Best Bluetooth Capable Cell Phone? 100
masonbrown asks: "I find myself confronted with a profound decision that could significantly affect the next couple of years of my life. As an excited owner of a new Aluminum Powerbook 15-inch, I'm shopping for a Bluetooth enabled cell phone. I've checked Apple's Bluetooth Compatible Device List as a reference, and had some great initial impressions of the Sony-Ericsson T-616/T-610 phone (direct link unavailable), until I read the Amazon reviews that said the display fades in sunlight and the buttons are impossible to maneuver with human fingers. Can Slashdot readers give some feedback on what Bluetooth phones you have, how well they work with iSync, and how happy you are with your phone?"
I'm happy with my T616 (Score:5, Informative)
I've got a Mac and a $30 bluetooth usb nub thing and the bluetooth stuff just works. I use iSync to synchronize my iCal and AddressBook with the phone and don't have any problems. I've been impressed with the how well everything seems to work together. It's pretty easy to get the pictures off with Apple's USB file browser. The camera is gimicky but it is fun to play with.
As for the buttons, they seem like every other phone to me, no smaller or unusable than my old nokia. I wouldn't consider them unusable at all really...
The menus aren't quite as fast as my old nokia, but they are zippy enough to not slow me down, or annoy me. My friend has a 68i and its menus are the slowest thing on the planet. It takes a good 5 seconds to get into the address book. The T616 fixes all of that. It also has a sane way of locking the screen that doesn't erase your address book entry if you are in the wrong screen (like the 68i--which causes my friend to scream curses about once a week when he does this).
I definitely recommend it.
-David
Re:I'm happy with my T616 (Score:1, Redundant)
I'm happy with my T-610 (Score:1)
Re:I'm happy with my T616 (Score:1)
That phone, combined with AT&T's GSM service was so aggravating, I came very close many times to throwing it out the window without the replacement.
It's Garbage.
Also, more on topic...
Be sure to check user reviews of the GSM cell service in your area, as my complaint was probably 75% with AT&T's GSM, more so than the phone.
You can also check out the bluetooth website [bluetooth.com] or, more specifically, the list of bluetooth p [bluetooth.com]
Re:I'm happy with my T616 (Score:1)
Re:I'm happy with my T616 (Score:2)
Otherwise I'd recommend looking into Nokia's phones. I've just done some extensive research and it's quite clear that SE phones are top with regards to BT support. Closely followed by Nokia. Most other manyfacturers only have basic BT support. (Ie, headset and tr
fading displays in full sun (Score:4, Informative)
This is actually a common problem with most of the new colour display mobile phones. I own the Nokia 6610 [nokia.com] (no bluetooth) and do experience this problem when the phone is used outdoors. I have yet to see a colour screen mobile phone that does not have problems being used in full sun.
One thing you need to look out for is there are some phones that are shipping with data-only bluetooth. So if you are planning to use a headset be careful of that. I was looking at the Nokia 7650 [nokia.com.au] at one point but decided not to get it for that reason. The specs list [nokia.com.au] contains bluetooth but I found out later it was data-only.
Sony Ericsson T681 (Score:5, Informative)
I'm happy with my Sony Ericsson T68i [amazon.co.uk]. I use it with iSync on OS X 10.3 without problems. It's a basic phone without useless extras like a built-in camera (though you can buy an add-on camera for it, IIRC). I only use bluetooth for syncing, I don't know if you can also use a bluetooth headphone with it.
JP
Re:Sony Ericsson T681 (Score:2, Informative)
It is a bit bare bones by today's standards - but OTOH it's a bit cheaper for that very reason. So if you're looking for cheap and reliable - I recommend it.
OTOH if you're looking for something with a usefull camera, don't even think about it. I have the separate camera - and it is not very usable. It is slow, yields low quality images (640X480, always blurry), and the integration sucks (eg I can't beam images from the in-cam m
Re:Sony Ericsson T681 (Score:2)
Excuse me, what's your address? I just want to come over and, uh, borrow your setup.
(When I have an income again, I'm gonna get me something like this and never be offline again! That's a good thing, right?)
