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Sony Ericsson T608s available from Sprint

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by pjdemmitt, May 19, 2004.

  1. pjdemmitt

    pjdemmitt Junior Member

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    I posted most of the following over at Prius-2G, but thought others might find it useful:

    T608s are available directly from Sprint.

    I recently got a message from someone posted on this
    group about selling T608s and that there was a limited run of only 10,000.

    So, I went to my local Sprint store in Columbia, MD. They looked it up in
    their database and said that I had to go online to order one from the
    SprintPCS.com site. I did that and they were not available there, but
    there was a toll-free number to call, which I did.

    They didn't seem to have any shortage of phones for sale.
    But maybe you have to have an existing Sprint account.
    The number I called was: 888-253-1315.

    I spoke with Jackie in telesales. She quoted me a price of
    $199 plus $5 shipping plus $10 tax, for a total of about $215.
    This is much cheaper than those selling on ebay, some of
    which have been posted for over $300.

    As I wasn't sure that I wanted to buy the phone the first
    time I called, she told me to call her back on 877-778-7040
    and ask for her, which I did. The phone arrived two days
    later, though she said to expect it in a week.

    I am an existing Sprint customer. There are no discounts or
    rebates on this phone, but it works very well with the
    service. It took me a few times to get it conncected, but it
    automatically connects now every time I get into the car
    with it on.

    Phone book transferred fine; it only transfers the first
    number associated with a name, so set up the phone book
    on your phone first with only one number - the one you
    want to appear in the car, then transfer the book (called
    business cards in the phone) and then go back to the
    phone and add additional numbers under each name.
    At least this is the way I did it.

    I really like this phone, even though it is not a flip phone, which I would
    have preferred. It has voice dialing built in, so you don't need to pay
    extra to Sprint to subscribe to voice dialing for those times you are away
    from your car making calls. It also has a speakerphone function that you
    can activate in the middle of a call. If you get a PocketPC or Palm device
    with Bluetooth, you should also be able to exchange phonebooks with
    your phone. I haven't tried that yet, as I don't have a Bluetooth enabled
    handheld.

    I also went to

    http://www.cellphoneshop.net/cellphoneshop/

    and ordered some extra
    batteries for $12 and a couple of charger cords for the car ($6)
    and an adapter that allows the car charger cord to be
    plugged into a wall outlet ($6). I got a couple of these, too. I
    keep the combo in my travel bag. That way I don't have to
    take my original cord on trips; just the one and the AC
    adapter. They came in about a week from Hong Kong, and
    work well.

    Hope this isn't too much information!

    Paul
     
  2. delrey

    delrey Member

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    So how are you liking your t608 so far? Happy?

    Overall I'm pretty happy here - Sprint sent it out quickly enough & the phone seems to function well in spite of a few quirks ...
     
  3. pjdemmitt

    pjdemmitt Junior Member

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    I like mine quite a bit. As I said, I would've preferred a flip phone, but since I got a leather case for it, it's okay. I keep it in the car most of the time as I can't get service in my basement office. So I use it mostly in the car.

    Otherwise, the screen is a bit small and hard to read for these older eyes. I did set the font to the largest size possible, but those tiny icons that pop up on the sides are nearly indecipherable.

    I do like the speakerphone function, but wish it could be set as a default rather than having to toggle it on in the middle of a call.

    Did you download the PDF manual from the Sprint site? Not the one you get with the phone, there's another one, more comprehensive that really tells you all the neat stuff the phone is capable of. T9 text entry, for instance. It should be available to you online, when you first log on, under documentation for your phone. If you can't find it, let me know and I will send you the PDF.

    I'm curious as to what quirks you found with the phone....
     
  4. delrey

    delrey Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Just minor issues:
    * Occasional crash/lockup -- such as today when I deleted all items from the Prius phone book & then uploaded them again from the phone. Worked like a charm (once I remembered/figured out how to do it again on the car side). However, once it finished, the phone froze up!
    * The phone rings through the phone speaker, not through the car speaker.
    * First call out or in often has sound on the phone, no the car.
    * Wish street address was stored in the contact -- just so I could consider giving up my PDA ...
    * Turning on and off seems a bit funny - either I'm not doing it right or it occasionally doesn't work!
     
