11-13-2004, 08:05 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,160
|
|
AT&T Wireless Fades Into The Darkness
"Earlier this evening I stopped by the local AT&T Company Store in the mall while waiting for a movie. Much to my wife's dismay I proceeded to go in to play with the SMT5600 that I have been hearing so much about. Since I have never actually had hands on it, I decided it was about time to. That is about the time that the store Manager approached me to "assist" me with anything I needed...I asked what the future held for the phone once AT&T was completely absorbed by Cingular, he seemed surprised by my question, but I found myself more surprised by his answer. He told me that AT&T was going to stop selling the phone on the 14th of November, yes this Sunday!, and he then proceeded to tell me that AT&T will be NO MORE on the 15th (Monday)."The first thought that came to my mind is that, this can't be true. How can Cingular instruct the AT&T Wireless stores to toss out everything that says AT&T, where will all the AT&T branded phones go? Luckily I had to go to the mall myself, so I decided to step into the local AT&T store. And much to my surprise, the representative confirmed that on Sunday night they will taking down all the signs, removing all the AT&T phones from the display and restocking with Cingular literature and phones. This means that the Audiovox SMT5600 will no longer be carried in the stores. And representative had no idea what will happen to them. I am guessing that since this Smartphone does not carry the AT&T logo, it will go through a firmware upgrade and get branded as Cingular. What are your thoughts? What do you think will happen to this superb Smartphone? And what about the data plans? If we are lucky, we will be reading some formal announcements on Monday 15th November 2004. At this time, all we know is that starting Monday, Cingular wants to have no association with the name AT&T Wireless.
|
| |
|
|
|
11-13-2004, 09:04 PM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 179
|
|
I hope this is just a momentary re-align but I have a feeling it isn't. Just in time for PC Magazine's editor's choice award for the SMT5600.
I know this is an ATT thread BUT...
As a Smartphone developer I'm just completely sick of Microsoft's absolutely INCOMPETENT execution in this market. They are a joke.
They can't even get branding right which is literally Business 101.
Everyone else gets to show us their Treo or their Blackberry or their Sidekick. Not us! We get stuck with "did you see the new Dodong 5647x with Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition? It rocks!" or "My Audiovox SMT5600 from ATT Wireless now Cingular is da bomb!".
Give it a name (how about Typhoon?) and pay the carriers some money.
The features that make the phone attractive now have been there for 2 years and just needed a little tweaking to make them right. It took 2 years?!?!?!?!?!
I'll just shut up now before I say what I really feel!
|
| |
|
|
|
11-13-2004, 10:12 PM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 367
|
|
Well, I bought my SMT5600 from ATT Wireless on 10/13 and today would be the last day I have to return it.
I love my phone and don't want to give it up.
I got it for $150 and I consider it a bargain since it essentially replaces my iPaq 4150 which I now never (rarely) use.
If my phone goes the way of the do-do bird, I'll be cool with that as long as Cingular (the company I was with for nearly a decade before the purchase of this phone) gives me a) a good WM2003SE bar style phone to choose from, b) at a good price and lastly, c) a good data rate plan.
|
| |
|
|
|
11-13-2004, 10:44 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,160
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by jfreiman
Well, I bought my SMT5600 from ATT Wireless on 10/13 and today would be the last day I have to return it.
I love my phone and don't want to give it up.
|
Existing AT&T Smartphone users can continue to enjoy their phones and the plans they signed up for.
The problem I am told will come up if you want to change your plan. Then Cingular may ask you to change the SIM, and also try to sell you their phone.
The representative told me that I may be able to contact Audiovox to get the unlock code. But couldn't more details. :? I would recommend that you give it a try. |
| |
|
|
|
11-13-2004, 10:57 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,160
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by revolution.cx
As a Smartphone developer I'm just completely sick of Microsoft's absolutely INCOMPETENT execution in this market. They are a joke.
They can't even get branding right which is literally Business 101.
Everyone else gets to show us their Treo or their Blackberry or their Sidekick. Not us! We get stuck with "did you see the new Dodong 5647x with Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition? It rocks!" or "My Audiovox SMT5600 from ATT Wireless now Cingular is da bomb!".
Give it a name (how about Typhoon?) and pay the carriers some money.
|
This has been debated in the past. It is amazing how much clout the carriers have. They pretty much override the customer and manufacturer demands/features with their own requirements.
