[lug] smartphone question

[Carl Wagner]

On 07/06/2011 09:11 PM, Davide Del Vento wrote:
> Carl,
>
>> With Virgin you can get unlimited data and text + 300 Minutes for $25 a
>> month with no contract.
> This is speaking! I wonder why other people pay 3 times or more this amount....
> ... unless coverage is the issue. From their map it looks like the
> Denver/Boulder area's got only voice coverage: no 3G, in fact no data
> coverage at all! Is that the case in your experience?
3G works for me, at least in the places I have tried.  I know that 
driving on HWY72 or CO128 it has a couple of voice dead zones between 93 
and Indiana, same as Sprint.
I haven't looked at where they have coverage for 3G, but it has worked 
for maps and to receive email most places, but I haven't tried it in 
that many areas.
(I am new to data cell phones so it is possible it is doing something 
less than 3G?  But I think that is what they advertise.)
>> I picked up a LG Optimus V on Virgin mobile (Android) for $130 at Best
>> buy a while back,  I think they are about $200 now (still not bad as
>> there is no contract).
> It's $150 now on their website, which it's a fine cheap price. The
> only downside, is that this phone doesn't work oversea where I go in
> vacation (not big deal, but a downside). And it doesn't have my
> killer-app (if I understand correctly), which is front-facing camera
> and videocall capability (better with Google Talk, Skype or Ekiga ok -
> I think I need  Gingerbread==Android2.3 for this right?). In other
> words, it's the fact that they don't allow me to pick *any* phone I
> want, as they do in Italy (I know, part of the issue is technical:
> this network is not GSM/UMTS, but isn't there any compatible
> Android2.3 phone I could buy unlocked directly from mfr and use with
> them?)
The Optomus V does not have a front facing camera.
>> On another note, has anyone seen a GPS application that you can buy to
>> put on an Android phone that makes it work like a real stand alone GPS?
>> (works without any 3G or WiFi signal)
> I think just the Google standard thing has a cache option which you
> can set, then you check the map of the area you're interested in say
> at home with wifi or where you have 3G coverage, and it'll save the
> data. When used off-line, it'll use the data cached. Check their blog,
> but I'm pretty sure they have something like this (not exactly what
> you ask, but maybe good enough for your purpose)
Thanks, I will check into this!
> Thank for the information, I'll keep an eye on this carrier, at this
> price I may end up buying it even without my killer app.
>
> Davide
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