vB Easy Archive - Need a New and Futureproof Phone

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Need a New and Futureproof Phone
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Posted by: cell567

Hey guys, I am new to this forum, but I've been dwelling for a while. I am currently in the market for a new phone that is quadband and that would also work in Europe. I reside in Ontario, Canada, but will be going to Europe for all of next summer so I need something futureproof. I have roughly 300 bucks to spend, give or take. It has to be something unlocked, brand new and rugged. Camera is a plus and all those other bonuses are pluses, but aren't musts. Reception is also an important one. Sorry if this post is too brief but if I missed anything, let me know. Thanks alot guys and cheers!

Posted by: maxiderm

what provider? if its a GSM provider (cingular, att, t-mobile, rogers, fido) then i would get one of the following:

Sony Ericsson W600

Motorola V series (ex. V551 or V635) , MPX220, or RAZR

Sharp GX30

i personally recomend for you the Motorola MPX220 or RAZR. both came out about the same time but the MPX220 looks simpler, but has Windows Mobile and a 1.3mp camera and has a memory card slot. whereas the RAZR has better looks and a larger screen, but a crap vga camera and no expandable memory. both are pretty good prices now...

Posted by: cell567

The provider I would use would be Rogers. Yeah I checked the mpx 220 and it looks like a pretty sweet phone. The razr is good and all but I see it overplayed as so many people have them. What are your thoughts about the Motorola L7 SLVR?? and are there any good nokias out there that match my price range. Thanks for the reply dude and cheers!

Posted by: a2kt1c

Yeah but the thing is that the MPx220 has so-so battery life...ok reception and...crap and i mean really crap cam (worst then VGA's if you see the pics on GSMARENA's review) My V620 VGA Cam takes alot better quality pics. MPx220 is in GENERAL a POS phone. Buy at your own risk. The Mpx200 I use to have is also garbage. (I dont know why I even buy it at the first plce) This is just a warning...looks can be decieving...keep that in mind. And by the way I recommend the V635....Its one of the best MOTO available. Great cam same PIXELS as Mpx220 but WAAAYYY better quality,has a MP3 Player, 262K Color Screen,and expandable Memory. Highly recommend this phone.

Posted by: cell567

Hows the reception on the v635?

Posted by: a2kt1c

EXELLENT...I usually get all 5 bars. Trust me go with the v635. You wont be disappointed. You will be a much more happier person with the V635 then the Mpx220

Posted by: cell567

a2kt1c, how would the Motorola L7 SLVR compare to the Motorola V635? Ur helping out alot. Appreciate it man.

Posted by: a2kt1c

No problem man. Well the V635 is a clam shell and the slvr is a slim bar phone. Its all up to you about the style you want. The L7 also has ITUNES...well some of them (like the CINGULAR verion) and I heard it also has glass screen? Hmmm I might be wrong. Not sure about that one. Main diffrence is the style battery life (L7 is better but not by too much) and the L7 has VGA cam while the v635 has a 1.2MP Cam...Everything else is about the same. Here is a COMPARISON. Even though I dont own a L7. I think its looks really sexy

Posted by: cell567

How does the SE W600i compare to either of the Motorola phones?

Posted by: a2kt1c

I'll say the W600i is better then the both the v635 and most MOTO's but it doesn't have the expandable memory. It has a huge built in memory though (256MB) I dont really like the looks of the w600i. Its alright. I guess if you willing to spend about $80 more for that phone then go for it.

Posted by: fbi114

may i suggest the sharp 903.. it has the best cam.. the best screen.. truly a wow factor phone!.. i don’t c ny phone companies coming out w/ a phone like that in the near future!..

i don’t know if 850 is important to or not.. but i can say this.. i am on fido and the darn thing get me 3 bars when i am in the deepest corners of square 1!!

Posted by: a2kt1c

Quote:

Originally Posted by fbi114

may i suggest the sharp 903.. it has the best cam.. the best screen.. truly a wow factor phone!.. i don’t c ny phone companies coming out w/ a phone like that in the near future!..

i don’t know if 850 is important to or not.. but i can say this.. i am on fido and the darn thing get me 3 bars when i am in the deepest corners of square 1!!

