CONS
slider, big(but some may like that)

SUMMARY
I am not a fan of slider phones, nor a fan of big phones. I am a fan of signal strength, because bottom line, if I cant get a signal, all the bells and whistles mean NOTHING. And this phone delivers like no phone I have ever had (and I have had ALOT) And, in addition to 5 bars where I once got none, I have alot of cool features too. ]]>http://www.phonedog.com/cell-phone-research/motorola-z9.aspx?utm_source=Rss&utm_medium=CellPhone_motorola-z9&utm_campaign=PhoneDog8/8/2009 11:00:36 PMhttp://www.phonedog.com/cell-phone-research/motorola-z9.aspx#comments?utm_source=Rss&utm_medium=CellPhone_motorola-z9&utm_campaign=PhoneDog4/12/2009 3:59:01 PMPROSSignal,looks,sterdy,cool features;camera, metal and some plastic

CONS
Smudges and finger prints, buttons a little wierd other than that excellent phone!!

SUMMARY
Great slider style phone well worth the money. My wife initially picked this phone for herself. I liked it so much I got the same phone too!!]]>http://www.phonedog.com/cell-phone-research/motorola-z9.aspx?utm_source=Rss&utm_medium=CellPhone_motorola-z9&utm_campaign=PhoneDog10/1/2008 2:51:12 PM

AT&T: Apple iPhone 3G, LG Vu

If you ask me a question via YouTube messaging, I'll probably get to it.  But it'll take awhile.  Nothing personal, I just respond to the PhoneDog messages and comments faster.  And we like the traffic on our blog comment rolls, too.  So ask away, but do it right here on the Dawg.

That said, here's the latest YouTube mailbag of your Q's and my A's, some of which might even be helpful to you:

Q:
i just watched your rumor review and i was wondering if you can make a more detailed one because i'll be getting my rumor in a couple of days and i have no idea about any of the features and i also think many other youtubers will find that resourceful too thanks blandfordski

A:
Blandfordski,

Thanks for watching the Rumor video.  We try to keep it to one video per phone, so we probably won't do another Rumor video. 

BUT ... I wrote a full-length review of Rumor that goes into more detail and gives my opinion of the phone after testing it for a few weeks.  You can read the review right here on PhoneDog.

Q:
Hi...can you please tell me the process of unlocking the iphone so that it can be used with t-mobile?..im due to get it this week and also can you tell me which plan features i would need to have all of its functions working such as stocks, youtube, internet. etc. thanks

A:
You need to use an unlocking program - I used Ziphone to upgrade and unlock/jailbreak my iPhone to the most recent firmware version.  I used the Mac OS X version and it was free, easy, and worked like a charm.  There's a Windows version available, as well.

You'll also have to make sure you have a T-Mobile data plan and then perform an additional step to get data services working on your iPhone.  I have the $5.99 T-Zones plan and it works great.  There are different methods of enabling the data plan on iPhone, but the one I used is super easy.  Once your iPhone is Jailbroken you'll have a program called Installer installed on it (you'll see the blue Installer icon on the home screen).  Open installer and you'll see lots of software you can download and install on your iPhone.  One of the programs is a "T-Zones hack" that tweaks the settings you need to use iPhone with the T-Zones plan.  Worked for me. 

You also may need to perform another hack to enable YouTube.  YouTube worked just fine at first for me, then it stopped connecting.  I haven't tried in in awhile.

If you search the Internet for "T-Mobile iPhone Jailbreak YouTube" you should get links to lots of different methods you can try.

Good luck!

* * *
Q:
 if you jailbreak/unlock iphone (I have TMOBILE) can you factory reset the phone after you unlock it???

A:
What do you mean by factory reset? Restore it to original, locked firmware? Yes, you can, but I'm not positive if you can restore the baseband to the factory settings in all cases. I know that I'm able to relock my iPhone to AT&T and restore the jailbroken firmware to the original Apple firmware.

Hope that helps!

* * *

Q:
hey i just ordered a moto z9 from att and was wondering if the phone was capable of applying ringtones saved to your memory card as your ringtones because i know for sure that the rizr z3 from tmobile did that i was just wondering because i like that feature and also can u apply ringtones longer that 30 like a full song cuz again the old rizer did that thankz

A:
Looks like the answer is no, unfortunately.

I asked my reps got this official response, which actually came from AT&T:

Checked with AT&T on this one and this is what we were told:

"Setting a size restriction for ringtone use allows us [AT&T] to display
only the smaller sized content that would logically be a ringtone when
someone pulls up the folder of ringtones on their phone."

