Purchased a new cell phone - LG CU500 - Broadband Cellular Modem too

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

I have needed a new cell phone for a long time and after a lot of searching and looking at my options I ended up buying one of the newest phones on the market.

The phone itself is a pretty hi-tech little phone in it's own and includes the almost normal text messaging, digital camera, MP3 player, video camera, and 1GB removable memory card.

What made this phone really extraordinary however is the new G3 highspeed internet conection (not available everywhere but I get broadband at work but not at home yet). The phone connects to my lapptop using a USB cable and the laptop connects at speeds that are very much like our fiber optic internet connection we have at home... Not quite, but really quite fast.

It may not be a pocket PC like Frank's toy but I am not going to even try to navigate the web through the phone as that is what I have the laptop with me for....

I think it will take me a month to figure it all out but an unlimited data plan cost me $60/mo and now I can at least receive e-mail through the phone even though I will never try to reply through it...

Here is a review of my new toy from cnet:

http://reviews.cnet.com/LG_CU500/450...-31987406.html

The thing that is cool is that with the video camera and the abuility to point it at yourself and with highspeed internet access the day of face to face video talking is really almost here. I asked if this was an option yet and I was informed that the technology is being developed...

Really cool to see how far things have come. Never did I expect to have a phone with 1GB of storage space before now.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Ken I believe that you could have used my phone the same way. It does stink as a phone but great as a tiny PC. Mine came with the USB to use as a modem.

http://reviews.cnet.com/Sprint_PCS_V...?tag=pdtl-list

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

Yea, the features are pretty comapable... I don't know how the download rates compare but the one thing that is really pretty poor on mine is e-mail. I can still get it but they sure didn't make it easy to find. There again, when I need e-mail I will hook the computer to the phone and I'll have my 17-inch laptop screen as opposed to the 1.5-inch display so not a huge deal I guess...

Mine is a phone first, and a pocket PC is not how this thing works at all BUT she does work as the modem and mine cost me like $125 after rebates so not too bad....

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Ken,

About what download speed are you getting? How much is the monthly service?

My cingular is great when there is 3G service. When it's just dial up, it painfully slow. Definitely worse than dial up.

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

I need to test it with my personal computer as I don't have a lot of extra junk on my work laptop... I believe in the store they had my phone hooked up and they were getting 1.0 Mbs but that is so subjective(they may have had a repeater right in the store)... We get 3 Mbs at home with the Fiber Optic (Verison FIOS) so it is not that fast but WAY faster then a 56kbs modem!

I understand that Cingular is switching over their data network and by Mid-October most of my area will be on the G3 network so I will see...

[deede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close deede]

Because you fellas appear to be true cellphone techies, maybe you can advise me on something.

I am interested in getting (w/my Cingular service) the Treo smartphone w/GPS.

I NEED directions everytime I leave home, and I like the Treo phones. Are there many cons to getting the phone with the GPS included?

Thanks in advance,

d

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Because you fellas appear to be true cellphone techies, maybe you can advise me on something.

I am interested in getting (w/my Cingular service) the Treo smartphone w/GPS.

I NEED directions everytime I leave home, and I like the Treo phones. Are there many cons to getting the phone with the GPS included?

Thanks in advance,

d

Not sure if you can get it with the Treo on Cingular. I see they are still selling the 650 and not the 700 yet. They have it on This HP Ipac Keep in mind that you need to purchase the software separately to make it work. My Sprint PC phone is the same way.

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

My phone does not have that option but I am sure Frank's does...

I used to have a hand held GPS and as long as you have a map built into the unit to go with the GPS you would really never need to get directions again.

I have no idea what model you are considering but I would not buy anything without looking at the reviews on cnet.com

Here is one package:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Palm_GPS_Nav...-32013192.html

[deede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close deede]

Q & Frank,


Thanks for such quick responses. I will definitely be watching CNET from now on -- great site.

I will look into the HP -- never considered it, before.

Just decided on the Treo because a friend let me use one while visiting her in Texas one year (she later gave me one for Christmas, because I loved it so much -- so nice to have friends like her). And, the Treo is so simple to use, even I could use it w/o reading the entire manual.


d

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Q & Frank,


Thanks for such quick responses. I will definitely be watching CNET from now on -- great site.

I will look into the HP -- never considered it, before.

Just decided on the Treo because a friend let me use one while visiting her in Texas one year (she later gave me one for Christmas, because I loved it so much -- so nice to have friends like her). And, the Treo is so simple to use, even I could use it w/o reading the entire manual.


d

If you can get the Treo 700 with the windows edition go for that.