Mobile Phones

[The JoJo]

Just wondering, how many of you have a mobile phone?
If you do, is it a Nokia?

Just wondering as I'm from Finland

(gotta stop using that "just wondering"...must remember what happened to the curious cat... :mrgrn: )

 

[freeborn]

Yep, Nokia here with AT&T.

Free

 

[Prof.Wizard]

NOKIA ALL THE WAY AND YOU KNOW IT!
I love Finland, I wish I were Finn (for various reasons...)

 

[Prof.Wizard]

BTW, I'm buying 6220 in a month or two.

What's your phone, JoJo?
I bet you have a modified Communicator crunching for F@h...

 

[Mercutio]

Nokias blow. They use ultra-cheap batteries and trade decent reception for a bunch of stupid customization features (changeable faceplates etc).

While I'm at it, Nextel is Satan's plaything. The two-way feature was designed entirely for Sadistic control freaks.

I've been carrying an Audiovox for about 3 years. I don't remember the model number. Nor do I care. It's lightweight and appropriately phone-shaped (as opposed to those little toad-shaped brick-things from Motorola). I carry it in my pocket. Reception is generally excellent, and battery life given size and shape is just amazing. I realize there are better phones out there now, but I'm happy with what I have.

 

[jtr1962]

I hate the things with a passion. When I go out I specifically don't want to be bothered with phone calls. I'm thinking most people don't really need them either given most of the idiotic conversations I hear. My favorite is people who grocery shop on a cell phone. Haven't these people heard of a shopping list? And I especially hate being on a bus sitting next to someone talking Chinese and screaming into the receiver. :x I get that alot where I am. Cell phones and driving? Don't even get me started on that one.

 

[blakerwry]

I think I'm somewhat in the Merc camp.. I hate useless features, super bright glowing/flashing buttons... games, color displays, etc.. I want my phone to be a phone and to be optimized for that sole use(battery life, reception).

I don't have a cell phone at the moment, but everyday I get closer and closer to getting one... The thing that keeps me away is that I hate people calling me (annoying) and that if I need to make a call my gf has a Samsung phone on Sprint's network.

If I had a cell I would use it as a replacement for a home phone... so if I had to use a home phone (as merc does) then I wouldn't bother with a cell phone unless it was from work or something.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Nokias blow. They use ultra-cheap batteries and trade decent reception for a bunch of stupid customization features (changeable faceplates etc).

Mercutio, trust me on this one, you get a whole different bunch of products (in regard to quality) in the States. The same prolly happens to us with some US products which have a US- and an international- edition.

And batteries depend. Usually top of the line products (7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx series) use Made in Japan batteries, the rest (3xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx) usually cheaper Made in Hungary or Made in Czech Republic. Although frankly I haven't found all of them below the official specs.

Reception is excellent on NOKIAs, why you say that?! And changeable faceplates is the least important of the customization features, which NOKIAs are probably unbeatable.
For me NOKIAs are the epitomy of ergonomics and customization. Their menus are probably the most intuitive in the whole cellular-phone industry.

One last plus they have... because of NOKIA's market share, GSM and other services (beyond the official specs) are done mainly to please NOKIA customers. At least this happens in the EU, wherever I have travelled within the Union.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Just saw jtr's and blake's posts too.
A quick notice, we in Europe have a very different approach to the whole matter. Here it's even usual for elementary school kids (!!) to have cellular phones bought by their own parents! It's the mentality diffrent in the EU.

Furthermore, the services and the phones are really cheap in respect to what you can do after you become a cellular phone user.

And jee, have you seen what my next phone does? Please follow the above link and see the features' list. Then tell me.

 

[Buck]

I had a Nokia 3360 with AT&T and have grown to dislike. Recently I switched over to a Motorola V60. I like the larger size of the phone when it is open.

 

[SteveC]

I don't have one, and don't want one.

A quick notice, we in Europe have a very different approach to the whole matter. Here it's even usual for elementary school kids (!!) to have cellular phones bought by their own parents! It's the mentality diffrent in the EU.

What possible need does an elementary school kid have for a cell phone?

 

[Prof.Wizard]

I had a Nokia 3360 with AT&T and have grown to dislike. Recently I switched over to a Motorola V60. I like the larger size of the phone when it is open.

All series of NOKIA phones below 6xxx are not for adults IMO. They are considered budget-class and have features orientated to teen-agers.

Motorolas? Buck, I respect you, but for me and my mates over here Motorolas should have been out of the cellular-phone business a long time ago. Last good product I recall was StarTAC, back in 1997(?)... Ergonomics, design, quality of materials... suck!

