « **Reply #4 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 15:19:21 »

Yeah, the Hero should do everything he's looking for. A co-worker picked one up a couple of weeks ago, and it's pretty nice.

ironcoder · « **Reply #5 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 15:25:39 »

But it's a touch device, right? Going from a keyboard to a touch screen is no fun.

itlnstln · « **Reply #6 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 15:34:11 »

That's correct. Both the Pre and the Pixi have real keyboards. One other thing to keep in mind, too, is that the Pixi and the Centro do not have WiFi; the Pre and the Hero do, though. That said, my Pre has taken over a lot of the smaller tasks I used to use a full-blown computer for.

(I can't speak for any of the BB devices since I have never owned one).

ironcoder · « **Reply #7 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 15:50:53 »

Browsing on a touch phone is great, but I can't stand emailing from one.

itlnstln · « **Reply #8 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 15:53:51 »

That's what I like about the Pre. All of the plusses of a touch phone, but with a real keyboard for e-mails, texting, etc. The only problem with it is that the keyboard is oriented in portrait mode. If you're browing in landscape, you have to constantly flip the phone around to type in a new address. Really, it's not all that big of a deal.

ironcoder · « **Reply #9 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 15:56:20 »

Yeah the Pre looks like a nice phone and I like Palms. Did you see the writeup on phonewreck? What a great site.

itlnstln · « **Reply #10 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 15:58:48 »

No, I didn't. I'll check it out.

HaaTa · « **Reply #11 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 16:05:26 »

I don't mind using th touch screen keyboard on my HTC Magic (I can switch it to Colemak), and type relatively fast on it.
Only annoyances with the keyboard is not being able to type with light gloves on and input lag occasionally.
I've never owned a phone with a real keyboard, so my opinion probably doesn't amount to much.

itlnstln · « **Reply #12 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 16:09:54 »

Between using my GF's iPhone and my Pre, there is no substitute for a real keyboard. To be fair, I don't really use her phone enough to really get used to the keyboard.

didjamatic · « **Reply #13 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 16:20:14 »

I have used the following Extensively:

HTC Windows Mobile Devices - legal and hacked versions
Blackberry - multiple devices
HTC Android G1
Iphone 3GS

Per your requirements, I would get a Blackberry or a Windows Mobile device. Nothing else syncs with and integrates features of Outlook as well.

Blackberry is THE Email/Contacts Rock Star and one handed thumbwheel navigation is very easy to learn. It's a very good device. It may lack the candy that an Iphone packs but for productivity it's tough to beat.

But windows Mobile has pocket outlook and many other things going for it that Blackberries don't have. It sounds like you already had a good experience with it.

Palm doesn't make sense to use if you're using Outlook on the desktop and want to be efficient. Plus, Palm has so many internal issues, they don't know what they will be doing next year or even next month it seems.

I love my Iphone but that doesn't meet your needs.

As for touchscreen keyboards, you get used to lifting between keypresses, it just takes a week or so and you learn to work with the predictive text quite well. Though I do miss the tactile keyboards of my blackberry and HTC devices.

itlnstln · « **Reply #14 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 16:22:19 »

Quote from: didjamatic;157118

Palm doesn't make sense to use if you're using Outlook on the desktop and want to be efficient.

I do this all day on my Pre and have absolutely no clue what you're talking about.

didjamatic · « **Reply #15 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 16:23:21 »

The interface for email and contacts and syncing is better on a Windows Mobile device running Pocket Outlook or a Blackberry, vs. Palm in my experience. All modern phones will do it, but some do it better than others by including the small details of calendaring, appointment scheduling, contact notes, invite methods, etc.

I know many die hard Palm fanatics (including my father) but there are other options that In my experience have provided a better user experience than Palm.

itlnstln · « **Reply #16 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 16:28:55 »

Quote from: didjamatic;157120

The interface for email and contacts and syncing is better on a Windows Mobile device running Pocket Outlook or a Blackberry, vs. Palm in my experience. All modern phones will do it, but some do it better than others by including the small details of calendaring, appointment scheduling, contact notes, invite methods, etc.

You might be thinking of the old Treos and Centro, but this doesn't apply to the WebOS Palms. The WebOS interfacing rivals any WinMo phone I have tried; the only BB device I have used wasn't any better, but I didn't really use it long enough to give it a fair shake. I would even suggest that WebOS handles/synchs contacts better than any other phone on the market (maybe except Android phones). Just like keyboards, though, a lot of this is subject to opinion, too.

didjamatic · « **Reply #17 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 16:51:30 »

Yes, to be fair I haven't used a WebOS Palm device, so my experience was with older versions and lots of customers losing their data through human error.

ricercar · « **Reply #18 on:** Mon, 08 February 2010, 21:14:58 »

I've decided to go with a $24 eBay Palm 700wx.

