So I’ve been a T-Mobile customer since 2002. Call me stupid if you want but I’ve never had a single problem with them. Well, sort of. See about four months ago I started getting really annoyed about my Sidekick 3. Even though I have developer access to the device (after a long and grueling screening process mind you), I still felt like it wasn’t an open enough platform. If I wanted custom ringtones or applications on my phone, I had to go through this REALLY clunky command line interface to get them. And if I wanted to give the applications I wrote to my friends or to the public, forget it. There’s no way unless you are one of the VERY lucky few to get your application into Danger’s “Catalog” which is only viewable on Sidekick devices. So I decided to switch to Windows Mobile.
I know this goes against all that is good and holy, but I couldn’t take not being in control of my mobile world. Anyways, it serves me right for trying to actually use a Microsoft product because after four solid months of torture, I’m back to my Sidekick 3. I tried the T-Mobile Dash, and the T-Mobile MDA. Both phones were absolutely great form factors, to the credit of their designers. However, their software was purely ridiculous. I can’t even begin to explain how simply idiodic I felt trying to use it for even normal day-to-day operations.
This brings me to the point of this writing. Why can’t anyone just get it right?! Even the all powerful iPhone has a laundry list of things consumers and geeks alike agree are missing or done incorrectly. The only real difference here is that I know Apple, Inc. is a good enough company to listen to its masses and fix these problems. But even then, the phone will still be locked to AT&T. Now, I’m a businessman. I understand you need to maximize profits to all those shareholders whose not-so-hard-earned dollars paid for the R & D to make the iPhone as good as it is. But C’mon Apple, at least give me an unlocked super-duper-change-my-life device!
This isn’t an iPhone bashing post by any means. To be fair (and honest) its actually an everything bashing post. I’m sick and tired of waiting for somebody in some board room to have the guts to suggest making a product with the consumer’s real interests in mind. Now, I say this knowing that Apple has come the absolute closest to getting it right. And an iPhone would make my Christmas list any year. But, I still feel like there’s so much missing.
I could go into detail, but this is an insanely long post already, so basically, give me an unlocked phone with enough RAM to do what I want that won’t burn a hole in my pocket (literally). Also, Microsoft, please work on making your Mobile OS not freeze when it receives a call. Thanks.
Atomicfission92 on July 18th, 2007 at 11:08 pm says:
I know your frustration Jake. I go though more cell phones then anyone I know. I had 3 Windows Mobile devices up until my last one literally blew up. So after a long debate of what phone I should get, I ended up with a RIM blackberry, the 8800 to be exact. Now while it does have some issues, mainly trying to get programs developed for it, RIM really knows how to make a phone right.
Its like Macs in a way that it ‘Just Works’. Email, internet, GPS, phone calls to ridiculously long battery life. Its like a god send of a device.
And now RIM is releasing a new version called the ‘8820′ which has built in Wi-Fi.
I would suggest you check it out.
E-Money on December 4th, 2007 at 7:43 pm says:
did you ever try to unlock it? or buy one unlocked
i dont know to much about locking and unlocking phones but
you could also buy a unlock code
heres a url
http://www.puremobile.com/Apple/Apple-iPhone-Black-GSM-Phone/
now when you buy an unlocked phone
what can you and cant you do with it
i have a nokia 6555 and i have att service its prolly locked to at&t because i cant get wap downloads from sites
anyway to surpass this?
Jason Preston on April 5th, 2008 at 2:09 am says:
I had T-mobile for ages. Loved their service and their prices. Had an SDA (the light-weight, now discontinued MDA) for about two years.
Gave up a month or so ago and bought an iPhone. Paid the cancellation fee. Totally worth it.
David Michaels on April 5th, 2008 at 6:52 am says:
Actually up until the first or second iPhone updates, it would freeze during phone calls and unexpectedly quit Safari and/or the iPod. It was annoying for months. Since 1.1.3 I haven’t seen these issues THANKFULLY! i:)
Anyway, thanks for the add on twitter. ttyl
Stay Synced!
hiro on April 7th, 2008 at 3:50 pm says:
my phone broke months ago …. I’m holding out for Android …. mmmmm …. open mobile. w0rd
Disconnect on April 8th, 2008 at 8:20 am says:
Nokia E90. Even with the somewhat squirrelly signing method on the new rev, s60 is about as open as you get without buying a linux box.
Elyse on April 8th, 2008 at 4:04 pm says:
I completely agree. I love T-Mobile and their plans, and their customer service kicks ass. Unfortunately, I have a Blackberry Pearl, which is the crappiest phone I have ever experienced. It freezes, crashes, takes ten minutes to load anything.. terrible. I liked my RAZR better! Once my T-Mobile plan runs out in June I may or may not get an iPhone. The phone looks great (way better than my Crapberry), but the plans.. sigh.
Dean on April 9th, 2008 at 10:31 am says:
Blackberry Curve is great. I dread my occasional use of a notebook. move over cyber life it’s Mobile surfing for me!
T-mobile is better for global usage with its wi-fi. Free calls to/from US
JayMonster on April 15th, 2008 at 8:53 am says:
First of all, you use a substandard service like T-Mobile and you whine about the phone? Why bother? You could have the best phone in the world, but when your service sucks.
That being said, I am tired of people bashing Microsoft because of what the cell phone companies force the handset provider to do to the phones.
I’m not saying Windows Mobile is perfect, it certainly needs some changes, but put it in an underpowered phone (whether it looks good or not), and it is going to be pokey.
Want phones to just work and get it right, bitch to your provider to stop playing games with the phones. All the providers in the U.S. force far too many changes to the phones that ultimately lead to consumer dissatisfaction.
Monsieur L. on April 30th, 2008 at 7:05 pm says:
May I suggest having a look here ?
http://www.access-company.com/products/linux/alp.html
o/