Cell phone ideas?
 

My wife is assuming control of the Ipod to take to the gym so since MP3 players cost so much I'm thinking of just upgrading my phone to one that has a music player on it. Here is what I'm looking for:

unlocked
quad band
slide style preferred
microsd slot for use of 2gb/4gb for music
easy to use music player
can turn off the phone so I can listen to music while on an airplane
bluetooth
2+ alarms
calendar that I can link to Microsoft Outlook or similar
Less than $300

Any ideas?

ETA: Oh, it must also be pocket friendly. I can't stand the look of the cell phone holster.

There are plenty of Palm, Windows, and Blackberry phones that would fit what you're asking for.

Or, of course, you could up your budget $100, get an iPhone, and be done with it.

Have you tried anything out in person?

I've tried a few out, but really don't care for the salesman hassle. Since I don't do much texting, internet stuff, or email with it I kind of wrote off the typical crackberry/treo style. Of course they always looked bulky to me and not too pocket friendly. My boss has a Treo and that didn't seem too big for the pocket. The big thing is that I don't want to need internet/email service to update Outlook. I'd rather have a USB type of connection.

Take a look at HTC phones. I have one thru AT&T and love it. Its windows based, slides open for a qwerty keyboard and lets you listen to music even if the phone is off! Plus since its windows based, it syncs well with almost all PC's!

Are you renewing a contract or will you be buying the phone outright? That obviously makes a huge difference in price. For instance, the only HTC-made phone AT&T has right now (The Tilt) is $300 w/new or renewed contract, but $450 outright (both of those are after a $100 mail-in rebate.)

Honestly, it sounds like all you need is a freebie phone with a calendar feature, plus a cheapy MP3 player. Most of the phones that have the features you're asking for are also going to have a TON of stuff you don't want, so you'd essentially be paying for unused functionality.

PS - before my iPhone, I had an HTC phone branded by AT&T. It was the 8525, the precursor to the Tilt (and basically the same thing). While it was an awesome phone, the iPhone blows it out of the water in terms of ergonomics and functionality.

all your iphones are belong to me

O man! Those HTC phones look slick. They are a little out of my price range though in an unlocked version.

Embarassingly, I got my 8525 when they were brand new (no discounts) and paid more than $500 for it. considering that I recently got my iPhone for $400, the HTC was extremely overpriced.

My blackberry pearl can do all you have listed. It is pocket friendly. I picked up a new unlocked one for about $250 IIRC. You don't have to pay for the additional crackberry service - email, web access - just your regular cellphone service.

If you are already on AT&T's service, buying the Iphone is a waste, it only used the old GSM network for data transfer, where as the newer phones use the 3G network. So if you are using the internet or e-mailing its not worth it, where as if you are only using the wireless internet then its worth while....

As for the MP3 question, I'd just buy a simple Iriver and forget the phone. Its not worth spending 2-300 for stuff you don't really need.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11506298#post11506298 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snulma1 [/i]
[B]If you are already on AT&T's service, buying the Iphone is a waste, it only used the old GSM network for data transfer, where as the newer phones use the 3G network. So if you are using the internet or e-mailing its not worth it, where as if you are only using the wireless internet then its worth while....

As for the MP3 question, I'd just buy a simple Iriver and forget the phone. Its not worth spending 2-300 for stuff you don't really need. [/B][/QUOTE]

You've obviously never used one. ;)

The new phones use GSM too, that's how you make calls. It does use Edge vs. 3G for data but most of the time I'm near a wifi hotspot so it's moot.

I agree 100%. From airports to coffee shops, there are free wifi spots everywhere. Not to mention that the "old" Edge network isn't really THAT slow for most uses. For things like weather or maps it works just fine.

Besides, what's "good" about the iPhone has nothing to do with data transfer rates or other things you can measure via numbers. It's just a well designed device with a great interface, period. And when you're dealing with devices that pack nearly the same punch as a fullblown PC but are the size of your hand, user interface and ergonomics become EXTREMELY important. I can tell you from personal experience that the iPhone is so far ahead of Windows based phones in those areas that they're not even comparable. Like I mentioned above, I used to think that my Windows smartphone was pretty awesome, until I tried an iPhone.

I guess to each their own, I sold my iphone because I didn't like the interface, plus very few of my programs would work with it, So I went back to my 8525. But I guess everyone has their own preference.

