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Carl Franklin

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Carl gets a new toy

So I was sitting in the speakers lounge at DevConnections last week with lots of people you know and love and Kim Tripp whips out her Pocket PC phone. I was really impressed. I'd heard about these PDA phones before, but this one had so many cool features, and I was due for a new phone anyway so with a little help from Richard Campbell I found the model that works with Verizon, my carrier, the Samsung SPH-i700.

Even though this review is a few years old, it still covers the basics pretty well: http://shrinkster.com/4i6

The phone retails for $899 but I found a b-stock unit online at http://www.zTradingPost.com for $369. It's just like new, but with no software.

I took it to my local Verizon store yesterday, and got the unlimited data plan (thanks to Ken Getz, I know about it). I can use it as a DSL/Cable speed modem from anywhere for $45/month. I had to find a good reference site for software, etc., but I did just that at http://shrinkster.com/4i7 where there are step-by-step instructions for downloading the Verizon CDMA drivers for your PC and creating a connection for it. All of this went flawlessly.

It has a camera and speakerphone built in. No bluetooth, but I picked up a Jabra bluetooth headset and transmitter for $130 at the Verizon store.

Next I downloaded a trial of VoiceCommand from Microsoft and installed it. Easy easy easy!

All this is very cool, and I had NO TROUBLE installing or configuring ANY of it. I am very surprised, actually. HOWEVER:

What I really want does not exist yet. I want to use the Etymotic earbuds and yet have a little dial to mix in audio from a microphone so I can interact with my environment. In fact, I want a shirt-pin that has a mixer dial, a phone answer/dial button, and a voice command button. I also want the device to be intelligent about answering calls. Currently if I'm listening to music and I get a call, the music stops (ok, I'd like the option for it to turn down as well) and the call is announced... out the speakerphone! What? Why when I'm listening to music with the earphones does the device speaker have to be activated? I'd like the music volume to decrease (or at least pause and restart after the call) and the call answered by button or voice command.

So, I hope the Phone/device people are listening. If you can make it so that I don't have to take the device out of my pocket to use it, then it becomes something much different than anything we have today, even with the addition of voice commands. You still have to touch the thing. Also, give me a way to listen to the microphone so I can wear headphones and still hear what people are saying to me, and interact with my environment.

Am I right, people??

 

 

Published Mar 31 2005, 09:59 AM by Carl Franklin
Filed under: ,

Comments

 

TomB said:

Hey Carl.

I have the same phone. Did you upgrade the OS? I'm in Canada so I'm afraid my provider won't support it, but I know there's an upgrade available on Verizon's website - to bring it up to 2003.

A tip-- do not let any woman wearing makeup (or men wearing makeup http://neopoleon.com/blog/posts/8352.aspx) use it, you get crap all over the screen.
March 31, 2005 10:05 AM
 

Brian Swanson said:

I have the HP iPAQ 6315 and it does pause the music when a phone call comes in. Wonder if this is a new feature for PocketPC 2003?
March 31, 2005 10:24 AM
 

Chris Szurgot said:

Certainly can't argue with you there. I've got an Ericcson, so I can do most things hands free, but I wish the phone company would make the Voice Mail voice recognition... <grin>
http://weblogs.asp.net/cszurgot/archive/2005/03/28/396088.aspx
March 31, 2005 10:32 AM
 

Paulo Correia said:

Qtek is a less known company that as also that kind of phone, but only for GSM networks.

Check out their QTek 9090 model, or the smaller one, the new S100. My boss have one and that gadget rocks.

Check the QTek 9090 here http://www.msmobiles.com/news.php/2910.html
March 31, 2005 10:51 AM
 

Kyle said:

This is VZW's next PDA phone, just announced today:
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=667

Wi-fi, EV-DO, Bluetooth, etc.
March 31, 2005 1:19 PM
 

Carl Franklin said:

Wow. Nice!

I think I'm getting closer to my goal:

http://www.pocketpctechs.com/detail.asp?Product_ID=PPCPADPT08

March 31, 2005 1:26 PM
 

Nick Swan said:

Thought would would have gone for the Audiovox phone by now as most people who like MS do.
Anyway, as you've got a Pocket PC phone you might want to try my little app, Pocket Blogger.
http://www.download.com/Pocket-Blogger/3000-2163_4-10371356.html?tag=lst-0-2

I developed it for my Pocket PC so I could post to my .Text blog without having to use PocketIE. I don't know if anybody has tried it on a Pocket PC phone before, so if you do, let me know! It's a first version so any ideas greatfully received.

Enjoy the new toy!
Cheers
Nick
March 31, 2005 3:34 PM
 

Carl Franklin said:

The AudioVox phone doesn't work with Verizon. Are we talking about the one that looks just like the Samsung?
March 31, 2005 3:44 PM
 

Nick Swan said:

no I meant the one that Robert Scoble evangalises!
http://www.audiovox.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=13758&langId=-1

It's called the SPV C500 over here in the good old UK.
March 31, 2005 4:08 PM
 

Richard Campbell said:

Its also GSM only - what, you think ToyBoy doesn't know these things?

For CDMA, I think Carl has the best product that can be had. This week, anyway.
April 4, 2005 12:30 AM
 

StuFF said:

Do you guys in the US have UMTS ? Here we have now for example a UMTS modem that stays at home and give you internet access (300kbp/sec, not incredible but enough for a lot of people). I look forward to buy the MPX220 and the XDA 3 this week end...
April 5, 2005 4:13 AM
 

Kevin Daly said:

Now you've got the device, you've got to try out Compact Framework programming (well, you don't *have* to, not if you don't want to, but I still recommend you give it a go...but then I'm just compulsive that way - I'd program my shoes if I could).
While there are still some frustration points, there are nowhere near as many as with the old embedded Visual Tools, and there should be precious few left when we get our hands on .NETCF v2 (this statement is based on the publicly discussed feature list, not wishful thinking).
But I digress - the cool thing about mobile development is that it is in some hard to pin down way reminiscent of "hobbyist" programming back in the early '80s, when it was still *fun*. Oh, and if you want a blogging tool that runs on the Compact Framework, just give me a yell. Or write your own of course. Or both. Whatever.
April 7, 2005 4:29 AM

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