dwlt.thinksOutLoud

I am currently reading Collapse by Jared Diamond, in case you were wondering.

Earlier… Later…
Ready For Anything Blue Ocean Strategy

Phone Idol

I’m a bit annoyed with Orange these days, and have made the decision to change my mobile phone provider, or at least to compare the options. I’m also looking for a new phone to replace my Nokia 7610.

I’ve not yet started any in-depth research on this, but I plan to report back semi-regularly with updates on my findings. Previously, I’d always selected my phone based on what was needed to test games on, but I don’t have that restriction this time. I also don’t particularly care if it is a smartphone or not, since all I really need is Opera Mini. The phones that have sprung to mind immediately are the Nokia N70, Motorola RAZR and the SonyEricsson W800i. However, if you have any suggestions as to other handsets I should check out, please leave a comment.

Similarly, I’d be interested to hear about people’s experiences with the various UK phone operators. I’ve only ever used Orange, and have done for around 10 years, so please let me know about your praise or otherwise for their competitors!

Martin Gibbons wrote at 07:12 AM on 24 Apr 2006

Don’t bother with the Nokia N70. I just got one and it’s crap. I am having to use it til my M2000 PDA comes back and I really miss that wee guy.

Brian Baglow wrote at 10:13 AM on 24 Apr 2006

Do not, I mean not get a RAZR. I last 6 full days with one. If you’ve been using a reasonable phone (i.e. anything not made by Motorola) then you get used to things like no upper limit to storing text messages, call lists, etc. The RAZR’s UI is revolting, the limitations, stupid and pointless. Worse, the stupid damn ‘features’ put on there by Orange manage to make the whole thing even more unfriendly than it would otherwise be. Don’t do it, Dave.

From what I’ve seen the W800i suffers from being white and matt. The ones I’ve seen have all been filthy from pockets/handbags.

Personally I’m waiting for the Nokia N80 or the SE W950i.

As for Orange, I’m sick of them. Been with them for a year (was with VF before that), but their data services and tariffs are pretty poor.

Interested in T-Mobile’s new flat data rate though. Despite the fact they’re the least interesting operator out there.

Jules wrote at 04:28 AM on 26 Apr 2006

Hmmm. I’m looking to change my phone and operator as well. I’m with Orange. And all I do is text. The tariffs don’t work out for someone who rarely speaks to people, I have found. I used to have a great deal with O2 for texts but changed to Orange because everyone I ever speak to (when I really need to talk to people, which is rarely) uses Orange. I’m thinking about changing back. It seems a better deal for me. Now that tariff is probably set up for teenagers who text all day. But I don’t want a handset made for a teenager. I also don’t need anything other than a phone which makes and answers calls and texts and has a camera (for emergency tourist situations or photographing people with cool hair). I don’t need email or organisers or anything. But I do want a cool phone. I have a Nokia 6170 just now and it feels nice. Very little plastic. I can’t see anything else I like – anywhere: too much plastic. Though I kind of like the idea of colours. Maybe I’ve gone crazy.
Since when did choosing a mobile become such a hard thing to do?

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This is the website of one David Thomson (aka dwlt) from Edinburgh, Scotland. It contains the results of my patented thinking-out-loud process.

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