Buy an unlocked Pocket PC Phone Edition

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.handheldcanada.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&amp;Store_Code=H&amp;Product_Code=MS0054&amp;Category_Code=PH&amp;Affilitate=ppcthoughts">http://www.handheldcanada.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&amp;Store_Code=H&amp;Product_Code=MS0054&amp;Category_Code=PH&amp;Affilitate=ppcthoughts</a><br /><br />Ladies and gentlemen, the moment that some of you have been waiting for: HandHeld Canada will be selling an unlocked version of the T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, which means you can use it on any GPRS network, including Fido right here in Canada (or another network in the US). Excellent! The price is set at $999 CND (@ $636 US), which isn't exactly cheap, but this is the first step in the future of Pocket PC evolution and I for one am truly enjoying mine. You'll probably want to pick up an SD card as well to compensate for the 32 MB of internal RAM.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.handheldcanada.com/Merchant2/graphics/TMobile/ppcPhone.gif" /><br /><br />The above link is an affiliate link.

[entropy1980]

ok how do I convince my Fiance that I need this..... I just bought a T68 for use with my Cingular account, however I am dying to get my hands on one of these!!!

[squeeze]

Do what I do...Give her the T68. That what I do...and my wife has finally converted. Or if your T68 is on Voicestream...I'll buy it...I have the Phone Edition also, but when I go out and "rough it" (i.e. beach, camping, clubbing) I want to pop in the SIM and I'll be ready to go...

[Hank Scorpio]

Hey Jason, do you have yours working witht he GPRS yet? I want one of these babys too, but the $1150 is a pretty big chunk of cake. I'm dying to find out about the new Ipaq 2200's and 5000's, I'm scared that it'll come out the week after I buy the XDA and it'll be exactly what I want.... when are those new models gonna show up? the only concernes I have with the XDA is the non-sdio sd slot and the 12 bit screen, I have an ipaq 3630 and I like my movies on the 16 bit screen better than the 12 bit screen. Also, I have an account with Rogers AT&T can I slip my sim card into it, and away I go, witht the GPRS service enabled? Or is there gonna be another crazy thing to get in my way?

[Hank Scorpio]

Does anyone have a coupon code for Handheld Canada, Just thought I'd ask to see if I missed any deals or something? I think I'm gonna get his baby, but any kinda cost reduction would be good.

[Birdman]

I too am leaning towards getting one of these babies. I still use my 3635 which I bought a year and a half ago and while I am on my third one (warranty exchanges, Compaq Canada has been very good to me) I do feel it is time to move up. I was thinking about the 39xx series but being someone who uses my phone 20% of the time and my pda 80% of the time, this looks like the perfect thing for me.

I sent an email to Rogers about a week ago asking them if they are planning on carrying PocketPCPhone (I would hate to buy it and then a week later find out Rogers or Fido will be selling them for $200 less with a service contract) or if I could use their SIM card in it and I have yet to hear back from them.

Let me know if you hear anything.

[Paragon]

Ok Jason.....This is your fault! I ordered one. You have been saying so many good things about it I had to go for it. I had my heart set on an HP928, but unless I move in with Marlof I'm not likely to ever get one :D

I guess I should cancel the orders I have for the Loox and the Toshiba e550g. Or I could become the 'Apprentice O'Mayhem' :)

Birdman

You can use it on Rogers. If you already have a GSM phone you can take the sim card out of that and use it. If not you get one with a new account. If you don't already have a GSM package you will have to get one on top of your voice package.

Dave

[Master O'Mayhem]

Ok Jason.....This is your fault! I ordered one. You have been saying so many good things about it I had to go for it. I had my heart set on an HP928, but unless I move in with Marlof I'm not likely to ever get one :D

I guess I should cancel the orders I have for the Loox and the Toshiba e550g. Or I could become the 'Apprentice O'Mayhem' :)

Birdman

You can use it on Rogers. If you already have a GSM phone you can take the sim card out of that and use it. If not you get one with a new account. If you don't already have a GSM package you will have to get one on top of your voice package.

Dave

Dave,

You are correct going after this device rather the 928 (besides Marlof likes it. And thats just says everything :) ) .. Its a great device, I recommend it. I have officially stashed my 3970 in my drawer. I have another one on its way and that one is slated for a 128mb upgrade and maybe some other changes more to come on that, As for me e550g, i smashed the touchscreen :( yuck so that is on the disabled list. I will have the eb case soon (Wed) and will be able to compare the pielframa and ebcase. I am really the apprentice, you guys are the one i bow to, :)

[Paragon]

Thanks for the reassurance Andrew!

I'm leaving for Scotland tomorrow so I'm hoping it will be hear when I get back.

Dave

BTW how did you break the screen on the Toshiba?

Dave

[st63z]

You know, $636 unlocked isn't that bad when you consider T-Mobile sells it for $550 - $50 rebate. The T68i is $500+ when you buy outside, but only $200 from ATT Wireless (some long-time customers even get it cheaper than that).

[Hooch]

I've had mine for about one week now, and you won't regret it if you buy one. The 32 Mb RAM is a bummer, but not a show-stopper (just got a 128 Mb SD card). What I don't understand is how this things gets sooo much more battery life than my iPaq? My vaunted 3835 is just gathering dust in my nightstand. I thought I'd hold onto it for more rigorous work, but the T-Mobile PPC handles just about anything. I wouldn't get it if you want wireless internet access; as others have indicated, its slow and pricey.

[Birdman]

I know that GPRS is really pricey and in the best case, not much faster, if at all, than a 56k flash modem, but could you not just subscribe to a voice plan and use your minutes to "dial" your PocketPCPhone into your ISP (or corporate RAS) and sync your email, AvantGo etc, that way? I guess that would be really slow but for just getting email and some limited AvantGo content, it would be like a wireless modem and you wouldn't have the extra expense of the GPRS service? (Does that make any sense)?

[Hooch]

I know that GPRS is really pricey and in the best case, not much faster, if at all, than a 56k flash modem, but could you not just subscribe to a voice plan and use your minutes to "dial" your PocketPCPhone into your ISP (or corporate RAS) and sync your email, AvantGo etc, that way? I guess that would be really slow but for just getting email and some limited AvantGo content, it would be like a wireless modem and you wouldn't have the extra expense of the GPRS service? (Does that make any sense)?

It's a nice thought, but as far as I know, it doesn't work (according to a Voicestream support person). Voicestream makes a distinction between GSM voice and GSM data transmission. You have to select a separate GSM data option/plan. I found this out when I tried to configure a WAP connection over GSM. The Voicestream tech support guy helped my configure the device, but it wouldn't work. He assumed I had a GSM data option.

[CoffeeKid]

Not bad, but can you hook it up to a notebook computer to access the GPRS feed on the notebook while mobile?

Until a PPC can do that, I ain't buyin'. And I got the bucks waiting to be spent... hrmm, I may just drop it (and a whalla more dough) on a Thinkpad X24...

Mark

[marlof]

You are correct going after this device rather the 928 (besides Marlof likes it. And thats just says everything :)

I like it, but I'm sure I'd like the XDA / T-Mobile just as much. All devices have their flaws so far, but both the XDA / T-Mobile and the 928 have some serious strong points too. In the XDA I particularly like the battery life, and the size. It's a great device!

[Aly]

any reasons this device might not work in europe`? it support GSM900, right?