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Motorola and AT&T Announce the Karma

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wow

Kryger

Jun 23, 2009, 9:26 AM
blitz ftl
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corepreacher

Jun 23, 2009, 10:56 AM
Where in the world does AT&T get the right to force a messaging plan on a phone. I understand that AT&T can do what they want with their company and phones, but I don't thinks that it is fair to force a messaging charge on a phone. I understand that the point of having the phone is to message, but what about people that like to message but don't do a ton of messaging. i could understand telling them that they need a messaging plan but why the $20 min. This phone isn't even a smartphone.
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Kryger

Jun 23, 2009, 11:30 AM
no idea. the iphone requires a data plan so its not like this is a new thing.
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Jayshmay

Jun 23, 2009, 11:46 AM
Yeah I know it pisses me off too, wireless carriers shub data plans down people's throats too. It's not up to anybody but the person who actually OWNS the phone decide how to use it and the person who is the authorized account holder to decide what to put on they're account. Regarrdless of whether a phone is a messaging phone or a smartphone the carrier shouldn't force anything onto someones account. This really, really irks me! ! !
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Menno

Jun 23, 2009, 12:27 PM
Now that carriers are starting to require data plans on their phones, the phones are built to constantly sync with the network (both email and applications). Even IF you were able to lock down all internet applications on a smartphone you would severely cripple the device.

No picture messaging, no GPS, no internet (even PPU), and call quality would suffer. I've seen quite a few phones where people were able to block everything on them. What they are left with is a PDA with a poor cellphone built in. Yes, you can go by "PPU" but if you forget to shut everything off just ONCE after you activate it for something you can end up with data overages of several hundred dollars.


Smartphones are built for internet browsing, and increasing...
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jonnyj

Jun 23, 2009, 12:34 PM
They do kind of shove data down your throat but the little secret they don't tell you is after you get your mail in rebate you can take the data featuer off and just do PPU. This works on all phones except the iPhone, on that one data is always required.
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RobbieJnn

Jun 23, 2009, 12:39 PM
jonnyj said:
They do kind of shove data down your throat but the little secret they don't tell you is after you get your mail in rebate you can take the data featuer off and just do PPU. This works on all phones except the iPhone, on that one data is always required.


?? depends on who you buy from because some dealers dont even require the data packages on pda's.

seriously though, whats the point of a blackberry if you dont have the blackberry package or a phone that runs on windows mobile with data blocked....whats the point of buying a pda if your just going to use it like a standard phone?
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deltasigmatheta

Jun 23, 2009, 1:05 PM
The reason for me is simple. A Blackberry is what I wanted.
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Menno

Jun 23, 2009, 4:19 PM
I want a ferrari, but I dont have the money for one and I don't want to pay the extra upkeep to have one.

If I go to a car dealer, can I get one for the same price as a Cobalt?
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deltasigmatheta

Jun 23, 2009, 4:25 PM
I can afford the BB and to use it the way I want to ... I have the money for a Corvette (car of choice right not) and will use it the way I want as well....It is my CHOICE!!!!
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Menno

Jun 23, 2009, 5:07 PM
No,you can afford the subsidized cost of the blackberry.

Now, I agree that if a phone is purchased full retail you should be able to use it how you want, but then you are paying 500-700 for the phone, not 199.

But you are talking about branded, locked phones. If you don't agree with the terms, it's better to either find a different phone or find a different carrier.

"It's my money and I want it now" will not work 9/10
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deltasigmatheta

Jun 23, 2009, 11:33 PM
It's so funny how you think you know what I paid for MY phone... go figure ๐Ÿ˜ฒ
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Menno

Jun 24, 2009, 2:25 AM
of the countless people who've complained about data plans on smartphones, maybe 1 person has even offered to pay full retail for the phone.

If you are number 2 I am sorry.
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Phoner

Jun 24, 2009, 9:05 AM
I bought mine unlocked without a contract, so there, I'm the third one ๐Ÿ™‚
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dbag87

Jun 24, 2009, 2:35 PM
good for you, lol
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Phoner

Jun 23, 2009, 1:09 PM
Just a few things, really:
  • E-book reading
  • Taking notes when traveling
  • Writing/using shopping lists
  • WiFi networking (with VOIP, so I can make calls from my basement where GSM doesn't reach)
  • GPS (with third-party software and storing maps on a flash card - good for hiking and driving, no data connection required)
  • Full-featured PDA
  • And, oh yeah, a phone.


