REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

Mr Colt · 06-30-2011, 09:52 PM

My next phone needs 3 things
Full keyboard
True GPS not the kind that needs a data connection(AGPS)
Android os

My American friends recommend the HTC Evo shift(sprint) I can get one at a great price off ebay with a Bad ESN; can the phone with a bad ESN be unlocked and used up here?(I'm with fido)

Considering other options for phones that are new on the market.

I might wait till the iPhone 5... any one hear a decent rumor how long that is?

!MiKrofT · 07-01-2011, 01:21 AM

Don't buy a phone with a bad ESN.

The only fully compatible phones for Fido from the states are ones from AT&T. Unless you can live with Edge speeds.

Mr Colt · 07-01-2011, 09:10 PM

Edge speeds?... the evo is 4g i'm pretty sure?

Strzelec · 07-01-2011, 10:33 PM

Sprint uses CDMA and WiMAX. Telus and Bell are phasing out their CDMA networks now, and even if they weren't, they wont let you register a foreign ESN. The 4G feature on the Evo also wont work here since we have no WiMAX providers. As said before, if you are with fido and looking to bring a phone up from the states, make sure it is unlocked (or can be) and has the correct bands(AT&T)

Mr Colt · 07-02-2011, 01:52 AM

ah thank you, I like a more technically informative answer... so who thinks I can get an iphone 5 by September? lol... question: with contract, how much did the first Iphone4 sell for when they first launched?

fs604 · 07-03-2011, 09:07 PM

^ don't you want a "true" gps? Iphones need data for gps. And you want android..? Iphones are ios. Haha maybe you should change your requirements

Also, they were somewhere near 200 with 3yr contract
Posted via RS Mobile

Mr Colt · 07-03-2011, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fs604

^ don't you want a "true" gps? Iphones need data for gps. And you want android..? Iphones are ios. Haha maybe you should change your requirements

Also, they were somewhere near 200 with 3yr contract
Posted via RS Mobile

the iphone5 is suppose to come with true gps.
IF i found an i4 for wicked cheap i would pick up a bluetooth gps reciver
and if i get an iphone i would get one of those cases with a keyboard. I dont want an android os over the iphone os, but its the next best thing if i dont get an iphone.

Graeme S · 07-04-2011, 12:51 AM

I think we need to do some clarification.

AGPS is "real" GPS, it uses a satellite to lock on to your location in order to assist you with location-based services. The A in AGPS is "Assisted". It locates your nearest cellphone tower using a short burst of data in order to try and figure out which of the GPS satellites is closest so you can get a lock faster. If you turn off the "assisted" feature in the AGPS, you will get a lock; it will just not be as fast as it would be with the assist.

If you are thinking of getting a phone that has a map and guidance app (ie: not something that loads on demand like Google Maps), you are looking for something very very different.

!MiKrofT · 07-04-2011, 01:11 AM

What Graeme S says is correct.

In addition all iPhones starting from 3G have all had full GPS receivers. It's all integrated into the cellular radio nowadays.

Mr Colt · 07-04-2011, 01:14 AM

my last 2 phones could do this my old hp phone and my htc fuze(touch pro)
I used tom tom for both with tom tom maps. if that is the case, can i use an iphone4 now with tom tom or something? (tho probably gonna wait till the 5)

bottom line, i do not want a data plan, but i want turn by turn voice gps.

!MiKrofT · 07-04-2011, 03:12 AM

Yes. Just get an app that does turn by turn navigation. I'm not familiar with iphone apps any more but I believe tomtom was one of the ones that had tts.

Graeme S · 07-04-2011, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Colt

my last 2 phones could do this my old hp phone and my htc fuze(touch pro)
I used tom tom for both with tom tom maps. if that is the case, can i use an iphone4 now with tom tom or something? (tho probably gonna wait till the 5)

bottom line, i do not want a data plan, but i want turn by turn voice gps.

Just curious; if you have already had phones that do everything that you want, and you won't be getting an iPhone for its primary purpose...why are you getting an iPhone?

