Why I chose to carry the Cingular 2125 over the Cingular 8125 PPC...

[mbranscum]

I recently bought a Cingular 2125 smartphone. Shortly thereafter I purchased a Cingular 8125 PPC. I have been using both over the past 2 weeks and here's what I've found. I am not trying to bash PPC's. I have been a long time user of an HP2215 and coninue to use one in my profession. What I am talking about is a device to carry day in and day out.

The big thing that pulled me back to a smartphone was the dedicated keypad. My wife likes to send text messages and I have to send a few during the day. It is just down-right inconvenient to sent a text on a ppc any way you cut it...it takes 2 hands. I do a lot of operations in my car while I'm driving. Yes this is unsafe but it's reality. I found I was getting pretty good at driving with my leg when I was using the 8125 ppc. When using the 2125 I could do the same things easily with one had while driving...things like surfing the net and texting.

I also make a lot of phone calls during the day. After trying to dial on the ppc touch screen a few times I was getting frustrated. The keypad is so much easiter on the 2125.

There are several things the ppc does well but for me...as an everyday phone..the smartphone is a better fit. Plus there is literally almost nothing I can do on a ppc that can't be done on a smartphone now...thanks to all the great software out there. :D

I feel as time goes on the smartphone will get even more functional. :)

[edgar]

...

The big thing that pulled me back to a smartphone was the dedicated keypad. My wife likes to send text messages and I have to send a few during the day. It is just down-right inconvenient to sent a text on a ppc any way you cut it...it takes 2 hands. I do a lot of operations in my car while I'm driving. Yes this is unsafe but it's reality. I found I was getting pretty good at driving with my leg when I was using the 8125 ppc. When using the 2125 I could do the same things easily with one had while driving...things like surfing the net and texting.
....
I feel as time goes on the smartphone will get even more functional.

[/flameon]I can only hope you are not in Northern California or Washington DC. Both will fine you $500 if your caught doing that. Not to mention people like me giving you the "salute" - the reality is, thats very dangerous. What is so damn important that you have to browse and text while driving - AARGH! I finding calling the person much easier and faster than texting while I drive.

In Washington DC I saw a fatal crash caused by a driver that inadvertantly swerved into the left lane on the beltway - the driver's claim was she was answering a blackberry message (not very different from what you do). She ended causing the car in the left lane to swerve into the Jersey wall, the driver was killed. The beltway was closed for 5 hrs - thus causing nearly 200,000 people trouble and inconvience. The blackberry woman lost her license for life and has a involuntary vehicular manslaughter on her record for life as well. This is an extreme case, but makes the point. When in the car, drive, just drive, and keep all of us safer. [/flameoff]


Otherwise, I cant stand trying to text with T9. I much rather have a messenger style phone than ever try to text with a cell. Don't get me wrong, I love my Smartphone, would never go back to a regular or a non smartphone. But each product has its niche and I use both my 4700 and my SP in tandem and separate constantly - except when driving -then it becomes a handsfree cell phone, and thats it (unless my wife grabs it and uses it while riding).

I too find myself grabbing my PPC les and less when just running out for a bit. The newest Smartphones are getting so good at being multi use objects - but I never see it replacing a laptop nor a powerful PPC.

-Edgar

[mbranscum]

[/flameon]I can only hope you are not in Northern California or Washington DC. Both will fine you $500 if your caught doing that. Not to mention people like me giving you the "salute" - the reality is, thats very dangerous. What is so damn important that you have to browse and text while driving - AARGH! I finding calling the person much easier and faster than texting while I drive.

In Washington DC I saw a fatal crash caused by a driver that inadvertantly swerved into the left lane on the beltway - the driver's claim was she was answering a blackberry message (not very different from what you do). She ended causing the car in the left lane to swerve into the Jersey wall, the driver was killed. The beltway was closed for 5 hrs - thus causing nearly 200,000 people trouble and inconvience. The blackberry woman lost her license for life and has a involuntary vehicular manslaughter on her record for life as well. This is an extreme case, but makes the point. When in the car, drive, just drive, and keep all of us safer. [/flameoff]


Well, as a former patrolman and a current detective with a large municipality, I couldn't agree with you more! :) It is dangerous. In Arkansas we have no state laws, yet, regarding use of cell phones. However, many things people do in vehicles is just as dangerous such as eating, adjusting the radio, putting on makeup, a pet in the car, etc.

All of our patrol cars have laptop computers in them. Patrolman are constantly typing while they drive sending messages, running license plate numbers and other things.