  • Email/browsing/blogging/twitting/checking weather forecast outside of WiFi spots?

    I'm one of the dinosaurs who still uses my computer for most of that. And if, once in a blue moon, I need it, PPU is good enough for me. Checking web-mail with shut-off graphics uses up surprisingly little bandwith.

    Benefits?
    Much l...
    (continues)
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    Menno

    Jun 23, 2009, 1:06 PM
    You cannot do this with new Verizon smartphones either.

    And they don't "shove" the plans down your throat. They tell you that if you want an internet device like the curve/iphone it will be $1 more per day than a standard phone because of all it is capable of.

    If you have a phone like the curve and you don't have a data plan you are wasting 95% of what that phone can do and you would be better suited in a different model.
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    PhonemanJ

    Jun 23, 2009, 2:36 PM
    ATT is not necessarily shoving the $20 messaging plan down your throat. Not getting the msg plan is still an option. You just forfeit the mail-in-rebate. I would assume that the rebate will be $50, so that is 2 1/2 months of the messaging plan that you would not have to spend. Or, as someone mentioned earlier, the plan has to be their to get the rebate, so put it on their and take it off after you receive the rebate. It just depends on whether you want to mess with the rebate at all. I can promise you, most store will still sell the phone, even though you don't get the messaging plan.
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    deltasigmatheta

    Jun 23, 2009, 4:34 PM
    Okay I was really wondering what the mandatory data for the iPhone had started.
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    Phoner

    Jun 23, 2009, 5:08 PM
    Menno said:
    Now that carriers are starting to require data plans on their phones, the phones are built to constantly sync with the network (both email and applications).

    In other words, loaded with bloatware. Why would an application need to constantly sync? Some people need constant email alerts. Some don't.

    Even IF you were able to lock down all internet applications on a smartphone you would severely cripple the device.

    Not just lock down - remove those apps altogether. Free the storage, free the bandwidth, prolong the battery life.

    No picture messaging, no GPS, no internet (even PPU), and call quality would suffer.

    Huh? No picture messaging, ...
    (continues)
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    Menno

    Jun 23, 2009, 7:02 PM
    The poor call quality comes from forcing the system to accept a smartphone without data. (I am talking on the carrier side, no phone side here). Doing this messes up how your phone interacts with the network, and will cause call quality to suffer.

    Bloatwear? I am talking Push Email, gps sync (for location based services), etc. These are not bloatwear, they are part of the phones operating system. that is why disabling them can cripple the phone itself. This is like trying to remove Explorer from your windows PC. you are messing with the OS, not an optional feature.



    You don't want to pay for what you don't use? Then why the hell are you getting a blackberry or any other smartphone? by not using the internet or media feature...
    (continues)
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    Phoner

    Jun 24, 2009, 9:03 AM
    Menno said:
    The poor call quality comes from forcing the system to accept a smartphone without data. (I am talking on the carrier side, no phone side here). Doing this messes up how your phone interacts with the network, and will cause call quality to suffer.

    Sorry, but this sounds unconvincing at best. For example, if this were true, quality would also suffered in unlocked third-party non-provider smartphones, and also in phones with uninitialized applications.

    Bloatwear? I am talking Push Email, gps sync (for location based services), etc.

    Bloatware is anything that is not useful for my purposes, but is installed on my device. If I don't use push email, than ...
    (continues)
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    mrpmpfan

    Jun 23, 2009, 5:03 PM
    You are not forced into a data plan, nor into a texting plan. Know why? We offer over 60 different phones, the iPhone is the only one that requires a data plan, and now this is the only phone that requires a text plan. So that leaves you with 60 other phones to choose from. ๐Ÿ™„
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    amking

    Jun 24, 2009, 12:49 AM
    apparently you have no idea how device subsidies work.
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    fer712

    Jun 23, 2009, 3:48 PM
    it dosent u idiot its only so you get your rebate....... ๐Ÿคจ
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    dbag87

    Jun 24, 2009, 2:30 PM
    AT&T does not force you to take a text plan, to get the lowest price possible you need to take the plan, but why buy this phone with out texing, I know why, so people like you can come into my store and have something to complain about.
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