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7 Replies Last post: Mar 15, 2004 4:43 PM by yogaboy

Athadar

19 posts since
Feb 3, 2004

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Mar 13, 2004 11:58 AM

Bluetooth Phone Options?

I'm at a curious (yet exciting) place where I'm in the market for the following and I want to make the best choice:

Cell Phone
PDA
Laptop

So anyway, here's the story. I've already decided on going with a 933 iBook w/ bluetooth (most likely.) I'm currently using XP at home and office. I've owned/used a Handspring Visor Deluxe for several years (old tech) but I recently won (woohoo!

) a Zire 21 which is being shipped to me as we speak. This makes me pause as I consider my options. I could use the Zire, but my cell phone plan is about to be up so I'm thinking of selling the Zire and getting a phone/PDA with plans on utilizing it all together once I have the entire system (laptop/phone/PDA.)

My question is simply what options do I have in a phone/PDA that can sync via bluetooth to a mac? I know the z600 does, but are there any other options? Any links to reviews would be great, too. Thanks a ton!

Athadar

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nkasuri1

463 posts since
Jan 11, 2003

1. Mar 13, 2004 12:17 PM

in response to: Athadar

Re: Bluetooth Phone Options?

Sony Ericsson P900. Its the only phone/pda worth considering as its a superb phone and pda. There is a thread lower down called "Best PDA Option for OS X users" . Check that out as well.

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TheNewSteve

241 posts since
Nov 29, 2003

2. Mar 14, 2004 10:17 AM

in response to: nkasuri1

Re: Bluetooth Phone Options?

I have a T610, which is great for bluetooth getting on the internet via T-Mobile for free, sending pictures to the picture or ringtones to the phone.

The only part that doesn't work well is the iCal events. It spews them all over the week instead of when the events actually occur.

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Filburt

241 posts since
Jul 16, 2001

3. Mar 14, 2004 3:10 PM

in response to: Athadar

Re: Bluetooth Phone Options?

Are you on AT&T Wireless or Cingular network by any chance? Both are in the process of overlaying GSM over 850 MHz (in areas like NYC and Bay Area, it's about 50% on the way). 850 MHz GSM is much better at penetrating buildings and such, so you will definitely want to get a phone with 850 MHz capability if you are with AT&T Wireless or Cingular.

Some GSM phones, such as Sony Ericsson Z600 and P900 are not 850 MHz GSM capable. It is also worth noting that Sony Ericsson, Nokia, and Motorola have all announced several exciting new phones to replace existing models, many with Bluetooth and SyncML.

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Athadar

19 posts since
Feb 3, 2004

4. Mar 14, 2004 9:57 PM

in response to: Filburt

Re: Bluetooth Phone Options?

I am a Cingular customer actually so I'll look into the 850 MHz phones. It's really quite dounting looking at all these options. Does anyone know of a site that spells it out a little bit more clearly? I'm not sure I understand the lingo yet. For example:

Can any phone work with any plan or are there certain brands that only work with certain carriers?

Also, why is GMS so good? It seems like a drag to have a phone that only works in the most populated parts of the country. I live in the midwest and if I travel to Colorado (which I do as much as possible) it seems like much of the state is outside coverage. I'm missing something here. Is the plan to cover the globe with GMS? Or will there be a bigger, badder, better tech widget/grid that comes out once we've all got GSM phones?

Sorry I'm so clueless. If there is a link that will help me, please post it.

Athadar

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nkasuri1

463 posts since
Jan 11, 2003

5. Mar 14, 2004 10:09 PM

in response to: Athadar

Re: Bluetooth Phone Options?

Most of the world is already operating on GSM. So it has already covered the globe pretty much. For example, I am in Pakistan and If I go to London I can use the same phone with the same telephone number. Same if I go to the States or any other country that has GSM coverage. As far as SE announcing new phones is concerned, most of there new phones are not PDA/Phones. None of them have touchscreens with a PDA like profile. The P900 successor will come out in November of this year. That is really the only PDA/Phone they make. You have to decide whether you want a PDA/Phone or a smart phone. Smart phones typically have same advanced features like basic WAP (or even HTML browsing), basic organiser (but you have to use the phone keybad to enter data. PDA phones are typically fully functional PDA's with phone functionality. The P900 is currently the best mix of the two. There is another phone on the horizon that you may want to look at. It uses windows mobile OS but is truly unique.

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Filburt

241 posts since
Jul 16, 2001

6. Mar 15, 2004 12:29 PM

in response to: Athadar

Re: Bluetooth Phone Options?

In reply to:<hr />
Can any phone work with any plan or are there certain brands that only work with certain carriers?

<hr />

Most phones sold in the US are "locked" to particular provider. That is, it will only work with certain GSM carrier(s).

With Cingular buying AT&T Wireless, buying a locked phone is not that bad. Over the next several months, your phone will use both AT&T Wireless and Cingulars towers automatically. Only other major US-based GSM provider is T-Mobile, which piggybacks on Cingular network in many major markets.

In reply to:<hr />
Also, why is GMS so good?

<hr />

GSM is not necessarily better than CDMA, but its more popular outside US (only US, Canada, Japan, and South Korea use CDMA heavily/exclusively). Even if you own a locked phone, if your carrier allows international roaming (typically at higher cost per minute), it will continue to work overseas.

Other benefits: majority of GSM phones use SIM card, which can hold phone numbers and carrier information. And GSM phones typically have much longer battery life than CDMA counterpart.

Sprint PCS and Verizon use CDMA (cdma2000 1x). AT&T Wireless and Cingular use GSM/GPRS (AT&T offers faster EDGE in most major market). GSM carriers will eventually upgrade to UMTS/WCDMA (both are essentially the same) technology, which uses 5 MHz signal for faster data transfer (up to 2 Mbps).

Regarding frequency, lower frequency (850 MHz in US/Canada and 900 MHz elsewhere) is generally less error prone, meaning more reliable voice call with less drop outs than higher frequency. On the other hand, higher frequency enables faster data transfer and greater capacity (less all circuits are busy, please try again later).

Anyway, if you want a Mac-friendly Bluetooth 850 MHz capable GSM phone right now, your best choices are Sony Ericsson T616 (soon to be replaced with T637) and Nokia 3600/3620.

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yogaboy

39 posts since
Mar 15, 2004

7. Mar 15, 2004 4:43 PM

in response to: Athadar

Re: Bluetooth Phone Options?

I've got a SonyEricsson P800 with a G4 laptop and it syncs and beams files fine over bluetooth. The P800 is a reliable system and all the features work very well, esp useful are the email and calendar - it beats the hell out of any PDAs I've ever seen. I am in London using GSM and GPRS so might be a bit different if you're elsewhere?

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