Mobile Manoeuvring

[denny]

Apparently my phone needs to go back to Nokia to have the OS re-flashed. Which means (a) I lose any data that I don't back up first (time to dig out the CD and cable that came with the phone then, good job I have a Windows machine here at the minute), and (b) it's going to be gone for a few weeks - although apparently I get a loan phone in the meantime.

Anyway, I was already unimpressed with my phone (a Nokia 6630) and looking at my upgrade options (my contact expires next week), and I was seriously considering a move to a different manufacturer - I don't like this phone, and the 6680 and N70 are basically the same device with a few minor tweaks. Does anybody have any recommendations? I was thinking maybe the Sony Ericsson K600i.

Comments

[kelemvor.livejournal.com]

I've been happy with my last three mobiles, and they've all been Sony Ericssons. I'm on the K700i atm, and it's fairly robust with outstanding battery life (depending on your call habits).
One point - for texting, the space isn't the same button as on Nokias.

[stuartl.livejournal.com]

Don't get a 6680. They have a (fatal?) flaw in the software which (to my knowledge) still hasn't been fixed which results in the loss of signal needing a phone restart. This means every time you go on the tube, into a lift shaft or (if you're on O2) outside London you must restart the phone to make or receive calls.

The N70 doesn't suffer this same problem.

What is it about the 6630 you don't like? Although I've never used the 6630 I do have a 6600 and although it has a few (very annoying) "features" it's by far the most suitable phone for my usage.

[stuartl.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I had a K700i when I worked for Ericsson. Storming phone. Loved it, really really loved it.

It doesn't support third party Symbian apps, which stopped me getting it. If you can live with MDP applications and don't want to develop your own software you should be fine...

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I thought the software was identical on the 6630 and 6680? Mine does have issues with not wanting to register the SIM when turned on sometimes, but it works fine straight after I get off the tube.

The main thing I dislike about it is an incredibly slow response time in the menu system, unless you've accessed that part of the software inside the last few minutes it generally takes a good few seconds to pop up a simple menu, which is crap. Once you've done it once then it's usually perfectly responsive thereafter, so I don't know quite what its problem is. *shrug*

The menus also seem to be less intuitively laid out than all the other Nokias I've owned, with quite common stuff being embedded deeper than seems necessary - although the configurable softkeys take most of the hassle out of that.

Oh, a trivial bug that really winds me up is that I've set my address book to list in order by Firstname Lastname rather than Lastname, Firstname, but when I receive a text message from someone their name is still shown as Last, First. Interface inconsistencies really annoy me :)

Another bug/misfeature - it's impossible to type in a number in the 'To:' area when sending a text message - I have to add the number to my address book first, and then use the address book selector to select the recipient. I'm told this one is fixed on the 6680, and I wonder if it's fixed in later versions of the software for mine too.

I also don't like the shape - the stupid rounded-off bottom makes sending text messages one-handed a bit tricky, as it tends to slip out of my grasp while I'm trying for the bottom keys.

Finally, it's no use for video calls because it doesn't have a front camera. Although I'm not hugely bothered about that, having looked at the cost per minute of video calls :)

There are probably other things, but I can't think of them all at once... it's just annoyed me in numerous petty little ways basically, which none of my previous phones have done (oh except the Motorola years ago - those people needed to shoot their UI team).

Samsung Z500

[belaroo.livejournal.com]

I just got a Samsung after mostly Nokia for ages. Biggest change is none of the chargers I have lying around work. I like the phone, it's 3G even though I don't have a 3G contract nor ever intend to get one. The flash card and memory make it really quick and the operating system is pretty good too.
It's very small (clam shell), has 2 cameras, mp3 player, 55mb trans flash, USB, bluetooth, Wap etc. Depends on what you like. I wouldn't have picked this one but it was recommended to me, so I gave it a go. I'd say it's better on the whole than the nokias I've had and doesn't ever do strange re-boots and the like, seems pretty stable. The camera isn't as good as the latest Sony Ericsson only 1MP, the battery life is good - it does 3-4 days on a charge providing you aren't constantly on the phone, it says 270hrs on standby but I dont' really know what that means. Depends what you are after s'pose. Hope this helps