Smart Mobile Phone - Which Is The Best Phone 4 Me?

[fanciman]

I have to get into this mobile phone thing and i clearly need :

a phone that takes / displays pictures when somebody rings me

a good selection of fields to enter data about people, eg name, company, email...

a good calendar / schedule facility

connectability to a computer to download / upload information

tri-band / quad-band

e-mail ability

ideally a qwerty keyboard.

I don't care about what the phone looks like or how heavy it is. Long battery life would be nice. If i could play cool games on it that would be excellent. I have never got into this ipod listening to music on the train thing but maybe i should try that too.

I am just overwhelmed with competing models and i can't pick out which one to go for. I don't mind getting a used one, actually i think it is a good idea, though i may be wrong.

From what i can see:

Treo 650 great, got a lot of bugs ironed out, but perhaps this is just too expensive?

Treo 600 v good, but i heard that many handsets had problems, but perhaps a bargain?

O2 ...? I don't know about this, i think its expensive, isn't it?

Blackberry? These are popular but what is the bang for the buck model?

What should i get?

Where in Bangkok?

[fanciman]

Somebody kindly re-worded my title for this post. It wasn't me, so i presume it was an administrator. If it *wasn't* an administrator then i have been hacked!

[Davey]

samsumg d500 is a good phone, got everything you need on it, but I wouldn't know where to buy it from in Bangkok

[RDN]

Somebody kindly re-worded my title for this post. It wasn't me, so i presume it was an administrator. If it *wasn't* an administrator then i have been hacked!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

'Twas I! Because I want to get a new phone with all the goodies in it, so I want lots of people to reply to this thread. The original title didn't look too good on the "Forum Portal" page - only the first line of the title gets displayed, so it wasn't clear what the post was all about. Hopefully now, we'll get more contributors.

But not many so far!

[fanciman]

Not too many comments so far, i agree. I think i will answer my own question. I was in MBK today.

1 Stop thinking about a phone.

2 Get a budget

First of all i will tell you all what you really want, as you probably don't know it. So listen to me, believe me and do what i say.

In one handset you want this:

mobile phone

pda (ie, address book with several (customisable) fields for entries, and a calendar / scheduler)

to play videos in colour and watch them on the beautiful screen

to listen to music on headphones

to be able to store documents and do a bit of word processing

to be able to send such documents by email to other phones / webmail

to be able to use the phone internationally

to be able to connect the phone to your computer to exchange data

did i forget anything?

yes! Take snap shots and video footage

Anyway, if you don't want these things you should, and they are now available.

If you are an american, get the handset next time you are in the USA, they are a lot cheaper there.

What should you get?

Well, if your budget is 5000 baht, spend 6000 and get a used treo 600 in MBK

If it is 10,000 baht spend about 12 and get something like a HP ipaq.

16000 gets you an amazing new phone from palm called an M28. I couldn't believe the amazing video / sound...

But what you should really do if you are buying in thailand is get a treo 650. About 25000 new, 22000 used. They are amazing. Beautiful OS / handset. The O2 is another option here.

You should then not scrimp, and buy a 1 gigabyte sd flash memory, about 3500 baht.

THen you will be able to convert all that dead time commuting into useful opportunities to play cool computer games, write emails on a qwerty keyboard (or even in handwriting using a stylus!)...

So you are not getting a phone. You are getting a new lifestyle!

OK, so that is going to set you back a good part of a months salary, right? Well, wait a year. Get the 650 when there are more on the market and it has been replaced.

OK?

[Simpleton]

Check out the Nokia 9500, the most advanced phone out there.

[terdsak_12]

I got the Nokia 6230i, great phone. 1.3 mega-pixel camera, can sync with MS Outlook for contacts/calender etc, 512MB memory card so got around 120 MP3s on it, good clear display, not too big like the Treos (which are also good) Cost me 15K or so, worth looking in to.

Or for a few grand more the Sony-Erricson K750i, better camera I believe.

[fanciman]

Or even get a 4 gig sd flash memory, available in the camera shop on the ground floor in MBK, about 11000 baht, but you could store 2 full lenghth feature films on that sucker! Now that would improve the commute, what?!

[Firefan]

The o2 Mini looks great - no key board though. Good size for a Microsoft pocket pc phone though!

But take a look at THIS baby!!: www.mympx.com

Cheers!

