[CoMM]

I need a new mobile phone and a new carrier so i've been looking around and i'm torn at the moment. Any comments you guys have about these phones would be appreciated, especially if you have physically come across one of them. Also any other similar phone that you know of, no matter the cost, i would be very interested in seeing. Thanks.


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T-Mobile MDA


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Sidekick 3


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BlackBerry 8700g


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PPC 6700


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Palm Treo 650


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Palm Treo 700 w/wx


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Motorola Q


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Thanks everyone!

[CoMM]

BTW i ran across the Palm Treo 700 and the Motorola Q late so check those out at the end of my original post if you're interested and already saw this topic.

[BigRedDog]

Well I'm a bit particular with my phones, so here's my impression of the ones on your list I've used.

The Blackberry
- My wife has this phone. I hate it. I hate everything about it. From the way it does settings to the "bigger than it needs to be design." Blackberry does one thing really well and attempts to leverage off of that. If you've seen reviews of the MP3 player they're adding to their phones, you'll know what I mean. Another good example, it uses the mini-USB connector for charging... but it will only work on its own charger, won't work on standard one - is there any good reason for this except to sell a bunch of chargers?

The Treo 700 (Windows) - My buddy got one of these and flaunted it all over the place (since I have the older - and much better 650/Palm version). I like the Windows OS, in that it does inevitably work better with Outlook and some other Windows products than the Palm version does... but the Windows version is just a bit harder to use, and when you are tapping with a stylus as you weave through traffic - it makes a difference. The screen is lower res that the Palm version - who knows why. On the plus side, if you use Windows Media Player, it is a must have. The keys are great... I know they feel a little pointy at first, but they are easy as cake for a man (read: fat fingers) to press. And as a HUGE PLUS, it has built in wi-fi (Palm what is up with no wi-fi?)... Battery lasts only a day???

Treo 700 - I assume it is an update of my 650, our baby sitter has one, and she really likes it. I stuck with the 650 - because I can't see any real difference. The OS is still better and easier to use than the Windows version. The camera is pretty good in the 700 - sucks in the 650. Really a pleasure to use. I'd buy this one personally. BTW - the battery, with alot of daily use, lasts 3 days-ish without charging. Bluetooth syncing is a breeze, easy to set up, easy to use, and rock solid.

I did check out the Motrolla Q phone, which is a big deal here in Chicago (Motorolla home turf). Anyway, it has those keys that are hard to press... you know what I mean (like alot of Moto phones), you can't tell if you are on it... then when you press it, you don't know if it worked unless you stare at the screen.

Overall suggestions:
- Verizon wireless rocks, though they are pricey... if you can get in on a good deal, they will never cancel it on you or up the price... kind of nice.
- I'd stick with Palm, and if you must, get Windows... don't go propritary.
- Get a full keyboard
- Beware big screens, it is a pain to have to recharge your phone every night... sometimes you just forget.
- Get bluetooth, but don't be fooled to believe it will work really well, test your phone choice with bluetooth, before you buy. PS - new bluetooth device are coming out now that can be associated with multiple devices... might be nice to check those out too.

Anyway, Treo 650 works great for me... I only wonder why it doesn't have wi-fi.

[Agoura_Steve]

I have tried all of those out except for the Treo 700.
I think the Treo 650 is the best out of those, maybe the 700
or the Q as options.
The others arent that great.

The MDA has lousy reception and horrid speaker phone.
The Side Kick also has some issues with people hearing you
and is bulky.
BlackBerry is the best PDA but feels like a brick on your ear.
I do like the BlackBerry a lot for emailing!
The Pocket PC also has reception issues and people can't hear you that well.

The last 3 have it all.

The Q is sleek while it has BlackBerry like features, and good speaker/Reception.
The Treos are bas ass and I love the 650 but it is also a but bulky but badass.

Tough choice between the Q and the Treo. Both Rock.
The other phones just are all lacking, if you ask me.

I paid alot of money to learn this. You get a free ride.

[CoMM]

Wow thanks for the details guys. I didn't expect to get much more than "i heard from a friend that the sidekick sucks" or something generic like that. It sounds like you have both had a lot of experience with these type of phones though.