  5. pjdemmitt

    pjdemmitt Junior Member

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    1. I haven't yet tried to re-submit the phonebook. I only did it once. Took me a couple of tries, but did successfully transfer when I told it to send business cards...

    2. Mine rings through the car speaker. There may be a setting in the phone that tells it to ring the phone or the bluetooth device. Check the menus.

    3. Mine doesn't work that way. All calls come through the car, first, last and middle! Again, I think there may be a setting in the phone for this.

    4. I agree about turning on/off. It sometimes takes about 5-10 seconds of pressing the on/off button to get it to work. That is an annoyance.

    I recommend that you download the PDF of the larger manual and go through it. There's a lot this phone does that's not immediately obvious.
     
  6. Steve Goldenberg

    Steve Goldenberg New Member

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    I use the T-608 on VERIZON and it works great once you get it going which is only difficult the first time. The phone book works as does the voice calling. The phones display is not bright enough when I'm using it outside the car but it's tolerable.
    It's a great match for the Prius.
     
  7. peart75

    peart75 New Member

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    ok, would like your opinion on my current situation.

    on wait for a prius, about 1-1.5 months i am estimating. i just lost my phone earlier this week. i've given up on looking for it at this point. i would like to have a bluetooth phone w/ my prius. i'm getting this feature, would like to take some sort of advantage of it.

    i could either get a free replacement or i could get the T608 (i just called and they still have them available). is it really worth the $200?

    i keep going back and forth.trying to save for the prius, but $200 isn't THAT much in comparison. and i think i will just be happier if i get it.

    again, is it worth the $200?

    thanks in advance!
    -drew
     
  8. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

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    Peart,
    The Bluetooth is a pretty sweet feature....is it worth $200...guess that depends on how often you plan to lose your phone!! :;-):

    Seriously though, I guess I'd look at the bigger picture...
    How long is left on your current contract?
    Do you prefer to stay with Sprint ultimately no matter what?

    If your current contract only has a couple of months then, by all means, get the free phone. When the renewal comes up use the threat of switching companies to get a free Bluetooth phone to get a better deal out of Sprint, or go ahead an change companies. I actually made a net profit of $15 getting my BT phone after rebates and paying my activation fees and stuff.

    If you've got a long time left (a year or more?) then I think I'd splurge and shell out the $200 for the BT phone.
     
  9. Steve Goldenberg

    Steve Goldenberg New Member

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    I had a further complication because Verizon is our best local service by far so I had to get the Sprint phone and convert it to Verizon. I paid $250+ for the phone with the key to change it. I'm happy and think it's worth it even though Verizon is now close to releasing a Bluetooth phone (Motorola).
     
  10. peart75

    peart75 New Member

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    evan,

    my current contract is over afaik, i just keep paying each month and i've had the account for over about 2.5 yrs now.

    i prefer to stay with sprint or verizon. i see verizon is supposed to have the motorola v710 by now. i may just get a replacement and then move to verizon once the v710 comes out. it looks to be a better phone.

    -drew
     
  11. pjdemmitt

    pjdemmitt Junior Member

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    I agree with Evan; If you are going to stay with Sprint or have a long contract, I would spring for the phone. The display is small and hard to read, but, if like me, you are going to be using it mostly in the car, you won't see the screen anyway.

    It's an easy phone to get used to and if you can find out how to unlock it if you should like to switch providers, it wouldn't be a total loss.

    I happen to like Sprint and this phone is much clearer and more dependable than my old Moto Startac.

    Worth it? Only you can determine that. It's kind of like the Prius itself. It's cool, and if that's worth something to you, then it IS worth it. If your object is to save money and your present phone is working, then probably not. I didn't get this phone as soon as I got the car as my Startac was working fine. Then it cracked and started dropping calls and not even picking them up. I would've preferred to get a phone for free, but that wasn't an option for this phone and there are no other Bluetooth phones from Sprint.

