Help me choose a smartphone please

[+Dangermouse 1968]

Hi all,

 

last week I did a charity cycle ride and it rained for the first 4 h. The pay-as-you go phone in my jacket pocket has given up the ghost so I'm thinking about getting a smartphone.

 

So, my ideal smartphone would be great for:-

 

- calls (even from Japan, as I work for a Japanese company and go there a couple of times a year)

- surfing (a lot)

- listening to music

- geocaching, of course

- a camera would be nice.

- has to come with a waterproof case or have one available to buy !!!!!!!!

 

What would you recommend? Nokia N95 seems popular?

 

My caching history is that I sold my Garmin etrex colour to fund the Mio PDA/GPS which is great with MM for off-roading but the sensitivity leaves a little to be desired. it also is a problem that i can't cache in another country as I don't have a map!!!

 

Thanks and best wishes,

 

David

[+melmur]

For memory map, just create a blank map for anywhere you don't have one. I just get a google earth image & use that if i can't find a map for somewhere.

 

For the smartphone, see my sig.

Edited May 3, 2008 by melmur

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

I'd go for iPhone all the way

 

Supplemented with a good gpsr and wey hay, the cache is in hand!

[+Cryptik Souls Crew]

 

- calls (even from Japan, as I work for a Japanese company and go there a couple of times a year)

- surfing (a lot)

- listening to music

- geocaching, of course

- a camera would be nice.

- has to come with a waterproof case or have one available to buy !!!!!!!!

 

 

I'd recommend the N95, had mine for over a year and never had to use a standalone GPS in all that time.

 

You can install a VOIP application such as Truphone or one of the 3rd party skype clients that are out there so as long as your hotel in Japan has wifi you can make and receive cheap calls.

 

Surfing is ok on it, download Opera Mini for free for a nice web experience on a small screen, hook it up via bluetooth to surf on something else or use JoikuSpot to create your own wireless hotspot so everyone can surf...

 

If you go for the new 8gb model than you can cram a fair few tunes on there, or if you go for the older model you can get an 8gb card for under £30

 

Works with loads of GPS apps for caching, including the geocaching.com approved Trimble Geocache Navigator which downloads realtime cache info from the site and lets you note which caches you have found in order for easy logging when you get back home.

 

5 mega pixel camera with auto focus takes respectable photos.

 

Dunno about the waterproof case....

 

Of course you could go the iPhone route, but as you already pointed out, you want a smartphone ;-)

[+Renegade Knight]

...- calls (even from Japan, as I work for a Japanese company and go there a couple of times a year)...

 

Is Japan predominantly GSM? If so that is one way to rule out a bunch of phones.

[+Cryptik Souls Crew]

 

Is Japan predominantly GSM? If so that is one way to rule out a bunch of phones.

 

Seeing as the UK is all GSM then it would rule in a whole bunch of phones, but Japan has no GSM.

 

Any 3G phone will work ok out there though, so the N95 is still a goer, although its another nail in the coffin for the iPhone and its 1990's 2G technology

[+Dangermouse 1968]

Thanks guys, the HTC kaiser looks amazing. I'll get a look at one in one of the shops.

 

My brother-in-law is visiting next week - he has a Nokia N95 so will be able to hve a play. I understand the N95 uses the other OS, Symbian or something, so will it still interact with the Office applications on my laptop in a seemless manner?? I seem to struggle greatly with any technical difficulties !!!

 

MRs David told me that Asda were doing a pay-as-you-go mobile for £5 - I could take that on my wet bike rides!

 

Cheers again,

 

David

[+Dark_Faerie]

Just to add more support for the HTC Kaiser . I've used one for about a month after upgrading from the model below. I've had no problems transfering office documents to/from PC. The adobe reader is a huge improvement pdf viewer on the model below. It's like a mini computer that also happens to make phone calls. In fact I'm typing this reply on it.

The only minor problem is, like most PDAs, the battery. I can get it to last for 3 days if I don't use it much, but when I'm using it as a GPSr this goes down to about 3-4 hours continuous use.

[+melmur]

Just a sidenote for anyone else using a Kaiser. It seems you can turn off Static Nav after all. Details are here.....

 

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=388576