#236269 - 02/10/2004 16:28
Where do I take my phone?
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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So I'm doing all I can to give my P800 a fighting chance. I think the phone seriously needs to be upgraded to the latest firmware (I think mine still has the first version). The problem is I can't be without it for the week or so it would take to ship it off and have it upgraded. Does anyone have any idea where I would take my phone to get a firmware upgrade? How on earth would I go about finding a place in my area that does such a thing? If anyone knows of somewhere in the DC area or up to 40 miles outside of it, I'd be very happy to hear about it.
Thanks.
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Matt
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#236270 - 02/10/2004 16:35
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31597
Loc: Seattle, WA
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All the phones I've ever owned can get firmware upgrades just by dialing a number...
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#236271 - 02/10/2004 20:30
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: tfabris]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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I've never seen any phone that can do a firmware upgrade just by dialing a number.
To get the P800 upgraded you'll need to take it to a SE service center which has the necessary equipment. Shame you don't have a P900 as that one can be upgraded using the cradle and your PC.
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#236272 - 03/10/2004 01:14
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
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The other option is generally "chinatown" or anyone else who advertises that they unlock cell phones. Here in the bay area there are plenty that advertise on craiglist.
You could also buy yourself a cheap beater cell phone to use in the mean time. I don't know how attatched to your P800 your are, but I suspect having a small candybar phone like the T616 or even t68i might come in handy in other situations and would use all the same accessories.
Matthew
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#236273 - 03/10/2004 11:24
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
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Buy a cheap Pay As You Go phone and redirect calls for that week?
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Mk2a 60GB Blue. Serial 030102962
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#236274 - 03/10/2004 19:35
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
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If you are a T-Mobile subscriber, call up a local store and ask about borrowing a loaner phone. All you need to do is save your contacts to your SIM, then take that with you to the store. I had to do that for about a week when I ordered my T68i, after having my Nokia 8820 break (again).
It's a little know benefit of being a T-Mobile subscriber.
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#236275 - 04/10/2004 05:20
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: drakino]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Thanks, Tom. That's a good idea, and I didn't know about it. I may try that. It didn't cost you anything?
I do wish I had the P900, just because they worked out all those bugs that I have to suffer due to early adoption. Oh well. I wonder why the P800 can't be upgraded the same way. That's quite disappointing.
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Matt
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#236276 - 06/10/2004 23:07
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: drakino]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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I got a loaner phone. It didn't really make a difference. Thanks for letting me know about it, though. So it's pretty certain that I don't get good reception from T-Mobile in my home (and a lot of other places). Additionally, my phone is simply glitchy when it comes to using my bluetooth headset, and it's generally a poor PDA. Therefore, I think I'll probably be starting over from scratch. I am beginning with the following in mind * it appears that the only carrier that can deliver reception in my home is Verizon * I now realize that I don't like convergence devices - I'll be going with a phone and a PDA * I will keep my bluetooth headset This brings up several new problems that I can't seem to solve by a simple internet surf: * the biggest problem is that Verizon has crap for phones. finding CDMA 800/1900 phones with bluetooth has been difficult * the other problem is that I've become accustomed to checking my email and browsing the web on the go. all other carriers charge a completely obscene amount for this priviledge. I don't want a phone that can view this stuff, but it would be cool to connect with a bluetooth PDA So that's about it. I basically need to find a phone that will work with Verizon and a plan that might go with it. I've been losing my mind over all the different variables of this process. I'd appreciate any help from you folks here. Help me wrap my mind around this 
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Matt
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#236277 - 07/10/2004 01:34
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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old hand
Registered: 14/02/2002
Posts: 804
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT
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My friend just got a Motorola V710 phone with Verizon. He really likes it. Bluetooth, 1.2 megapixel camera, and you can use TransFlash cards with it. (MP3's (even for your ring tones), videos etc) It is the size of a regular cellular phone, but lots of added features.
