Please help me choose a PDA phone

[Hex_Rated]

I eventually got a HTC Touch Pro yesterday. So far it hasn't disappointed and I'm loving it! My only complaints is the proprietary headphone jack. I hope they release a converter so I can use proper headphones. Oh well, I still got my N95 8GB as a multimedia phone. The HTC is a nice and welcome change to Symbian. There are millions of different functions I'm going through at the moment.

Time to write some custom software! The N95 Java SDK through Netbeans was quite weird to use although I got some applications running. VS.NET 2008 is a much better design platform.

[ryanrich]

Glad you enjoying it!

I'm looking at the Nokia N97 next, looks absolutely awesome!

Touch screen as well as full qwerty keyboard, excellent specs including 32GB internal storage, and best of all, no Windows Mobile!

[brabham]

I'm a bit surprised and disappointed that nobody has mentioned the SE-X1 Xperia. I'm hoping to get mine in the next few days.

[ryanrich]

Xperia is great as well. I was keeping an eye on it, but it was forever delayed so I lost touch with it...

[Hex_Rated]

Touch screen as well as full qwerty keyboard, excellent specs including 32GB internal storage, and best of all, no Windows Mobile!

Sounds good. But remember Symbian is the MS of the mobile phone world. Muhahahahaaha.

[brabham]

FYI I got my Xperia today! I'll be checking it out and give a rating on it here soon. Merry Xmas to me

[Frozenfireside]

My 1.2345325c

I own the Nokia hand-me-down-E61 Smartphone after my dad upgraded to a E71.
It's the w1n. I love it as it is very intuetive, very clever, I can load 99% of all apps out there and the battery life is very very good for a smartphone.

I would ignore the iPhone for your needs. My dad took the E71 over the iPhone because of the full keypad and much better value for money.

I guess my vote goes for a E71. Should be what you need and more.

I found some great apps that should work with it, including an app that turns the keypad lock on after X seconds in any menu or application. It's great if you forget to put the keypad lock on and walk around.

Good luck. I didn't read the entire thread-I have presents to open.

[Hex_Rated]

I'm loving my HTC but the Xperia was rated as good if not better in some of the reviews. HTC flow3d is awesome and pretty much hides the Windows interface. There's lot's of irritating things the phone can't do, like phone numbers from a web page which I'm used to doing with my N95, but I'm getting used to it.

I'd never pay the R12k though that some people are asking. That's craziness! The phones worth about R6k (which is similar to what I paid).

[DeathStrike]

OK. so i looking at the vodacom website. and wondering which phone to get. would you guys go for a HTC S710 R185pm or Samsung i900 R279pm. i would like to get HTC touch Diamond but cannot afford it. what other phones in that price range would you recommend?

[ryanrich]

DeathStrike: Samsung i900 for sure...

[DeathStrike]

yes. i was thinking that also. but it doesn't have a slide out keyboard. so i wasn't sure. how difficult would it be to type on that screen? i was looking at other samsung fones. and found this would it be better?

[DeathStrike]

so after reading the deal on vodacom i see that the package they offer gives just the phone??? NO airtime OR Mins free? WTF? So i looked at MTN.

vodacom sucks link

HTC touch diamond and samsung omnia both R319pm giving me R200 AirTIme Paying R119pm for phone vs R279pm? great deal IMO.

HTC on MTN

Omnia on MTN

Only problem is which phone to go for?

[Obliv66]

I can also upgrade but i'm waiting for end Jan for the new specials to come out from MTN, i wanted to take the omnia but the whole touch screen keyboard isn't going to work for me i'll have to look for a qwerty keyboard.
I'm looking at the blackberry bold or the htc S740, hoping that their prices will drop to R300 at the end of the month, between the HTC and omnia i'll have to say the omnia just because of all the extras you get with the phone.

[SoulBlade]

Not going to read all the pages..

I've been hearing good things about the HTC Touch HD and the new Palm Pre
Aside from the iPhone these are the 2 thats on my list once it's coming to SA. Mind you, the Palm is only coming out in the States mid 2009.

[DeathStrike]

I can also upgrade but i'm waiting for end Jan for the new specials to come out from MTN, i wanted to take the omnia but the whole touch screen keyboard isn't going to work for me i'll have to look for a qwerty keyboard.
I'm looking at the blackberry bold or the htc S740, hoping that their prices will drop to R300 at the end of the month, between the HTC and omnia i'll have to say the omnia just because of all the extras you get with the phone.

The S740 is at R279pm. i see it at the MTN Store today. or mayb it is a miss print on their display. i worry about not having a keyboard also. how is it to type on a on srcreen keyboard? i mayb go for the S740 also.

[Obliv66]

I can also upgrade but i'm waiting for end Jan for the new specials to come out from MTN, i wanted to take the omnia but the whole touch screen keyboard isn't going to work for me i'll have to look for a qwerty keyboard.
I'm looking at the blackberry bold or the htc S740, hoping that their prices will drop to R300 at the end of the month, between the HTC and omnia i'll have to say the omnia just because of all the extras you get with the phone.

The S740 is at R279pm. i see it at the MTN Store today. or mayb it is a miss print on their display. i worry about not having a keyboard also. how is it to type on a on srcreen keyboard? i mayb go for the S740 also.

Wow that is pretty impressive. The last time i was at mtn they said the S740 was R359pm, will have to go and have a look, about the on screen typing i don't know how it is but i know that a qwerty keyboard is better and faster than a on screen keyboard and i like to type fast and not strugle and wait for the system hopefully someone with a omnia or on screen keyboard can reply on this.

[DeathStrike]

hi again. i was looking at the mtn specials mag and see a AD for blackberry. It says that they get "unlimited emails and on-device internet browsing" Now my question is how does this work? and would you say that the blackberry Bold 9000 is better than the samsung omnia? i read thatthe blackberry has a bigger battery. but it doesn't have like a radio and only 2mp camera. i neva listen radio on my phone so that not a problem. the camera is still ok for me. if the internet is free on the phone then would it be better than omnia?

[Obliv66]

The unlimited emails and on-device browsing is a extra R60pm i think and if u're going to use it the R60 is worth it.

[DeathStrike]

ok then.... hmm. so then maybe i not go for it now then. don't think i can afford the R 500 pm mark (R 365 pm for phone. + R60 for Internet + Insurance) I will probably go for the omnia. read a great review for it on gsmarena.

[Obliv66]

Yes i'm sure its a great phone, if you can get use to the touch screen keyboard there will be no problems for u. I would aslo take the omnia if it wasn't for the lack of a qwerty keyboard.
Do you have to uprade before the end of the month?
Other wise i'll say wait till the end of month for the new contracts to come out.

[DeathStrike]

na i can wait. y is the omnia ganna get cheaper also?

[ryanrich]

I'd be wary of the Omnia. 3 guys at work have Omnia's, and 2 have HTC's, and ALL of them are swapping, or have recently swapped for iPhones, and HATE the Windows Mobile phones. People can diss iPhone all they want, it has the best UI, and is an awesome all round smart phone/multimedia device.

[Tribble]

So you think the iPhone is the best? I need to upgrade now and lost as to what to choose.

[DeathStrike]

ok cool. but i again hear that the iphone has or had software prolems. a guy i know his iphone could not recive sms or phone calls for a while till he took it to vodacom for upgrade.

[Hex_Rated]

It's been 2 months since I got my HTC Touch Pro and except for a crash here and there, I'm happy with it. The phone also starts to cook if you're using it heavily (video/web).

The iPhone might have a excellent UI but it doesn't suit my needs (good internet comms). I also don't like Apples previous policy of bricking modified phones.