The Shrine

As a Sprint customer, ive gotten used to having the good phones never coming to my carrier. I've stuck with Sprint due to them having the lowest cost per month for the package i need. The service in DC has never failed me and i also get a company discount on my bill.

I currently have a Blackberry Pearl, 450 minutes (unlimited after 7pm and on weekends), and the blackberry package (which includes unlimited data and texting).

I was tempted recently to buy the Palm Pre but couldnt justify the $300 bucks when my BB currently does all i need. I like cool applications and games, but am happy with the messaging functions and business integration options. I am still debating on the pre as i used to be a loyal palm fan back in the PDA days before cell phones and still have a warm place in my heart for the company.

I'm somewhat of a gadget whore, but still need to convince myself things are worth it.

I have an AT&T Tilt (an HTC Touch 9500 or something). I love it. It's a Windows Mobile 6 device. It has WiFi, 3G Cellular, GPS, and all that stuff. It does everything I need and more. I will never go back to a normal phone. I have to have a smartphone now.

What I like about the Tilt is that I can enable and disable the Wifi with a quick key. And it only connects to the 3G network when I tell it to. So if I am somplace that has Wifi, I can surf the Internet, download Youtube videos, check email, etc. I also like being able to 1) customize everything about the phone (software-wise) and 2) write my own software for it.

Panasonic 2.4GHz base with two handsets and an extra charging station. It's expandable to be able to include 8 total phones on the one base but we've only ever needed the two.

Other than having to replace the original Panasonic batteries on the phones 'cause they were garbage, I've been quite happy with them. We can even use them as 2-way radios or baby monitors so they're quite good. We got them as a wedding gift and I know the newer ones are even better but these phones have been quite good to us.

I use a Samsung SCH-i760. It is a windows mobile device that I have updated to the verizon release of Windows Mobile 6.1. I have been using it for about a year now and will probably go to a blackberry next March/April.

I have Sprint as well, but I have a Samsung Instinct. I really like it, but there are little to no apps for it. Sine has a Blackberry Curve 83..something. Its really really nice. I would suggest that one if youre looking for more of a powerhouse phone for email, web, etc.

I really like the new BB Curves (that look like a cross between the bold and the curve), but they are only on T-Mobile and AT&T right now, the GSM network carriers. The CDMA network carriers, Verizon and Sprint, always seem to get shafted.

I'm surprised that all of you have smart phones. Do you guys have data plans with them?

Kupek wrote:I'm surprised that all of you have smart phones. Do you guys have data plans with them?

With Sprint, i add the BB data plan. The normal calling plan is 45 and the BB data is an extra 30. With the BB data plan is unlimited data and texting. So yeah, $75 for it all, which i dont find too terrible. iPhone plans are easily 100+, i think.

I do not have a data plan. I chose the Tilt so that I could jump onto any 802.11 network without needing to pay for the data plan. I'd love to have a data plan, but I just can't justify the cost.

When I bought the smartphone, it was really so I could combine PDA functionality with my phone.

We have a data plan. Actually we do Sprint's "Simply Data" plan. Its unlimited data, text, etc, with 700 I think minutes. I think its like 70 a month, but we also get a nice company discount.

Kupek wrote:I'm surprised that all of you have smart phones. Do you guys have data plans with them?

Since they use the same term to describe themselves, is there any correlation between a "smart phone" and a "smart car"?

Zeus wrote:Since they use the same term to describe themselves, is there any correlation between a "smart phone" and a "smart car"?

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Kupek wrote:I'm surprised that all of you have smart phones. Do you guys have data plans with them?

Yes I carry a data plan on mine. It isn't really that much since it offers unlimited text and e-mail. I do use the web to check the weather and to use live search to find directions if I need to so I have to say it isn't a waste by any means.

I have an HTC Touch with a data plan from US Cellular. The unlimited data plan is only $25 a month and the two times I've been hopelessly lost on foot and have been able to access Google Map I'd say it's worth it.

Flip wrote:

Zeus wrote:Since they use the same term to describe themselves, is there any correlation between a "smart phone" and a "smart car"?

That picture pretty much says it all

I have a Blackberry 8820 on AT&T... it's a work phone though so I had no say in the matter. I love it for work, being always connected to email and such, but I hate it for a personal phone. Wifi but no camera, stupid thing.

If I had just a personal cell phone it'd be a basic phone though.. I'm not much into all these damned phone apps.

iPhone 3G, my total cost per month is $47 Canadian, no where near $100 =P

I use my phone for quite a bit; probably more than any electronics device that I own. I also feel that data plans are very practical; constant access to the Internet has some value in today's age. The gps has often come in very handy for travelling. The WiFi feature is nice, but highly unnecessary unless in an area with a weak signal (not many of those left anymore).

