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View Full Version : VoiceStream Finally Announces Phone Edition Availability

Brad Adrian
07-31-2002, 05:37 PM
<a href="http://www.voicestream.com/pocketpc/default.asp">http://www.voicestream.com/pocketpc/default.asp</a><br /><br />Great news! VoiceStream is letting everybody know that their branded version of the Pocket PC Phone Edition is available in limited quantities.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/tmobile_o2.jpg" /><br /><br />Apparently, VoiceStream has been sending the following message to people who registered for the device in advance:<br /><br />Subject: POCKET PC IS HERE!<br /><br />Respond now to receive yours. Due to an overwhelming demand we will not be able to fulfill all current orders. Due to your internet reservation you are receiving advanced notice. The Pocket PC will be released to the general public July 31. We do expect to deplete our inventory by the end of the weekend. <br /><br />Call now to get yours!"<br /><br />The message also included a couple of PowerPoint fliers with pricing plans, which you can <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/files/vstreamfliers.zip">download here</a> [Note: File size is 444kb]. The data pricing isn't too bad, but I'd still like to see carriers come up with some options that aren't quite as expensive. But, if you've already registered for this, you better check your Inbox and call VoiceStream right away!
Kre
07-31-2002, 06:06 PM
These are pretty cool. Specs arent bad at all. Five hundred fifty bucks with a fifty dollar rebate. Not bad.

Although, no swappable battery. I wont buy one of these until someone offers one with a swappable battery. Too important for me.

It has an SD slot. But Id also like to see a CF2 slot, Bluetooth, and consumer IR integrated as well. This, along with a swappable battery would make it perfect, IMO.
Mobile Bob
07-31-2002, 06:07 PM
Ordered mine about an hour ago at Voicestream's web site. They would not let me order it over the phone.

At $549, a little more expensive than I had hoped.
Birdman
07-31-2002, 06:08 PM
Anyone know when/if this product will be available in the Canadian (Toronto) market?
splintercell
07-31-2002, 06:18 PM
If only I had any sort of acceptable coverage by VoiceStream where I live and travel. But alas. I always wished they had better coverage, since then I could bag a neat tri-band phone in Europe and not have to switch when I travel. And the Thera is cumbersome, nothing like the clean XDA design, albeit both lack Bluetooth. Still waiting for the perfect devices... :?
adhd-dude
07-31-2002, 06:22 PM
and exactly how long is the battery gonna last?

If this is anything like the verizon Thera and i dont see why it wouldnt be since it uses the same hardware all the way then this is a disaster.

verizon thera is 8 hours standby!
orinoco
07-31-2002, 06:34 PM
Hello:

For those who have ordered it, how long does it take for delivery ?

Fernando
sundown
07-31-2002, 06:35 PM
Given that battery life is shorter than on cell phones, would any of you consider using this device to replace your cell phone entirely?

This is certainly a step in the right direction. Gheez, I remember paying almost $600 US for my analog Audiovox cell phone in 95 (hey, it was thin!).

:?:
Sslixtis
07-31-2002, 07:10 PM
Hey, the $549 for the PPC didn't bother me nearly as much as the $39.99 for phone service and the $59.99 for data service per month! That was the combination the would've been most effective for me. :oops: :cry: Oh well.
Liquidrice
07-31-2002, 07:36 PM
Hmm.. I signed up a few times... didn't get the notice yet. If you've brought it, did you have to purchase a plan with the phone? (I am a current voicestream customer in NYC) I just tried to call them to find out but they didn't want to tell me much.
Mobile Bob
07-31-2002, 09:03 PM
Hello:

For those who have ordered it, how long does it take for delivery ?

Fernando

Depends on which shipping option you select: standard ground or express overnight.
Mobile Bob
07-31-2002, 09:15 PM
Given that battery life is shorter than on cell phones, would any of you consider using this device to replace your cell phone entirely?

