One More Time, Please. Which Cell Phone to Use W/laptop?

[Jackliz]

Howdy, RV Forum Framily.

We are going to open a cell phone account with Verizon. I need to purchase a cell phone that will allow my laptop to retrieve our email AND allow for some web browsing. There are a lot of confusing choices.  ???  Any suggestions and recommendations would be appreciated.

Regards,
Liz (under severe time pressure)
16 more working days for Jack

 

[RvMikeC]

once again bluetooth is your friend, if you just get a phone with bluetooth on it you can connect to the phone wirelessly and use it as a motem. You will need to get a bluetooth adaptor for your lab top (if it does not have it built in) but you can also run your printer off of it too

 

[rhmahoney]

"bluetooth is your friend"

But VZN is renowned for cripling the functions of bluetooth.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Howdy, RV Forum Framily.

We are going to open a cell phone account with Verizon. I need to purchase a cell phone that will allow my laptop to retrieve our email AND allow for some web browsing. There are a lot of confusing choices.  ???  Any suggestions and recommendations would be appreciated.

Regards,
Liz (under severe time pressure)
16 more working days for Jack

Liz,

Go to    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByCellPhone/

In their file section look for the "Verizon Tutoral". It will explain everything you need to know about connecting to the internet with your cell phone. Ask any questions you have on the group. They are as knowledgeable about cell phone connections as this group is about RVs.

I have a Motorola  V265 phone with the mobile office kit and have been very happy with it. Also remember that you can call all your Forum friends that are also on Verizon for free.  ;D  ;D

 

[John From Detroit]

To be completly honest most any cell phone other than the bargian basement "Free" phones will work, You may to buy a fifty dollar cable to connect the phone to a USB port on either your laptop or other computer, but most any phone now days has that cable as an option.

Go to www.nokia.com (for example) to look at Nokia phones compatable with data cables
(Or substutite the phone maker of your choice)

I've used the internet with Nokia, and Ericcson (Before Sony merged) Digital phoens and a Motorola Analog phone, all worked very well.  So the best advice I can give is go to the manafacture's web site for the phone

Note: There are basically 6 ways to connect a cell phone to a computer... 3 are common

1: Uncommon now days  RS-232  Yes, the Ericcson I888 (Very old now) could accept RS-232)
2: PCMCIA special "Cellular Modem"  how I did it with the museam grade Motorola (It's that old)
3: USB, Best, by far with modern computers
4: Bluetooth,  Way too easy to Snark (hack)
5: I/R  SLOW, very SLOW

I'd go with USB connect

Oh, an after thought (Added after posting so this is very literally a Post Post Script)

One phone I would not use is an LG,  In your travels you may happen across a microwave, Made by Goldstar (Lucky Goldstar) where you open the door, put in your food, close the door and twist the knob.  That's all, There is no START button, none, does not exist.  If you open the door it shuts off but if you close the door again, before the timer runs out, it re-starts.

You do what many do, put the food in, twist the knob, and when the food is hot you take it out, forgetting to re-set the timer to zero,,, it sets the place on fire (At least the one they put in my office over my objections did just that, thankfully someone was quick with a fire extinguisher so the only damage was to the Microwave, the table it sits on and the wall behind it, bit of paint fixed up the wall, new table, new (SHARP) microwave)

I'd not put anythign made by Goldstar (LG) in my pocket

 

[BruceinFL]

I use my LG VX6100 or my wife's LG VX3200.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

One thing to watch for: many of the new phones are digital only - no analog (AMPS) mode.  That's fine in many or even most places, but there are some large areas that still only have analog service. West Texas and southern New Mexico is one such area and there are others. If analog connectivity is a need or want, your choices are rather limited these days.  Extremely limited if you buy through Verizon, but third parties have more phone models and can get you a new Verizon contract at the same prices as you get direct through Verizon. Sometimes even better. 

I just upgraded to a new phone (for free thru Verizon Wireless) and got a Motorola V276, which does analog as well as digital and has modem function up to 144 kbps (it doesn't do the much faster EVDO broadband).  If you go through a third party, I recommend the Motorola V710, which has Bluetooth and is a tri-mode phone.

