RAZR/Z520a, AAA, and the switch to Cingular

[Maeve]

Hi. I have had Sprint for the last four years. My contract just ended a few weeks ago and I am about 99% sure that I'm going to switch to Cingular. I just have a few questions.

1. Has anyone switched via AAA? They offer some nice discounts, including the current RAZR for $60 with no activation fee. I'm just wondering if anyone's had success/trouble going through AAA, and specifically if I can keep my Sprint number if I go through them.

2. I know the RAZR V3i is supposed to come out by the end of the year, but it's getting awfully close to 2006 and it's still not out. Does anyone know how much it's likely to cost? It looks like enough of an improvement over the current V3 that it'd be worth waiting, but I'm also anxious to get going with this switch.

3. I've been comparing the RAZR and the Sony Ericsson Z520a, and they seem pretty similar according to online comparison charts. Does anyone have experience with both? I'd love to know how the two match up in real life.

(If this is too many questions for one post, let me know and I'll separate them.)

Thanks!

[CWick]

Originally Posted by Maeve

Hi. I have had Sprint for the last four years. My contract just ended a few weeks ago and I am about 99% sure that I'm going to switch to Cingular. I just have a few questions.

1. Has anyone switched via AAA? They offer some nice discounts, including the current RAZR for $60 with no activation fee. I'm just wondering if anyone's had success/trouble going through AAA, and specifically if I can keep my Sprint number if I go through them.

2. I know the RAZR V3i is supposed to come out by the end of the year, but it's getting awfully close to 2006 and it's still not out. Does anyone know how much it's likely to cost? It looks like enough of an improvement over the current V3 that it'd be worth waiting, but I'm also anxious to get going with this switch.

3. I've been comparing the RAZR and the Sony Ericsson Z520a, and they seem pretty similar according to online comparison charts. Does anyone have experience with both? I'd love to know how the two match up in real life.

(If this is too many questions for one post, let me know and I'll separate them.)

Thanks!

The current v3 was 299.00 with a 2year contract when it first came out. With the current v3 at 99.00 after rebates my guess is the V3i will be 199, or maybe even 299. Just a guess.

No AAA experience.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by Maeve

Hi. I have had Sprint for the last four years. My contract just ended a few weeks ago and I am about 99% sure that I'm going to switch to Cingular. I just have a few questions.

1. Has anyone switched via AAA? They offer some nice discounts, including the current RAZR for $60 with no activation fee. I'm just wondering if anyone's had success/trouble going through AAA, and specifically if I can keep my Sprint number if I go through them.

2. I know the RAZR V3i is supposed to come out by the end of the year, but it's getting awfully close to 2006 and it's still not out. Does anyone know how much it's likely to cost? It looks like enough of an improvement over the current V3 that it'd be worth waiting, but I'm also anxious to get going with this switch.

3. I've been comparing the RAZR and the Sony Ericsson Z520a, and they seem pretty similar according to online comparison charts. Does anyone have experience with both? I'd love to know how the two match up in real life.

(If this is too many questions for one post, let me know and I'll separate them.)

Thanks!

The information I've received seems to indicate that the V3i will be priced about the same as the Motorola ROKR. I haven't seen any concrete pricing yet, but that's the rumor.

-Jay

[bobolito]

If you want a small and light phone with better sound quality, faster more responsive menus and much better battery life than the RAZR at a much better price, pick the z520a. Heck! even the Bluetooth works better on the z520a than the RAZR!

I would only pick the RAZR if I cared about showing off with a "me too" attitude and had money to waste.

[Maeve]

Originally Posted by bobolito

If you want a small and light phone with better sound quality, faster more responsive menus and much better battery life than the RAZR at a much better price, pick the z520a. Heck! even the Bluetooth works better on the z520a than the RAZR!

I would only pick the RAZR if I cared about showing off with a "me too" attitude and had money to waste.

Alas, I already ordered the Razr from AAA. Their price was $60, so I figured it was a pretty good deal. If they had the z520a, I probably would have gotten it instead, but...we'll see what happens. If I don't like the phone, I could still end up with the Sony.

Re: battery life--one of the reasons I chose the Razr is that every specs chart I saw showed the Razr with a much longer battery life than the Sony. You're saying the opposite--what's the scoop there?

Thanks for all the replies!

[CWick]

Originally Posted by bobolito

If you want a small and light phone with better sound quality, faster more responsive menus and much better battery life than the RAZR at a much better price, pick the z520a. Heck! even the Bluetooth works better on the z520a than the RAZR!

I would only pick the RAZR if I cared about showing off with a "me too" attitude and had money to waste.

So...what are you trying to say???

The online price of the Z520a is not that much more then the Razr right now, so I am not sure about the money being wasted.

For me, not to mention the design of the phone, I like the compatibility with Phone Tools. I have had the V400, V551 and now Razr. It's nice not having to jump through the hoops of getting new software setup on the PC to be able to transfer ring tones, pics and more importantly my phonebook to and from the phone. Pretty much just plug and go. I got the new V3, connected it to the PC and had my phonebook loaded in about 2 mins.

I notice the menus a lot faster with the V3 then the V400 and V551.

I do agree the Z520a is worth taking a look at, it probably would have been my second choice after the Razr.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by CWick

So...what are you trying to say???

The online price of the Z520a is not that much more then the Razr right now, so I am not sure about the money being wasted.

