I did not say I am not going to use it, I am saying that I dont need an excessive amount of minutes. Also, one of the reasons I want this phone is for bluetooth connectivity, for both the headset, and for syncing/controlling my computer wirelessly. For the wireless control, I do not need to use airtime. And also, the phone is not $300 it is $200 plus a $50 mail in rebate. I can make a one time splurge, but an extra $10 a month adds up for 2 years, $240 more to be exact, for minutes I don't need.
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Sony-Ericsson T616, where to get it and is it good?
- Thread starter WannabeSQ
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I just returned my 2nd T616, and I was so pissed about it I got a Motorola T720... and let me tell you it blows the reception of my T616 away. I was getting zero bars in my apartment 2 blocks from a Cingular tower... I haven't gone anywhere in my town and not gotten 4-5 bars with the Motorola phone... even in buildings. I thought everyone was exagerating when they were saying how bad SE reception is... they weren't. A sweet phone doesn't do you a lot of good if you can't talk on it. Cheers.
firmware update
iJon,
I'm also curious as to how to do the firmware update myself. Any pointers? I'm willing to be daring.
I've got a t68 and am frustrated by the slow menus. I've been told that it's possible to update the firmware, but I'm not sure how to go about it.
iJon,
I'm also curious as to how to do the firmware update myself. Any pointers? I'm willing to be daring.
I've got a t68 and am frustrated by the slow menus. I've been told that it's possible to update the firmware, but I'm not sure how to go about it.
Works with iSync
The apple website doesn't show it as supported but the T616 is supported
http://www.sonyericsson.com/us/spg.jsp?page=start
The apple website doesn't show it as supported but the T616 is supported
http://www.sonyericsson.com/us/spg.jsp?page=start
btw - the t616 does work with isync - I read that on apple's discussion forum a couple of days ago. I'm replacing my t68 with it. Anything's faster than the t68!
Also, updating your firmware does cost a little cash - like $50. That's the last I heard.
Also, updating your firmware does cost a little cash - like $50. That's the last I heard.
keep phone #, switch carriers....
Somewhat on topic:
I, likewise, am thinking about buying a T616 and switching from godawful Sprint to AT&T (I live in DC).
Prob. is I wanna keep my cell phone number (business cards and such), I heard this is going to be federally mandated on Nov. 24, but it might cost some people, monthly.
Does anyone know anything about this?
Thanks,
-N
Somewhat on topic:
I, likewise, am thinking about buying a T616 and switching from godawful Sprint to AT&T (I live in DC).
Prob. is I wanna keep my cell phone number (business cards and such), I heard this is going to be federally mandated on Nov. 24, but it might cost some people, monthly.
Does anyone know anything about this?
Thanks,
-N
Just so you all know, ATT now offers the T616 for only $50 after rebate! Amazing. I'm very close to getting one, but has anyone had any experience with the T616 and ATT in particular? All I've heard about is Cingular...
NatronB: I'd expect, if anything, for it to be a 1 time charge, not monthly. Although I don't get the logic at all. If I don't like T-Mobile, and I like ATT...to keep my number, I have to pay ATT to give them my business? The companies are still figuring out the kinks I think...
NatronB: I'd expect, if anything, for it to be a 1 time charge, not monthly. Although I don't get the logic at all. If I don't like T-Mobile, and I like ATT...to keep my number, I have to pay ATT to give them my business? The companies are still figuring out the kinks I think...
-LimeLite
Yes, I was looking at buying a T616 for my AT&T service. Iv'e been with AT&T for many years and feal the strongest point is the customer service, even if the coverage is purely average.
As for the T610(T616), I wound up not getting on even though I really wanted it. Here are the reasons:
1. Comperable to the T68i reception-wise, biggest killer.
2. Screen is impossible to read in bright sunlight
3. the T616 is a "North American" version of the T610. Instead of the world-standard 900,1800 and 1900mhz triband GSM, the T616 lowers the 900mhz to 850mhz. It's supposed to improve reception in north America - but even then, only brings it up to T68 standards. It also means it's not a true "World Phone" as a result. - I travel, so I need the 900/1800/1900 true triband - no band-aids.
Here's a review from a European-based reviewer :Mobile Burn T610 Review
Yeah, I've read the review, and I linked to it on the first page of this thread. I know that the reviewer said the reception with the T616 would be the same as a T68i, but that's what I have so I wouldn't mind that. Also, he altered his review to say that it wasn't impossible to see in some light, it just depended on the contrast setting you had on the phone. But I'm really more interested in an actual experience of someone using one on an ATT network, not from a review site.
-LimeLite
Actually, I think that was a different thread, but I remember the one you are talking about.
-LimeLite
That's precisely why I started that new thread about it - I got tired of posting these things since all the way back in August. I enjoy helping others, but I do get a little tired of duplication of effort. Hopefully our little Mobile Burn secret will cull the herd so to speak.
(those links were intended for others to catch up upon, not aimed at you LimeLite
)Amazon offers both the T610 (with T-Mobile) and the T616 (with AT&T). As of today, the T610 is going for $70 and the T616 is free (both after rebates).
I ordered the T610 last Friday and am supposed to get it some time this week. My girlfriend uses T-Mobile and says the reception in Pittsburgh is on par with Sprint (my current provider). I'm hoping that the reception problems some folks have mentioned regarding the T610 are more coverage-related as opposed to phone-related -- 'cause the T610 is a pretty sweet little phone.
I ordered the T610 last Friday and am supposed to get it some time this week. My girlfriend uses T-Mobile and says the reception in Pittsburgh is on par with Sprint (my current provider). I'm hoping that the reception problems some folks have mentioned regarding the T610 are more coverage-related as opposed to phone-related -- 'cause the T610 is a pretty sweet little phone.
I posted in this thread several months ago as i was also thinking of getting a t616. Well the thread got very little attention and i couldnt find very much unbiased information on the phone so i bought one anyway figuring i could return it if i didnt like it.
well i love my t616 and it gets very good reception. the reception is better than it is on the motorola phones that all of my friends have (they constantly have to go outside or press themselves up against a window to hear clearly). now, of course, it is not on par with nokias reception but niether are very many other phones. i am in indiana for school but also travel a good bit throughout the nation and the service is good. every call that i have made so far has had perfect clarity both on my end and on the other persons phone.
my good luck with reception may be partly because of cingular's network in indiana which is extensive, but it seems to work fine in other places as well.
the only real complaint that i heard and that i can confirm is the difficulty to see the screen in direct sunlight, but it has been overstated and isnt really that big of a problem.
as patrickobrien mentioned it is not a world phone, but as long as you do not travel overseas often that shouldn't be a problem.
well i love my t616 and it gets very good reception. the reception is better than it is on the motorola phones that all of my friends have (they constantly have to go outside or press themselves up against a window to hear clearly). now, of course, it is not on par with nokias reception but niether are very many other phones. i am in indiana for school but also travel a good bit throughout the nation and the service is good. every call that i have made so far has had perfect clarity both on my end and on the other persons phone.
my good luck with reception may be partly because of cingular's network in indiana which is extensive, but it seems to work fine in other places as well.
the only real complaint that i heard and that i can confirm is the difficulty to see the screen in direct sunlight, but it has been overstated and isnt really that big of a problem.
as patrickobrien mentioned it is not a world phone, but as long as you do not travel overseas often that shouldn't be a problem.
Does this mean that the T616 will not work at all overseas, or just work poorly? I keep getting different answers from the AT&T staff. I do plan to visit Europe in the next year or two, and I want my new phone to work over there.
I'm a current customer and want to keep my number, but upgrade to a T616 - looks like I am stuck paying $199, but at least I can get the rebate. Wish amazon allowed current customers to buy at that price.
-redcat72
It'll work, ont he 1800mhz and 1900mhz bands, which is to say your reception won't be great as most GSM communications are on the 900mhz band.
Ok, so it will work, just not very well. That's not too bad, as it won't be of vital importance, but more for convenience while traveling. Better than having a phone that won't work at all, I suppose. Thanks for the info!
I have heard that coverage will be hit & miss in the US since the T616 is not dual band, and the GSM network is not all over the place yet. I imagine it will be more prevalant in the future, right? But that shouldn't be a problem as I'm in the DC/Balt area mostly.
Thanks!
I have heard that coverage will be hit & miss in the US since the T616 is not dual band, and the GSM network is not all over the place yet. I imagine it will be more prevalant in the future, right? But that shouldn't be a problem as I'm in the DC/Balt area mostly.
Thanks!
I have the T616 with cingular. I live in san francisco, california and i get pretty good reception. I havent had any problems with my phone like some of the other posters of this thread have been talking about.
The reception up here isnt amazing, but i am always atleast have 2 or 3 bars. Out on the street it is usually full.
The T616 synced with my new powerbook 15" perfectly through iSync.
I got the phone by doing the $50 tradein upgrade thingy with cingular. Watch out though. When you do it you have to pay $232~ dollars and there is an $18 upgrade fee. so you are really paying $200 after the rebate.
Hope that helps.
The reception up here isnt amazing, but i am always atleast have 2 or 3 bars. Out on the street it is usually full.
The T616 synced with my new powerbook 15" perfectly through iSync.
I got the phone by doing the $50 tradein upgrade thingy with cingular. Watch out though. When you do it you have to pay $232~ dollars and there is an $18 upgrade fee. so you are really paying $200 after the rebate.
Hope that helps.
I've owned a T616 (AT&T) for about 48 hours and since I've been home sick with strep throat, I've had a lot of time to play around with this thing. Here's what I think so far.
The Good
- great design that fits better in a pocket than any phone I've owned before (lightweight, compact, and pretty to look at)
- good GUI is intuitive and fairly easy to navigate (except AT&T's M-mode, which seems to want to trap you into extra minutes once you've signed on)
- great features including Bluetooth (iSync!), email (I use my .Mac account) and a cameraphone that takes decent pictures
- awesome acessories like the Bluetooth wireless headset (too bad it will cost me more than I paid for the actual phone)
The Bad
- reception isn't as good as external antenna'd phones I've used including the Motorolla v60's and my previous Sprint phones
- AOL IM is barely usable (I can't imagine that people actually have real conversations using this feature) - I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on IM'ing with the T616?
- sometimes the voicemail icon will remain on long after I've cleared my inbox (or untill I check it again) which is super annoying
Overall, I give my experience with this phone a 8.5 out of 10.
The Good
- great design that fits better in a pocket than any phone I've owned before (lightweight, compact, and pretty to look at)
- good GUI is intuitive and fairly easy to navigate (except AT&T's M-mode, which seems to want to trap you into extra minutes once you've signed on)
- great features including Bluetooth (iSync!), email (I use my .Mac account) and a cameraphone that takes decent pictures
- awesome acessories like the Bluetooth wireless headset (too bad it will cost me more than I paid for the actual phone)
The Bad
- reception isn't as good as external antenna'd phones I've used including the Motorolla v60's and my previous Sprint phones
- AOL IM is barely usable (I can't imagine that people actually have real conversations using this feature) - I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on IM'ing with the T616?
- sometimes the voicemail icon will remain on long after I've cleared my inbox (or untill I check it again) which is super annoying
Overall, I give my experience with this phone a 8.5 out of 10.
P800
Well, I just splurged and picked up a Sony Ericsson P800.
WOW! Is this an amazing phone. I have owned a palm, and a newton, and while i still love my old Newton 2000, this is ALMOST as good, plus it is much smaller and is a phone!
T-Mobile has been great with me setting it up (MMS, GPRS...), no problems there. Reception is much better than my T68i. Plus, the Symbian UIQ OS is amazing. Very well thought out. Almost as good as my newton was. Opera works great surfing.
If you got the cash, and can handle a very slightly larger phone, go for a P800!
Get the MGS... there are some great 3d games for it. You can even play Doom and GameBoy games on it.
Well, I just splurged and picked up a Sony Ericsson P800.
WOW! Is this an amazing phone. I have owned a palm, and a newton, and while i still love my old Newton 2000, this is ALMOST as good, plus it is much smaller and is a phone!
T-Mobile has been great with me setting it up (MMS, GPRS...), no problems there. Reception is much better than my T68i. Plus, the Symbian UIQ OS is amazing. Very well thought out. Almost as good as my newton was. Opera works great surfing.
If you got the cash, and can handle a very slightly larger phone, go for a P800!
Get the MGS... there are some great 3d games for it. You can even play Doom and GameBoy games on it.
Just picked up a T616 at Cingular. It was $149 with a $100 rebate. Charging it up now, so I can't speak about how "good" it is yet.
I've been using Cingular as my provider for years and have no problems with them yet (knock on wood). The reception has been great, so I hope this phone doesn't give worse reception than my Motorola v60. From what I hear it should be fine.
I've been using Cingular as my provider for years and have no problems with them yet (knock on wood). The reception has been great, so I hope this phone doesn't give worse reception than my Motorola v60. From what I hear it should be fine.
So far this phone has been great! The reception in my office and apartment is loud and clear. I'm downloading themes, wallpapers, ringtones like crazy. I'm transfering files from my PC to my phone via IR with no problems (waiting for my Alubook to use Bluetooth). I've used a fraction of the battery so far today after making a few phone calls and playing with it constantly. The battery didn't take long at all to first charge up (less than 1 hour).
I read the review from MobileBurn.com, but that was based on the T610 which is not made for us here in North America. I read other reviews from other sites, which had only positive things to say so I took the plunge and an glad it did.
I read the review from MobileBurn.com, but that was based on the T610 which is not made for us here in North America. I read other reviews from other sites, which had only positive things to say so I took the plunge and an glad it did.
My T616
I bought the T616 about a month ago, and I am very satisfied with it. I have been with Cingular for about five years, and have had mixed signal results on my other phones. The T616 has very good reception. I work from home, and my office is in the basement. The other phones I've had never got a signal while in my office, but the T616 does. It's so clear, I've been considering dropping my land based phone in the office, and just use the cell phone. I've also paired it with my Tungsten T, and now don't even need to add phone numbers to the address book, since I can dial directly from the Palm using Bluetooth.
I bought the T616 about a month ago, and I am very satisfied with it. I have been with Cingular for about five years, and have had mixed signal results on my other phones. The T616 has very good reception. I work from home, and my office is in the basement. The other phones I've had never got a signal while in my office, but the T616 does. It's so clear, I've been considering dropping my land based phone in the office, and just use the cell phone. I've also paired it with my Tungsten T, and now don't even need to add phone numbers to the address book, since I can dial directly from the Palm using Bluetooth.