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Snoopy
20-02-2012, 04:19 PM
Anyone got any stories on how easy it has been to access 'sharetrader' through their mobile phones, either good bad or indifferent? Asking because I am considering purchasing a new mobile phone that can do this, but I don't want to buy something that is too cheap to do the job.

SNOOPY

Corporate
20-02-2012, 07:17 PM
Snoopy

I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 which is basically the Iphone competitor. It is great for accessing and reading websites. However, Sharetrader is no where near as good as Hotcopper.

If you want a phone for browsing the web, I wouldn't skimp. You will only be disappointed!

Cheers,
C

Heke
21-02-2012, 01:28 PM
I have a Nokia C7. It uses the primative Symbian operating system and is a dreadful phone to access any internet site.
Not particularly suitable for viewing Sharetrader and does not open the Directbroking site.
The touch screen is too small and you tend to hit the wrong keys. AVOID this phone.

Snoopy
21-02-2012, 03:12 PM
Snoopy
I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 which is basically the Iphone competitor. It is great for accessing and reading websites. However, Sharetrader is no where near as good as Hotcopper.


Can you expand on what you mean when you say Sharechat is not as good as Hotcopper? It doesn't load as quickly? Or it doesn't load at all? Any experience with uploading to both sites?



If you want a phone for browsing the web, I wouldn't skimp. You will only be disappointed!


Appreciate the feedback very much Corporate. The thing is I am not sure I do want a phone for browsing the web, or more to the point I am not sure I want to pay for one to do that! I raised my question in the context of having to get a new phone before the Telecom CDMA is turned off. And I got to thinking that if I do need a new phone should I raise my sights a little higher?

I can see myself checking e-mails on the run, maybe flicking off the odd reply. Perhaps I would fire up the phone and look at sharetrader in airport waiting lounges. But as for watching videos on You Tube, well I don't need that functionality on a mobile. I am not sure I really need a top of the line phone given what I want to do with it.

SNOOPY

Snoopy
21-02-2012, 03:24 PM
I have a Nokia C7. It uses the primative Symbian operating system and is a dreadful phone to access any internet site.
Not particularly suitable for viewing Sharetrader and does not open the Directbroking site.
The touch screen is too small and you tend to hit the wrong keys. AVOID this phone.

Thanks for the feedback Heke. Just had a look on the GSM Arena website at the specs of your phone.

http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_c7-3394.php

Superficially it looks quite good on paper. Memory information is as follows

Memory Card slot microSD, up to 32GB
Internal 8 GB storage, 256 MB RAM, 1 GB ROM

256MB of RAM sounds pretty good. Is there anyone else out there who can get a phone of any sort with less RAM than that to work satisfactorily on Sharetrader?

Not sure why it wouldn't access Direct Broking though. Some security protocol incompatibility with Symbian?

As regards viewing Sharetrader your main gripe is what? The screen is just too small? Would appreciate any further feedback you can give.

SNOOPY

Corporate
21-02-2012, 03:38 PM
Can you expand on what you mean when you say Sharechat is not as good as Hotcopper? It doesn't load as quickly? Or it doesn't load at all? Any experience with uploading to both sites?



Appreciate the feedback very much Corporate. The thing is I am not sure I do want a phone for browsing the web, or more to the point I am not sure I want to pay for one to do that! I raised my question in the context of having to get a new phone before the Telecom CDMA is turned off. And I got to thinking that if I do need a new phone should I raise my sights a little higher?

I can see myself checking e-mails on the run, maybe flicking off the odd reply. Perhaps I would fire up the phone and look at sharetrader in airport waiting lounges. But as for watching videos on You Tube, well I don't need that functionality on a mobile. I am not sure I really need a top of the line phone given what I want to do with it.

SNOOPY

Hi Snoppy

What I meant is that the Hot Copper site just seems to display much better on my phone due to the design of the website.
For example I can read HC with the phone positioned vertically. While to get the text big enough, I have to turn the phone horizontally while on ST.
There is no difference in the download or upload speed between the two.

I really like the phone because on the go I can;

send/receive emails
download company annoucements to read
log onto ASB securities

I didn't think I'd need all of the features but I can't imagine not having a hi spec phone now!

Cheers,
C

Snoopy
21-02-2012, 03:54 PM
I didn't think I'd need all of the features but I can't imagine not having a hi spec phone now!


Thanks for the clarification Corporate. BTW any idea what kind of Samsung Galaxy SII you have? I went to the GSM Arena Website

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_ii_lte_i727r-4376.php

and counted seven different phones that met your description, and that was just looking at page 1!