 

[Prof.Wizard]

What possible need does an elementary school kid have for a cell phone?

Parents give them to their children to feel safe they can't retrace them in case of need. A 2xxx series Nokia with pre-paid talking time is not so costly afterall.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

...<s>can't</s> can retrace them...
(sorry)

 

[Mercutio]

The US is the troglodyte of the cell phone world. SMS messaging hasn't even been around for more than a few years. Do *try* to keep that in mind. We even have several incompatible networks.

I say that Nokias are crap because I've used several of them for one reason or another. Again, this is not a market share issue so much as a "lowest common denominator". Nokia phones feel like they could come apart in my hand. Customization? Maybe it's important to you but... why? Wow! Your phone plays "Macarena" when you get a call. That must really impress the other half-million people whose phones also play "Macarena".
Customizing a phone to me is like building a ricemobile, for folks too poor or not smart enough to handle the cold-cathode tubes or attaching the spoiler.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

USA is behind, indeed, because you were slow to implement a unified standard. We adopted GSM immediately after analog networks started to drop in popularity. But it's also a mentality thing. I can't quite understand why you use so many answer machines in the USA either...

When I meant customization it was about software/menu/attributes customization. Ring tones and messages was the last thing. No coincidence NOKIA phones (from the famous 6110) had been dubbed the wireless hacker's best friend.

However your answer epitomizes our different approach philosophies in every IT thing in this world, Mercutio: you like simple things that work with 100% reliability and do only what they are supposed to do, even if you sacrifice ergonomics. I like integrated things, phones with calendars, browsers with add-ons, eye-candy GUIs etc.

You can't prove me wrong because I like these things, and conversely I can't persuade you that NOKIA's 6220 is the perfect cellular companion, for the same reasons.

Don't worry though... Your lad Constantine has the perfect solution for you! :wink:

 

[The JoJo]

I use an old Nokia 3110 as a work phone(hoping to get a new one soon), and for personal use I have a Siemens C55. Siemens because I also like my phone to be "just a phone". My last siemens lasted 4-5 years (c25).

I also think the cheaper Nokias feel a bit "toy-like", at least compared to my siemens.

I used a communicator for a while, but it was a bit too big for my liking, as I didn't use the PDA stuff in it so much at that time. Now I'm thinking about using it once again.

Here in Finland almost everyone has a mobile phone, even kids, as PW pointed out. Many people use mobile phones only, and don't even have normal phones anymore.

As to SMS messages, I think something of the magnitude of 4-5 billion SMS messages are sent yearly here in Finland (population of 5 million). SMS messages are very "in". Wonder what the MMS messages will do to that?

As to reception etc, we only have 3 major service providers here at the moment (maybe 3 minor ones too). The reception and quality between them can be very noticeable sometimes, so it's not always due to the phone.

 

[blakerwry]

However your answer epitomizes our different approach philosophies in every IT thing in this world, Mercutio: you like simple things that work with 100% reliability and do only what they are supposed to do, even if you sacrifice ergonomics. I like integrated things, phones with calendars, browsers with add-ons, eye-candy GUIs etc.

I like my phone to be primarily a phone... some people around here don't feel the same way. If (this is important above all else) it works well as a phone, then I'll take the add-ons.

In the US, last time I checked, there were many options for phones.. however half of them were better for doing something else like playing games or taking pictures than they were at being phones (poor reception/battery life again).


As part of a cell phone, I would like an intuitive GUI (customizable GUI not required). I would like a calendar and I would like an address book(these 2 are almost required).

What I would not like are features that sap the battery of juice just by turning on the phone... increase cost unecessarily... create a higher chance of failure...

 

[honold]

nnnnnnextel

 

[Groltz]

What possible need does an elementary school kid have for a cell phone?

To coordinate the next Ritalin score.

 

[Mercutio]

nnnnnnextel

Like, gag me with an Ericsson

 

[LunarMist]

I have not and will not own a cellular telephone. I have never even used one. All those little buttons look far too complicated. The sound quality is for sh*t more often than not. Maybe if cellular telephones had existed 30 years ago my feelings would be different.

 

[Handruin]

I had a Nokia 3360 with AT&T and have grown to dislike. Recently I switched over to a Motorola V60. I like the larger size of the phone when it is open.

I got the same phone as you and it's OK, it does the job I need. It's growing old on me and I'd like to find a nicer phone, but the new alternatives don't spark any interest in me. I don't want a gadget phone that has color and has cameras and all that crap.

