MolecularMan14

This note is as much for helping me organize my thoughts as it is for you helping me form a decision.

The question regards what model smartphone should replace my current (admittedly basic) phone, and as I see it, I have two very good options from my carrier (Verizon Wireless): The LG Voyager and the Samsung SCH-i760. I am looking to consolidate my gadgets in an attempt to preserve crucial pocket space. Currently, I've got my Zire 71 Palm Pilot, my cell, and my iPod; as I see it, my best option is to replace both my cell and Zire 71 with a smartphone, rather than replace my iPod and cell with a multimedia phone (as none can offer me the kind of memory capacity that my iPod can). See ("Organization") below for some of the functions I need my new phone to fulfill.

The i760 got my pants all tight back when I had first heard about it, but after months of waiting for news of its production, I had basically given up hope, until, that is, recently.

I heard about the LG Voyager only a few weeks ago and thought I had found a good alternative, but I'm still not sure about the organizational capabilities it offers, so I'm looking for some input. Obviously it's a cool phone, but I need more than cool, I need efficient connectivity, speed, and a lot of features.

Both phones are now available and price really isn't a huge consideration, so it comes down to compatibility and features.

Here's what I want:

• Good call quality. A good volume range so when I go deaf, I won't have to ask people to yell. Speaker phone has also proven useful in the past, so it's something I'd like to continue to have.
   
  
• Good battery life. I probably won't be taking it anywhere for too long without a charger, but it should last me at least a weekend without power.
   
  
• A decent camera. I like to take pictures of things; silly things, artsy things, cool things, inspiring things, naked women (just kidding. maybe.)
   
  
• Connectivity. Of course I need text-messaging, but that's no problem with either of them. What I do appreciate is Wi-Fi and Internet Browsing (including Email); the more connected I can be, the better. GPS is interesting, but not necessary, as most places I'll find myself lost, I can just as well ask somebody where something is.
   
  
• Organization. I'm looking to replace my Zire 71 Palm Pilot. It's sweet, but old and glitchy. I need something that can act as my assignment tracker, day planner, notepad, voice-memo recorder, calculator, and media player comes last.
   
  
• Expandability. Both phones have options for expanded memory (in the form of Micro-SD, meaning I can stick up to 8 gigs in either for whatever I desire), but the i760 works on Windows Mobile 6 while the Voyager has its own operating interface, which I'm not very experienced with when it comes to recording, exporting, importing, or playing media, neither am I entirely certain whether Windows Mobile 6 has all the capabilities of Windows XP, in terms of executing software.
   
  
• Compatibility. I want harmonics when it comes to communication. I really don't need to be tied up with issues of incompatible hardware, software or firmware. I work with Windows XP, and it's served me well. I want my phone and my computer to be able to communicate without snags, something that I'm betting I'll have an easier time with if I choose the i760 (being that it runs a version of Windows Mobile). For things like syncing my assignment and event planner, Email contacts, To-Do lists, Voice memos, I'm going to need phone and computer to work together seamlessly.
  

A preemptive 'Thanks' to everyone who helps me to mull this one over.

What if avian flu is sick of all the hype and goes away?

Then I've got nothing to do with all these trendy face-masks

What if you fell in love with your best friend's girlfriend (or boyfriend...since we're making this hypothetical, and I dont like to exclude) which isnt exactly what you wanted, but it happened just the same, and now she's broken up with him (...or her, your pick) because she (...or he...) doesn't know who she (...or he....) loves anymore?

I wouldnt say that it's an MMORPG (Massively Mulitplayer Online Role Play Game) just yet, because it's still being developed, but to me, that's one of the greatest parts, because you have a chance to play a part in the development of the game, and help shape it into a better game for everyone.

The name of the game is Galactic Horde (...not the best title if you ask me...) and it's developed primarily by Melodank Productions (who also produce at least one band: Coriander)

On the Homepage (http://www.galactic-horde.com/) there are links pertaining to the backstory of GH and the manual, which is very useful to new members.

There are forums along with the game, to give another element of Role Play to the game, as well as an area to place feedback (especially suggestions) to the creators.

It is free to everyone, but there is an option to pay for a membership, which gives you access to greater power for your ship (which is referred to as an SF, and is basically your own space-station) and the ability to travel to new galaxies and fight new enemies (I have a feeling that the game is about to get very interesting in the next few weeks; Im expecting something rather large to happen soon)

I posted about it here, because I dont want this to be considered spam or anything, but it truly is a great game, and I think that the more people there are in it, the better it will get.

