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-- Buying new cell phone... which one? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=5480)

I am getting a new SprintPCS phone, anybody know which phone I should ideally buy?

Craig,

It depends on what you need it to do. If you want to connect it to your visor keep in mind you'll need to do some trickery to get the phone to work via the serial cable with the visor, I know some people have do it with an EFIG serial board, but they're really expensive. If anyone has done it without one I'd like to hear.

As far as which Sprint PCS phone is the best, the SAMSUNG 3500 is one of the more popular ones. Decent ergo, relatively cheap, and a good amount of features. I have one and it was the best value phone at the store. if you want to connect via the serial port, just FYI the motorola timeport comes with the serial cable. So it actually comes out cheaper then buying the older startac. (time port ~300, startac + serial cable 230+100)

I didn't mention the Sprint branded phones because I just didn't like em, but I've heard good things about them too.

Minh

I guess my question is... which phone do I buy to get the most benefits...

Can I buy one with IR and bypass a cell-phone modem (i.e. SixPack)?


Thanks

Craig,

This would work if the IR feature was active on the phone. To my knowledge, no nokia phone sold in the us has a working IR transmitter (the window is there but there's nothing behind it). The only phone I've heard this working with is a nokia 7110 (not sold in us) and that was with third party beaming software.

All of the sprint phones will let you bypass a springboard modem. I'd wait a few weeks and see if the new markspace serial cable can be used with these phones. If so then you could connect the serial cable from the visor to the special cable from the phone.

Minh

craigv,
check out the
rs232 to cellphone connection discussion
before getting a phone for details on
connecting the visor to cell phone for
wireless. people have posted models that
you can connect with a serial cradle
(should work with markspace cables as well).
you wont need an expensive springboard module.
HOWEVER, i have the samsung 3500 and it seems
that this may not work with samsung phones
(someone reported problems with the 2000
as well).
sad, but true. works great on my laptop
(with wireless web kit) but can't get the
visor to recognize it. the sprint wireless
option is a lot cheaper than most wireless
plans i've seen (you can use your phone
minutes for browsing!). if you get a one rate
plan: 50 bucks for 500 minutes/month does it
all: long distance and web browsing.
-otto

CraigV-

I have the Timeport. I LOVE this phone, plus I can connect it to the Visor via a serial cradle. I think the Mark/Space cable intro is just around the corner which should make the connection a bit more elegant.

If you go with this combo, make sure you turn off handshaking in the modem setup area on the Visor (it's called flowcontrol, I think)

Good Luck!

-Kim