Post: #1

Thought id drop a technical breakdown on a great phone for worldwide use.

First let me say that I have done a shit-ton of research on this since I am getting close to doing some long term globe trotting and need a reliable/cheap/versatile long term phone solution. I have looked at a number of phones pros/cons and this is the best I have found after a long look at the iPhone4. Hopefully this help anyone looking to get a world cell in the next 6 or so months, but this goes way beyond choosing a cell.

Here is the best:

Droid 2 Global

+ Fastest processor in any phone available today (1.2 Ghz)
+ Quadband GSM (works in over 200 countries and has SIM slot 850/900/1800/1900MHz - CDMA EVDO rev A)
+ Slide–Out QWERTY Keyboard
+ 5.0MP camera
+ DVD Video capture
+ 8GB pre–installed microSD card (expandable to 32GB) & 8GB Internal memory
+ BLUETOOTH v2.
+ Android 2.2 OS (freedom to install any app and not be Apples byach)
+ WiFi 802.11 b/g/n capable
+ 3G Mobile Hotspot with support for up to 5 Devices
+ Weighs 6.1 oz



Here is where it gets interesting.



This is a Ooma Telo VOIP phone.
http://www.ooma.com/
http://tinyurl.com/4gs2jt6

Basically for a one time fee of $250 (+tax each month $3.14) I get 5000 minutes of free calls within or to the USA each month. This hub hooks into any router and connects to Ooma's servers in the USA (using any regular cordless phone), so it doesent matter what country you are calling from, Ooma considers you to be in the USA when placing the call. But lets say you dont have a long term location locked down and dont want to haul this in your luggage along with a standard cordeless phone (I have AT&T Dect 6.0 BTW that I plug into this at the house)

Here is the icing on the cake:



This is the Ooma mobile app. It works for iPhone or Android. What is does is allow you to make VOIP calls on your cell phone over a wireless connection. So basically anywhere I can connect to wireless I have phone access through this app.

If you have a premeire plan with Ooma ($10 a month I think that gives you a bunch of other features) they give you 250 free minutes of mobile and for $5 more each month you get an additional 750 minutes. Since I have the premiere account already, this is basically 1000 minutes of calling to any phone in the USA for $5. This app also has HD voice technology so the calls sound pretty good.

Sprinkles on top of the icing:



Ooma allows you to port your phone number to them from your current carrier and also give you another number for a free additional line if someone else is using the phone and you need to make a call, but what about hooking up your cash cow location independent business number? For this I am using Google Voice: http://www.voice.google.com

Along with GV integration for Ooma, I can separate my personal phone from my business phone numbers. To do this just setup a voice account and add your corporate greeting. Here you can also allow it to forward calls to your Ooma, or allow it to ring a few and go to VM without interruption while you dig out that Filipino.

Droid 2 + Ooma + Mobile App + Google Voice = cheap ass calls

**Side note. You cannot use this as a cell phone in the USA unless you use Verizon. Even if you dont plan on using this in the USA you need to get Verizon to unlock the GSM so you can toss SIMS in there. I got my Droid 2 on Ebay unlocked, new, global ready for $450.

Kick me a reputation point if you like this research!

Post: #2

Your solution has a problem: you won't have a local number to the countries you go to. No girl is going to text or call your u.s. number, and how often are you going to be calling back to the states anyway? From a pimpin' standpoint, you might as well not even have a phone.

Better, cheaper, more versatile solution: cheap unlocked phone + laptop with skype. Buy SIM cards from the countries you go to. I use this phone: http://amzn.to/gX0eSR

Post: #3

This phone can take any SIM so If I need a local cell it not an issue, but I can still keep my calls next to nothing to the USA and run my business.

Post: #4

what does the G Manifesto use to collect numbers and dial up girls? I read international playa and thought of the G.

Post: #5

(02-01-2011 10:51 PM)Roosh Wrote:  Your solution has a problem: you won't have a local number to the countries you go to. No girl is going to text or call your u.s. number, and how often are you going to be calling back to the states anyway? From a pimpin' standpoint, you might as well not even have a phone.

