vB Easy Archive - what phone and service???

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what phone and service???
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Posted by: mediocrates

I'm usually very decisive about these things. However, now that I've realized what I REALLY use from my phone service I'm having a hard time finding a good phone and plan combo.

Conditions:
-Very little voice usage. I am lucky to hit 200min/month
-Couldn't care less about a camera. I have a digital SLR that works wonders for me, a dinky little camera in a phone is useless. So, no camera is ideal, but if it HAS to be there,I don't care what it is.
-mostly used for web, IM and email. I don't use any SMS or MMS at all, so I would prefer a true network IM client rather than one that piggy-backs on SMS.
-QWERTY keyboard would be nice but not a strict requirement.
-Reasonably fast browsing and IM speeds.

That's about it. I would consider spending up to ~$250-$300 on the phone if it has PDA-like capabilities.

The other half of the coin is the service provider and plan. I like the EVDO speeds from Verizon and Sprint (both cover my area). I currently have T-mobile and have not had any problems with them.

I used to have the first Sidekick model (B&W) and enjoyed it for what it was. The browsing was slow but effective, the AIM client did not rack-up SMS charges and email was ok. Oh, and I could make calls on it

I currently have a Nokia 6600 and rarely use it. I have never used it to look at a web page and haven't taken a picture with it for months.

Phones I've considered:
Sidekick II: I enjoyed my old sidekick, but without EDGE support I will probably get annoyed with the slowness again quickly.

LG vx9800 (verison): EVDO speed, qwerty keyboard... but thats about it. The IM client is SMS based and I've heard of problems with the browser on some web pages (out of memory errors, etc...). Currently my front-runner though.

SDA/Cingular 2125: EDGE, real browser, lots of available software. Regular keypad.

Also, what's the story on unlimited data with the various cariers? I'm not interested in tethering, just browsing on the phone and sending IMs. Who has the best rates currently?

Thanks in advance for any information/advice!

Posted by: truongn2

I would go with cingular. They are the best one I have tried.

Posted by: mediocrates

Quote:

Originally Posted by truongn2

I would go with cingular. They are the best one I have tried.

can you be a bit more specific? How much does it cost to add unlimited EDGE data to a voice plan without tethering?