I think the barebones approach is the right one in any case. Indeed, even the T68i isn't barebones enough for me. I'm perfe
Re:Sony Ericsson T68i (Score:2)
Yuck! I own one, and its the poorest phone of the seven I've owned. Most people complain about the menus being slow, but ironically that hasn't annoyed me too much. What does annoy me is the dirt-poor reception the phone gets. My girlfriend has a Motorola phone on the same network I use (AT&T's Next Generation network in the US), and she consistently gets better reception than I do. And, I'm not talking about the number of meaningless bars of signal strength the phone shows, either. I'm talking about h
Nokia 6310i (Score:5, Informative)
I can't recommend this thing highly enough.
It's got:
-Tri-band GSM
-bluetooth, GPRS/WAP (big deal)
-good sound quality
-great reception
-well-organized display and menu functions
-really well-designed keypad (not soft & mushy)
-good shape (fits into your hand well, very slim, easily slides into and out of your pocket, and is comfortable to talk on
-robust power connector
-no fiddly moving parts to break
In short, it's a phone. It does phone stuff, and does it well. The thing's built like a Russian tank; I have dropped it on concrete at numerous angles, gotten it wet, smacked it around and generally abused it, and like all my Nokia phones, it keeps on chugging.
Don't buy this if you want a toy (MMS, photo, cute polyphonic ringtones, fashionable shape, whatever.) But as a tool, it rocks. In fact, this phone is the best piece of industrial design I've had the pleasure of using this year.
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:2)
Oh yeah, I should probably mention that
-I dunno if the 6310i is available in the US
-The phone's major problem is inability to save vcards that are SMS'ed to you.
-Just checked google, and it indicates isync & 6310i don't work, as the Nokia doesn't use SyncML.
So best ignore my original post (it's still a damn good phone, though.) Sorry.
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:2)
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:1)
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:1)
Yeah I know I want the moon on a stick too.
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:2)
OK, fair enough, but consider this:
What do you think will impress your buds (and chicks) more: something bright yellow with tiger stripes that plays the Stars & Stripes Forever in glorious Surround-o-Rama THX, with a pop-up 3D projection holograph screen to show your streaming nudie clips of Kylie in the shower...
Now that I mention it, the second sounds more likely to get you respect, but the first would
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:1)
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:2)
What you giving us this for? Give it to Stewart Lee, he's the one who wants it.
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:1)
I remember seeing on a BBC news article that it is fashionable for kids in the UK not to have the latest phone
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:4, Interesting)
last upgrading. The balance between the 6310i and the
T610 was as follows:
Features they've both got:
- triband GSM
- bluetooth, gprs, wap
- good sound quality
- well organized menus
- nice shape
- no fiddly moving parts
- addressbook
- calendar
Features the 6310i is better at than the T610:
- reception
- power connector
Features the T610 is better at than the 6310i
- *will* sync with iSync, as opposed to the 6310i which will not
- higher resolution color screen
- built in toy-camera
- very much nicer ring
- smaller without getting unusable
Now, given that I live in Europe and we generally get good
reception *anyway*, I didn't really care about the reception
quality. I *do* care about the iSync compatibility though. As I carry my phone practically everywhere, that means I have my calendar with me at all times. I cannot get over how extremely useful this is. Oh, and dialling from the full
addressbook in my iBook has it's advantages as well. Nowadays I just keep the numbers of people that I actually
tend to call in my phone, making dialling from the phonebook quite a bit quicker.
If Nokia were to come out with a worthy successor to the 6310i that had roughly the same format but with a higher
resolution screen and SyncML capability... that phone would
absolutely rock and be my first choice. Unfortunately, the
T610 currently beats the 6310i on features... and it attracts more attention from women as well. (Actually, almost all other owners of T610's I've seen are women...).
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:2)
I think you have the 6310i confused with another Nokia. Its ringtones most assuredly suck, but the quality of phone conversation on it is second to none.