Although it is very distracting, it is a sign of the times we live in! In a recently published study, experts found that talking on a headset (handsfree) was just as dangerous as talking on the main handset. They're finding that it isn't what you hands are doing as much as where your head is at that time your doing it. :wink:

[edgar]

I wont disagree on the use of the handsfree cell phone. But at least your eyes are on the road.

I'll give wide berth to the police from now on.

And both DC and San Francisco's laws are "distraction" laws. That is, they specifically require handsfree use, but they also allow for fines for distracted driving such as eating, makeup, etc. So the patrolman has the discretion to fine someone for distracted driving because they are eating a burrito while waving their other hand to the music, etc.

Its a good law, both these areas are so congested anything but focused driving is putting your life on the line. Especially DC.

-Edgar_

[Mike Temporale]

There are several things the ppc does well but for me...as an everyday phone..the smartphone is a better fit. Plus there is literally almost nothing I can do on a ppc that can't be done on a smartphone now...thanks to all the great software out there. :D

I feel as time goes on the smartphone will get even more functional. :)

I couldn't agree more. I haven't touched my PPC since the start of September (2005) and I have no plans to touch it. Well, I should list it on eBay, but that doesn't count. ;)

The Smartphone is a better size, and easier to use one handed. If I need to use 2 hands, I might as well pull my laptop out and pound out a message on it.

Windows Mobile Smartphone - Doing It One Handed :lol:

[Islanti]

I love the form factor of my Smartphone. Small enough to carry around with me everywhere. OTOH, I love my hx4700's screen real estate. I don't carry it with me everywhere, though. When I want to do more web browsing, the two work together... I use the hx4700 as the UI and my T-mobile US SDA as the Bluetooth modem for EDGE support. For me they're both very useful in their own right, and work very well together.

I considered replacing both with the T-Mobile US MDA. I'm glad I didn't. Giving up the slimmer SP form factor for an all-in-one device with a lesser screen wouldn't have made me happy. The SP applications are getting better and more powerful, although I'd still like MS to step their efforts up in this area.

The future of the SP platform seems very good. The Pocket PCs are being squeezed from both sides... UMPC on one end, and more and more powerful SP devices on the other. HP has pulled out of "non-converged" devices. We will see non-phone PPCs go the way of the old clamshel / mini-notebook Handheld PCs in the next few years.

[xultar]

There are several things the ppc does well but for me...as an everyday phone..the smartphone is a better fit. Plus there is literally almost nothing I can do on a ppc that can't be done on a smartphone now...thanks to all the great software out there. :D

I feel as time goes on the smartphone will get even more functional. :)

I couldn't agree more. I haven't touched my PPC since the start of September (2005) and I have no plans to touch it. Well, I should list it on eBay, but that doesn't count. ;)

The Smartphone is a better size, and easier to use one handed. If I need to use 2 hands, I might as well pull my laptop out and pound out a message on it.

Windows Mobile Smartphone - Doing It One Handed :lol:

Size matters. I can keep my 2125 with me all the time. I can't keep my PPC with me all the time. Too Big! I love the smartphone form factor.

[Evil_Robot]

My 2125 replaced an old Palm Tungsten and my old Sony phone... I couldn't be happier with the small size. I find I do NOT miss the stylus input of the Palm unit. Now the only problem is finding quality freeware applications...for some reason there's not too much to choose from out there for smartphones yet.

[Jerry Raia]

I carry both. :mrgreen:

[sojourner753]

I carry both. :mrgreen:

Thats interesting. How do you work both devices into your daily routine.

I'm currently waiting on my 2125 by the way. :clap:

[Jerry Raia]

Basically I use the 2125 as a phone and the 8125 as a PDA :)

[sojourner753]

Basically I use the 2125 as a phone and the 8125 as a PDA :)

Interesting. I suppose it has an appeal even as a stand alone PDA with its built in keyboard.

If it were unlocked I could use it as a connected PDA since I have a T-Mobile SIM card laying around. Data only plan.

[Jerry Raia]

Well I do use the 8125 with an unlimited data plan, not just as a PDA with no connectivity.

[ditch_azeroth]

for an 'ordinary' bloke like me, a smartphone does the job. somebody offered to straight-swap my sp5m with a jasjar - very tempting, but i didnt. smartphones may be humbled by PPCs in terms of specs and features, but windows mobile smartphone users are a breed of its own. me and my tornado are going places ^_^

[sojourner753]

I'm a great fan of my 2125,

Its in text entry that it falls short. My smartphone is used for read access to my calendar, contacts, and email. Anything else I use my PDA.