HTC Trophy with Windows Phone 7 from Verizon
Goals

Content of Page.

Goals

This pocket computer is for Alice, and her issues control the goals here, not jimc's geekazoid values.

Terminology: it is clear to to both of us that the pocket computer's roles include voice chat, as well as many others. Calling it a moblie phone overemphasizes voice chat.

Operating System

Ben is working on Windows Phone 7. A major issue in this phone selection is to support Ben. Thus other operating systems will not be considered.

Home Network

We have an extensive home network, and it's a constant source of frustration to both Alice and Jim that Alice has to ask Jim to control it; the item that comes up daily is music. The phone must be able to take its place on the home network, similar to Jim's G1.

Voice Chat

Making voice phone calls is an important activity. Emergency communication is rare but very imortant. Many calls are short but some callers can talk for an hour or more.

Additional Activities

• Bible reading application in Chinese, so Alice doesn't have to carry the heavy print bible in church.

• Listen to (classical) music, copied to the phone, when walking for exercise outside the house. Podcasts (voice files) are also a possibility. None of the audio files come from a commercial source.

• Bing or Google Maps for navigation in the car.

• Replace the paper address book in a form that can be backed up and printed, and which is always with Alice.

• SMS (text message) and/or XMPP. Alice avoids using the SMS feature of her existing phone because it's difficult, but likely we can make this feature useful. We have a private XMPP server which we use extensively and we would like the pocket computer to be able to participate.

• MythTV remote control. The present infrared remote is satisfactory, but using the pocket computer for this role could be useful.

Modulation Redundancy

Jim's G1 uses GSM modulation. There are significant areas where we travel that have no GSM service, e.g. Victoria, Canada. We would like the pocket computer to be able to do CDMA modulation. 3G speed (or even 4G) is not a major issue.

Carrier Profit Maximization

Alice will never come close to using up her allotment of airtime and data. We want to minimize paying for services we will not use.

Carrier Loyalty

We currently use Verizon. Carriers are all weasels, but we have found that Verizon is less weaselly than the others, and would prefer to stay with them if other factors do not supervene.