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Thread: New phone time - I know very little about phones

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    Flak Monkey! Dorza's Avatar
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    New phone time - I know very little about phones

    I'm considering a HTC Touch right now after reading about them a number of weeks ago. I am utterly fed up of my Motorola V620...complete s***e. I know very little about whats "hot" at the moment where phones are concerned, or whats considered a must have feature.

    What I am most drawn to with the Touch is that its a smart/pda phone thats packed into a very slim and relatively small housing unlike most other phones of that type, so when you get it out you nor it will look gimpy. From what I can gather though, it lacks features that are on other phones for around the same price. What would you guys recommend in the £2-300 range (no higher)? I intend to get it on pay as you go, using my existing sim card since contract is a complete waste of money for my self. I am with orange if that makes any difference.


    P.S just to clarify something...If a phone comes installed with GPS software, is there usually a connection charge when your using the GPS aspect of the phone?
    Last edited by Dorza; 31-07-2007 at 11:36 PM.

  2. #2
    Junior Senior Member Aaron's Avatar
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    P.S just to clarify something...If a phone comes installed with GPS software, is there usually a connection charge when your using the GPS aspect of the phone?
    Normally, no. The GPS aspect of the phone is totally independent of the mobile operator's network. However, sometimes they charge a monthly subscription fee for the software or it will connect to the network for a quicker signal lock (called "assisted GPS") or for traffic updates. Data charges will apply in these cases.

    I don't know if the HTC Touch lacks features on phones at the same price (although you can get a Sony Ericsson P990i for less than £200 these days) but compared to other smartphones it does lack 3G and its CPU isn't the fastest around.

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    Flak Monkey! Dorza's Avatar
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    Thanks for that. I was going to go for the Touch, but have literally just read that an updated version 2 is rumored to be comeing out in October with a number of extras that are missing on the current version. I will wait to see what happens.

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    Treasure Hunter extraordinaire herulach's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dorza View Post
    P.S just to clarify something...If a phone comes installed with GPS software, is there usually a connection charge when your using the GPS aspect of the phone?
    No on most, although with the n95 there is as it d/ls maps on the fly.

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    Quote Originally Posted by herulach View Post
    No on most, although with the n95 there is as it d/ls maps on the fly.
    Ah, but you can use the (free) Map Loader from the Nokia site to pre-load the map data to the N95. http://www.nokia.com/A4353384 Then just disable network usage for the GPS "Maps" app to save it connecting. Been using it this way for a month. No probs, and no data charges.

    I know some peeps have moaned about the Map Loader, and I can't remember if it's still a beta product, but I find it really good. You can download whatever maps you wish, but obviously it takes up a fair bit of space on the memory card. I think GB&I was about 150Mb.

    A lot of folk don't realise that although the GPS is free to use (within which you can plan and view routes, and track yourself), Navigation isn't part of that "feature". It still costs ya. You can try it for a week for a few quid, then decide if you want to take out a longer sub. There's many folk bemoaning the N95 satnav, but it still hasn't put a foot wrong for me, and the routes it suggests are pretty much on the money. Maybe I've just been lucky so far

    Overall though, the N95 is a damn fine phone. Takes decent snaps, bloody great videos (for a phone), sounds good with music (providing, as with any music player, you use decent headphones), and has more features than I knew existed. The wi-fi is decent too.

    Just make sure you keep the car charger in the car! And preferably the normal charger in your bag
    Last edited by bigblue; 07-08-2007 at 03:45 AM.

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    I'm having real problems with the Map Loader - it constantly thinks it's lost the connection to the phone about half way through downloading the content, which is weird. It may well be something wrong with the phone, but it doesn't happen when transferring content using anything other than the map loader software - I can shove a gig across with no issues in mass storage or pc suite mode.

    Annoying, but as I don't actually use the maps/GPS stuff at all it's not a make or break thing. It's still a great phone .

  7. #7
    Going Retro!!! Ferral's Avatar
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    I've just got the Nokia 6110 Navigator, superb phone. Best Nokia I have had in a while now.

    Way the A-GPS works (Assisted GPS) is where the phone loses the connection to the satellites and has to triangulate your position via the GPRS internet connection. This is where you get charged for data. I used mine for the first time the other day and on average it was in range of 11 satellites and worked flawlessley. Best bet is to connect it up and load your destination in whilst out in the open before you get in the car.

    This phone is very stable, havn't had any glitches or slowdowns either. Best gadget I have got in ages! If you are wanting it on PAYT it will set you back around the £300 mark but it would be money well spent.

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    Re: New phone time - I know very little about phones

    Quote Originally Posted by Ferral View Post
    I've just got the Nokia 6110 Navigator, superb phone. Best Nokia I have had in a while now.

    Way the A-GPS works (Assisted GPS) is where the phone loses the connection to the satellites and has to triangulate your position via the GPRS internet connection. This is where you get charged for data. I used mine for the first time the other day and on average it was in range of 11 satellites and worked flawlessley. Best bet is to connect it up and load your destination in whilst out in the open before you get in the car.

    This phone is very stable, havn't had any glitches or slowdowns either. Best gadget I have got in ages! If you are wanting it on PAYT it will set you back around the £300 mark but it would be money well spent.
    Not quite correct, A-GPS uses the cell positions to assist the GPS in finding a fix by effectively telling it where you are (Therefore recommending the satellites to use). It can do this on a schedule or not, and is there to speed up the fix.

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    Re: New phone time - I know very little about phones

    I recently bought a D900I and it's amazing, cost me £150, but was well worth it.

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