At any rate, I'd like to invite everyone to the game, if only just to get a feel for it (I'm somewhat addicted to it though)

Im doing a bit of research on lunar landscape, and I was wondering if anyone had access to a good lunar map, specifically displaying the lunar far side ("dark side" of the moon), and more specifically with labels for named locations?

As always, all help is appreciated.

Thanks

I would appoint 10 very intelligent people to a think tank to come up with a democratic system of government. I would stress individual freedom and small, efficient government.

...just 10? Why, some kind of intelligence cap in your nation?

In regards to the topic, Im still thinking on that; might post later

Yarr, I don' need a special day to talk like I do! This be my speech year 'round!

...I study the periodic table for fun...

for FUN!?!?!!?

I have a word of caution to throw out here. These things were a great idea back when processors cranked out a dozen watts or so. But today's chips can easily crank out ten times that amount. With the rising price of energy you really have to pause and think about that electrical bill. A lot of folks don't realize how much power these newer CPUs actually consume. Would you be surprised if I told you that it's possible to spend $300+ per year on Folding without even realizing it?

This corresponds with your other point down below, and its a good one, but if you consider how often (say at work) you turn your attention away from your monitor and it goes to a screensaver. The juice would only be used for that often (unless of course you're doing it competitively like some organizations do). I dont mean for this to be competitive, just something to help the greater good on a daily basis

I don't mean to be a downer, but do you really want to spend $20-30/month helping some scientist score a Nobel Prize, for which you get nothing?

I doubt very much that someone will get a prize for the work that distributive computing has done, other than for the work they did in the organization and programming of it. Just the same, if it were to happen, more power to them - I dont mind if my name isnt mentioned in the credits of their speech or not; knowing that I made a difference (even as much as one work unit) satisfies me

I think the problem is that people see their computers as "sitting idle", and think that they're contributing something that they're not using. The computer is going to run its cycles anyway, so you might as well "donate" those "free cycles" to a worthy cause, right? But computers just don't work that way. When the CPU is idle it's not really using any power. Doing work consumes power. And you have to pay for that power.

I know what you mean, but if people use it as I do (I assume this is how most people use it), just as a screensaver and even then, only on occasion, you really do limit the juice you're consuming (plus Im working on supplementing my home power with off-grid juice - hooray solar pannels - something I suggest to everyone if they've got the means)

But hey, if that's what folks want to do, more power to 'em. It sounds like fun and I hope you get a lot of participation. I just think people need to remember the old TANSTAAFL rule. (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.)

lol, like I said, I dont mean for it to be competitive ("w00t, we're the number something or another team in the world!!1!1oneone..." - though people are free do participate as such). I figure that as this is a forum concerning all things scientific, that we might as well be part of a larget project.

clue me in...whats "folding"? You mean like origami? The links either don't work or lead me to this very thread. Is it some physics thing?

lol, no, not like oragami. I cant explain it as well as the Folding@Home site, but it concerns Protein Folding

All the same, I encourage anyone interested to participate, even if a little.

It's good to see at least a few more people joining. I'm not very active on the forums anymore, but I still use my computing programs often

Just trying to get the word out; all for good

Hey this is great thanks. I never seem to find these good science downloads.

Just gotta do a little digging

(sry to bump it, but its been a while since I was here last, and I was just checking what had been replied to)

Talk about a difference:

On one of my systems, Ive got 56k Dial-Up (Trying desperately to get my mom to switch to cable)

On two of my other systems, Ive got T3

And on one of my other other systems, ive got fiber opitics (pretty neat actually, but we had to wait about a month before they installed it to our local area.)

I don't think you understand how search engines work. I own an online marketing company' date=' so I know all about them. When you type in something like Bush Eats Children the search engine shows all the results for "Bush", "Eats", and "Children". As you an imagine, the results for all those keywords combined is very massive.

 

However, if you type "Bush Eats Children" in quotation marks, it searches for the whole phrase. Only 32 web sites come up. I think that is a big difference.

 

If you type, "Gettysburg Ghost" in quotation marks, you get over 2,000 web sites with that exact phrase. There is a big difference between 32 and 2,000 web sites.[/quote']

Would you like to hear me call myself an novice to google (dont ask me to do that, I dont like lying), or shall I explain how jokes work?...It's somewhere along the lines of poking fun at pseudoscience, so take your pick, because whether it's posted on the internet or not, Im still laughing

 

"Bill Gates Is Satan" - 3,980...does that make it true? When searching for crap, expect to find crap. Hell, there are even tours to point out crap and make money off of it. When I searched "Gettysburg Ghost" I found loads of tours for crap...more crap....and more stories about crap, but I did get to see some good pictures of crap on peoples' personal websites

 

Bring me a picture of you playing cards with Einstein, Jesus, and William Wallace, and you will have me, and much of the scientific community at a loss for what to say about ghosts. Short of that, no one is that affected by pictures of, to put it in swansont's words, light reflecting off stuff.

