peek 20 #1 August 11, 2011 Your cell phone sucks! Well, maybe not all of you have cell phones that suck, but my gosh, it seems like so many people have cell phones that can barely be understood, especially if there is background noise. I just got off the phone with someone that I could almost not understand at all. And it was not a volume problem, and it was not a frequency response problem. Sometimes it is distortion, and when I tell people to speak closer to the microphone it sounds much better. Other times the noise cancellation circuitry doesn't work worth a damn, and many syllables are cut out. The worst thing about this is that the person who is speaking on the cell phone doesn't know there is a problem unless you tell them. Some brands/models of cell phone seem to handle most of the common background noises fairly well. But many just suck. Some brands/models are obviously better than others. Why haven't the worst ones been shit-canned? My $10 TracFone (cheap Motorola) sounds better. (I've tested it.) Does anyone maintain a list of phones to avoid? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 38 #2 August 11, 2011 My hubby's blackberries (yes, 2 of them) are horrible (Verizon and Sprint). Any background noise and it sounds like we're on a battlefield. Mortars going off. Landmines. Artillery. He has a Razor (personal and practically old school) which is the one to use if I want to actually carry on any kind of conversation (TMobile). TMobile's coverage isn't as good, but when you have it, it's better. The good news is that if I ever really need to get a hold of him, chances are pretty good that he is somewhere that one of those phones will have coverage. Although, iff all three phones are charged, on any given day, I'm buying champagne. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,463 #3 August 11, 2011 >Why haven't the worst ones been shit-canned? Because we are reaching the point where most communications on a modern phone do not use the onboard speaker and microphone. Voice communications is being handled more and more often via a headset, and texting/IMing/posting etc is becoming far more common. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver30960 0 #4 August 11, 2011 Quote My hubby's blackberries (yes, 2 of them) are horrible (Verizon and Sprint). Here's another vote for Blackberries being awful for the person on the other end of the line. When my wife was using a Blackberry I was on a traditional phone that I never bothered texting on. Whenever she called, it was awful trying to understand her. We both have original Droids now: much better. I do notice that when I get sloppy and start holding the phone out of place or mumbling that folks will complain. But if I speak reasonably clearly, all is well. Elvisio "need more RAM, though" Rodriguez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #5 August 11, 2011 Maybe their phone is fine and it's your phone that sux. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver30960 0 #6 August 11, 2011 Quote Why haven't the worst ones been shit-canned? Nowadays, I don't think a phone stays on the market long enough to earn a reputation. Before word gets around how much it sucks, it's off the market. The incredibly high rate of product improvement in the world of mobile phones has created another symptom: TERRIBLE product support. What's that? Your phone doesn't work well? Here, just sign up for another two year contract (on top of your remaining contract) and we'll give you another phone that will be hopelessly out of date by the time you walk out of the store! I'm all for holding onto a phone that works for me. Problem is, there is no product support: you can't find replacement batteries or accessories for a phone even a few months after you bought it. Elvisio "don't even think about buying one retail" Rodriguez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peek 20 #7 August 11, 2011 Quote Maybe their phone is fine and it's your phone that sux. AT&T desk phone on an AT&T land line. The standard. Even my "modern" AT&T 2-line "business" phone sounds great. I must say that I have heard bad land-line phones too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #8 August 11, 2011 Quote Does anyone maintain a list of phones to avoid? Yes. ALL of them. I last saw my cell phone over 6 years ago as it passed under my nose on its way out the window doing 80 mph on I-285 in Atlanta. A very nice splash up against the concrete divider. One very good day in my life. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHusband 0 #9 August 11, 2011 my htc android sucks, but its not the sound thats bad. web surfing blows goats. the touch screen sometimes just starts doing weird things without even being touched. i'm hoping i can deal with it until a true 4g iphone comes out. "Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama www.kjandmegan.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eeneR 1 #10 August 11, 2011 Quote my htc android sucks, but its not the sound thats bad. web surfing blows goats. the touch screen sometimes just starts doing weird things without even being touched. i'm hoping i can deal with it until a true 4g iphone comes out. You will have to wait till "True 4g" actually comes out All that is out there at this point is really 3.5g..maybe She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway." eeneR TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #11 August 11, 2011 Quote Whenever she called, it was awful trying to understand her...... yeah, right any excuse to get out of chores dude (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrokenR1 0 #12 August 11, 2011 Quote Quote my htc android sucks, but its not the sound thats bad. web surfing blows goats. the touch screen sometimes just starts doing weird things without even being touched. i'm hoping i can deal with it until a true 4g iphone comes out. You will have to wait till "True 4g" actually comes out All that is out there at this point is really 3.5g..maybe 3.1G - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rap is to music what etch-a-sketch is to art. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,672 #13 August 11, 2011 Is it the phone or the service? I have a Samsung and Verizon, which seems to be fine. A friend has Samsung + T-Mobile and it sucks, especially when she's driving. It seems as though it has a "squelch" circuit that is badly adjusted.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peek 20 #14 August 11, 2011 QuoteIs it the phone or the service? I have a Samsung and Verizon, which seems to be fine. A friend has Samsung + T-Mobile and it sucks, especially when she's driving. It seems as though it has a "squelch" circuit that is badly adjusted. Well, that's a good question. Do some companies incorporate squelch, noise cancellation, compression, and other processing to their service, independent of the phones? To me, most cell phone operations appear to be working half-duplex. Some type of squelch must be present to make that work, but perhaps it is in the service too. Land lines are full-duplex, and this really adds to your ability to communicate accurately. I think younger people are eventually going to have no knowledge of how good phone communication can be because many will never have used land lines much. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #15 August 11, 2011 Quote>Why haven't the worst ones been shit-canned? Because we are reaching the point where most communications on a modern phone do not use the onboard speaker and microphone. Voice communications is being handled more and more often via a headset, and texting/IMing/posting etc is becoming far more common. Exactly."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
regulator 0 #16 August 11, 2011 why is the deaf guy commenting about cell phones? I'm just kidding Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #17 August 11, 2011 How did you know? My cell-phone stays in my p/u. For emergency use only. I use a land-line exclusivly. Personally... I hate cell-phones but where I live, it's a good idea to have one when traveling... right next to my .357! Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pincheck 0 #18 August 11, 2011 Guess it depends on your location and the network coverage in that area to be honest been with 3, Vodafone and T-mobile. 3 where just dreadful new set up and poor coverage not the phones fault although they tried to blame it when i asked to cancel. Vodafone good coverage of the UK but price for their contracts. T-mobile has had the same level of coverage and faultless service but cheaper than i could have got a htc desire than any other network. In the states your coverage may be a bit patchy i don't now but it does make a difference as i now what you mean by poor, Both my Sony's where rubbish for this Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #19 August 11, 2011 Quote why is the deaf guy commenting about cell phones? I'm just kidding HA! My cell phone is a data-only device. No voice plan. However, I can still use it to dial 911 and they can find me by triangulating where the call came from or through the phone's GPS. The only time I've ever used my voice on my cell phone is to record silly voice notes to send to a few friends. It's hysterical to them for some reason. Just ask Lawrocket. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
