I got the T-Mo TP2 last week, the day it came out. I love the phone, one of the finest I have ever had. And I have had a new phone every year since 1989, so I have some background to compare it to. But you know what, in about 11 months I will be buying another phone to replace it.
From the posts in here I am quite surprised. Seems there's a lot of people who keep a phone for as long as the plan contract is (e.g., two year contract, you get a new phone in two years).
Wow, I would never do that. For one, that makes buying a phone a pain, not pleasure. Talk about creating your own pressure and misery.
Pressure in that you stay awake at night, spends hours on the Net researching, and God only knows how much time just thinking about which phone to buy, which are upcoming, digesting rumors and gossip, etc., all in the hopes of making a smart buying decision.
Then there's the misery element if after buying the phone you find out two months into it that the phone was not what you expected or wanted.
My point is that people seem to be getting caught up on getting a phone at a discount, willing to sign two year contracts, all to save $200 on a phone. That makes no sense. The discounting of phones in return for your signing a two year contract is the biggest scam going with the carriers.
Carriers love it when people get so worried about saving $250 on a phone purchase that they sign a contract obligating them to spend $2500 to $3500 over the life of the plan contract.
This is just my opinion folks, I'm just telling you how I see it.
Here is how I look at this who phone purchase thing:
1. I know myself. I have accepted that I am the type of person who always wants the latest and greatest phone (to me), that gives ME joy to own. I never take into account what others think about the phone. If I like it, I buy it.
So this kind of thread, where people are saying "Oh the TP2 is junk" "Oh, I am going to wait for something coming up, in about a year" etc., well, that's meaningless to me on so many fronts. Fact is, America is the land of choice. Heck, walk down the supermarket aisles. How many brands of toothpaste are there, how many brands of frozen pizza.
2. Back in the day, getting a new phone every year cost me about $500 because there were no deals and if you wanted a phone it was going to cost you, a lot. What helped me a lot was eBay.
3. Starting in about year 2000 I would sell my used, no longer in love with, phone on eBay. I discovered something, since that time I consistently have got about 60 to 70 percent back on my phones, that is, from the price I paid the carrier.
4. Because I could get so much back on an eBay sale, I started to get phones on a one year contract extension instead of two years. IMHO anyone who gets a phone and agrees to a two year contract is failing to do the math. Permit me to give you the latest example:
With T-Mobile if I wanted the TP2 on a two year contract, that would have cost me $279. For a one year contract extension, the price was $329. That's a $50 difference.
The full retail of the TP2 is $550. So the one year and two year discounts are significant.
However, under a one year contract I am entitled to another FULL upgrade discount in 11 months!
On a two year contract, I would have to wait 22 months to qualify for a full discount.
So I am paying an extra $50 in order to be able to get another phone in 11 months. For me, that is a bargain to feed my addiction.
5. I also calculate into my bottom line cost what I get in an eBay sale. When you deduct that, my annual phone purchase becomes insignificant. I will give two examples:
In 2006 we bought two BlackBerry Pearls. Each was $200. The next year the Curve came out. We wanted those because of the full QWERTY keyboard. We got the Curves for about $250 each. After we got them I listed the two Pearls on eBay. One sold for $190, the other for $198. (I did include a 1 GB chip and case of the buyer's choice on the sales).
Last March I sold the Curve for $230 and bought a G1.
6. I expect that in July of 2010 I can sell my TP2 for at least $250. $329 - $250 means an approximate cost of $120 to use the TP2 for 11 months. (I add in accessories, eBay and PayPal fees. This is just appx., not a down to the penny calculation).
Conclusion: I am assuming anyone can do what I do. It's not difficult at all to sell stuff on eBay (of course, to get a high sale price you have to take care of your phones. I am always able to say my phones are in excellent condition. To that end I use skins, cases and a lanyard on my phones).
So I just don't see why there's all this pondering, stress, worry, and pressure on over getting a phone that you should only be keeping for a year or so and that will only cost you $100 to $150 for that time.
As to the T-Mobile TP2, I love it. It's a quality device. I will post a review of it, but suffice it to say, it makes ME happy and that is all that counts. If someone else feels it is too brown for their tastes (it's not really a brown anyway), well... what do I care.
I tell you what though, about its looks. When I am in the Financial District walking around (here in San Francisco) everyone has the latest and greatest phone (I am talking about consumers and professionals). It has been some time since anyone has looked at the phone I am using. (When I had the Pearl in 2006 a lot of people looked at that phone, with envy and admiration).
When I was using my TP2 in line at the post office and at a restaurant there were a number of people glancing over at my phone. They were obviously wondering what it was. And I was even asked at a street corner what the phone was. If the phone was ugly, like some people in here say, no one would be looking at it like they do.
So I say relax people. Get the phone that pleases you. Get a phone that meets your needs and not based on what reviewers say. And for sure don't base your buying decisions on what someone in here says (unless you are following my advice. =D>)
You guys nit picking over a $100 here, $200 there, one year contracts, two year contracts, there's no need for that. And don't fall for that two year contract gimmick.
(For the life of me, I can't see the logic of people who bought the iPhone when it came out, paying a huge price for the phone and agreeing to pay AT&T an average of $3000 to $4000 for the privilege of having an iPhone. That's almost the price of an economy car payment plan.)
The TP2 is in my hand for one reason, mostly. I needed its ability to interface with MS Office, which we use in the... office. I miss the Android Market, the ability to download on a whim all kinds of fun apps, and the great features the G1 offered.
In a year I may go back to it if they come up with something like the leaked HTC Leo (but with a keyboard, I must have a physical keyboard).
Until that time, I will enjoy my TP2. WinMo 6.5 is coming out October 1, and MS will be debuting dual platforms for the MS mobile OS market. In other words, my phone is not going to be abandoned. So I look forward to what MS does in terms of OS upgrades. (E.g., 6.5 and later will have a Market, similar to Android Market).
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20090819PD210.html
OK, that's the end of my finger wagging from atop my soapbox.
Hope no one takes offense and maybe even finds my "eBay tips" helpful. Look at the bright side, now you can get a phone every year, for cheap.
Here, I will throw in a pic of then and now to create some interest
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