For me, not to mention the design of the phone, I like the compatibility with Phone Tools. I have had the V400, V551 and now Razr. It's nice not having to jump through the hoops of getting new software setup on the PC to be able to transfer ring tones, pics and more importantly my phonebook to and from the phone. Pretty much just plug and go. I got the new V3, connected it to the PC and had my phonebook loaded in about 2 mins.

I notice the menus a lot faster with the V3 then the V400 and V551.

I do agree the Z520a is worth taking a look at, it probably would have been my second choice after the Razr.

Yeah, I remember when you were trying to set that software up. The drivers can be a real pain.

-Jay

[bobolito]

Originally Posted by Maeve

Re: battery life--one of the reasons I chose the Razr is that every specs chart I saw showed the Razr with a much longer battery life than the Sony. You're saying the opposite--what's the scoop there?

You'll find that the specs chart differ greatly from real life situations. The z520a claims a 12-hour talktime life. But what really matters is how often you find yourself charging the phone when used under normal conditions. Every Moto I've had has to be put on the charger EVERY single night or else on the second day I have to run for the charger before it dies in the middle of a call. So under my usage habits, every Moto lasts a maximum of 1.5 days. The z520a can easily double that if put under the same usage habits given to the Motorolas.

[Maeve]

Originally Posted by bobolito

You'll find that the specs chart differ greatly from real life situations. The z520a claims a 12-hour talktime life. But what really matters is how often you find yourself charging the phone when used under normal conditions. Every Moto I've had has to be put on the charger EVERY single night or else on the second day I have to run for the charger before it dies in the middle of a call. So under my usage habits, every Moto lasts a maximum of 1.5 days. The z520a can easily double that if put under the same usage habits given to the Motorolas.

Interesting. That's not much better than my Sprint Samsung (VGA 1000) gets now, for either phone, and I was really looking forward to a long battery life. Though, I'm guessing I use my phone a lot less than you probably do.

If I don't like the Razr, I'll definitely trade it in for the Sony, though I've no clue how that works. And do Phone Tools--which I assume are computer software to go with the phone--work on a Mac?

[Charlyee]

Even the same 2 phones does not have the same battery life sometimes. My 6682 that I got in 9/05, from Cingular, needed to be charged every 3 days, my 6682 that I got directly from Nokia in 11/05, can go for 5 days.

PS: I shut my phones off at night, so those nos. are not as spectacular as they seem.

[bobolito]

Originally Posted by Maeve

Interesting. That's not much better than my Sprint Samsung (VGA 1000) gets now, for either phone, and I was really looking forward to a long battery life. Though, I'm guessing I use my phone a lot less than you probably do.

You can say that again. With my usage, any Sprint phone would never survive 2 days.

Who knows? maybe with your usage the RAZR could go near 3 days which means the z520 could get close to a whole week!

[CWick]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Yeah, I remember when you were trying to set that software up. The drivers can be a real pain.

-Jay

For Phone Tools, I have never had much of a problem....but trying to get these seem editor utilities to work, that, I have never been able to do.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by CWick

For Phone Tools, I have never had much of a problem....but trying to get these seem editor utilities to work, that, I have never been able to do.

I'm the opposite. I've never been able to get MPT to work, but I have all of the seem editing utilities working.

-Jay

[CWick]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

I'm the opposite. I've never been able to get MPT to work, but I have all of the seem editing utilities working.

-Jay

You could try going into control panel, modems, then delete the motorola modems. Then, when you connect your phone and it goes to install the drivers, point it to use the drivers that are in the MPT directory...where you installed MPT.

MPT is really a piece of cr@p too...sometimes it takes minutes to finally connect to my phone.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by CWick

You could try going into control panel, modems, then delete the motorola modems. Then, when you connect your phone and it goes to install the drivers, point it to use the drivers that are in the MPT directory...where you installed MPT.

MPT is really a piece of cr@p too...sometimes it takes minutes to finally connect to my phone.

I've tried deleting the drivers, but it never worked. Maybe the problem is that I just didn't have the patience. I would usually give up after 20 or 30 seconds of "initializing".

-Jay

[CWick]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

I've tried deleting the drivers, but it never worked. Maybe the problem is that I just didn't have the patience. I would usually give up after 20 or 30 seconds of "initializing".

-Jay

Can you use pk2manager to move ringtones and pictures...I didn't look at it much, was just trying to get the ear piece volume bumped up.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by CWick

Can you use pk2manager to move ringtones and pictures...I didn't look at it much, was just trying to get the ear piece volume bumped up.

Yeah, I use the P2K software to transfer files between my phone and computer. When you do that you just have to remember to delete the 2 *.db files in the sounds directory then reboot the phone to use them as ringtones.

-Jay

[telecomjunkie1]

cwick & Jay or anyone

I can get the MPT to work fine but I stayed up almost all night last Friday and still couldn't get any of the MOTOMODDER tools to work. I can get P2KTools to work in AT mode but when I trk to connect on P2K Tools it won't connect to my phone. So far no luck I have just about given up.

[CWick]

Originally Posted by telecomjunkie1

cwick & Jay or anyone

I can get the MPT to work fine but I stayed up almost all night last Friday and still couldn't get any of the MOTOMODDER tools to work. I can get P2KTools to work in AT mode but when I trk to connect on P2K Tools it won't connect to my phone. So far no luck I have just about given up.

In the directory you unzipped p2kman in, there is a \docs directory. Look at the manual_eng.chm file. In there is a 'if you use Windows XP' section with some registery hacks. I had to do those hacks to get p2kman to finally see my phone.