The 81-day experiment

Case STudy: Cingular 8525--now AT&T 8525

In this case study, Sean from Chicago shares his experience with the AT&T 8525 (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Sean has to say about the AT&T 8525:

----- Case Study -----

I wanted to let you know I had to get my boss up and running with the 8525 on the ATT network. I have to say that I was really pleased with the phone.

Our company is currently a Verizon customer and we are pretty much standardized on the 6700 with a few 820's (a sweet little flip phone if you don't mind missing a keyboard) and are waiting for the 6700's replacement running Windows Mobile 6)

So I had recently ordered a 8525 and the treo 750 for the company President's ATT phone. He goes international a lot (unlike most of us) and needed a non-cdma phone.

I have to say the 8525 is a big improvement. There's more memory and I just seems a little snappier then the 6700. Slightly newer build of windows mobile 5 and the phone even feels a little better. Huge bonus is the wheel.

(idea stolen from the crack-berry for sure) Missing one button I liked with the 6700 but not really missed.

Phone seems pretty fast on the internet with in a 3g environment.

Loaded our default apps:

Microsoft Voice command. (needed newer version; 1.5 will not work on newer os build) PDAnet (the best way to get your laptop on the net with the phone) TomTom Navigator 6. (tomtom nav 6 is not really compatable with phone however. Also will not be compatible with WM6 either. Nav6 could not communicate with phones tcip stack so traffic updates did not work.

I've read a lot about users complaining there wm phone needs to be soft-reset. I've found the source of this issue is two things. Memory and applications.

All applications are not created equal. Tomtom navigator 6 can cause some WM phones to seem to go crazy for some reason for example.

Other applications seem to make the phone freeze up for periods of time and not seem responsive. Be carefull what 3rd party apps you put on the phone.

You just might need to reset it to clear up the phone. Plus don't just install everything back on a phone all at once. Install apps one at a time.

Patience is required to setup a replacement phone.

Memory, if you use IE a lot and surf graphic pages your phone will get slower. The more apps and memory you absorb with email and web pages will cause the phone to do tricky things. I have 3 IMAP email accounts plus hotmail setup on the phone with attachments stored on the external memory.

If you keep to many days worth of email the headers alone can take up all the memory. So delete your cache and keep as few days of email as you can on the phone.

In closing, the 8525 seems to be a great device with a nice pullout keyboard.

Runs better then all the other WM5 phones I've tried. Have not needed to soft-reset the phone once. Blue-Tooth and the new Microsoft Voice Command works great. (now your outlook appointments are announced in your ear rather then everyone hearing them)

Can't wait to see some WM6 phones like this one hit the streets. (Verizon needs it bad) while ATT not as much with this phone being available. This phone is considerably better then the 8125 that it replaced.

Sean~

Case Study: BlackBerry 8703e

In this case study, Andrew from Columbia shares his experience with the BlackBerry 8703e (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Andrew has to say about the BlackBerry 8703e.

The Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  BlackBerry

Model?  8703e

Carrier?  Verizon

Desktop Operating System?  Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 5 

Features? 5

Usability? 5

Compatibility with your desktop? 4

Technical support?  5

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Yes - definitely

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?   

Banking / 500 employees / Data Architect

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Ability to keep all contacts in one place, and be able to sync with desktop.  I no longer need to carry a phone and a palm pilot.  There are great 3rd party apps like berry411 and the google mobile suite that are fantastic. Also, Blackberry distributes their own maps in "Blackberry maps".  The BB interface is intuitive, and makes finding phone numbers, addresses, etc. easy.  The BB can be operated with one hand; until you start to use a smart device you don't realize how much you'll love this feature.  Having access to your email whenever you need it is invaluable. Using gmail you have access to 2.8 gigs worth of your mail anywhere in the country (or world depending on your carrier)!  The push email for the BB is fantastic.

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

Verizon should allow their users to use the GPS function.  I already paid for a GPS in the device, why do I need to buy and carry a 3rd party GPS also?   Wi-fi capability would be nice especially for getting your email internationally (great for a CDMA device).  I think that there should be more medical software written for the device.

 

Which devices have you used in the past?