I have a Sony-Erricson T39m for over 2 years now, and it may not have a color screen (why would I need one, that is what my bluetooth equiped PDA is for) and its ringtones are less 'nice' then the on
Re:Nokia 6310i (Score:2)
Agreed, I've got a 6310i myself and it's great. Definetly rock solid. You also forgot to mention the great battery it has. ;-)
Unfortunetly though, Nokia kind of fell through [securityfocus.com] on their bluetooth implementation. (i.e. don't go walking around with bluetooth enabled on it. Think wardriving for cell phones, kind of). Another poster also mentioned that it doesn't support iSync. Shame for both of those
Nokia 3650 (Score:1)
Re:Nokia 3650 (Score:2)
Re:Nokia 3650 (Score:2)
And if you don't like the keypad, the 3660 [nokia.com] will be here soon.
I recently got to play with a S-E T616, and while it's a very sexy little phone, it's feature-set leaves much to be desired. It's camera's max resolution is 288x253, and it only has a couple mb of memory built-in (non-upgradable). Running J2ME applets is painfully slow.
The 365
Re:Nokia 3650 (Score:2)
The killer phone to me, though, would be an updated color-screen iSync-able Bluetooth-standards-compliant version of my 6310i (maybe with Symbian, although that's not a necessity) at a lower price point. I don't want to pay for a camera I'll never use - I have a 5.1MP Olympus and a 35mm SLR for taking pictures. When it comes right down to it, even the color screen is unnecessary
Re:Nokia 3650 (Score:2)
t610 (Score:2)
The amount of integration is amazing and the whole process is _very_ easy.
I haven't had any problems with the key sizo or the screen brightness (at least no more than other screens)
Also, you can do some really cool stuff with Salling Clicker [mac.com] which is a great (and inexpensive) piece of software
Re:t610 (Score:1)
I too have a T610... (Score:4, Informative)
The buttons I actually find nicer than many units on the market - though it is an irritation that some of the buttons' functions can't be changed from their (never-used) default.
For those Windows users who have this phone, I find floAt's Mobile Agent [xinium.com] a most useful piece of software (though occasionally buggy). A useful feature at work is the option to automatically lock and mute your machine as you leave the room (with phone). Useful for forgetful souls (like me ;)
Re:I too have a T610... (Score:1)
Re:I too have a T610... (Score:2)
Fades in sunlight? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Fades in sunlight? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Fades in sunlight? (Score:2)
I do own a T610, and I assure you, it does not affect the readability of the display.
siemens s55 (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm quite happy with my siemens s55. iSync finds it without any problems, and I can sync contacts, address-book and tasks to and from iCal. Haven't been able to get my iBook connected to my ISP via bluetooth, though. Of course, just because I'm not able to do it doesn't mean it's not possible
Re:siemens s55 (Score:2)
And it's better than my old phone, which had got to the po
Re:siemens s55 (Score:2)
It sucks. It is a bad phone in every respect except for two: it is very small, and it has decent audio quality.
Syncing would result in duplicate (triplicate, etc.) copies of everything. Plus, you can't fit all the information in an iCal or Address Book entry into the phone's calendar or phone book, so it's pretty much worthless. (For example, if you put someone's home and business address in Address Book, only one of them sh
Re:siemens s55 (Score:1)
Review (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Review (Score:4, Interesting)
Sony Ericsson P800/P900 (Score:1)
Re:Sony Ericsson P800/P900 (Score:1)
These all in 1 things are not for me until they get significantly smaller/lighter.
For me Bluetooth just to sync phone numbers was worth it, and I love my T616. I haven't been bothered outside, and I have no problems with the buttons.
Re:Sony Ericsson P800/P900 (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Sony Ericsson Z600 (Score:2, Informative)
As for the direct links to these phones, very simple
T610 [www.sonyericsson]
Z600 [www.sonyericsson]
Re:Sony Ericsson Z600 (Score:2)
T610 [sonyericsson.com]
Z600 [sonyericsson.com]
Nokia 6600 (Score:1)
And here's another link: Product page [nokia.com]
Sony T610 and Linux (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Sony T610 and Linux (Score:2, Informative)
What about Palm Bluetooth and the internet? (Score:2)
Re:What about Palm Bluetooth and the internet? (Score:1)
Re:What about Palm Bluetooth and the internet? (Score:1)
It's really a great combination, as I can choose whether I need just the WAP on the phone or carry the palm for those times when you need a prompt.
