T-Mobile Internet Changes

***UPDATE 2 ****
I went ahead and did it. I realized that my post below shows I was upset because I was "working the system" and they closed the services I wasn't paying for anyway. I got the T-Mobile Total Internet plan for $29.99/month added to my account. My total bill will be about $90/month but includes full internet plus hotspots.

***UPDATE 1 ****
The T-Mobile "Total Internet" plan is actually $29.99 according to the web site now. $39.98 if you need corporate VPN access. That's in addition to all other features and minutes. Further investigation shows that this is internet+hotspots and that you can't get the internet on your phone alone anymore.

Original post below

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Yes, I've been pimp-slapped by T-mobile.

Remember that nifty post about how to online with GPRS and a T-Mobile account?
Remember that other post about how to get online with EDGE and a Windows Mobile device?

They don't work anymore.

These both only required a Bluetooth phone and the T-MobileWeb $5.99 option, plus the configuration of a proxy server. This week, it seems that the proxy server has been off. I tried connecting with my 770 and tried just browsing/checking Email from my Smartphone. Nothing.

Some Googling told me that I really need the $19.99 29.99 (see bottom) T-Mobile Internet option. Let's see what that will do with my plan:

• 600 Anytime minutes and Unlimited nights and weekends ($39.99)
• T-MobileWeb ($6.99)
• Equipment Protection ($5.99)
• 1000 messages/month ($9.99 text/picture messages. There's no text-only plan. Incoming messages are charged too.)

My bill, after taxes and fees, is $68 and change per month. Removing T-MobileWeb and adding the Internet plan isn't even listed as an option in my account management screens on the "My T-Mobile" site, but it would bring my total T-Mobile bill to around $80/month!

I'll call them later and bug them about it. Does anyone care to share their experiences with T-Mobile, Cingular, Verizon, or other carriers and bluetooth dial-up networking for data? Post comments!

Do I need a Nokia 770?

A man from Seattle sent me an Email and politely asked a few questions about owning a Nokia 770. When I was done writing the reply, I decided to post it here.

I could say that the Nokia 770 is the best web browser in it's class but there's nothing else in the Nokia's class! Your question compared it to a Blackberry or a Treo so I'll put it into that context.

Web browsing on the Nokia 770 is vastly superior. Pages render beautifully and the 800 pixel wide display will knock out any Treo or Blackberry. Also note that the Treo and Blackberry browsers are not full HTML browsers and may lack features like Flash or Javascript. If you are looking for a web browser, the Nokia 770 is your answer.

However, the Nokia 770 is not a phone. The Treo and Blackberry devices are phones and personal organizers. While they do not have the powerful browser the 770 has, they offer their own power. In my experience, PalmOS has some of the most intuitive PIM applications. The Blackberry also has a "push Email" technology that's currently second to none. On both, the QWERTY keyboard will make text entry easier for text messaging, Email, and IMs. With the right data plan on your provider, you can turn your Treo or Blackberry into a powerful mobile messaging device. Web browsing won't be as nice but will work in a pinch.

If you wish to use the 770 for Email and heavy web browsing, limited music/movie playback, and Email, this is my suggestion: Get a good sized RS-MMC card and a small Bluetooth keyboard. The Freedom Bluetooth mini-keyboard will make Email and instant messaging (with GAIM) easy.

Regarding your question about CompUSA: My experience with the salesperson is limited. I've had some fantastic experiences there and some terrible ones. The Email I sent to both the store and to CompUSA HQ was never answered and now it's naturally too late for me to really complain about anything. CompUSA won't ge any of my business for sometime without it and I'll share the story with anyone else who asks. If you go to Fry's Electronics and their price for the Nokia 770 is more than CompUSA's, Fry's will match the price.

As far as MY needs:
I have a Nokia 770 tablet that I don't bring EVERYWHERE. I love using it to check my Email from bed and bring my recipes into the kitchen for cooking. Now I wouldn't want to live without it. When I know I will be stagnant for long periods of time (on an airplane, at the mechanic, or at a coffee shop) I bring it along for web browsing. For a phone, mobile messaging, contacts navigation, and scheduling I have an i-mate SP5m smartphone (sold in the USA as the T-Mobile SDA). For MP3 playback, I have an iPod nano. This combination (while expensive as a whole) covers all my needs very well. Nokia 770: $350. i-mate sp5m: $400. iPod nano: $250. Total: $1,000. Yikes. I didn't realize I spent so much on my consumer electronics!

Don't forget: You can get deep discounts on cell phones (Treo and Blackberry included) by signing contracts with a cell carrier. Just make sure you ask the questions about ALL the things you want to do and what's required. Some data plans are EXPENSIVE.

I called it!

I didn't know how correct I was.
What I said.
and
What was done.

First steps were Gmail, Google Local, and now Writely. What's next?

Next steps

I am setting up a wiki for my HOWTOs and such. I don't think it'd be a community wiki as there are already plenty for that.

I made contact with Karoliina when she mentioned she was likely going to make a GPSDrive code fork. When she comes around with a tighter version of GPSDrive, I'll do all the documentation she needs. That will go in the wiki. I am very much looking forward to this.

Once it's live, I'll allow any software developers wiki accounts to document their stuff and will provide all the documentation I can myself.

Future of this blog

I'd like some feedback. Would you like:

• Video howtos?
• A podcast?
  
• A blog about hacks for other devices?
• A wiki about my hacks (both 770 and others?)
  

I am considering each of these but would like to know if my audience wants them. I am going to do Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone hacks, Linux hacks, and the like. I have plenty of them I've collected but never knew if there was an audience. Comments to this blog are welcome but also know that I am thoughtfix on everything online - including Gmail.

I've decided that I truly love creating hacks and blogging them. I want to make this a part-time job for myself but there's just not enough ad revenue in it and I've yet to be scooped up by any existing established publications. So for you - my audience - you who are reading this now: What would you like to see?