VERY IMPORTANT: What's the best non-smartphone phone?

[Guest nickcornaglia]

I've been using Smartphones and PPPC for so long I dont know anything about "regular" phones. Lately, I'm getting so tired of crashes and poor performance, I'm left wondering what else is out there that can handle my basic needs.

So.....What's the best non-smartphone phone that can also do the following:

-pop3 email

-calendar

-phonebook (multiple numbers per contact...addresses are a plus)

-decent camera

-Quad Band GSM (850 band a must)

If it could sync with outlook thru some 3rd party app, that would be great.

Any suggestions?

[Guest chucky.egg]

I'd say give UIQ a try if you haven't already

There's an SE 990 coming out June/July 06 on Vodafone with WiFi etc

UIQ still looks kinda Basic IMO, but it is very stable and does most of what PPC can do.

[Guest sporkguy]

Give Samsung a go if you want a phone that works first time :)

It took me a while to decide on a semi-permanent phone because when you work in a phone shop you become familiar with all the models and their faults. The D600 (apart from the first batch with dodgy firmware) has been one of those models which has a very low return rate compared to the sheer number we sell.

And it works. First time.

Or the K750i - another cracking phone that just works.

But saying that - I'm craving another PPC after I sold my M500 last year.. I'll probably keep the D600 for going out, and get the M600/Qtek S200 for work and playing at home :D

[Guest pd.ryder]

Have you tried checking out Stuff Magazine - a UK gadget mag. They do Top Ten's of most stuff ( :) ) including Smartphones and 'ordinary' phones.

See here

[Guest moroni]

I am agreeing with sporkguy on this one, the D600 and the K750 are both cracking phones, although i would personally go for the K750 as i think its just a better phone, and it's got a superb update facility from the SE website which can sort out a load of crap if the phone develops faults.

[Guest nickcornaglia]

' date='Mar 14 2006, 08:32' post='1127']Nick, Nick, you know you'll end up coming back to Smartphone / PPC!

Have you used Series 60? How do you get on with it?

I assume the JAMin isn't working out for you then...

P

I know. I know. But I'm getting frustrated. (I havn't used anything other than a PPC or Smartphone in about 5-6 years, I think).

My JAMin is DEAD. The center of the screen had lost all sensitivity to stylus taps. If I open up a new note, and tap dots all over the screen....I'm left with a thumbprint sized deadspot right in the middle. I believe it has been there since I got it....but originally much smaller and has grown to this size. I think whatever is under there is getting air behind it. And believe me...I have not abused this thing at all in the one short month I've had it.

It's going back to imate tomorrow for repairs after some convincing that it's their problem and not mine. First they tried to tesll me to go to the reseller I bought it from...but that guy only offered a three day warranty. So I went back to them and they agreed to take it. (I dont even need to pay shipping to them! :)

But this got me thinking. I've had to hard reset this thing at least 5 times since I've had it. Sure the PPC platform is nice, especially when it comes in such a small package like the JAMin, but do I really need a PPC. Currently, I just bought it to test a beta of an upcoming media software. :D

BUT... as you know, I keep switching back and forth from SP to PPC. (I just say the A701 was released on Expansys today and almost got my credit card out!)

Then I started thinking....what do I really NEED? I dont NEED games. I dont NEED some of the extra apps that I use ocassionally.

I certainly NEED a calendar app.

I NEED a full fledged Contacts app.

I NEED POP3 email access.

I NEED some sort of Outlook synchronization.

I NEED bluetooth.

Music is nice.

Camera is nice.

I dont really NEED them....but I'll take 'em.

I want small.

I want durable.

I want DEPENDABLE!

I was just wondering what else is out there. I look at phones like RAZRs in jealousy...even though I know they are not much more than a pretty shell with not much inside.

But what do I need??

I listed the basics and a few extras. Will I be comfortable with that. I'll never know unless I try. Most people dont have Smartphones and are happy. Could I be one of them? I dont know. I doubt it. Craziness. Craziness!!!!!

Series 60

UIQ

SE 990

Samsung D600

K750i

I'll give all of the above a look see.

And STUFF Magazine is great, though I havn't read it in some time. (Any magazine for that matter). But it's what I grab if I'm in a bookstore coffee shop.

Thanks All.

[Guest nickcornaglia]

All crazy ranting from me....I know.

Also remember, I need 850MHz, so only QuadBand for me.

[Guest sporkguy]

The K750 only comes in Triband doesnt it?