SNOOPY

Corporate
21-02-2012, 04:05 PM
Jee I didn't know there was some many models!

Just this one here

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/shop/mobileDetails.jsp?skuId=sku12060049

Heke
21-02-2012, 04:09 PM
Thanks Snoopy. The C7 has a short battery life between charges.
The operating system is slow to respond and if you enlarge the view
using the “pinch” mode it could take you to an unwanted page.
With sharetrader, if you want to select “page 15” for example, you
may get page 14 or page 16. It will not display charts.
Direct broking is a chart intensive site for the shares page.
Going back to a previously viewed page is also a bit of a hit and
miss affair. The screen is a bit dark compared to other makes of
phones and is hard to read when outdoors. A problem when
answering emails is that the phone has a curved back, meaning
that you cannot put it on a tabletop and type your message,
you need to hold the phone with your other hand.
Trying to book hotels or flights is a chore and some sites are not
compatible with the operating system.
Wifi sensitivity is low, particularly at airports and free public sites.
I think the reviews are written by “paid” reviewers.

The camera is good and using it as an ordinary phone is good.
The GPS drops out too often to be reliable and applications “aps”
have to be bought from Nokia whereas other phones have free
applications.

upside_umop
21-02-2012, 07:30 PM
Hi Snoopy,
I've got the competitor to Corp - the iPhone 4s. I tend to upgrade each time....yep, one of those guys!
The iPhone 4s has quite a lot smaller screen than some of the competitors, however is of great quality (human eye can't differentiate more pixels..)

I use it occasionally on sharetrader, and same as corp have to use the phone on it's side.
You can always use the fingers to pinch and zoom to the text size you require.

If I was you, go to both Telecom and Vodafone and ask to try a few phones out. The good ones are generally hooked up so you can demo them and see how well they work for you.

Corp: FYI there is an app for hotcopper on the iPhone...you should check to see if one is out for Andriod yet.

peat
21-02-2012, 07:38 PM
I dont have a smartphone at this point but I still have a bit to say hahah.

I am using an Ipod Touch sometimes at home now to get away from the computer chair, and its ok for browsing and that includes Sharetrader, but of course it doesnt have 3G so you need a wifi zone if out and about.

From what I know the Samsung Galaxy S2 is a premium phone comparable in quality with the Iphone. Both will set you back well over a grand. But increasingly there are smartphones available at much lower prices that will do those straight forward email and web browsing tasks, as well as have cameras and music
.
EG have a look here at the ones in the $0-500 section
http://store.telecom.co.nz/mobile/prepaid/compare
3852
for example the HTC Wildfire at $399
I am pretty sure if you checked it out you would find this would be a very functional smartphone

Even cheaper at $179 the Huawei X1 does nearly everything the HTC one does, still has a touch screen and a browser and email.
If you're going really budget it may pay to get the saleman to confirm it does what you think it will.
Make a list of what it is you want. eg camera. radio mp3 , document viewer and choose to fit that

Of course Iphones are nice....
I've used one and an Ipad2 and they are easy and fun. Just really expensive.

Corporate
21-02-2012, 08:11 PM
Just my personal opinion. Don't touch an Iphone unless it is a 4S. They are just way to slow!

I picked my Galaxy S2 up for $770 parallel import.

Snoopy
22-02-2012, 02:59 PM
I am using an Ipod Touch sometimes at home now to get away from the computer chair, and its ok for browsing and that includes Sharetrader, but of course it doesnt have 3G so you need a wifi zone if out and about.


Excuse my ignorance Peat. But an Ipod Touch isn’t a phone is it? So how can you browse using it?

And if I can display my ignorance again, why can you not browse using a non 3G phone unless you are in a Wi-Fi zone?

SNOOPY

Snoopy
22-02-2012, 03:01 PM
Corp: FYI there is an app for hotcopper on the iPhone...you should check to see if one is out for Andriod yet.


The more I read this thread the stupider I feel. At the risk of asking another dumb question: Upside-umop, why would you need an App for Hotcopper? What is the advantage of that, as opposed to simply going to the Hotcopper website?

