Which Phone - Yes, Again... [Archive]

Duncan Rounding

02-Dec-2008, 02:06 PM

I'm looking to replace my N73 phone with another phone as the contract's now expired.

So I know it's been asked before but I'm trying to decide what to go for.

I would prefer (maybe wrongly?) to stay on Vodafone due the better coverage and roaming.

So far I'm looking at the N96, but I understand that there maybe issues with the firmware of this phone. In fact my current supplier is trying to persuade me to go for the N95 8Gb version instead and says it's a better phone.

I like the iPhone but that would mean changing to O2, I also see that the deals don't include calls to other mobiles.

I don't need push email, pop abililty is fine, I want unlimited internet access on 3G HSDPA, it must also synchronise well with Outlook.

Help....

plantsforshade

02-Dec-2008, 02:33 PM

I have heard good things about the new blackberry storm (blackberries alternative to the iphone). unique to vodafone.

Regards

Nigel

grantglendinnin

02-Dec-2008, 02:41 PM

Got myself the new Blackberry Bold 9000 a couple of weeks ago. Think it does just about everything a phone could possibly do, though not sure about the "3G HSDPA" part - I do have unlimited 'internet', though. Seems a great value 'phone' - better than the iPhone IMO:)

Mark H

02-Dec-2008, 02:41 PM

iPhone is still the answer from us, even more so now the third party apps are available (many free) and we are on the 3G GPS version. Unlimited access to internet (and email) via 3G. Syncs with Outlook (especially if you are using an exchange account, which is excellent). O2 coverage is better here (but then again, you're there.....). Each of our packages at £35 per month gives 600 free minutes including other mobiles of all flavours - I would recheck this.

Mark H

02-Dec-2008, 02:47 PM

http://shop.o2.co.uk/promo/iphoneindex

Duncan - look down towards the bottom of the page - "inclusive minutes".

Goz

02-Dec-2008, 02:52 PM

HTC Touch Pro from Vodafone - can't fault it (even if I can't find the promised FM radio!)

george

02-Dec-2008, 03:10 PM

I had the N73, changed to N82.

Its excellent, and everything I need in a mobile phone.

Reviews of mobiles here...

Mobile-Review (http://www.mobile-review.com/index-en.shtml)

Mobile-Phones-UK (http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/mobile-phone-reviews.htm)

and finally...

GSM-Arena (http://www.gsmarena.com/)

Hope that helps.

(Anything you need to know about the N82 just email me, I'll answer if I can)

Duncan Rounding

02-Dec-2008, 03:33 PM

Can the iPhone connect to POP mail accounts?

Darren B

02-Dec-2008, 03:43 PM

Duncan

Tracey has been having issues with her new iphone today, seems it needs to be sent back.

parklifeclothes

02-Dec-2008, 03:50 PM

From personal experience stay away from the N95, mine has just run out of contract and I couldn't give it to my lad quick enough, battery life is awful, the only way to improve it was to disable all the functions I actually got it for:confused:

dave_finlayson

02-Dec-2008, 04:03 PM

Can the iPhone connect to POP mail accounts?

Yes it can!

RuralWeb

02-Dec-2008, 04:09 PM

Iphone for me - I also have a couple of Blackberry Pearls which i use when abroad so I looked at the Storm the other day in Manchester and was NOT impressed at all with it. NO WiFi !!! and a really horrible screen

guccij

02-Dec-2008, 04:39 PM

I have a Blackberry Bold on Vodafone - excellent all round imo. Still have an N95 as well and don't have any issues with it. It's the older model and has resisted all my attempts to break it.

Cheapprices4u

02-Dec-2008, 04:45 PM

i played with the storm at the trafford centre and it was awful

horrid keyboard to use

not sure what im after yet, i have E65 just now does all i need

the E71 has small keys

the HTC is stylus only i think mmmm

TraceyHand

02-Dec-2008, 05:12 PM

OK, despite the problem I currently have with my iphone, I'd still recommend it 100 times over. That said, Duncan wants to stay on Vodafone so that's out?

