A dumb phone to make other things smart...

April 8, 2008 8:19 AM

I really want a dumb phone that other things can get network from via bluetooth.

I've got a Nokia N810 and a laptop with bluetooth. What I really want is a simple phone that I can connect to through bluetooth to get network access. I don't want a phone with email, web, camera, ideally I want one whose primary purpose is being a phone. I also want a provider that will let me have an unlimited data plan, with minimal voice and other features.

I'm in Boston, currently using Verizon, but out of the contract so could switch providers.

posted by PaperDragon to technology (5 comments total)

If you can find a Motorola E815, and can do research on getting it slightly modified (its not too hard), you can have it be a Bluetooth bridge to EVDO. I've used it with my Macbook Pro and a Palm device to get online. Its probably the last phone that Motorola made on the Verizon network that is just that, an excellent phone. Battery lasts forever, really good signal everywhere I've been (Michigan, California, Colorado).

That's my experience with 'dumb' phones.
posted by Ksilebo at 8:31 AM on April 8, 2008

Oh, also, Verizon will let you do this, called tethering, for an extra $60/mo. I think T-Mobile has a much less expensive solution and you could get an equally as dumb Nokia for cheap yet still do what you want.

I want to get one of the N810s sometime. I have a Blackberry Curve now, however.
posted by Ksilebo at 8:33 AM on April 8, 2008

I've an N800 which I tether to a tiny Nokia 6500 classic on T-Mobile (as I am now) Works flawlessly and is highly portable.

I've also connected it to a macbook happily for a test
posted by handybitesize at 10:35 AM on April 8, 2008

I also want a provider that will let me have an unlimited data plan, with minimal voice and other features.

You need Sprint SERO (google it!). $30/month for 500 peak minutes, unlimited weekend and texts, and unlimited data. Get one of the EVDO-A phones and you can get 1500/500 (usually) and 2000/800 (my peak, nights). I've downloaded GBs of torrents through the phone.

I know you said "basic" phone, but if you get a PocketPC phone they come with Internet Sharing built-in, and a wide-open registry. Tethering without detection on Sprint is as simple as changing a single registry flag (again, a Google here is good) and hitting "ICS Start" on the phone. You can then tether through USB or bluetooth, but my personal favourite now is WMWiFiModem, which turns your phone into a little router and serves up DHCP address to WiFi clients (assuming your phone has WiFi). It's simply amazing. Only does WEP (no WPA).
posted by meehawl at 2:46 PM on April 8, 2008

I've been looking at the Nokia 6555 for just that purpose, as it's 3G and I already have an account with AT&T. Of course, I'd have to buy an N810 to use it with. :p

For lower speed data, I used a Nokia 6230 for a long time with my laptop and my Sharp Zaurus. Before that, I was using a Sprint phone (back when they first had $10/mo unlimited Vision service) with a godawful mess of cables and adapters and a CompactFlash serial card.

Right now, I'm paying $60 a month to use the built-in 3G data card in my laptop and an E62 when I don't need the laptop. If I could afford it and they'd make one with US 3G, I'd just buy an E90 and be done with it, although I'd lose out on the Linuxy goodness of the N810.
posted by wierdo at 5:03 PM on April 8, 2008