 

[Jackliz]

Howdy, Gary.

One thing to watch for: many of the new phones are digital only - no analog (AMPS) mode.  That's fine in many or even most places, but there are some large areas that still only have analog service. West Texas and southern New Mexico is one such area and there are others. If analog connectivity is a need or want, your choices are rather limited these days.  Extremely limited if you buy through Verizon, but third parties have more phone models and can get you a new Verizon contract at the same prices as you get direct through Verizon. Sometimes even better. 


]I just upgraded to a new phone (for free thru Verizon Wireless) and got a Motorola V276, which does analog as well as digital and has modem function up to 144 kbps (it doesn't do the much faster EVDO broadband).  If you go through a third party, I recommend the Motorola V710, which has Bluetooth and is a tri-mode phone.

[/color]

How does your Motorola V276 communicate with your computer? Via a data cable?  I think that this is the most confusing aspect for me - how do these phones communicate with any computer? Mobile Office Kit,  or is the modem built into the phone?  Duhh.  ???  ???

Thank you,
Liz
14 more Working days for Jack!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It can be pretty confusing, allright, and the salespeople usually can't help much (or give wrong info).

The V276 can act as a modem and it attaches ("tethers" is now the in term) to the computer with a USB data cable. Some phones can use Bluetooth for a wireless connection to a computer.  The old days of a serial cable connection are long gone.

You can get a Mobile Office kit from Verizon for the phones they recognise as having "National Access" capability. The kit has driver software, a data cable and a Verizon dialer package now known as VZAM.  It's just a convenient interface to make the dial connection, but it works decently.  You can also buy the data cable and driver software elsewhere (online) for a lot less money and the Verizon dialer software can be downloaded for free from the Verizon site anyway.

 

[Jackliz]

It can be pretty confusing, allright, and the salespeople usually can't help much (or give wrong info).

The V276 can act as a modem and it attaches ("tethers" is now the in term) to the computer with a USB data cable. Some phones can use Bluetooth for a wireless connection to a computer.  The old days of a serial cable connection are long gone.

You can get a Mobile Office kit from Verizon for the phones they recognise as having "National Access" capability. The kit has driver software, a data cable and a Verizon dialer package now known as VZAM.  It's just a convenient interface to make the dial connection, but it works decently.  You can also buy the data cable and driver software elsewhere (online) for a lot less money and the Verizon dialer software can be downloaded for free from the Verizon site anyway.

OK, Gary. Thanks for replying. I have been noting those phones which have National Access capability. BUT not ALL of these phones have a Mobile Office Kit accessory. That is what is confusing to me.  Do you use that MOK  with your V276?  Is there another device that can be used with my laptop to get email?  What is a Type II modem card?

Thanks for your patience,
Liz

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I have a Verizon MOK from my previous Motorola phone, a V120e and it is plug compatible with the V276. Don't know if I will need updated driver software because I haven't tried it yet - just got the new phone a few days ago.

Verizon policy has shifted against phones with modem capability and they are having the function disabled in  many of the phone models they sell.  The same phone may be available with all functions enabled if bought from a different source.  They seem to want everybody to get air cards and now require a separate DataPplan for internet access.  So far they haven't actually stopped anyone from making casual use of phones with modems, but new customers are likely to be asked to purchase a data plan if they say they want internet access.  I think the new policy may be why there seem to be few new MOKs available from Verizon, but you can buy the equivalent stuff online from dozens of sources. For example, Motorola sells a Mobile Phone Tools Kit under its own label and it is widely available.

A Type II card is a PC card (PCMCIA) - plugs into the slot in your laptop. (There are a couple form factors of these cards and they are referred to as Type I, Type II, etc.)  There are PCMCIA modem cards readily available but all that I know  have only a standard phone jack and won't connect to a cell phone. Besides, your laptop no doubt already has an integrated modem that does that.  An "Air card" is also a PC Card and it has both a cellular radio and a modem, so it can act as both phone and modem, but you can't make voice calls with it.

