Question about the Nokia 8390

[Protege5 Kid]

So i got the Nokia 8390 and right now i'm not super dooper impressed. My calls haven't been that sharp and the phone is small enough that i'm having a hard time pressing the buttons. I got "big Hands" you know!

Any ways i'm thinking of switching phones:

My choices are:

Nokia - 3320
Nokia - 3590
Nokia - 6310i
Motorola - P 280
Motorola - V 101
Motorola - V 60
Motorola - V 70
Ericsson - P 60 (somthing)

Any suggestion or help is greatly appreciated - cause i really don't know if i should get rid of this phone or not!

Thanks

[lizard]

I also have the 8390 (had it for 6 months now) the calls are not very clear and i am getting a horrible echo.

My suggestion is to switch to the motorola v60 on rogers network (maybe that is where you are already)

V70 is overpriced and other nokias are kinda bluky.
if you need wireless internet then v60 needs a cable and nokias have a an infrared port.

I am on the fido network. They are replacing my phone so i can comment more when the new one comes. If its still shitty i will switch to rogers. I like the new ericsson t68 it has all the feartures of the 8390 plus a colour screen and bluetooth wireless headset.
Hope it helps

[Protege5 Kid]

That helps alot!

Can you download Ringtune on the Ericsson?

[lizard]

most new phones you can check the rogers website or
www.sonyericsson.com and look under t68 it will give you all features. I am not familiar with the phone but like it a lot.

[Eds mp5]

I had the v70. it is shit. Pretty much any GSM phone on the Rogers network is shit.. I strongly suggest you don't get GSM. Just my two cents.

Ed

[lizard]

What would you suggest Ed.
I know that GSM is the only network in europe and that is important to me (world phone and all)

I used someones telus (mr skinny) phone and it was clean as a whistle not even a hiss or noise. I think they are on tdma but isnt that the old network though?

I though that only gsm is getting constant improvements and others not because its the future. I may be wrong on this.

I had considered switching to telus but do not like their phones. and bell is eeeeeveeel for their own reasons.

Anyway any insight on TDMA is appreciated.
Paul

[EvolutionIV]

Anyone want to sell me their 8390? I am on the Rogers AT&T network.....

Evo.

[EvolutionIV]

Or would like to trade?...I have the Panasonic TX210....
...it has a speakerphone..although not too loud..

Evo.

[lizard]

I am getting a new 8390 in the mail and can get it unlocked in the middle of oct. I would consider selling.
Fido sells it for 350 rogers gives it for 100 with a 2 year contract.
Make me an offer....

[Protege5girl]

I heard GSM is shit too. I have the panasonic TX210, I'm happy with it, had it for over a year now. On the downside the battery doesn't last very long, but on the upside it doesn't take long to fully charge. And it has speakerphone.... But you can't download ring tones.

Maybe on the TX310 you can....

[Orange]

The Rogers GSM network is not fully setup (same with Bell & TELUS 1X). I have heard horror stories about Nokia 83xx and Motorola v70, so I would definitely stay away from those. I have got some good comments about Motorola v6x & SonyEricsson T68i, but again, you are dependent on the Rogers GSM network.

Go to http://www.howardforums.com & you can find some expert advice on phones & providers. http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif

[Eds mp5]

All i know is that i bought a GSM phone, first you can't compare Europe with North America. Europe only has GSM phones and because of their smaller area and their different way of billing (they have to pay for local calls on most land lines - where as we get them for free) more development and emphasis was placed on cell phones. In England you only pay for outgoing calls. all ingoing calls no matter where you are France, scotland, wales, etc are all free. No roaming charges. NA is too cheap to give anything away for free. NA market is too big to use the same technology as Europe where tightly knit comunities are concentrated in a smaller area than the vast NA landscape. Unless there are more towers put up GSM in my opinion will never work.

Plus whats this shit with charging to send text messages. wow, in England they are free as well Talk abotu a rip off.

BTW me and the GF had GSM phone for 6 months i think i could count on my one hand how many calls i was actually able to complete . She live in Scarborough and i live in RH According to the map both places are fully servicable by GSM.

Ed

[Protege5 Kid]

I check that howard forum thing and they won't let me post untill my registration has been approved. I've been checking their post and i'm confused cause these are people that really know what they are talking about...they are upgrading softwear in their phones and crazy stuff like that!

I'm going to consider not going GSM, but i think it's worth investing cause it should get better in the next year....plus i want the lastest shit out there.

I'm going to check out the Nokia 6310i. I really like Ringtunes..I set up my 8390 to play zoom zoom ring anytime one of the Toronto Protege Club people call! And a mazda symbol pops up.

Ed you and i know the horrors of the 8290. If you say V60 is shit then i beleve you. Do you honestly think not going GSM is the way?

[lizard]

Thanks margaret you telecom guru you.... http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
I will definately check it out. i am getting a bit sick with not finding everything i want. if its trimode no infrared. if its good looking no analog... its like a constant tradeoff.
Paul

[firefly]

The 8390 is known for their keypad problem as well. Some of the keys will stop working for no reason.

I agree GSM on Rogers is not very mature. I'm using an Ericsson T39 on their network and reception is just ok. Lots of weak spot in the Markham area. When I was using the same phone in Hong Kong the phone is crystal clear everywhere...so it's not the phone's fault.

