Mobile Broadband?

[slartibartfast]

Here you go - the difference between the major phone types explained in pictures.

 

[ATTACH]8581.vB[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

[Tomo]

Go iphone... My brother's got one, and he's gets the same if not better coverage on the telstra network than me sometimes...

 

Ease of operation and user friendlyness, and the great many apps you can get for them make them really great. If I had the money.... that's the way I would go.

 

 

[Guest sypkens]

Once I saw the Touch Pro 2 (which has all the features of the iPhone 3GS and more), I was sold. Picking one up today.

slarti I am also interested in this phone. Waiting for 3 to make up their mind whether they are stocking it. Can you give some feedback once you have had a play with about how good / bad you are to it?

 

Thanks

 

Jan

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Jan, I'm so totally impressed with this phone.

 

I've had it since Friday and have been playing with it, modding it and skinning it to within an inch of its life. It absolutely rocks. Anything I've wanted on it, I've found for free. Any changes I wanted, I've found hacks and registry changes on XDA Developers (it's called a Rhodium there). Check that site out to see what can be done.

 

I did lose the clock on the Today page for a while today (trying to get rid of an analog one I installed and couldn't get rid of). All fixed tonight with a new digital flip clock.

 

I have it mostly how I want it. There's a few things to go - like voice dialing, and a better video player. The current one is pretty good. My PC records some TV shows and I found some software which will take those recordings from Windows Media Centre, strip the ads out, convert to 800x480 (the phone resolution) and save to an appropriate format. This can all be scheduled to run overnight on any new programs. Then I just copy the shows to the phone and watch them in wonderful quality at my leisure.

 

How good is that?

 

Being a Windows 6.1 platform, there are some real fantastic applications and games for it (just not all in one place like Apple Apps). I've found some very good games too.

 

I have also subscribed to Foxtel TV channels for a month to check it out ($18). Many of the Fox channels, delivered to the phone in real time and very watchable.

 

As for the phone, there are some really good functions. To go to conference call mode, just put the phone down flat on a level surface, and the back speakers take over with really good volume and clarity. One microphone samples for ambient noise and filters it while you talk to the other. You can also easily add more people from your contacts into the conversation. I also set it up so that if you take out the stylus while in a phone call, notes opens up ready for drawing or typing.

 

Speaking of which, the fold out keyboard is the best I've used yet. You could type whole essays on that.

 

There's also a proximity sensor so that when you hold the phone to your ear, it detects your head and disables the screen so you don't activate stuff while talking. I used to hang up my old phones and find I'd done all sorts of things and drawn scrawly pictures all over my notes.

 

That's the basics. This is the best phone out there at the moment. Hard to see where it can be improved. The screen is really big and bright, but the whole thing seems small and fits your hand perfectly.

 

Just get one. Fone Zone sold it to me for $1400 with the Telstra ROM. I might flash it to Windows Mobile 6.5 yet. We'll see.

 

Ross

 

PS - bet you don't ask again :spam:

 

 

[ahlocks]

Here's another one: PILOT USA BLULINK from Aircraft Spruce

Just ordered one from ClearProp. They're in stock, so I'll let you know how it goes in a few days from now. :gerg:

 

Dunno if I really want to answer the phone when it rings while bumbling about in the sky, but it would've been handy to have been able to make a voice call while airborne on a few occassions....and I really hate text messaging.

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

Many thanks for the advice.

 

Sounds just what I want (any fool can use)

 

Re Cowra: I have a couple of trips planned for around that time and if possible I will deviate a few miles and catch up with you guys that are in attendance for a chin wag. 24 5135.

 

Phil.

 

 

[Guest sypkens]

Jan, I'm so totally impressed with this phone....

Hi Slarti

Sorry for taking so long to respond but thanks for the comprehensive review. I am planning to get it. Just waiting to see what carrier I will be going to as my contract is almost finished. Working on a project where my phone is being abused. Have busted my $99 cap twice now and I suspect my phone bill for the month will be $500 because of it. :kboom:

 

Thinking of looking into the Optus unlimited plans. I dont suppose you know of a Telstra equivalent?

 

Thanks

 

Jan

 

 

[Guest sypkens]

Hi Slarti. Yes got the phone and now on the optus business unlimited plan. Really happy with the phone. echo all of your sentiments on useability.

 

I was wondering if you have found any good road naviation including spoken voice directions software yet? I used to have copilot live on my old phone but for some reason it refuses to install on this phone - get an error message you are not authorised to do it or something along those lines.

 

I find that google maps work but recently went out west where reception is patchy and then it becomes a hassle updating the map. so looking for something that is purely GPS driven.

 

thanks

 

jan

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Excellent Jan.

 

Mine came with Whereis Navigator. Is seems to do the job pretty well. I only used it once to test it out. It even worked in the air, so has no trouble running over 200kph.

 

Kept it busy working out new routes when I kept missing the turns though

 

 

[Gibbo]

I used an iPhone 3gs on my last trip with an inductive external antenna (love the RF tech in the office!). In 90hrs of flying I was only without 3g coverage for around an hour while crossing the Tanami Desert. I Did manage to run up a nasty bill for last month.

 

Anything above 6000' with an external antenna on 850mhz should give u coverage to around 95% of the country geographically.

 

The rail networks are starting to replace their commercail networks with NextG and in some cases YesG therefore coverage is increasing in 'strange' places. ie towns with population of 1. 250 kilometers from nowhere with 7mb/s download speeds ??? If they could only cover Birdsville now.

 

Optus are currently rolling out their 900mhz dual band system and from what I have seen it is working well. Now next issues - Telstra and optus's billing system.. lol

 

 

[sain]

A lot of ISPs are now coming onboard and reselling wireless broadband. Internode for example has a very attractive pricing plan for 5Gb/month prepaid. They use the optus network, which I've found to be very reliable so far (havn't taken it flying yet though).