    See previous posts about likes/dislikes.
     
  12. driverx

    driverx New Member

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    Sprint user,
    Are you subscribing the vision service $15? Are you required to get the vision service for T608?
    I am with Sprint now but not getting the vision because I don't see the need for it.
    Thank you
     
  13. pjdemmitt

    pjdemmitt Junior Member

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    Hey--
    No, you don't have to have the PCS Vision service. They gave it to me for two months for free, to try. I don't find it useful at all. It's great if you want to download new ringtones (the phone comes with about 20-30 already and I'm not into today's popular music) or if you want to be able to send and recieve email or surf the web or send pictures back and forth. I have to call to cancel in about two weeks. It's cool, but unnecessary.

    Aside from the small, hard-to-read screen, I like the phone very much. It connects with the car with no problems. If the phone is not on when you first start the car, when you do turn on the phone, the bluetooth connects automagically, without having to do anything else. Takes about 10-15 seconds, but always connects. The phone mutes the stereo if it is on and rings through the speakers of the car.

    If you have any other questions, let me know.
     
  14. driverx

    driverx New Member

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    Thank you!

    Paul,
    Thank you so much for your feedback. When I called Sprint, they made it sound like I have to get the vision in order to use the BT. I never found the vision useful for me either.

    How is the sound quality? I read somewhere that sound quality from Prius is not good. Also battery life? I plan to just keep the phone in the car with the charger on most of the times. Thanks for the link to the phone store where I can purchase a car charger.
     
  15. pjdemmitt

    pjdemmitt Junior Member

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    Re: Thank you!

    I read that someone else said that the sound quality at the other end of the conversation was not good. I have not experienced that at all; everyone I talk to using the car has said it sounds just fine, even with the windows open.

    If you are keeping the phone in the car on a charger, it should be fine. In the Bluetooth setup, if you leave it "On" instead of "Automatic", it does deplete the battery faster. But since it's being charged as you drive, it's not a problem. I sometimes forget to turn it off at the end of the day when I leave it in the car. Now, I just take it out of the car and if need be, attach it to the wall charger.

    I do like the phone. I find that when I have it in my pocket with other stuff, it will dial numbers if you don't put "KeyLock" on.

    You definitely don't need PCS Vision for Bluetooth to work. That's built into the phone, independent of whatever service you might have. Steve Goldberg even switched to Verizon for service and kept the Bluetooth enabled. So, it's a load of BS. I don't know if they still offer the two free months of Vision, but I happen to have this phone with a plan that was grand-fathered in from about 8 years ago, if you can believe it. It's only $15 a month and of course, they don't offer it anymore. If I were to change plans, I could never get it back. I don't have any contract, either. I got the phone to work without Vision, and had to beg them to let me try it for the two months for free, which they did.
     
  16. artie

    artie Member

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    when i get in the prius, the 1st call is usually only on the phone, then the b/t in the car works...wish mine were like paul's who says it always initiates thru the car. i typically will call a dead # when i get in just to introduce the phone to the car, in case i get a call whilst driving, so that the needed call will indeed go thru car.

    re vision, i have the 2000 min. plan, $100 @ month, included unlimited roaming free, vision unlimited - i can see forever- with 3 lines ( a bit extra)...i can't believe i spend over a grand a year, way over, just to talk on the fone. doesn't a phone call cost a nickel?

    anyway, if i don't abuse it, i don't, i also am hooked up to my b/t laptop and can use the t608 to act as a modem and have been on the internet ANYWHERE! at the beach, a parking lot. incredilble, and good for business contacts (i don't have any) or what have you.
    art
     
  17. driverx

    driverx New Member

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    Paul,
    Thanks to your info, I ordered my phone last Friday and it just arrived today. That's fast! You mentioned about spakerphone earlier. How do you activate that?

    Thank you for your help in advance.
     
  18. driverx

    driverx New Member

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