Windows Mobile 5 syncs with Outlook
if it sucks, I can move the keyboard to the 700p.
no new 2 year contract.

Downside is that it'll take 2 days to get to me from Texas.

Thank you all for input. I needed to see this info on the page. I was single-parenting a speedy 4-year old today, and had no bandwidth to think phone.

maxlugar · « **Reply #19 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 00:42:08 »

Quote from: ricercar;157162

I've decided to go with a $24 eBay Palm 700wx.
Windows Mobile 5 syncs with Outlook
if it sucks, I can move the keyboard to the 700p.
no new 2 year contract.

Downside is that it'll take 2 days to get to me from Texas.

Thank you all for input. I needed to see this info on the page. I was single-parenting a speedy 4-year old today, and had no bandwidth to think phone.

The stability of Windows Mobile 5 Sync depends on if you're synchronizing with Outlook 2007 running on Windows XP or Outlook 2007 running on Windows Vista. Outlook running on Vista works more consistently than ActiveSync on XP. Windows Mobile 6.1 is supposed to have better, more stable sync features than Mobile 6. I haven't tried sychronizing Outlook 2007 running on Windows 7 yet but I have heard it works "flawlessly" (yeah right, take that for what it's worth!)

P.S.
I personally use a Motorola PowerSource ic902 Deluxe 1900 MHz/800 MHz dual mode phone because I rely on Nextel's iDEN network to run my businesses. I use the HP iPAQ 210, a stand alone PDA which runs on Windows Mobile 6.0 Classic (non-phone version of Windows Mobile 6). My comments above are based on the experiences of my colleagues. I have had similar synchronizing issues with Mobile Outlook on my iPAQ 210.

trievalot · « **Reply #20 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 05:37:35 »

acer are making a phone *shudders*

In Stereo! · « **Reply #21 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 08:25:14 »

Is there any decent modern phone similar to the Nokia 6310 -- limited funcionality, exceptional build quality. Currently I'm using the Nokia 6310 + another Nokia 6124, which I hate. The last good phone that I know of is the Nokia 6300, but I shoud buy a used one, couse they don't produce them anymore.

ironcoder · « **Reply #22 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 08:43:24 »

Build quality on Nokia is a real problem nowadays. Some are great, some suck, and some are in between. It's real hard to be guaranteed getting a good one.

YpoCaramel · « **Reply #23 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 09:30:58 »

Quote from: ironcoder;157256

Build quality on Nokia is a real problem nowadays. Some are great, some suck, and some are in between. It's real hard to be guaranteed getting a good one.

I agree from my own experience.
N73: mediocre, external build was fine but had some mechanical failures down the line
E71: excellent, no problems there
N97: It's ok. External build quality sure feels a lot better than the Pre and the sliding mechanism feels ok, but I've had some problems with the touchscreen.

I get the impression that the E-series is better built of the Nokias. The E52 might be a good bet if you want simplicity ... Personally, I'd encourage anyone to get a smartphone but it's your choice.

ironcoder · « **Reply #24 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 10:03:30 »

The big disappointment is the E72. I was thinking of buying one but I found so many reviews, good and bad. I believed them all, it tells me this phone has real quality problems.

After the E71 they had a tough act to follow, and unfortunately it looks like they didn't. Hopefully they can catch this one soon and not let it go on too long.

ironcoder · « **Reply #25 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 10:22:38 »

Who are you talking to, Ripster?

I agree, phone contracts suck. Unfortunately most people don't have an option.

But the reason they suck doesn't seem to me to be related to why you should hate Microslop/Intel/Apple/google, etc. What did you have in mind there?

itlnstln · « **Reply #26 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 10:31:10 »

I don't really care about the contract, myself. I get a price break with Sprint from my company, so I don't plan on leaving anytime soon. The new contract rules say I can upgrade every year now, anyway, so I'm happy.

ironcoder · « **Reply #27 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 11:07:56 »

That sounds like a good deal. I got raked over the coals when I tried to get phones here, my latest one was bought for cash and I'm much happier that way. I'm kicking myself for not doing it earlier. It is expensive (initially) but in my case it works out a lot cheaper plus I'm not roped into any committment. Not sure if that makes much practical difference, but it seems to feel better somehow.

