Cell phones

[Patrick]

I this thread we discuss what type of cell phone we have.

[Patrick]

I have the el cheapo Samsung x497, but I'm thinking about buying the Motorola RAZR phone!

[Midtowner]

I have the el cheapo Samsung x497, but I'm thinking about buying the Motorola RAZR phone!

Don't.

I was considering it, but it is really a feature-poor phone. If you like the form-factor and need one now, I'd recommend you wait for the "i" (or better still) the "x" model. The newer models will add removeable media (up to 1 GB), Bluetooth 2.0 (so you can transfer data), and iTunes.

If you want those features right now, I'll recommend the phone I have, the SLVR.

Also, if you do what I did -- call and ask the Customer Service rep. "What's in it for me to get my phone with a contract from you for $217 (with upgrade fee) when I can get one without the contract and without the upgrade fee, also suitable for international use for $200 on the internet???" -- they'll knock off some bucks.

I wouldn't recommend buying an unlocked phone unless you consider yourself pretty tech-savy. You can, however, use the above strategy to get a decent discount from Cingular's customer service dept. or at least I did

[Shake2005]

Sony Ericsson K750

[Keith]

Nokia 3010 (I think). I also have Cingular, which I have had for three years. 100% satisfied.

[mranderson]

Sanyo VI-2300.

[Patrick]

Hey thanks Midtowner. I'll give your idea a shot!

[Shake2005]

I bought mine on the internet unlocked, it's not even a phone available in the US market from a carrier (SE K750)

Just be careful of the tranmission bands that the phone uses if it's not a US phone. As for being tech savvy, it's not hard at all, change the SIM chip to the new phone and download the software for the carriers internet service, very easy.

[Midtowner]

Shake -- the only problem is that (especially with the SLVR) that you may get a version without the itunes software, and you may get a version with foriegn accessories.

Those are no big deal, you can usually find a US 120 AC Adapter on ebay or something, but you have to know about that stuff in the first place

Secondly, foriegn versions sometimes come with more or less software than their American counterparts. True, you can load any software up on some of these phones, but you do sort of have to be 'tech savvy' to do so. Sometimes, you get lucky and get a perfect American phone, other times, not so much. If you order from the cell phone company, you can get something that you can have 100% confidence that it's going to work on the network, you can get the unlock codes elsewhere, and all will be well!

I'm going to need to get my phone unlocked sometime before I head over to Italy this summer.

[Patrick]

I'm not tech savvy, so what does the process involve in getting your phone unlocked.

[Midtowner]

There are two types of services. One where you send your phone in somewhere, they unlock it and send it back. Others exist where you hook your phone up to your computer and they unlock it remotely. The best (and I can't find it for the SLVR) is where you can input an IEMI number (your phone's identity basically) and it'll output the unlock codes.

[Shake2005]

It depends on the brand. I unlocked my wife's Nokia using just a simple code. Sony's take a PC, I don't know about Motorola.