LoL triple the MONEY of a v635...I dont think he wants to spend that much...or do you?

Posted by: cell567

lol..no the sharp 903 is a bit too pricey. Is there something similar to an mpx220 but...better? lol. The w600i i saw on ebay for 280ish (canadian) to buy and it looks quite appealing feature-wise. Any more thoughts on what quad band phone could be recommended for 300 (canadian) smackers?

Posted by: a2kt1c

Panasonic VS6 or Panasonic MX7. Has a 16Million Color Screen (95% of todays phone dont have this good of screen) and also has a 2MP Cam

Posted by: cell567

So far my main pics include: Motorola V635i, SE w600i, Motorola L7 SLVR. Any other recommendations? Much appreciated =). Are there any "good" smartphones for 300 dollar (canadian) range? Any good Nokia quadband phones for 300ish. Thx again guys, and cheers.

Posted by: a2kt1c

W600i and the v635 is your best bet for that price range (I will just go for the w600i even though it doesn't have expandable, 256MB is plenty [for me it is LOL])

Posted by: a2kt1c

But the L7 is nice too...If your going to choose one or the other Moto...choose L7 if you like style over Cam Quality and v635 for the oppisite.

Posted by: Skyline R34

i wouldnt get the L7..honest..i went to moto service todae and i saw L6 and L7 n they are just launched here...W550/W600 would be a good choice.difference being EDGE in W600..however u did stated futureproof...y not fork a little more get a UMTS fone?..if u think UMTS wouldnt be in the future then i guess W550/W600 would be good choice

Posted by: cell567

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyline R34

i wouldnt get the L7..honest..i went to moto service todae and i saw L6 and L7 n they are just launched here...W550/W600 would be a good choice.difference being EDGE in W600..however u did stated futureproof...y not fork a little more get a UMTS fone?..if u think UMTS wouldnt be in the future then i guess W550/W600 would be good choice

What is this "UMTS" phone. Can any one give me details as to what that is. Appreciate it. You guys rock! ( What are some models and are they quadband phones that will work on gsm 850 here in Ontario and work elsewhere solidly in europe). I dont mind to shell SOME extra bucks.

Posted by: maxiderm

i dont think the SLVR is quad band or the W600... correct me if im wrong, but the only quadband phone mentioned lately has been the V635 (which is nice and i believe you should get it).

and lol @ the guy that suggested the 903... haha talk about way off...

and UMTS is also known as 3G. it is a service not currently avalible in North America but it allows video calling.

Posted by: cell567

THey are actually both Quadband but umm, this 3G thing. Do the phones work on gsm 850 cuz i see the sharp 903 doesnt carry such band. I can go as 400 ish (canadian) as for budget and thats pushing it so can I get nemore reccomendations. LIke i said, i need something that works in the Gta area in Ontario so on rogers/fido network nicely , something that is quadband, something that is futureproof to the best extent, a really nice reception, and durability is bonus. nice camera, and memory are all bonuses for me. what do u guys think i can get with my criteria/budget?

Posted by: Skyline R34

UMTS is just one of many variations of the 3G..i believe they do.i check it out for u asap and post it on.

Posted by: yangj08

I recommend the Sharp V802SH or the V801SH, or possibly the V902SH if you want something like the V903SH but for cheaper. The first two carry 1.3 megapixel cameras, and the third carries a 2 megapixel camera with 2x optical zoom. These all support mp3 with SD cards. BUT, the first two require SD-Jukebox and a Panasonic SD-Card reader for mp3s, and the third needs to have SX813 firmware to use mp3s natively. Or, the Sony Ericsson V802SE works well too, with a 1.3 megapixel camera and memory stick duo. This may be mp3-locked, it has to be mp3-unlocked apparently before mp3s can be natively played on it.

