Any one using smart phones?

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mtnelectrical said:
My contract with verizon comes to an end soon, and I m thinking to change to a smart phone. Please share your experience with these phones? Blackberry. Palmtreo, etc
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I've been with US Cellular for quite awhile and they upgraded me to a Motorola Q phone. I could have gone with a Blackberry but the Q is Windows based like my computer so I went with it.......It's been a week and I still can't get it to sync right with my desktop.:mad:

I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.
 
My phone is pretty dumb. I like it that way. I don't even program phone numbers in it. I just need a phone that I can press number buttons on like an ordinary phone. I buy them that way on purpose. I don't break phones, but I bet I could be sure that if I plopped out a few hundred on a smart phone, sure as shooting I'd bust it up in a week. The most "technology" I use on my phone is the calculator from time to time.
 
I'm a dinosaur. My phone allows me to make calls and to answer them. It has a green LCD screen.

It has no camera, schedule program, or touch screen. It cannot do text messaging.

It is, however, ruggedized to military specs. I've dropped it off of scaffolds, ladders, lifts.... it's been run over by a Skytrack, lost in a mud puddle, and gets used in the rain. And the battery lasts 3 days of normal use.

Sometimes 'new and improved' really isn't.


Now I feel old.


Oh wait. I am.
 
I have a dumb phone, cheapest pay as you go, we went back to radios when the cell bill went over $39 a month, the radios can be used 24/7 and we are finished making a cell company rich, during a resession.
 
verizon palm treo windows version

verizon palm treo windows version

170 a month and I hardly use it I am going to trade it in for a plain phone and a wireless card for my computer in december. The palm treo has been nothing but grief since I bought the 2yr contract. keep phone a phone and laptop a laptop
 
Smart phones are great if its what you need. I have had a Treo 700w for about 2 years and love it. Am waiting to see if they come out with the 800, if its proper then I will move to it, if not I'll just upgrade to the 700wx. As stated, it really depends on whether you need the functionality or not. I moved to it because I was tired of toting a phone, camera, and pda. All in one made my day. Price was justified if you add all 3 items seperately. I dont have the data pkg, but have hit the net when needed to price something out on the job. I also have additional programs like quicken, a weather program, a note program where I can use the stylus and just write on the screen (a lil blueprint sketch of a room or something, or a quick inventory, etc. I have used the Excel capabilites for a few sheets I carry for reference. Basically a mini laptop.
As you know, teens dont chat anymore, only text, so my communication with my daughter in college is done that way. The keyboard is great and easy to use with one hand, etc.
It has taken a header a few times off of the ladder and survived just fine, although I keep it in a protective leather case.
All in all....it suites me perfectly, you will have to decide if its for you or not.:grin:
 
You may not want a smart phone. One of the guys from work got one for big bucks but he can not insure it because of the price. So I guess if he drops it he will be out of luck.:mad:
I personally use a dumb phone because I am so rough on them. I have looked into getting a smart phone but some of the consumer reports have scared me off of that thought. If you know you are going to use most of the functions then start looking at consumer reports to see which ones are working and which ones are just smoke and mirrors.

BTW: Stay away from anything version 1 unless you like Beta testing.
 
I used a PocketPC PDA and a dumb cell phone for years. The PocketPC (Windows based) changed the way I relate to calendars and note taking (both written & voice record). I also had my most recent emails duplicated in the PDA which was handy from time to time.

A little over a year ago I combined the two into a Windows Mobile unit and got the bonus of a camera, blue tooth and WiFi.

I like it a lot!
 
al hildenbrand said:
I used a PocketPC PDA and a dumb cell phone for years. The PocketPC (Windows based) changed the way I relate to calendars and note taking (both written & voice record). I also had my most recent emails duplicated in the PDA which was handy from time to time.

A little over a year ago I combined the two into a Windows Mobile unit and got the bonus of a camera, blue tooth and WiFi.

I like it a lot!
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Same deal here, wireless synch is great, my phone and computer are always in synch, then again, I cant ever say "Sorry, I didnt het that yet"
 
mdshunk said:
My phone is pretty dumb. I like it that way. I don't even program phone numbers in it. I just need a phone that I can press number buttons on like an ordinary phone. I buy them that way on purpose. I don't break phones, but I bet I could be sure that if I plopped out a few hundred on a smart phone, sure as shooting I'd bust it up in a week. The most "technology" I use on my phone is the calculator from time to time.
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Same here. I like dumb phones, but I did program a few numbers into it. Some I still enter manually.

I've had the same cell phone for 3 years now. It's still going strong. I have no plans to replace it until the battery finally dies. Cell phones are not something worthy to spend a lot of money on.
 
I don't care what the intelligence of my phone is so long as I can see the dang numbers I am trying to punch in. My razor stinks at that. My old motorola flip phone was the best I ever had, but alas they no longer make battery's for that model.
 