Better, cheaper, more versatile solution: cheap unlocked phone + laptop with skype. Buy SIM cards from the countries you go to. I use this phone: http://amzn.to/gX0eSR

True, using a cheap phone is a much better idea. I'd get a cheap android unlocked phone and save my contacts to my google account. That means I wouldn't lose contacts if I lose the phone.

Post: #6

(02-01-2011 10:59 PM)truedat Wrote:  This phone can take any SIM so If I need a local cell it not an issue, but I can still keep my calls next to nothing to the USA and run my business.

My bad... when I saw it was sold through Verizon Wireless I assumed no SIM. But then how to non-Verizon customers get this phone without being locked into a contract?

Post: #7

I had to snag this off of Ebay (do not try to buy this from Verizon if you have not had an account there for at least 6 months as they will not unlock the GSM). Considering it was a chunk of cash I just picked a seller who had a least a couple hundred good reviews for cell phone sales. I also read the reviews and most were about how the phone worked perfectly and that is was jailbroken just fine/GSM worked just fine outside of the USA etc.

I dont think this phone is for everyone, but if you need to call the USA daily/semi daily for business, want to store a shit ton of songs (35GB worth), and have a 5MP camera all in 1, its worth it when you add it all up.

Post: #8

Quote:Considering it was a chunk of cash

I'm guessing $700-1000 ?

Post: #9

It ran me $450 which was not bad considering that an iphone 4 is about $650 and and ipod touch 32GB is running almost $400. If anyone wants to know the seller I used PM me.

Post: #10

Yeah i agree with roosh, the best option is to have skype and then buy the national sim card from the card you are in.

Post: #11

Just curious as to where you're getting your figures for the Apple products. A brand new 32GB iPhone4 is only $299 from the manufacturer and you can find a variety of electronics stores that will unlock them for you on the cheap. I respect the specs of the Droid, but in terms of ease of use and as a multipurpose device I haven't found anything that can top Mr. Jobs' product.

Post: #12

Unlocked iPhone 4 is $659 (16 GB) or $779 (32 GB). This is in Canadian dollars which is pretty close to USD's from the Apple Canada store. Basically if you want the 1 year warranty and dont want a US cell plan this is the route you have to go.

http://tinyurl.com/3az4h6s

The iphone4 is a bad ass phone, dont get me wrong, but the Droid is cheaper. PC world breaks them down here:

http://tinyurl.com/2ecwbpc

Post: #13

(02-02-2011 09:05 PM)Silent Knight Wrote:  Just curious as to where you're getting your figures for the Apple products. A brand new 32GB iPhone4 is only $299 from the manufacturer

With a two-year AT&T contract?

Quote:and you can find a variety of electronics stores that will unlock them for you on the cheap.

Been there, seen that. It is constant pain in the ass to keep up with updates and maintain the unlock, and if you don't keep up, most new apps won't get installed claiming they require a newer version.

There are also a lot of really weird restrictions. For any Android phone you can connect it to your machine and copy music/movies/books like regular USB drive. For iPhone - no, you need to use iTunes which is the gayest piece of crap I've ever seen. Apple's AppStore software restrictions are even more weird - for example, they do not accept e-mail clients, music players, web browsers as they apparently "duplicate existing functionality". There are no even freaking skins unless you jailbreak your phone. For Android phone you can get new keyboards, launchers, home widgets, SMS clients right from Market.

Not to mention in my opinion iPhone4 looks very gay.

Post: #14

truedat - Cool that you posted this, I am going to have my IT guy look into it.

raliv - "what does the G Manifesto use to collect numbers and dial up girls? I read international playa and thought of the G."

It is well documented that "tech Game" and technology are my glaring weakness. Try to explain this stuff to me and my ears automatically shut off.

That's why I keep an IT guy on my payroll.

roosh - "how often are you going to be calling back to the states anyway?"