[RDN]

I got the Nokia 6230i, great phone. 1.3 mega-pixel camera, can sync with MS Outlook for contacts/calender etc, 512MB memory card so got around 120 MP3s on it, good clear display, not too big like the Treos (which are also good) Cost me 15K or so, worth looking in to.

Or for a few grand more the Sony-Erricson K750i, better camera I believe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I decided that I didn't want a camera or an MP3 player in my mobile, so I was going to get the Nokia 6021. And guess what? Every shop in Phuket "Mai mee" or "Thailand not have". Bugger, bugger, bugger! Is it that new? Is it never going to be on sale in Thailand? It is supposed to be a "business" phone - an upgrade to the 6230i without the phone, but with everything else.

I suppose I'll just have to get the 6230i... but I don't want the camera bit!

[britmaveric]

RDN- well I'm afraid unless its an older model handy - chances are slim getting one without a camera.

[stumonster]

Or even get a 4 gig sd flash memory, available in the camera shop on the ground floor in MBK, about 11000 baht, but you could store 2 full lenghth feature films on that sucker! Now that would improve the commute, what?!

a 90 min DVD encoded to Xvid with fairuse ( www.fairusewizard.com ) takes up 500meg when I do it for my dell axim X50v - the dell has a 3.7 inch LCD which goes to a 640x480 resolution. I have both an SD/MMC and a CF slot on the dell.

instead of going the integrated phone-PDA route I decided on seperate units. when I need to use the PDA to connect to the phone I just use bluetooth.

also there are some very neat stereo BT headset coming onto the market now - though I just have a normal jabra BT earpiece.

Like RDN I don't want a camera in my phone - just BT , EDGE and running on symbian OS - but the chances seem to be nil - I think I will go with the nokia 6230.

[donna]

For the record, a few friends of mine have blackberrys. They LOVE them. Not sure what models they have though.

I have a Nokia 6260. I love it.

[terdsak_12]

Blackberry's aren't available in Thailand to my knowledge.

[girlx]

does anyone know if the Motorola RAZR V3 can be bought in Thailand, and if so where? particularly the black version? it's a really cool phone.

[Rags]

"......But take a look at THIS baby!!: www.mympx.com...."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ohhhh Yes.......I Want That One!!!!

Any idea when, where & how much it will be in Thailand.....?

Rags

[RDN]

does anyone know if the Motorola RAZR V3 can be bought in Thailand, and if so where? particularly the black version? it's a really cool phone.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, they certainly look good - a mate of mine was given one by a millionaire (GB pounds sterling) friend of his for fixing his computer. Nice to have mates like that

But I read on the web that the operating system is not as good as Nokia's - not so intuitive, or logical? - something like that. I know there were enough negatives about it that I decided to stick with Nokia. But I can't get the 6021 model in Thailand.

My mate's V3 came from the UK. Sorry, I should've said that sooner.

[stumonster]

The o2 Mini looks great - no key board though. Good size for a Microsoft pocket pc phone though!

But take a look at THIS baby!!: www.mympx.com

Cheers!

the mpx site is a bit light on specs for the machine.

the PDA phones around at the moment don't seem to have the 640x480 vga screen , and after you have watched a DVD on the vga the other screens just don't cut the mustard. also with the vga screen on viewing web pages is pleasurable.

if you do want a keyboard there are also many BT foldup keyboards available . You can have up to 8 BT devices connected to the dell at the same time.

[danbkk1]

This a very good post, as I'm looking for the PDA Phone as well. My old phone Tero 279 worked wonder but it not that advance, sadly I broke it (really, the front cover is gone, can still be use but only with headset) I got the Xplore M28. It has everything you ask and want for in a PDA Phone and it worked great for ONLY 4 days. Afterward, It frezz so often with no reason. Just don't get this phone

[stumonster]

RDN

I went and had a look at the specs for the nokia 6021 but I think I might pay the extra bucks for the 6230i , and put up with a camera

Nokia 6021

Data Transfer

    * EDGE multislot class 6, up to 177.6 kbps

    * GPRS multislot class 10, up to 80 kbps

http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,8764,71345,00.html

Nokia 6230i

Data Transfer

    * EDGE Class 10 (4+1, 3+2): speed up to 236.8 kbps

    * GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) class 10 (4+1, 3+2)

    * HSCSD (High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data) transfer up to 43.2 kbps in HSCSD networks

    * TCP/IP

http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,8764,69499,00.html

[RDN]

RDN

I went and had a look at the specs for the nokia 6021 but I think I might pay the extra bucks for the 6230i , and put up with a camera...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I've just about made that decision I went to the Nokia site and used their compare facility on the two phones: they appear to be identical apart from the camera, so 'yes', I'll go for it. Cheers.

