Which mobile network?

[jon0844]

GPRS can actually be fairly reasonable, but the speed varies depending on congestion. Voice takes priority, so less timeslots = lower speed.

EDGE is technically a 3G standard, but classed as '2.75G' (GPRS being 2.5G). When O2 was about to be punished hard for failing to reach a minimum coverage level on 3G, it counted EDGE enabled sites to avoid fines. O2 now has major congestion problems to deal with, so a lot of work is now on trying to keep up with demand that expand to cope with future needs. EDGE also helped O2 secure the iPhone 2G.

3G isn't exactly fast these days (384Kbps - or 0.4Mbps thereabouts) so now we have HSPA and HSPA+ that sits on top, offering much higher speeds - but still with voice taking priority, so speeds can fall a lot.

HSPA can offer speeds of up to 14.4Mbps, while HSPA+ can go to 42Mbps. Three is going to roll out updates to its 21Mbps HSPA+ network this year to take it to 42, which is pretty quick.

However, the big improvement will be a faster uplink - particularly useful for people wishing to upload HD videos to YouTube or backing up their phone content into the cloud.

4G is interesting in that it's a bit of a mess at the moment. Effectively it's just for data, and can't carry voice. Unless things change quite quickly, you'll end up with 4G for data and a fallback to 3G for voice. This will mean multi-mode handsets, and an obvious drain on the battery. It also means you may get some situations where you can make a call, but not send data, or vice versa. While 4G has been rolled out in some countries, it's also worth noting that in America they counted HSPA as 4G, so there's one network pushing 4G when it isn't at all.

 

[SS4]

But don't forget the effect on battery life this lot will have

 

[Flamingo]

But don't forget the effect on battery life this lot will have

That's true, I'd like to have a battery that lasts past lunchtime.

 

[jon0844]

Then you may well be looking for something that isn't a smartphone. Nokia will still sell you a cheap phone that lasts for days, maybe even weeks, but most smartphones will give you one day at most - especially if you're working the trains through poor or no-coverage areas, which makes the phones work that much harder.

Mind you, you could invest in a portable battery charger that lets you top up without having to plug into the mains. Even though your trains may have power sockets, you probably don't want to leave the phone lying around anywhere. I have a couple of chargers (one with a 1,000mAh battery, the other with a 7,000mAh battery) that means I can charge the phone in my pocket if necessary.

If you do want a smartphone, get one with at least a 1,500mAh battery. Some now have 1750-1900mAh batteries.

 

[Flamingo]

I was thinking of an iPhone 4 (retires to bunker, shuts lid).

Seriously, I was looking at thiose deals, simply as I am in a house of iPhone users and it would make life easier if everybody had the same charger / setup.

Also, I might use the apps if I had them (although I don't know of any I want!)

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I'm glad you've recognised the superior phone Flamingo!

(Now also in a bunker)

 

[CC 72100]

I was thinking of an iPhone 4 (retires to bunker, shuts lid).

Seriously, I was looking at thiose deals, simply as I am in a house of iPhone users and it would make life easier if everybody had the same charger / setup.

Also, I might use the apps if I had them (although I don't know of any I want!)

Just remeber, depending on usage, battery life isn't great on my iphone 4, especially if it's having to do a lot of searching for signal or using mobile internet with weak mobile internet signal can also knock a few percent off here and there. Something to bear in mind...

And on the apps front, get the CrossCountry purely for the live train tracking, lets me know when my trains gonna be late ages before anything is announced
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
*Although when you're going for a smartphone, you're not gonna get great battery life like on those charge it up once every century Nokias.

 

[Flamingo]

I want t'net on it, calls and texts, and a reasonable camera in a rugged package, and available in a contract (so Sonim are ruled out).

Any suggestions, I was looking for a Sony Ericsson Active, but nobody does them on contract as far as I can see.

 

[Lrd]

Anything with Android is going to be fairly good, as long as its not the HTC Wildfire, which is shockingly rubbish. IMO, you can do a lot more with Android, iPhone's feel very restrictive. I've got all sorts of widgets on my home screen(s), better than just app icons.

 

[jon0844]

Nothing wrong with the iPhone, but at that point there's little point bothering about trying to save money on a competitive tariff. You'll pay top dollar for the iPhone (especially if you want the 32 or 64GB versions) and some networks don't even allow offers on tariffs (cashbacks, discounts, freebies) if you take the iPhone.

Bear in mind too that Android has now overtaken the iPhone, and there's obviously a lot more choice so you could get the Sony Xperia active, or maybe the Motorola DEFY+ (Another dust/shock/waterproof phone). If you're really looking for something cool, there's the new Sony Xperia S, out March 6th. Has a 12MP camera, HD-resolution display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 32GB of storage and is awesome (I've already had my hands on one, which means I've already pre-ordered one from Amazon).

I've got an iPhone and iPod touch, but don't use either every day (just for work, testing apps/games etc) - for me it's Android all the way. As lewisrday says, you can do a lot more and it's far more open. If you already use Google services (docs, calendar, contacts, email, maps etc) then it works brilliantly - you'll have everything you already have on the device within a few minutes of entering your gmail account. Everything is then safely backed up 'in the cloud' too (Apple has since launched iCloud which does much the same).

 

[ralphchadkirk]

In fairness Jon, Mobile Me did a lot of what iCloud and Google do now. Can't remember if it was integrated with the iPhone though.

