Pocket PC/Smartphone - recommendations?

I have a Nokia 3210 and I'm using Orange pay-as-you-go for my
occasional calls and texts.

Used much more is my ancient Pocket PC, an iPAQ 2210/2215 running
Windows Mobile (version 2003 I thought, although I'm confused as I see
Help > About says Win CE 4.20).

I want to update that PPC to one with a better screen, longer-lasting
battery, full internet capability, etc. And it would seem sensible to
choose a unit with phone capability too. (Is 'Smartphone' the correct
term?)

I'd love an iPhone, as my son extols its virtues every time we meet.
But sadly that's ruled out because one of my major PPC applications
(Memory-Map) requires 'WM 2003 or later'.

So I've just started looking at various products. Like the HTC Touch
HD, HTC Touch 3G etc, as listed at
http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx
(The HTC Magic apparently must be excluded as it has a new OS called
'Android', which I understand is not WM compatible.)

But as soon as I start talking to sales support people about these I
quickly get lost. I'm used to buying a product and then using it as
much or as little as I want. But this market seems to deal in
contracts of varying length and conditions. I'd appreciate some help
to find my way through this stuff please.

For example, taking the HTC Touch HD, Orange appeared to be quoting me
£34.26/month over 18 months with free internet access, and CarPhone
Warehouse quoted £459.95 for the unit but leaving me to fix the rates
with O2 (having first obtained a 'PAK code' from Orange?).

Given my very low phone usage but potentially higher internet usage,
what would others recommend please? Are there any 'independent' web
sites that list and compare various products and contracts, so that I
can do some rapid learning?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Terry Pinnell wrote:
> I have a Nokia 3210 and I'm using Orange pay-as-you-go for my
> occasional calls and texts.
>
> Used much more is my ancient Pocket PC, an iPAQ 2210/2215 running
> Windows Mobile (version 2003 I thought, although I'm confused as I see
> Help > About says Win CE 4.20).
>
> I want to update that PPC to one with a better screen, longer-lasting
> battery, full internet capability, etc. And it would seem sensible to
> choose a unit with phone capability too. (Is 'Smartphone' the correct
> term?)
>
> I'd love an iPhone, as my son extols its virtues every time we meet.
> But sadly that's ruled out because one of my major PPC applications
> (Memory-Map) requires 'WM 2003 or later'.
>
> So I've just started looking at various products. Like the HTC Touch
> HD, HTC Touch 3G etc, as listed at
> http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx
> (The HTC Magic apparently must be excluded as it has a new OS called
> 'Android', which I understand is not WM compatible.)
>
> But as soon as I start talking to sales support people about these I
> quickly get lost. I'm used to buying a product and then using it as
> much or as little as I want. But this market seems to deal in
> contracts of varying length and conditions. I'd appreciate some help
> to find my way through this stuff please.
>
> For example, taking the HTC Touch HD, Orange appeared to be quoting me
> £34.26/month over 18 months with free internet access, and CarPhone
> Warehouse quoted £459.95 for the unit but leaving me to fix the rates
> with O2 (having first obtained a 'PAK code' from Orange?).
>
> Given my very low phone usage but potentially higher internet usage,
> what would others recommend please? Are there any 'independent' web
> sites that list and compare various products and contracts, so that I
> can do some rapid learning?

IMO, buy the phone you need sim free (i.e. unlocked) from e.g. expansys.com.
then put a Three payg sim card in it. Every time you top up they give you
150meg of internet (which lasts a surprising long time if just using email
and web browsing), or you can add a month (fair use unlimited) internet for
£5

--
John Blessing

http://www.LbeHelpdesk.com - Help Desk software

"John Blessing" <nospam.lbe@REMOVE_THISgmail.com> wrote:

>Terry Pinnell wrote:
>> I have a Nokia 3210 and I'm using Orange pay-as-you-go for my
>> occasional calls and texts.
>>
>> Used much more is my ancient Pocket PC, an iPAQ 2210/2215 running
>> Windows Mobile (version 2003 I thought, although I'm confused as I see
>> Help > About says Win CE 4.20).
>>
>> I want to update that PPC to one with a better screen, longer-lasting
>> battery, full internet capability, etc. And it would seem sensible to
>> choose a unit with phone capability too. (Is 'Smartphone' the correct
>> term?)
>>
>> I'd love an iPhone, as my son extols its virtues every time we meet.
>> But sadly that's ruled out because one of my major PPC applications
>> (Memory-Map) requires 'WM 2003 or later'.
>>
>> So I've just started looking at various products. Like the HTC Touch
>> HD, HTC Touch 3G etc, as listed at
>> http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx
>> (The HTC Magic apparently must be excluded as it has a new OS called
>> 'Android', which I understand is not WM compatible.)
>>
>> But as soon as I start talking to sales support people about these I
>> quickly get lost. I'm used to buying a product and then using it as
>> much or as little as I want. But this market seems to deal in
>> contracts of varying length and conditions. I'd appreciate some help
>> to find my way through this stuff please.
>>
>> For example, taking the HTC Touch HD, Orange appeared to be quoting me
>> £34.26/month over 18 months with free internet access, and CarPhone
>> Warehouse quoted £459.95 for the unit but leaving me to fix the rates
>> with O2 (having first obtained a 'PAK code' from Orange?).
>>
>> Given my very low phone usage but potentially higher internet usage,
>> what would others recommend please? Are there any 'independent' web
>> sites that list and compare various products and contracts, so that I
>> can do some rapid learning?
>
>IMO, buy the phone you need sim free (i.e. unlocked) from e.g. expansys.com.
>then put a Three payg sim card in it. Every time you top up they give you
>150meg of internet (which lasts a surprising long time if just using email
>and web browsing), or you can add a month (fair use unlimited) internet for
>£5