SNOOPY

Snoopy
22-02-2012, 03:02 PM
Thanks Snoopy. The C7 has a short battery life between charges.
The operating system is slow to respond and if you enlarge the view
using the “pinch” mode it could take you to an unwanted page.
With sharetrader, if you want to select “page 15” for example, you
may get page 14 or page 16. It will not display charts.
Direct broking is a chart intensive site for the shares page.
Going back to a previously viewed page is also a bit of a hit and
miss affair. The screen is a bit dark compared to other makes of
phones and is hard to read when outdoors. A problem when
answering emails is that the phone has a curved back, meaning
that you cannot put it on a tabletop and type your message,
you need to hold the phone with your other hand.
Trying to book hotels or flights is a chore and some sites are not
compatible with the operating system.
Wifi sensitivity is low, particularly at airports and free public sites.
I think the reviews are written by “paid” reviewers.

The camera is good and using it as an ordinary phone is good.
The GPS drops out too often to be reliable and applications “aps”
have to be bought from Nokia whereas other phones have free
applications.

Wow thanks Heke! I think what you have written is the best cellphone review I have ever read! Not the best for Nokia, obviously. But best in the sense of a real world user telling it exactly like it is. You raise issues that I had never thought of, like cellphones with curved backs being that much more awkward to operate, that I will now bear in mind during my search.

If I interpret your review correctly, you are less worried about the hardware grunt behind your machine than the clumsy to execute software that runs on it.

I note with interest your comments on battery life. This is a big concern of mine too. My enquiries so far lead me to believe that spare batteries for Nokia (unlike most other brands) are readily available. So I had thoughts, if I went the Nokia way, of buying a spare battery pack and keeping it charged just to make sure that I never ran out of juice. Maybe that might work for you too?

The other point I would make about battery life is that (I presume) the larger the screen and the brighter the screen the more power it will draw. This is partly what is leading me towards looking at QWERTY keyboard phones (like the Nokia C5-00 5MP), which tend to have smaller screens. The other advantage I see of the QWERTY keyboard is their convenience for creating text. Having said this I have been very surprised at the difference in feel and usability of the different QWERTY keyboards that I have tried.

I will throw one thing back at you regarding the archaic Symbian operating system. (I can’t believe I am writing that when just a few years ago Nokia was the market leader!) I know that mobile phone viruses are not a big issue as yet. But I am sure that as internet capable mobile devices get more popular, they will become an issue. If you have a slightly left field operating system then there is less chance that miscreants will spend time writing a virus for that system. Symbian devices could become safe havens. The downside is that there will be fewer applications written for the less popular architecture. But if you can get the applications that do what you want, perhaps this is not a game breaking issue?

Interested in any reflections from you (and others) this post might stir up.

SNOOPY

Snoopy
22-02-2012, 03:14 PM
Jee I didn't know there was some many models!

Just this one here

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/shop/mobileDetails.jsp?skuId=sku12060049

The specs match this model

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9100g_galaxy_s_ii-4327.php

I notice some of the other models have an 1850mAh battery pack, presumably for longer life between recharges. A possible upgrade for you Corporate?

SNOOPY

CJ
22-02-2012, 03:26 PM
Snoopy - you need to decide exactly what you want the phone for.

If internet is gong to be a big part of it, I would go with a top teir phone like the iPhone or GalaxyS2. The reason being as they have better screen resolutions and the browser on them is better.

I use to have a Blackberry (only last year, latest model - $1k+) and it was like using ie4 compared to my previous phone (iPhone 3Gs). It just wasn't designed for browsing. The iphone is (with the exception of flash). The same is probably true for some of those cheaper Android phones - low resolution screens and over versions of Android may cause issues. (is this why they dont have working versions of these in store???)

Blackberrys are great for email and security but that is about it.

two points with smart phones:
- you will need to charge them every night. They use the battery that quickly. If you are a light user and dont use GPS etc, you may get 2 days out of them but I wouldn't risk getting caught short (I read the herald, listen to music etc to and from work so a solid 1.5 hours of solid use).
- data costs. the more you use, the more it costs. Hard to guess at the start but if you go on the correct plan, get a contract and you will get a subsidy on your phone. Unless you upgrade every year (I upgrade every second), I see no point in getting a phone off contract. Because I got a 2 year contract, I think my iPhone only cost $250(??) rather than ~$1000 paralleled imported.