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? Palm / Tungsten C / wi-fi

How long did you use the device? 3-4 years

Why did you switch? I needed an "all in one" PDA with the phone built in.  The Treo was the logical choice since I was used to, and like the Palm OS.   I was a little worried when I decided to "take the plunge" on the BB OS.   I am happy I made the switch from Palm to Blackberry.  The Blackberry is a much more robust device.  I never have to reboot it (as others have complained about the Palm powered devices). 

In this case study, Andrew from Columbia shares his experience with the BlackBerry 8703e (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Andrew has to say about the BlackBerry 8703e.

The Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  BlackBerry

Model?  8703e

Carrier?  Verizon

Desktop Operating System?  Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 5 

Features? 5

Usability? 5

Compatibility with your desktop? 4

Technical support?  5

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Yes - definitely

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?   

Banking / 500 employees / Data Architect

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Ability to keep all contacts in one place, and be able to sync with desktop.  I no longer need to carry a phone and a palm pilot.  There are great 3rd party apps like berry411 and the google mobile suite that are fantastic. Also, Blackberry distributes their own maps in "Blackberry maps".  The BB interface is intuitive, and makes finding phone numbers, addresses, etc. easy.  The BB can be operated with one hand; until you start to use a smart device you don't realize how much you'll love this feature.  Having access to your email whenever you need it is invaluable. Using gmail you have access to 2.8 gigs worth of your mail anywhere in the country (or world depending on your carrier)!  The push email for the BB is fantastic.

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

Verizon should allow their users to use the GPS function.  I already paid for a GPS in the device, why do I need to buy and carry a 3rd party GPS also?   Wi-fi capability would be nice especially for getting your email internationally (great for a CDMA device).  I think that there should be more medical software written for the device.

 

Which devices have you used in the past?

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? Palm / Tungsten C / wi-fi

How long did you use the device? 3-4 years

Why did you switch? I needed an "all in one" PDA with the phone built in.  The Treo was the logical choice since I was used to, and like the Palm OS.   I was a little worried when I decided to "take the plunge" on the BB OS.   I am happy I made the switch from Palm to Blackberry.  The Blackberry is a much more robust device.  I never have to reboot it (as others have complained about the Palm powered devices). 

Case Study: Verizon XV6700

In this case study, Dean shares his experience with the Verizon XV6700 (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Dean has to say about the Verizon XV6700.

The Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  Verizon/HTC

Model?  XV6700

Carrier?  Verizon

Desktop Operating System?  Windows/Outlook

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 3 

Features? 5

Usability? 4

Compatibility with your desktop? 1

Technical support?  1

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Only if phone reliability requirement is not high.

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?   

n/a

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

The set of features is just amazing!  EVDO, WiFi, Bluetooth, IRDA, IMAP/SSL support, MS Exchange support, nice keyboard.  I got 851kb/s download speed.

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

The reliability of the phone part is TERRIBLE.  About once a day I have to soft-reset the phone in order to make a call or to access the Internet, or to connect to my PC using Active Sync.

Verizon replaced the phone but that didn't help.  I'm looking for an alternative phone.

Which devices have you used in the past?

LG 4600 (a simple phone).

In this case study, Dean shares his experience with the Verizon XV6700 (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Dean has to say about the Verizon XV6700.

The Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  Verizon/HTC

Model?  XV6700

Carrier?  Verizon

Desktop Operating System?  Windows/Outlook

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 3 

Features? 5

Usability? 4

Compatibility with your desktop? 1

Technical support?  1

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Only if phone reliability requirement is not high.

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?   

n/a

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

The set of features is just amazing!  EVDO, WiFi, Bluetooth, IRDA, IMAP/SSL support, MS Exchange support, nice keyboard.  I got 851kb/s download speed.

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

The reliability of the phone part is TERRIBLE.  About once a day I have to soft-reset the phone in order to make a call or to access the Internet, or to connect to my PC using Active Sync.

Verizon replaced the phone but that didn't help.  I'm looking for an alternative phone.

Which devices have you used in the past?

LG 4600 (a simple phone).

Case Study: BlackBerry Pearl

In this case study, Oliver from the U.K. shares his experience with the BlackBerry Pearl. (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Oliver has to say about the BlackBerry Pearl.

The Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  BlackBerry

Model?  Pearl (8100)

Carrier?  T-Mobile

Desktop Operating System?  Mac OS X

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 4 

Features? 3

Usability? 4

Compatibility with your desktop? 3

Technical support?  not needed so far

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Yes, definitely!

