Any smartphone recommendations?

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

LazyHippy

New member
Apr 9, 2007
3,448
21
0
I need a new phone and as I'm using mine for checking emails etc more often am looking for a smartphone/PDA type job. To be used as a mini-pc.

I'm going to buy second hand on eBay (don't want a contract, or to pay £400 for a phone that I might not like and will lose money if I resell). Around the £100-£200 mark s/h ($200-$400).

I'm seriously looking at the o2 XDA Exec (aka HTC Universal, T-mobile MDA Pro, etc) as a full keyboard would be nice. It's a bit chunky though. Alternatively I might get one with a separate foldable Bluetooth keyboard.

Must haves:

Wi-fi
3G
Quad-band (usable worldwide)
Easily unlockable to use on different networks
Reasonable camera (one above is only 1.3MP - but pics seem ok)
Torch/flashlight (I use it all the time!)

Ideally:

Take SD cards (as my cam does and I've got loads!)
Charge from USB
Support USB on the go

Any recommendations? Also, if I get a M$ Pocket PC phone any suggestions for software? Web design/coding app would be nice and an FTP program.

Cheers.
 


LazyHippy said:
Is there much software available for it though?
Click to expand...

it's only been 3 days since I got it, but there isn't much I need that it doesn't already come with.
it can play music, movies, write emails, keep notes, record voice messages, task list, etc....
also you can download Google Maps, it works the same way the Internet version does.
 
I'm going travelling again next year and want something I can use with a laptop (or instead of when it's easier). The xda can be used as a 3g modem - which is nice and I've just found I could run a WAMP setup on windows mobile. :D A couple of 4gb cards and I could do anything (on a small-ish screen!)

Does the blackberry support wi-fi and 3g? Much as I hate M$, it seems in terms of compatibility windows mobile is prob the way to go.

500Mhz cpu.. fuck I remember spending £2k on a P120!
 
I dig my Blackberry Pearl but I'm too lazy to look up whether it does all the stuff you need it to, Hippy. Hell, I haven't even taken the time to really dig into its features. The Curve is a newer model though, so it's more likely to have more of what you want than mine.
 
nope, no wifi here either. not sure about 3g, we don't have it in the states yet because the telcos here are too greedy
 
I have the cingular 8525 which is the HTC TyTN, the new HTC Kaiser is coming soon so I will be upgrading to that, I love the TyTN and if you want something you can type on that has all the bells and whistles thats the way to go:

Mine has 3g on cingular, I connect my laptop through the phone when no wifi is available and its pretty fast, enough to stream youtube stuff straight on my laptop when its tethered to the phone.

htc-kaiser-press-1.jpg


Specs:
HTC TyTN II P4550 (HTC Kaiser 120) Specs
Datasheet Views: 294124 views since upload of datasheet (February 28, 2007)
Datasheet State: Preliminary specifications
Release Date: September, 2007
Predecessor Model: HTC TyTN P4500
Dimensions: 59 x 112 x 19 millimetres
Mass: 190 grams (battery included)
Software Environment
Operating System: Windows Mobile 6 Professional AKU 0.2.2
Microprocessor
CPU: 32bit Qualcomm MSM7200 Chipset
CPU Clock: 384 MHz
Memory, Storage capacity
ROM capacity: 256 MB (accessible: 145.24MB)
RAM capacity: 128 MB
Hard Disk capacity: Not supported
Display
Display Type: color transflective TFT , 65536 scales
Display Resolution: 240 x 320
Display Diagonal: 2.8 "
Sound
Microphone: mono
Speaker: mono
Audio Output: Proprietary jack
Cellular Phone
Cellular Networks: GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS850, UMTS1900, UMTS2100
Cellular Data Link: CSD, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA
Call Alert: 72 -chord melody
Vibrating Alert: Supported
Control Peripherals
Positioning Device: Touchscreen
Primary Keyboard: Slide-out QWERTY-type keyboard, 41 keys
Directional Pad: 5 -way block
Jog / Scroll Wheel: Pressable rotary scroll wheel
Interfaces
Expansion Slots: microSD, microSDHC, TransFlash, SDIO
Serial: RS-232 , 115200bit/s
USB: USB 2.0 client, 480Mbit/s , USB Series Mini-B (mini-USB) connector
Infrared Gate: Not supported
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.0
Wireless LAN: 802.11b, 802.11g
Multimedia Telecommunication
Analog TV: Not supported
Analog Radio: Not supported
Satellite Navigation
Built-in GPS: NMEA 0183 , 20 channels
Built-in Digital Camera
Main Camera: CMOS sensor, 2.8MP
Autofocus (AF): Supported
Built-in Flash: Not supported
Secondary Camera: CMOS sensor, 640x480 pixel
Power Supply
Battery: Lithium-ion , removable
Battery Capacity: 1350 mAh
 
Looks nice - I think that's a newer version of the HTC Universal. (Universal is the tablet-style one)

Think I'll prob go with the one I've been looking at - sounds like you guys are generally happy with (rebranded) HTC devices. I've had Nokias since I don't know when, but it's time for a change and looks like I can get a universal/xda for under £100 with clever ebaying - a lot of phone for the money!
 
DaveEMG said:
Damn you europeans and asians! I'm rolling a Motorola Q which works great for me, but compared to some of these phones it's about as sophisticated as a pager!
Click to expand...

LOL! Well, you guys get everything else before us, it's only fair that you should lag behind in one area!

I assumed Miguel was in the US though... where is BayArea?
 
I put a lot of time and effort into my last phone upgrade from a treo shits-fifty. I ended up with the Cingular 8252/TyTn/Hermes/whatever

I decided there was no phone out there that really fit all my needs, but the 8525 was the closest. Windows Mobile is 10x better than PalmOS, and way more open than crackberry or symbian stuff.

I've enjoyed the expandability - if you end up with one of these visit xda-developers.com for all sorts of neat things you can do with it. WM6 roms are available to turn it into a powerhouse and it is easily unlockable.

Someday a phone will come out that I REALLY want, but I haven't seen it yet. Maybe the openmoko?
 
Yeah I live in the states, always been a gadget junkie though. Bay Area is northern california basically anywhere between san francisco and san jose.
 
Hmm.. The HTC TyTn/Cingular 8252/O2 XDA Trion seems to be a newer model than the HTC Universal/XDA Exec (no ideal what it is on cingular, lol), but has a slower cpu - 384Mhz as opposed to 520. I guess this is compensated for by more RAM and ROM though.

Other than the design the only other advantages with the TyTn seem to be a better cam and 802.11g wi-fi (rather than b) but the screen is smaller and the Universal has a flash... Not sure which design I prefer.. kinda like the tablet-style and the slide job!

Hmm.. decisions!
 
I fucking love my Treo 650. It does everything I could ask of it and more. I dont know of all the specs and all that (since Im using it on a somewhat limited 'local' carrier, not a Verizon or a Sprint) but its great.

One of my fave features: Bluetooth Internet Hotspot (if your in the car all you need is a charged up Treo, a bluetooth enabled laptop, and your good to go, you can connect to the internet as if you were at home
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back