Smart Phone Recommendations

I'm thinking about getting a Smart Phone. Primarily I'm interested in one for internet access. PDA functions are not a big deal to me. I'd like an iPhone but I think I'll wait until the second of third generation comes out. It must have Bluetooth as well.

I'd like something easy to use for web surfing and it must be available from AT&T as I'm not going to switch carriers.

Cheap options for me include the following.

Blackberry Pearl

Samsung Blackjack

Palm Treo 750

Palm Treo 680

Blackberry 7290

Motorola Q Global

Pantech C810 Duo

Palm Treo 650

Blackberry 8310 Curve

Samsung Blackjack II

Get a motorola Razor v3xx with unlimited internet and a notebook. You can use the razor as a modem. The 3G version I have gets about 480K/sec sometimes higher. Don't get any EDGE only devices. EDGE is slower then dialup for internet access.

No need for a modem and the Razr doesn't have a QWERTY keyboard.

I've got a 1st generation Blackjack and I'm quite happy with it. I use it as a phone, MP3 player, web browser and for remote email access. Call quality is good, it's got a great speakerphone, and battery life is good for a smartphone. It runs Windows Mobile, so there are plenty of applications out there for whatever you want. FWIW, I know of two other people who have bought a Blackjack after playing with my phone for a little while.

My wife has a Palm Treo 750, which we bought at the same time as my Blackjack. If you're looking for a phone that doubles as an organizer/datebook/PDA device, this is probably a better unit (better calendar application than the Blackjack, allows editing of Excel and Word files instead of just viewing them like the Blackjack), but it's almost twice as thick and twice the weight of my Blackjack. This is a better PDA... but it's noticeably bulky. If you're just looking for a phone, MP3 player, and web browser I'd recommend the Blackjack.

I'd skip the lesser Palms, as they use a Palm OS (the 750 runs Windows Mobile), so they have limited applications and aren't very scalable. Ditto a Blackberry. They're great business phones, but same proprietary OS issues as the lower level Palms. If you want to get your email in real time in Kazakhstan, get a Blackberry. If you want to surf the web in Denton (or from the top of a coal mine in Kentucky like I did last month :wink:), get a Blackjack.

I like my Nokia E61i smartphone.

The only problem is you won't be able to find the i version from AT&T - it has the 802.11b built-in and AT&T doesn't really want that on their network. They want the data revenue. ;) I got it through work as that is one of the 3 models they standardized on.

The nice part is that I can run an IP telephony client on it and have it act as a cordless extention to my desk phone while in the office.

I would not recommend the Pearl. I used to have one, and the trackball fell out on me twice. The clip that holds the ball in is rather weak. I fixed it the first time, then the 2nd time it happened, I just got rid of it.

Also the clip that holds in the SIM card is weak. Every time I would drop it, I would get a "SIM Card not found" error. At that point, I had to turn off the phone, remove the back, remove the battery, remove the SIM card, and put it back in and secure the clip.

Everything else about the phone was great. The interface was great, the features were great, and the auto predict text was great. It was just fragile.

Another one to consider:

AT&T Tilt

Full QWERTY keyboard, Windows Mobile 6, 3G cellular support, Wi-fi, etc,etc...

I have the predecessor to this phone (Cingular 8125) and I really like it...

Just get an iPhone. It's much more refined than anything else out there. And the web browser is 10x better than the next best on the ladder.

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Originally Posted by tailchaser

Just get an iPhone. It's much more refined than anything else out there. And the web browser is 10x better than the next best on the ladder.

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Except it doesn't have 3G so everything takes 5 mins to load, the web browser however is excellent on a wifi network. I was thinking about the Tilt but it's pretty bulky. It does have all the good features though (3.6 mpbs HSPDA, Wifi, touch screen, WM6 etc). But I'll probably hold out for the 3G/Navi Iphone this summer.

I'm using a 1st gen Blackjack, it works just fine and the best part is that you can tether it to your laptop via USB or bluetooth and use it as a modem. I actually found my 93LE on autotrader while in the middle of the desert between LA and Vegas using it as a modem with my laptop.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tailchaser

Just get an iPhone. It's much more refined than anything else out there. And the web browser is 10x better than the next best on the ladder.

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My buddy got an iPhone for Xmas, and while it's cute and fun to play with, I couldn't see using one every day as a practical device for making phone calls. Granted, the browser is badass, and the connection speed was always top flight, but I challenge you to dial a new number on the fly, in the car, while shifting gears, with nothing but that goddamn touchscreen. Reminds me of my mom's old Buick Reatta, with it's "cutting edge" CRT touchscreen controls...
::Rant::

Work just sent out BlackBerry Curve, I guess it is nice and the e mail is good and I like having a real keyboard but as for the phone part of the phone, my friends say my razor is better and the BB is terrible to hear me...The speaker phone on the BB seems better for me to hear with than the one on my razor. And my boss expects us to use yahoo maps instead of the gps loaded in the BB. due to the cost. just my .02.
zig

So which one did you pick?

Haven't yet. I'm in no hurry and may just keep my Razr until the 2G iPhone comes out.