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All about Smartphones and Tablets...

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 20:22
by Prime
Right, so my contract comes up for renewal in under a month and I'd like to be done with Nokia for good.

I have looked at the blackberry phones but they do not seem to be touch screen based :?
I am also looking at the HTC's and the Touch Pro looks really good.
Also Looked at the Sony Xperia X1 but it suffers from interface problems and some other glitches according to a review I read :?
Any Comments in the Samsung Field.

Basically, I intend to go onto an MTN anytime 200 topup package.
I want to keep my contract under R369 PM, closer to R330 PM would be better.

I would prefer a WM phone. I don't want Android, its too new and I'd prefer to avoid Linux :| The exception would be a Palm Pre but I don't think that's available here :(

I do alot of web browsing, posting and emailing and chatting from my phone because I am at varsity most of Monday to Friday. I SMS and IM alot more than I call Weather information would be good, as would Syncing with outlook. And It needs a very good calender. Decent Camera would also be a bonus. Would Prefer a phone with a Stylus and Touch screen. I'm not sure If I'll make use of a full qwerty Keyboard or not, though I would like the option.

Phone needs to last as long as possible, I want to keep on using it beyond the 2 year contract if possible.

The Battery life of the Touch Pro is very good. Comments?

Comments or Suggestions please?


I refuse to touch a Nokia.

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 20:58
by KALSTER
When my contract comes up for renew I might consider a Samsung Jet, but I have to say, I like the Nokia N97. :wink: Had an E90 untill it was stolen. I don't want to move away from a querty keyboard (faster typing than the fastest MXIT zombie), but that 800mhz processor of the Samsung has got me drooling.

Edit: Sorry, they're not smartphones. :oops:

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:09
by Frozenfireside
HTC Dream/Magic just for the google OS. You will love it. Obviously pick the one you prefer to use.
My boss has the Magic and won't go back to win mobile. Certainly the Win Mobile has issues and needs updating.

I have a client who bought a N97 new and got rid of it 3 months later. Symbian OS is dead

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:10
by Prime
KALSTER wrote:When my contract comes up for renew I might consider a Samsung Jet, but I have to say, I like the Nokia N97. :wink: Had an E90 untill it was stolen. I don't want to move away from a querty keyboard (faster typing than the fastest MXIT zombie), but that 800mhz processor of the Samsung has got me drooling.

Edit: Sorry, they're not smartphones. :oops:
The only way I will touch another nokia is with a Hammer :twisted:

I heard of the Jet, but I have no info beyond processing speed. :?

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:12
by DarkStar
KALSTER wrote:When my contract comes up for renew I might consider a Samsung Jet, but I have to say, I like the Nokia N97. :wink: Had an E90 untill it was stolen. I don't want to move away from a querty keyboard (faster typing than the fastest MXIT zombie), but that 800mhz processor of the Samsung has got me drooling.

Edit: Sorry, they're not smartphones. :oops:
All Symbian (and subsequently all Nokia N and E series) are smartphones, even if they may lack the functionality of other phones.

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:16
by KALSTER
All Symbian (and subsequently all Nokia N and E series) are smartphones, even if they may lack the functionality of other phones.
Oh yeah. I miss my E90.
I heard of the Jet, but I have no info beyond processing speed.
I did include a link to a GSM Arena review.

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:16
by Prime
DarkStar wrote:
KALSTER wrote:When my contract comes up for renew I might consider a Samsung Jet, but I have to say, I like the Nokia N97. :wink: Had an E90 untill it was stolen. I don't want to move away from a querty keyboard (faster typing than the fastest MXIT zombie), but that 800mhz processor of the Samsung has got me drooling.

Edit: Sorry, they're not smartphones. :oops:
All Symbian (and subsequently all Nokia N and E series) are smartphones, even if they may lack the functionality of other phones.
They come with the functionality of a brick though. Intended for putting in a hole and filling with concrete. :|

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:21
by Monty
I still would recommend Nokia, but I know you don't like them. Maybe get a blackberry (touch is overrated)


Darkstar, what functionality do Nokia smart phones lack?