Thanks John, that's just the sort of practical advice I'm seeking.

This morning I've ordered the Smartphone (sim-free HTC Touch Pro 2)
from Clove Technology (nostalgia for my Psion 3a days).

Can you amplify a bit on the next steps please. I've browsed the
Orange site and tried to make sense of all the stuff about 'animal
contracts', but have yet to find anything covering your suggestions.
How do I get 'a Three payg sim card'? And how do I sign up for that
top-up plus 150 MB free browsing'? When I called Orange Customer
Services I was told I should tell them the 'IMEI' number of my phone.

All I've ever done to date with my ultra-basic phones is to call
Orange every 2-4 months and make a top-up of £15-£20. It sounds like
either of your suggested schemes would be just the job.

BTW, presumably I should be able to remove the 2G sim card from my
current Nokia 3210 and pop it into the new HTC to get basic phone
usage?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message news:l7to55h3sftpa034lua4vl37ilb5ial8of@4ax.com...
> "John Blessing" <nospam.lbe@REMOVE_THISgmail.com> wrote:
>
>>Terry Pinnell wrote:
>>> I have a Nokia 3210 and I'm using Orange pay-as-you-go for my
>>> occasional calls and texts.
>>>
>>> Used much more is my ancient Pocket PC, an iPAQ 2210/2215 running
>>> Windows Mobile (version 2003 I thought, although I'm confused as I see
>>> Help > About says Win CE 4.20).
>>>
>>> I want to update that PPC to one with a better screen, longer-lasting
>>> battery, full internet capability, etc. And it would seem sensible to
>>> choose a unit with phone capability too. (Is 'Smartphone' the correct
>>> term?)
>>>
>>> I'd love an iPhone, as my son extols its virtues every time we meet.
>>> But sadly that's ruled out because one of my major PPC applications
>>> (Memory-Map) requires 'WM 2003 or later'.
>>>
>>> So I've just started looking at various products. Like the HTC Touch
>>> HD, HTC Touch 3G etc, as listed at
>>> http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx
>>> (The HTC Magic apparently must be excluded as it has a new OS called
>>> 'Android', which I understand is not WM compatible.)
>>>
>>> But as soon as I start talking to sales support people about these I
>>> quickly get lost. I'm used to buying a product and then using it as
>>> much or as little as I want. But this market seems to deal in
>>> contracts of varying length and conditions. I'd appreciate some help
>>> to find my way through this stuff please.
>>>
>>> For example, taking the HTC Touch HD, Orange appeared to be quoting me
>>> £34.26/month over 18 months with free internet access, and CarPhone
>>> Warehouse quoted £459.95 for the unit but leaving me to fix the rates
>>> with O2 (having first obtained a 'PAK code' from Orange?).
>>>
>>> Given my very low phone usage but potentially higher internet usage,
>>> what would others recommend please? Are there any 'independent' web
>>> sites that list and compare various products and contracts, so that I
>>> can do some rapid learning?
>>
>>IMO, buy the phone you need sim free (i.e. unlocked) from e.g. expansys.com.
>>then put a Three payg sim card in it. Every time you top up they give you
>>150meg of internet (which lasts a surprising long time if just using email
>>and web browsing), or you can add a month (fair use unlimited) internet for
>>£5
>
> Thanks John, that's just the sort of practical advice I'm seeking.
>
> This morning I've ordered the Smartphone (sim-free HTC Touch Pro 2)
> from Clove Technology (nostalgia for my Psion 3a days).
>
> Can you amplify a bit on the next steps please. I've browsed the
> Orange site and tried to make sense of all the stuff about 'animal
> contracts', but have yet to find anything covering your suggestions.
> How do I get 'a Three payg sim card'? And how do I sign up for that
> top-up plus 150 MB free browsing'? When I called Orange Customer
> Services I was told I should tell them the 'IMEI' number of my phone.

Three(3) is the network not Orange.