Cellphone use in Europe

On Sat, 13 Aug 2005 11:44:52 -0500, [email protected] (Miguel Cruz)
wrote:

>John Phillips <[email protected]> wrote:
>> "Joseph" wrote:
>>> Well, it would be pretty silly to provide a charger that was capable
>>> of 240V if they couldn't use it in a country that used 240V now
>>> wouldn't it?!
>>
>> Not really. Cheaper to manufacture a dual voltage charger for sale
>> throughout the world than have specific chargers for each country.
Actually not. Dual voltage autosense, wide range, or auto switch
power supplies are fairly dear. However if you want to advertise a
product intended to travel world wide, you are kind of force it into
it. Ever see a computer laptop adapter, or PDA adapter that isn't
universal? Same reason, it is part of the product 'image', and the
margins are sufficiently good in both laptops and mobile phones that
they can afford it.
>
>They still need different plugs.
Yes, but you can buy universal adapters. I have a copule that have
retractable blades, fits European Schuco (with both ground styles),
UK, Australia, and USA and is grounded properly . I standardized on UK
style power cords years ago.

---

› See More: Cellphone use in Europe

On Sat, 13 Aug 2005 11:47:49 -0500, [email protected] (Miguel Cruz)
wrote:

>John Phillips <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Not necessarily correct. Dual band Nokia phones sold in Australia, which
>> will not work in USA, all have universal voltage chargers - reason? - refer
>> my other post.
>
>They may also be handy in 110-volt locales such as parts of Indonesia and
>the middle east which use the same GSM frequencies as Australia.
Only 110V in the Middle East is an island belong to Bahrain that is on
the Causeway , and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The island is
110V because while it is Bahrain, the electricity comes from the
Easterrn Province of Saudi Arabia. The Rest of Saudi Arabia is
240V/50hz, as is the rest of the Middle East.

Korea is also largely 110V, but also CDMA rather than GSM, Japan is
mixed, but no GSM at all.

On Sat, 13 Aug 2005, at 16:40:04 [GMT -0700] (09:40:04 Sunday, 14 August
2005 where I live) "matt weber" wrote:

>>They still need different plugs.
> Yes, but you can buy universal adapters. I have a copule that have
> retractable blades, fits European Schuco (with both ground styles),
> UK, Australia, and USA and is grounded properly . I standardized on UK
> style power cords years ago.


Last Palm I bought had an USA plug, with snap on adapters for most
countries, as part of the kit.

--
Can I yell "movie" in a crowded firehouse??

On Sat, 13 Aug 2005, at 16:43:11 [GMT -0700] (09:43:11 Sunday, 14 August
2005 where I live) "matt weber" wrote:

> Japan is mixed, but no GSM at all.

www.gsmworld.com

3G GSM

--
What goes around usually gets dizzy and falls over.

matt weber <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] (Miguel Cruz) wrote:
>> John Phillips <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Not really. Cheaper to manufacture a dual voltage charger for sale
>>> throughout the world than have specific chargers for each country.
>>
>> They still need different plugs.
>
> Yes, but you can buy universal adapters.

That's not really the point. Nokia is not going to tell its Australian
customers "Hi, here's your new phone, it has an Italian-style plug, but you
can go bugger off to Dick Smith's and buy yourself a plug adapter if you
want to use it here."

The chargers still need different plugs.

> I have a copule that have retractable blades, fits European Schuco (with
> both ground styles), UK, Australia, and USA and is grounded properly . I
> standardized on UK style power cords years ago.

Wow, you must not carry much stuff around; the size and weight of those
plugs is pretty significant. I use the delightfully compact US-style
grounded plugs.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 36 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Queens Day in Amsterdam; the Grand Canyon; Amman, Jordan

matt weber <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] (Miguel Cruz) wrote:
>> They may also be handy in 110-volt locales such as parts of ...
>> the middle east which use the same GSM frequencies as Australia.
>
> Only 110V in the Middle East is an island belong to Bahrain that is on
> the Causeway , and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

A pretty significant proportion of rich cellphone-toting foreigners living
in the middle east are in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia.

My house in Riyadh was 110v but that was about 8 years ago; perhaps things
have changed.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 36 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Queens Day in Amsterdam; the Grand Canyon; Amman, Jordan