Give me a phone that lasts for days, has great reception and stores a few numbers... I'm good to go. I have AT&T right now and I can't complain about the service. I've had nothing but good connections since I've been with them. Sprint however, dropped calls too often for me to stay with them.

 

[time]

I'm with Handruin and the others that value basic functionality over froth.

Ergonomically, the Motorola V series kills most Nokias. Decent buttons, large clear display, and you can pick up or hang up without even looking at the phone (just open/close it). It doesn't need a protective case to stop the screen getting scratched or the buttons pushed inadvertently.

Independent tests in Australia also showed that reception is very good, and the conservative battery life claims are credible. I did a test on a V.8088 when it was new, leaving it on and making a one minute call once a day, and the battery lasted a whisker under 7 days. Whereas our cursed Nokia claimed 160 hours standby but could barely manage 40. :x

Those same tests showed that Nokia sensitivity varies hugely between models, and Prof is at least partly right that the more upmarket models tend to perform better (in battery life as well).

The not-microscopic Nokias seem pretty tough - no external antenna to break off (an Ericsson tradition). I left a 5110 on the roof of a station wagon. It fell off as I went round a corner at 50km/h, into the path of a truck that obliged by running over it. The case was warped and cracked, but it still works to this day.

My experience with Motorola battery quality over the last 12 years hasn't been so rosy.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Hehe. BTW did you notice JoJo has two phones? Me too...
It's a crazy world. :mrgrn:

 

[Fushigi]

I have AT&T right now and I can't complain about the service. I've had nothing but good connections since I've been with them. Sprint however, dropped calls too often for me to stay with them.

Of course, my experience was the exact opposite. I had AT&T some time ago and the phone kept wandering in and out of roaming while I was driving along Chicagoland highways. Yeah, I do get dropped calls on Sprint once in a while, but it's pretty rare. My Sprint experience has been much better than any other carrier I've used.

I used a Samsung SCH8500 for about 4 years on SprintPCS. Work took over the phone costs and, in an experiment, I'm now using a Handspring Treo 300 on the SprintPCS w/Vision plan. For those outside the US, "Vision" = internet access at a theoretical 110Kbps.

The Treo replaced the Samsung and my aging Palm IIIx. The built in QWERTY keyboard is great for looking up contacts. Blazer is a mediocre browser, but adequate for basic stuff. The best features are the Outlook integration with work. Sprint's BizConn syncs my work Outlook inbox to the phone. This is a huge convenience when I'm out of the office.

It also supports Palm-based apps, so I use a Palm telnet program to access some systems at work. And yes, I play games on it occasionally when I need to waste a few minutes. I also store lists of things like my DVD collection so I can reference it when making purcahse decisions away from home.

The size is actually smaller than the Palm it replaced.

Would I used it as just a phone? Probably not. But since I was carrying both a phone and a Palm, this is a huge improvement.

BTW, Mercutio, Vision cards for regular PCs are available in PC Card form from Circuit City and the like. Have you considered that as an alternative to your crazy means of 'net access?

- Fushigi

 

[Mercutio]

No, I hadn't. How much does the service cost?

 

[Fushigi]

No, I hadn't. How much does the service cost?

For those who access via a phone, unlimited usage is $15 on top of the cel phone bill. For laptop/whatever users, it's more like about $80/month. Go here, plop in your zip, and see what it says.

 

[blakerwry]

No, I hadn't. How much does the service cost?

For those who access via a phone, unlimited usage is $15 on top of the cel phone bill. For laptop/whatever users, it's more like about $80/month. Go here, plop in your zip, and see what it says.

I dislike how the site tells you what you can do with Vision but not what it is.

 

[CougTek]

I'll never understand why so many people are trying so hard to develop a brain tumour.

 

[Jan Kivar]

I currently have 6210, and I used to have 8110. I think that all the crap in current cells (cameras etc.) is absolutely unnecessary. But there needs to be new functions to make people want new phones (or, want anything new actually). I'd happily change them all (well, not the forthcoming highspeed data links) for a better battery life.

Another thing is: Why the damn things tend to shrink every year? I don't mind, as I have small hands, and my eyesight is OK, but do the designers ever think about the elderly, or the difficulties to operate the phone if You have "large" hands? Well, at least there are still alternatives...

Cheers,

Jan

 

[The JoJo]

The buttons on the phones start to be annoyingly small in some new models, and the screens just get larger and larger.

Soon the only thing related to a phone is a chip in a PDA/gameboy/gps/whatever gadget, and a wireless earplug in your ear. And soon=relative in this context.
And after that, it'll probably all be integrated into an earplug.
And after that, it'll probably all be integrated into your clothes. As well as heart rate monitors, gps etc...
And after that....