Heke
22-02-2012, 05:44 PM
Nokia C7 further comments: Like all techie type devices it takes some time to get a feel of their oddities. The hardware grunt is a bit slow when you browse the internet and not having a fully functioning back button is a pain.
In my work, I take up to 10 pictures a day and send and receive about 20 texts, some
include images that are slow to load. Voice coversations are about 30 mins a day.
The battery indicator has 8 bars (full) but drops to 2 bars on day 3. The remaining 2 bars will not last another day. Spare batteries are available from trademe for $10 to $15. Just remember to set the date and time when you change the battery.
The symbian operating system is not always compatible with Microsoft based websites and some functions are not there. Sadly, miscreants can still hide themselves in your browser “history”.
Brighter screens do use more battery rather than the touch-screen qwerty, but the C7
brightness is a bit too dark for outdoor use. I have spoken to those users of button
qwerty keyboards and they complain of sore thumbs and fingers – a no win situation.
Hopefully the free Nokia firmware upgrade may unbug some of the present software.

Good luck in your search for a new phone. Thanks to the other comments to this thread.

peat
23-02-2012, 09:34 AM
Excuse my ignorance Peat. But an Ipod Touch isn’t a phone is it? So how can you browse using it?

And if I can display my ignorance again, why can you not browse using a non 3G phone unless you are in a Wi-Fi zone?

SNOOPY

The Ipod Touch has a browser (Safari) and it uses wifi to access the internet. Believe me you can do internet but not anywhere like a 3G phone
Not quite sure how to answer your other question, but 3G is the full mobile access provided by the telco whereas wifi capability gives internet where you have a wireless access point such as cafes or at your home.

CJ
23-02-2012, 10:18 AM
The Ipod Touch has a browser (Safari) and it uses wifi to access the internet. Believe me you can do internet but not anywhere like a 3G phone
Not quite sure how to answer your other question, but 3G is the full mobile access provided by the telco whereas wifi capability gives internet where you have a wireless access point such as cafes or at your home.An ipod touch does pretty much everything an iPhone can do (except be a phone, can use skype/viber though), but only when connect to wifi. Therefore very similar when at home but once you walk out the door, you are not connect to telecom/vodafone/etc so it reverts back to just being a music/game machine.

They must be handy in universities in the US where if you live on campus and the campus has free wifi, an ipod touch would be pretty much all you need.

upside_umop
24-02-2012, 10:36 AM
The more I read this thread the stupider I feel. At the risk of asking another dumb question: Upside-umop, why would you need an App for Hotcopper? What is the advantage of that, as opposed to simply going to the Hotcopper website?

SNOOPY

Not a dumb question at all Snoopy. An app basically optimises a program or website for the phone. This will mean you won't have to zoom in for specific links and tags as they will be the right size for the phone.

Some websites are even optimised for a mobile too and appears much different than what a computer screen shows. Such as stuff.co.nz....so it's usually readable on any phone. I'm looking forward to when sharetrader is in such a format!

Snoopy
24-02-2012, 03:56 PM
Not a dumb question at all Snoopy. An app basically optimises a program or website for the phone. This will mean you won't have to zoom in for specific links and tags as they will be the right size for the phone.

Some websites are even optimised for a mobile too and appears much different than what a computer screen shows. Such as stuff.co.nz....so it's usually readable on any phone. I'm looking forward to when sharetrader is in such a format!

Thanks for the explanation upside_umop. A Sharetrader App looks like a job for Vince. Hopefully he is still working for Sharetrader and reading this!

SNOOPY

Snoopy
24-02-2012, 04:00 PM
3G is the full mobile access provided by the telco whereas wifi capability gives internet where you have a wireless access point such as cafes or at your home.


Sorry to be so technically ignorant Peat. But what equipment would I need to buy to have wireless access in my home?

TIA

SNOOPY

Snoopy
24-02-2012, 04:05 PM
I use to have a Blackberry (only last year, latest model - $1k+) and it was like using ie4 compared to my previous phone (iPhone 3Gs). It just wasn't designed for browsing. The iphone is (with the exception of flash).

Blackberrys are great for email and security but that is about it.


This comes as a big shock to me. Up until now I have regarded Blackberry as the businessman's tool of preference. I was eyeing up one of the lower level ones hoping the quality would trickle down from the hi-spec models, while functionality would still be adequate. I think you just saved me around $500 poorly spent CJ!

SNOOPY

Anonymous
24-02-2012, 04:10 PM
Thanks for the explanation upside_umop. A Sharetrader App looks like a job for Vince. Hopefully he is still working for Sharetrader and reading this!

SNOOPY

SNOOPY

There is a cross platform app called Tapatalk (http://www.tapatalk.com/) that is designed for reading forums on mobile phones. It is compatible with vBulletin forums (which sharetrader is). I have not used or seen it so cannot vouch if it is any good or not but it appears to get good reviews.