So the official answer seems to be "No, you can't, but it's for your own good.  We want to easily separate ringtones (shorter) from full music tracks (longer), and the best way to do that is by setting a length limitation on ringtones."

* * *
Q:
hey im Ron,
 
ok my question is i hear that the Nokia N810(the pocket pc) is similar to the iPhone. but, it cannot make cell phone calls, is this true? i hope not because i have the iPhone and i really really want this nokia n810 phone. but, if it does not make or receive calls (like a regular cell phone would) then ill just stick to my iphone. anyway, i have a laptop i would not need a "pocket pc" just for the internet and does not make calls. p.s. i like all of your videos about this phone, they are very imformational that's why im asking you these questions.

A:
Hey Ron,

The N810 is not a cell phone.  It's an "Internet tablet" with WiFi and Bluetooth, but no cellular radio.  The new WiMax Edition will have a WiMax radio in it when it launches, but no cellular radio.

Nokia ships the device with Skype software pre-installed so you can make Internet (VoIP) calls from the device.  In order to use Skype you'll have to have a Skype account and also be connected to a WiFi network for Internet service.  So no, it's not a phone capable of making and receiving cell phone calls.

I actually just posted a full text review of the N810.  You can read it here if you want more info and my full opinion of the device.

Thanks for watching the videos!  Glad you find them informative.

* * *

Alright, that's it for now.  Stay tuned for Part Two of the April YouTube Mailbag in a few days ....

First thoughts after snapping some unboxing photos and firing the Z9 up?  It's a nice-looking handset, it's big, it's fast, and it's got tiny buttons.  The glossy burgundy finish looks really nice, and the wee little pin-head buttons aren't as hard to use as I feared they might be upon first glance.  3G connection speeds here at the Berkeley, CA office seem to be pretty good, as I was able to both hop on the Web and start watching some ESPN video clips with nary any delay at all. 

But this phone is big!  Not thick, but big as in large footprint-big.  I was kind of surprised at how large it feels in hand, especially as compared to the RIZR Z6 slider that's been available on Verizon for awhile now.  The Z9 is actually about the same length and width as the RAZR2 V8, so it's not huge  or anything, but the added thickness and heft as compared to the V8 just make it feel larger.  There's an upside to that size, though, as the front is graced by a nice, big, 2.4" QVGA display.

Anyway, check out the photos and stay tuned for a full review in the coming weeks.  Or just go buy your own now - the Z9 is available as you read this from AT&T.

Beyond that the new Curve has a 2MP camera with Flash and 3.5mm headphone jack going for it.  T-Mobile and RIM have packaged the handset with a stereo headset, data cable, travel charger, and carrying case, which is a nice little array of pack-ins in this day and age of "buy your own headphones, buddy" consumer treatment.  Pearl's grey and silver color scheme is nice in an understated sort of way, and I promise I'll spend some time trying to acclimate myself to the SureType keyboard before once again proclaiming, "My thumbs are too big!  I hate SureType!"

Check out the photos of the newest Pearl by itself, with pack-ins, and alongside it's big brother Curve.  And stay tuned for a full review in the coming weeks.

Sadly, the 2MP camera everyone thought would be coming on this phone has been traded in for a lesser 1.3MP model.  Sigh ... Vegas really is a heartless town.  This one can be picked up for $150 if you buy it online and agree to a two year contract.

Check it out: Motorla Z9 Gallery (Boy Genius Report)

Apparently AT&T is surveying iPhone owners regarding EDGE data performance on their fancy new handsets.  Apparently said survey includes a spot for rating iChat performance - iChat being Apple's Mac instant message program that's notoriously missing from iPhone.  Could this mean that an iPhone software update including an IM client is forthcoming from Apple?  Could be.  Meantime, iPhone owners can get their IM fix via a handful of third-party apps including JiveTalk.

Read: phazerblast.com/2007/07/ichat-coming-for-iphone.html">iChat coming for iPhone?</a> (phazer.blast)

Read: beejive.com/">JiveTalk mobile messenger</a> (BeeJive Software)

The FCC has approved Research In Motion's first ever Wi-Fi capable BlackBerry for use in the US.  According to PhoneScoop, the GSM/EDGE BlackBerry with 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi components looks much like the current 8800/8830 devices and also features Bluetooth and a microSD memory card slot.  No word was given on a release date, though RIM CEO Jim Balsillie has been quoted as saying his company would release a Wi-Fi BlackBerry by the end of this year.

Read: phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=2277">BlackBerry With Wi-Fi Approved By the FCC</a> (PhoneScoop)