The LG VX4500 or Audiovox/Toshiba 9900 ???
When and how much?

Shawn S

 

Shawn, I'm not sure you would want the LG4500. It doesn't have analog capability. I think the Toshiba 9900 series phones are better anyway.

 

I've got the VX4400 and it rocks. Tri-Mode and because it uses Brew v1.1 (instead of 2.0) you can hack the hell out of it.

 

Why do I need Analog ???
And if I do…Does the 9900 have it ???

 

I want a Speakerphone in my next cell phone.

Yes, I’m aware the quality isn’t that good, but I just want something for answering an unexpected call when driving in traffic.
It’s hard to hold a phone when you’re shifting gears.

 

Just get a Bluetooth phone and the new '04 TL and you'll get the best of both worlds. Hands-free answering speakerphone with no hassles.

 

I don't know for sure with Verizon. I'm thinking PA is still pretty mostly rural. A phone without analog will not work in a few places in PA. 9900 will most likely have analog capability. To me, Verizon and their plans and their coverage, it's confusing, you might want to ask Fotis. Maybe they have it taken care of today but a few years ago, it was pretty iffy.

 

both shawn and i live in the same area, lehigh valley....

i've been on an all digital phone since i moved here last summer. never had a problem, never had "no service" appear on my phone.

verizon is now ALL DIGITAL as of this month anyway. everywhere there is a analog tower, there is now digital service.

as rural as PA is... my all-digital phone still works....

 

Back to the original question...... WHEN ???

 

next two weeks

 

COOL…..

If not, I guess I’ll have to switch to Sprint and buy that Sanyo 4500 from Ken.

 

I doubt there will be a Toshiba 9900 from Verizon this year. Why?

 

 

I'll let you know next week.

 

why go with sprint?

where does there service work????

 

Everywhere a Verizon CDMA phone will work? I thought you were in the business? Or have you been listening to Fotis too much?

Don't make me pull out the "I can make a call on my Verizon phone in NYC" map....

 

so then why does sprint service still suck in the NY metro area??? PARTICULARLY north/central jersey.....

 

Because there are lots of places not even a Verizon phone works well.

NYC is very challenging to ALL carriers. Everybody complains about service in NYC, whether you're with Sprint or Verizon or T-Mobile or ATT or whomever. Don't believe me? Do you feel that Verizon is perfect in NYC and all their NYC customers are happy?

 

Here's why. Sprint VM4050 = Toshiba 9950

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031203/cgw018_1.html

Sprint and Audiovox Offer Combination Video and Camera Phone
Wednesday December 3, 12:01 am ET
The PCS Vision Video Phone VM4050 by Toshiba Lets Customers Instantly Take And Share Videos Directly From a Mobile Phone

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Lights, camera, action ... the newest handset announced today by Sprint (NYSE: FON - News, PCS - News) and Audiovox Communications Corporation, a subsidiary of Audiovox Corporation (Nasdaq: VOXX - News), gives PCS Vision(SM) customers the capability to take video and audio directly on their mobile phones and email it to anyone, anywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.

Sprint customers have come to expect the latest and most innovative products to be available as part of PCS Vision and Picture Mail," said John Garcia, vice president of sales and distribution for Sprint. "We feel the Toshiba VM4050 is a handset that our customers will like not only because it is practical but because it is also easy to use."

"This is not your typical mobile phone; this is the new generation of mobile technology," said Philip Christopher, president and CEO of Audiovox Communications Corporation. "Sprint customers will find the VM 4050 useful for both personal and business functions."

The PCS Vision Video Phone VM4050 by Toshiba has a built-in camera and camcorder, allowing customers to take and send still images or 15-seconds of video. Easy to use, it has a 260K full-color screen, 310/350-pixel primary display. It also has 4X digital and 2X telescopic zooms for taking still photos. The handset also features a sub-LCD slot that lets users preview a picture before taking it, as well as a built-in self-timer.

Features of the VM4050 include:

Compact Clamshell Design: 3.66" x 1.89" x .95" and 4.09 ounces -- Built-in Digital Camera: Share it when it happens. VGA camera
(640x480 pixels), auto-focus lens and zoom capability. -- Built-in Video Camera: Enjoy sharing captured video clips with your
friends. Record 15-second videos and play them on the LCD screen or send them to an email address. Video light makes it easy to take videos anywhere you want. Easily save your videos on your PCS phone or store them online. You can attach a 10-second voice message and text message to your video. Up to 30 videos can be stored on the handset at one time.

