TheMac19
Jun 13, 2006, 09:44 PM
I posted a feeler about this phone when I visited the states a few months ago, and it generated some interest and quite a few PM's however my trip was cut short so I was unable to get back on MR to sell the phone before I returned to Ireland. Anyway, I have recently moved back to the States, and I brought the phone with me, so now it is FOR SALE.
It is a nearly new NEC n343i phone. It's the very Apple-looking model which NEC came out with a Q4 2005. It is featured heavily in 02's "i-mode" campaign in Ireland and the UK.
It's a great phone, with camera, and all the normal goodies, but nothing too exceptional - that is, no bluetooth and no expandable memory. It does have iMode functionality, but I don't think anybody in the States does iMode yet... The phone does look like a million bucks though! It's a little bigger than a nano, and very slim.
I have service with O2 in Ireland, recently I upgraded to a bluetooth Sony, and O2 were so kind as to unlock my NEC for me, so that it can be used in on any GSM carrier. When I insert my Irish SIM card, the phone instantly grabs coverage with Cingular - and I can use it without problems (aside from international roaming charges!) So I feel this phone would be a good candidate for someone with Cingular/AT&T or T-Mobile. Perhaps some of the smaller carriers are GSM as well? In any case, the phone was unlocked by my carrier - O2 - so it should work with any GSM SIM card - anywhere in the world.
The phone is like new, and in the original box. It holds a charge quite well, and the camera actually takes pretty decent pictures as well. The GUI is really quite fancy and nice, and the phone is generally solid.
It comes with everything shown in the main picture: Phone, battery, handsfree device, user manual, musc paperwork, leather case, and UK/IRL charger plug - it is auto-switching 100-240V AC, so you can use it to charge the phone on US voltage, you just need a $5 plug adapter (like someone would use when traveling.) Unbeknownst to me, the corded handsfree device and the fitted leather case are actually quite sought after items, which I just learned when doing a bit of research before selling the phone.
Interesting side note: The port that the handsfree headset plugs into is a mini-USB port, and there is software available to use this to access the phone with a computer. (I know it is available from the NEC website, or a quick googling might do the trick...) Other stuff of note: The backlighting to the keyboard is blue, and lights up the whole keyboard- pretty cool. Very hard to capture with a camera obviously, but I'll see what I can do.
I'd love to use the phone over here since I'd be darn near the only person with one on this side of the pond, but alas, I have to get a Verizon phone
I will sell the phone, and they don't play nicely with others. If it was up to me I'd go cingular and keep it. Bummer - so now it's someone elses chance to have the iPhone that Apple never made. Go on, scrape off the NEC and tell everyone that you're using a prototype Apple phone - the GUI is slick enough...
I'll sell it for $65 shipped USPS Priority in the US. (In the past months the only one I've seen for sale in the US on eBay was for $230.) I am open to offers, and could be open to a trade for a Verizon phone: I am ONLY interested in Verizon phones that are tri-band (or quad-band) AND have Bluetooth (compatible with iSync). Yes, I know this is a small number of phones, but I live and travel in areas with poor coverage, so I need the analog as well as digital abilities. I live in, and will be shipping from northern NY. I am verified on PayPal and have perfect feedback on eBay under the name: Mekkon.
You can PM or e-mail me with any questions or offers. My e-mail is tommycostello and that's at gmail. I have included several pictures, and can send people a few more if interested. One shows the phone on Cingular - proof that it works in the US, although I'm not to be held liable for any compatibility issues! I guarantee that it won't arrive DOA. If a buyer wants a little extra security, for an extra $10 (up front) I would be willing to list the item on eBay at a specific time with a buy-it-now of the agreed price.
Also check out my other listing - an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station with Modem. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=2514410#post2514410)
More Info & Specs for the phone can be found at: NEC's 343i Page (http://www.neceurope.com/mobiles/handset.asp?phone=83&category=1&language=ENG)
RE: COMPATIBILITY:
This is a tri-band GSM/GPRS phone, but European, meaning GSM 900/1800/1900 bands. It would work in the US with Cingular, AT&T and T-Mobile, however it wouldn't get reception on the 850mhz band. I'm certainly no expert in mobile frequencies, but from what I understand, 1800 and 1900 are used the most for wide coverage areas. 900mhz (or 850mhz in the USA) is used in select urban areas for fancier data stuff - sending videos, etc. So, if this phone was used in the states, it should work fine in all areas which get 1800 or 1900 coverage, yet it wouldn't have the data prowess available to native USA models in certain cities. At least that's what I'm told, if there's an expert around, feel free to correct me. Or hit Google or Wikipedia to learn more. When I turn the phone on with my Irish SIM card in it, it finds coverage with Cingular no problem, and actually has quite good coverage - and I'm in quite a rural locale. (I'm also told that Washington DC does have coverage in the 900mhz band; for all the foreign types known to visit there. Don't know if that's true or not!)
