[Gllug] Choosing a new mobile phone

[damion.yates at gmail.com]

On Sun, 4 Nov 2007, Phil Reynolds wrote:

> I am about to choose a new mobile phone. I am looking for one with
> GPS built in, and the other major condition is that it must work OK
> as a modem in Linux.
> 
> Because I am on O2 and have not yet found a network with better
> customer service, I am looking at phones I can get on O2.

Almost all phones will act as a modem, but I'd be more concerned that
you are with O2 and expect to use this usefully as a modem.

I sent an [OT] email about this a few days ago, which was ignored.
Basically O2 are rate limiting their "3G" (hah!) network to ~17kB/sec
which is 1/2 2.5G speeds, it's what the iPhone can do, and is exactly
what AT&T did just before the their iPhone launch.

I've since worked out that this is locked for all non business users.
If you get a business O2 contract you'll get 1/2Mb/sec which is fine
(albeit 1/3rd of the speed "3" provide).

The N95 is a great phone, the GPS will eat your battery like nobodies
business though.  The N95 8GB due shortly, is a sexy black, with
bigger screen and an estimated double battery life, due to much
improved OS power savings and a generally upped mAh rating.

For actual satnav I use a tomtom BT device, the E90 and N95 will work
with it, giving strong and fast lock.  I paid for tomtom on my 9500
and have never looked back, the battery life on that is good, but its
camera is 1.3MP and it can't do 3G.

Damion

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Damion Yates - damion.yates at gmail.com
mobile: +44 (0) 7801 741582
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