The Drawbacks of Cellular-Wireless Handhelds

[Ed Hardy]

Brighthand's Editor-in-Chief has realized there are more drawbacks to handhelds with built-in cellular-wireless functionality than he had first thought.

Read more at http://www.brighthand.com/article/Ce...held_Drawbacks

[robshobs]

I have been wanting to get a single device but only for access to our corporate e-mail. We use Good Systems for push e-mail and Good doesn't provide any support for a two-device user. I don't know that MS changes to Exchange to support a push e-mail system will be adopted by my company.

I have had the same concerns that were outlined in the article. The wireless providers tend to limit the functions and upgrades are probably not going to happen. I'm leary of the huge cost outlay when I don't know the full value.

I wish that more vendors would develop applications that will work in a two-device world. Applications could be used on more devices and more carriers.

[sojourner753]

I've been resisting the convergence for a while now. But I'm starting to feel the draw.

Unfortunately this direction causes me to give up those "specialized" features that I have grown to appreciate. Such as: USB Host, VGA, fast processor, dual expansion slots.

Rather than replace my two current devices, I may just become a "device for every occasion" person and keep all three.

If I do go with a convergence device, its highly likely that I'll pay the price to purchase an unlocked model. If the price is not too outrageous that is.

[dstrauss]

Ed is right about the thorny road to convergence...

However....

Once you've been spoiled by one of these jewels it is impossible to go back. I had used the Samsung i500 and Treo 600/650 from their initial releases on Sprint. When I moved and had to switch carriers, I tried to use a Motorola v551 bluetooth phone with a Dell x50v on Cingular. Both are great devices, but together they drove me nuts. First - two pockets (or belts) full of devices. Second, communication between the two devices WAS NOT SEEMLESS. Then I went through the constant problem before the i500 - I was always leaving the PDA behind - so there went easy dialing of contacts, calendar updates, surfing, etc.

SO I was thrilled to get back on Cingular with the Treo 650 when they finally released it...but here I wait while Cingular twiddles its thumbs on the OS update (the Palm release for the unlocked GSM version has been out a week and runs great - curing memory and sound quality issues). I'm sure its in slow bake because Cingular has to be sure DUN (dial up networking on bluetooth) doesn't work, etc.

Anyway, I still won't go back to two or more devices. I say "more" because I've just started dabbling in MP3 with a 1gb card and pTunes - not an iPod, but that makes three devices I can drop; and if you consider Chattermail push mail a success, that means the crackberry gathers dust, and now we've jettisoned four devices...

Now, if only I could hear what the guy on the other end of the phone was saying...

[nitejeff]

My issue is that I would have to sign-up for contract for a year or two just to get these devices.

So if I want a Treo and want to try a PPC phone I am stuck with them for two years each. Being a "gadget geek" if something better comes out in 6 months later I a screwed.

Better to buy the stand alone devices and have a cheap cell phone. That way I can afford to get a one year contract for the phone and If I want the newest handheld I can just sell the one I have.

Jeff

[Hitch]

I've resisted the convergent pull also. I use wifi daily and the ability to bt connect with the laptop or ppc keeps me using my edge phone. I've been playing with a SMT5600 and it fits my needs to about 80%. Finally an os that sync's with Outlook / and my ACT database so I can carry notes and contact info on the phone without needing a man bag. It is also Ok for tethering but not as fast as the 6230, but I think the speed is not that important for most things, with WiFi being so available everywhere. I need a phone that fits comfortably in the pocket and the 6230/smt5600 fit that requirement great. I think as things go forward, I'll likely settle on a Edge / WiFi (small if and when) Smartphone and a sub notebook for travel, the laptop browser is so much more comfortable than the PPC or smartphone for many things, especially banking, reservations & online accounts. I still need usb host support on the ppc, but with the huge drop in flash prices, that advantage is going away fast. I think I've changed phones 6 times in 18 months, but the toshiba e755 still hangs in there doing all of the ppc stuff great even after 2+years. I really feel sorry for manufacturers and resellers of PPC's and high end phones, as the tech changes daily and they have to struggle to sell current inventory before it gets one upped next week. Eighteen Months ago you could go to any electronics store and see 5-10 palms and 4-8 PPC's, now the choice is down to 1-2 and the cell phone sections are huge. Guess we are being directed to convergent devices or Windows pc's that fit in your pocket. It's a great time to be a tech junkie!