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-Michael
#040103696 on a shelf
Mk2a - 90 GB - Red - Illuminated buttons
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#236278 - 07/10/2004 01:38
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/01/2002
Posts: 3937
Loc: Providence, RI
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Quote:
I am beginning with the following in mind
* it appears that the only carrier that can deliver reception in my home is Verizon
* I now realize that I don't like convergence devices - I'll be going with a phone and a PDA
* I will keep my bluetooth headset
Then I guess a Treo is right out. I think at the moment that's the best handset Verizon carries.
Quote:
* the biggest problem is that Verizon has crap for phones. finding CDMA 800/1900 phones with bluetooth has been difficult
t608, get the MSL, mod it, and see if VZW will let you activate it? I bet someone's done this.
Quote:
* the other problem is that I've become accustomed to checking my email and browsing the web on the go. all other carriers charge a completely obscene amount for this priviledge. I don't want a phone that can view this stuff, but it would be cool to connect with a bluetooth PDA
Sprint doesn't, but good luck getting Bluetooth and data service out of them...
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#236279 - 07/10/2004 02:29
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Waterman981]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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I saw the V710, but besides my preference for candybar phones, that thing is freaking expensive! I've also been seeing some stuff about how VZW criples the bluetooth on the phone, and I'd be buying it through them to save money.
I may have to think about Sprint. I used to have them, and the only reason I moved to T-Mobile was that they were the only ones that supported the P800 and had a good data plan. Sprint, as a matter of fact, is the only other one today that appears to have a good data plan.
Seeing that, I wonder if that plan would work with the T608 (which I'd never seen before, thanks for that), and a bluetooth connection to something like a Dell Axim X30. Does that sound like something doable?
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Matt
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#236280 - 07/10/2004 03:12
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/01/2002
Posts: 3937
Loc: Providence, RI
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Well, I got the t608 on the unlimited data plan, but it's unclear if as a new customer you can do that, or if you need Vision and then to upgrade your phone, or what...
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#236281 - 07/10/2004 03:20
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Daria]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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How do you like the phone? And where on earth did you buy it?
I've been reading a forum where there's been a lot of posts about using the phone to get online with both laptops and PocketPCs, so I assume the Axim would be able to do it.
If so, within the next few months I'll hopefully have a T608 and an Axim X30.
Thanks a lot for mentioning the phone.
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Matt
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#236282 - 07/10/2004 03:45
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 3608
Loc: Minnetonka, MN
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The thing about Sprints data plan that I don't like is that they tell you that you cannot use the phone for a wireless modem. They say yes it works but if you do it you get in trouble. I have had several people at different sprint stores tell me this line. I didn't bother asking what they do if they catch you my guess is they try to charge you per MB like they do for the data only plans.
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Matt
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#236283 - 07/10/2004 04:26
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/01/2002
Posts: 3937
Loc: Providence, RI
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Quote:
How do you like the phone? And where on earth did you buy it?
866 PCS AUTO (Sprint telesales)
It's for my wife. She liked her old phone better, but 1) she lost it, 2) she's not as much a geek.
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#236284 - 07/10/2004 04:28
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: msaeger]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Interesting. It looks like a lot of people are doing this, and I believe many of them got support from PCS reps, so I wonder what their story is. I did notice that Sprint charges $30 for the unlimited data service if you have one of their own PocketPC phones. That seems crazy to me. It's the same thing! I guess I can see the point, but it's still annoying. If they're going to compete with TMobile, they've got to stick to that $15/month price. Is that the one you're signed up for? If my friend with Sprint service comes over tomorrow and gets good reception in my house, I'll be selling my phone and ditching my service very soon. Looks like I'll be taking advantage of that number portability 
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Matt
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#236285 - 07/10/2004 04:34
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Daria]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
866 PCS AUTO (Sprint telesales)
Cool. That's where people on www.t608.com seem to be getting them. I wonder if it's still $200. That's a bit much for the type of phone, but I may give it a try. Too bad there's a rebate plastered all over that site, even though it expired last January. *edit* Crap! There was another one that expired 9/30/04. That would have really helped. *edit*
Edited by DiGNAN17 (07/10/2004 04:37)
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Matt
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#236286 - 07/10/2004 16:59
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/01/2002
Posts: 3937
Loc: Providence, RI
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It was $200 like a month ago.