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?   

n/a

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

The pearl is a dream phone for me. I previously had an 02 xda 11s and this is a big step up worth every penny. I personnally like the push email feature. This saves me from carrying my laptop. I just use my mobile.

Other features i like are the voice-activated dialing with voice recognition (ie it doesn't need "tags" or need to be "trained" which is a huge plus). No feature is more useful than this, when you need to make an emergency call on the road, want to use a bluetooth headset, or just don't want to bother with searching your address book.

The media player and being able to play videos has been surprisingly fun!

Also the pricing has been suprisingly good.

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

n/a

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device and then going backward and answer the following questions about each of these devices:

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? 02 xda 11s

How long did you use the device?  6 months

Why did you switch?  because I wanted to take advantage of the famous push email on the blackberry.

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? 02 xda mini s

How long did you use the device? 3 months

Why did you switch? my network at the time offered me an update at the same price I was paying before the switch so I took advantage of the offer.

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? samsung e720

how long did you use the device? 18 months

Why did you switch? wanted a smartphone/pda instead of just the standard mobile

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? sony erikkson k700i

How long did you use the device? 1 year

Why did you switch? I lost the phone and my insurance had just run out

In this case study, Oliver from the U.K. shares his experience with the BlackBerry Pearl. (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Oliver has to say about the BlackBerry Pearl.

The Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  BlackBerry

Model?  Pearl (8100)

Carrier?  T-Mobile

Desktop Operating System?  Mac OS X

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 4 

Features? 3

Usability? 4

Compatibility with your desktop? 3

Technical support?  not needed so far

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Yes, definitely!

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?   

n/a

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

The pearl is a dream phone for me. I previously had an 02 xda 11s and this is a big step up worth every penny. I personnally like the push email feature. This saves me from carrying my laptop. I just use my mobile.

Other features i like are the voice-activated dialing with voice recognition (ie it doesn't need "tags" or need to be "trained" which is a huge plus). No feature is more useful than this, when you need to make an emergency call on the road, want to use a bluetooth headset, or just don't want to bother with searching your address book.

The media player and being able to play videos has been surprisingly fun!

Also the pricing has been suprisingly good.

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

n/a

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device and then going backward and answer the following questions about each of these devices:

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? 02 xda 11s

How long did you use the device?  6 months

Why did you switch?  because I wanted to take advantage of the famous push email on the blackberry.

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? 02 xda mini s

How long did you use the device? 3 months

Why did you switch? my network at the time offered me an update at the same price I was paying before the switch so I took advantage of the offer.

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? samsung e720

how long did you use the device? 18 months

Why did you switch? wanted a smartphone/pda instead of just the standard mobile

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? sony erikkson k700i

How long did you use the device? 1 year

Why did you switch? I lost the phone and my insurance had just run out

Case Studies: Treo 755p from Sprint, Nokia N95 used with Cingular, and HTC MTeoR also used with Cingular!

In these case studies, Antoine who has recently reviewed several smartphones, shares his experience with the Treo 755p from Sprint, the Nokia N95 used with Cingular, and the HTC MTeoR also used with Cingular (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line).

Here is what Antoine reported about these devices starting with the Treo 755p

Manufacturer/Brand? Palm
Model? Treo 755p
Carrier? Sprint
Desktop Operating System? Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 3
Features? 4
Usability? 5
Compatibility with your desktop? 5
Technical support? not needed

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Yes (depending on price).

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?

Web development (5); writer (5)

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Device design and feel, user interface, battery life.

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device and then going backward and answer the following questions about each of these devices:

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? Treo 680 Unlocked but used with Cingular, Nokia N95 Unlocked but used with Cingular, HTC MTeor Unlocked but used with Cingular , Treo 650 Cingular; Treo 600 Cingular

How long did you use the device? 2 weeks

Why did you switch? Haven't switched yet ;)

Here is what Antoine reported about the Nokia N95

Manufacturer/Brand? Nokia
Model? N95
Carrier? Unlocked but used with Cingular
Desktop Operating System? Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 4
Features? 5
Usability? 4
Compatibility with your desktop? 5
Technical support? not needed

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Overwhelmingly, yes.

