What's New On The Cdma Horizon?

Fa310tx · #1 (**permalink**) 05-16-2009, 11:08 AM

I'm a current touch user (used to be a 6800 user) and I just ordered a diamond from ebay. I've never really cared for the diamond, in theory, because of the lack of microsd and widescreen. I thought I'd give it a try, though, and I'm bidding on an omnia. I've heard a lot of complaints about the omnia, but it does have the widescreen (although 400x240) and microsd.
Since we're in cdma land, is there anything that's planned for the next year? I'd like to see d-pad, 2 buttons on the top of the screen, 800x480, motion sensor, a2dp, 3.5mm jack (not adapter), mini-usb, etc...
It looks like the new phones are missing the d-pad and I haven't seen buttons on top of the screen since the 6800. Plus, the cool phones are for gsm (diamond2, touchhd).
JJ

Touch_Pete · #2 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 01:15 PM

Not aware of anything that meets those precise specifications but the Diamond 2 or the Touch Pro 2 are pretty nice devices and they come close. I am waiting for them to hit Telus in Canada and then I am definitely upgrading to one of them. Want to do a hands on before deciding.

**MoonZ*BabysH** · #3 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 01:29 PM

you are not going to be able to put that omnia on the sprint network, if thats what you were planning on buying it for.

Fa310tx · #4 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Not aware of anything that meets those precise specifications but the Diamond 2 or the Touch Pro 2 are pretty nice devices and they come close. I am waiting for them to hit Telus in Canada and then I am definitely upgrading to one of them. Want to do a hands on before deciding.

The Diamond2 is gsm only, isn't it (maybe telus is gsm).

Quote:

you are not going to be able to put that omnia on the sprint network, if thats what you were planning on buying it for.

I'm on alltel. Why wouldn't you be able to use sprint? Wouldn't it just be a new kitchen for that carrier and change a couple settings in the phone?
JJ

**MoonZ*BabysH** · #5 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 05:57 PM

its not that easy, first and formost you have to have Sprint put a verizon esn on there network, which they will not do. ive called and tried but no luck

miamicanes · #6 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 09:48 PM

> I'm on alltel. Why wouldn't you be able to use sprint?
> Wouldn't it just be a new kitchen for that carrier and change a couple settings in the phone?

Unfortunately, no. If the ESN's not in Sprint's computer as an official Sprint phone, you'll never be allowed to use it. I have a friend who works for Sprint engineering. If they want to get prototypes added to the ESN database so they can evaluate them, they need just about everyone besides god himself and the CEO to sign off on it before it happens.

A couple of years ago, one of the most expensive used phones in eBay history was a Mexican Samsung SPH-i550 that began its life as a Sprint evaluation model before finding its way to Mexico after they decided to not carry it. As luck would have it, nobody from Sprint ever removed the ESN from their database, and the lucky buyer was able to have the Sprint phone that Sprint's i500 owners at the time would have killed for. I think two others were ultimately found and made their way back into Sprint-land, at prices somewhere around $1,000 apiece.

From what I remember, up until they spun it off a few years ago, one of the Canadian companies (Telus?) was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sprint. They even shared the same databases and call centers. Unfortunately, Sprint STILL made a point of keeping track of which phones were "Sprint" and which phones were "Telus". Telus refused to activate Sprint phones in Canada, and Sprint refused to activate Telus phones in the US. They seamlessly roamed on each other's digital netoworks -- voice, sms, 1xRTT and all... but if you wanted to actually USE the "wrong" phone as your official one, they wouldn't allow you to do it. No technical reason whatsoever, just Sprint policy.

It sucks, but I gave up trying to lobby Sprint long ago, and now just shamelessly beg my Congresswoman to support legislation to force Sprint & Verizon to allow R-UIM cards and the use of any unlocked CDMA phone physically capable of working on their networks every time I see her. Trying to convince Sprint otherwise is an act of complete futility. They'll NEVER change their policy unless the FCC beats them up and forces them to do it.

Touch_Pete · #7 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fa310tx

The Diamond2 is gsm only, isn't it (maybe telus is gsm).

Telus and Bell are in the process of migrating to HSPA at this time which is the direction that all GSM networks are moving. They will be maintaining the CDMA technology for a few years until their customer bases are migrated over. So while the Touch Pro2 and the Snap have been anounced for Telus they are world phone editions, that will support both CDMA and HSPA. You are right about the diamond2 there is no indication at this point that there will be a CDMA version. At least I haven't been able to locate anything. We can however continue to hope.

Fa310tx · #8 (**permalink**) 05-18-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Unfortunately, no. If the ESN's not in Sprint's computer as an official Sprint phone, you'll never be allowed to use it. I have a friend who works for Sprint engineering. If they want to get prototypes added to the ESN database so they can evaluate them, they need just about everyone besides god himself and the CEO to sign off on it before it happens.

Well, thanks for the info about sprint. I guess that makes it pretty clear that I wouldn't change to them.

Quote:

t sucks, but I gave up trying to lobby Sprint long ago, and now just shamelessly beg my Congresswoman to support legislation to force Sprint & Verizon to allow R-UIM cards and the use of any unlocked CDMA phone physically capable of working on their networks every time I see her.

I've never seen a card on a cdma phone, like that. That would be like a sim card on a gsm phone, I presume. It would be cool if everyone just used a single network (which sounds like where it's headed).
JJ

**codybear** · #9 (**permalink**) 05-18-2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fa310tx

Well, thanks for the info about sprint. I guess that makes it pretty clear that I wouldn't change to them.

I've never seen a card on a cdma phone, like that. That would be like a sim card on a gsm phone, I presume. It would be cool if everyone just used a single network (which sounds like where it's headed).
JJ

That's impossible to happen in the U.S. unless they remove the monopoly laws. I'm very surprised verizon has gotten around them seeing as how they own 60% of the cellular business.
But it's funny how they only had to go in front of congress to see if it was a monopoly when they were going to go public with the merger.
Verizon had owned alltel for a couple of years now,
and alltel has ran off of verizon towers since it started.

So the way to get around monopoly laws are to buy all the companies
and keep them named separately. lol.

Fa310tx · #10 (**permalink**) 05-18-2009, 10:03 PM

Oh, I just saw the htc shift. I've seen it before, but I didn't realize that it was an atom processor, vista, and cdma. Grant that it's >$1000, but it's still a cool step.
How about multitouch screens? The eeepc has it on the touchpad. Any cell phones getting it?
JJ