Listen to this as a podcast:
After 2 years my trusty Sidekick 2 has finally crapped out on me. The D-key is broken (it couldn’t hold up to my aggressive Tetris playing) and sometimes sticks, which moves the cursor all over and keeps me from opening windows. On Monday it started locking up and freezing, and I couldn’t switch between applications. Rebooting did not help. I’ve been considering upgrading for a while, anyway, as it’s a bit outdated. I’ve been a happy TMobile customer for 4 years now, starting back with the original B&W Sidekick in 2003, upgrading to the Color Sidekick in 2004, and then the Sidekick 2 in 2005. I decided not to upgrade to the Sidekick 3 when it came out in 2006 as I didn’t feel it had enough improvements on it to warrant paying $300 for it, and I feel that the future versions of the Sidekick (the Slide and X, which are rumored to debut in October 2007) won’t be packing enough technological oomph to meet my needs. TMobile, you’ve been a wonderful partner. It’s not you, it’s me. I have needs that you can’t provide. It’s time to part ways.
I’ve narrowed down my choices to the Helio Ocean; I’ve been intrigued by one for a while, and it’s got several enciting features, which I’ll address in another post.
However, I just found the Nokia E90 and now I feel like Scarlett O’Hara at the ball; all these gentlemen are presenting themselves to me and I have to pick one to dance with. But which one is my Rhett?
WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR: (and yes, like Scarlett, I am a demanding mistress.)
- Tactile keyboard. Please, don’t suggest the iPhone. It is not on my list.
- Instant messaging – AIM, Yahoo, MSN are mandatory. Would like Google Talk and Skype Chat, but they are not mandatory.
- Email – need POP/IMAP access to 3 or more accounts. Ability to send/receive encrypted email would be nice, but I don’t know whether that is available on any mobile device.
- Organizational tools: notepad, address book, calendar, calculator.
- Web browser.
- Bluetooth.
- GPS.
- Ability to add aliases to IM screennames. I have 100+ buddies on my AIM buddylist. I can’t always remember who “bigblue01″ and “wriggly” are. This is a complaint I have with AIM on my Sidekick – no aliases.
- Phone company must be willing to give me a deaf-friendly data-only plan. I don’t need phone minutes, why should I pay for them? TMobile gives me a $29.99/mo data-only plan, which rocks. Phone minutes are an additional 10 to 15¢ per minute if the phone is used (which really never happens.)
- Camera, 2mpx or larger. Video is not mandatory, but is OK.
- Wifi and EVDO aren’t mandatory, but would be nice to have.
- Still waiting for TTY access for 911 emergency services. When is the Future coming? Where’s my jetpack? Damn scientists!
- Ability to upload pix to Flickr & be able to post to blogs.
What should I get?
Previously:
Hiptop Sidekick – why it’s so popular among the deaf
Text messaging and 911
911 centers need to upgrate to accommodate new technology and be accessible to the deaf
HI
Have you considered blackberry curve? It seems to be savvy. let me know what you think ?
J
Interesting, Jerrod. I’ll add it to my “dance card.” Thanks!
That’s a tall order for a single phone. I know this because I want very similar features to what you want, and I haven’t been able to find anything that fits! The Blackberry 8800 is VERY close to having everything, but it lacks a camera. (Reportedly that’s because many employers don’t allow cameras on-site, and it’s mostly big business types who are getting the 8800.)
Also, are you sure the SK2 doesn’t let you assign aliases for AIM? I’ve done it on my SK3; I’d check on my old SK2 but the screen broke so it’s a paperweight now. On the SK3, you hit Menu-E while you have the right person highlighted, or choose “Edit Buddy” from the drop-down menu. Perhaps this would work on the SK2 if you have that option?
From Kathryn:
Yup, just checked it on the SK2 and you can’t add buddy aliases. I’ll look into the BB8800. And yes, you’re right, I have high standards for what I want in a phone! Maybe they’ll all be available on one single device in the future … who knows?
You should check out the latest Blackberry models. The 8820 – it’ll do everything that you want except for the camera feature. There’s no camera on this model so that it’ll be available to those who work in high-security facilities where cellphones with cameras are not allowed.
The Curve model is practically the same but comes with a camera.
I’ve used my BB 8800 model for a few months now and I’m satisfied with it. I wish I had waited a bit longer until the 8820 came out with the WiFi feature.
From Kathryn:
Interesting to see how so many people are recommending the Blackberry! I used one up until 2003 when I switched to the Sidekick. I guess they’ve come a long way since then, huh? I’ll definitely check into them. I assume they also do the deaf-friendly data-only plans?
Blackberry Curve has a camera. Tmobile will provide the pager soon.
http://www.blackberrycurve.com/brains/features/camera.jsp
I have the blackberry 8100 Pearl. It is a beauty. It has everything you’re asking for. I didn’t want the “bulky” blackberrys so I refused to even consider them at first until I went to the t-mobile store and saw the 8100. It’s slim like regular cell phones (but no flip top, it’s all one panel like most other blackberrys) and I fell in love with it at first sight. It does use 2 letters per key (e.g. QW is on one key, etc.) but it has an auto-type dictionary that figures out what you’re typing so you’re not pressing letters more than once. It is awesome! I will never go back to a sidekick after this.
From Kathryn:
Thanks for the great recommendation! I’m definitely going to check into this.
Hi I have seen your site which that good & impressive site, ICTango • Dé zakelijke partner voor al uw communicatie,
ICT en telecom groeien steeds dichter naar elkaar toe, Nieuwe technieken volgen elkaar in een razendsnel tempo op.
HTC Smartphone
The new fad in mobile devices is touch. Every cell phone provider’s going to be emulating the iPhone. Tactile keyboards will have virtually disappeared from the market, I’d say even as soon as a year from now. I don’t know why a tactile keyboard is necessary to you (If you’re a driver who types, it’s time to hang up and drive
) but you ought to at least stay open to the idea of a touch device. iPhone is locked down by Apple and AT&T (not the mention how AT&T forces deaf people into voice plans…) and isn’t very customizable yet. But I can clearly see the line between ‘mobile appliance’ and ‘mobile computing’ disappearing. At some point everyone will be able to customize their “little mobile computer”
My suggestion: See if you can get a sidekick replacement from tmobile, stay on a month to month plan so you don’t commit to a two year contract elsewhere, then punt the fun, new device acquisition ahead until “mobile computing” is a commonplace reality.
Next time I’ll check the date of the post before commenting. How’s that blackberry working out for you?