I've been using the treo, and like it a lot. I used to carried a PDA and a phone, because if I didn't have the PDA in my pocket, stuff did not get recorded. I was really hard on the palm pilots, and even with the cases they didn't hold up in the field. The rubber case from Speck works real good on the Treo. Got an E-mail from palm a couple weeks back about free warranty extension due to some litigation about malfunctions, but mine has been fine.
 
I have a Treo 700wx. It is ok due to the fact that it locks up sometimes. It is nice having my whole customer base in it. That way I recognize a name and can decide whether or not they go to voicemail. The calender is great to have as well as the ability to do a quick research online on a particular item if I need to. It really is a rugged phone. It has taken some good drops and still works fine. Just a Klein phone pouch to keep the screen from getting scratched nothing more fancy than that required.
 
I've always used cheap phones. I stepped up to a more expensive camera phone awhile back, and promptly set a Maxis tugger on my leg and crushed it. I started using a cellphone holder on my belt to keep that from happening again, it's been pretty handy.



Now I like having a phone I can replace without having to extend a contract, or what have you. I bought the one I have now, no frills, for $65 cash at the local t-mobile store, and it suits me fine.

I was using my PDA a lot at work until making the switch over to commercial, I blew the dust off it when I started pulling in circuits over 100, that kind of math was blowing my mind too much, I needed a crutch for that.
 
I am a big fan of smartphones for myself (syncing with computer, large customer contact list, built-in camera, etc.), but not sure it makes as much sense for the guys in the field all day where the features may not be used and it's not as rugged.

However, and on a somewhat related note (not sure if it deserves a different thread, or if it has already been covered), has anyone implemented a program like Corrigo http://www.corrigo.com/ which offers:
1) GPS enabled time card tracking
2) Treo-based field invoicing that integrates with Quickbooks
I saw a brief demo and it looks pretty interesting for service focused companies but would be interested to hear from anyone who actually implemented.
 
I can't even stand the keyboard on my laptop. you can have these iphones and blackberrys, for me they are just a complete waste of my time squinting and henpecking the minature keys.
 
nakulak said:
I can't even stand the keyboard on my laptop. . .
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You're perfectly welcome to carry around a full size blue tooth keyboard. Or maybe you'd rather return to the days of "lugable" computers like the Osborne One.

The large mass storage in the little bitty Windows Mobile device is the payoff. I'm going to have my phone with me anyway. With a combo PDA / phone I'm able to take notes, edit a fully functional calendar, have appointment reminders, edit my entire contact base and be able to handle business calls on the fly in the field, all in a format that automatically syncs with the main computer, while integrating any changes that happened at the desktop back into the WM device.

There's more, but one grows into it, depending upon one's interest.
 
okay Now here is the real kicker I have the razor and like it..I am not a fan of the calendar on it so dont use it..I have the PDA and got a hard case for it very rugged..Yet I am sick of carrying all the junk with me I want good smart phone..Yet I am not afforded all these different carriers you guys have so I am limited to three of carriers..Sprint only works in the corridors (major hwys), Cell one has too many dead spots so that leaves me with Unicel..I can get these phones..

http://www.unicel.com/shop/phones/detail/76
http://www.unicel.com/shop/phones/detail/76

So how do you guys like the battery life and how does it work in the cold for life..is it easy to operate..Give me the low down..I have had unicel for i dont know 7 years now and have no contract just pay by the month and buy mmy own phones..I hate contracts so I am hard sell for customer..I have track record for paying on time and being good customer..So you want my business you meet my standards I am the customer not your banker..If I buy my own gear you do not need a contract from me I am not getting any benefit from the contract..No discounted prices and no free bees so why the contract? when you can tell me why I need to sign a contract to bank roll your company it is wrong..oops on a rant sorry..so can you guys tell me what features like the best and how easy are the key pads to use and can you handel it with pair of gloves on..thanks..
 
cschmid said:
So how do you guys like the battery life and how does it work in the cold for life..is it easy to operate..Give me the low down..
..so can you guys tell me what features like the best and how easy are the key pads to use and can you handel it with pair of gloves on..thanks..
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-battery life cannot compare to my original Palm III- it had almost a month of lo res B&W on a pair of AAA's. The Treo goes 2, maybe 3 days between charges, but web and audio wear it down much quicker.

-favorite feature is the alarm on schedule. I know, everything has one, but this one is actually in my pocket all day, and integrated with laptop and desktop so I don't forget when I'm supposed to have the kids somewhere at 3pm...Honorable mentions to LectriCalc and Archicalc.

-Keypad is a little too small, but it works. Usually I can punch items on the touch screen with jersey gloves or liners on, keypad is frustrating with gloves on.

form factor is a little chunky, but much better than having a phone and PDA both.
 
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