Posted by: DWallach
Getting a new cel phone - 16/08/2003 18:00
(always a topic sure to generate discussion...)
My current cel phone, an Ericsson T39m, is almost two years old and is failing in a large number of ways. It's time to be replaced. I originally bought the phone because, at the time, it was the only lightweight phone (~80g) that could synchronize calendar, contacts, and all that with Microsoft Outlook. Even though my phone has Bluetooth, I think I've only ever used it once, and that was to play "tennis" (Pong) with a guy who happened to have the same phone.
I've been looking at all the shiny new cel phones, and I'd thought that the Nokia 6200 (tri-band, but has two U.S. GSM bands and only one European band) was going to be the right answer: nice Nokia GUI, light weight, and who knows, maybe I'd use the whizzy EDGE high-speed data support. My father got one. I played with it. The GUI was great, but the build quality wasn't there. You squeeze, it squeaks. I doubt it could survive a three-foot fall onto concrete.
Then, a few weeks ago, I ran into a friend with a Nokia 5100. While it has the same basic electronics as other Nokia Series-40 phones, it has this crazy rubber case that makes it somewhat water resistant and drop-proof. My friend was demonstrating by happily tossing the thing onto the ground. It's around 100g, which is slightly bigger than my current phone, but not a tank like the various "smart" phones. Another unique feature is its two-LED flashlight. While it doesn't have Bluetooth, it does have Nokia's new "pop-port" which gives you USB for your computer. Right now, it's running around $280 at GSMPhoneSource. I decided to go for it. It's currently back-ordered, but I'll probably have it soon.
This also means that you guys have a day or two to possibly talk me out of this phone. As far as I'm concerned, the things that matter to me are:
- durability (my last phone has suffered several problems resulting from dropping it)
- light weight (fitting in my pocket)
- calendar synchronization (buzz -- you've got a meeting in five minutes)
I could care less about having a camera-phone, I doubt I'll ever surf the net from it, and I don't need my phone to sing the star spangled banner to me when it rings. It is nice, however, to be able to receive calls in Europe (where I may go once a year on business), although I could see myself jumping ship to one of the CDMA services if the phone was right.
Thoughts?
My current cel phone, an Ericsson T39m, is almost two years old and is failing in a large number of ways. It's time to be replaced. I originally bought the phone because, at the time, it was the only lightweight phone (~80g) that could synchronize calendar, contacts, and all that with Microsoft Outlook. Even though my phone has Bluetooth, I think I've only ever used it once, and that was to play "tennis" (Pong) with a guy who happened to have the same phone.
I've been looking at all the shiny new cel phones, and I'd thought that the Nokia 6200 (tri-band, but has two U.S. GSM bands and only one European band) was going to be the right answer: nice Nokia GUI, light weight, and who knows, maybe I'd use the whizzy EDGE high-speed data support. My father got one. I played with it. The GUI was great, but the build quality wasn't there. You squeeze, it squeaks. I doubt it could survive a three-foot fall onto concrete.
Then, a few weeks ago, I ran into a friend with a Nokia 5100. While it has the same basic electronics as other Nokia Series-40 phones, it has this crazy rubber case that makes it somewhat water resistant and drop-proof. My friend was demonstrating by happily tossing the thing onto the ground. It's around 100g, which is slightly bigger than my current phone, but not a tank like the various "smart" phones. Another unique feature is its two-LED flashlight. While it doesn't have Bluetooth, it does have Nokia's new "pop-port" which gives you USB for your computer. Right now, it's running around $280 at GSMPhoneSource. I decided to go for it. It's currently back-ordered, but I'll probably have it soon.
This also means that you guys have a day or two to possibly talk me out of this phone. As far as I'm concerned, the things that matter to me are:
- durability (my last phone has suffered several problems resulting from dropping it)
- light weight (fitting in my pocket)
- calendar synchronization (buzz -- you've got a meeting in five minutes)
I could care less about having a camera-phone, I doubt I'll ever surf the net from it, and I don't need my phone to sing the star spangled banner to me when it rings. It is nice, however, to be able to receive calls in Europe (where I may go once a year on business), although I could see myself jumping ship to one of the CDMA services if the phone was right.
Thoughts?