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#236287 - 07/10/2004 17:01
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Daria]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
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Sony/Ericsson are making some really cool phones, but why oh why oh why put the space on the 1 key when everyone else seems to have it on the 0 key?
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Cheers,
Andy M
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#236288 - 07/10/2004 17:07
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: andym]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/01/2002
Posts: 3937
Loc: Providence, RI
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Quote:
Sony/Ericsson are making some really cool phones, but why oh why oh why put the space on the 1 key when everyone else seems to have it on the 0 key?
They hate you?
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#236289 - 07/10/2004 18:15
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: andym]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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It appears the T608 has the space on the # key.
*edit*
I guess it depends on the phone. My P800 appears to have it on the 1 key.
Edited by DiGNAN17 (07/10/2004 18:23)
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Matt
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#236290 - 07/10/2004 18:16
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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Quote:
It appears the T608 has the space on the # key.
Same on my T610
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-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736
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#236291 - 07/10/2004 18:56
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: andym]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5916
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
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...and why is it only Sony and Nokia can design a usable phone UI ?
I can pick up a Nokia or Sony and know exactly how to use it. Any other brand I have tried is a confusing mess. I tried to use a friend's Motorola and I honestly couldn't work out how to send a text message, I would have needed read the manual just to send a bloody text.
Ericsson phones were nearly as bad until Sony joined them.
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Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday
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#236292 - 07/10/2004 19:10
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: andy]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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#236293 - 07/10/2004 19:52
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: andy]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
...and why is it only Sony and Nokia can design a usable phone UI ?
I'm getting rid of my Sony partly because the Symbian UIQ interface is not very good at all. This is, or course, was something that was said to me before I bought the phone, but I gave it a shot anyway. You know a UI is bad when you can't even close programs. If you didn't turn off the phone after a few days, you'd have so many applications open it would zap your battery and memory. Luckily I had a third party program that basically gave me a desktop, a file viewer, and a task viewer.
Anyway, I'm selling the phone to a lucky buyer in a couple hours. He sounds like someone who can make good use out if it, though.
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Matt
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#236294 - 07/10/2004 20:10
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 10/06/1999
Posts: 5916
Loc: Wivenhoe, Essex, UK
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Yes I did mean the software. Nokia do seem to be creating a whole series of "toy" phones recently. Thankfully they still make "real" phones with sensible physical UIs as well...
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Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday
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#236295 - 07/10/2004 20:51
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: andy]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/01/2002
Posts: 3937
Loc: Providence, RI
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In general I've found the software to be the most important part of the phone experience... until I got the treo. It has a "thumbboard" which is basically a stripped down keyboard. That's made the difference for me; At this point the various PDA-without-phone (but with 802.11 or bluetooth or both) devices have some appeal, but without a phone and a thumbboard I realize it'd quickly become a brick to me. But I don't use it as a phone.
For a phone, the number pad gets used almost never; Most calls are made from the phone book. And i haven't touched a Nokia to know if the weird designs get that right. I'm curious... am I unique? Do other cell users have this experience, also?
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#236296 - 08/10/2004 02:23
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Daria]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
Do other cell users have this experience, also?
Well, not me, I guess!  I'm going for the "thumbboardless" PDA and cell phone combo that you avoided. I held the Treo, and it just didn't work for me. As a phone it still seems silly to hold a PDA to your head, and as a PDA, I seem to be the only one that finds the buttons on the Treo really bad. I guess I just really dislike the feel of them.
I know I'll dislike being one of those people who carries around multiple devices, but I think it's worth it to get exactly what I want. Besides, I've got my "bag" that I carry to most places, so I can use that
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Matt
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#236297 - 08/10/2004 02:28
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/01/2002
Posts: 3937
Loc: Providence, RI
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Quote:
Well, not me, I guess! I'm going for the "thumbboardless" PDA and cell phone combo that you avoided. I held the Treo, and it just didn't work for me. As a phone it still seems silly to hold a PDA to your head, and as a PDA, I seem to be the only one that finds the buttons on the Treo really bad. I guess I just really dislike the feel of them.
