Which Cell Phone/Provider for iSync?

aricher · Jun 17, 2004

I'm looking to switch from Sprint PCS to either Verizon, Nextel or Cingular.
I choose those 3 in that order because of coverage and customer service ratings in the New York Times "Circuits" section.

I'm looking for a phone that can fully function with iSync via Bluetooth and a provider that also supports this. I've read in several places on the net that Verizon does not support bluetooth nor do they have any intention of doing so.

Verizon gets the #1 coverage/customer satisfaction ranking but there is no way I'd fo with them if I have to plug in a USB cord to use iSync.

Anybody use iSync and any of the above providers? What phone/s do you use? What are your overall impressions? Any advice is very appreciated.

noel4r · Jun 17, 2004

I have a Sony Ericsson T616. It's a good phone, but the screen could be better. It works seamlessly w/ iSync. My service provider is AT&T Wireless, it's not bad except for their customer service. You might wanna try Sony Ericsson T610 with Cingular.

MrSugar · Jun 17, 2004

aricher said:
I'm looking to switch from Sprint PCS to either Verizon, Nextel or Cingular.
I choose those 3 in that order because of coverage and customer service ratings in the New York Times "Circuits" section.

I'm looking for a phone that can fully function with iSync via Bluetooth and a provider that also supports this. I've read in several places on the net that Verizon does not support bluetooth nor do they have any intention of doing so.

Verizon gets the #1 coverage/customer satisfaction ranking but there is no way I'd fo with them if I have to plug in a USB cord to use iSync.

Anybody use iSync and any of the above providers? What phone/s do you use? What are your overall impressions? Any advice is very appreciated.

Hey man,

I have a t610 Sony Ericsson phone, with T-Mobile as my service provider. It syncs perfectally with Isync, calendar, contacts, everything works great. I also use it to control itunes, dvd player, powerpoint etc. with the program Salling Clicker (http://homepage.mac.com/jonassalling/Shareware/Clicker/).

I could not be happier, you would not believe the look on people's faces when I get a call from someone on my cell phone and at that exact moment... itunes automaically pauses and the person's name who is calling pops up on my screen!!

Soire · Jun 17, 2004

So a Motorola color flip phone with verizon service has absolutely no compatibility with iSync or bluetooth?

LeeTom · Jun 17, 2004

I also use a Sony Ericsson T610, with T-Mobile. It works with Cingular too. It's AWESOME.

for a complete list of compatible cell phones, check http://www.apple.com/isync/devices.html

Lee Tom

furrina · Jun 17, 2004

I don't see what's wrong with Sprint, I've had them for years and my service is great and getting better, reception's great (at least in NYC) and their rates seem fine. Just curious as to what the problem was. Only complaint I have is ATT & cingular have all the cool phones (I like the candy-bar nokias and sony ericssons that look like toys

.

Also there's that open source BitPim from Sourceforge.net (but that may only work with USB...

mkrishnan · Jun 17, 2004

Soire said:
So a Motorola color flip phone with verizon service has absolutely no compatibility with iSync or bluetooth?

Don't mean to patronize at all, but were you familiar with: http://www.apple.com/isync/devices.html

It lists devices and what level of compatibility they have with iSync. Not everything that works is on there, though, IIRC.

My impression is that Motorolla only fairly recently started offering BT phones, but judging from the fact that their USB phones are mostly compatible, I'm guessing it probably does work.

Does Sprint even offer a BT phone yet? My other impression was they didn't, or at least hadn't until very recently.

iSync and the Nokia Series 60 phones (3650, etc) get along very well, but then you need a GSM carrier....

plumers · Jun 17, 2004

My Motorola T720 Verizon wireless works with iSync very well even though I use cheap Generic datacable (got it off the ebay for 2 bucks only). My SE T610 also works with iSync but I never use it since I cut my AT&T service a month ago. Sprint was the worst in LA, I had sprint for 1 week only and that was 8 months ago, I have no idea about right now. I have no idea about Nextel phone can be hooked up with iSync (I have Nextel i730 slow and freeze a lot). I think Verizon is the best in So-Cal (southern california)... I've tried all major wireless provider in LA

Zeke · Jun 17, 2004

Soire said:
So a Motorola color flip phone with verizon service has absolutely no compatibility with iSync or bluetooth?

Not yet, the Motorola v710 will be Verizon's first BT capable (and only for a while supposedly) cell phone. It should be a sweet phone but it'll probably be pricey.

aricher · Jun 17, 2004

Just took a late lunch break and checked out a few phones/services.

It's frustrating - as mkrishnan said - apple does have phones listed on their iSync site but not all are listed. Even more frustrating is when you go to each providers site they only have select models in their phone listings - the stores have a greater variety.

I'd like to go with Verizon as I have friends and family who use them but i do not want to have to use a data cable as "plumers" does - I want bluetooth. I don't know why Verizon doesn't jump on board - on wirless review site said that Verizon is trying to figure out a way to CHARGE people for data transfered via bluetooth.

furrina - I have had some problems with Sprint - they're slow to adopt the "cool" phones that I'm looking for.

