Other Gadgets (general gadgets)

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Tiger Woods also doesn't seem to have these problems. I'm guessing his staff handles this sort of mundane task for him.

Actually, in hindsight, I quite enjoyed solving this particular problem. I learned a great deal about what actually goes on inside of a computer and how to address certain issues (and how to greatly improve the performance of my computer). Besides losing some minor files, this was a positive experience. One Tiger will probably never have.

Coltrane 1, Tiger 0.

[Alex_de_Large]

Originally posted by pony_trekker
Does anyone have a treo and use verizon and does it spit or swallow?

I currently use a Treo 650 on Cingular (I know, not exactly your question, but at least I'm responding). I like it, despite it's flaws. I am able to access our corporate Exchange server using Chatter , and if the rumors are true, will soon be able to use our BES as well. As an integrated device, I think the treo is still the best handset out there.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Actually, in hindsight, I quite enjoyed solving this particular problem. I learned a great deal about what actually goes on inside of a computer and how to address certain issues (and how to greatly improve the performance of my computer). Besides losing some minor files, this was a positive experience. One Tiger will probably never have.

Coltrane 1, Tiger 0.

Mac 1, Coltrane 0.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Alex_de_Large
I currently use a Treo 650 on Cingular (I know, not exactly your question, but at least I'm responding). I like it, despite it's flaws. I am able to access our corporate Exchange server using Chatter , and if the rumors are true, will soon be able to use our BES as well. As an integrated device, I think the treo is still the best handset out there.

I can get a Blackberry 7100 on ebay for about $200, give or take. A Treo 650 costs about $250 more. Is the Treo that much better?

[Gattigap]

So if I buy a Treo from ebay or some other vendor, I can go to Verizon and have it set up to work with my current number, etc?

I assumed the only way to do this (if you're an existing customer and want to upgrade to a new device) was to buy the device from the carrier. At their crappy prices, I've resisted the temptation to date.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Gattigap
So if I buy a Treo from ebay or some other vendor, I can go to Verizon and have it set up to work with my current number, etc?

I assumed the only way to do this (if you're an existing customer and want to upgrade to a new device) was to buy the device from the carrier. At their crappy prices, I've resisted the temptation to date.

For GSM carriers, all you need to do for an unlocked phone is insert your sim card and set the right email portals, which they provide instructions for. If the unit is locked, then you have to use the same carrier or find someone who knows how to unlock the unit.

For Verizon, things don't work the same way, from what I've read. Verizon is on a different format than GSM, CDMA, which is an older platform. I don't think you can just swap out a sim card for a CDMA phone. To be honest, I don't know if a CDMA phone has a sim card.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Gattigap
So if I buy a Treo from ebay or some other vendor, I can go to Verizon and have it set up to work with my current number, etc?

I assumed the only way to do this (if you're an existing customer and want to upgrade to a new device) was to buy the device from the carrier. At their crappy prices, I've resisted the temptation to date.

You should be able to do this, but call first. And make sure the phone you're buying works with Verizon.

Usually if you've been on contract a while they'll give you a good price if you agree to re-up.

[SEC_Chick]

Originally posted by taxwonk
For GSM carriers, all you need to do for an unlocked phone is insert your sim card and set the right email portals, which they provide instructions for. If the unit is locked, then you have to use the same carrier or find someone who knows how to unlock the unit.

Yup. This is what we did when I won that unlocked Treo at the Christmas party (which on your advice, Mr. Chick kept rather than putting it on eBay). Sorry Pony, we have T-mobile, and switching the sim card out of his old Nokia was as easy as anything.

[Alex_de_Large]

Originally posted by taxwonk
I can get a Blackberry 7100 on ebay for about $200, give or take. A Treo 650 costs about $250 more. Is the Treo that much better?

I actually have both devices, and switch back and forth every few months or so. Yes, I am that much of a tool. The BB is a better email device, especially if you use a BES. Where the BB falls short is in multimedia features; no camera, no expandable memory, no video, etc. Palm OS has a greater software base than BB, but that disparity is narrowing. One killer ap on the Palm is GPS navigation using TomTom or similar software. Once you use it, you'll be hooked.

Bottom line, it really depends on what your uses for the device are.

[notcasesensitive]

Anyone else having problems with this transition? First our home phone service went out (no dial tone), which I noticed, of course, a half hour before attempting to take a conference call from home (much less fun when stuck on the cell phone than it would have been on my home speakerphone with mute button). Now our internet is out. How badly can they fuck this up for their customers?

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Anyone else having problems with this transition? First our home phone service went out (no dial tone), which I noticed, of course, a half hour before attempting to take a conference call from home (much less fun when stuck on the cell phone than it would have been on my home speakerphone with mute button). Now our internet is out. How badly can they fuck this up for their customers?

Not yet. Must just be SoCal. We had SBC, and found out that they sucked, and switched to ATT. Then SBC romanced us back with "incentives" and shit, so we went back. But no problem in the transition back to ATT. Yet. But we have Comcast for internet. No one can fuck you as hard as they can. And not in a good way.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by NotFromHere
Not yet. Must just be SoCal. We had SBC, and found out that they sucked, and switched to ATT. Then SBC romanced us back with "incentives" and shit, so we went back. But no problem in the transition back to ATT. Yet. But we have Comcast for internet. No one can fuck you as hard as they can.

As far as I know, I haven't had any problems yet. But maybe I just haven't noticed that the phone doesn't work.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by NotFromHere
But no problem in the transition back to ATT.

What is this "transition"? Didn't SBC buy the name from AT&T? That is, if you were an SBC customer, you're still an SBC customer, except with the AT&T name.

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
What is this "transition"? Didn't SBC buy the name from AT&T? That is, if you were an SBC customer, you're still an SBC customer, except with the AT&T name.

I would have thought so, but it seems a bit odd that both services that we had with them have gone out within a month of calling themselves AT&T. Coincidence? Maybe. Our bills now say AT&T and they act as though our autopay is still in place.

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
What is this "transition"? Didn't SBC buy the name from AT&T? That is, if you were an SBC customer, you're still an SBC customer, except with the AT&T name.

No. AT&T bought SBC and the entire infrastructure is in a state of flux. Offices closed, people fired. Transitional period I guess is more apt.