:?:

This is going to be my only cell phone (if it has problems holding a signal, its going back). I send/receive less than a dozen phone calls a day, and they are usually very short in duration (I don't enjoy talking on the phone for very long); but they are usually important or urgent calls, and I am very mobile (hence the need for a cell phone). I'll use the device for e-mail as much or more than for phone calls, but I need both.
Brad Adrian
07-31-2002, 09:26 PM
If you've brought it, did you have to purchase a plan with the phone? (I am a current voicestream customer in NYC).

Well, you HAVE to use it with VoiceStream's network, but most carriers will let you switch from an old account to a new one (especially since the new one will earn them more money).
jjjwicks
07-31-2002, 09:46 PM
If you live in NYC, go to the VoiceStream store on 5th Avenue (at 23rd) and pick one up. I picked mine up just before lunch. The only down side is that I think that they are saving the in-store units for new customers only. I was a beta tester and love the device (and yes it did replace my regular cellular phone). I use my Pocket PC a lot, so this is the best of both worlds for me.

The battery life is incredible. I left my charger in the office on Friday evening. Since my PPC usually sits in the charger when I am at my desk, it was fully charged. During the weekend I:

- Listened to music for about 120
- Talked on the phone about an hour
- Left the device on the entire time to receive SMS and incomming calls
- Let a few people surf the web while at a party (about 15 minutes total)

When I got back to the office on Monday, I still had 30% of my battery left. Now that's what I call a good battery!

Since this is NYC, I'm sure that if you flash some cash to the salesman, he will sell you a device without having to create a new account. Try it - just might work.
feo
07-31-2002, 09:47 PM
So where do I order it?
Looks really cool, I would like to get one, but I could not find the ordering form.
pt
07-31-2002, 10:09 PM
Given that battery life is shorter than on cell phones, would any of you consider using this device to replace your cell phone entirely?

the pocket pc phone edition is my 100% cell phone. the battery life is amazing, much better than any color cell phone i've used..well, besides the t68, but that shouldn't count as i didn't use it as much for data since it's not really that great as a stand alone data device for what i need.

cheers,
pt
brntcrsp
07-31-2002, 10:24 PM
So where do I order it?
Looks really cool, I would like to get one, but I could not find the ordering form.

http://shop.voicestream.com/index.jsp
select your state and city, and select wireless internet devices. First on the list.

(side note - finally a ponderer...)
possmann
07-31-2002, 10:46 PM
These are pretty cool. Specs arent bad at all. Five hundred fifty bucks with a fifty dollar rebate. Not bad.

Although, no swappable battery. I wont buy one of these until someone offers one with a swappable battery. Too important for me.

It has an SD slot. But Id also like to see a CF2 slot, Bluetooth, and consumer IR integrated as well. This, along with a swappable battery would make it perfect, IMO.

KRE - you need a LOOX!
mja8105
07-31-2002, 10:59 PM
i got to play around with one of these devices and amazingly enough the battery life is great. and at $550, you can't beat that. i have an e310 and a nokia 8260, but i can't wait to replace them with one of these phones!
pt
07-31-2002, 11:34 PM
Although, no swappable battery. I wont buy one of these until someone offers one with a swappable battery. Too important for me. It has an SD slot. But Id also like to see a CF2 slot, Bluetooth, and consumer IR integrated as well. This, along with a swappable battery would make it perfect, IMO.

you can add another super-slim battery that pops on to the back, it's sweet.

as far as cf / bluetooth and consumer ir...i thought i'd need that too. but since i've used one i haven't found a real reason aside from playing with gadgets or something, but that's not what i need in a pocket pc phone on a daily basis. you can expect sd bluetooth and sd add-ons soon, so i don't think there's anything you'd be missing.
dma1965
08-01-2002, 01:45 AM
This is being sold in California under the T-Mobile banner (T-Mobile is Voicesrteam). Our office got to demo one of these units complete with full GPRS connectivity and all I can say is that it is awesome. What is even more awesome is our CEO wants to buy them to replace all of our current Cell Phones, and guess who gets to head up the support staff for them. That's right, the resident Pocket PC Geek. Me!!!! Somebody pinch me, I think I am dreaming!!! :twisted:
billb
08-01-2002, 02:05 AM
PT,

I was told by the guy at the store in Palo Alto (seemed pretty knowledgable) that the device is NOT SDIO capable. This means you won't be able to use the SD slot for anything besides memory.

