vB Easy Archive - Need a new phone. Advice needed.

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Need a new phone. Advice needed.
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Posted by: mtbaird5687

Hi everyone, i need a new phone. I currently have a nokia ngage qd and i love that its a smart phone but i hate the size. I've been looking at a Smt5600 recently cause a friend has it and ive fallen in love.

Before i buy though, i wanna see if there is soemthing better out there for me. I could probably do what i want with a normal phone but i love the flexibility of having a smart phone.

I will primarily use the phone for just talking on and sending text messages to friends. I want something smallish, around the Smt5600's size or smaller if thats possible. ALso id like a camera on it if that works out. Ill be using my At&t sim card in the phone so it has to work for that.

SOOOO is the Smt5600 right for me of do yall know one thats better? If i just pop my at&t sim card into the phone when i get it will it work right away for me? Thanks

Posted by: chuckknight

I have an SMT5600 and love it. However, the "next generation" smartphone is due out in October, on the Cingular network. Considering how close it is, you might be able to either get a great deal on "last year's model" or even on the new one. I'd hold off for a couple of weeks.

The SMT5600 is manufactured by a company called HTC. Glance around this forum, and you'll see what the new phones should look like.

-- Chuck Knight

Posted by: exchguy

If you are looking at the SMT5600, I'd wait until later next month for the replacement (HTC Tornado) that will have WM 5.0, possibly Wifi, EDGE data, 1.3 MP Camera, etc. No point in spending the money when the new device next month will be much better than the current offering.

You will likely need to switch to an Orange (Cingular) SIM and Plan. No devices being sold now will take an ATTWS SIM (unless its an unlocked device). This is Cingulars way of doing away with the old ATTWS Blue plans.

Posted by: mtbaird5687

Aight ill plan on waiting then, how much will the Tornado cost you think?

Also about the SIM. I'm on a family plan contract with my family. Does this mean ill never be able to use one of the phoens i want withought ditching the plan i have now? Cause i cant do that.

What solutions do i have

Posted by: rosullivan04

The SMT5600 is great and all but be aware of two issues it has:
1) It is crippled with the Cingular firmware - no network select workaround right now
2) It is bleeding slow compared to the MPx220
I don't know if you need network select in your area... in my area it is very very nice to have. Also, to most people the speed problem isn't a big deal.

Posted by: exchguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbaird5687

Aight ill plan on waiting then, how much will the Tornado cost you think?

Also about the SIM. I'm on a family plan contract with my family. Does this mean ill never be able to use one of the phoens i want withought ditching the plan i have now? Cause i cant do that.

What solutions do i have

From what I understand, if anyone on a Blue (ATTWS) family plan gets a Cingular phone you'd have to switch everyone on a family plan over to Cingular (Orange). They are obviously only supporting existing ATTWS customers on their current plans, once your contract is up or you make a change you have to go to Orange plan.

That is my understanding, but you might want to ask someone in the Cingular forum to be sure.

Posted by: rip

The newest, imate SP5 and 5m have been announced, i think you should wait for those.

Article

Posted by: Omega2008

Haha first time seeing you in here

Posted by: rip

I'm looking at smartphones because those PPC devices just don't have adequate battery life as yet...and now these smartphones have even better specs than before, my next phone will be this imate.

I'm always in here, just haven't posted anything till now

Posted by: mtbaird5687

so basically i cant sue the smt or imate with my AT&T? Great

any other phones that will take my at&t sim card?

Posted by: rip

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbaird5687

so basically i cant sue the smt or imate with my AT&T? Great

any other phones that will take my at&t sim card?

No you can use your sim in an unlocked version. they're just telling you be wary of the Cingular branded version where the settings from Cingular are locked in and there's no way of adding your ATT settings on it.

...but yes, if you get a fully unlocked version...say fromExspansys US, your sim will work, just make sure it's NOT a Cingular branded 5600.

Posted by: Omega2008

Or you can unlock it yourself with the Free unlock utility that was posted a while ago. Do a search for Free SMT 5600 lock or something of the sort. After you unlock it you can enter the data settings for ATT in Start, Settings, Data Connections, Menu, Edit Connections.

Posted by: Omega2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by rip

I'm looking at smartphones because those PPC devices just don't have adequate battery life as yet...and now these smartphones have even better specs than before, my next phone will be this imate.

I'm always in here, just haven't posted anything till now

That is the phone I am waiting for too. Can't wait to get it and hack it! lol

Posted by: mtbaird5687

aight sounds good with the unlock thing.

if im thinking about the new imate yall said i should wait, but will i have trouble with my AT&T card in that too? Will there be a workaround for that?

Posted by: Omega2008

No work around. If the device is SIM locked to a specfic carrier than only a SIM from that carrier will work in that device. I doubt if Cingular carries this device that they will offer it to the ATT wireless side...but don't quote me on that.

Posted by: chuckknight

Undoubtedly, in time, there will be an unlocking tool for the new phone. It took a little while, but there is a free unlocking tool for the SMT5600...it'll probably take a little while for its replacement, too.

Bottom line, unless you buy the new HTC Tornado unlocked, your ATT SIM card won't work in your new phone. At least, not till there's a way to unlock it.

-- Chuck Knight

Posted by: mtbaird5687

http://www.expansys-usa.com/product...=I-MATE_SP3I_US

would that work with my sim card?

Posted by: Mashie

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbaird5687

http://www.expansys-usa.com/product...=I-MATE_SP3I_US

would that work with my sim card?

Yes that will work with your sim card. It is based on the SMT5600 design with some modifications. I have some employees that use this phone and love it. Just keep in mind, that phone is WM2003SE and the new phones are WM5. There is no upgrade path for that phone so you will be using an older OS while everyone else is using the newer

Posted by: mtbaird5687

aight. ill lookout for a wm5 phone. do yall know any other sites that sell new phones unlocked for cheap? i cant find the smt5600 on the expansys site

Posted by: rip

check on Ebay, i'm not sure what the current going price is on this device. Just read the auctions carefully before purchasing...good luck

you may also want to try some of the sellers who advertise on Ho Fo, but i think most are Canadian sellers now.