Touch users... what are you using for a phone?

[TheSpaz]

I've currently got an iPhone, but I'm seriously considering moving away from the iPhone and doing an iPod touch + go-phone because I'm a very light talker, but I still want touch features and wifi.

I want to get an iPod touch (3rd gen) and get a Motorola Razr go-phone from AT&T for calls and text. Does that sound like a good idea?

I've also found software called BluePhoneElite2 that can connect to the Razr via bluetooth and I can send and receive text messages from the computer. This will be a nice feature so that I can text people without using the number pad on the Razr.

So my question is... what are you currently using for a cell phone and what works well for you?

[tundotcom]

I plan on getting the 3rd gen touch, and I'm gonna be using it with an old ****** phone for calls and texts. I don't make calls very much and I don't text enough to warrant getting a keyboard type phone.

[womble2k2]

I use a Nokia N95 8GB, which is good, except that Nokia don't write much software for the Mac:(

It has a number of advantages over the iPhone, namely;
- Much better camera with 5 Megapixels, Carl Zeiss lenses and a flash!!
- Longer battery life with interchangable battery
- I can use the same charger at home as for my work mobile (Nokia 6310) and hands free kit.
- Better voice call quality (although I believe the 3GS is much improved over previous iPhones).
- Is on the Vodafone network (UK), which for me, has better coverage at my home, my office and my parents house. [to get O2, I need to go upstairs and stand on a bed to get 2G coverage!!].

The iPhone has improved greatly since I got the Nokia, but I still don't think it is the phone for me. My iPod Touch (2G 16G) is only 10 months old, so likely to last until the next version of the iPhone. That might be the point of me getting an iPhone.

I run Windoze in VirtualBox just for the Nokia software!!!

I'm looking to upgrade my phone soon, but the way the iPhone is priced in the UK, makes it too expensive for my usage pattern. Likely to opt for the Sony Ericsson W995.

Phil

[TraceyS/FL]

Palm Treo 700P on Verizon.

I do talk a decent amount, and text and love my full keyboard. I have no data service on it right now though, so it's just like a regular phone. I'd like to move to something smaller.... but don't like any of the current offerings.

[Eschelon]

If you don't mind changing carriers, the Samsung Omnia from Verizon is by far the best smartphone on the market (I dare say, even better than the iphone 3G).

It has every phone functionality you can think of. Internet, email, SMS, MMS, 5 megapixel camera with flash (better than the 3GS), Microsoft Office built in, tons of software available for it, and much, much more.

For example, here's a list of what I've done with my Omnia just this morning:


Accessed half a dozen email accounts on different servers
Edited an excel document before forwarding it to my boss
Sent several picture and video messages
Used MSN messenger built into the phone to IM my wife during a "meeting" this morning
Played Yahtzee
Used a third party turn-by-turn navigation software to get me to said meeting listed above
Used Midomi to ID a song on the radio while driving
Updated Facebook twice
Added a movie to my Netflix account
Streamed Pandora during lunch
Tethered (something removed from the iphone AFAIK). It's where you use the wireless data signal and WiFi chip in your phone to push a wireless signal to your laptop so that you can get wireless internet ANYWHERE by just using your phone as a router
Watched a YouTube clip
...then tonight when I go jogging, I'll use a GPS program in the phone to track my run for me and tell me all the stats (calories, distance, time, etc..)

All that from a friggin phone on Verizon! Yes, I know that the iphone 3G can do some of these, but it can't do all (MMS, tethering, etc..) which I why I went with the Omina instead, and then grabbed an ipod touch to fill any gaps.

The thing I really like about Windows Mobile based phones is that they are 100% customizable and tweakble by editing the registry, downloading a settings utility, etc.. - one thing that the iphone kinda lacks, even with a jailbreak...

I'm not trying to knock the iphone in this post, and I know that the newer 3GS addresses some of these flaws (like cut and paste), but Windows Mobile has a lot to offer that the iphone doesn't and vice versa.

