Cingular 2125 / HTC Faraday (p)reviewed
There's not a whole lotta meat on them bones (it's just a forums review, after all), but some dude apparently got his hands on the Cingular 2125, which as it turns out is the HTC Faraday — the HTC Tornado, but without the WiFi. He seemed to like it alright, but like so many of us appears more set on the 8125. Ah well, guess we'll have to wait n' see what T-Mobile does with their forthcoming version of the Tornado, the SDA; something tells us they're gonna want to keep the WiFi in order to push T-Mobile Hotspot usage.
Filed under: Cellphones
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
no wifi---commonnnn cingular
here's to hoping for the next version
xej @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
I personally prefer the SMT5600's looks...in fact, I just bought one the other day.
Jeremie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
stupid verizon. stupid crappy phones from verizon. stupid 2 year contracts. stupid stupid stupid me for signing stupid 2 year contracts for stupid crappy phones. i want a smartphone so bad i can taste it...and verizon's striking out hardcore. only 18 months left on that contract...
Wry Cooter @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Can anyone out there post some specs on how the bandwidth of the typical public wi-fi hotspot might compare with the various 3g and better cellular bandwidth out now or rolling out in the next year?
xej @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Jeramie, I'd laugh at you, but I just signed a 2 year contract with Cingular, and that could be my fate in a few months!
Hawk @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Despite the lack of wifi (really, you don't need it on a phone where you can barely input information without pulling your hair out - besides geek appeal, WM Smartphones aren't that hot in reality), I'd say this is a crap phone for one reason:
that damn little joybutton.
I have a 5600 and have used an SDA / whatever the HTC model name for it is, along with a few E100/200 Orange phones and boy, that little tiny thing is hard to push around and select stuff with. Did you push 'up' or 'action'? You'll never know and neither will the phone!
Jeremie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
xej
The reason I'm kicking myself is that I switched *away* from Cingular just 6 months ago under the dilusion that the free Verizon IN minutes would save oodles of money, since 90% of our family are on Verizon. I conciously gave up having a decent phone (real thorn: I hate flip-phones) to get those free IN minutes. 6 monhts later I've watched some nice phones hit the GSM carriers and nothing worth noting hit Verizon. The kicker? We hardly use those dagned ole IN minutes. What a terrible decision. From now on I'm paying full retail and not signing any dinged-danged contracts.
NSKGTI @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
First off, Cingular did NOT purchase the WiFi version and just software disable it. Cingualr had HTC upgrade the antenna in the device to provide better signal strength on the device. As I stated in my review, I don't really see a need for WiFi on such a small screen. Do you want to have to carry 3-4 batteries with you? If not, then don't expect to use WiFi all that often. EDGE runs plenty fast on this thing for normal web browsing and even streaming radio to the device.
As for Engadgets comment about my review lacking a lot of substance (since it is just a forum review), I'll just say that that review was written only 6 hours after I had the device in hand. I tried to cover the pressing topics that everyone had been asking about.
The joystick is the best one I've used on an HTC Smartphone form factor (I've had the SP3i, E200, E100 and SMT5600) so until you have used it, don't knock it...
Jordan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
When will this be available?
NSKGTI @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Actually if you look at that picture, it shows the Antenna is in there. The antenna is larger than the c600 antenna hence the need for the hump. It isn't just removing the WiFi module.
CWY @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Man that hump is ugly. But if it improves reception, then it's worth it.
mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
I guess that "Frank" won't buy this phone because with the improved, and ugly, antenna he won't have as many opportunities to look like a dumbass while he's screaming "can you hear me now?" in the bar.
Stan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
any idea about launch date?
Starkenator @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
NSKGTI, is dial-up networking enabled on this device? About how much will it cost?
Vic @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
I don't think we are going to find the truth about the WiFi/antenna/hump debacle. The truth will probably stay between the manufacturer and the carrier. Who else knows what actually does affect reception.
I still believe in those antenna stickers that a Cingular sales person said worked(at least until the remorse period was over).
Vic @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
It looks like BellSouth/Cingular has made their position on WiFi clear.
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/12/05/0511201&from=rss
NSKGTI @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
This answers your questions about the hump/antenna....
http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/index.php?action=expand,9789&sid=81c83cca5d0f58da4cdb78474d2a7b55
So NO Cingular did not just remove the WiFi module.
As for price and date... They will come soon enough.
dave @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Strange but true...Is it just me or does anyone else think that the picture that runs with this site article looks uncannily like two wrist watches on an arm?
dave
Orneta @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Hopefully the phone will see release before the end of the year
Eric @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
The phone just showed up on the Cingular website. $299 with a 2 year service contract, minus a $100 rebate.
Alex @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Love it except for the unnecesary hump, and the lack of Wi-Fi, which would make this mobile the divice a true mobile! In looks the SMT5600 is better (no hump) In Features this one beats the 5600 for the 1.2mp camera and the new version of Windows. I like cingular service, but i would like a phone w/wifi, waiting for the T-mobile to distribute the Tornado (better looking, same features and WI-FI!!!!) ..Wi-Fi phones is the future!
xej @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM
Jeramie, I'd laugh at you, but I just signed a 2 year contract with Cingular, and that could be my fate in a few months!
anderson @ Dec 25th 2005 2:41AM
turns out that i was going to order this phone from cingular. it was on their website and everything. but then i went back to order it, turns out its not there anymore. so i call cingular, and accorning to them the cingular 2125 does not exist. but i know it does because of websites like this that post reviews about it. so why cant i order the phone from cingular?
Sean @ Jan 9th 2006 1:15PM
I had originally bought the Motorola MPX-220, but had troubles with it. When I went to exchange it, the store had no more MPX-220's and suggested this phone, which they had just received the day before as a new item.
Comapred the the MPX-220:
Better: Screen is bigger, fewer dropped calls, voice dialing works through bluetooth, volume is much better on earpiece and speakerphone, cameria is 0.1 megapixel higher resolution, but still takes crappy pictures in dim light, standard USB data/charging connector
Worse: Navigation of the joystick is clumsy (needs to be rubberized or something so my thumb has some grip on it), no voice recognition, not a flip phone (keypad locking issues)
Overall, it is better than the MPX-220. The keypad locking issues are frustrating. When a call comes in while it's locked, the soft keys become "Answer" and "Reject". I find myself accidently pressing one of the soft keys while fishing for my phone out of the included holster or my pocket.... hence I am randomly accepting or rejecting calls before seeing who is calling. Couldn't they have picked keys that aren't raised up on the phone for this? If I could turn that off and just use the green/red keys instead, I'd be much happier with the phone.
Regarding the reception/antenna hump: Don't care about the hump myself. I have been able to make calls in an area where my wife's Sony Ericsson can't find a signal. Seems to me that it's got a better antenna.