Perhaps this will change via an OS update later, who knows. In any case this wasn't that important to me (jabber is good enough for now) so I bought one. I would definitely prefer a bluetooth headset but this is good enough.

-Bill
pt
08-01-2002, 02:24 AM
PT, I was told by the guy at the store in Palo Alto (seemed pretty knowledgable) that the device is NOT SDIO capable. This means you won't be able to use the SD slot for anything besides memory. Perhaps this will change via an OS update later, who knows. In any case this wasn't that important to me (jabber is good enough for now) so I bought one. I would definitely prefer a bluetooth headset but this is good enough.-Bill

yah-that might be true, but i've also heard the opposite from who i think are pretty smart cookies too. i'm being told that it's a software thing, not hardware, so i don't know what to think.

but so far, i haven't had a need for anything beside memory for my pocket pc phone. i have a bluetooth headset for my t68, it was fun for a week and then i got tired of having to charge it all the time.
pt
08-01-2002, 02:28 AM
This is being sold in California under the T-Mobile banner (T-Mobile is Voicesrteam). Our office got to demo one of these units complete with full GPRS connectivity and all I can say is that it is awesome. What is even more awesome is our CEO wants to buy them to replace all of our current Cell Phones, and guess who gets to head up the support staff for them. That's right, the resident Pocket PC Geek. Me!!!! Somebody pinch me, I think I am dreaming!!! :twisted:

if you need to deploy lots of them, check out www.spritesoftware.com and look at sprite clone.
Aly
08-01-2002, 01:41 PM
I wanna use that device in europe. this device is 900/1900.
900 should work here... the UK shop sells them "Sim unlocked"

any reasons why this SHOULDNT work?

and can a SIM hardlock be bypassed somehow?
orinoco
08-01-2002, 02:44 PM
Hi:

Anybody out there know whether ther SD slot in this phone is memory only or is it SD/IO as well (for BT and other peripherals) ?

Thanks for your help,

Fernando
Jason Dunn
08-01-2002, 03:21 PM
Anybody out there know whether ther SD slot in this phone is memory only or is it SD/IO as well (for BT and other peripherals)

I'm quite sure it's SD memory only. Remember these are cousins to the iPAQ design of a year ago...
orinoco
08-01-2002, 04:33 PM
Jason, thanks for your response. Do you (or anyone else out there) know if the SD I/O is a matter of getting a software/firmware update or is it more complex than that ?

Thanks for educating me,

Fernando
Jason Dunn
08-01-2002, 05:00 PM
Jason, thanks for your response. Do you (or anyone else out there) know if the SD I/O is a matter of getting a software/firmware update or is it more complex than that ?

I can't be 100% on this, but I believe it's a matter of physically needing the connection points on the device. I wouldn't assume on an upgrade that would fix this - buy it today for what it offers today, not what you hope it may offer in the future. :D
Madoc Owain
08-01-2002, 05:20 PM
Well, glad they're releasing the phones.. now if only my work would PAY for the monthly data fees. Sorry, that's just WAY too much money for so few bits for a regular Joe to justify spending. Guess I'll have to be happy with my Jornada 568 and Ericsson T68 phone a while longer..

M.O.
http://www.madocowain.com
orinoco
08-01-2002, 07:00 PM
Jason:

Thanks for your advice on the matter. Wow, those last words of your message "buy it today for what it offers today, not what you hope it may offer in the future." are really wise. They can be apllied to almost anything, even marriage !!! :D

Fernando[/quote]
bitbank
08-02-2002, 12:00 AM
I just ordered it from voicestream and was told it shipped with 2 day shipping (no extra cost). As soon as I get it, I will write some cool dialing applications because what it comes with is no good for when you are driving and cannot look/touch the display.

Of course I will also get all of my games working on it too ;)


Larry B.