I'm glad i waited. I was trying to decide between the Sidekick and the MDA earlier and i almost dropped the money on it but i decided to hold off.

[Skylar]

I just bought the Treo 700 with Palm software a couple of months ago and I love it! Verizon is my carrier.

Need to use the blue tooth or it can become cumberson.

Keep in mind that if I can use something then it should be a snap for any one else.

Customer service has also been very supportive!

I shopped all of those phones before I bought!

(Since I can't play BR, I've really been into 900 #'s lately. Camera works well for this)!

Hope this helps!

[CoMM]

Cool. Thanks Skylar! I'm leaning towards the Treo 700 if i can find a carrier that supports it and has the service i want.

[Cabezadegato]

Why no Symbians? Only the largest smartphone marketshare planetwide. Im writing this on one now. Mine is the Nokia E70 (unlocked and unbranded). I use T-moble service from which I can also suggest the Dash (over the Q, besides, Verizon cripples features like Bluetooth) and the MDA. While Vrzn cripples bluetooth, Cingular takes out WiFi which I find unacceptable. Sprint, I really dont like the phones.
Personally, I love my E70. With a 2 Gb drive, I have movies, tv shows, music, books, games, wifi, iSync, a great web browser, Exchange, Blackberry services, IMAP, p oP3, RSS, Tv remote controll (for fun at bars and the mall), chat, a 2mp camera, full qwerty keyboard, and several other things lika a phone.

the Tmobile Dash would be my second choice, but it Would take a bit to pry me away from series60 symbian.

[Wobbly]

Wow, a place on this forum i can discuss my job j/k i sell phones for cingular, but i know a good amount about most phones and pda's and smartphones.

first off, most of what you listed is old news except for the 700p/w/wx biggest dif's being the OS (and the wx model adds 2x the RAM) - but MAN is that keyboard small.

the sidekick is not a smart phone. it's cool and it has probably the best keyboard, but doesn't have the apps or capabilities...especially for the $

Symbian is cool, and you should check out the Nokia E62 (which is probably your least expensive option here)
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=834

if you can wait until the 16th, the 8525 will drop on cingular with super-fast 3G lovin'
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=954 this thing blows all others away...400Mhz processor, wifi, if you're in a 3g area you can get some awesome speeds just from cingular's network. the phones just as big as a treo, but much bigger screen and keyboard. HTC vs. palm... htc all the way. same goes for the 700 vs the PPC phones

also coming out is a nice thin smartphone from samsung meant to compete with the Q
http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1007180
(though a new version of the moto Q has been spotted and will be out soon for vzw) either of these options compromise capability for size, in addition to having slower processors, they run windows mobile smartphone edition, not pocket pc, which limits editing capabilites

honestly though Comm, it depends on personal preference and what you want it to do. whatever it is that you want it to do, make sure you try that extensively on whatever you chose, as soon as you get it - and don't be afraid to return it and try something else, just make sure you do that quickly. other than the moto i don't really know what's coming out for other carriers, but cingy's lineup for the coming year looks pretty damn good, and i'm sure there will soon be a newer version of that PPC phone.

[Wobbly]

btw, cabeza's e70 is pretty freaking sweet too, and you can only get it unlocked from Nokia directly and use with Tmo or cingy:
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=836
this thing's been flying off of their chi town store shelves

and the dash http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=1041 also HTC

[Cabezadegato]

Cingulars Nokia E62 is nice, but they killed a few nice features on it like wifi. Then they went and killed my OGO, but thats a different story. With the E70 and E61 youll have to go to to T-mobile as they lack the 850 band. But if you can find it, the E70-2 is a North American varriant. Several of their N series are good, with even faster processors, but not much in the way of business applications.

As a mac user, I usually avoid windows anything, but right now I am writing this on a Dash and its really ok. But just like my OS of choice, I am just not used to things like not being able to quit apps.

[Cabezadegato]

As Pablo said, its really gona be up to what you are gona use it for and personal prefs. Heck, the Sidekick3 may be to your liking if text message and IM more than you do other things (though the SK3 does have a nice simple but limited pushmail soloution).