The Treo 300's buttons had a flatter profile, and felt better.
Quote:
I know I'll dislike being one of those people who carries around multiple devices, but I think it's worth it to get exactly what I want. Besides, I've got my "bag" that I carry to most places, so I can use that
Well, I keep my laptop and my toys with me usually, but there are cases where i just want the PDA. If I had a bluetooth PDA and a bluetooth phone, that would *almost* be good enough. But... call waiting doesn't interrupt SprintPCS Vision service, so I wouldn't be able to get calls; at the same time, I don't want calls to kick me off. So I need 2 devices anyway. Oh well.
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#236298 - 08/10/2004 05:02
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 3608
Loc: Minnetonka, MN
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I went with verizon because of sprint telling me this crap. I'm sure they think they can charge more because of the faster data rate.
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Matt
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#236299 - 08/10/2004 11:38
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Daria]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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I'm the exact opposite. I don't think I'd find a PDA that useful and I almost never populate the Phone Book in my cell. Of course, I have done so with my new phone I got the other day, but the one call I've made so far was to someone I programmed in and I dialed the number manually anyway.
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Bitt Faulk
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#236300 - 08/10/2004 15:48
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: msaeger]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
I went with verizon because of sprint telling me this crap. I'm sure they think they can charge more because of the faster data rate.
I avoided Verizon because of insanely high data rate prices. How much is your plan? If Verizon has a compareable plan to Sprint and T-Mobile, I certainly couldn't find it on their site which isn't very easy to navigate.
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Matt
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#236301 - 08/10/2004 16:06
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 23/09/2000
Posts: 3608
Loc: Minnetonka, MN
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I had an i700 pocket pc pda phone thing and signed up for the data only plan so it was 50.00 for unlimited and they said it was ok to use as a wireless modem. It was cheaper if you added it to a regular calling plan but I just wanted the data.
The Tmobile plan was far cheaper but the Verizon network was supposed to be faster. I didn't look at Sprint after they told me I couldn't use the phone for a wireless modem.
Now the Verizon plans look totally different and all I can see is 40.00 for 20mb and 60.00 for 60mb which is insane.
I only used it for a few months and canceled because the speeds were too slow for 50.00 a month.
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Matt
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#236302 - 08/10/2004 16:35
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: msaeger]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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It amazes me that all the other carriers (besides Sprint and T-Mobile) aren't even close to competetive with their data rates.
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Matt
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#236303 - 20/10/2004 18:03
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Daria]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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I got the T608 and I wanted to thank dbrashear for the suggestion. This is a beautiful phone, very light, and the sound quality is wonderful. Most importantly, the reception is 500% better than TMobile. It's really incredible to see how poorly my P800 was performing. Anyway, I took the phone, with instructions from www.sprintpcsinfo.com, to CompUSA. I hate the store but it has working PDAs on display. I played around with a bluetooth enabled PDA, and successfully got it to connect to the internet using the T608 as a modem. Now I can't wait to get a PDA. Anyway, I just wanted to thank dbrashear for the recommendation. Great pick!
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Matt
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#236304 - 20/10/2004 18:27
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/01/2002
Posts: 3937
Loc: Providence, RI
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My wife doesn't like the UI on the phone, she wants her old Sanyo 4900 back (she lost it).
I'd trade her the Sanyo 5400 I have for it, but due to Sprint having a different idea of plan than I do, and me being unwilling to argue, having a bluetooth phone and the treo would be useless, as i could only have vision on one of them unless i change plans, and i'm not doing it.
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#236305 - 20/10/2004 19:04
Re: Where do I take my phone?
[Re: Daria]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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The UI is pretty darn bad, I admit. I've read that the phone was rushed to production, and the software they put on it wasn't even the intended software. Consequently the menus are frustratingly slow. It's okay for me, though, because I had far more frustrations with my old phone, so this is a huge step up
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Matt
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