Large Vibrant-Color Screens: View images on the spectacular 2.2" main LCD, wrapped in a TFT 260K 18-bit color display. The outside color LCD uses STN technology and supports 65K colors.
Camera / Video Light: The integrated light for both still pictures and video.
External Picture Caller ID: Link a picture or downloaded graphic to the contacts in your internal Phone Book and see who's calling without opening the phone.
Built-in Speakerphone: Hands-free operation of your phone is made easy with the built-in speakerphone.
Voice Memo: Use to this feature to record reminders, save conversations or record and use voices as ringers or alerts.
Voice Guidance: When this feature is turned on, the phone offers voice output to provide status of the phone activities including spoken output of phone numbers, call logs, etc.
Camera Fun Frames: Choose from 17 different frames to make picture- taking fun.
Personal Organizer: Includes internal 300-slot Phone Book (up to five numbers each), Calendar, To-Do List, Alarm, Timer, Calculator and Clock.
Multiple Languages: Supports voice and text prompts in English and Spanish.
Dual-band / tri-mode: This phone may be used on and while roaming off the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.
Extended Battery Life: Standard rechargeable LiIon battery gives you up to 3.3 hours continuous talk and up to 10 days continuous standby time in digital mode; up to 1.5 hours continuous talk and up to 15 hours continuous standby time in analog mode. Extended rechargeable LiIon battery gives you up to 4.5 hours continuous talk and up to 15 days continuous standby time in digital mode; up to 2.8 hours continuous talk and up to 30 hours continuous standby time in analog mode.
2.5mm Universal Jack: Accommodates most standard headsets for hands- free operation.
E911 Emergency Location Capable: Features an embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) chip necessary for utilizing E911 emergency location services where available.
TTY compatible: Compatible with select TTY devices. -- PCS Vision capabilities: Picture Mail(SM), Messaging, Games, Ringers,
Screen Savers, Web, PCS Business Connection(SM).

The VM4050 features dual LCD, full-color displays -- a 1-inch outer display, with 65K STN color, and a large, 2.2-inch, primary, interior QVGA display, providing 260K Poly-Silicon TFT color. The QVGA display is 3 times higher than existing QCIF models, which provides users with detailed display pictures. The VM4050 is expected to be available at Sprint Stores nationwide before the end of the year.

The VM4050 specifically supports the following PCS Vision applications:

Video Mail and Picture Mail -- Taking pictures or 15-second video clips and instantly sharing them with family and friends has never been easier. Just point, shoot and share.

Web -- Stay informed while on the go with full-color graphic versions of popular Internet sites.

Games -- Graphically enhanced single and multi player games provide hours of entertainment on your PCS Vision Phone.

Ringers -- Sprint was the first to offer polyphonic ringtones and now, with Vision-enabled PCS Phones from Sprint, users can express even more personality with hundreds of unique downloadable polyphonic, animated, and voice ringers, including the latest music releases, showtunes and sound effects that can be assigned to specific numbers in the address book.

Messaging -- PCS Vision gives you more ways to keep in touch than ever. Using Messaging from Sprint, you can send and receive email and exchange text messages -- even join a chat room.

Screen Savers -- PCS Vision allows customers to personalize their wireless service by wirelessly downloading screen savers right from their phone, many featuring synchronized animation.

 

Ken,

How much is Sprint selling the VM4050 for and what’s your opinion of it ???

 

The VM4050 from Toshiba will probably be comparable in price to the VM4500 from Sanyo...which is about $399 SRP. Both do video; however, the internal display on the Toshiba is QVGA, it's nicer than the on the Sanyo. External display is better on the Sanyo. The camera for picture taking is about the same for both. The camera for video is better on the Sanyo. Overall the Sanyo is a better phone.

Toshiba is not quite widely available from Sprint...but any day/week now. I am not positive, but I believe Sprint will be the only carrier with this Toshiba in the beginning. Verizon doesn't usually sell the same phones we sell...and if they do, it's months later.

 

there have been only 2 days where AT&T wireless sucked in the last 2 years...first was 9/11...second was the blackout back in Aug...i get better service here in the city than i ever did in the burbs...aside from those 2 days, never a call dropped or crappy signal...at least AT&T had troubleshooters driving all over the city mapping out all the weak areas and reinforcing them with a stronger signal

never heard VZ, Sprint, or anyone else doing that

 

Can you hear me now....?

 

I've never had a problem with my sprint phone when im back in Northern jersey of nyc.