The Storm is, once you get used to it, a nice piece of kit. Hubby has had one for a couple of weeks now (he had a Curve prior to getting it) and he likes it. Not as much as the iPhone but, as we don't get an O2 signal where we live (doesn't bother me but he NEEDS his mobile as he uses it all the time) he couldn't get one.
The Storm is good, tbh. IME, the email is better on a Blackberry than the iPhone too

He did have a Sony Ericsson Xperia/X1 briefly. Horrid thing. He sold it almost straight on again.

Can't comment on the Nokias though

NormanRouxel

02-Dec-2008, 06:42 PM

Nokia N97 was announced today. See http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/personal_tech/article5274882.ece and http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/02/nokia_n971/

I use an unlocked, jaibroken, iPhone.

george

03-Dec-2008, 08:25 AM

jailbroken

Is that not just an excellent word?

Mark H

03-Dec-2008, 08:31 AM

We have a brand new unwrapped first generation iPhone (charger is slightly used, but hey.....) which would be good for jailbreaking, or just using as a WIFI iPod Touch. PM me if interested.:)

Gone now;)

pinbrook

03-Dec-2008, 09:50 AM

I use an unlocked, jaibroken, iPhone. presumably this means you use it in Turkey with local sim?

i only use my blackberry for email when overseas, but would dearly love a solution that lets me use www on a phone at a decent rate when roaming - not found anything yet. i have to use my laptop with unlocked datacard (local sim) for www overseas.

still my phone renewal isn't until july so there's going to be more on offer then

RuralWeb

03-Dec-2008, 09:53 AM

but would dearly love a solution that lets me use www on a phone at a decent rate when roaming - not found anything yet
Dream on:D

pinbrook

03-Dec-2008, 12:06 PM

Dream on:D i know its coming..... oneday ;)

Duncan Rounding

03-Dec-2008, 04:34 PM

Thanks all.

I've asked Vodafone for PAC codes today - I think I've been convinced and will go for the iPhone. I would've prefered to stay with Vodafone but I'm not happy with the phones they have on offer. They also couldn't seem to give any really good deals unless I was willing to change my number, which I'm not.

Watch this space for some feedback when the new toys arrive...

Duncan Rounding

03-Dec-2008, 04:49 PM

So if it's iPhone.

Who should I get them from - O2 or Carephone Warehouse?

Mark H

03-Dec-2008, 05:01 PM

We have bought iPhones from both, and as much as I used to like CW, we were misled by them on two occasions, notably on the requirement to buy their insurance for the iPhone. Your airtime contract will be with O2 whoever you buy from, so my suggestion would be to buy the iPhone from them as well.

TraceyHand

03-Dec-2008, 05:03 PM

RuralWeb

03-Dec-2008, 05:07 PM

O2......:)

Chunkford

03-Dec-2008, 08:40 PM

I am on Vodafone and just got the Sony Ericsson X1, and what a phone!
QWERTY Keyboard, Wi-Fi, Push email, aGPS, WinMo (Tons of applications out there), Touch Screen, Camera, Bluetooth, Radio, The best screen on any phone (WVGA), Office Mobile......it goes on.

I hear what Tracey says about it, but once you do some hacks, and install 3rd party add-ons the device is amazing. I have added Touch Flow 3D (found on HTC phones) to one of the panels and it vastly improves the user experience.
See 'xda developers' if you want to see more!

The only issue I have got with it is the poor signal strength. But I do live in the sticks so reception isn't great anyhow, and also enjoyed one of the best antennas for signal strength on my old phone - the N95 (Set the standard in signal strength).

The more and more I use it the better it gets

I did look at the Blackberry Storm – Nice phone. Feels good, and comes with good business apps. But I found the touch screen weird. You push the screen down so it clicks to make a selection - Gets a bit of getting used to. But the thing that did it for me was having no Wi-Fi.

Chunkford

04-Dec-2008, 12:50 PM

i know its coming..... oneday ;)

It's getting there
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08%2F12%2F03%2F2131212&from=rss

Duncan Rounding

09-Dec-2008, 04:29 PM

I quick update for those who might be interested.

