Comments on: Google Phone That Much Closer To Realization?

By: Prepaid debit

Prepaid debit — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:52:21 +0000

Why not just get a prepaid debit card, load cash onto it? BOOM problem solved…

By: Brad H

Brad H — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:04:56 +0000

Two comments:
1) This cannot be data only. With T-mobile’s tiny 3G network (and it is tiny), you wouldn’t be able to make VOIP calls in SO many places where there was GPRS or roaming coverage. It would be idiotic and make the phone only useful in cities.
If the phone is data only, I will have no interest in it.

2) If T-mobile charges any kind of bogus rate plan difference or requires me to upgrade from t-zones on a phone they aren’t even subsidizing I will be pissed off.

By: Malcolm jax

Malcolm jax — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:03:57 +0000

while i have no adverse feelings against google, i would not be opposed to tmo being the exclusive carrier. i agree that if not for the G1, and people like us taking a chance with the android os, google would not be in the position it is in today with their android os.

By: usmcjeff

usmcjeff — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:12:37 +0000

Wow this might be the phone I’ve been waiting for..I was waiting for iphone 2010 but not anymore.

But what if google is only testing android 2.1?

By: john

john — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 07:11:18 +0000

Another reason that Tmo is gonna support the trouble shootings is Google doesn’t want to spend money on customer service and let Tmo take care of it. I guess Tmo will advertise for the phone and link their website to Google checkout.

By: Bill48105

Bill48105 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 07:10:25 +0000

LOL cult?!? Wow not sure where that came from? Anyway, ATT does not offer A-LIST on family plans less than 1400 minutes, check their site. Here I’ll save you the time:

“Individual plans 900+ minutes ($59.99 and over) per month, and FamilyTalk plans 1400+ minutes ($89.99 and over) per month qualify for A-List”

Not sure how you got it on 500 minute plan especially since their lowest is 550 minutes. ;)

The abuse I was referring to was using a service for something it was not meant for, to an extent that is beyond what would be considered normal use and use in such a way that circumvents charges for a service. In other words TOS say what you can/can’t use the cell internet for, it is designed for only so much traffic and using A-LIST/FAVES to get unlimited calling thru google voice would all 3 individually qualify for abusing the cell company you are with let alone all 3 together just makes it worse. Hey I’m not the cell police nor am I the moral enforcer but I do try to see things from different perspectives even if I don’t agree and I was just pointing out your original comment about being upset with TMobile for dropping MyFaves because you planned to abuse the service doing something it wasn’t intended for to circumvent paying for cell minutes you were actually going to use, just seemed plain silly. Owell live & learn I suppose.

By: Y314K

Y314K — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:51:56 +0000

Well, right now I have one of the lowest minute family share plans for two lines with ATT & walla… I get their new Fav’s feature for free… I mean under 500 min’s a month on two lines(upgrading to 3 once I update phones)… And yes, I am still accruing rollover minutes & not using google voice… Sure, ATT might go the Verizon or Sprint route and only allow that feature on 1400+ share plans.. But that is not the case yet… TMobile could of done this too… But I guess one company giving something away for “free” takes something out of TMobile’s back… Guess VoIP should be completely banned too… WhiteSpace Tech too… What else can good old carriers stop us from “abusing”… And we all know unlimited data doesn’t ever = unlimited…

Guess TMobile prefers to get $0.00 from me & other “abusers” of a free google service every month instead of getting $105+ each month for three lines, month after month after month… (I don’t even have a google voice account, yet… Since my current phone is crap… But how is getting a free service from company B = abusing company A…) Guess I am still abusing TMobile now cause I am not sending them money just for being so swell…

Guess I am not quite ready to join the cult of TMobile… Not by a long shot… Thanks for opening my eye’s about this cult…

By: 30014

30014 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:13:09 +0000

U can get a prepaid debit card from Walmart and load cash onto it to allow u to make internet purchases. Problem solved.

By: Bill48105

Bill48105 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:03:42 +0000

I am wondering if it’ll be the 1st 100% data phone which I’ve been speculating to be the next logic evolution in cell phones. Think about it, you buy the phone without any connectivity like you would a cordless home phone or wireless laptop and you get the connectivity you choose, be it wifi or cell from say TMo in which case you’d buy a data plan. Using that data plan you can obviously do web/email/etc but also google voice voip calling. TA-DA, you’d done away with calling plans, TMo is ahead of the curve with their no-contract BYOD plans not to mention super rapid super speedy HSPA+ rollout to handle such a thing & google is front & center in a major power play position and TMo is partner in crime.. Nah, call me crazy. ;)

By: Bill48105

Bill48105 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:57:20 +0000

@kershon Yupper, people need to realize that there will eventually be consequences for their actions. If people read the fine print in the TOS they will see that they can actually be back billed for the correct feature if needed. In other words if they can prove you were tethering on a non-tethering plan they can go back & bill you the difference for however long they say you were doing it. Imagine that bill! Odds are they wouldn’t bother & would instead terminate you & tell you to go to hell rather than deal with it but remember you are a guest on their system which means you follow their rules or face their consequences.

@Y314K Yeah I was shocked ATT added it really but I suspect they must have a game plan. I think part of it is it’s not on all plans, you need to be on high enough one to get A-list so they must figure by time you’re on 1400 family plan they’re getting enough $ from you to give a little leeway. But just like TMo (and to a lesser extent ATT) filters based on IMEI at some point they will probably figure out a way to detect that a call is coming through google voice. Or, just like how they cap ‘unlimited’ plans they might just say ‘limit 500 minutes per #’. Those limits you see are a result of someone abusing the service or them guessing how they might get abused. In the end I’m not sure it’ll matter for calling minutes because I think at some point phones will be just data devices & you’ll pay for whatever data gets transmitted, be it voice/text/web/whetever. It seems like the logical next step.