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Excellent camera (5 megapixels); very nice web browser; small size for all the features

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

Better battery life; more usable/functional user interface

How long did you use the device? 1 month

Why did you switch? Haven't switched yet ;)

Here is what Antoine reported about the HTC MTeoR

Manufacturer/Brand? HTC
Model? MTeoR
Carrier? Unlocked but used with Cingular
Desktop Operating System? Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 3
Features? 4
Usability? 4
Compatibility with your desktop? 4
Technical support? not needed

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

No.

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Excellent device weight; great screen; good camera; Today Screen

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

user interface; handling of text and email messages

How long did you use the device? 1 month

Why did you switch? Haven't switched yet ;)

Thanks Antoine!

Case Study: Treo 680

In this case study, Ray from San Francisco shares his experience with the Treo 680. (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Ray has to say about the Treo 680.

The Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  Treo

Model?  680

Carrier?  Cingular

Desktop Operating System?  Windows XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 4 

Features? 4

Usability? 3

Compatibility with your desktop? 4

Technical support?  n/a

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Yes

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?   

Banking, 170,000 employees, production support

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

Louder speaker than 650 makes playing MP3 a better experience, no antenna, lightweight, slimmer, slightly faster than 650

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

Increased battery life makes it last as long as the 650, improved audio reception, shift key back on the right side like the 650, Wi-Fi capability, Blue Tooth is not as easy to use compared to 650--it takes a little adjustment in using the send button compared to 650, it freezes more often than the 650--requiring a soft reboot.

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device and then going backward and answer the following questions about each of these devices:

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier? Treo 650 Cingular

How long did you use the device?  2 years

Why did you switch?  no antenna

My first experience with the BlackBerry 8800 by Ed Merrill

Ed is now evaluating the BlackBerry 8800 and it seems that his experience with it has been very positive. Here is what Ed has to say about the BlackBerry 8800 so far:

“This is my first Blackberry. I like it very much so far. (1 week). I did not know there were so many shortcuts in the Blackberry. So, there is a learning curve to really use it to its full potential. I find navigating to the different menus is quick and easy. There is no waiting for any application to open.”

“Typing is very good. Although the keyboard is a little cramped, the keys have indentations making it easy to type. The shortcuts are a pleasure to use and are intuitive.”

“Phone function- I have found the voice dial works exceptionally well, the speakerphone is clear, with no static or distortion. Earpiece is the same performance level. The phone also offers one digit speed dial,  which works extremely well

“Software Availability – Superior. Plenty of software for every application.”

“Calendar – Easy to use and navigate. I would prefer a view option that allows one to see only scheduled app.’s  and to do’s for the day, with no free time showing. (I liked the day view in the Nokia E 62)”

“Phone Book – I wouldn’t mind an upgrade to offer better views in the phonebook. All your info looks busy and crowded. Offering more space and better graphics would help. (I liked the layout of the contacts in the NokiaE62).”

"Battery Life – Very Good – I can get most of a day out of one charge”

“Home Screen – I like being able to customize the home screen to use only the menus that are most important to me.”

“Overall – I like the Blackberry 8800 very much, I wish they offered a high speed data connection instead of GPRS. It is probably my favorite device.”

“Previous experience – Nokia E62 and Cingular 3525”

Thanks Ed for sharing your experience. Readers who are evaluating or using a new device are welcome to send their case studies to [email protected]

Case Study: T-Mobile Dash

In this case study, Mobile Freedom from San Francisco shares her experience with the T-Mobile Dash. (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Mobile Freedom has to say about the Dash.

Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  I am now using a Treo 600. This report is about a T-mobile Dash I just stopped using.

Desktop Operating System?  XP

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction?  3

Features? 3

Usability? 3

Compatibility with your desktop? 2 (as I normally don't use Outlook)

Technical support? 2 (very minimal knowledge-base and frequently contradictory info from T-mobile)

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Maybe - If they were heavy Outlook users and didn't mind the minimal sync'ing or requirement to buy add on software. I did not try using email from Exchange, only by popping Yahoo.

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?

1 person Internet company; I'm an entrepreneur and also do some work as a contractor with companies. I want to be able to access my email, schedule appointments, get online, and take notes anywhere while also being able to take photos with the same device.

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

lightweight

fun video camera and camera

voice recorder and ability to record my own ringtones

nice web browsing experience

integration of POP email with other apps (pics and video)

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

Requires too much add on software, such as to be able to cut and paste. There is no easy way to add utilities like this.

Froze quite often and I had to restart.

