vB Easy Archive - I think I'm going to return the SMT5600.

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I think I'm going to return the SMT5600.
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Posted by: mickylaren

It's nice having my calendar, but I don't like the whole calendar-phone hybrid. It's too difficult to use, and it doesn't seem to do the "phone" part very well.

Posted by: nausea

Its a lot more than a 'calender phone'
Do you have uses for its other features? Camera, Bluetooth, numerous games and apps, movies, music, email, internet, etc...

Posted by: mickylaren

See - that's my problem. I should have figured that out before buying it, but I don't need anything other than bluetooth and a calendar.

Posted by: chuckknight

Precisely. While there is a calendar application, the SMT5600 is more akin to a Windows laptop, in my opinion.

The thing is positively amazing! Some people find small flaws with it, like the small buttons, or the fact that it's a candy bar phone instead of a flip phone...but it's a solid, rugged, well designed smartphone which "just works" very reliably.

However, if you don't use the additional functionality, then you should definitely look for a better match for your needs. After all, why spend all that money on something you don't need or even want?

Do not take this as a slam at you...Popular Mechanics did a torture test of the "free with activation" Nokias. Their conclusion was that they're an amazing piece of technology...long battery life, rugged beyond belief (including running it over and dunking it in chlorine laden pool water with no deliterious effects) and just a wonderful all-around phone.

Hard to argue with a review like that.

-- Chuck Knight

Posted by: iJITSU

If you don't need a smartphone, then I'd recommend a Nokia as well. Their basic phones are very good. Series 40 phones, even though not smartphones, have decent calendars, great contacts (you can input several numbers, emails, mailing address, and notes) and of course being a Nokia the actual phone functionality is good.

Posted by: TinmaN

I've owned 2 nokias in my life and both were amazing, not a problem with either one and quality was great. One of them (8390) I've had through the washing machine and dryer and still works perfect.

I miss that about the phones, I own a MPX220 now and I'm trying to be so careful about it, with the nokias, I'd just throw them around and not worry about it at all.

Posted by: mobilegruven

Yup, these smartPhones are way more than just a phone! I agree with chuckknight - it is basically a windows laptop.... difference is the form factor; no qwerty keyboard and basically a pinhole for a monitor. The trade off is you can carry it in your pocket and make and get calls on it. The bonus is you can surf the web, take pictures and videos, send/receive email, watch a DVD and pick one up for $150 bucks from Cingular all with a device that easily fits in your shirt pocket or hangs from your belt.

The predictive text entry is amazing once you get use to it, so the lack of a full keyboard means you probably don’t want to write your next novel on it, or even long emails. But short emails, entering in appointments while you are standing at the dentist receptionist’s desk, etc is a breeze once you’ve invested the time to learn T9 (smt5600) or iTap (MPx220).

Most recently, I've been digging my new found smy-Pod. Take a SMT5600 with WMP10 add a 1gig miniSD(~$80) and yahoo for $5/month (if you sign up for a year) and you get an iPod that stops playing automatically when a call comes in, fits in my pocket and is the only device I need to carry. Typically, I have about 20 albums on it at a time.

The SMT5600 actually sounds pretty good if you just sit it on a desk; not loud, not HiFi, but decent. Use the included stereo ear buds and you get really good sound with ear protecting volume. (not to mention the ability to take/make phone calls handsfree)

Too bad the MPx220 doesn't come with WMP10 w/o having to hack in a ROM from China. I can’t wait to see the next round of devices with Windows Mobile 2005. For me, the SMT5600 doesn't do enough (I want a bluetooth stack that supports stereo headsets (A2DP profile))

Enjoy,
geo