That said, I do like your idea. "Window Mobile Smartphone" is a long term. And having a simple brand name and somehow convincing the manufacturers and carriers is a cool idea.
I must add another point. All Smartphones have the "Designed for Windows Mobile" on the back of the device. ;-) That's a start. |
| |
|
|
|
11-14-2004, 01:53 AM
|
|
Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 14,942
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Kris Kumar
This has been debated in the past. It is amazing how much clout the carriers have. They pretty much override the customer and manufacturer demands/features with their own requirements.
|
Then how does T-Mobile work with Danger and make a elegant device name -- the "Sidekick"? Or how does PalmOne get to keep the name "Treo"? Or, more relevant, how does Samsung get to keep the "i600" moniker across different carriers, which if not catchy is at least simple?
My suspicion is that HTC designs the devices and then shops them to vendors and lets them brand the units any which way they see fit, since HTC is not globally known... which is sad, because HTC has done some absolutely superb work across the board, starting with the iPAQs a long time ago, and they truly deserve some recognition.
The worst, incidentally, are the HTC Pocket PC Phones. The "HTC Blue Angel", aka XDA III, aka MDA III, aka i-Mate PPC2k, etc. etc. :|
--janak |
| |
|
|
|
11-14-2004, 01:59 AM
|
|
Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 179
|
|
This is entirely off the cuff but here goes: Microsoft was able to partner with a TV network (NBC) so I think it's a matter of will as far as getting carriers on board.
Somewhere in their plan seems to be the idea that they will turn phones into a commodity hardware with their software as the OS, much like they have done with PC hardware running Windows. Unfortunately they need to be putting in a LOT more muscle to make that happen.
That model worked on the Pocket PC side because they were only up against a single competitor that made several serious mistakes (Palm).
Nokia and Sony/Ericsson and heck even Samsung must get a chuckle out of Microsoft's completely flaccid attempts at cracking the market.
The Windows Mobile branding is nice, even if it was overdue, but we still have the segmentation of Windows Mobile Smartphone and Windows Mobile Pocket PC (let's not even go into the "second edition" name). Signs are that the Windows Mobile moniker will identify one thing in the future so let's hope that's the case.
But ultimately it remains astounding that the HTC Typhoon is barely on sale in the USA. People have shown that they will fork out anywhere from $200 to $800 for a PDA. Why on earth can't the Smartphones be available in the retail/online sector just like PDAs?????
For 2 years the only way you could get an MS Smartphone was from a small importer, a website hobbyist selling them on the side or ebay. WTF?!??!!?
This would all be water under the bridge if MS Smartphones weren't the best or near the best in class.
Sorry to vent like this - yes our software could always be better but it's depressing that this market is about the size of the freakin' Newton in 1997.
PS I'm probably extra mad because I'm working on new Smartphone stuff even though it's STUPID for me to be doing so. I just love the new possibilities of this device.
|
| |
|
|
|
11-14-2004, 09:52 AM
|
|
Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 46
|
|
revolution.cx
your frustration with lack of devices and branding is entirely your own problem, saying that microsoft does not know how to do business simply because current situation does not please you is quite arrogant.
|
| |
|
|
|
11-15-2004, 02:18 AM
|
|
Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,160
|
|
Okay let's stop worrying about the branding issue. I just feel that Microsoft is a little helpless and were trying their level best to get their foot in the smart phone market. Also its just the OS, hardware is manufactured by different folks. As opposed to Treos and Sidekicks which are manufactured by one company.
Okay let's get this thread back on track. :-)
With the AT&T changing signs in the next few hours.
- SMT 5600 will be taken off the shelves. And we don't know if it will come back on the shelf. The best guess is that it will be back post rebranding or reflashing.
- MPx220 which was to be launched on AT&T wireless. I have seen flyers and dummy model at the AT&T store. But now with the transition, they will be carrying the Cingular version. But Cingular has not officially announced the launch date. Partly because of firmware issues.
So bottomline the US market which had two Smartphones till this friday, has none starting Monday. :-( MPx220 will soon be back but what about the SMT5600. I guess we will learn Monday morning or sometime this week.
|
| |
|
|
|
11-15-2004, 02:26 AM
|
|
Ponderer
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 52
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by altden2002
revolution.cx
your frustration with lack of devices and branding is entirely your own problem, saying that microsoft does not know how to do business simply because current situation does not please you is quite arrogant.
|
And stating that it is entirely his own problem and only displeases him is quite incorrect. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
Similar Threads