It is available for iPhone, Android & Blackberry. It is free for the forum to join - though the forum owner needs to register with Tapatalk first. The end user has to pay a one off $3.00 charge for the app however.

If anyone has any experience with it and can recommend it, maybe we could get the appropriate people to join Sharetrader up??

Snoopy
24-02-2012, 04:20 PM
My current phone has no web functionality. So anything will look good by comparison. I figure that never having used a high tech phone, I can probably continue to live without one.

Am coming down to the idea of having Wifi capability. But I wouldn't be too worried if it is a bit slow.

Perhaps something like this?

http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_asha_200-4281.php

SNOOPY

peat
24-02-2012, 06:08 PM
Sorry to be so technically ignorant Peat. But what equipment would I need to buy to have wireless access in my home?

TIA

SNOOPY

these days the router/modem that is used for wired internet access (DSL using the phone line) nearly always incorporates a WAP (wireless access point).

Corporate
24-02-2012, 06:33 PM
This comes as a big shock to me. Up until now I have regarded Blackberry as the businessman's tool of preference. I was eyeing up one of the lower level ones hoping the quality would trickle down from the hi-spec models, while functionality would still be adequate. I think you just saved me around $500 poorly spent CJ!

SNOOPY

Don't touch a blackberry...very out of date!

peat
24-02-2012, 09:14 PM
Don't touch a blackberry...very out of date!

3860
Pheadrus would agree.

Snoopy
05-03-2012, 03:10 PM
My current phone has no web functionality. So anything will look good by comparison. I figure that never having used a high tech phone, I can probably continue to live without one.

Am coming down to the idea of having Wifi capability. But I wouldn't be too worried if it is a bit slow.

Perhaps something like this?

http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_asha_200-4281.php


Had a look at a Nokia Asha (higher spec) phone in a shap the other day. It had the dreaded rounded back :-(

I found that the gsmarena website has 360 degree rotational views of all the phones they feature. It is hard to be absolutely sure from the pictures. But it looks like the Nokia C3, a similar spec phone has a back that is not so rounded.

Then I looked at the Nokia E63 which is a rather higher spec phone but older (2008), and with a squarer back. On the Warehouse website the E63 and C3 were the same price(!)

The E63 is a 2G/3G phone and one item in the spec sheet caught my attention.

Talk time: Up to 11 h (2G) / 4 h 40 min (3G)

Can anyone enlighted me as to why the estimated talk time for this one phone (on one charge) is so much greater on the 2G network, as opposed to the 3G network?

SNOOPY

peat
05-03-2012, 05:14 PM
The link below is overly technical but 2G is the GSM specification intended for providing mobile communication for voice,
and 3G is the specification for mobile communication with enhanced capabilities for mobile users other than voice. eg video calling, internet browsing etc

http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-2g-and-vs-3g-technology/

a 3G phone may well be constantly updating its location using GPS or checking for new email etc.. which all drains the battery.

theres no free lunch Snoopy

Snoopy
06-03-2012, 12:54 PM
The link below is overly technical but 2G is the GSM specification intended for providing mobile communication for voice,
and 3G is the specification for mobile communication with enhanced capabilities for mobile users other than voice. eg video calling, internet browsing etc

http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-2g-and-vs-3g-technology/

a 3G phone may well be constantly updating its location using GPS or checking for new email etc.. which all drains the battery.

theres no free lunch Snoopy

Very informative link, plus I'll have to go back and further investigate that 'www.differencebetween.com' for other things. It looks useful. Thanks peat.

For those who don't need super internet functionality, 2G does look to be the way to go. More than doubling the battery life seems a more than worth it bonus, especially as handsets seem to be less too. 2G is a free lunch for this hound dog.

SNOOPY

Heke
06-03-2012, 02:57 PM
Sorry to stick my oar in again Snoopy. Viewing Sharetrader is an internet activity. 3G is more suitable.
Once you start playing on the internet, the additional features are a must.

CJ
06-03-2012, 03:21 PM
Sorry to stick my oar in again Snoopy. Viewing Sharetrader is an internet activity. 3G is more suitable.
Once you start playing on the internet, the additional features are a must.Agree.

2G is fine if you only want voice. You really need 3G if you want any sort of internet connection. The downside being it does suck the power as it requires a stronger signal.

On the iPhone, I think you can turn 3G off so if you want to conserve battery and you know you wont be using the data connection (or just receiving emails which can happen slowly in the background) it could be an option. That might raise my battery life from about 14 hours to over 2 days.

