GaryCat

MarkO wrote...

To clarify - the Motorola and NEC e808 have a built in mail client which will access 3's email server i.e. yourname@3mail.com. The NEC e606 uses browser based client but, as Mark says, none of them will currently allow pop3 access to external email accounts.

G.

[Edited by GaryCat - 4/3/2003 8:12:01 AM]

ianc

As they run Java applications, it's easy to find "proper" internet browsers so you can surf everything etc, plus of course use as a mobile modem. Just cos "3" don't want you to do it, doesn't make it technically imposiible

Oh, and there's a nice remote control app (similar to vnc\ pcanywhere) for them also, so that opens up a lot of possibilities.

IC

[Edited by ianc - 4/3/2003 9:12:08 AM]

GaryCat

Yeah, Mark's right again (twice in one thread ) - there's currently no network route to the internet from the '3' handsets.

Gary.

[Edited by GaryCat - 4/3/2003 10:20:58 AM]

Plantie

Wondering what they are like??

Anyone use them?

How do you get on with the technology?

Cheers

stevem2k

I had a look at them as my current contract is up. My inital thought is that they are still a bit bulky for everyday use, and the extra features would be used only rarely....

This is odd, as I am a serial 'early adopter'. I will probably wait until the next round of software & hardware releases before looking again. The 3g coverage ( rather than the local roaming ) should be more mature by then, also.

Cheers
Steve

ianc

I've bitten the bullet and ordered one... an NEC e808.

It's a chunky thing, but I think of it more as a PDA \ MP3 player \ digi camera that has a phone on it too. I have to carry around 2 phones anyway (another for work) so will have a "small" phone always with me. Nearly bought a "proper" PDA but would only use it for web \ email access and music \ vid player. Also a fan of a small qwerty keyboard (former psion user) than handwriting recognition.

One of the main pulls for me is the access speeds, theoretically 384kbps down and 64kbps up - a bit better than the 9.6 connection I have now, and a better PAYG tarrif than virgin (current phone).

The hardware is relatively proven, NEC have been supplying WCDMA handsets since 2001 in Japan, and the 3G coverage can only get better as the year continues, with 02 coverage everywhere else it's a win/win situation compared to my virgin phone.

Not for everyone, but is for me... should arrive in about 4 weeks

Ian.

hail-hail

Got the E606 ordered on the friends and family option, basically free use until end of may and then I hand it back if i don;t want it.
It should be with me in a couple of days so i'll let you know a couple of days after that.

MarkO

I looked into it, and it's a good idea, but there's no coverage in Scotland. And also, whilst the connection speeds are good, you can't use it for a 'real' internet connection; you can only access stuff from 3. So you've got all that connection speed available, but wouldn't be able to surf Scoobynet on it.

Also, the phones don't have Pop3 email access yet.

Apparently real (unlimited) web access will be coming later, and email, at which point it sounds like a good idea to me (assuming the coverage is good enough).

rik1471

How much is line rental etc. and can you ring 'normal' mobiles etc.

Brief run down anyone??

GaryCat

The Three website has details of the call plans, and yes, you can call normal mobiles. When the phone is not in a 3G coverage area it reverts to the O2 network so it should always have voice/MMS capability.

MarkO

IanC, are you sure? Bearing in mind that all traffic is controlled by 3, surely they'll have ultimate control over what's accessible and what's not - regardless of what browser is used. After all, everything has to go through 3's routers before it goes anywhere else.

GaryCat should be able to clarify this though (since he works for 'em).

Also, there's a chance that the phones may be locked for 3rd-party java apps (initially, at least) like Orange did with the SPV.

carl

I also looked -- the video/e-mail/etc. coverage ends at the roundabout at the end of our street

Don't want to stump up and find myself with the same functionality as a GSM phone

ianc

Over to GaryCat then

I'm the sort of person to download apps and play around until I get something to work as I want it, I wouldn't think (I may be wrong) the majority of users would do that and be an issue for 3?

I assume they "may" try to protect their services, so your average joe downloads ringtones \ wallpapers etc from 3 themselves, I wouldn't imagine a handful of techies using the handset for other web services would be a potential loss of business, in fact as they are getting the call cost surely it would make more for them?

Happy to be proved wrong tho, I'll just connect it to my laptop for full access.

(which for me is the other advantage, as I don't run a home landline, so my web connection is limited to 9.6 at home!!!! ..even tho my Nokia supports HSCSD, virgin don't!)

Ian

ianc

..will not be beaten, will not be beaten......

MarkO

I'm only right 'cos I'm regurgitating stuff GaryC's told me elsewhere.

ianc

but... there is nothing to stop you using the aforementioned java browser from dialing a seperate ISP for web content, rather than trying to dial to "three"?

MarkO

Doesn't work like that - it's not dial-up.

3's data access is, AFAIK, packet-based (like GPRS) - any Java apps just use a single access point on the phone, which is hardware/software specific to the handset and 3. You have to have a network connection point to be able to access it - which will be 3's network. Since there aren't any other competitor 3G networks for you to connect to, you're stuffed - and even if there were, it'd probably be like trying to use an Orange phone on a Voda network - i.e., locked.

Just accept the fact that, for now, you'll be restricted to 3's content. It's not really surprising is it - if it was just free, unmetered internet access at the sorts of connection speeds 3 is quoting, then people would be signing up for it simply for web access - it'd be a mobile connection that's faster than ADSL. 3 weeks, and their network would collapse under the strain of everyone using their phone to download stuff with Kazaa.

GaryC tells me that at some stage in the future the web access will become unrestricted, but at the moment you're stuck with what 3 provide.

Oh, and BTW, your comment earlier: "Happy to be proved wrong tho, I'll just connect it to my laptop for full access.". I think (again GaryC will confirm if I'm right or not) that you won't have access to any more of the web from your laptop (via the phone) than you do directly on the phone itself. In fact, I'm not even sure that there's a mechanism for getting web access on a laptop using the phone yet at all.

I'm sure all this will come (and probably soonish - end of this year?) but the lack of real unrestricted internet connectivity was what initially put me off the idea of the phone - even if coverage was available where I live....

[Edited by MarkO - 4/3/2003 3:31:11 PM]

rik1471

*snigger*

GaryCat

Well I reckon we should offer MarkO a job in our customer services call centre I couldn't have put it better myself.

G.

ianc

Rik, your problem is?

Mark \ Gary..

I agree about using the three network as free web access, but there is the ability to use the phone as a modem on a laptop, through a conventional dialup, so it will only be a matter of time before someone does a "dialup" utility for a Java browser \ mail client etc?

ianc

http://www.three.co.uk/explore/hands...=1031309016792

Click the "more info" button on the USB data kit..

"Whenever, wherever. Access the internet or send and receive email through your handset when you're out and about."

That definately implies dialup web access from a PC, not just inside 3's services.

Ian.

MarkO

You're still missing the point Ian. It doesn't matter how many utilities there are available, the issue is how much freedom 3 give at their end (i.e., the bit between your phone and the web).

As you say, though, I'm sure at some point once they've proven the network capacity and things have settled down after the initial rush, stuff like laptop/modem access will come pretty quickly. It's the 'killer app', after all....

I'm told that this might be useful, although I've not translated it or looked at it myself.

MarkCSC

I was really unimpressed with the download speeds and video quality on 3. I stream videos on my 7650 using the Oplayo video player over GPRS and it is just as good if not better.
If you are a football fan (and I mean a real die hard fan)the three phones will be of value to you as they have video clips of Premishp goals. Otherwise I can't see that much of an advantage over GPRS and the fact you can't go outside the 3 portal is stupid beyond belief.