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:21
by Prime
KALSTER wrote:
All Symbian (and subsequently all Nokia N and E series) are smartphones, even if they may lack the functionality of other phones.
Oh yeah. I miss my E90.
I heard of the Jet, but I have no info beyond processing speed.
I did include a link to a GSM Arena review.
Oh I see :oops:
Frozenfireside wrote:HTC Dream/Magic just for the google OS. You will love it. Obviously pick the one you prefer to use.
My boss has the Magic and won't go back to win mobile. Certainly the Win Mobile has issues and needs updating.

I have a client who bought a N97 new and got rid of it 3 months later. Symbian OS is dead
Don't want any android based phone. Android is too new.

Oh and Another thing, It needs to be able to Run MXIT.
edit: or something equivalent that I can use to talk to people on MXIT

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:22
by KALSTER
You know, I'll give you that. I got used to the E90, but was disappointed by the poor office functionality, no GPS voucher, inability to play DivX or flash or....etc. I can't imagine the N97 will be any better. I will read the other responses with interest.

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:26
by Prime
Monty wrote:I still would recommend Nokia, but I know you don't like them. Maybe get a blackberry (touch is overrated)


Darkstar, what functionality do Nokia smart phones lack?
What sort of office functionality do the blsckberry's offer? I know they come with an internet subscription but i'm not sure it will be much benefit over say, a data bundle

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 21:30
by Monty
KALSTER wrote:You know, I'll give you that. I got used to the E90, but was disappointed by the poor office functionality, no GPS voucher, inability to play DivX or flash or....etc. I can't imagine the N97 will be any better. I will read the other responses with interest.
Most of this has been fixed with symbian 5th edition. And the GPS voucher is easily fixable. There are decent freeware programs out there.

Most of the windows mobile phones come with garmin, which is nice. But the garmin maps become outdated quickly and you pay a small fortune to get the newest ones.


Nokia maps is nice as you can use them with out paying. (I admit the navigation licenses are rather steeply priced, but that is were the freeware navigation apps come in)

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 23:04
by DAE_JA_VOO
I think it's absolute SUICIDE to buy a WinMo device now. Seriously. WinMo is a DISGUSTING excuse for a phone OS. Even WinMo 6.5 sucks. I wanted a WinMo phone so badly, and now that I have one, I'd rather use a R200 Motorolla than my R6K HTC.

Seriously Prime, you don't want WinMo. Get yourself something else. You can even get an iPhone for that money, dude.

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 23:35
by Prime
DAE_JA_VOO wrote:I think it's absolute SUICIDE to buy a WinMo device now. Seriously. WinMo is a DISGUSTING excuse for a phone OS. Even WinMo 6.5 sucks. I wanted a WinMo phone so badly, and now that I have one, I'd rather use a R200 Motorolla than my R6K HTC.

Seriously Prime, you don't want WinMo. Get yourself something else. You can even get an iPhone for that money, dude.
erm, chill dude! don't get so worked up! :?

Why do you say its a digusting excuse for a phone OS? I have several friends with Winmo phones and none of them are complaining. :scratch:

And where the hell am I going to get an Iphone for R300 a month? :| :roll: not that i want one

I believe you also bought a touch diamond, and there was a problem with touch flow when it was released. that has since been rectified. :?: :!:

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 21 Sep 2009, 23:38
by Prime
Monty wrote:
KALSTER wrote:You know, I'll give you that. I got used to the E90, but was disappointed by the poor office functionality, no GPS voucher, inability to play DivX or flash or....etc. I can't imagine the N97 will be any better. I will read the other responses with interest.
Most of this has been fixed with symbian 5th edition. And the GPS voucher is easily fixable. There are decent freeware programs out there.