[markuk]

I use a Nokia 9300, will meet most of your needs however no camera - if you want the version with camera then the Nokia 9500

[bendix]

I've got a Motorola Razr V3 (or whatever they are called) and it's a sexy little beast. Mine is silver, but the black is gorgeous too.

I bought it in Thailand. Easy to find from any decent phone shop (Power Mart, Jay Mart etc), or the Motorola store in Silom Complex or, of course, there are huge supplies of it in MBK. I think it's retailing for around 15-16,000 these days, down from the 29k it originally sold for when it was released a year ago.

As for functionality. It has everything I need, but no video cam. The still camera is great though, and I'm completely hooker on the golf game it comes with.

[LivinLOS]

I think the razor is typical moto form over function.. Hate the keys.. Non intuative UI.. Very poor camera ability.. Also would give it away for fixing my computer..

Just bought the K750i.. 2MP camera (with LED flash).. OK ish games.. superb MP3.. Great PC sync.. All in all its ideal for my needs but might be light on the PDA style of contact arrangements...

Nokia has some nice phones on the market currently and the series 60 OS is pretty well advanced.. I would have to say Nokia and SE seem to have the UI that just makes sense while many others (Moto especially) simply dont.. Samsung has some nice clamsheels but with these Sony 2MP and Nokia 1.3 MP sensors they really lose out in the pic abilities (which now they look like 'real' digi cam pics I am using a LOT !!!)..

[stumonster]

if you want a phone / PDA device maybe you should have a look at this

HTC Universal

http://www.htc.com.tw/news/press050511.html

HTC Announces

The World's First Windows Mobile 5.0 Based 3G Device

Global distribution expected in the second half of 2005

though I think I will stick with my dell x50v in combination with a good EDGE phone.

[Firefan]

Motorola have had some problems getting it to market as you can see from the homepage (click on the forum for latest news). Some have come out in Europe and Asia apparently but Motorola have been finetuning the MPX meanwhile.

Have not seen it in BKK yet. Look at these pics: http://www.mympx.com/LeftImageStyle.aspx?s...ion=2&pageid=42

When it comes I gotta have it - normal phone size almost as the new Pocket PC version allows for smaller screens....

Cheers!

"......But take a look at THIS baby!!: www.mympx.com...."

Ohhhh Yes.......I Want That One!!!!

Any idea when, where & how much it will be in Thailand.....?

Rags

[fanciman]

Stumonster:

What is "EDGE" all about?

Why do you like Symbian?

[appleman_thai]

I will second that opinion on the Xplore M28. The biggest load of rubbish ever.

I wrote a review after I thrashed it to pieces.

http://www.epinions.com/content_182854258308

I reckon smartphones arent ready yet. They are too many bugs with them. I think its better to get a normal phone and a PDA separate for now. give it a year or so and then we will have decent smartphones.

From all I hear, the O2 mini is very good - just dont install any 3rd party apps.

[terdsak_12]

I bought one of the Explore phones a while ago, they're made in Malaysia I believe and are sold through some marketing company here, my phone gave me nothing but trouble. Avoid it and buy a well known brand.

[stumonster]

Stumonster:

What is "EDGE" all about?

Why do you like Symbian?

wikipedia is the place to turn for your online encyclopedic needs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDGE

its a GSM mobile phone data transfer protocol(?) which allows you to connect to the internet using your moblie phone as the modem and achieves decent data rates.

the GPRS/EDGE class of your device limits the theoretical maximium speed you can download/upload , so it is best to research on the internet the specs for the phone you are considering as there are differences in GPRS/EDGE speeds that are from the phone itself.

symbian is an operating system designed for mobile communications devices. Nokia uses symbian on most of its phones , but series 60 symbian phones are recommended over series 40 as there is a lot more software available.

here is a thread that discusses symbian on the nokias

http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?si...tid=193&tid=106

a bit tech , but has views from people who actually write sofware for the symbian operating system so its worth a read.