Recommend a phone for me

[OSUKid7]

Hi everyone. I've had Pocket PCs for years, but think I want to get a smartphone in addition to my HP iPAQ hx4705. I'll be switching to Cingular in the next few months, and would like some recommendations on what smartphone to get.

I've looked at the phones on Cingular.com, but hontestly, I'm not sure if they're listing all available smartphones. First, could someone list all smarphones that Cingular currently offers?

Next, what I'd like... I would definitely like the smartphone to have WM5. If that means waiting a few months until it comes out, that's fine. I would also like to keep the phone as small as possible. I'd love to have a flip phone, but do any smartphones come in that form factor?

I honestly haven't followed smartphone news that closely, so I'm pretty much in the dark as to what type of hardware is out there. Thanks in advance to all responses. :)

[Mike Temporale]

If you want to know all the different devices on the market, take a look at this post (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9281&highlight=) I made earlier this morning. ;)

As for the Smartphone devices that Cingular carries - there are 2. The Audiovox SMT5600 (a small and slim candybar style phone), and the Motorola MPx220 (a clam-shell). Both phones run Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. There have been a large number of problems reported by MPx220 owners. As well, a fair number have switched over to the 5600, and now love their Smartphone. Your milage may be different, but you should be aware. ;)

If you must have a Windows Mobile 5.0 device, you're going to have to wait a while longer. Currently there are no 5.0 Smartphones. We're hoping that will change in the next month or so. The word on the street is that we'll start to see these around the start of October. Only the mobile operators know for sure. :(

Hope that helps a little. 8)

[OSUKid7]

Yep, that definitely helps. :) For now I think I'll wait to see what WM5 smartphones Cingular offers in the next few months. My contract is up with T-Mobile, and coverage here at college is pretty bad with them, but for now it's fine. I'll try to follow the SPT site a little more to keep up with new WM5 smartphones.

Thanks! :)

[Jerry Raia]

I have a 4705 as well and my phone is the 5600 with Cingular. It might be worth holding out to see exactly which new models end up at Cingular but if it were me, I'd go with the 5600. You can always ebay it when the new ones come out.

[OSUKid7]

I have a 4705 as well and my phone is the 5600 with Cingular. It might be worth holding out to see exactly which new models end up at Cingular but if it were me, I'd go with the 5600. You can always ebay it when the new ones come out.
True. I may do that. Since I'll still have my 4705, I want my smartphone to primarily be a communication device - cell phone, txt messaging, and perhaps IM and email, and maybe some small apps like an eWallet program. For anything more complex, I'd use my iPAQ. I do like the look of the MPx220, but am a bit reluctant to go with that if there are problems. What problems have users had? (I know, I should search. :oops:) The SMT5600 does looks nice for a candybar phone though.

[Jerry Raia]

The Mpx220 form factor is my favorite and I had one for a few months. Actually I went through 3 of them. The issues were with poor volume and the camera image quality. Reports are that the later ROM versions have yielded some improvement but I have still seen some complaints. There were also some other problems with the phone mic going dead and the phone needing to be rebooted to solve it. If you do perform a search I'm sure you'll find all the other minor issues.

[hamsammich]

I'll have to agree with Jerry on the MPx220. I had two, and they were great most of the time. I did have volume issues as well as a problem not being able to initiate a voice dial call with my Bluetooth headset. I emailed Motorola about it and they said it was a problem with Windows Mobile, and that voice dial initiation from the headset just wasn't possible.

I think if Motorola would have spent a little more time on the MPx220, they would have had a killer phone. Now, I have the SMT5600 through Cingular, and I'm hooked! Even though it doesn't have the small form factor clamshell design, it is still small, sleek and very stable and useable. Sure, it's only a WM2003SE phone, but like Jerry said, you can always sell it on eBay. Plus, with Cingular, you have 30 days to return if if a better phone comes out within that time.

Happy hunting! :)