Dont be afraid of the trial periods. Like T-Mobiles 14 days. I sometimes write product reviews for the publishing company I work for and lately have done several cell phones, as well as I am a regular antagonist in the Cingular forums (mainly OGO). Get a device, try it for a couple of weeks, take it back and get another...repeat untill you find the device you cant live without. looks like you allready have a shortlist.

[CoMM]

Cool, thanks again for the opinions.

I am looking for it mostly to keep in constant contact for work if any emergency pops up. I will use it for MSN, will want to likely write some custom apps for it that monitor different projects i'm involved in, it should have some good remote productivity software on it to do some minimal tasks, possibly games, possibly music, a decent camera for when i don't have my other one with, and i will want to be able to load it up with videos/pictures if i want and play those.

I'll look into those other phones you guys recommended. Thanks again.

[Wobbly]

Originally Posted by (A.S.S)Cabezadegato

With the E70 and E61 youll have to go to to T-mobile as they lack the 850 band. But if you can find it, the E70-2 is a North American varriant. Several of their N series are good, with even faster processors, but not much in the way of business applications.

you can get them at Nokia's flagship store in downtown chicago. I'd be willing to gothere pick it up and send it along ... just so i can get an excuse to visit

if this is just for IM most any phone would do, all cingular phones have a pretty good msn client. you just have to get used to using predictive text, which isn't bad for short IM.

not sure which is easier to write s/w for but i would honestly guess symbian (nokia) or palm, before i'd gues winmo, but i could be wrong on that

btw forget about rim/bb for games/music - even the pearl. as far as multimedia capabilites, that 8525 is probably best with a 2mp cam and wmp10, but the nokia e70 clocks similar specs. i'd droll over either one, myself

anyways, here's the next version of that PPC phone that should be out soon, likely sprint?

http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=1892

[Cabezadegato]

Want to write custom apps? The forget the Sidekick3. Closed proprietary OS. Apps only come from one place. The SK3 also currently doesn't do video, but Danger is allways updating these things so who knows. Still, it doesn't sound like your best option.

Very few BB have cameras. The Pearl currently and others to come.

Remote monitoring. Well, this is a side to monotoring, but I purchased a Nokia Observation camera and put it at my Mom's (who has severe Alzheimers and I am guardian of) place. Any time day or night I can request an image and see what is going on, hear what is going on and check the room temp. I also will get alerts when others like her nurse walk into the room or it gets too hot or cold.

Oh, cool Pablo, I forgot all about those Nokia stores. We don't have them here in the south. I usually have to go to indy cell stores that sell grey market phones form Asia. That's where my E70 comes from.

A plus for the E62 and a minus for the E70. While I love my E70, it does have its shortcomings making me consider the Dash. I hope you have great eyesight, 'cause the E70 has a really high rez and really small screen. The E61/E62 has a much better screen. The E70 also suffers from some RAM shortcomings. The only thing keeping me from the E61 or E62 is the lack of camera. That falls under my minimum requirement as I use my camera every day.

A big minus for the Dash, the screen is NOT outdoor friendly.



Upper right is my Ogo. Thanks alot Cingular!!! The Dash (top row center) is smaller than I thought it would be. Keyboard usability is fair. For me sits between the Q and the Pearl (I found the Pearl unusable for my big fingers).

Left top is the SK3 and left botom is my E70. The SK3 is a bit of a huge brick, but one of the nicest keyboards and OS usability I have ever seen.

The dash is about the size of a Nokia 6682 (botom row right), a wee bit wider and a good bit thinner.

This image below is not mine, but you can see a Dash next to an E62 (actually it's the HTC S620 and Nokia E61, but they're the same)


Note the Dash and E62 are missing seperate number rows on the keyboard that the E70 does have.

I tested the camera. Here it is compared to the usual suspects. These images are untouched and all taken at the same time and location at the highest rez possible for each phone. The names have been changed to better identify them.

www.sheinfeld.com/images/dashtest/dashimage.jpg
www.sheinfeld.com/images/dashtest/sk3image.JPG
www.sheinfeld.com/images/dashtest/E70image.jpg
www.sheinfeld.com/images/dashtest/6682image.jpg


Also, here's a good review of S60 vs Windows Smartphone.
http://web.mac.com/mebpenguin/iWeb/M...B8A173CB1.html
No one really wins, but it points some interesting differences.