Re:What about Palm Bluetooth and the internet? (Score:1)
On
T68i, T630 or Z600 (Score:5, Informative)
Funny, I've just been looking for a replacement for my T39m... let's see what this discussion can bring up. Here's some highlights of my "research" to date.
If you're on a budget, look at the T68i and the Nokia N-Gage. I think they are listed at around EUR 250.
If money isn't an issue, the T630, the Z600 or the Nokia 6600 will fit your requirements. These are listed at around EUR 600.
Current mobile phones are built for a three-year life span. They are not supposed to last much longer than that. Regardless of what you buy today, it's 50-50 that you're going Christmas shopping for a new phone again in 2006.
It could be a good idea to stick with your current brand, unless you're deeply unsatisfied with the menu layout or the physical quality or something. I've been using Ericssons for a while and have difficulties adapting to Nokia's Symbian UI: the N-Gage is compelling but the UI kind of rules it out.
--Bud
Re:T68i, T630 or Z600 (Score:4, Interesting)
actually you wont need. first it uses mmc card, and second it comes with an usb cable(that intrestingly enough you can't use with the pcsuite). otherwise it's just like the other s60 phones(except, way much more memory for the applications to run in, this is something that is not usually said anywhere tho, so you can have opera, wirelessirc, and some game running at the same time without running out). i traded to ngage from 3650 because of the memory and headphones jack(for playing those mp3's), also it's better for playing around with the emulators than what 3650 is(the camera i didn't use all that much, and it's crap. i didn't have any issues with 3650's nifty pad though). bluetooth works the same on both for me(no issues).
6600 is very nice but expensive and still buggy(and some programs are just dependant on the things that are spesific to 6.1 symbian phones and wont run on 6600).
if the symbian ui feels awkward there's some programs out there to use as alternative main menu(quicklaunchers of sorts). though, the ui is one the best ui's for small multi use devices out there imho(hardest thing maybe is to get used to multitasking and switching between programs that are running).
Re:T68i, T630 or Z600 (Score:2)
Re:T68i, T630 or Z600 (Score:2)
That's mostly a software issue, and the differences between the t68i and the t68 are a) software and b) cosmetics. Yes, from everything I've read, the t68i is much better in this regard.
Re:T68i, T630 or Z600 (Score:2)
So what devices did you use it with?
In this context, "rock-steady" should be appended with "...compared to anything else on the market."
As a rule, if a device does not pair properly with the T68i, or has problems discovering it, or can't connect reliably or simply loses the connection, it usually exhibits the same problems also with other devices.
Many times in the past, Ericsson has gone to the extreme to get all features in a device up to par, even if the device is delayed or even killed off before i
r520m can still be had... (Score:2)
This is a no-BS phone. No color screen, no polyphonic or
Re:T68i, T630 or Z600 (Score:2)
The Nokia N-Gage? Are you high? Maybe if you want to use a headset with, but otherwise, you'll have the weirdest experience trying to use the unit like a traditional phone up against your ear. But don't take my word for it, check out the N-Gage's "spoof" page here:
http://www.sidetalking.com
Profound?! (Score:2)
Dude, if you think selecting a Bluetooth cell phone is profound, just wait until you graduate high school or get laid for the first time.
Anyway, if you don't want a color phone or want something cheap with lots of features (without bothering with pesky rebates), check out the Sony Ericsson R520m. A couple of years behind the curve, but it's got every major new feature and a nice legible b/w display. Plus they usuall
T616 (Score:2)
Display: Bright, Clear, Readable
Camera: You won't be taking any family photos with it.
Battery Life: Excellent
Weight: Very Light
The keys ARE small, but they are spaced apart nicely, so unless you are andre the giant, I think one can get used to it.
As far as cellphone UI's go - this will be my seventh cellphone and it is the best I've used to date. The graphics, sounds and layout are very good and easy to navigate.