 

[jon0844]

Mobile Me (which I paid around £60 a year for) was AWFUL. Steve Jobs hated it and probably wanted to kill everyone who worked on it.

Still, Google had the cloud stuff long before that. I can't remember when Google launched Gmail, but like the other stuff (contacts, calendar etc) it's always been online - before anyone called it 'the cloud'.

Apple has obviously made good use of the word cloud by including it in the name of its new service, but I have quite a lot of problems getting iCloud to sync stuff properly and I also had it duplicate a lot of stuff (I HATE when that happens!!). Never had any such problems with Google, yet so many people don't even know that Google can do all of that - or that it's totally free and seamless.

It's also just $20 for 80GB of storage for music, video etc - although Google Music (which does the iCloud/iTunes-like stuff) is still only for US users for now.

Google doesn't have Siri, but I can still tell my phone to send a message to xxx saying I'll be 5 minutes late and it does it, or say 'navigate to Tesco, Hatfield' and it fires up Google Navigation automatically. Again, Google had voice control and just didn't do a good job of advertising it. I can ask what the weather forecast is too, I just get a response like a Google search, not a voice to read it back to me!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

GMail launched in 2007 to the public, Google Calendar 2006; MobileMe launched in 2000. I know it wasn't very good, but the concept was there. They just tried to run before they could walk. It was certainly one of Apple's biggest failings.

The only problem I had with iCloud is that it didn't like my iCal calendars very much, and duplicated them. It was a quick fix - just deleted the old local files. I'm still on the free bit though - I haven't had a need to upgrade yet.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I should add MobileMe was 2008, but it's predecessors iTools and .Mac launched around 2000.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk

 

[jon0844]

MobileMe was awful anyway - and incredibly slow to sync. It didn't include email either, so no instant email that is often faster than BlackBerry instant email!

I am so glad Steve Jobs went ape and got it axed and replaced with something better, but iCloud still has a long way to go. It's crap for syncing photos and my dad has loads of trouble even getting it to sync when he gets home (on Wi-Fi) and plugs it in.

 

[richw]

Personally I'd go android, far better deals available, more choice of handsets. I'd also say android o.s is better than the iPhone o.s.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[Flamingo]

Thanks guys, I'll go back to the drawing board!

 

[NLC1072]

Ever thought about a windows phone? for what you want they seem pretty good, I have a HTC Trophy and it seems to just keep going and going (4 days on a charge!... But I did buy an after market battery for it)

 

[jon0844]

The Nokia Lumia handsets are very good. I have both the 710 and 800. The latter has a better screen and camera, but the 710 is barely much different. Changeable battery covers too!

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk

 

[ralphchadkirk]

How many phones do you have Jon?!

 

[jon0844]

A lot. Lots of tablets too!

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk

 

[Lampshade]

My Nokia 3310 still sees use when my BlackBerry inevitably morphs into a brick.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Jon at work:

 

[jon0844]

Too few phones!!

I must remind people that almost all of them are review models, so not actually mine (even if I've had some for ages).

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk

 

[richw]

Too few phones!!

I must remind people that almost all of them are review models, so not actually mine (even if I've had some for ages).

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk

So are you a technology journalist or something along those lines?

I use a blackberry, HTC sensation and a iphone 4 at the moment,
I'd rank them in order of preference:
HTC sensation,
Blackberry
Iphone.

The blackberry battery life is 3-4 days, the HTC i can get 2 days out of, and the iphone doesnt even last a day, and i need it plugged in in the car if i'm out for a longer than normal day, or greater usage!

 

[Flamingo]

I have a blackberry for work, and a sony ericsson old smartphone for personal. What I want is something for phone, text, a usable calender, good screen for 'tnet, and a decent camera.

If I don't go down the iphone route, I might stick with Sony, as they are familiar, and I don't overly like the work blackberry.

Anybody know of anybody that does Sonim phones on contract, I can't find any?

 

[jon0844]

Wait until the Sony Xperia S comes out then, if only to eliminate it. However, it ticks all the boxes, especially the 1280x720 resolution screen!

It's the one phone from everything coming out this year (including new kit announced next week at the world's biggest mobile event in Barcelona) that really excites me.

As for Sonim, I'm not sure if you can still get any that aren't branded JCB or some other 'tough' brand. They are pretty basic though. Samsung, Sony and Motorola all make strong Android smartphones.

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk

 

[Lrd]

Wait until the Sony Xperia S comes out then, if only to eliminate it. However, it ticks all the boxes, especially the 1280x720 resolution screen!

It's the one phone from everything coming out this year (including new kit announced next week at the world's biggest mobile event in Barcelona) that really excites me.

I am getting a bonus in March so will be splashing out on the Xperia S, it will certainly be an upgrade to my Wildfire which is stuck on Eclair 2.1

 

[SS4]

I am getting a bonus in March so will be splashing out on the Xperia S, it will certainly be an upgrade to my Wildfire which is stuck on Eclair 2.1

I didn't think there were any eclair models left in the wild . If I were you I'd pick a phone that's also easy to root if you want to stay updated. My desire is running an ICS rom but iirc support is either froyo or gingerbread.

For the OP I would definitely recommend an android although not one with Sense

 

[jon0844]

HTC's forthcoming One X looks quite interesting - HD screen, Quad-core processor and a camera that can take stills and video at once (like some camcorders). It will have Sense 4.0 which is quite different, although personally - having used the Galaxy Nexus - I like ICS without any modifications.