Want to be able to fix which icons appear on the dashboard instead of only "most recent." Perhaps there's a way to do this but I didn't discover it.

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device and then going backward and answer the following questions about each of these devices:

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier?  T-mobile Dash

How long did you use the device?  3 weeks

Why did you switch?  Switched to it with hopes of a PDA/fun smartphone combo. My Treo had broken so it was a good time to evaluate other options.

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier?  Treo 600

How long did you use the device?  2+ years

Why did you switch?  Switched from a Sidekick mostly because of my job as I needed a more fully featured PDA phone. Also the Sidekick was giving me carpal tunnel I think because of the design using your thumbs.

Case Study: Treo 700

In this case study, Dana in New York City shares her experience with the Treo 700. (By the way, if you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Dana has to say about the Treo.

Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  Treo Palm 700

Model? Palm 700

Carrier? Sprint

Desktop Operating System? Palm OS

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction? 2

Features? 4

Usability? 2

Compatibility with your desktop? 3

Technical support? n/a

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Maybe

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?

Executive and owner of small business, 30 employees, Internet marketing industry.

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

I liked some of the things that I liked about my old Treo 600, such as the Palm interface, the touch screen and the ease of downloading software and games. The access speed to the Internet was much faster than my old Treo though, and I could watch SprintTV to catch up on news, etc. which was cool.

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

I didn't like the voice quality (inconsistent, especially in conversation with other cell phones), the incredibly tiny battery life (less than 2 hours talk time, barely 8 hours standby), the way it randomly re-booted itself or wouldn't answer incoming calls, and it seemed to require additional software for anything such as synching my Exchange server contacts to SMS, etc. Unit heats up quickly when talking on it so you pretty much have to use handsfree all the time unless you want your ears burned. Using games such as Klondike seems to run really slowly compared to old Klondike on 600. Can't seem to turn off the additional battery-sucking things like random system sounds, game sounds, etc., even when I went through the system preferences and turned them all off.

It's not quite as much fun as my old regular cell phone (Sanyo SCP-5500) - you can't easily assign ringtones to people, send SMS without going through the Contacts interface (wouldn't synch my Contacts to SMS bi-directionally), customize wallpapers, etc. All can be achieved, but require additional workarounds, software and customization. I'm just not that patient. The OS and the various software seemed to eat up battery life very quickly, even when I turned off data services to extend battery life. An extended battery wasn't even an option to buy - I had to order a 3^rd party one. And as silly as it sounds, I missed that I can't hang a wrist strap or any cell phone jewelry on the Treo - it's an all business phone, boring. Eventually, I swore off PDAs entirely and returned the Treo 700, waiting until the day when smartphones are actually as easy to use and fun as regular phones.

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device and then going backward and answer the following questions about each of these devices:

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier?

a. Treo 600/Palm - Cingular

b. Sanyo SCP 500(L) - Sprint

c. Sanyo (SCP 4500?) - Sprint

How long did you use the device?

a. 2 years

b. 3 years (current - I switched back after returning the Treo 700)

c. 3 years

Why did you switch?

a. Wanted to consolidate carriers and devices (was using Sanyo 5500 cell phone and Treo 600 PDA both).

b. Went back to it. Love this phone. Very reliable and easy to use interface.

c. Wanted to upgrade phone. This was a really great and durable phone though.

Case Study: Treo 680

In this case study, Tim from Boston shares his wife’s experience with the Treo 680. (By the way, if you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Tim and Suzanne have to say about the Treo.

Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand?  Treo

Model?  680

Carrier?  Cingular

Desktop Operating System?  Latest Mac

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction?  4

Features?  4

Usability?  3

Compatibility with your desktop?  5

Technical support?  n/a

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

YES

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?

Homemaker

What specific things do you like about the device and related services? 

Bluetooth compatibility.  Incorporation of PDA functions into phone.  Lightweight (even vs. other Treo’s). 

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services

 

Worse reception than she had with T-mobile. 

Palm got rid of graffiti with the Treo! 

The requirement for using the alt and shift keys way too frequently.

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device and then going backward and answer the following questions about each of these devices:

Device Manufacturer/Model/Carrier?  Nokia 6010/Tmobile

How long did you use the device?  3 yrs

Why did you switch?  Tmobile didn’t have an appropriate rate plan for her usage, and she really wanted pda functionality into the phone