mobile phone advice...

[VJ]

Hello,

My mobile phone (Siemens S35i) is starting to act up: battery doesn't last that long, and sometimes the keyboard just doesn't respond (taking out the battery has done the trick so far); so I'm looking for a new device... I'm hoping it will last as long as possible, but I want to be ready when the time comes to replace it.

The main problem is that most new phones are all about built in camera's, and I don't really care for that. I'd like the phone to have (at least) the following features:
- bluetooth (connection to PC + carkit)
- irda (connection to Psion 5mx)
- gprs
- HSCSD (I think - read on)
- triband (900/1800/1900)
- storing of addresses
- calendar, ... (but these features are implied in phones with the above features )

There currently is a good deal on the T68i (it includes a free camera ) over here, but it lacks the address-book functionality. The Siemens S55 is a bit more expensive but also seems interesting; it lacks HSCSD however, but does support J2ME.
I'm not sure if I need HSCSD when I have GPRS, but as that is an addition to the subscription (€25/10 MB), I'm not sure I'll have enough datavolume to justify it. CSD at 9600 is sufficiant for email (but nothing more, as I have discovered )...

Are there other good models in the current crop of phones ? Or perhaps upcoming models ?
Other comments ?

Thanks!


Jörg

[Goc]

I'd go for Siemens S55...

[VJ]

Yeah, the S55 looks like the better phone (it is €100-€150 more expensive). However, I feel that my current Siemens didn't last that long: only three years (ok, it still works, but if it acts up more frequently..); never has been dropped, yet had to be shipped back twice (once for a software-update, and then immediatly back a second time as one of the keys didn't work).

I just feel that 2 phones is not much to choose from, are there any interesting models coming up soon ?


Jörg

[[GDI]Raptor]

Siemens S55 doesn't have Bluetooth, so you can remove that from the list! I recomand the new T610 from Sony Ericsson if you want a smal mobile. If you don't care about the size, P800 is a very good choise!

Here is a link to T610, it's released these days....

http://www.sonyericsson.com/t610

[borat]

no j2me is a serious flaw, not quite yet but real soon there will be lots of applications needing j2me to run, personally i dont think you can go wrong with nokia, they look a bit rubbish but they are the best technically no doubt about it.sturdy little buggers too.i wouldnt consider a mobile without j2me.

[[GDI]Raptor]

Originally posted by borat
personally i dont think you can go wrong with nokia, they look a bit rubbish but they are the best technically no doubt about it.sturdy little buggers too.i wouldnt consider a mobile without j2me.

These Nokia's doesn't even have Bluetooth, and they are FAR from technically best! No Nokia phone have full suport for MMS messages (they doesn't suport more than one picture at the time). Almost all new mobiles suport Java Micro Edition (J2ME) by the way!

[Goc]

Raptor... S55 has bluetooth... Check here and here.

[VJ]

Yep...

Borat: yes, the J2ME... a problem is that at first sight, most of these phones offer what I need; so I'm a bit unclear which application might appear that becomes usefull to me...

Hmm, the T610 is not yet available over here... Any idea in what price-range it will come ? Also, as far as I can tell, it does not permit the storage of addresses... Oh, but maybe this can be solved with a J2ME application !?


Jörg

[Fluff]

The sony will hopefully be the daddy of phones. (£350 off line)

Sony Ericsson T610. The evolution of the T68i as far as i can see(which is what i have at the moment.)

Only thing it's missing is a built in FM radio. But i can live with that. BUT apparently the first ones have been recalled due to a speaker problem.

[Goc]

T610 looks promising... I wonder did they fix the software that used to be very slow on all Ericsson/Sony Ericsson mobiles I've seen...

[VJ]

Fluff: does the T68i allow the storing of addresses (street-) ? If not, is it possible to assign a picture to a person (one could make a picture which is nothing more than a bitmap with address information ).

Would the T610 allow this address-book functionality ?


Jörg

[[GDI]Raptor]

T610 is buildt on the same adress book system as T68. I's no problems to assign *.BMP or *.JPG pictures to contacts. You can even use some fields like "Title" or "Company" to write down street adresses in the phone book

I have tried T610, it's already released in Norway, it's much faster than T68 to write SMS, the 65000 colors screen is very impressive, and the build in camera is prety good to. Here is costs about 3000 NOK (380€)

[Pace]

Originally posted by [GDI]Raptor
These Nokia's doesn't even have Bluetooth, and they are FAR from technically best! No Nokia phone have full suport for MMS messages (they doesn't suport more than one picture at the time). Almost all new mobiles suport Java Micro Edition (J2ME) by the way!

Hey, shouldn't you be supporting your local global corporation?

Anyway, I too am quite annoyed at the almost complete lack of Bluetooth in new Nokias - I have a 6310i with it, and only a handful of new phones are offering it. I think the 6650 might be my next upgrade...very nice

P.

[VJ]

Originally posted by [GDI]Raptor
T610 is buildt on the same adress book system as T68. I's no problems to assign *.BMP or *.JPG pictures to contacts. You can even use some fields like "Title" or "Company" to write down street adresses in the phone book.

Thanks for the info!

Somehow, I don't understand why they don't offer a full addressbook-functionality. I have browsed through the Siemens S55 manual, and that model allows you to store addresses (home/work), birthday, ... for all the contacts. I know it is not that big a deal, but it just seems like a missed chance...

Hmm, €350... it is bound to be more expensive here (the Siemens S55 is allready €350 )

Jörg

[VJ]

I just noticed on the website; besides the T610, there is also a T616 and a T618. Anybody know what the differences is ? (there are no specs there, and the description doesn't seem to set the apart)

Jörg