Pharos Traveler 137 Smartphone - AWS, 3.5" WVGA, WM 6.1 phone

[Antenna]

Damn it! Texting while driving!! I don't give a damn whether it is easier for you on the Iphone. I just don't want you driving anywhere near me!

Please put bumper stickers on the front and rear of your car, to warn other drivers, as well as the police, that you are trying to text while you drive!

Thank you!

Not to mention its now illegal in some states like CA. If you need to text pull safely off the road and do it.

[maiki]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.2; U; Series60/3.1 NokiaN95-3/20.2.011; Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413)

Where is the guy who said the T-Mobile 3G network would be useless? It was only a matter of time before OEMs would start making phones with tri- and quad-band WCDMA radios with 1700 and 2100 MHZ support.

I certainly wouldn't say it's useless, but it is definitely a problem, that they use a different 3G band than anyone else. This Pharos phone does not change that.

For one thing, this Pharos phone is not actually in existence yet, is it? Just announced. When available, we'll see if it actually supports T-Mo 3G.

And if it does, I don't know that that means that all manufacturers will start supporting T-Mo 3G. I doubt for instance, that any phone from ATT will support T-Mo 3G. While previously phones could be used interchangeably between the two carriers--they still can, but not if you want T-Mo 3G.

T-Mobile USA is a relatively small player, compared to the big three. I don't know that most manufacturers are going to start adding a band to their phones (if not made specifically for T-Mo), that will support the T-Mo 3G.

That band is not used at all in other countries--so someone coming from abroad with a 3G phone (let's say for T-Mo Europe), gets a SIM card for T-Mo USA, thinking they are the same, and finds they cannot get 3G here.

[CoolPhone]

Pharos Traveler 137 Smartphone still gets nowhere!
No FCC #, nothing !

[Antenna]

I sort of gave up on this phone....My last s60 (n6120c) is starting to fail, so I went with the 5800xm.

May still switch to this phone Q4 when Inland Empire gets 3G.

[bachviet]

I sort of gave up on this phone....My last s60 (n6120c) is starting to fail, so I went with the 5800xm.

May still switch to this phone Q4 when Inland Empire gets 3G.

I am still having hope for this phone.

I just sold my used E71-2 to save $$$ for this phone. I was tempted by the Nokia 5800XM but higher retail price ($400 instead of $350) + no T-Mobile AWS kill it for me. I wouldn't touch any phone without 3G if it costs more than $300.

[gaww]

I am still having hope for this phone.

I just sold my used E71-2 to save $$$ for this phone. I was tempted by the Nokia 5800XM but higher retail price ($400 instead of $350) + no T-Mobile AWS kill it for me. I wouldn't touch any phone without 3G if it costs more than $300.

I have sort of given up on this one, as maiki said - it does not exist yet and the way things are moving with other major device makers - it very likely will not be released (I think it was ridiculous that a device that did not really exist got an award at the CES).

PS - supposedly from the Mobile World Conference - HTC is to release a TMO version of the upcoming Touch Diamond II. I have tried an unlocked curent Diamond on TMO (no 3G of course), and like it better then any current TMo offering (except for the no 3G).

If it comes out locked up by TMO, but if it can be flashed to make it generic - it would blow the Pharos device out of the water.

[CoolPhone]

This phone might be just a joke!
No production, no FCC approval. It gets nowhere!
I still remeber this forum , PPL was excited about SE X1 with T-mobile 3G band, but when X1 finially came in market, no t-mobile 3G at all, threw all HoFoer in the water.
History always repeats itself!

[Antenna]

yeah I think we would have heard something from the FCC, but I have been wrong before......who knows....

[CoolPhone]

yeah I think we would have heard something from the FCC, but I have been wrong before......who knows....

the latest approval from FCC is Pharos Traveler 117 Smartphone. date as 1/27/2009.

Pharos Traveler 137 Smartphone still get nowhere!

[Xarlon]

I think they're probably having a problem with finding a battery that will hold up to the 3g demands. The iPhone 3G was delayed because of this. I noticed that the 137 list only 4 hours of talk time. The iPhone 3G boast a whopping 6 hours and it's battery life is still horrible. The talk times only apply if you don't use any GPS features or Wi-Fi for the day. If you do then you can cut about 70-80% off of the talk time.

[CoolPhone]

I think they're probably having a problem with finding a battery that will hold up to the 3g demands. The iPhone 3G was delayed because of this. I noticed that the 137 list only 4 hours of talk time. The iPhone 3G boast a whopping 6 hours and it's battery life is still horrible. The talk times only apply if you don't use any GPS features or Wi-Fi for the day. If you do then you can cut about 70-80% off of the talk time.

a problem with finding a battery ?
Just get in Chinese market, thousand Li-on battery manufacturers.
Ton of great small 1500mah to 2500mah Li-on batteries in the market.
Currently, Nokia, Motorola, SONY Ericsson 100% their batteries are OEM in China.
Maybe finding cheapest with highest quality is not easy!

[eldirecto]

I called Pharos about two weeks ago and the sales rep said the device should be available in May. I certainly hope this is true. I have been waiting for a 3G WinMo device for TMobile.

[efjay]

Availability in May, if its not delayed again puts it head to head with the Diamond 2's initial release. The lack of US 3G on the D2 may help but I think the Pharos needs to come out earlier to have good sales. Especially as the D2 will be upgraded to WM 6.5 later on.

[CoolPhone]

I called Pharos about two weeks ago and the sales rep said the device should be available in May. I certainly hope this is true. I have been waiting for a 3G WinMo device for TMobile.

It is not likely they can sell it in May.
Usually, it has to get approved by FCC at leased three months early before market release.

[gaww]

Availability in May, if its not delayed again puts it head to head with the Diamond 2's initial release. The lack of US 3G on the D2 may help but I think the Pharos needs to come out earlier to have good sales. Especially as the D2 will be upgraded to WM 6.5 later on.

TMo is supposed to get a version of the Diamond 2 - possibly as early as June.

PS - any word if the Pharos 137 will have an accelerometer - early specs did not mention it.