I decided to go for the iPhones and got my Vodafone PAC codes no problem.
Called O2 and ordered the iPhones last week.

Having not receiving anything by yesterday I gave them a call to find that the orders had been cancelled. No one knows why, payments were deducted and credit checks passed.

So, reordered again yesterday and should (hopefully) receive them tomorrow.

I hope this is not a taste of the future.

Read the next installment on the blog tomorrow....

george

10-Dec-2008, 08:06 AM

A tip!

Turn off the bit that adds `Sent from my iphone`.

*puts thumb and fingers together and shakes hand*

;)

TraceyHand

10-Dec-2008, 08:30 AM

A tip!

Turn off the bit that adds `Sent from my iphone`.

*puts thumb and fingers together and shakes hand*

;)

LOL
that directed at me, G?
:p

tbh, it was switched off but I had to restore (reformat) my phone and it's there by default from new. Not planning on holding onto it long enough to bother customising anything before it goes back!

So, meantime, you'll still get it :p

Duncan Rounding

10-Dec-2008, 08:35 AM

...before it goes back!

What problem have you had with your phone Tracey?

TraceyHand

10-Dec-2008, 08:38 AM

it stopped sending text messages about 10 days ago.
As anyone who knows me will tell you, this is a pretty dire situation for me :D but, luckily I still have another phone, on contract, so I get my text fix from that for now.

Apple support have been excellent and I could have had it sent back and received it back by now but, with the imminent office move, I need my mobile email so I'm holding onto it til after we move now.

I did intend to take it to the O2 shop in Lincoln, for them to return it (I have an auth code etc from Apple) but, on arriving at the store, I find it's "closed for refurbishment until 17th December' :rolleyes:

It's a minor thing anyway.It still receives texts and all other functions are fine.
I'd still recommend it.

george

10-Dec-2008, 09:12 AM

that directed at me, G?

Not at all girl, just the sad sacks at apple who think the rest of us want to know!

:rolleyes:

gabrielcrowe

10-Dec-2008, 10:13 AM

HTC Touch Pro from Vodafone - can't fault it (even if I can't find the promised FM radio!)

you need a headset plugged in, it uses the wres in the headset as an antennae.

at least, thats what my phone did.

gabrielcrowe

10-Dec-2008, 10:15 AM

the blackberry storm has crap-tastic battery life.

nuff said.

TraceyHand

10-Dec-2008, 11:39 AM

the blackberry storm has crap-tastic battery life.

nuff said.

Nik's seems pretty good actually and he's on it ALLLLL day (calls)

In comparison, I have to charge my iPhone every night and it's often dead by about 10pm. Mind you, I do spend half my life on it (games, Twitter, Facebook et al as well as the usual emails/internet)
Rarely calls (I actually hate using the telephone!) and, if I was, I'm sure the battery would die infinitely quicker!

Between the 2, I'd say they were pretty evenly matched
JMO obviously. Wouldn't want to disagree with the (al)mighty Gabe now, would I? ;)

Rich Brady

10-Dec-2008, 11:44 AM

he's on it ALLLLL day

I can support this claim. He was checking emails all the way through the meal after the Actinic Conference. Very rude ;)

george

10-Dec-2008, 12:19 PM

He was checking emails all the way through the meal after the Actinic Conference.

He's playing away. :eek:

HTH

leehack

10-Dec-2008, 12:22 PM

Rarely calls (I actually hate using the telephone!) and, if I was, I'm sure the battery would die infinitely quicker!
If you ever decided to actually talk on your phone too, you'd need to carry a chuffin Nuclear Power Plant around with you.

TraceyHand

10-Dec-2008, 03:11 PM

If you ever decided to actually talk on your phone too, you'd need to carry a chuffin Nuclear Power Plant around with you.

LOL
'tis true, of course
Lucky for the world, I'm not a phone talker, eh?

TraceyHand

10-Dec-2008, 03:12 PM

I can support this claim. He was checking emails all the way through the meal after the Actinic Conference. Very rude ;)

pmsl
he was!
He can't help himself
Mind you, I'm just as bad with Twitter! :eek: