Contenders to become my next phone:
The MS SmartPhone kit was annouced this week, some folks have already ordered and received them. Based on the Compal reference platform, which was designed by Microsoft in the first place, it’s butt ugly, has no warranty, and there’s no camera. At US$599, I think I can resist…
The P800 hasn’t been picked up by any carriers that I’m aware of, US or foreign, but Sony-Ericsson is selling them direct for US$649. My inner geek loves this device (it’s a PDA, phone, camera, and has Bluetooth!), but… it’s huge, nearly as large as my Audiovox Maestro. Right now I alternate between a Nokia 8890 and 8290, two very small phones that make the P800 seem like a brick.
The Nokia 3650 seemed more appealing. It’s the first Symbian phone to be offered by US carriers (T-Mobile launched it yesterday). It has a built-in VGA camera and Bluetooth, runs Symbian and J2ME applications, and isn’t very expensive. On the down side, it’s probably the largest phone without a touchscreen on the market today — longer than the P800, nearly as wide and equally thick. Yow!
That brings me to the SPV, which I just learned is available in a completely unlocked developer version. It costs GBP305, which works out to roughly US$550 shipped. Compared to my current Nokias, the SPV is a tiny bit longer, barely wider, and about 20% heavier — not too shabby. Negatives? No Bluetooth. The camera seems halfway decent but isn’t built-in. And a new model is due soon, with a better keypad and screen.
What to do, what to do? The Compal and P800 are definately out. I’ll take a 3650 if T-Mobile will sell it to me for the new subscriber price ($199 after $100 rebate), which they ought to do since I’ve been a customer for two years with nary a call to customer service. As of today they haven’t heard of the 3650, so I’ll try again on Monday.
As for Orange, I want their SmartPhone regardless of the 3650, but I can hold out a few weeks for the SPVx to launch. The keypad improvement seems like a big deal to me, the miserable keys on the Nokia 8890 are the primary reason I own an 8290 as well.
Bryce: Why not the Sony Ericsson T68i? It’s nearly as small as the Nokia 8290 with color screen and Bluetooth, and has an available camera accessory. Got mine for $100 from AT&T Wireless a couple of months ago, and have been very happy with it. (Works great as a companion to the Palm Tungsten/T, which, incidentally, is at an all-time low price: $360 at Amazon, before a $25 rebate. There’s also has a $99 camera accessory that slides into the Tungsten’s SD slot.)
My former roommate had a T68i, RF performance indoors was abysmal compared to my 8290 and 8890. I had noted a similar performance gap between previous Ericssons (T28, T39) and Nokias (8890, 7110) when I lived in Europe.
YMMV, of course.