Posted by: Skyline R34

sry..3G fones don seem to support 850..btw..the L6 and L7 seems to have flex problems.but that can be DIY and help can be easily found in the moto forum

Posted by: mista cell

Nokia 6682 is a nokia and a smartphone

Posted by: cell567

Yeah, the nokia 6682 looks like a nice phone and its in the price range. Hows the cam on it? How is the reception in Europe? aswell as in the GTA, Ontario? Appreciate any info regarding the 6682. =).

Posted by: manchuia

Nokia's cams all seem to be lacking behind the Sony's but are either on par or better than almost everyone else (sharp 903 excluded as obviously it has a bigger MP value). They are always good for snap shots to have in email, and to post online, but you won't be printing them out anytime soon.

Reception in europe is probably limited as it lacks 900 (6682 is 850 instead). If you got the 6680, you should be fine in europe, but you will be without 850 at home. How often do you REALLY travel overseas, is a question you should ask yourself when dropping a band (or adding one). Other than that, the phone is pretty good and the S60 OS is solid and has a lot of support and applications.

The imate's (k-jam, sp5, sp5m) are the only quadband smartphones that i know of that are out now, but they are almost all outside of your price range (unless you get a 2003SE version, and then you loose your futureproofness greatly as you will be on a discontinued OS).

There are a ton of quadband phones in the pipeline with great cameras and wifi and all the bells and whistles, but you will DEFINATELY have to sign a contract to get under $400 and you might still be pushing it.

Posted by: cell567

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchuia

Nokia's cams all seem to be lacking behind the Sony's but are either on par or better than almost everyone else (sharp 903 excluded as obviously it has a bigger MP value). They are always good for snap shots to have in email, and to post online, but you won't be printing them out anytime soon.

Reception in europe is probably limited as it lacks 900 (6682 is 850 instead). If you got the 6680, you should be fine in europe, but you will be without 850 at home. How often do you REALLY travel overseas, is a question you should ask yourself when dropping a band (or adding one). Other than that, the phone is pretty good and the S60 OS is solid and has a lot of support and applications.

The imate's (k-jam, sp5, sp5m) are the only quadband smartphones that i know of that are out now, but they are almost all outside of your price range (unless you get a 2003SE version, and then you loose your futureproofness greatly as you will be on a discontinued OS).

There are a ton of quadband phones in the pipeline with great cameras and wifi and all the bells and whistles, but you will DEFINATELY have to sign a contract to get under $400 and you might still be pushing it.

Thanks for the reply.I see I am going to have to sacrifice something here. My 2 main options stand at w600i or v635 seeing they are both quadband, have 1.3 mp cams. Which one has better reception in GTA and Europe? Features? The v635 looks like it has a better cam from the samples I have seen taken. Keep the suggestions/advice coming, I appreciate each bit guys =).

Posted by: a2kt1c

I heard the cam quality on the w600i is average to poor....(pictures are noisy and blurry) This is not the case with the v635 though...Pictures seem fine to me (if not they seem pretty good) I would definetly say that the v635 has a better cam then the w600i.

Posted by: Skyline R34

Quote:

Originally Posted by cell567

THey are actually both Quadband but umm, this 3G thing. Do the phones work on gsm 850 cuz i see the sharp 903 doesnt carry such band. I can go as 400 ish (canadian) as for budget and thats pushing it so can I get nemore reccomendations. LIke i said, i need something that works in the Gta area in Ontario so on rogers/fido network nicely , something that is quadband, something that is futureproof to the best extent, a really nice reception, and durability is bonus. nice camera, and memory are all bonuses for me. what do u guys think i can get with my criteria/budget?

i found out a fone with 3G and 850 band as well.its the nokia N80.

Posted by: a2kt1c

Its not out yet...

Posted by: cell567

ANything out compareable to the samsung d600 except for the Nokia 6270??

Posted by: cell567

bumpity, giving it another 2 weeks before i finalize my decision. What r ur thoughts? THx

Posted by: Skyline R34

Quote:

Originally Posted by a2kt1c

Its not out yet...

whats not out?The N80 rite?.it is.or some places soon..Meanwhile the alternative i've to offer is the Philips 960.though there is a serious fault on the bluetooth..350 kb limit..

