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Just a Phone?

Posted by timothy on from the reversing-bloat dept.

LiquidCoooled writes "Vodafone in the UK have released a mobile phone which caters to those people craving a simple handset. For far too long we have been overpowered by extras we don't need; this looks to be a very nice solution. These phones feature a large format screen and buttons and a simple interface making this phone more accessible to a larger audience." I'd sure prefer better sound and simpler menus to the useless camera and gimmicks built into my current phone.

9 of 357 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Speed up the interface a bit! by Montag2k · · Score: 2, Informative
    "While I'm at it, am I the only one who wishes that directory enquiries could beam a number to your phone in a specific format, so that you could just call by viewing the text message and using a "convert to number" type option (in the UK we do get a text message, but it's a case of reading the message, remembering the number, backing out back to the main interface and typing it in)? Maybe other countries do this?"

    This is a feature of an individual phone's OS. Here in the US, Verizon will send you a text message after a directory enquiry. My phone - a rather humble LG - will parse through every text message and ask me if I want to save the number into my phone book or dial it.

    -Montag
  2. Re:Speed up the interface a bit! by JimmehAH · · Score: 2, Informative

    When I want to get a phone number out of a text on my Nokia I open the message then go to Options, select Use Detail and then Phone number.

    There are also options for email and web addresses.

    Though I bought the phone in India I imagine the software is pretty much the same as it is back home.

  3. Re:Price? by Dougy · · Score: 2, Informative
    yes but you can buy an older phone for much less than £80 with a basic interface - and they're usually more reliable too - I was questioning why I would pay £80 when something that does the same thing can be had for far less -

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000816MD K/qid=1116699557/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_3_1/026-1337833-4 985209

    £20 for a basic phone. Why pay £80?

  4. Similar phone very popular in Japan by JaF893 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Kyocera released the Tu-kaSa very simple phone in Japan and it proved to be very successful. But the thing I find strange about this story is that Vodafone are basically selling a phone with features equivalent to a nokia 3310 for £80! You can get a NEW pay as you go phone on Amazon.co.uk for £20.

    Why would anyone buy the £80 phone from Vodafone?

  5. Re:it's simple, but... by MoonBuggy · · Score: 2, Informative

    I agree, and WTF is up with a battery sucking colour screen on a "basic" phone that doesn't take pictures or recieve media messages - what the hell do they expect it to be useful for?

    I really don't get why people are always bitching about the lack of basic phones anyway. You want basic, you can buy a brand new, SIM free Nokia 1100 for less than £30 (below half the price of this new one from Voda, and in my experience Sagems are shit anyway although that's just personal preference). Alternatively, buy any other older model phone from eBay - they're not expensive.

  6. I have an LG series by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 2, Informative

    There are buttons along the side of the phone that cancel the call. You go and grab the phone to answer it and sometimes you cancel the call. Good phone otherwise.

    --
    God spoke to me.
  7. Re:Speed up the interface a bit! by Badfysh · · Score: 2, Informative
    so that you could just call by viewing the text message and using a "convert to number" type option

    Actually my Sony Ericsson T610 does that, it highlights numbers in text messages and you can press 'call number'. In any case, I don't know why Directory Enquiries can't just send you a business card instead of a text, then anybody could just press the call button to dial or save the number directly to their phonebook.

    --

    I was conned by an old man in a cloak. It turns out those *were* the droids I was looking for.

  8. Re:single button for emergencies..... by philml · · Score: 2, Informative

    Dialing emergency numbers through keylock is part of the GSM spec (at least for 118).

    Sounds sensible to me, I mean it's a fiddle turning off keylock and a phone that's new to you. What's stupid though is when a phone doesn't reset the memory when you press a non-emergency number digit, i.e. it registers 1xx1xx8 as dialing emergency services.

  9. Re:Please stop the madness by arodland · · Score: 2, Informative

    "On the way out" as in, the service is disappearing and won't exist for all that much longer :)