Looking to convert to Smartphone

[psohl]

Well hello everyone. I'm looking to convert to a smartphone and hope to get some good advice. I'm in Toronto and have a 'regular' phone with Rogers. I'd like to replace it and my PPC with a smartphone. Rogers only carry the audiovox 5600. Where can I find a WM5 Phone with QVGA? I'm liking the styling of the cingular 2125, would that phone work here on the Rogers network? What are my options, any help would be appreciated.

[Mike Temporale]

Hi, welcome to the site!

I'm looking to convert to a smartphone and hope to get some good advice. I'm in Toronto and have a 'regular' phone with Rogers. I'd like to replace it and my PPC with a smartphone.

There are a number of differences between the Pocket PC and the Smartphone. I don't know if you're aware of this or not. But it's worth a mention.

Rogers only carry the audiovox 5600.

Right, Unfortunately there is no indication from Audiovox or Rogers about plans to upgrade the phone. The 5600 is a great phone, just doesn't run Windows Mobile 5. :(

Where can I find a WM5 Phone with QVGA?

Expansys is one place - http://www.expansys.ca That's where I got mine from. Note: UK plug just means that the power adapter has a UK end to it. Expansys provided a convertor in the box when I ordered mine.

I'm liking the styling of the cingular 2125, would that phone work here on the Rogers network?

This is a loaded question. Yes the phone would work here, but it is locked to the Cingular network. So it won't work with your Rogers SIM in it. There are places out there that will unlock the device - I don't know if they support the 2125 yet. If you want to use a Cingular 2125 on the Rogers network, you'll need to find an unlocked phone, or a place that will unlock that phone. Right now, I don't think it exists.

What are my options, any help would be appreciated.

You're best option is to get an unlocked Smartphone from eBay or a 3rd party reseller like Expansys. Make sure that the phone you buy is GSM and uses the North American frequencies. Tri-band GSM is good (like the 5600) Quad-band is better (like the SP5m) Quad band means it would work in the UK if you ever happen to travel over there.

Do you have any requirements on the phone? Clam-Shell? BlueTooth?etc...

[psohl]

Thanks for the reply, Mike.

I'm very familiar with PPC, but have never used WM Smartphone. What I'm hoping to get out of it are the following:

- one device usage (I'm sick of looking up contacts on my PPC and dialing on my regular phone)
- one handed usage (the phone needs to fit comfortably and secure into the hand while using the keypad and navigation buttons. I've tried the audiovox 6600 with built in keyboard and don't consider that to be a one handed operation)
- Email (This phone is for buisness usage and I want to recieve and reply to email on the go - but just locally, I'm on the road about 1/3 of the week)
- Bluetooth (I'm expecting to get the thinkoutside bluetooth keyboard to hammer out those emails - BT headset as well to get rid of all those wires in the car)
- QVGA (Am I right to assume these phones will have the same resolution as PPC and so text, documents, programs, etc.. will look the same as they do on PPC?)
- Document viewing (I realize that the editing and document creation capabilities are not there as on PPC - but that's not important to me. I recieve alot of email attachments in the form of Word Doc's and PDF's and would like to have a look at them as a frame of reference when reading the email)
- Voice dialing (I'll have to admit alot of my calls are from the car)
- WiFi is not really that important, I just haven't come across that many hotspots in my travels (but brings up a point - I don't think Rogers has an unlimited data plan. Arre there any options for this here in Ontario?)
- Externally accessable storage card?
- Swivel belt clip & leather case / Dashboard mount (I had Rogers install a "pro-fit" dashboard mount for my old Nokia to 'click' into - absolutely love it to this day. Its one of those important things that has nothing to do with the phones functionality, but being able to click your phone into place in the car without even looking is huge to the whole experience isn't it?)

What did I miss? I assume the lower processor speeds are adequate for these phones? I know I have alot of points and have many questions, but truth is I'll probably keep this phone another 5 years and want to make the best choice.

Gotta go, the wife says I'm "obsessed"...

[Mike Temporale]

I'm very familiar with PPC, but have never used WM Smartphone.

Well, Smartphones don't have a touch screen and chances are high that your existing software will not run on a Smartphone. These are some of the most common questions or misconceptions about Smartphones that I see.



What I'm hoping to get out of it are the following: ...

- QVGA (Am I right to assume these phones will have the same resolution as PPC and so text, documents, programs, etc.. will look the same as they do on PPC?)

Pocket PC is up to VGA. So this is the resolution from the pre-VGA Pocket PCs. The image is really nice and sharp becuase the screen is so small.

- Document viewing (I realize that the editing and document creation capabilities are not there as on PPC - but that's not important to me. I recieve alot of email attachments in the form of Word Doc's and PDF's and would like to have a look at them as a frame of reference when reading the email)

You'll need to buy a third party tool for this, since the Smartphone doesn't hav a built-in tools. And the ones that are available are for not editing.

- Externally accessable storage card?

Good luck with that one ;). They haven't released a device with external SD adatper in ages. Almost all the phones on the market now, are miniSD and have the card under the battery.

What did I miss? I assume the lower processor speeds are adequate for these phones? I know I have alot of points and have many questions,

The processor is just fine for the majority of what you, and most others, need to do.