Solution: Get a Windows Mobile phone like the Omnia and get an ipod touch - that way you'll have the best of both worlds

PS - If you decide to wait til late Fall, the Omnia 2 is coming to Verizon

[alexlovesmacs]

BB Curve Verizon.

[Thorbjorn]

Currently I don't have any version of a smart phone. Because I'm not a fan of AT&T, I'm planning to hang on to my cheapo original Verizon phone, a pretty basic LG which works fine for calls and simple texting; and will get the new iPod Touch for wi-fi, syncing, and other useful features. I find I really don't mind having a cheap phone, since it does all I need a phone to do. And it's not a big deal carrying around two small pieces of gear instead of one. (And, yeah, sometimes it's nice to leave the phone behind and be incommunicada by choice for a few hours, while still enjoying the Web.)

[alm99]

I had an iPhone 3GS up until last Tuesday when I sold it. I thought I could live with the no service at work until I missed a family emergency call. I am now back on Verizon Wireless with an LG enV touch. It stinks compared to an iPhone and I didn’t want to pony up $30 for data on a smart phone. Honestly I am thinking of sending this phone back and reactivating one of my old VZW phones to avoid the contract in the hopes of seeing an iPhone next year on VZW.

[7even]

I have Verizon. It's a much better network than AT&T, at least in my area. I don't like my phone 100% but I'm sticking with it until the Pre comes out.. The Touch fills in all the other gaps. I kinda wish I had internet access everywhere but I can survive without it just fine.

[ajones46]

My current phone is the Samsung Sway from Verizon. I basically went for the smallest, thinnest phone possible lol. Most of my jeans have an outline of where my old phone was in my pocket, so this one basically disappears and the curved edges on my 2g touch makes it blend in seamlessly. I do text a lot, but I just use textfree unlimited and it works great. I'm a student at the university of toledo and the entire campus has wifi and I have wifi at home, so i don't lose much. I have no need for a data plan or anything else since I'm almost always near a wifi hotspot too.

[Finlandboy]

i use my trusty blackberry pearl 8130 from sprint. i love the size and rugged build (ive dropped it a few times) and the battery life KILLS the iphone

i use my ipod touch for everything other then talking, texting, or surfing the web. im just waiting (FINGERS CROSSED!!!!) for some one to to finally make the ipt 2g bluetooth connect with phones so that it can share internet access. that would be my dream!

[TheSpaz]

My current phone is the Samsung Sway from Verizon. I basically went for the smallest, thinnest phone possible lol. Most of my jeans have an outline of where my old phone was in my pocket, so this one basically disappears and the curved edges on my 2g touch makes it blend in seamlessly. I do text a lot, but I just use textfree unlimited and it works great. I'm a student at the university of toledo and the entire campus has wifi and I have wifi at home, so i don't lose much. I have no need for a data plan or anything else since I'm almost always near a wifi hotspot too.

That's cool. I'm near wifi a lot too. Is there a simple plug-in device I can get for my Mac at work to share the ethernet connection over wifi? There's no wifi at my desk, but I'd like to make a tiny hotspot here. Is that possible? Also, there's no wifi card in this Mac... it's a PowerMac G5.

[leomac08]

DUDE!!! i feel you

i have a first generation ipod touch, which i use as a PDA, music, games

then i use my blackberry curve for talk and text and GPS and the casual myspace, facebook on it's mobile EDGE browser.:D

[anjinha]

I have Verizon. It's a much better network than AT&T, at least in my area. I don't like my phone 100% but I'm sticking with it until the Pre comes out.. The Touch fills in all the other gaps. I kinda wish I had internet access everywhere but I can survive without it just fine.

Have you thought about getting the Verizon MiFi?

[belvdr]

My employer-paid cell phone.

[leomac08]

Have you thought about getting the Verizon MiFi?

isn't it the sprint mi-fi?;)

[anjinha]

isn't it the sprint mi-fi?;)

I meant the Verizon MiFi: http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/13/verizon-mifi-2200-review/

There's a Sprint one too?

[7even]

Have you thought about getting the Verizon MiFi?