In the past I have carried an N95 8GB (hands down the best phone until the iPhone), an N93, and a Sony Ericsson w600. I also have a large number of other phones that I have collected, but never regularly carried.

Good Seek Hunting wrote:iPhone 3G, my total cost per month is $47 Canadian, no where near $100 =P

I use my phone for quite a bit; probably more than any electronics device that I own. I also feel that data plans are very practical; constant access to the Internet has some value in today's age.

Why do Canadian cell phone plans appear much more reasonably priced than Canadian internet? Aren't they all one huge company (Bell + Rogers)? Or do they put insane monthly bandwidth restrictions on the cell phone data plans too?

I have a 40 dollar ADSL connection without any bandwidth restrictions. My iPhone data plan used to be 6GB for 30 bucks, but since I have yet to use over 400 megs in a month (equates to about 50-70 hours of webbrowsing and YouTube, on this site, tribal wars, ign, wikipedia, and similiar type sites) I exchanged that for a cheaper package deal.

Good Seek Hunting wrote:iPhone 3G, my total cost per month is $47 Canadian, no where near $100 =P

Do you not use your phone... as a phone?

http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wirel ... data_plans

The cheapest iPhone voice plan is already $60 a month and that doesnt include the data.

Tessian wrote:

Good Seek Hunting wrote:iPhone 3G, my total cost per month is $47 Canadian, no where near $100 =P

I use my phone for quite a bit; probably more than any electronics device that I own. I also feel that data plans are very practical; constant access to the Internet has some value in today's age.

Why do Canadian cell phone plans appear much more reasonably priced than Canadian internet? Aren't they all one huge company (Bell + Rogers)? Or do they put insane monthly bandwidth restrictions on the cell phone data plans too?

They're not more reasonably priced. I get unlimited internet for $40 a month with a 7 mbit connection. You would have to hardly use your cellphone other than evenings and weekends to keep it at $40. And if you dare to include data plans? No chance. The plans are INSANELY expensive up here in comparison to the US or Europe.

Three companies up here: Bell, Rogers, and Telus. Telus is by far the smallest and almost merged with Bell, so it's almost like 2 1/2 companies. Of course they have insane restrictions on the data plans. They restrict absolutely everything to a ridiculous level. That's the "scam" part I've been referring to for the last 3 years. That's also why all your American companies were finally allowed to come up here, to break the natural oligopoly that occurred which is festering insane pricing structures that would never occur if there was actual competition.

It was so bad that our FCC-equivalent (CRTC if you care), which is not known for looking out for the best interested of the consumer on any level, finally said "fuck it, ya'll need a good butt-whuppin' " and opened up half the market to non-Canadian companies. What that means is our three companies have to sell, at a reasonable price, half of the space on their own cell towers to other companies. That's why we've got Verizon coming in September along with others I'm sure (just don't know exactly who and when other than Verizon).

Zeus wrote: They're not more reasonably priced. I get unlimited internet for $40 a month with a 7 mbit connection. You would have to hardly use your cellphone other than evenings and weekends to keep it at $40. And if you dare to include data plans? No chance. The plans are INSANELY expensive up here in comparison to the US or Europe.

Three companies up here: Bell, Rogers, and Telus. Telus is by far the smallest and almost merged with Bell, so it's almost like 2 1/2 companies. Of course they have insane restrictions on the data plans. They restrict absolutely everything to a ridiculous level. That's the "scam" part I've been referring to for the last 3 years. That's also why all your American companies were finally allowed to come up here, to break the natural oligopoly that occurred which is festering insane pricing structures that would never occur if there was actual competition.

It was so bad that our FCC-equivalent (CRTC if you care), which is not known for looking out for the best interested of the consumer on any level, finally said "fuck it, ya'll need a good butt-whuppin' " and opened up half the market to non-Canadian companies. What that means is our three companies have to sell, at a reasonable price, half of the space on their own cell towers to other companies. That's why we've got Verizon coming in September along with others I'm sure (just don't know exactly who and when other than Verizon).

Yeah, as i look at the Rogers link i found, these plans suck. I would need the $75 voice and $30 data plan just to barely do the things i can do on my plan here. Only 100 texts? WTF... 1 GB data limit?... I wouldnt have a phone up there either and def not an iPhone with these prices/plans.

Flip wrote:

Zeus wrote: They're not more reasonably priced. I get unlimited internet for $40 a month with a 7 mbit connection. You would have to hardly use your cellphone other than evenings and weekends to keep it at $40. And if you dare to include data plans? No chance. The plans are INSANELY expensive up here in comparison to the US or Europe.

Three companies up here: Bell, Rogers, and Telus. Telus is by far the smallest and almost merged with Bell, so it's almost like 2 1/2 companies. Of course they have insane restrictions on the data plans. They restrict absolutely everything to a ridiculous level. That's the "scam" part I've been referring to for the last 3 years. That's also why all your American companies were finally allowed to come up here, to break the natural oligopoly that occurred which is festering insane pricing structures that would never occur if there was actual competition.

