Section Editor Joni Blecher, a.k.a. the Cell Phone Diva, wants to answer all your questions about cell phones, service plans, and wireless connectivity.
Send her a question!
Hello, Moto? Where's the V710?
Q:
Is it really worth waiting for the Motorola V710? I'm thinking of getting the V600 instead. Please help.
--Joao
A:
In a word: yes--definitely wait. The phone should be available in the next couple of months. Although the V600 is a solid phone with plenty of nifty features, the V710 will grow with your needs. First, it has an impressive external color display, a 1.3-megapixel camera, 16MB of RAM, and the ability to add more through an SD card. Also, the V710 is a CDMA (Verizon and Sprint) phone, whereas the V600 is a GSM (AT&T, Cingular, and T-Mobile) handset. Ultimately, a cool phone is merely as good as the service that supports it, and only you know whether a GSM or a CDMA network works best for you.
Bring it on
Q:
I've been a loyal Sprint customer for a very long time. It seems as if the company was on the cutting edge of phone technology, but now, it's just behind the times! Is Sprint PCS going to have Bluetooth or anything different on the event horizon, or should I transfer my number now?
--Nathaniel
A:
Transferring your number is entirely up to you. But before you change carriers for a better handset, make sure your potential new service provider works well in your area.
That said, let's get to the real question: When will Sprint have something cool? Truth be told, the carrier managed to be the first in the States to offer a megapixel camera phone, the
PM-8920. As for Bluetooth, there really haven't been any CDMA handsets available with that feature, except for, of course, the
Sony Ericsson T608. The T608 was initially scheduled for Sprint some time last year but didn't last long in the channel.
Been all around this world
Q:
What makes a phone a "world phone"? What GSM bands must it have? How can I find out if the country I'm going to travel to uses a certain GSM band?
--Adam
A:
When CNET's cell phone site launched more than four years ago, defining a world phone was a relatively easy process. Quite simply, it was a trimode GSM mobile that worked on the 900/1800/1900 frequencies. But a lot has happened in four years. More frequencies are available, and technology has evolved. In the coming months, we'll see handsets from many manufacturers that give new meaning to world phone. These models will incorporate both CDMA and GSM in one handset so that a phone could be used anywhere with either network. In the meantime, this GSM map will give you a good idea of network coverage worldwide.
