IN the words of Anita Ward, "Ring My Bell"

October 29, 2007 8:13 PM

So I love my blackberry pearl 8100 but I've had it with all of RIM's bluetooth crippling and limitations. I want a phone the exact same size with a great keyboard that does email, bluetooth and works with T-Mobile. Ring it up MeFites.

I got a GPS the other day that provides real time traffic updates for free. The only catch? Your bluetooth with your phone has to support it. And, like so many other times in my life (laptop modem, transferring files, headsets with storage) my bluetooth blackberry pearl has said no.

And so it's time to leave my little handheld woman of a phone and go in search of something more friendly, more accessible and easier.

Boy that metaphor went somewhere weird.

IN any case I need some phone recommendations. Here are things I NEED.

1) Email and contact syncing as good as my pearl
2) NO crippled bluetooth
3) Must work with T-Mobile
4) The ability to handle extra storage (SD, MicroSD, Memory stick, just something extra)
5) Internet (preferably high speed)
6) Size - I want this to be a phone. Not a gigantic organizer like a treo

Things I want?

1) Speakerphone
2) Camera - a good one if possible
3) Videocamera - Again IF possible
4) Music player
5) Wifi (I know, I'm shooting for the stars here)
6) Voice recorder - The blackberry has one but to get the messages you need to email them to yourself.
7) GPS - I know, it's probably impossible but I'm throwing it out there.

And finally, I'd like it to be stylin. This is an exec kinda phone, not something for the IT guy. I'm open on price. I just want it to be good. So if you know the model or, better, have the hookup, put it out there. Because if a new phone rings on the internet and I don't get to hear about it, then it didn't really make a sound.

Okay that metaphor just stinks. Withdrawn.

posted by rileyray3000 to Technology (14 answers total)

You want the soon to be released T-Mobile Shadow.

E-mail and contact syncing, bluetooth, Micro SD, Internet, size. No problem.

Also supports speakerphone, has a 2mp camera, certainly can play music, has a voice recording feature, and wifi.

The only thing I can't speak to is GPS...
posted by drpynchon at 8:23 PM on October 29, 2007

I have a T-Mobile Wing. Windows Mobile, full slide-out keyboard, etc. I know it doesn't have GPS but it has most of the other things you want, I think. It's not bad. I got mine for $99 after rebate by searching FatWallet and finding a deal there.
posted by cabingirl at 8:32 PM on October 29, 2007

I'm not the most unbiased person to speak to this, but moving from a BlackBerry to a windows mobile based phone might be a difficult transition.

That said, I'm sorry I don't have any recommendations. Right now I think all smart-phones pretty much suck. The intentional crippling by the carriers just makes the situation worse.
posted by -t at 8:37 PM on October 29, 2007

How about the HTC S730?

Has everything on your list except GPS.

Has got a slide-out qwerty keyboard, HSDPA (not sure how useful that is on T-Mob...), WiFi, 2megapixel camera. Based on WM6 with some custom HTC interface (home screen) on it. Decent processor so shouldn't be too laggy either.
posted by puddpunk at 8:51 PM on October 29, 2007

Response by poster: For the record, I'm also willing to consider foreign phones that are unlocked and usable on the T-mobile network.
posted by rileyray3000 at 8:56 PM on October 29, 2007

You want the Nokia N95:
1) Email and contact syncing as good as my pearl - YES
2) NO crippled bluetooth - YES
3) Must work with T-Mobile - YES
4) The ability to handle extra storage - YES
5) Internet - YES
6) Size - I want this to be a phone. Not a gigantic organizer like a treo - YES


1) Speakerphone - YES
2) Camera - a good one if possible - YES
3) Videocamera - Again IF possible - YES
4) Music player - YES
5) Wifi - YES
6) Voice recorder - YES
7) GPS - YES

You can find them for less than they are selling on the Nokia site.
posted by bigmusic at 9:58 PM on October 29, 2007

My wife just got a T-Mobile Dash, which she loves. All of the things you want except for GPS. The form factor might not be quite what you want. It's not huge, but it's a bit wider and slimmer than the 8100.
posted by Plutor at 6:27 AM on October 30, 2007

2nding the Dash. As Plutor notes, no GPS, but it works with Google Maps just fine.

You didn't mention price but to my mind there's only one reason to put up with T-Mobile's abysmal coverage in this part of the country, and that's their legendary supersecret $6.95/mo unlimited data plan. Not sure if other t-mobile phones support this.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:45 AM on October 30, 2007

I just got the Pearl and I love the size (having moved form a Sidekick), but ya, I've been getting sick of the preloaded-undeleteable icons and bookmarks. I'll be watching this thread with interest.
posted by doppleradar at 7:00 AM on October 30, 2007

Flanders: could you post a link to that info? I couldn't find it
posted by doppleradar at 7:24 AM on October 30, 2007

You can unlock your phone if you call T-mobile, I am not sure if that would solve anything, but it might give you some more flexibility in it's usage.
posted by BobbyDigital at 10:03 AM on October 30, 2007

Response by poster: It's unlocked now but for some reason all the bluetooth crippling just can't be helped. That and the other stuff are reasons I'm looking to switch. That N95 looks sweet though.
posted by rileyray3000 at 2:56 PM on October 30, 2007

Response by poster: Just looked at the N95 at a store. I need at LEAST a smart-type keyboard. Like the pearl. I can't go back to a standard number board again.
posted by rileyray3000 at 4:22 PM on November 3, 2007

What's your beef with the Shadow? Let me reiterate. It's basically like the pearl but with as a slider with a nifty WM6 interface and some other nice features. Also it goes for a reasonable price.
posted by drpynchon at 6:57 PM on November 5, 2007