It is a nearly new NEC n343i phone. It's the very Apple-looking model which NEC came out with a Q4 2005. It is featured heavily in 02's "i-mode" campaign in Ireland and the UK.
It's a great phone, with camera, and all the normal goodies, but nothing too exceptional - that is, no bluetooth and no expandable memory. It does have iMode functionality, but I don't think anybody in the States does iMode yet... The phone does look like a million bucks though! It's a little bigger than a nano, and very slim.
I have service with O2 in Ireland, recently I upgraded to a bluetooth Sony, and O2 were so kind as to unlock my NEC for me, so that it can be used in on any GSM carrier. When I insert my Irish SIM card, the phone instantly grabs coverage with Cingular - and I can use it without problems (aside from international roaming charges!) So I feel this phone would be a good candidate for someone with Cingular/AT&T or T-Mobile. Perhaps some of the smaller carriers are GSM as well? In any case, the phone was unlocked by my carrier - O2 - so it should work with any GSM SIM card - anywhere in the world.
The phone is like new, and in the original box. It holds a charge quite well, and the camera actually takes pretty decent pictures as well. The GUI is really quite fancy and nice, and the phone is generally solid.
It comes with everything shown in the main picture: Phone, battery, handsfree device, user manual, musc paperwork, leather case, and UK/IRL charger plug - it is auto-switching 100-240V AC, so you can use it to charge the phone on US voltage, you just need a $5 plug adapter (like someone would use when traveling.) Unbeknownst to me, the corded handsfree device and the fitted leather case are actually quite sought after items, which I just learned when doing a bit of research before selling the phone.
Interesting side note: The port that the handsfree headset plugs into is a mini-USB port, and there is software available to use this to access the phone with a computer. (I know it is available from the NEC website, or a quick googling might do the trick...) Other stuff of note: The backlighting to the keyboard is blue, and lights up the whole keyboard- pretty cool. Very hard to capture with a camera obviously, but I'll see what I can do.
I'd love to use the phone over here since I'd be darn near the only person with one on this side of the pond, but alas, I have to get a Verizon phone
I will sell the phone, and they don't play nicely with others. If it was up to me I'd go cingular and keep it. Bummer - so now it's someone elses chance to have the iPhone that Apple never made. Go on, scrape off the NEC and tell everyone that you're using a prototype Apple phone - the GUI is slick enough...
I'll sell it for $65 shipped USPS Priority in the US. (In the past months the only one I've seen for sale in the US on eBay was for $230.) I am open to offers, and could be open to a trade for a Verizon phone: I am ONLY interested in Verizon phones that are tri-band (or quad-band) AND have Bluetooth (compatible with iSync). Yes, I know this is a small number of phones, but I live and travel in areas with poor coverage, so I need the analog as well as digital abilities. I live in, and will be shipping from northern NY. I am verified on PayPal and have perfect feedback on eBay under the name: Mekkon.
You can PM or e-mail me with any questions or offers. My e-mail is tommycostello and that's at gmail. I have included several pictures, and can send people a few more if interested. One shows the phone on Cingular - proof that it works in the US, although I'm not to be held liable for any compatibility issues! I guarantee that it won't arrive DOA. If a buyer wants a little extra security, for an extra $10 (up front) I would be willing to list the item on eBay at a specific time with a buy-it-now of the agreed price.
Also check out my other listing - an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station with Modem. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=2514410#post2514410)
More Info & Specs for the phone can be found at: NEC's 343i Page (http://www.neceurope.com/mobiles/handset.asp?phone=83&category=1&language=ENG)
RE: COMPATIBILITY:
This is a tri-band GSM/GPRS phone, but European, meaning GSM 900/1800/1900 bands. It would work in the US with Cingular, AT&T and T-Mobile, however it wouldn't get reception on the 850mhz band. I'm certainly no expert in mobile frequencies, but from what I understand, 1800 and 1900 are used the most for wide coverage areas. 900mhz (or 850mhz in the USA) is used in select urban areas for fancier data stuff - sending videos, etc. So, if this phone was used in the states, it should work fine in all areas which get 1800 or 1900 coverage, yet it wouldn't have the data prowess available to native USA models in certain cities. At least that's what I'm told, if there's an expert around, feel free to correct me. Or hit Google or Wikipedia to learn more. When I turn the phone on with my Irish SIM card in it, it finds coverage with Cingular no problem, and actually has quite good coverage - and I'm in quite a rural locale. (I'm also told that Washington DC does have coverage in the 900mhz band; for all the foreign types known to visit there. Don't know if that's true or not!)