[Protege5 Kid]

No i have no clue what to do!

GSM - cool and new - but seems like shit
TDSM(or whatever) - good sound - but not super cool

Seems like each phone is wicked and crappy all in one! but hands down the 8390 is not a crowed pleaser!

[MP5Navy]

Just to clarify Nick....

ED said that the V70 is shit not the V60.

I have the V60 and girls just love to touch it. Now you're sold right?

[Protege5 Kid]

Dam right i'm sold!

[jgoertzen]

waht's wrong with bell...i get reception everywhere...up north in huntsville...in the cold storage of our cottage...i get reception...i got better reception on my qualcomm....but the motorola 120c ain't bad...battery lasts forever..voice dialing actually works...internet....no custom ring tones...but it cost me $40...7 monthes ago...

[lizard]

bell is eeeeevil. i have swore to never give them my money again.....

[scept]

From what I understand, the 8390 with the new firmware 7.80 supposedly fixes alot of the problems. Bring it to Rogers, tell them the phone has been dropping calls etc etc. They'll send it back in and get it "fixed". Let them know you want to upgrade the firmware as well. If you got your 8390 when it first came out, it's probably firmware 7.00.

[Orange]

Bell is expensive, no doubt. That's how they are the only mobile provider making money in Canada. I can't compare them to TELUS 'cause I've never used TELUS phones. I do know that the ClearNET network that TELUS inherited in TO is not that good. Most of my friends who were on ClearNET have switched to others.

My nowhere-near-expert 2 cents are:
- Go with Rogers if you want cheap, fancy phones
- Go with Fido if you want cheap, fancy phones at lower price plans, or if you want to buy phones from places other than the provider (and you are not concerned that the company may go bankrupt at any time)
- Go with Bell or TELUS if you are in major city & want 1X high speed data access (or if you are stuck with a Bell # & don't want to change it, like me)

BTW, Bell is rumoured to come out with a few new flip phones, including a PDA/Phone. Anxiously waiting ...

[Evil Homer P5]

you can check out Howard cell phone forum (http://www.howardforums.com/) and you can find out anything about pretty much any phone on the market worldwide there.

[KeeWee]

I am also in the market for getting a new cell phone. I have a motorola one (it's been awhile, so i have no idea what model it is). I'm with telus since I don't use my phone that much, I just pay as I go. I've got this deal (nokia i think 8360 or something, with rogers) for $20 a month for one year ($69 for the phone). might give it a go since it's only one year for that price...don't know....

but i know with my motorola i've never had problems. dropped it..used it in my basement...i get reception everywhere...i love it, but time to maybe move on...

[Protege5 Kid]

Telus has a Colour screened phone you can up grade too KeeWEE go check it out it's wicked!

I think i'm going with the Motorola P240 It's easy to navagate, not "too small". I heard about the Firmwear thing, i have no clue what version mine is...i got it on Monday...if that help...which i'm sure it doesn't

Thanks everyone ...you rule!

[scept]

Hi KeeWee,

I don't suggest getting the 8360. Myself and several friends and colleagues who have that phone really hate it. Dropped calls, bad reception...you name a problem, it will probably have it. Avoid it like the plague.

[mronions]

hey all,.....

I've got a Telus system phone,...... the LG Tm520,...... it's the newest little flip phone,... it's a great design.

I didn't like the service too well for my area,... and I subconsciously got the battery terminals wet somehow and ended up frying the battery AND the charger unit. The phone itself still works fine,.... I tried it out at a Telus store with a new battery.

I ended up buying a new phone,.... on the Rogers network that works better for me,... the V60.

But now I've got this nifty little paperweight Telus phone just laying around.
If anyone wants to buy a new battery and a charger unit,... I'll sell you the phone REAL cheap. It's very much brand new,... still have the box and all the "stuff" that goes with it.
I've also got a brand-new-still-in-package headset adapter for gabbing in the car that goes with the phone. The  $29.95 price tag is still on it.    

So if anyone wants a great little phone and headset,... and like Telus, and doesn't want to have to sign a contract to get the phone cheap...... real real cheap.... let me know.

[rox]

ok, now i'm definitely a FIDO guy... i've been with them for years and i've dropped thousands of dollars in them... and yeah, GSM is immature in north america compared with europe, but i got the fido cause at the time they were the only one remotely compatible with europe... i ended up getting the T28W from Ericsson and it's starting to wear out so i'm gonna get a new motorola timeport from europe next time i go there...
what i can say, from all the systems i've see, GSM rules, clear signal, nice features and options, WAP died before it even got a start, the only problem is the coverage, but it's being worked on... it actually improved a lot since i got my first phone (an old nokia which i use every now and them when i go into am uncovered area w/ an analog adaptor)...
besides, now that rogers is moving into GSM, they're gonna start covering more area and you'll see them closing a lot of deals w/ other GSM providers to cover more area... so thing are only gonna get better for GSM...

than again, if u're not travelling a lot overseas, just stick w/ something cheap that covers the areas where u're going most often http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[lizard]

Does anyone have a GSM phone for Europe or world phone that I could borrow over Christmas. Going to europe and do not feel like screwing around with local providers.

Any GSM world phone will do even the older cheapos

That would be super!
Paul