It was so bad that our FCC-equivalent (CRTC if you care), which is not known for looking out for the best interested of the consumer on any level, finally said "fuck it, ya'll need a good butt-whuppin' " and opened up half the market to non-Canadian companies. What that means is our three companies have to sell, at a reasonable price, half of the space on their own cell towers to other companies. That's why we've got Verizon coming in September along with others I'm sure (just don't know exactly who and when other than Verizon).

Yeah, as i look at the Rogers link i found, these plans suck. I would need the $75 voice and $30 data plan just to barely do the things i can do on my plan here. Only 100 texts? WTF... 1 GB data limit?... I wouldnt have a phone up there either and def not an iPhone with these prices/plans.

Now can you better understand my enormous distaste for cellphone companies? You guys quite literally pay 1/2 for twice the service that we do. And you rates/plans are insanely expensive compared to overseas

I have an old Moto Q that I believe is on its last leg. I have to reboot it once a day now to keep it from locking up randomly. I thought it was IMAP syncing with the server but that turned out not to be it either. I've done a full reset and that didn't help. I have Sprint and doubt I'll get away from it anytime soon. I work for the same company as Sine and Seraphina so I get the same discount (I believe its 18% off the minute portion only. They don't apply the discount to the data and text portion. My bill for 450 minutes and unlimited data and text is under $60 per month.). I'm leaning towards getting the same Blackberry Curve Sine has. Its like $49.99 for me right now if I sign a new contract.

Flip wrote:

Good Seek Hunting wrote:iPhone 3G, my total cost per month is $47 Canadian, no where near $100 =P

Do you not use your phone... as a phone?

http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wirel ... data_plans

The cheapest iPhone voice plan is already $60 a month and that doesnt include the data.

It is possible the iPhone value packs aren't advertised on the website. They have new deals every few months for various regions. They are advertised in their pamphlets. You can het 6GB for 30 bucks at the store, but not over the phone, and it isn't advertised.

Good Seek Hunting wrote:I have a 40 dollar ADSL connection without any bandwidth restrictions.

ADSL = restricted. Sorry about your speeds.

I don't recall ever having a problem with speeds since making the jump to ADSL. Games play fine; and if webpages/downloads are slow it's on their end. I did have cable for 50 bones before, it was often down (though usually short periods of time) and always slow in the evenings, which is when I would normally go on. Both were adequate, but I went for the cheaper option.

Well, Ma Canada probably isn't the best cable company.

I remember hearing a while back that both Bell and Rogers had put 40GB/month caps on their internet customers... did this get rescinded?

I'm thinking about grabbing a BB Pearl when my contract expires at the end of the month. Has anyone heard positive or negative talk about this phone?

Tessian wrote:I remember hearing a while back that both Bell and Rogers had put 40GB/month caps on their internet customers... did this get rescinded?

I'm with Bell Aliant and I have never heard of this 40GB cap.

Tessian wrote:I remember hearing a while back that both Bell and Rogers had put 40GB/month caps on their internet customers... did this get rescinded?

60GB although they're playing with the number now.

No they didn't rescind it, they actually made it worse by decreasing that amount for their less expensive services and made you pay more for a little bit more. They also charge $2 per GB if you go over and their cap figure includes uploads and downloads. That's why I'm with Primus now. Primus' service is actually Bell's service (Bell's technicians hook you up) when Bell was forced to sell space on their telephone network that was a previous monopoly. Primus is just cheaper and with no cap.

Good Seek Hunting wrote:

Tessian wrote:I remember hearing a while back that both Bell and Rogers had put 40GB/month caps on their internet customers... did this get rescinded?

I'm with Bell Aliant and I have never heard of this 40GB cap.

Not sure what the hell Bell Aliant is, but a simple search of the websites shows that Bell has a 75GB cap with their $50 a month service and Rogers has 60GB with their Express ($47/month) and 95GB with their Extreme ($60 a month) services

Bell: http://www.bell.ca/shopping/internet.po ... _NewAccess

Rogers: http://www.rogers.com/web/Rogers.portal ... ER_LANDING

So my BB Pearl took a swim in the pool this weekend and didnt survive...

Lucky for me, the BB Tour just came out and is said to be the best CDMA BB ever. All the GSM carriers seem to get the latest and greatest BB's first, but this time RIM pushed the Tour out only to the rest of us.

I decided to get it and am pretty happy so far. The form factor is a beaut, the new OS is easy to use, and everything runs really fast so far. Reviews are saying the Tour could be the best BB ever to date, so if you have Sprint or Verizon and are looking for a smart phone that isnt touch, make sure you look at the Tour.