Most of the windows mobile phones come with garmin, which is nice. But the garmin maps become outdated quickly and you pay a small fortune to get the newest ones.


Nokia maps is nice as you can use them with out paying. (I admit the navigation licenses are rather steeply priced, but that is were the freeware navigation apps come in)
HTC comes with leaf locate and I believe Tom Tom navigation (?)

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 01:12
by DAE_JA_VOO
Prime wrote:erm, chill dude! don't get so worked up! :?
I'm totally relaxed :) I'm just trying to emphasize how bad WinMo is :P

Prime wrote:Why do you say its a digusting excuse for a phone OS? I have several friends with Winmo phones and none of them are complaining. :scratch:
It's horrible dude. It's not finger friendly at ALL. It's also slow, buggy, and tends to have problems. I've done as much as I can to get around all of this, and I've had to flash my phone to a different ROM to get it running the way it runs now, which is pretty much the best it'll ever be able to, and even at THIS state, it sucks.

Prime wrote:And where the hell am I going to get an Iphone for R300 a month? :| :roll: not that i want one
You can get an iPhone for R185 a month with NO pay in. That's on Vodacom though.

Prime wrote:I believe you also bought a touch diamond, and there was a....
Nope, I don't have a Diamond.

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 01:25
by Anakha56
DJV as you know I have a Touch Diamond and I am not having any problems with it. A guy at my work has the same phone and is happy as well. I think its just a different strokes for different folks scenario. Prime I would really recommended trying as many different touch screens phones as possible mainly because each manufacture has a different approach to the way they work. And if I were you I would wait until WinMo 6.5 gets released:



http://www.gsmarena.com/43inch_snapdrag ... s-1124.php
It seems that HTC have been keeping themselves busy with the 1GHz Snapdragon platform and some leaked shots have just revealed the HTC Leo (or should we say HTC Pro Three), which runs on the 1GHz CPU and boasts a 4.3-inch WVGA touchscreen for some good measure.
But as said try as many devices as possible before you buy. My next phone is definitely going to be a Touch Screen phone again...

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 01:31
by KALSTER
It seems that HTC have been keeping themselves busy with the 1GHz Snapdragon platform and some leaked shots have just revealed the HTC Leo (or should we say HTC Pro Three), which runs on the 1GHz CPU and boasts a 4.3-inch WVGA touchscreen for some good measure.
:shock: Sweet!

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 01:32
by Anakha56
Its a multi capacitative Touch screen as well ;)

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 16:47
by KALSTER
How easy is it to type on those on-screen querty keyboards? Will I get used to it, or will I suffer from perpetual fat-fingeredness?

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 17:04
by Anakha56
Thats why I say try before you buy ;). I have gotten used to it and am quite fast at typing and enjoy it far more than a standard keypad. Each to their own :).

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 17:16
by KALSTER
Anakha56 wrote:Thats why I say try before you buy ;). I have gotten used to it and am quite fast at typing and enjoy it far more than a standard keypad. Each to their own :).
Cool. As long as it comes close to a physical Smartphone querty keyboard (haven't seen better than on my old 9300), I will aim straight for that new HTC. :)

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 22 Sep 2009, 17:24
by Tribble
I have the Blackberry Bold - loving it. Got used to the no touch screen. The menu system is easy and quick.

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 23 Sep 2009, 09:49
by KillerByte
i used the new touch and diamond and froze up the Windows Mobile OS in 10 minutes. The HTC Hero is coming out soon. Second generation android phone. Android OS is excellent. We are impressed with it in the office. Full exchange support and the amount of apps available is great.

Why are you afraid of the Android OS? yes its new but its much faster and more reliable than Windows Mobile by far.

And android can run java apps so that includes Mxit.

Re: Which SmartPhone?

Posted: 23 Sep 2009, 10:06
by MadFrog
KillerByte wrote:And android can run java apps so that includes Mxit.
NICE! Just a shame I don't care much for mxit. :)