Following 'hairstyling' duty today, I inspected the much 'loved' iphone and was initially certainly impressed with the thing. I was strong though rob@rar, Kramer, et al..... and exited stage left, after making my excuses .... confident that I would be well advised here, by my mates, currently the most intelligent and knowledgable lifeforms on this planet .....
(I am one of those who use mobile phones to make calls only when necessary & to send the odd text when I have the half an hour that it seems to take to key in the darned text. Whilst skiing, I normally only switch it on in the evenings for an hour or so to receive military like burst transmissions I believe that I am the master of the phone - not the other way around .. ) I have always used Nokias - mostly because they have historically been very reliable and their battery capability works well at altitude and in cold and damp conditions. I don't even know the model of the phone I have at the moment - I think it's a 6230i & the second one of those that I have had - never a single problem.
In France I don't have any land line telephone, or internet capability and that is by choice. I purchased a pay-as-you-go sim last season following the sim4travel problems. This worked out absolutely fine and cost effective. However, for this coming season I was comtemplating taking out a laptop and probably one of those gismos that plug into a USB port which allow data traffic via the mobile networks - to enable the odd visit to snowHeads as I am normally off-radar for nearly 5 months (".... and a good thing too" - I can hear certain peoples saying ... especially those wot don't like my singing ).
Something like the iphone would be ideal for me as an alternative, though I realise that data traffic in France would not be included in the 'unlimited' data package and would cost about £7.05 per thingy (I must try to find out how much 'thingys' I normally use. ( - any ideas on how to check - I am with BT Yahoo) I know admin had something like this system last year as he was able to access snowHeads.
Anyway .... this is turning out to be a very long story ... thankfully sans interruptions by scribbles & jonpim ... like I had to put up with last week at an Italian restaurant. I have looked at all the iphone threads on here and must confess to being a little bit wary of the iphones foibles; .... O2 Lock-in (Although I am currently with O2), the fixed battery issue and a semi-concealed device at the top of the phone, which indicates if the phone suffers any water/damp damage. (I am wary of how this phone might be affected in a damp ski jacket pocket).
What should I look at if I want the best performing & most reliable mobile device, to give:- mobile Phone,... excellent e-mail and web access ... and be able to operate in the harsh high-altitude conditions associated with snowHead pubs, bars, restaurants and skiing..... (Please note: my knowledge of technical terms relating to the mobile phone industry is limited. 3G to me means pulling 3 G's whilst flying or negotiating the gates at the EoSB 'GS'. The publication, "Mobile Phones For Dummies ", if one exists would have been written for me.)
A friend of mine from Lyon has an older Nokia N90something 'clamshell' phone which opens to a qwerty keyboard on a French contract tariff, etc. I also looked at the newer version of this today - the Nokia E90, which is a 'Nigella' type 'fuller-figure' phone, which seems to do pretty much the same stuff as the 'waif-like' iphone. I prefer the fuller figure. I am not a slave to fashion. I am not a slave to fashion. I am not a slave to fashion. Well yeah but, no but, yeah but ..... What is the best device on the market .... ?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The o2 iPhone contract is £6 per megabyte (plus VAT?) for international data roaming, unless you happen to find an unprotected wifi network you can connect to in which case data will be free (technically, stolen ). I think this is OK for sending a quick email or two but will soon rack up huge bills if you use it for general internet surfing.
I admire your strength...
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
rob@rar, For the UK only I pay £4 a month for 4Mb on Orange, and the Flext tariff with T mobile will give you 170 minutes talk and 1Gb data for £22.50. No idea of international costs - suspect they are similar to what you quote...
Whatever happened to the EU stuff about cheaper roaming? How the hell do they justify that kind of mark up?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've only just managed to get mine connected, so can't comment just yet. So far I'm very impressed.
O2 also do the XDA range which gives you music, video, phone, camera etc - but on a Windows Mobile platform so its looks and feels a bit more like a PC.
Has wireless and bluetooth as well so you can use wireless lan if theres one about - or GPRS to connect to the Internet if theres not a wireless Lan
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
lampbus, .... that is a great site for info...!
I will have a look at the XDA range. The basic specs of the Nokia E90 are here, but I was unable to find a review on lampbus, 's site or a decent review on the phone elsewhere. Are any of these phones able to act as a 'modem' to allow using a laptop screen etc?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
TBH I wouldn't dream of taking the iphone skiing, why not keep your cheap n cheerful Nokia for use on the slopes..
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
.... decisions ... decisions ..... almost as difficult as chosing the EoSB accommodation ....
I have found a review on the Nokia E90 - of course both have pros & cons
.... now to 'Compare and Contrast exercise .....
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
If you want a *really* easy to use interface for sharing & syncing music, photos. podcasts and a very easy to use browser, and can afford it, it has to be the iphone!
If you want to edit MS docs, want to sync contacts, calendar, email with corporate exchange servers, you'd be best off looking at another solution.
regards,
Greg
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
kitenski, .... as per my original post - in summary though ... ... I need excellent quality phone, e-mail and web access.
The iphone seems to fit the bill, but I have hang-ups regarding the restricted tariff package, non user replacable battery and the inability to use local sim/providers when in European countries for any length of time. (I have a UK, Republic of Ireland and French sim cards by necessity)
... just to complicate matters, they both 'score' 5/5 ... !
... what else would you suggest that would best fit my requirements ... ?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
BernardC, Which ever phone you choose don't forget the hands free kit.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
How much email do you reckon you will do? I have had various devices, some for review as per the website in my sig!!
If your doing lots of text input/email, then a QWERTY keyboard is certainly very useful, but that means the size goes up....
Do you want GPS on the device?
Is size important? Ie do you want to be able to slip the device into a jeans pocket, or if it's a little bigger with a keyboard, is that ok?
Any mobile device is a compromise to a full screen laptop for browsing and email. Handling attachments, editing spreadsheets. pictures etc soon becomes hard to do on a mobile device...
Data to a mobile device ain't cheap, is it possible to get Broadband to your French accom? Or do you know how much you can pick up Wifi for in a local restaurant/bar etc? Another option would possibly be get a sub £400 laptop, keep the Nokia for "phone" and pickup email in France using local WiFi hotspots...
regards,
Greg
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Thanks kitenski, ... food for thought.
Kramer, ... where are you ... ? I need help...... ! Have you got your iphone sorted out yet. Pray tell - your opinions on all matteres are desired & valued ....
Definite leaning now towards Nokia E90 - some interesting local deals on data, mainly from SFR with whom I have a sim and some others with combined voice & data.
Nealglover, ... seems a great phone - now with 8gig and pretty much what I want, plus I have been offered 'unlimited' French data option, on effectively pay-as-you-go at for 20 euro per month, subject to the logistics of the sim working in a new Nokia N95 .... fingers crossed .....
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
BernardC, excellent. Looking forward to live snow reports from across the Tarentaise
After all it is free
After all it is free
BernardC,
could you give details of the french data offer ?
Might come in very handy !
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
BernardC, choose the phone with the loudest ringtone. It's an easy way of locating somebody who is covered by an avalanche (don't forget to give everyone in the ski group your number, though)!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
and exited stage left, after making my excuses .... confident that I would be well advised here, by my mates, currently the most intelligent and knowledgable lifeforms on this planet .....
I believe that I am the master of the phone - not the other way around .. 
). I think this is OK for sending a quick email or two but will soon rack up huge bills if you use it for general internet surfing.