Posted by: Drug$toreCowboy

The Nokia 6682 is tri-band (850/1800/1900) not quad-band like the 6270. The camera is 1.3 mp and takes pretty fine pictures (well, for a phone camera anyway).

Let me throw one other phone into this mix since you are considering the v635i and the L7: the v3i. You'd be looking at around $400.00 for it, has expandable memory (TF up to 512 mb), mp3 player (you can get the i-tunes version of this phone as well if you like), a 1.3 mp camera and accessories are the same as the v3 which means it will be very inexpensive to buy accessoies for it. It is also quad-band but no EDGE. As for 3G, don't sweat it for a while on that. Rogers is working on that and probably are looking at starting some roll-out around Christmas this year (check the Rogers Forum for more accurate info on this).

I'm in the GTA and both of these phones serve me well. I've also had the v635i and I found it to be an excellent phone as well, but sold it to my brother so I can have the v3i. The v635i also has EDGE as well unlike the v3i. You won't go wrong with any of those phones. I've never had the w600i so I can't comment on that one.

One other consideration: since you are on Rogers, whatever phone you decide on, ensure it has the 850 band on it to ensure maximum service coverage within Rogers territory.

Good Luck.

Posted by: Skyline R34

while we are talkin bout expansion memory, note that Transflash is also known as microSD.however miniSD is an altogethr different card.do take note.btw cowboy can u elaborate a little bout ur V3i..thinkin of gettin for my partner..she says it looks cool...thanks in advance!

Posted by: Drug$toreCowboy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyline R34

while we are talkin bout expansion memory, note that Transflash is also known as microSD.however miniSD is an altogethr different card.do take note.btw cowboy can u elaborate a little bout ur V3i..thinkin of gettin for my partner..she says it looks cool...thanks in advance!

It is a sweet-looking phone. It is an excellent update to the original v3. Here's an overview of the phone and some people's opinion of it:

http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=829

If you have any other specific questions I'd be happy to answer them for you.

Posted by: cell567

well i have 3 possible choices here. I can get a v635i LOCKED to rogers via HUP for 150, a SE w600i LOCKED to rogers via HUP for 99.99 or to buy an unlocked samsung d600 for 375 locally which is mint. Hmmm...being money smart, which 1 would u guys pick for my needs. THanx for ne suggestions.

Posted by: Drug$toreCowboy

Quote:

Originally Posted by cell567

well i have 3 possible choices here. I can get a v635i LOCKED to rogers via HUP for 150, a SE w600i LOCKED to rogers via HUP for 99.99 or to buy an unlocked samsung d600 for 375 locally which is mint. Hmmm...being money smart, which 1 would u guys pick for my needs. THanx for ne suggestions.

If you are down to those 3 choices, go w600i. Excellent value for the money. It has by far the best Bluetooth implementation of the 3, is quad-band, generally good battery life, and the Rogers package is generally complete (cables, software etc.) and you get your 1 year warranty through Rogers. And finally, it's the least expensive one as well (don't confuse that with cheap!).

Posted by: cell567

very true. Well the samsung d600 is out of my choices anways, it was actually a D600E the seller had, so I didnt want it. Yeah, it looks like im going w600i. It looks, "fun", lol, and the price is great. THe only thing is that I've heard many complain bout the buggy os. Is there ne schedualed fix for this or..?

Posted by: Drug$toreCowboy

Quote:

Originally Posted by cell567

very true. Well the samsung d600 is out of my choices anways, it was actually a D600E the seller had, so I didnt want it. Yeah, it looks like im going w600i. It looks, "fun", lol, and the price is great. THe only thing is that I've heard many complain bout the buggy os. Is there ne schedualed fix for this or..?

Overall, it is a pretty stable phone. Read Treatz' review of the w600i (it's the actual Rogers version):

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=861824

Keep in mind too that if anything goes wrong with the phone, at least you have the 1 year warranty with Rogers and if the phone needs new software, just contact Rogers once they have access to any updates.