OT: Technology and Geek Stuff Thread

[Coop]

ah

got it - when you make the biz comment I thought you were dealing with that as well

[romster]

Rommy, I went with T-Mobile. They price matched AT&T on the Bold and are giving me a 15% corporate discount on the monthly rate. And their monthly rates are pretty good to begin with.

Cool. I really like them.

[Coop]

t-mobile also unoficially supports iphones as well ...IMO double cool.

[FVD]

My contract with AT&T expires in 8 days, and I have the option to upgrade my phone. I'm either getting an iPhone or a Blackberry Bold. I've had a Blackberry Curve the last couple of years, so I'm already familiar with the Bold and like the way it works and looks, but the iPhone does look pretty cool. Thoughts/suggestions?

[-Deborah-]

The iPhone and Touch are pretty cool. But, the touch keyboard gives me fits. I wanted actual keys for dialing/texting or whatever.

[Coop]

FVD - One of my coworkers switched from a curve to Iphone a few months ago. After he got over the learning curve he told me he'd never go back..I guess it depends what you want out of a cell/smartphone. If you do go Iphone I would get a 32 GB 3GS and heavily recommend you jailbreak it. You will have to get a data plan with the iphone as well...are you able to get 3G in your area?

[FVD]

I'm not in a 3G area although from what I've heard we're supposed to get it in the near future. What's jailbreak?

[-Deborah-]

It allows you to use the iPhone on a network other than ATT. Also lets you install non-approved applications to it.

http://smartphones.about.com/od/glossary/f/jailbreak_faq.htm

[Sweatpants Murphy]

LOL 3G


anyhoot...frank, blackberry is probably the most user friendly smart phone IMO. I always recommend them for someone transitioning from a basic flip phone into a smart phone. since you've got a couple years of blackberry under your belt, perhaps you should step up to the next level.

I recommend you go into a store and play with an iphone for a little while and go through your day to day operations (making a phone call, composing an e-mail, taking a picture, etc.)

also check out some of the other phones on display...AT&T reps will push you toward an iphone, even if it's not the best phone for you, because 40% of their box sales must be iphones. But there are other smart phones out there that may fit you better (and don't require sending it off to Apple for service/repair) If you're comfortable with blackberry and the operating system, check out all of the blackberry devices.

If you like touch screen but not on-screen keyboards I recommend trying out their HTC Tilt 2 (or Touch Pro 2 on the other 3 major networks) it's a windows mobile phone, touchscreen with a stylus, slide out QWERTY keyboard, and a tilting screen.

Also stop into a sprint, verizon, or t-mobile store and check out the Android devices. Fully customizable phones with all the apps and widgets you can handle. Not to mention AT&T's rate plans are pretty much the highest in the business unless you've got their phone/TV/internet package.

[mason reese]

LOL 3G


anyhoot...frank, blackberry is probably the most user friendly smart phone IMO. I always recommend them for someone transitioning from a basic flip phone into a smart phone. since you've got a couple years of blackberry under your belt, perhaps you should step up to the next level.

I recommend you go into a store and play with an iphone for a little while and go through your day to day operations (making a phone call, composing an e-mail, taking a picture, etc.)

also check out some of the other phones on display...AT&T reps will push you toward an iphone, even if it's not the best phone for you, because 40% of their box sales must be iphones. But there are other smart phones out there that may fit you better (and don't require sending it off to Apple for service/repair) If you're comfortable with blackberry and the operating system, check out all of the blackberry devices.

If you like touch screen but not on-screen keyboards I recommend trying out their HTC Tilt 2 (or Touch Pro 2 on the other 3 major networks) it's a windows mobile phone, touchscreen with a stylus, slide out QWERTY keyboard, and a tilting screen.

Also stop into a sprint, verizon, or t-mobile store and check out the Android devices. Fully customizable phones with all the apps and widgets you can handle. Not to mention AT&T's rate plans are pretty much the highest in the business unless you've got their phone/TV/internet package.

He's only got 8 days...

[Coop]

Sweatpants - as you are poo pooing 3g...how accessible IS Sprint's 4G network in the US?

and what is Sprint charging for their data plans?

[Coop]

FVD - Jailbreak is a process that enables the installation of 3rd party apps not officially sanctioned by Apple to be installed on the iphone. An example of one such app that has come in very handy for me is PDANET - which enables tethering. Unlocking is a secondary step that unlocks the baseband so that the iphone can be used with other GSM carriers, such as t-mobile.

[FVD]

Considering I'm with AT&T and don't plan on switching carriers (company discount so the plan rates are good, plus I'm a loyal guy, hell, I am a Lions fan, right?) I don't think that the positives of jailbreaking the phone weigh out the possible negatives.

When I buy a phone I will do it via online and not in the store, but I will go and check out the iphone and see how hard it is for me to dial, text and stuff like that on it.

[Sweatpants Murphy]

Sweatpants - as you are poo pooing 3g...how accessible IS Sprint's 4G network in the US?

and what is Sprint charging for their data plans?

4G is available in 27 markets right now (Chicago is one of those markets), Detroit can look forward to it within the next year or two.

Data plans for phones (including voice calling and unlimited text) start at 69.99 and top out at 99.99 per month...that one is totally unlimited everything. There also is no extra charge for smart phones/blackberry unless you need BES.

Then of course discounts for where you work or bank between 10-28% per month.


Also Frank, I can respect that loyalty...just wanted to let you know about Google's Android OS, since that will soon knock apple out of the top spot and be the next status device

[-Deborah-]

Did you get lost on your way to the Geek thread, Coop?