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View Full Version : Time to possibly get a new cell phone?


Jacob
07-18-2003, 05:38 AM
My cell phone contract is up and I was looking at getting a new phone.

I am going to go with Verizon again and was looking at the two phones they are offering: the LG VX6000 or the Samsung SCH-A530.

Does anyone have any opinions or know of any good(bad) reviews?

It's appreciated of course :D

ECOslin
07-18-2003, 05:54 AM
I like the Hitachi G1000 that Sprint has started to offer, PDA with phone, camera and keyboard. PPC Thoughts has a nice ADlink to the sprint web site.

At the moment, I'm more into disconnecting, so I've turned off the cell phone and just rely on a digital answering machine which I check, or don't check, one time a day. My home phone is a disruptive influence already, most of my friends have no concept of time and will call me at any time of the day or night for help or to let me know of 'the coolest new thing'. And the telemarketers who still manage to get by the call blocker device.

Edward

Janak Parekh
07-18-2003, 09:27 PM
I am going to go with Verizon again and was looking at the two phones they are offering: the LG VX6000 or the Samsung SCH-A530.
The VX6000 is very new, so I haven't personally heard feedback.

As for the A530, I believe it's dual-mode, NOT tri-mode (i.e., no analog). As long as you can put up with this, I've heard it's quite good.

Neither, of course, has Bluetooth. :cry:

--janak

Jacob
07-18-2003, 09:34 PM
Yeah, they both are dual-mode and that's what's kinda making me not want either - when I go home to Toronto I like at least the ability to roam there - but I'm not sure if it's digital? Is there such a thing as digital roaming?

I'll have to inquire about that.

Janak Parekh
07-18-2003, 10:09 PM
Yeah, they both are dual-mode and that's what's kinda making me not want either - when I go home to Toronto I like at least the ability to roam there - but I'm not sure if it's digital? Is there such a thing as digital roaming?
Yes, absolutely digital roaming exists. I don't know if Verizon has digital roaming in Toronto, but I'd expect them to. Give 'em a call and ask.

--janak

Jacob
07-18-2003, 11:12 PM
I think I remember it being digital, I'll have to confirm. I know they have a deal where you can get Canada included in your calling area.

I would love to get bluetooth, but I have decided not to upgrade my PDA any time soon so don't see the need to get a bluetooth phone. I also don't have enough of a need for it to justify the expense.

The LG phone has a camera built in... but I don't know how often I'll use that either.

GoldKey
07-19-2003, 01:52 AM
And the telemarketers who still manage to get by the call blocker device.


Try this (http://www.spectrumresearchinc.com/products_sm.htm). I have been using it for 4 months now and it has been 100% effective in blocking telemarketers. I was getting 8-10 calls per week.

ECOslin
07-19-2003, 06:39 AM
I'm still using the older Telezapper, the one that has to be plugged in. The phone rings, I pick up and a light flashes on the unit that lets me know an evil telemarketer has been blocked, but only sometimes.

I have more fun telling telemarketers that I already get an employee's discount at some outrageously low sum for whatever product they offer. Its fun to hear their voices change as they figure, that, they don't have that kind of discount.

Edward

shawnc
07-19-2003, 02:28 PM
And the telemarketers who still manage to get by the call blocker device.


Try this (http://www.spectrumresearchinc.com/products_sm.htm). I have been using it for 4 months now and it has been 100% effective in blocking telemarketers. I was getting 8-10 calls per week.

Goldkey,

You are the man. I'm on my way to the store right now.

Janak Parekh
07-19-2003, 07:31 PM
Don't forget www.donotcall.gov -- that should work extremely well when it goes into effect.

That said, cell phone pricing has become so cheap nowadays (especially Cingular and T-Mobile) that you can just view the lack of telemarketing as a perk.

--janak

ECOslin
07-20-2003, 04:48 AM
I've signed up for Donotcall.gov, but now there are news reports saying some folks are mining the database already.

Con Artists See Gold in Do-Not-Call Registry
New York Times - 2 hours ago
... spam e-mail. It is warning consumers that it does not allow private
companies or other third parties to register anyone. "Web sites ...

I don't know about it working well since the list doesn't block overly aggressive charities or organizations such as banks or telephone companies that you do business with.

Edward

Janak Parekh
07-20-2003, 04:50 AM
I've signed up for Donotcall.gov, but now there are news reports saying some folks are mining the database already.
Reread the article (http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/20/business/20PDIG.html?ex=1059278400&en=a7d3ee6e76440344&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE). It doesn't seem like it's been mined, but rather, con artists are making faux "Do Not Call" spam emails and telephone calls.

I don't know about it working well since the list doesn't block overly aggressive charities or organizations such as banks or telephone companies that you do business with.
The idea is that it's just another tool in a toolbox of avoiding marketers. Various state-level do-not-call registries have worked very well until this federally-consolidated version.

--janak

ECOslin
07-21-2003, 03:40 AM
Ok, maybe they aren't mining the list. I had thought somewhere that I had read that companies were mining the lists and using them for more junk mail. I figure that any list of names is a potential telemarketer/sales list.

Edward

Janak Parekh
07-21-2003, 04:27 AM
Ok, maybe they aren't mining the list. I had thought somewhere that I had read that companies were mining the lists and using them for more junk mail. I figure that any list of names is a potential telemarketer/sales list.
Except, this would be the very list you don't want to mine -- if they call any of the people on this list, they're subject to very heavy penalties. Unless international calling becomes cheap and the list were to be hacked, I don't see this as a problem. :)

--janak