Also: if you are not planning on getting a data plan, you will not be able to get an iPhone on contract when it is first offered. For the first 3-6 months the new iPhone is typically backordered, even for people who want the extremely expensive data plans.

Mr Colt · 07-04-2011, 12:53 PM

1.My old phones are broken, and by todays standards they are crappy. They did that basics of what i wanted ie: gps navi/text/call. the rest was very primitive. I like the idea of an iphone and all it can do and will be using most of it's functions if and when I get one.
Downloading apps and the like can easily be done via my computer or wifi.

2. I realize the contract requirements involving a data plan in order to be valid for the full discount, and for 6 or so months I am willing to get it, but I have my doubts I will want to keep it after that time is over.

3. wifi is every where these days and more then enough for my purposes.

the order of things I value are this

1. dedicated navigation gps
2. full keyboard

both of which I can supplement with bluetooth products if i got an iphone
the iphone itself has a features i like which makes the trade off attractive:
extremely compatible, I can plug it into just about anything, my car, computer, stereo, etc.

the iPhone 5, which i'm sure despite the lack of keyboard, is suppose to have true data free gps capability, and loaded with other new features.
I'm not clear as to what "primary purpose" it is i would be missing out on, a side from the basics (gps/txt/calling) i can take pictures, play games, connect it to my car for music/use it as an ipod.
i dont want to spend money on a current gen iphone when the 5 is suppose to be around the corner. If a current gen iphone had ether the slide keyboard or the gps i want, I might have already picked one up by now.

!MiKrofT · 07-04-2011, 03:52 PM

Please stop saying iphone and true data free GPS. Already told you. Any iPhone 3G and newer has full offline GPS capabilities. You just need to buy the software.

Graeme S · 07-04-2011, 06:20 PM

Colt, if what you want is gps and calling/texting, you should get a $150gps and a cheap phone with a keybaord. I'm going to assume you plan to do an HUP to an iphone? It's unlikely you'd be able to do that right away or even for a month or more just because they make almost no money off HUP customers or re-signers. If you're planning to walk away from a data-plan addon (ie: not signing a new contract with data inside) you're looking at $20 per month for each month you don't take the data service(the minimum for a data addon is 12 months, so if you cancel after only 6mo you owe them $120 in cancellation fees). If you sign a new contract that's got Data with it (especially an iPhone plan which is almost all they'll sell you an iPhone with when you call in) you can't just bid farewell to data.

It sounds as though you want a new toy and are trying to justify it to yourself and us. While you might be able to say now (having presumably never had data before) that you'll just cancel it, you'll undoubtedly join the rest of the ranks who've said "oh, I'll just try it out for awhile...I don't really need it, I'll just cancel it!". But you'll most likely find that it's more useful than you realized and find it almost impossible to part with.
Posted via RS Mobile

mrks · 07-04-2011, 06:25 PM

The cheapest iPhone 4 was/is only $159, but you had to sign a 3 year voice contract and a 1 year data contract. Without contract it costs $659.

The iPhone 5 will have similar contract requirements. If you are not getting a data plan, better be ready to spend $700 or more to buy the phone at the Apple store.

There are a few other things that came to mind.

1. Yes, wifi might be in many places, but it's not "everywhere".
Especially if navigation is that important you should get a data plan. With a data plan and google maps(both iOS and Android have this) you can get real-time traffic information, so you can avoid congestion. It's pretty awesome.

2. I doubt iOS 5 will have "data free" navigation. The TomTom US & Canada app is over 1.4 GB. Apple will not include that in the iOS system. (a) Users will complain why their 16 GB iPhone only has ~12 GB of free space. (b) Having that much map data in the restore file means each IPSW will be 2 GB or more. That will cost Apple a pretty penny on bandwidth for every update they push.

3. All this talk really comes down to how much you are willing to spend. If you are only willing to spend $200-$300 then all this iPhone 4/5 comparison is a moot point