Smartphones below par when it comes to voice calls

The PikeMaster (New user):

Well the issue of changing between 2G & 3G networks is less of an issue for those people on Telstra Next G as it seems to be usable everywhere on 3G where the old 2G network still is. Other people may have had a different experience. Mine is on a Nokia 6120 Classic on Next G.

Tin (User):

Sounds about right... Pity the GSM coverage was nothing compared to CDMA. NextG is somewhere between them.

Tin (User):

I have a feeling, as a general rule, these quality issues apply to almost every newer phone. I've seen all these sort of issues in many phones ranging from simple "calls and SMS" phones to smart phones.

I think part of the problem is a growing expectation of new features, faster internet, etc which is leading to less development time and more bugs going unnoticed.

FostWare (New user):

I would have liked to see the results for WinMo phones.

My experience is they're useless as a phone, keep it as a PDA

My BB Pearl doesn't drop calls whereas my Dopod 838Pro kept going only for 15 minute intervals.

Raindog (New user):

It's not just voice quality and ability to hold a connection where many of these phones are proving short with most handsets becoming the jacks of all trades and master of none.

Market demand must be entirely driven by the desires for bling and gadgetry over actual ergonomics and usability.

Once I could have a cradle in the car, a single click in stopped the phone from sliding around the cabin, charged the phone, and interfaced to the cars audio c/w mute. Simple convenience but the march of technology is holding no regard for ease of use.

Now instead of a simple reliable cradle I have the joy of bluetooth, that, connects 7 times out of 10 without a restart of either device technology. A later hanset offered stereo bluetooth that allowed (heaven knows who'd want it) replay of Lo-Fi audio from the phone the trade off being that top line Nokia phone no longer was capable of error free voice communication. The helpful folks at Nokia suggested I lose the universal bluetooth car kit and replace with a different other Nokia bluetooth universal car kit.

Another thing you have though for a phone heavily featuring GPS assisted navigation would be it's possible usage environment. Now it might be a way out there concept but I'd deduced that one would probably want to use such a handset in a car. Obviously Nokia had not had a similar train of thought.

Shell out a mere $70 or so and you get what Nokia laughingly and in contravention to the trade practices act, call a phone cradle. The CR-48 is a device devoid of useful features like a charge connection that can work without ugly accessory cords or a any form of antenna coupler.
But it's only after 14 days use you realise the real function of the CR-48, it's purpose is to propel the handset to random areas of the cars interior at equally random moments. And this is no fluke, the replacement CR-48 was equally adept at the task of handset launch. it heartening to know that developments and quality control of eastern European plastic manufacturing have now reached a level of QC where they can be expected to fail with a precision and repeatability unheard of in soviet times.

2G may be old hat technology but stack an ancient 5110 with car cradle an window antenna up against any of the modern marvel and it's a no brainer knowing which technology could actually hold a call on the move in fringe areas.
Why was it with ancient technology you never had to think about charging your handset but the march of progress now has you back to plug packs and lighter cords?
What happened to convenience?
Is the necessity to strategically locate plug packs or a car interior full of cords actually progress?
And why did wireless technology end up with all the wires back in the cabin of your vehicle?

My Telco sent me a new handset a few weeks ago (Nokia 5800), that is surprisingly now able to undertake an actual voice call via a genuine Nokia car kit without sounding like you in a drain, so there has been some progress. And while the touch screen and gadgetry all seem to work reasonably well you still have to wonder whether a GPS phone stuffed in a cup holder charged via a lighter cord, and featuring that same 7 out of 10 bluetooth is actually progress. A touch screen that refuses input in bright sunlight is a unique new feature too.

While I've been critical of Nokia here, experience with some blackberries and a bunch of other brands proves the Finns are not alone in the below par department. (And you Scandinavian bastards owe me big time a couple of your joke CR-48 cradles.)

Surely with all the development going into mobile handsets some consideration could be given to compatibility, usability and reliability of the products.

A box of gadgets may be cool but a box of gadgets that performed all its basic functions well is still a holy grail.

Is it that hard to build handsets and accessories that just work? it must be, because no-one is building them. Those of us that spend a good part of their working day using cell phones could sure do with some attentions being paid to voice, charge and connection functionality.

Aubrey (New user):

I'm glad APC issue has (finally!) raised this issue. Look back through all the smartphone reviews in magazines or online and the one thing the reviewers consistently ignore is voice capability. You would think that the "..phone" in the name of the device would alert people to one of the main features these machines are supposed to provide. Instead we often get several paras on the pros and cons of different picture galleries or versions of the snake game.

I blame Angus Kidman myself - but that is my position on most things now, including the quality of the donuts in my local cafe.

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Aubrey:
I blame Angus Kidman myself

Does he do work for Nokia too?

The Big Baboo (New user):

Quoting Raindog:
Does he do work for Nokia too?
Sssssh don't tell anyone "Raindog" but he's actually and I've heard this straight from the horses mouth "NICOLE'S DAD"