If so, I should have read your original request a little better lol - try the D600, there's two versions, the triband one with EDGE and the Quadband one with your precious 850 :)

[Guest nickcornaglia]

Sorry for the late replies. It's been the week from hell financially. My phone breaks. The hard-drive from my PC carshed unrecoverably. (Toshiba 17" Laptop...replaced with a 100GB HD). Just reinstalled Windows TWICE. The good news is that I have a nice clean system. :)

Luckily, all of my important data was backed up on a SeaGate 200GB external drive. So I'm all set!

On top of that...I owe $3500 on my taxes this year because of a 401K distribution that I took and thought I had covered all of the fees.

Back to the phone....I claim this today: ALL PHONES OTHER THAN WINDOWS MOBILE SUCK!!!!! :D

I didnt try the Nokia, which I should have since I had my choice of ANY phone in the Cingular store as a loaner (picked a Cingular 2125)...but I think I'm just moving back to the Smartphone when my JAMin arrives back. If someone wants to work out a trade....let me know! :P

[Guest rockykabir]

Back to the phone....I claim this today: ALL PHONES OTHER THAN WINDOWS MOBILE SUCK!!!!! :)

haha...man, I had a Nokia 6280 in my posession for the past two days - I felt like I was going back in time. As a phone, its fine. It does the job and its easy to use. Other than that, there is nothing else about the phone. I just can't go back.

I've been given it to sell it on eBay....I just can't imagine paying ?180+ for such a device. Apart from a few niggles, my MDA Compact is the best phone I've had period. I'm really only upgrading to the Vario just for the Keyboard which was my main beef with the Compact tbh.

[Guest moroni]

When you were using the 6280 did you notice the 'feel' of it? is it just me or does it feel very squishy between the 2 seperate layers of the phone? it feels very cheap and poorly made on the ones i have played with!:0

[Guest rockykabir]

When you were using the 6280 did you notice the 'feel' of it? is it just me or does it feel very squishy between the 2 seperate layers of the phone? it feels very cheap and poorly made on the ones i have played with!:0

It was ok. The build quality was fine imo - actually that was my only compliment for it. Its a lot fatter than I thought it'll be. But seriously, going through the menu, there was nothing special. I actually felt a bit guilty that someone had to buy it(!)

[Guest TigerNet]

...how about one of these?

http://www.mobiles-live.com/index.php?show...=0entry198184

...I'm lovin' it...

Cheers

Nick

[Guest sporkguy]

hmm looks a bit too much like my Casio Calculator from my school days.. not as pretty as it could have been.

[Guest moroni]

It was ok. The build quality was fine imo - actually that was my only compliment for it. Its a lot fatter than I thought it'll be. But seriously, going through the menu, there was nothing special. I actually felt a bit guilty that someone had to buy it(!)

What's this guilt thing you talk about? :)

[Guest rockykabir]

What's this guilt thing you talk about? :)

lol..its gonna sound a bit corny. But I felt guilty of the person paying ?160 for whereas he could have got a decent smartphone for that price :D

[Guest phr34k]

Same with the 8800 - I always feel a slight twinge of guilt when someone buys it.

But you get on with life I suppose :)

[Guest TigerNet]

hmm looks a bit too much like my Casio Calculator from my school days.. not as pretty as it could have been.

...I know what you mean, but you should see it in the flesh...build quality is fantastic, screen is great...and the battery case is quality leather and powers the phone so you are not draining the battery...

...it is the first phone that I have kept using when there are sync issues with Outlook...I spent a fair bit of last evening beaming contacts via bluetooth from the K-Jam so I could carry on using it!!! It is also the biggest head turner (pub value) phone that I have had in a long time...

Cheers

Nick

[Guest TigerNet]

' date='Mar 22 2006, 12:46' post='1329']That is pretty tiny!

You writing us a review? :)

P

...we'll see, but I am running around a bit at the mo...maybe next week if I get the time...

Cheers

Nick

[Guest colonel_butt]

ignore comments about UIQ - its awful (look at comments on esato forum)

Motorola make very reliable phones that sync with outlook. my choice is the K1 - solid, small, stylish and with A2DP for listening to music

If you like Nokia, the 6300 is the one to go for.

Samsung fans will love the U600.

Or try Wm6, except for a few bugs (and its the first release), the HTC S710/VOX is shaping up to be cool

AVOID anything 3G. The main feature is to reduce battery by 30% - only worth it for laptop cards

rgds

[Guest Monolithix (MVP)]

I think to outright avoid all 3G is a bit much...never had much in the way of a problem with battery with my Jasjar. To be honest, i've noticed recently that BT is a far greater battery hog than i'd orignially thought. I'd say its just the nokia's and their N95 with one day of battery on 3G thats the issue :rolleyes: