Putting it All Together: The search for a Pocket PC Phone

When I determined that I had to update my extraordinarily obsolete mobile cellphone – an antique Nextel i1000plus – my mind sooner or later wandered towards a PDA cellphone. For people who understand me, this probably appeared like a no-brainer. I actually have a protracted history of pedal dependence going lower back years to a Palm 3X. However, I already had a pedal that I changed into quite satisfied with. For the ultimate year and a half of I had used my HP iPAQ 2215 for the whole lot from a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), an e-book reader, an MP3 participant, a picture wallet, an alarm clock, a mobile web browser(making use of a compact flash wifi card), amongst many other things. Trying to cram a smartphone into all of this seemed overwhelming, however, curiosity – and my want for a new system – got the higher of me. My seek turned into twofold – search for a brand new cell cellphone and a brand new provider. With my modern cell company, I didn’t get any reception in my home so I needed to find a service that did.

Through various unscientific approach including my own opinion polls of buddies and paintings pals along with a few internet research, I whittled my manner right down to either Cingular or Verizon. Both tended to get high marks from the users I polled and the from net studies. With this part of the equation labored out, I went on-line to peer what kind of phones each had to offer. I turned into willing to go with a 2-year dedication in the hopes of getting a higher deal on smartphone and plan pricing. In addition, I wanted to get a collection plan in which my spouse and I may want to the percentage of minutes.

So, now I’m searching on each business enterprise’s respective websites for their kingdom of the art Pocket PC phones. I now not speak approximately the Smartphones – those are the phones with Pocket PC software program jammed into a tiny little display screen that isn’t always even a hint screen – that just wouldn’t fulfill my desires. I’m speaking about the whole blown, “why are you speak into your calculator?” Pocket PC phones – the uber-geek, pocket protector covered form of micro laptop powerhouse. After all, I’m married now and I’m clearly no longer involved approximately public opinion or impressing anyone with my sleek, stylish, horny new mobile telephone.

So, what I find is one heck of a rate tag. Verizon has the whole lot talked about Treo 700. This is the first Treo with the Pocket PC operating machine – Windows Mobile five. Zero. This comes in at $500.00. Way too costly for me and it would not even have Wifi.

Cingular’s pleasant rate on a PocketPC telephone wasn’t tons higher. I may want to get an HP iPAQ hw6510 for $four hundred.00. Again, no wifi. This is a real sticking factor for me. I don’t see any cause why a tool designed for communique would miss this principal specification. Being able to hook up with an 802.11b/g wi-fi community when it is to be had is a necessity.

Looking up “Pocket PC smartphone” on eBay gets you pretty plenty of hits with a terrific assortment of newer and older Pocket PC phones. At this point, I’m questioning that I could get something maybe barely used that would meet all of my requirements. This might additionally provide me with a great pass segment of precisely what is offered and what capabilities are to be had on this form of the device.

After going thru quite a few auction descriptions and pass referencing producer websites I had set my websites on a selected telephone, the Siemens SX66. This particular smartphone/PDA combo have been supplied with the aid of Cingular until these days and it no longer confirmed on their website. It regarded to in shape my wish listing: a fast 400mhz XScale processor, wifi, Bluetooth, SDIO slot and it had a slide-out keyboard for textual content input. So, I watched some auctions and saved a watch on the prices.

But, on occasion, you simply ought to get off of the net and hit the brick and mortar. I went to my local Verizon and Cingular stores and talked to the income reps about what plans I changed into seeking out. I wasn’t inspired with my long wait on the Verizon Wireless shop or the pushy salesman that I was given. He seemed to suppose he knew just what I wished and kept showing me telephones and plans that I just wasn’t interested in.

I had an exceptional revel in on the Cingular save. The sales rep showed me a map of the cellular coverage around my home, he talked to me approximately the plans that I had seen at the internet site and when I noted to him that I had been searching at a Siemens SX66 Pocket PC cellphone on eBay he went into the again of the shop and got here out with the ultimate SX66 that they had. I signed on to a 2 12 months address Cingular that night time with a heck of a good deal on a Pocket PC cellphone that had all of the specs that I have been searching out.