MDA Vario II / SPV M3100

[Chris Hunter <cjhunter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

'see there's a review comparing the T-Mobile MDA Vario II (=3D Orange=20=20
SPV M3100 =3D O2 XDA Trion =3D Vodafone VPA Compact III) & Nokia E61
&=20=20
Blackberry 8100 in the January MacWorld ... they liked the '8100=20=20
best, but none of them offers everything so what suits best must=20=20
depend on what features are most wanted !

We're about to take the plunge and, 'though it's difficult to=20=20
understand the ins & outs of all the offerings, at this moment it=20=20
looks like we'll go for an Orange package - two SPV M3100s plus=20=20
Broadband Unlimited plus Unique - which, assuming they will actually=20=20
all work together, should give us two mobile video'phones with 100+=20=20
minutes & 50 texts per month & e-mail & browsing on each,
two=20=20
wireless land-line 'phones with unlimited landline &
international=20=20
'calls & Orange, and up to 8 Meg broadband for the computer with=20=20
unlimited downloads (fair-usage) ... all for =A355 per month (plus BT=20=20
line rental, I imagine) ... the two 'phones would normally be charged=20=20
at =A350 each, but there seems to be some sort of trade-in deal which=20=20
will more than cover that ... all of which seems to be something of a=20=20
bargain - ie: loads more functionality, for less than we pay now (for=20=20
all our 'calls on two ancient Vodafones & BT Highway's two analogue
&=20=20
two ISDN lines) ... ie: I've probably misconstrued something, missed=20=20
the small print, or just plain underestimated how many inclusive=20=20
minutes we'll need !   Maybe it'll all look different in the=20=20
morning !   Not sure I've got the USB & Bluetooth & WiFi issues
clear=20=20
yet !

BTW, has anyone tried using the video camera between two 'Vario=20=20
IIs ?   How well does it work ?

And - 'probably one for Ho Yin - 'wonder how well the Vario II works=20=20
with a 'Mac set-up (iSync, perhaps via Missing Sync) ?

And ... has anyone tried Missing Sync to link with a Palm PDA, too ?

I was inclined to stay with Vodafone, but they said their packages=20=20
would not be available until mid-January (maybe I should wait &=20=20
see).   I was tempted to go with T-Mobile, their broadband via=20=20
mobile'phones deal seems better, as do their options for linking of=20=20
mobile's to laptops, but their coverage seems less good.   I wasn't=20=20
sure about O2 & BT - they've asked my to 'call them freephone, to=20=20
discuss, but ... maybe I should.   Decisions, decisions !   Highway=20=20
goes off in February, so that's our deadline !

Chris