 

[Jan Kivar]

I'm just waiting to see if someone is stupid enough to start an "MMS pr0n service" where one could get small clips for a price of $5 a piece.

There should be some sort of age verification, for obvious reasons...

Jan

 

[Prof.Wizard]

I'm just waiting to see if someone is stupid enough to start an "MMS pr0n service" where one could get small clips for a price of $5 a piece.

AFAIK Vodafon in Italy provides with its Live! service access to nude and soft porn content: from small Playboy clips to Aria Giovanni best moments! 8)

 

[Jan Kivar]

I'm just waiting to see if someone is stupid enough to start an "MMS pr0n service" where one could get small clips for a price of $5 a piece.

AFAIK Vodafon in Italy provides with its Live! service access to nude and soft porn content: from small Playboy clips to Aria Giovanni best moments! 8)

I was thinking about HC... There's more nudity (read: sex) on TV than in Playboy nowadays.

Jan

 

[Howell]

All of my cell phones have been provided by work.

The last place I worked provided a Nextel i1000 plus and my first phone at my current location was the same phone. The Nextel phone was large and edgy. I rarely dropped it and the case felt really solid and capable of abuse. I believe I also dropped this phone into a bucket of water for a second or two and it continued working after drying out. The built-in speakerphone on the Nextel was very handy as well. The battery was pretty weak. Even a fresh-out-of-the-package battery would barely go for more than a day and a half. I kept it on vibrate all the time so that probably affected it. The lowest ringer setting was too loud.

I now have a Motorola T720C on the Verizon service. It is small in my hand and seems to be more slippery. I like that it is small but the phone receives more abuse than the Nextel. I dropped it about ten times in the first two weeks I had it. Some of those times the phone skidded for ~6 feet across the pavement. I've now adjusted to it's size but we are switching to a different Verizon phone. I wish I could change to ring tone to something more identifiable. I sometimes miss calls in slightly noisy areas because I'm too focused on the task at hand to realized that my phone is the one I heard ringing. The screen tends to collect grease. I like the voice activated dialing. I know you can get stylized accent plates for the phone but I wish one was rubberized.

We are supposed to be getting the LG VX4400. Some of the older guys were having trouble hearing out in the shop and the Motorola phone is picky about where you place the ear piece. Also, the LCD on the outside of the phone is twice as high for old or tired eyes.

A few of the guys have purchased the Kyocera 7135 Smartphone, I think, on their own. It looks too complicated for me but then again I managed to let my Palm III completely croak because I didn't use it enough.

We have about 100 cell phone users.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Sony P800. So I can play Doom and M.A.M.E games at the airport.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

That's a quite nasty phone, Vlad, I know it... :wink:
Sony-Ericsson and Panasonic probably the most interesting competitors NOKIA has.

 

[Handruin]

I currently have 6210, and I used to have 8110. I think that all the crap in current cells (cameras etc.) is absolutely unnecessary. But there needs to be new functions to make people want new phones (or, want anything new actually). I'd happily change them all (well, not the forthcoming highspeed data links) for a better battery life.

Another thing is: Why the damn things tend to shrink every year? I don't mind, as I have small hands, and my eyesight is OK, but do the designers ever think about the elderly, or the difficulties to operate the phone if You have "large" hands? Well, at least there are still alternatives...

Cheers,

Jan

I'm all for phones that are smaller and lighter. I keep my phone in my pocket since I don't like those belt harnesses/clips. I prefer to have a small phone so that it doesn't feel like a lead weight in my pocket. It also looks rather odd to have a large (dare I say) buldge in my pants pocket because of the phone. (no need to go anywhere sick with that)

 

[Jan Kivar]

<snip>

I'm all for phones that are smaller and lighter. I keep my phone in my pocket since I don't like those belt harnesses/clips. I prefer to have a small phone so that it doesn't feel like a lead weight in my pocket. It also looks rather odd to have a large (dare I say) buldge in my pants pocket because of the phone. (no need to go anywhere sick with that)

Yes, I'm still waiting for the model that has a bluetooth headset, and the display is integrated to a watch... Then the phone itself can be as small as they can get, prolly integrated/attachable to belt. BTW, if any Nokia/Sony-Ericsson/Samsung/Panasonic etc. designer should read this: I just invented it. Ask permission if You want to use my idea. I mean it.

I use a horizontal belt caddy, to carry/protect the phone. My brother bought a new phone less than two months ago, but it already looks more worn-out than mine. And I did buy mine second hand from a shop... It still looks like new.

Cheers,

Jan