What phone should I get?

[ciphergoth]

I need a new phone. I'm almost totally at a loss about what I want. I don't know whether I should get a smartphone, or whether the browser/diary/etc facilities of a normal phone are enough. Any ideas?

Rules (updated):

• 3G, Bluetooth
• No Microsoft
• Must work in San Francisco

Update: Currently tempted by the Sony M600i...

Comments

[babysimon]

The smartphone market is depressing at the moment. Hopefully the iPhone and (optimistically) the Neo1973 will shake things up a bit.

I don't know whether I should get a smartphone, or whether the browser/diary/etc facilities of a normal phone are enough.

You have to decide. How much do you want a browser? How much do you want a diary? Typical implementations on modern phones are basic but usable, and sometimes it's easier to sync a regular phone than a Treo.

I'm a bit disappointed with my N70, but it was the last Series 60 rev 2 device made - the rev 3 devices may be nicer, but I know rev 3 has mandatory signing for apps which has discouraged what freeware development there was. Dunno if that's important to you. If you do want a S60 phone and a qwerty keyboard, have a look at the E61. Sony-Ericsson have finally made a non-clunky UIQ phone, the W950i (doesn't look like a smartphone, but it is). Again, I haven't used it but it looks nice.

I *think* any GSM phone with 1900MHz support will work in SF. That should be almost everything these days.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

If the signing is the same as the "Symbian Signed" process for Symbian 9, then you can install unsigned apps, you just have to say that you really mean it a lot, at least according to this:

https://www.symbiansigned.com/app/page/overview/freewareFaq


Q. What's the advantage of having my freeware application Symbian Signed?

A. The freeware application - once it has been Symbian Signed - will get far greater prominence across the Symbian ecosystem and will install without an 'application source untrusted' dialog.