It all depends. Some of us need to keep money moving on the streets of The US while we are away living the life others only dream about.

I am one of them.

Post: #15

i dont know how well it works internationally but one thing i'd advise getting is a google phone number. you can set it up so that calls to that number ring thru anywhere you program it. and it makes it very easy to block someone if you dont want to hear from them.

Post: #16

(02-02-2011 10:28 PM)truedat Wrote:  Unlocked iPhone 4 is $659 (16 GB) or $779 (32 GB). This is in Canadian dollars which is pretty close to USD's from the Apple Canada store. Basically if you want the 1 year warranty and dont want a US cell plan this is the route you have to go.

http://tinyurl.com/3az4h6s

The iphone4 is a bad ass phone, dont get me wrong, but the Droid is cheaper. PC world breaks them down here:

http://tinyurl.com/2ecwbpc

I'm in the market for a new phone, still running off a Razr which keeps turning on and off in the morning. I am thinking of maybe getting the iphone since I live in Toronto, Canada and the choices are a bit limited. My fam in the US are using the HTC Evo which runs off of Android OS. What would your suggestion be for a new phone. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg and ideally I would like to use something that I can possibly use to tether the internet to my laptop so I can cancel my home internet service.

Suggestions please.

Thank you.

Post: #17

I use an unlocked AND jailbroken Iphone 4. This gives me the ability to install any app I want w/o being apples Bee-yoch.

Now, essentially, you can use skype or Truphone (truphone.com) on your iphone 4 using a local 3G data plan of the country you are visiting.

Here is the cool part. You can get a VPN on your iphone 4 so that Skype thinks it's in AMERICA, and it does not charge you per minute phone calls because you are outside USA.

However, truphone does not care where you are at, a monthly subscription gets you VOIP calls on your local cell phone regardless of where in the world you are.

You can even use a VPN on your laptop to stream Netflix movies while overseas because it will give you a USA (or UK if you choose) IP address that you choose. To Skype, you never left america.

So, with that set-up, I get it all. Unlimited calls to/from USA, A local sim card for girls to call/text me, and I never left home because my Miami AT&T number is forwarded to my skype number which sends the call to my GSM operator in <insert country you are visiting>.

Here is my set-up:

1. strongvpn.com to tell skype you are in America always. cab be used on mobile or latop.

** A premium account cost 60USD per year! Beats that 250USD prioce tag mentioned above.


2. Truphone. I cannot say enough good things about truphone, these guys rule! truphone.com


3. I only payed 300USD for my brand new unlocked and jailbroken iphone 4 (32GB).

Total cost. About 60USD per year fro VPN, and a Skype subscrition plan for unlimited USA.

All for less than 100USD per year.


Mixx

Post: #18

Damn Mixx you only paid $300? Do you have a hookup on that? I would love to buy some of those in bulk and flip them in Brasil. Good advice on the VPN...I love Pandora and I really miss it when I'm abroad so that would be golden to have so my IP address will still be based in the USA.

Post: #19

(02-09-2011 09:55 AM)InternationalSwagger Wrote:  Damn Mixx you only paid $300? Do you have a hookup on that? I would love to buy some of those in bulk and flip them in Brasil. Good advice on the VPN...I love Pandora and I really miss it when I'm abroad so that would be golden to have so my IP address will still be based in the USA.

Yeah, Pandora is something I listen to no matter what country in the world I am. It's cool to launch Pandora, Nextflix, and other US only apps from foreign countries. Skype charges you per minute rates when abroad even if you have an unlimited USA calling plan! Not with VPN!

You want something else that is really cool since you love Pandora? What if I told you that you can record in CD Quality MP3's, any song you hear on Pandora AS IT IS PLAYING on Pandora!! You can then transfer/copy/e-mail this MP3 to any device that plays MP3s?

Wait!! it's ALL 100% LEGAL!!!!

Interested?

I get lots of songs I like this way without having to pay for it.