Best deal I saw for a Bluetooth phone was at Circuit City:

Sony Ericsson T610 for 49.95 after a $125 rebate with activation and Circuit City also throws in a free DVD with the deal which cuts the phone down to 29.95! The provider is T-Mobile in that case. The T-Mobile coverage map looks to be a bit smaller that the other providers which is probably why they ranked last (6th) in the NYT article

AT & T had a deal on the Sony Ericsson T616 for 99.00

Here's what the article said:

JD Power & Assoc. 2003 wirelesss network quality assessment study:
Overall network quality rankings for national providers:

1 verizon
2. nextel
3. cingular
4. At & T Wireless
5. Sprint PCS
6. T-Mobil

The Yankee Group: Carrier Customer Satisfaction and Performance rankings from 2003 Mobil User Survey:

1. AT & T Wireless
2. Nextel
3. Verizon
4. T-Mobil
5. Cingular
6. Sprint PCS

So many options make the head spin.

furrina · Jun 17, 2004

Also keep in mind that ATT just got bought by Cingular so who knows what that will mean.
Sprint has mostly techy looking boring flip phones. But Verizon's are even worse on that score IMHO.
However, I have heard so many complaints about how ATT service/reception is sooo bad. I think it has gotten a little better in very recent months.
Everybody seems to just love Verizon for reception.

aricher · Jun 17, 2004

furrina - I had heard about the AT&T buyout - I think I'll skip them. I can't believe Verizon is being so hesitant about Bluetooth - I even saw some online petitions begging them to get on-board.

So now it looks like I'm down to Nextel, Cingular or T-Mobil. More research needed.

plumers · Jun 17, 2004

Why everyone wants bluetooth connections, I'd rather using regular USB datacable (cost only 2 bucks on ebay) because it's safe and very simple, no need to update drivers (just plug and play, not too complicated). Bluetooth needed special driver, and update firmware stuff. I've heard rumors that bluetooth connection could be hacked easily.

Does anyone is using Sprint PCS now??? How is the quality (please tell me where do you live, or just tell me the state where you live at now), I'm thinking of going back to sprint because of the fancy phones they had (camera and recording stuff like that)

archier - Nextel is the best choice for you but it will very costly (the price plans and the phone), mine has 500 natl free incoming and DC cost me about $59 a month and I bought i730 for $200 after mail-in rebate that I never get it (so I paid about $350) and you need pretty high credit score to get it (I never pay bills late, so I have good credit standing). But don't know if it works with iSync. T-Mobile is not really bad, but I couldn't get any reception in Basement or Freeway especially Valley area. Cingular is not really flexible, different states different phones, and even different sim cards even though you have natl calling plans (I had cingular 1 year ago). AT&T has reception but when I wanted to make a phone calls, it's gone suddenly (why? I don't know, they're weird but it's getting better since Cingular bought AT&T). 1-2 hours of waiting to call the customer service and 3-5 hours of waiting to talk in the local store.

mkrishnan · Jun 17, 2004

plumers said:
Why everyone wants bluetooth connections, I'd rather using regular USB datacable (cost only 2 bucks on ebay) because it's safe and very simple, no need to update drivers (just plug and play, not too complicated). Bluetooth needed special driver, and update firmware stuff. I've heard rumors that bluetooth connection could be hacked easily.

Ummm, you don't need to install any special drivers to get a BT phone to work with iSync on a Panther machine. You just pair it and then the icon shows up in iSync. Apple upgrades the BT hw/sw periodically, but that's just like any other part of the computer, isn't it? There are potential issues with hacking, but most of them are gone if the phone is not discoverable. Anyway, I use it for more than just syncing but I guess for syncing only it wouldn't be so bad to use a datacable, since I use one for my iPod and another for my cam already.

AT&T has reception but when I wanted to make a phone calls, it's gone suddenly

This happens to me with T-Mobile GPRS a lot, but not phone calls. I really hate that.

FWIW I've had good experiences with T-Mobile network availability in:

Michigan (far and wide)
Ohio (far and wide)
Illinois (Chicago)
Washington DC / metro area
Northern Florida

I've used it in LA and San-Fran but not enough to comment definitively....

aricher · Jun 18, 2004

Yeah, plumers assertation that Bluetooth requires all kinds of wacky drivers, etc is just not true - Apple's iSync works seamlessly cell phones via bluetooth. As far as hacking - oh well - that's the price I'm willing to live with in this modern world.

I think I'm gonna go with Cingular - the reviews I've read have been good, wide coverage nationally & internationally - their plans are cheap and they are the only carrier I've found that offers roll-over minutes and bluetooth phones all in the same plan. Here's a link of some reviews on Cingular I have found.

http://www.textamerica.com/asp/carrierreviews.asp?_Carrier=3

Thanks everyone - I'll let you know how things work out.

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Which Cell Phone/Provider for iSync?

aricher

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noel4r

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MrSugar

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Soire

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LeeTom

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