What programs did you try to get to work with it? It has built-in interfaces for email through Yahoo, gmail, and outlook (exchange server). Plus, it has built-in contacts and calendar syncing via link to a PC (i.e. USB, bluetooth, etc) for Outlook. It talks to my Windows laptop and my Mac desktop computer perfectly. All of this was truly idiot proof, all I did was turn it on/plug it in and things just worked. I've never even opened the instruction manual for it and 100% of the functionality makes perfect sense to everyone who's ever borrowed it from me.

But you're right, to each his own. Which is why my first recommendation above was to try phones out in a store. ;)

i'm thinking about buying an iphone...as soon as it comes out on other service providers. I'd not too sure though because i'm a non conformist and kinda resistant to the whole iphone craze, and I know that a month after I buy it they are probably gonna come out with a 30 GB version. And i'm not to thrilled about all of the extra fees for if you want the weather, the traffic, the internet ect. so yeah. :-/

There are no extra fees for that stuff. If anything, the fees are less.

When I had my Windows smartphone, I had a small voice package and unlimited data. This was a standard AT&T voice package with their standard unlimited data service added on. My monthly bills were about $116.

The iPhone is sold on unique data plans, it doesn't follow the standard AT&T data rates. ALL of the available packages contain unlimited data, the only differences are the number of text messages included. So no matter what plan you get with your iPhone, you always get unlimited data, which includes all data apps on the phone - weather, maps (with live traffic updates!!!), iTunes store, email, Safari (a REAL web browser, not the ******* worthless mobile browser built into most other smartphone platforms), etc. etc.

I have the cheapest plan, which contains the same voice package I had with the Windows phone, plus unlimited data. My monthly bills are averaging $72.

So, for the exact same services, the iPhone is costing me $40 less per month. (I guess I should say "costing my employer" since they're the ones footing the bill.)

Besides getting a bigger data plan (i.e. more included txting) the only available extra I'm aware of with the iPhone is the visual voicemail feature, which I don't really see the point of. The standard voicemail is soooooooo much better than any other phone I've used that it's definitely good enough.

soo...i guess that settles it. So when is it coming out on T-mobile service?

Do iPhones have stereo bluetooth yet?

I really like our new Verizon Voyagers. It has what you're looking for, and the microSD slot accepts up to 8GB cards. It doesn't do Wi-Fi, but the EVDO network is acceptable. By the sounds of it though, you're not too worried about internet. (I do like the browser though)

[img]http://us.lge.com/download/product/image/1000003248/VOYAGER_Closed_ge_lr_l.jpg[/img]

[img]http://us.lge.com/download/product/image/1000003248/VOYAGER_Hero_L_1_ge_lr.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11507381#post11507381 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JJ21 [/i]
[B]soo...i guess that settles it. So when is it coming out on T-mobile service? [/B][/QUOTE]

It's there now - you just have to do a little "homework" first. ;)

Hmm. I have an existing plan with Cingular and I'm not due for the upgrade option yet. I'm looking for an unlocked phone because I travel the world a lot and would like the ability to use a local SIM card. I'm not too familiar with Blackberry's, but can they link to Microsoft Outlook's calendar and update through a USB cable? I spoke to all of the cell companies tonight and their data plans were around $40 extra per month which is ridiculous. Although I would like to hear more about this iPhone plan which sounds cheaper. Unfortunately, most of the phones at the cell places around here carry those crappy demo phones which don't work.

I was having problems getting all of the medical chart programs I use for work and reference programs to work. I don't think they were supported yet.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11508090#post11508090 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by uscgbeachbum [/i]
[B] I'm not too familiar with Blackberry's, but can they link to Microsoft Outlook's calendar and update through a USB cable? [/B][/QUOTE]

Yep. Thats how I transfer my outlook calender to my phone.



[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11508570#post11508570 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snulma1 [/i]
[B]I was having problems getting all of the medical chart programs I use for work and reference programs to work. I don't think they were supported yet. [/B][/QUOTE]

Very few EHR's are designed to run on anything but a computer. Over the past 10 years I've worked with/for 8 different EHR developers, none of them would support anything but a full fledged computer. There are a a few that can pull schedules/billing info over to a pda/smart phone but not any clinical data.

I just got a Motorola KRZR. That fits what he was asking about, MP3, very pocket friendly, and the 2 megapixel camera takes nice snap shots. The blue tooth makes file transfer simple, and you can use an SD card if you need more space. I carry mine in my front pants pocket and usually forget it's there.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11510595#post11510595 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wizardgus® [/i]
[B]I just got a Motorola KRZR. That fits what he was asking about, MP3, very pocket friendly, [/B][/QUOTE]

Would you still call it pocket friendly if you took it off vibrate?