LittleAmmy
New member
That is the question. I'm able to get any new phone from Verizon that I want but have a dilemma. After seeing the Nokia E61, there is no question that it is the standard. It is a true Treo killer and the new bar. Unfortunately it is GSM only and not available in the US from my understanding.
So where does that leave me. I've checked out Verizon's offerings and the Blackberry's are out since they are not extensible PDA's. We are talking Win Mobile or Palm. I wasn't thrilled with the aging 6700. The screen isn't easy to see in regular light and moreso as a phone I was able to test it out -- there are better solutions and that is most important to me.
I looked at the Treo 700w. I was able to use one and found that the 32MB of RAM is a SERIOUS problem if you use the phone for much more than email on your sole pop account and browsing the Internet. Multitasking is NOT happening with that phone, especially with the 2-4 MB memory leak I regularly encountered. With 40MB to spare like on regular phones, that is a moot issue. With the Treo 700w and the new update that shuts apps when memory dips to 5MB or less, you end up running two programs, at MOST three small ones at the same time. I found that having 3 pop accounts and running Pocket IE would cause it to choke all too frequently. It's sad too because I wanted to like it. The dearth of software written for the small screen makes it even more challenging since there aren't any good email apps written for Win Mobile 5 at this moment that even come close to Snappermail's efficiency.
Moving on along to the Samsung. Intriguing. I hate the keyboard and think it's a poor implementation that is not comfortable, especially the keys on the sides. I heard that battery life is terrible. If this was better and build was slightly better, I would think that it would be the phone to buy. I'm guessing that the next version Samsung will get it right, just like the 6700.
That leaves us with the motorola Q, which I haven't seen yet and is a Smartphone. That isn't my optimal choice and there are even less apps written for that OS. Requiring you to have software since you have no stylus is not an area I would want to limit my abilities -- how many great PPC apps will be incompatible? Additionally, there is no WiFi nor can you add it on from my understanding. Too bad.
That leaves us with the 700p. Almost a great idea -- but STILL having no WiFi capability even with an SD card is UNACCEPTABLE. For those of you who don't need it, I respect you. But for any type of corporate deployment or usage within a hospital/corporate environment that frequently utilizes local area networks to the max this effectively kills Palm's own hardware appeal and probably hurts their acquiror as well. I still have all my 650 software so there is an appeal but with no WiFi whatsoever, I'm just not sure I can handle that. Being unable to use my phone/pda for email when I travel around the country, abroad and in non-evdo equipped areas makes it a horrible choice at this late day and age. I am NOT carrying around a @#$&ing sled as there is no need for one. If anyone can provide some type of insight as to whether drivers CAN be provided for the existing WiFi cards since (1) the hardware is capable and (2) the Palm OS is WiFi capable as per the PDA side. This is the make it or break it issue.
So what is on the horizon? Anyone have an insight? Opinions? I'd enjoy hearing them and sharing with you my industry information including those about the newer phones coming down the pipeline... unfortunately in several months from now in early 07!!!
So where does that leave me. I've checked out Verizon's offerings and the Blackberry's are out since they are not extensible PDA's. We are talking Win Mobile or Palm. I wasn't thrilled with the aging 6700. The screen isn't easy to see in regular light and moreso as a phone I was able to test it out -- there are better solutions and that is most important to me.
I looked at the Treo 700w. I was able to use one and found that the 32MB of RAM is a SERIOUS problem if you use the phone for much more than email on your sole pop account and browsing the Internet. Multitasking is NOT happening with that phone, especially with the 2-4 MB memory leak I regularly encountered. With 40MB to spare like on regular phones, that is a moot issue. With the Treo 700w and the new update that shuts apps when memory dips to 5MB or less, you end up running two programs, at MOST three small ones at the same time. I found that having 3 pop accounts and running Pocket IE would cause it to choke all too frequently. It's sad too because I wanted to like it. The dearth of software written for the small screen makes it even more challenging since there aren't any good email apps written for Win Mobile 5 at this moment that even come close to Snappermail's efficiency.
Moving on along to the Samsung. Intriguing. I hate the keyboard and think it's a poor implementation that is not comfortable, especially the keys on the sides. I heard that battery life is terrible. If this was better and build was slightly better, I would think that it would be the phone to buy. I'm guessing that the next version Samsung will get it right, just like the 6700.
That leaves us with the motorola Q, which I haven't seen yet and is a Smartphone. That isn't my optimal choice and there are even less apps written for that OS. Requiring you to have software since you have no stylus is not an area I would want to limit my abilities -- how many great PPC apps will be incompatible? Additionally, there is no WiFi nor can you add it on from my understanding. Too bad.
That leaves us with the 700p. Almost a great idea -- but STILL having no WiFi capability even with an SD card is UNACCEPTABLE. For those of you who don't need it, I respect you. But for any type of corporate deployment or usage within a hospital/corporate environment that frequently utilizes local area networks to the max this effectively kills Palm's own hardware appeal and probably hurts their acquiror as well. I still have all my 650 software so there is an appeal but with no WiFi whatsoever, I'm just not sure I can handle that. Being unable to use my phone/pda for email when I travel around the country, abroad and in non-evdo equipped areas makes it a horrible choice at this late day and age. I am NOT carrying around a @#$&ing sled as there is no need for one. If anyone can provide some type of insight as to whether drivers CAN be provided for the existing WiFi cards since (1) the hardware is capable and (2) the Palm OS is WiFi capable as per the PDA side. This is the make it or break it issue.
So what is on the horizon? Anyone have an insight? Opinions? I'd enjoy hearing them and sharing with you my industry information including those about the newer phones coming down the pipeline... unfortunately in several months from now in early 07!!!