 

[JerArdra]

Jack & Liz,

We have Verizon and use both a Motorola T-720/30 (our older phone) and a Motorola V-276.  We just got the V-276 2 days ago (12/7) and you should look at this one.  It works on our laptop and will access both the high speed net (National access) and the low speed net (Quick 2 net 14.4Kbps).  The Mobile office kit costs $50.00 and you want the kit that has bar code # VERKUMO2KV4 (not KV3).

JerryF

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Jerry

>> We just got the V-276 2 days ago<<

Is this phone able to use all of your prior Motorola accessories, like the charging cradle?

 

[Jackliz]

Jack & Liz,

We have Verizon and use both a Motorola T-720/30 (our older phone) and a Motorola V-276.  We just got the V-276 2 days ago (12/7) and you should look at this one.  It works on our laptop and will access both the high speed net (National access) and the low speed net (Quick 2 net 14.4Kbps).  The Mobile office kit costs $50.00 and you want the kit that has bar code # VERKUMO2KV4 (not KV3).

JerryF

Jerry, I looked for the MOK for the Motorola V-276 on the Verizon website. The MOK is not shown as an accessory for that phone. Where did you get your mobile office kit?

Thanks,
Liz

 

[JerArdra]

Jerry
>> We just got the V-276 2 days ago<<
Is this phone able to use all of your prior Motorola accessories, like the charging cradle?

Terry, I have the same charging cradle as you and it plugged in fine.  The old cable works too.  It's the exact same plug as on our other Verizon phone, the T-720/30.  It DOES require a new Mobile Office Kit.  Order number is on my earlier email.  Now Ardra's T-720 is on our PC using the older MOK and the new V-276 is also on our PC using the new MOK.  Both can access the Verizon networks.

JerryF

JerryF

 

[JerArdra]

Jerry, I looked for the MOK for the Motorola V-276 on the Verizon website. The MOK is not shown as an accessory for that phone. Where did you get your mobile office kit?

Thanks,
Liz

JackLiz,

The local Verizon office ordered it for me but I'll bet you can order it on line.  It's VERY new.  Use the number that I gave you to order it.  I can guarantee it works because my V-276 is now on line and is able to access both Verizon networks.  The important part are the last 3 digits KV4, not KV3.

JerryF

 

[Jackliz]

JackLiz,

The local Verizon office ordered it for me but I'll bet you can order it on line.  It's VERY new.  Use the number that I gave you to order it.  I can guarantee it works because my V-276 is now on line and is able to access both Verizon networks.  The important part is the last 3 digits KV4, not KV3.

JerryF

Thanks, Jerry for all of this info. I know for a fact that the MOK for this phone can NOT be ordered online from the Verizon web site because a MOK is not listed as being an accessory for the V-276. I did FIND a MOK for it on the Motorola site. I wonder if that would work. Hmmm. I think that I'll try to find the local Verizon office, too.

Thanks again,
Liz

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Jerry

>>Terry, I have the same charging cradle as you and it plugged in fine.<<

Thanks....Betty is up for a free phone replacement.

 

[Jim Dick]

Jerry

>>Terry, I have the same charging cradle as you and it plugged in fine.<<

Thanks....Betty is up for a free phone replacement.

Terry,

Be careful, that phone upgrade "technically" changes your contract and you won't legally be able to use the phone with the computer. As Gary mentioned, you might get away with it if you don't use it a lot. I took advantage of the minute upgrade and that supposedly changed my contract. I'm upgrading my phone since it won't make any difference now and I won't need to use the phone with the computer for some time.

BTW, Verizon stores will be coming out with a newer Motorola V325 in about a week. It's on their internet site now. Has a few more features than the V276 but may not be what you want. I did a comparison and will probably go with the V325.

 

[Ron]

BTW, Verizon stores will be coming out with a newer Motorola V325 in about a week. It's on their internet site now. Has a few more features than the V276 but may not be what you want. I did a comparison and will probably go with the V325.

Whoops the Motorola V325 is does not have national access which I was told it is NOT a tri-mode phone.  Digital only.  The V276 has national access and IS a tri-mode phone.  Check the Verizon website and compare.