I remember back in the day when the mobile race was to get a phone as small as possible with a standby of over 2 weeks (incl the occasional call). Now they seem to want them as big as possible (5.2inch screen anyone??) with battery lifes that doe even last 12 hours.

Snoopy
26-05-2012, 03:22 PM
Appreciate the feedback very much Corporate. The thing is I am not sure I do want a phone for browsing the web, or more to the point I am not sure I want to pay for one to do that! I raised my question in the context of having to get a new phone before the Telecom CDMA is turned off. And I got to thinking that if I do need a new phone should I raise my sights a little higher?

I can see myself checking e-mails on the run, maybe flicking off the odd reply. Perhaps I would fire up the phone and look at sharetrader in airport waiting lounges. But as for watching videos on You Tube, well I don't need that functionality on a mobile. I am not sure I really need a top of the line phone given what I want to do with it.


Nearly three months since I started this thread so I thought I would let you guys know what happened.

After lots or procrastination going into shops in NZ and Oz and pushing buttons and talking to assistants, I have settled on a Nokia C3-00. I ended up buying a parallel import. I would have gladly paid $50 more if I could have found this phone for sale in Christchurch. But after looking all over the city I couldn't find any for sale. I ended up 'saving' $50 and buying over the net from an outfit in Auckland. Heaven help me if I have a warranty claim I guess! I am still getting to know the phone, and haven't yet put a Simcard in it. But it looks like it will serve my needs well.

Opened up the latest issue of Consumer Magazine and saw the C3 finished bottom in the latest smartphone test! Probably if you consider 'smarter' to be better that is the correct rating. But I think Consumer was missing the point. A $150 phone is not going to compare well with phones costing up around $1000!

My mission for this phone was for it to primarily be 'just a phone', but have a bit of WiFi adaptability should I need it. I don't know for sure how long the battery life will be between recharges. But early indications are it will last me for a week. One week would be a fantasy dream to one of those blocky iPhones! Of course battery life should be helped by the fact that the Nokia C3 is only 2G.

I have hooked into sharetrader via WiFi at the local public library and it worked. Actually the phone spluttered a bit on the first attempt. But once I put a memory card in it (the GSMarena site said the Nokia C3-00 came with a 2GB microSD card as standard by mine didn't), everything worked smoothly. It is probably not the fastest loading device but it gets there. Looks like a decent calculator is part of the Apps package too, which is something I wasn't expecting. I will report back further when I finally connect up to a network!

SNOOPY

Lizard
11-06-2012, 06:28 PM
I see we just got mobile phone version! Much easier to read. :)

Snoopy
04-08-2012, 03:07 PM
My mission for this phone was for it to primarily be 'just a phone', but have a bit of WiFi adaptability should I need it. I don't know for sure how long the battery life will be between recharges. But early indications are it will last me for a week. One week would be a fantasy dream to one of those blocky iPhones! Of course battery life should be helped by the fact that the Nokia C3-00 is only 2G.

I have hooked into sharetrader via WiFi at the local public library and it worked. Actually the phone spluttered a bit on the first attempt. But once I put a memory card in it (the GSMarena site said the Nokia C3-00 came with a 2GB microSD card as standard by mine didn't), everything worked smoothly. It is probably not the fastest loading device but it gets there. Looks like a decent calculator is part of the Apps package too, which is something I wasn't expecting. I will report back further when I finally connect up to a network!


I took my new Nokia C3-00 phone overseas as an engagement present. The phone is now fully 'engaged' with the two degrees network! Of course two degrees does not have their own cellphone towers overseas. Nevertheless when I touched down in Hong Kong airport a text arrived informing me how much my phone calls and texts sent from Hong Kong would cost me. And ditto when I arrived in London. I was impressed. The phone recognized both the Orange Network and T-mobile (both 2G) at different locations within the UK.

I plugged into the free WiFi at Hong Kong airport, and did that modest little phone fly. Internet pages from anywhere seemingly up in a flash! I think this proves the point that a phone rich in memory is only as good as the network it is operating on! The free WiFi at Heathrow was nowhere near as impressive in speed. Plug the Nokia C3-00 into a fast network and you have little need for a high powered (memory rich) phone.

WiFi does drain the battery a lot faster of course. But I recharged after four days after significant WiFi use (some 4 hours total). For the last bit of my trip when I didn't seek out WiFi, the phone went for a week without needing charging. I was very satisfied with that.

So far my little phone is living up to my expectations, which admittedly were not high. Nevertheless given the price I paid I am very happy.

SNOOPY