The VOQ phone

[Guest ingrambw]

Well, I got this phone, got the voice working first, then, thanks to SatanX's setting research I got the GRPS working as well. I also upgraded to the latest firmware.

I have only had a little time with it so far, but I really do not see what people think is so bad about this phone, granted I had little use of it before I applied the latest firmware.

It is really NOT as big as people are saying. It is not as wide as my I600, just as thick when the I600 is closed, maybe a quarter taller then the I600 closed, and about a quarter shorter when the I600 is open.

The Keyboard performs as expected and even has keys for the copy and paste.

The one down side that I see, and there may be a way around it, is the fact that the holster style case that comes with it pushes the buttons and even with the button lock on it still seems to keep the screen lit and sometimes it gets throught the key lock to the password and fills the box with the same number.

Overall I am very satisfied with this phone, and hopefully Sierra Wireless will continue to support it and update it.

I asked this before and got the responce that no one uses this phone, but I think there may be some people out there lurking with it.

Who out there has one and what are your thoughts on it? Are there enough users to get a Device specific area setup for it?

Thanks,

Brian

[Guest Pondrew]

Must admit that the positive comments by peeps like yourself and the support from the manufacturer have raised my estimation of the device.

One thing though, is it correct there is no sd card slot because I asked in a previous thread and got no answer.

[Guest SatanX]

Must admit that the positive comments by peeps like yourself and the support from the manufacturer have raised my estimation of the device.

One thing though, is it correct there is no sd card slot because I asked in a previous thread and got no answer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is an SD card slot, I answered you.

[Guest Pondrew]

There is an SD card slot, I answered you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cheers mate. Somehow missed your posts in the other thread (try to keep up with New Posts but there are SO many).

If I could pick up a Voq cheap I'd go for it...

[Guest SatanX]

Cheers mate. Somehow missed your posts in the other thread (try to keep up with New Posts but there are SO many).

If I could pick up a Voq cheap I'd go for it...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No worries.

To be honest, it is an impressive phone. It gets a very bad rep due to the absence of bluetooth. It's not as big as it seems, RF on the phone is very impressive and the keyboard is a godsend.

Ingrambw,

Glad to see you like the phone.

[Guest ingrambw]

I did find something that seems weird, but I think it is the Data Service I have not the Phone. I noticed that I can't get to the full or lite version of the Modaco site from the VOQ, but I can from my I600. I think the data settings may be messed up because I had to use the WAP.Cingular access point instead of the ISP.Cingular to get to any web site. I can go to other full web sites using the existing settings on the VOQ so maybe I am wrong.

SatanX, can you view the modaco site on yours?

[Guest SatanX]

I did find something that seems weird, but I think it is the Data Service I have not the Phone.  I noticed that I can't get to the full or lite version of the Modaco site from the VOQ, but I can from my I600.  I think the data settings may be messed up because I had to use the WAP.Cingular access point instead of the ISP.Cingular to get to any web site.  I can go to other full web sites using the existing settings on the VOQ so maybe I am wrong. 

SatanX, can you view the modaco site on yours?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can get to it fine. I am using AT&T settings, since thats who I signed up with. So I can't really comment on the Cingular settings.

[Guest Tunney]

I'm glad you like it but I can't for the life of me see why someone would choose it over a C500/Audiovox 5600.

Admittedly the Vox has the keyboard in its favour, but the C500 is a lot smaller, has a camera, has bluetooth, etc.

They're both pretty ugly phones, IMO, but at least the C500 isn't big AND ugly.

[Guest ingrambw]

I don't have any direct experience with the C500/SMT5600, but I'm telling you, I hold the VOQ in my hand and it is not that big. Infact if it was much smaller it would loose some functionality. Everyone talks about how they want a small phone. The smaller you go, the less functional the phone is in the real world, and the easier it is to break or get lost. No, I like the size of the VOQ and my I600. I will admit that I like the case of the I600 better, feels just a bit sturdier, and I like the navigation pad on the I600 as opposed to the joystick on the VOQ, but that may just be because I am used to the nav pad. The stick on the VOQ works as expected.

I work in the IT department of a company and handle all the Cellular services. Seems like the smaller, more advanced the phone gets the quicker they get broken or lost, or just fail. Then I give them a trusty phone that may be bigger, better built, but older, and it lasts for years.

The downside of technological inovation I guess.

Brian

[Guest fasteye]

I've had one of these now a long time and I remember posting some of the issues with it way back before it was released. I've spoken to Sierra Wireless regularly since and they really have been trying hard to fix the issues.

New firmware was released last week again to fix some issues and upgrade it to Windows Mobile SE for Smartphones and WMP 10.

Theres no doubt the phone has some great unique concepts which I would love to have in my other MS Smartphones.

The phone has been surpassed though in too many other areas. Battery life for me is probably the most important. It's still poor especially if you are using it with VPN or VOQMail.

The Keyboard is good but with predictive T9 now getting better all the time, the need for a proper keyboard gets less and less. Even RIM have taken this on board now.

Theres no doubt that this is not a consumer phone - The size, lack of bluetooth and camera don't put it into that category. It's not the kind of small flashy device either which sales guys want to pose with so it's hard to see where it fits overall.

When I saw their concepts 3 years ago, I was excited but it took too long to get to market, still has some flaws and is not as good overall as some of the other devices we have seen since. For me it can't beat the Treo 600 or Treo 650 which unfortunatley is the device of choice with my user base.

A real pity but I hope Sierra give it another bash with an updated design which will compete because I feel they have learnt a lot and have been very genuine in all the communications I've had with them.

P.S I still use the VOQ too in my testing of Mobile Wireless solutions so there are some of us hiding out there!!!