One of the things I like best is an IMAP/POP compatible e-mail reader
Siemens S56 (Score:1)
Where are you? (Score:1)
That depends on whether you're in 3G coverage or not... if not, why the hell hasn't anybody mentioned the Siemens S55 yet? it's all phone (no camera or crap) with a good bluetooth implementation. It seemed awfully sturdy to me, too. You'll probably have to order one from someplace crazy, though; I haven't seen them for sale at retail in the US. If you like clamshells and/or toys, the Motorola V600 is going to be out RSN, and that's a pretty rockin' phone. They finally updated the V.60 -- it's a metal-s
Re:Where are you? (Score:1)
Nokia 3650 (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Nokia 3650 (Score:1)
I echo most of the above comments but would add a few things.
- Forget MIDI ringtones, you can use a wav file!!! This is really cool!
- Bluetooth does massacre battery life 4 days down to 2 days!
- Nokia have a strange method of doing bluetooth. If you try to connect to the serial port from a PC the phone accepts the connection, then drops it, then initiates a new connection back to the PC. Odd - took a bit of searching before I worked out how to connect it.
- The address book
T61*, Sunlight, Buttons & More! (Score:2)
"What about receiving calls?" you say? Any phone that doesn't have personalized ringtones isn't worth getting anyway. Even if you WERE in direct sunlight you'd still
Re:T61*, Sunlight, Buttons & More! (Score:2)
1. You have to press down on the joystick to bring up the menu and to make selections. However, the joystick is also used to access certain functions. For example if you move the joystick down it will select the call list. If you move it up it will select (at least with AT&T anyway) mMode. This is pretty annoying because often when trying to push the joystick to make a selection, I will instead move it
Re:T61*, Sunlight, Buttons & More! (Score:1)
Yes it can be tricky
Re:T61*, Sunlight, Buttons & More! (Score:1)
I'm not try
If you're with Sprint PCS, none of the above (Score:2)
I think Verizon users are similarly limited in their (lack of) choices.
Nothing like choice.
What about the simplest and cheapest? (Score:2)
Nokia 6310i (Score:2)
It's a fairly basic phone, but it's triband (works in Europe and US), has bluetooth, runs java games. No camera and no colour screen, but it works, and lasts over a week of real usage on one charge.
It's a good reliable phone, and it works properly, which is what I'm looking for in a phone
T616 works great with Mac and with Toyota Prius (Score:1)
I can just get in the car with the phone in my pocket. If a call comes in, it show up on the car's touchscreen and I touch an icon to pick it up. It mutes the stereo and the call audio comes through the stereo speakers. The microphone is in the mirror. Sound quality is great.
For outbound, I can transfer my phone's contacts into the car's contacts by bluetooth, then one-touch dial
Re:T616 works great with Mac and with Toyota Prius (Score:2)
That is the coolest shit I have ever heard in my life. Holy Moses. I just got my T616 today (AT&T is handing them out gratis to new subscribers) and I'm happy as a little girl. Are there any other car stereos that support the B
N-Gage, Sendo X or 6600 (Score:2)
Scared of the N-Gage? The Sendo X appears to be the top-of-the-line Series 60 phone, with the works, but if you want a Nokia device, the ultimate appears to be the 6600 -- you'll pay for it though.
Nokia 6230 will be coming out soon (Score:1)
MY SONY ERICSSON T610 ROCKS! (Score:1)
T610 Problems (Score:2)
The screen is difficult to see in sunlight. You can actually get around this fairly easily, by picking a higher-contrast theme than the default one. Once I did that, I have no problem using the phone outdoors.
The reception is this phone's bigg
Re:T610 Problems (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:T610 Problems (Score:1)
Just a little FYI (in pedant mode): mobile antennas are designed to be shielded downwards. So you won't get good reception right below it. If you walk some distance away from it you may get better reception.
Though I get your point that reception is bad.
My Sony-Ericsson 610 sucked. (Score:1)
love my T616 (Score:2)
1. The Bluetooth works great. I don't have Bluetooth on my PC but I tried it out on my parent's eMac when visiting and it worked like a champ transmitting the photos. Just don't try to buy a Bluetooth adapter at Best Buy. They don't carry the Apple recommended D-Link USB adapter, and they'll charge you $50 for the off-brand adapter. Unfortunately, th