The iphone 4 I purchased directly from At&T with a contract plan, and then I unlocked and jailbroke it myself to use with any sim carrier worldwide and install any application I want. Which is why I paid the 300USD for it. Believe me, I'd love to flip them in Brazil too! Unlocked/Jailbroken Iphone 4s can go for a cool grand down there.

Mixx

Post: #20

I keep hearing good things about the iphone. No takes on any android based phones then? I will call fido by the weekend.

Post: #21

(02-09-2011 03:14 PM)Moma Wrote:  I keep hearing good things about the iphone. No takes on any android based phones then? I will call fido by the weekend.

I've the Samsung Galaxy S. Its the T-mobile version. Its a really great phone and I bought it unlocked and jailbroken. I'm using a Rogers SIM on it right now because our Rogers contract will keep going for 2 years. I highly suggest you don't get a 3 year contract with any of the providers. Just pay for the phone upfront. We have two phones on the Rogers account and I'll probably get a Wind account for my phone because my dad is getting a new phone and I'll put the Rogers sim card into that.

Mixx, so does StrongVPn also work on making Truphone think that you are in the United States?
Thats some solid data on phones. I'm checking out Truphone, StrongVpn, and Skype for android right now. StrongVpn sounds really awesome.

Post: #22

(02-09-2011 04:18 PM)torontokid Wrote:  ]

I've the Samsung Galaxy S. Its the T-mobile version. Its a really great phone and I bought it unlocked and jailbroken. I'm using a Rogers SIM on it right now because our Rogers contract will keep going for 2 years. I highly suggest you don't get a 3 year contract with any of the providers. Just pay for the phone upfront. We have two phones on the Rogers account and I'll probably get a Wind account for my phone because my dad is getting a new phone and I'll put the Rogers sim card into that.

Why not get a 3 year contract? I like my company anyway and I don't see any other that comes close. My plan is great.
Please advise.

Post: #23

(02-09-2011 04:18 PM)torontokid Wrote:  Mixx, so does StrongVPn also work on making Truphone think that you are in the United States?
Thats some solid data on phones. I'm checking out Truphone, StrongVpn, and Skype for android right now. StrongVpn sounds really awesome.

Yes, but it does not matter. Truphone does not care that you are outside USA. Rates do not change no matter where you are. Your monthly plan is all you pay. Be it you are in Japan, Argentina, France or in Miami - does not matter.

I really hate that about Skype, and of course, they do not say anything about it, until you find yourself in a country outside US borders, and see your credits going down fast to calls back home even though you have their unlimited USA plan! wtf!

Mixx

Post: #24

(02-09-2011 04:34 PM)Moma Wrote:  

(02-09-2011 04:18 PM)torontokid Wrote:  ]

I've the Samsung Galaxy S. Its the T-mobile version. Its a really great phone and I bought it unlocked and jailbroken. I'm using a Rogers SIM on it right now because our Rogers contract will keep going for 2 years. I highly suggest you don't get a 3 year contract with any of the providers. Just pay for the phone upfront. We have two phones on the Rogers account and I'll probably get a Wind account for my phone because my dad is getting a new phone and I'll put the Rogers sim card into that.

Why not get a 3 year contract? I like my company anyway and I don't see any other that comes close. My plan is great.
Please advise.

A 3 year contract means you don't have any flexibility and the major companies usually charge too much. I prefer to have cell phone services that I can cancel whenever I want. WIND mobile is cheaper too and a better solution if you live in Toronto. Since they go month by month you can cancel if you are going abroad for a few months. I checked out Fido's rates ands it 80 dollars a month for 500 minutes and a gig of data. Thats a lot and you can't cancel it anytime you want. At least Fido gives you voice mail and caller id, Rogers makes you pay 7 dollars for each of those features and then adds in a system access fee on top. I still wouldn't recommend a 3 year contract though especially if you travel for more than a few months a year.

They almost always have offers going on so even if you do cancel your account for 3-4 months you'll come back and find another offer.

http://www.windmobile.ca/

Post: #25

Mixx, do you have the Tru sim card or just the app?