Hello InterTubes,
I'm looking for some help on getting a new cell phone. I've been looking on and off about 2 months now and I have not found what I want. I'm different than most consumers. I don't care about bling or branding; I have a *lot* I do care about getting, but it seems the market has moved toward a place making product that don't fit my needs.
I've used a Nokia 6310i since it came out in 2002, and been very happy with it. It is a solid, reliable phone. The B/W screen is always visible. It always works, and works well. For mutimedia and storage, I use my laptop. I use a camera (sd1000) for photos. I connect an old laptop to a stereo for music. All these work much better than every the mobile devices I've tested that try and "do it all".
I want a simple, fast, high quality piece of hardware that does just a few things well:
MUST HAVES:
* a great quality phone, (sound quality, mic, reliability)
* solid construction, metal. droppable onto pavement.
* long battery life (ideally 8+ hrs talk time)
* hold at least 500 contacts
* available to buy hardware direct/unlocked/3rd party
* coverage in USA major metro areas
* must be able to act as a
modem for my laptop, as fast as possible (
3G?), wired or bluetooth or other is fine.
DESIRED FEATURES, (BUT NOT DEAL KILLERS if it unavailable)
* speakerphone
* backup (isync or other backup method. don't need sync, just backup.)
* expandable memory, (eg microSD or other), accessible as storage
* small enough to put in front pants pocket
* global service coverage, Europe, Asia
RATHER IT DOES NOT HAVE
* browser, email, video editing ... (all on the laptop)
* camera, silly apps, ringtones, animation, bling
* radio, mp3
* games
* full keyboard
* twist,slide,flip, or fold form, or any major moving parts
Basically, when I'm online, I want to be on my laptop (currently a macbook air). For talking, I want to have a simple, high quality phone. When I'm not in an area with a phone-line-based Internet connection, I want to be able to get my phone onto the cell-tower based network, and connect it to my laptop to be online.
To understand where I'm coming from, a few things I need to explain: The folks at the Apple store said that Apple and ATT explicitly try to prevent me from using the iPhone as a modem. I would have to break it and deal with hacking the thing to do what I want. Also, looking at most of the hardware out there (I've seen), I'm dissappointed. Phone that crack and break when you drop them from waist high are not acceptible. Most every phone that the major providers here give you with a service plan are crap hardware: the lowest possible quality that makes the service plan work. Also, I live in the US (which totally biases my experience, I know), and I find that when I travel overseas, both to Europe and Asia, there is hardware sold there that is superior to what is marketed and available here.
Cost is not a primary issue. I can pay plenty, but I cannot find what I want.
The devices I find seem to fall into 2 simple categories: I call them: "Cheapest workable solution (disposable)" and "Feature bloated bling (unusable)". I want "high quality, high speed simplicity", and I'll pay for it...
Where is it?
Linear Mode
