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Why I won’t trade my $99 Pantech Duo for an iPhone
Jan 7th, 2008 | 5 Comments
I love my Pantech Duo

Sure, you can call me a Windows Mobile fanboy, but a pretty interface and sleek hardware, as offered by Apple’s iPhone, isn’t enough to make me trade in my Pantech Duo (or any 3G keypad-enabled Windows Mobile phone for that matter) for an iPhone. Here are the reasons why:

  • 3G: Sure, the iPhone has Wifi, but most of the time I’m not even close to a wireless access point, and if I was, I’d rather whip out my 2lb Asus EEE for serious computing (which I would tether to my Pantech Duo for awesome surfing speeds). By the way, tethering a Windows Mobile device to a PC via USB or Bluetooth is extraordinarily simple. Just connect the phone (either via Activsync or a PAN Bluetooth network), then go the the file explorer on the phone and find IntShrUI under the Windows folder and run it. The select your connection method (USB or Bluetooth) and hit connect. THATS IT!
pantech-duo-internet-speeds.jpg

(these are actual speeds I got while tethered to my Pantech Duo.

Tested on Speakeasy’s speed test at http://speakeasy.net/speedtest)
  • A real keypad: The reason why keyboards in general are so popular is because they provide tactile response and offer unmatched accuracy. When I hit a key, I expect the device to input the precise character I intend, I don’t need the device to guess. The iPhone’s input method is revolutionary and it has started a touchscreen frenzy but until devices start outputting some sort of tactile response (via vibrations or something), actual keyboard buttons are and will continue to be king.
  • A2Dp (Bluetooth 2.0): The question of why the iPhone doesn’t support Bluetooth headsets still baffles me. I’m sure the hardware supports it, I just don’t know why Apple hasn’t allowed (via firmware updates) A2DP profiles. I mean, isn’t the Plantronics Voyager 855 with its detachable second earpiece just pure genius?
4428818a.jpg
  • Flexibility: Sure, you can get emulators and all sorts of homebrew apps running on the iPhone, after extensive hacking and voiding your warranty, but that just doesn’t cut it. I love the fact that I can watch TV on my Pantech Duo (via Slingbox), get GPS directions (via Google Maps and a Bluetooth GPS receiver), and read books (via Mobipocket Reader). Not to mention very fast Youtube videos (thanks to ytpocket.com, 2 quick installs and 3G internet).
  • Exchange: Maybe its because I come from a corporate environment, where Exchange is the communications backbone, but I really can’t live without my always up-to-date calendar/task list/contacts/emails on my phone and on my PCs thanks to Exchange’s over-the-air sync feature. I pay $10/mo for my Exchange account (via Lanlogic) because I need to use my own domain for sending emails, but you can get a free Exchange (OTA Activesync included) for free at mail2web.
  • And finally, instant messaging, MMS and Bcc’ing. All of these minor functions, but nonetheless, the features that iPhone lacks.

What would I change about my Pantech Duo (and Windows Mobile) in general? Internet Explorer. It just sucks. Its barely usable, but I don’t use it for any serious browsing. I use it to check movie times, solve quick questions (via Wikipedia) and to catch up on my RSS feeds (via Google Reader). But, as I stated before, if I need to do serious browsing or computing, I just tether my Asus EEE to the phone and voila!

By the way, I paid full price for my Pantech Duo, $200 after a $100 main in rebate (which just came it today!), but you can get a Pantech Duo for $99 at at&t wireless.

This entry was written by J2 and posted on January 7, 2008 at 6:36 am and filed under Whatev.... Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
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  • 4 Comments

    1. GARY
      Posted January 17, 2008 at 11:37 pm | Permalink

      I have a question about 3g that I haven’t been able to find an answer on. Will browsing the web use my data plan? I read somewhere 3g allows for IM’s to be sent for free without using your texts, but I cant recall if it said it would use your data instead.

    2. J2
      Posted January 18, 2008 at 4:57 am | Permalink

      Do you mean if browsing the web while tethered will user your data plan? Yes. You are supposed to get a tethering plan, but I’ve been doing it for years without a problem. Right now I’ve got unlimited data and 1000 texts for $30, well worth it.

      When you use the IM application on Smartphones, it uses the data plan for messages, not texts.

    3. SGT A
      Posted March 18, 2008 at 12:44 pm | Permalink

      hi
      2 just bought my pantech duo and i want to tether with my toshiba satellite 3300 series I got the part about the phone, but i cant get the computer part. the phone number that it is supposed to dial andthe user name and password and whatever else I need to input on my computer to get it to work. Could you please help me this is the first tinme I am tethering and I have no clue what to do, if it helps i have windows vista home premium (I wrote this messege from the pantech duo) please help me thanks
      SGT A

    4. Piper
      Posted February 6, 2009 at 3:35 pm | Permalink

      Hi, I seem to be having some problems with my Pantech duo.. I’ve had it since August and have just recently been having problems sending/receiving text messages and getting incoming/outgoing calls.
      I have an unlimited texting plan & and unlimited minutes, so I don’t know why i’m having these problems.
      I read some reviews about there being issues with the 3G network or something? I’m not really sure..
      it also says I have 4-5 bars.
      :[ ahhhh please help. this is getting SO obnoxious.

    One Trackback

    1. By JJMELO.com » Why I traded my Pantech Duo for an 3G iPhone 3G on July 24, 2008 at 1:04 am

      [...] post is in response to an older one I wrote back in January titled “Why I won’t trade my $99 Pantech Duo for an iPhone”. Well, I’ve done it, I bought an iPhone, although I haven’t received it, I reserved on [...]

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