Then again we don't get any good deals (like free BlackBerrys) that people in civilized countries seem to have, so maybe if we did I would be less concerned about the contract and go for it anyway.

itlnstln · « **Reply #28 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 11:37:59 »

Unlimited everything* for $70 - a 25% discount with my company = $52/mo. Can't beat it.

*There are only 400 "anytime" minutes, but I have unlimited mobile to mobile (any carrier), so I pretty much don't use any of those minutes.

ironcoder · « **Reply #29 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 11:41:37 »

If you could get them to throw in a BlackBerry data plan you would have it all.

itlnstln · « **Reply #30 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 11:45:14 »

It's included.

ironcoder · « **Reply #31 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 11:47:03 »

Can I have one?

itlnstln · « **Reply #32 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 11:49:15 »

I could add a line for you, but it's a CDMA phone. Will it work in the bomb shelter? I think you might only be able to use GSM there.

ironcoder · « **Reply #33 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 11:50:44 »

Yeah I think we're all GSM and 3G, no edge, no CDMA.

Interestingly, while my Nokia has no signal at all in my office, my BlackBerry actually works. Pretty impressive piece of hardware.

ricercar · « **Reply #34 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 19:00:31 »

Whoo hoo. Got a free Centro today from a friend who x-graded to an iPhone. Phone, adapter, GPS, dashboard mount, earphone. Now I can type names for the numbers I add to my contacts.

itlnstln · « **Reply #35 on:** Tue, 09 February 2010, 19:33:01 »

Free is always good.

keyb_gr · « **Reply #36 on:** Wed, 10 February 2010, 18:42:10 »

Quote from: ironcoder;157310

Interestingly, while my Nokia has no signal at all in my office, my BlackBerry actually works. Pretty impressive piece of hardware.

Reminds me of my dad's new work phone, a Samsung B2100. Not much in terms of frills (while ruggedized, it's more on the budget side of things), but the reception is quite a bit better than with the geriatric Siemens C35i it replaced. Unlike that one, it even works in an underground garage with problematic signal levels. Reviews agree. I'll need to ask him about the battery life, that's supposed to be quite good as well...

bhtooefr · « **Reply #37 on:** Mon, 15 February 2010, 23:26:44 »

Yeah, but it's a Centro.

I'll go ahead and hijack the thread... Anyone played with the Moment? I did, the keyboard's got an odd layout, but actuation force isn't terrible, keys are very well defined, and NICELY tactile.

I'm thinking of getting one... just have to either trick Sprint into activating one without Everything Data (I've got Everything Messaging with a data add-on,) or perform some hacks.

ricercar · « **Reply #38 on:** Tue, 16 February 2010, 03:30:00 »

I found myself well-pleased with the Centro form factor, but the wretched slowness of the PalmOS made it easy to decide I wanted to test the $24 Treo 700wx (WinMobile) that eBay sent me.

Three days later, loath as I am to say it, the user experience of WinMobile 5 is better than PalmOS 5. WinMob5 is definitely faster than the PalmOS Centro, subjectively speaking. The 700wx is also faster than the nearly-identical hardware 700p.

itlnstln · « **Reply #39 on:** Tue, 16 February 2010, 06:55:24 »

WinMo 7 is money.* I think I know what OS my next phone is going to have (unless Palm puts out some new hardware using WebOS).

*Well, except for the lack of Flash and multitasking. *grumble, grumble*

ironcoder · « **Reply #40 on:** Tue, 16 February 2010, 12:09:15 »

Don't believe it. Apps are going to be a problem, they decided upward compatability isn't important. Supposedly, nothing from WinMo 6 and earlier will run on 7.

Besides, what are you thinking? I wouldn't run anything from Microslop if you paid me, spyware and malware on a phone is more than I can deal with (shudder!)

bhtooefr · « **Reply #41 on:** Tue, 16 February 2010, 12:13:04 »

Nah, the malware development is all for iPhone and Android.

The only WinMo devices that are attractive targets are in business, and those are locked down ridiculously tight.

ironcoder · « **Reply #42 on:** Tue, 16 February 2010, 12:25:20 »

No, I mean the OS

WinAnything is malware with a Eula. Where else do you find people making software firewalls with application level rules? With MS, the threat is from the inside.

ricercar · « **Reply #43 on:** Tue, 16 February 2010, 12:42:44 »

With Google's sandbox app, Windows Mobile can run YouTube, and that's as close as I let Flash get to my hardware.

The multitasking is fine. Matter of fact I'm always shutting down background apps to conserve power.

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Author Topic: Tell Ricercar what cell phone to get (Read 5850 times)