Registered: Aug 2001
Location: West Hills, California
Posts: 4

I need your advice...

When my cell phone contract expires next month, I plan to purchase a Visor Phone. I am not a big cell phone user, and never have been one (an extreme rarity here in Los Angeles). However, I am addicted to my Platinum and love the idea of combining the technologies.

But, I also want decent web access (I can take or leave the e-mail).

Which is better to do?:

1.Plan A - buy the Visor Phone package.

2.Plan B- Keep my cell phone and buy a dedicated wireless internet module, like the Omnisky.

I would appreciate your more experienced advice.

Thanks,

Terry

quote:

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"Friendship is like money, easier made than kept." - Samuel Butler

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Posts: 23

I would keep the phone and visor as individual items.
This way you can upgrade them one at a time. Also if you crashes, you have not lost everything, just a piece of it.
You could also look into using your phone as a modem for your Visor via a cable.

Registered: Aug 2001
Location: West Hills, California
Posts: 4

Good point, I did not consider a modem hook-up between cell phone and the Visor. But don't straight up data transmissions on a cell get pricey?


Thanks for the insight,

tk

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 38

Only if you've used up all the minutes on your plan. (Assuming your
wireless web minutes are counted under your plan, as they are for
Verizon and Sprint (for $5/month)).

Registered: Jun 2001
Location: Sanford, Florida
Posts: 16

"Only if you've used up all the minutes on your plan. (Assuming your
wireless web minutes are counted under your plan, as they are for
Verizon and Sprint (for $5/month))."

Everything but that last parenthetical remark within the parentheses is correct.

When I use my Visor with my cell phone under Verizon, it's billed as a data call ... and uses minutes just like a voice call, at no extra charge. Wireless web uses just the cell phone to access the web (on that tiny screen? you kidding?), and does cost extra.

Confusing matters a bit is that Sprint and Verizon use similar terms for similar but not exactly the same services. But the bottom line is, using my cell phone connected by cable to my Visor does not cost me any more than my voice contract.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 790

quote:

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I also want decent web access

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Jeff

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Houston
Posts: 72

I have used Visorphone at 9600 bps and the Minstrel S at 19200 bps, and IMHO you just don't see that big a difference. CDMA data transmission runs at 14400 bps, i.e. even less of a difference. "Faster" is relative, and web browsing on the Visor at either speed is like the old saw about the talking dog... it's not how well it does it, it's that it does it at all. Sometimes you can get good information relatively quickly, and sometimes you just embarass yourself because it takes 20 minutes to dig up one lousy baseball score or movie listing.

Registered: Aug 2001
Location: West Hills, California
Posts: 4

This is really helpful. Thanks for the responses.

Reeseman- what caused the inconsistent web page access time? Were some pages heavy on graphics than others? I don't get it.

tk

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Houston
Posts: 72

The most important variable is whether or not your connection stays reliable. Cellular data transmission is somewhat of a crapshoot, especially in areas with a lot of tall buildings, or areas where the cellular companies can't build their towers as high as they would like to. When you have a good connection, that's when it shines; other times it can be very frustrating.

Registered: Aug 2001
Location: West Hills, California
Posts: 4

Thanks to everyone that responded. This was very appreciated to Visor neophyte like me!