Re: Vodafone USB Stick 3G Modem - Review

[Chris Hunter <cjhunter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

not only coverage, 'though that's a lot of it (Vodafone mobile
phone=20=20
coverage was a bit variable here, and I met some guys from T-Mobile=20=20
while on a course, they seemed pretty switched-on, plus the reviews=20=20
were good, so I thought I'd give it a go) ... it's also algorithms -=20=20
eg: on the motorway, when we've got the Nokia E61 feeding the=20=20
Powerbook, we quite often, though far from always, have to disconnect=20=20
& connect again, 'cos things have gone slow ... and, also, from
time=20=20
to time, the same applies at home (even though we're stationary, of=20=20
course), even in the small-hours, when loads must be light,=20=20
presumably due to how they've implemented bandwidth sharing=20=20
priorities ...

T-Mobile have also played-around with what's on the Nokia E61,=20=20
without explanation (so the manual doesn't help), and the E61UI is=20=20
beta-beta with no practical way to update (both T-mobile & Nokia
all-=20
but completely ignore the Mac) ...

plus our Samsung (also T-Mobile) has never delivered on any sort of=20=20
connection, let-alone the HSDPA (super-fast broadband) we bought it=20=20
for ...

ie: we're pretty disappointed with T-Mobile !

did our homework, of course, read lots of reviews ... in hindsight,=20=20
my guess is they were written by people in the mobile 'phone world,=20=20
rather than a PC / Mac world ... how else could they say the browser=20=20
on the 'E61 was brilliant, the 'SGH560 could do broadband ?

we were with Vodafone for our 'phones, and there was a Vodafone plug-=20
in G3 module for our PowerBook G4 ... maybe we should have gone that=20=20
way ?

Chris

PS: the Samsung is a pretty good mobile 'phone (& video-phone, I=20=20
daresay), and the 'E61 has a lot going for it, and both are pretty=20=20
good electro-mechanically & display-wise ... it's just that both=20=20
perform way, way, way less than I thought they would, on the basis of=20=20
their spec's & the reviews !

PPS: will the G3 iPhone be the answer ... when will it be (AT&T
seem=20=20
to be installing G3 quite quickly, now, in the US) ... ??

PPPS: rumours are that Apple are keeping to their Feb' release of=20=20
the  SDK pack for iPhone ... wonder if it'll include the iPod Touch ?



On 9 Feb 2008, at 18:15, Martin Howell wrote:

> IMO, its all about coverage.  My Vodafone data widget (an earlier
> version of the one described ) works everywhere and mostly at 3G=20=20
> speeds,
> whereas my TMobile phone (supplied by my current employer) ia a bag of
> poop which only works when and where it feels like it. Also
worth=20=20
> noting
> that Vodafone first launched these devices around 2 years ago at =A345
a
> month and they're now twice as fast and a third of the price.
>
> Martin



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