Web&Walk + N73: A mixed but generally good bag

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:19:51 +0100

On Friday I picked up a Nokia N73 on T-Mobiles Flext + Web&Walk tariff. I went for the cheapest 12 month contract (I've not yet come across a cell-phone company I'd willingly sign an 18 month contract with) which, although it's a little more expensive than my orange rate, includes all my mobile calls not just same-operator calls, weekend calls, and 1GB of mobile data. That seems pretty good for �32.50.

I'm still trying to decide whether handset insurance is a good idea. The replacement value of the phone appears to be about �150 so paying between �7 and �9 per-month for a year seems like a pretty poor deal.

Having broadband internet on my phone is proving to be great with some caveats. Connections are slow, this was the case with GPRS and doesn't seem to have improved in the last 5 years but once the data starts flowing it's about as fast as my 1mbps ADSL at home. More than good enough. What I don't like is the frequency with which I seem to get gateway/connection errors. I seem to be getting a good 3G signal if I am reading the phone right so I'm not sure what the problem is. Anyone else on T-mobile have any suggestions?

The built-in browser for the T-mobile edition of the N73 is pretty good. Alan tells me it's based on Webkit which is pretty neat. I also downloaded Opera-mini last night and that looks good too. I have a couple of instant messenging solutions: IM+ and Fring. I don't care for either that much although IM+ would edge it if I could ever make it connect to AIM. As it is I seem to be stuck with Google Talk and Skype, neither of which are preferred IM clients for me. Anyone who knows the trick for making IM+ connect to AIM I'd be grateful if you'd share it.

I've got both the Google Mail and Google Maps applications installed. Mail's not bad although it doesn't seem to support the concept of draft messages which is a pity because it's the first idea that presented itself for note taking. Maps seems less good but I seem to get connection errors most of the times I've used it in anger which may have coloured my impressions.

Other than AIM instant messenging my primary need now is a good note-taking facility. Ideally a way of recording voice notes since typing on the N73 keyboard isn't a pleasure. I suppose I could record video but I'd like something a little more convenient for note-taking on the fly.

At the moment I am waiting for my number to be ported across to Orange. Since I bought the phone Friday I am hoping that will happen some time tomorrow and I can get my Spinvox voicemail back and stop carrying two phones.

I've one small and one major gripe. The small one is that real-life battery life for the N73 is about 48hrs when you factor in blue-tooth, data, and some MP3 playing. I guess that's not bad but I would have been a lot happier if it could get to 72. However the real kicker was when I asked about the price of roaming data and was told it was �7.50 PER MEGABYTE. Can you believe that? Pro-rata that makes the 1GB allowance I get in my contract for �5 cost �7,500! I can only assume that is a money trap for the unwary and it sucks because having mobile data while travelling would be extremely useful.

In terms of the N73 & T-Mobile combo I'd have to say I'm very pleased and I'd give it 3.5/5 which would rise to 4.5/5 if I didn't get any more gateway/connection related messages while browsing.

Curiouser and Curiouser! on t-mobile

Web&Walk + N73: A mixed but generally good bag