moby

[expat]

Any advice, abuse for Chico, etc?

Thinking of a phone contract (currently have pay-as-you-go for UK). Any recommendations for provider? I do very little in UK so mega-usage offers not interesting unless they cover usage while abroad too. Cost of foreigh use important. Coverage in UK important too. Current provider Orange claim good coverage but don't even cover South of Scotland well, far less the North. I've heard O2 and Voda goo in that respect.


Thinking of combo phone/pda also. Either it lets me go out without my Palm, or it doesn't. The obvious candidate, Treo 650, falls at an early hurdle: no WiFi. If I'm in a foreign hotel. am I going to want to use the free wifi to check email, or overseas-price GPRS/UMTS etc? A no-brainer.

Don't care about MP3, or even camera very much (because I use a real camera).

[AtW]

If you use phone abroad a lot then you are better off buying SIM card there - roaming costs are a rip off even after operators were forced to reduce charges.

If you plan on using compact computer then consider getting small but full featured x86 laptop rather than castrated version of a computer like Palm - some laptops these days weight like a kilo, very light yet pack a lot of punch.

Provider 3 should have worst coverage of all operators.

[expat]

If you use phone abroad a lot then you are better off buying SIM card there - roaming costs are a rip off even after operators were forced to reduce charges.

If you plan on using compact computer then consider getting small but full featured x86 laptop rather than castrated version of a computer like Palm - some laptops these days weight like a kilo, very light yet pack a lot of punch.

Provider 3 should have worst coverage of all operators.

Good answers to quite different questions. No, seriously: sound advice but doesn't fit what I'm trying to do.

I have a laptop but I now don't always take it on the weekly trip away. I already have a Palm and carry it everywhere, like out to the pub. But if phone had basic organiser facility (more than just phonebook) and email then I could do without the Palm: or carry Palm+IR keyboard with me on weekly trip, but actually go out with only phone.

[AtW]

Good answers to quite different questions. No, seriously: sound advice but doesn't fit what I'm trying to do.

The invoice is in the post - I did exactly what is expected of an IT person

[expat]

Thinking of combo phone/pda also.

Anyone got the Nokia N80? how it is to use? Can anyone compare it with a Palm (PDA, or we're off to LR)?

[cab]

The Sony Ericsson 600i looks good for your needs. Lots of memory, quite compact and no camera with lots of business functions.

[expat]

The Sony Ericsson 600i looks good for your needs. Lots of memory, quite compact and no camera with lots of business functions.

Is that the M600i? Looks good but no Wifi that I can see.

[ferret]

Sony Ericsson P900 - had it for a while, very nice. Has mini opera on it so can do all sorts of internet stuff on it. P900i is out now I think and looked to be an inprovement on this already decent phone.

What is it on the palm that you cannot live without? Would then be able to see what phones have the same functionality. The days of needing to carry around a handheld and a phone should be pretty much gone now but like I said it depends what you have grown to rely upon on the Palm.

I think the PDA phones running Windows mobile look pretty cool too but have not actually tried any so will shut up now.

[expat]

Sony Ericsson P900 - had it for a while, very nice. Has mini opera on it so can do all sorts of internet stuff on it. P900i is out now I think and looked to be an inprovement on this already decent phone.

What is it on the palm that you cannot live without? Would then be able to see what phones have the same functionality. The days of needing to carry around a handheld and a phone should be pretty much gone now but like I said it depends what you have grown to rely upon on the Palm.

I think the PDA phones running Windows mobile look pretty cool too but have not actually tried any so will shut up now.

In order not to carry around the Palm as well as the phone, I'd want the phone to have an address book and not just a phone book. I suppose I'd want a Notes facility a bit more than basid short unclassified note. Diary just a little bit more than appointments by time. Email, browser, wifi. And ability to sync with PC and/or Palm.

Some tradeoffs possible: I'd take a phone with more primitive note-taking, if it was notably smaller and would sync with the palm. In fact I'd do without Wifi in that case. I'd take a bigger one if it has as powerful as the palm and had a usable keyboard.

I have eliminated the laptop on my trips away, by making use of the Palm. Now I want to eliminate the Palm, but there is a choice of 2: eliminate it entirely (Treo 650 would do that if it had WiFi), or take Palm on trips but leave it back in the hotel, and indeed not carry it to the supermarket or the pub at home (then the phone doesn't need to do everything but it does need a better organiser than the basic phone type).

[expat]

What is it on the palm that you cannot live without? Would then be able to see what phones have the same functionality.

Let me try a straight answer:
1. Address book with a number of fields, and classification by category.
2. Notes of a reasonable size, with classification by category.
3. Diary that's like the Palm, more than just a mini-calendar with possible appointments per day with alarm.
4. TODO list (<> Appointments because stays active until done; <> Notes because can have due date)
5. Email.
6. Browser.
7. WiFi. As I said, I won't do roaming GPRS when I can do free WiFi.

Desired for phone:
1. fit in pocket
2. no Windows.