"Bush Eats Children".......ready for this?...2,810,000....

I mean come on people, Mike Tyson eating children only gets 92,300!

When I was in Gettysburg for a few days' date=' I noticed that there was a tremendous number of ghost tours and such. The tourist industry noticed a few occurences and then capitalized on it, overhyping everything. They turn every little occurence into some big ghost story, so the tourists will be willing to pay a few bucks.

 

I have to ask: if Gettysburg is so bad, why do we never hear about Antietam or any other battlefield? Or even a WWI or WWII battlefield in France or Germany?[/quote']

Maybe we should blame gravity...

never heard that before. nuke to take out a bridge...kinda overkill, eh?

:-D

Taking out the fly with the bazooka

lol.

Not really a consipiracy but I just always loved how they claimed that the nukes were for the purpose of taking out Japanese bridges :-D

there are hotdogs in packs of ten and buns in packs of 8 as well.

Dirty bastards....that's low!

Hotdogs come in packs on 8....hotdog buns come in packs of 10....those dirty low bastards...

[Edit]-It's no theory, it's true, but I love to see my friends rant and rave over constructing conspiracies over nothing but hotdogs.

There's a story behind the conclusion above. My friends and I were over at another friend of mine's house, grilling hotdogs. When we found ourselves with more buns than we knew what to do with, one of my friends came to the conclusion (he's a tad slow ) that there were more buns in a package than hotdogs!

Me:"ok...sorry man..."

Friend 1 (Im keeping their names secret because if they see this, they might not forgive me for calling them stupid...they're also over sensitive ): "Seriously man, they must have planned it that way!

Me: "So? It's a way to make money from people who have the buns but not the stuff to fill it."

Friend 2: "Well, we've got the stuff to fill it, just not recommended stuff." *takes up a pickle and places it in a bun*

Me: "Creative. How's it taste?"

Friend 2: "Needs mustard"

Friend 1: "Im on it!" Goes to kitchen and from the window connecting the kitchen to the porch, projects mustard all over the table. "So the companies are just out to screw us? God, I love this country."

Me: "Who said anything about the companies that make the hotdogs and hotdog accessories? I'm blaming the aliens!"

Friend 2: "Either them or the south..."

Me: "Dag yo" (inside joke, if you get it, then Im sorry...)

Friend 1: "So the aliens convinced the companies to make them that way?"

Me: "Nope, didnt convince them...MiNd CoNtRoL!!

Friend 2: "They speak through the hotdogs...tell you to do things...to burn things..."

Me: "No, wait, we're talking about how the aliens are controlling the hotdog nazis to make their packaging incosistant...hotdogs havnt spoken to me for some time, and even then, I doubt it was aliens..."

Friend 2: "Wait..." Long silence

Me: "yeeeeeess??"

Friend 2: "Now Im confused."

Friend 1: "As it should be, as it should be."

Me: "I concur!" *raises a bottle of soda*

And Nobody can prove otherwise.

Would you mind inviting me to your funeral? I'll take pictures, even have it analyzed by the world's greatest scientists and send the results over to you right away

What makes you think they were misinterpreting their experiences?

Because when I see a strange shadow, or a lense flare, or get spewed back to the Jurassic era via a library elevator, I dont consider it worthy of crawling to the internet with

It was a school building that was built before the Civil War. I guess they made renovations and added an elevator. There must have been stairs going to the basement in the Civil War times. I never went into the building' date=' so I don't know for sure.

 

One thing that is known as a historic fact is that the building was used as a hospital during the Civil War.[/quote']

And do you suppose that they were invisible too? Or would those from the civil war era be accustomed to regular time travelers, just passing through?...

sorry, I take that back; as I heading into the elevator to get down to the second story of the library (as that's where all the fiction bunk is located), I took a deep breath, pressed the button and when the doors opened...dumb dumb dumb...I WAS IN THE JURASSIC ERA!

Luckily, Im used to this kind of thing...it happens now and again

! ? ![/size']

Second that motion

Could always go for the bath option

Best wishes to our British friends here on the board. After such a happy day yesterday, to have this happen, must be devastating. I'm so sorry for you guys, and I hope you and yours are all well.

Couldn't have said it better

*raises a middle finger to PETA*