[Cripple]

Wireless carriers are doomed. Cities like Philadelphia are deploying City-wide WiFi. Skype already has VoIP software for PocketPCs. People in Philadelphia, won't need a Wireless Carrier at all to make calls. Imagine Low-Cost VoIP calls on your PocketPC you carry around anywhere.
As the problems of Wide spread WiFi deployment are overcome, Mobile VoIP will become more popular than GSM or CDMA or 3G. Wireless carriers will need to start planning for WiMax, if they want to survive.

[JeffLewis]

You left out one of the biggest flaws: cost.

Verizon has a data plan that's $50/mo unlimited.

Sprint offers 20MB for $40/mo and 2/10c a kilo over.

Cingular is about the same but charges 4/10c per kilo.

Up here in Canada, it's much worse.

Rogers gives you 7MB/mo for $40 and $6/MB over.

Telus offers 5MB for $30/mo and $10/MB over.

Bell is the worst - $50 for 10MB/mo and $6/MB over.

Fido is the best at $50 unlimited.

All of these plans require a voice plan to go with it. And you'll probably want high speed serious internet at home... so it adds up pretty quickly.

Telus also offers 'analog modem' support for $5/mo, but you use voice time for it and have to have your own ISP. It's also very slow.

With WiMax rolling out this summer and WiMax Mobile showing up by next summer, data over phones is a doomed concept. As usual, the phone companies were too obsessed with nickle and diming their customers...

Oh... one other thought - get a small data capable cellphone with bluetooth. You leave the phone in your pocket, use the PDA to control and connect through the phone. It's two parts - but for all intents and purposes, the cellphone is invisible.

This is an near to my heart issue, we use a simple gomadic cable, carried in a briefcase. I can change phones, or carries and still keep my PPC. To augment this we have our server set to forward a text copy of all messages to our cell-phones.

You get the 1st 120 characters, often enough to see what you need to respond to. It costs us NOTHING to do this, and a set of simple canned responses like "I'm on the road please call me" work just fine about 75% of the time. When you see something you need to read all of you stop in a Starbucks for a caramelized de-calf late, and hook up, or pull over and use the gomadic cable if you're stuck.

No data-packs to buy, Verizon's let's you burn minuets.

So yes I am oldfashoned, but you know it works well and it is easy to use. The cell-phone trick emulates push e-mail well enough, and we do this all at 1/10th the cost of most other firms.

Think about it this way, if we set up 100 people with the 650 and the data packets, we'd spend $5,000 a month and have an outlay of $50,000 for the units. That is $100K at the end of year one. GIve me a break this is a rip off.

[k2stingray]

Brilliant & insightful article Ed. I could see the network compatibility issues and locking nightmare coming a mile away, but the other challenges you mentioned in the article are good reasons for staying with two devices as well.

I couldn't agree more with Robshots about the two device apps. In addition to this need properly standardized features especially BT that works well with a large range of (preferably most) devices. Would be awesome to be able to tap contact name on PPC, have BT dial option that goes to phone & then be able to control call via BT headset without ever having to touch phone.

It would seem that while at work a two device solution would be optimal (for many people) - small BT phone in pocket or on desk & PPC in case on belt (both with NO dang CAMERA). Then, when "out on the town" & not wanting to look too geeky can have a power phone like the Moto v635 or SE/Nokia/etc equivalent that can take place of your PDA for a short time period.

When flying on an aircraft or in a hotel room for a short trip, a full featured big screen PDA would be better than any converged cell option. When at hotel you can surf via free hotel WiFi (if lucky enough to be in one of those places) and at same time use phone w/ BT headset. Can you talk on phone and do data at same time with a converged device?

The BIGGEST problem I see with converged devices is that the cell carrier idiots will make manufacturer's put cameras on all the good ones & leave crap for those who are protecting country & working in places were cameras are not allowed. They've already ruined the cell phone market. Leave PPC's ALONE %@&*(Q%#*()!!!!

"Wireless carriers are doomed. " - that would be the best news I've heard in a long time. They are getting way too cocky & need some competition to bring prices down - especially for data plans.