Registered: Jul 2002
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 3

Any springboard phones worth the $?

I have been using a VisorPhone with Voicestream for about 10 months now, and I'm terribly disappointed. I absolutely love the connectivity, being able to get my personal email during the day at work is incredible.

I also love having my phone attached to my Visor, it makes it easy to only carry one thing, and have my address book connected to my phone. However, the voice quality SUCKS. I can hear the other person just fine, but they are all reporting whines, squeals, echos and generally can't hear what I'm saying. The reception is sub-par as well, I can't get a decent signal inside my car, or inside my house.

I've been looking at the Sprint module, but don't want to shell out $250 for another phone unless it's going to have good voice quality. If it's sub-par as well, I'll just add a second phone to my Voicestream service so I can quit swapping out my GSM card between my Nokia and my VP for modem activity, and live with the fact that I still have to carry a separate phone. :-(

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Washburn University in Topeka, KS
Posts: 450

Handspring's ideal answer would be for you to pick up a treo - everything (minus expansion) you have now, in a phone shape, with good voice quality.

That said, I think the Sprint phone has slightly better voice quality, but I'm not sure how much.

__________________

Friends don't let Friends vote Democrat
Victory 2002 - Republicans Win Control of the Senate
Now onto Victory 2004 - FOUR MORE YEARS

Registered: Jul 2002
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 3

Well, not everything...

I want to retain the springboard capabilities. I don't use them a lot, but with some of the projects I work on, I want the option to use memory cards for storage.

I also use a Stowaway keyboard, since I do quite a lot of typing on my Visor. Having my Visor has enabled me to not have to buy a laptop for all my projects, and I use my Visor constantly. I haven't heard of a Stowaway for the Treo.

Honestly, if I could get a Stowaway, and they'd bring the price down a bit (which I expect in a year or so) I'd consider a Treo. Without the Stowaway, it's not feasible for me.

I know, I know, I just want EVERYTHING. So I'm a geek, what can I say?

Registered: Aug 2001
Location:
Posts: 8

Have you considered...

...the VisorPhone Keypad from Kensington? I have one (got it for $70), and it seems to have somewhat better sound (at the other end), or so I'm told. The downsides are you have no access to any numbers on the SIM card, and no text messaging - just any number you happen to know from memory, and last number redial. OTOH, it's a bit more convenient when you don't want/need to carry the Visor/VP combo. I realize you have the Nokia, but with the keypad you wouldn't have to swap SIM cards, just the VP out of your Visor into the Keypad. Just a thought.

Doug

Registered: Jul 2002
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 3

Yes, I had...

... but I hadn't found any users or reviews to tell me that the sound is any better. It was actually my plan to get one to find out, but when I started researching replacing the VP with the Sprint version, I decided it wouldn't be wise to spend the money on the pad for the VP without getting more information.

My only attachment to the Nokia is that other people can hear me. I love the convenience of the VP. I find it interesting that the sound quality is so badly affected by being in the Visor. I don't understand why they had to half-ass this product, after doing such a great job with the Visor. :-\

Registered: May 2002
Location:
Posts: 8

I have a SpringPCS Digital Link for sale. The sound quality was on par with other CDMA phones used. Seemed a little clearer than my Nokia 8290 I used to have with Voicestream. Let me know if you are interested.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 100

I've been using the VisorPhone for just over a year now and like it very much, though I'll agree that it has its quirks. I doubt I can help with the reception, but if sound quality is your main concern you should get a good headset with a boom microphone. They're pretty cheap and will help a lot. I have a behind-the-head model with a bendable mic boom and a little spongy wind cover. When I call people using the headset, they sometimes don't know I'm wireless unless my signal fades. (Well, I guess I'm technically not with the headset.)