Yep, but I don't need mobile internet that badly :p

[leomac08]

I meant the Verizon MiFi: http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/13/verizon-mifi-2200-review/

There's a Sprint one too?

http://reviews.sprint.com/5611v2/115/reviews.htm

it's callled the sprint mi-fi 2200.

[madmaxmedia]

I got a cheap used AT&T BlackBerry Pearl, because I hate texting on numeric keypads. SMS is the only thing I'm really going to miss in going from iPhone to iPod Touch + cheap phone. But the Pearl works pretty well.

[TheSpaz]

I got a cheap used AT&T BlackBerry Pearl, because I hate texting on numeric keypads. SMS is the only thing I'm really going to miss in going from iPhone to iPod Touch + cheap phone. But the Pearl works pretty well.

So you're switching too? I wonder what would happen if everyone got fed up and decided to switch from iPhone to dumb-phone + iPod touch. I wonder if that would change AT&Ts ways. Imagine that.

[leomac08]

I got a cheap used AT&T BlackBerry Pearl, because I hate texting on numeric keypads. SMS is the only thing I'm really going to miss in going from iPhone to iPod Touch + cheap phone. But the Pearl works pretty well.

So you're switching too? I wonder what would happen if everyone got fed up and decided to switch from iPhone to dumb-phone + iPod touch. I wonder if that would change AT&Ts ways. Imagine that.

did u just called the BLACKBERRY A DUMB PHONE!!!:eek::p????????????

[TheSpaz]

did u just called the BLACKBERRY A DUMB PHONE!!!:eek::p????????????

I meant "cheap phone".

[tdevers]

Blackberry Tour on Verizon. Had a tough time disconnect from the V. Had the iPhone for a week and the service was terrible(AT&T Blackberry was much better side by side) and there wasn't a lot that a Blackberry can't do for my needs.

[leomac08]

I meant "cheap phone".

ohhh, forgiveness please!:p lol carry on....

[KyPosey]

i now work for Verizon so i am almost positive i will get a touch and ditch my iphone...since i will be paying nothing for my cell service.

[ajones46]

So you're switching too? I wonder what would happen if everyone got fed up and decided to switch from iPhone to dumb-phone + iPod touch. I wonder if that would change AT&Ts ways. Imagine that.

I've never really thought about it that way but maybe it would be a good idea for Apple to make the next touch have all the features of the 3GS to break ties with AT&T.

[GroovyLinuxGuy]

I use an OpenMoko (http://www.openmoko.com/) Neo FreeRunner for my day to day needs phone needs (talk and text) and my Touch for everything else. I have a backup phone for when I hack my OpenMoko into non-functionality which is an LG Neon (just got that one after my Samsung Jack died)

[amammad]

I've currently got an iPhone, but I'm seriously considering moving away from the iPhone and doing an iPod touch + go-phone because I'm a very light talker, but I still want touch features and wifi.


OMG

How many more threads can you start about leaving the iPhone?! :eek: :D

[TheSpaz]

OMG

How many more threads can you start about leaving the iPhone?! :eek: :D

Well, I figured iPod touch users knew more about what it's like to have an iPod touch plus a non-iPhone. Would you leave me alone already. I'm trying to get a feel for what people are using who are in my situation.

[alphaod]

So my question is... what are you currently using for a cell phone and what works well for you?

In addition to my iPod touch's, I have an iPhone 3GS.

It's nice to have both. The Wolfson chipset in the iPod touch is so much better that the Cirrus Logic chipset in the iPhone 3GS.

Also I need something to play games on without killing my phone. I run out of batteries before the end of the day everyday, so I can't imaging how much shorter the battery life could get if I was playing games on it too.

[gan6660]

I have an Lg Dare through Verizon.

[chstr]

I now use verizon mifi and dropped the data on my iphone. its the perfect combination for me because I love the user interface of the iphone, just hate the slow data network

[The Tuck]

I'm using a Sony Ericsson S500i and I love it. It's a couple years old, but held up very well and I get along just fine with a 16gb iPod touch (2nd gen). Phone in the right pocket, iPod in the left pocket whenever I leave!

-The Tuck