Wow I thought the bag phones died off in the 80's.

I think I'll stick with my Razr until the Iphone gets sorted out. Other than range which would be nice, what does that phone offer over say an Iphone?

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Voice activated dialing for one! You can "train" it to recognise your voice and just tell it the number you want dialed while driving! It's one of the few that has this option that works really well. I put it through it's paces while driving my truck 600 miles the first day I had it and had to make about 21 calls in a row all the way from Parker Arizona, through Lake Havasu City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley, Bullhead city, Boulder City, Nevada, Back to Kingman Arizona, Wickenburg, Suncity, Surprise and back to Phoenix! I was really suprised how it did so well! With my laptop connected, I get onto the internet at 1.5Mb down load speeds, that's current ADSL! The high power antenna system with a full 3 watt output when the amplifier is on makes the usable range about 90 miles more than an Iphone. It will get all the service that an Iphone will, but not unless you connect your laptop, then it will run circles around an Iphone! Like I said, business people will love it. But Not many like me need 26.5 hours of talk time each month! If more and more states enact laws about hands free phone use on the road, it will be a hefty fine for holding a phone while driving. For me, I need to be in total contact on my routes, sometimes with a laptop, just to keep my schedule intact and customers well supplied and happy!

Like you I am self-employed as well. I go through 3000 minutes a month on my cell phone. My battery dies so many times a day it ain't even funny.

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1979 240d 216k (W123) Daily Driver
Volvo 245DL 210k

1979 300D FOR SALE
2002 Tahoe 91k FOR SALE

1980 300sd 177k (W116) Sold
1980 300sd Parts (W116) Junked
1979 240D 121k (W123) Sold
1982 300TDT 298K (W123) (Sold)

I use about 2k minutes a month on mine. The Razr has that voice dialing feature but I don't use it. I had a hands free ear peice, I forget the name, it didn't have a wire. Lost it need to get another.

It sounds to be like range and speed are the two important features. I live in a pretty built up area with a bunch of dead zones. Having more range would be nice, but its to large. I'd need to have one of those mounted in the car, and another phone to carry.

Cool phone though!

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Yeah, and unfortunately for now, that means having 2 different phone lines! Unless your willing to keep switching SIM cards between phones! It will go portable, but bag phones are not as light as a Razr! But if you really need it, it's great to have.

Well its not a bad thing, its just a real car phone, not fitting into your pants pocket! One day I may need one. From my perspective the only advantage is the range, but thats a big deal, a really big deal.

If I ever need a long range phone I'll give you a call.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

You know, you could still use the phone you have and go with a trunk mount antenna amplifier! There are direct and indirect antenna connections that work really well. You would need the AMP and an antenna mast about 18 inches high, and now there are surface mounts available so you don't have to drill a hole in your car! I just thought of that!

Well, if your really interested, I can hook you up. I'm a fully licensed retailer and have a tax ID number, but I don't want to break the rules on Shop forum by advertising here. I don't think it would be a problem sending you a PM and going from there. I'm also willing to market these through Shop Forum and Phil to help support this site if that can be arranged! I know about the dead battery thing! It's another reason I got this phone. You can plug it into the cigarette lighter and charge it while driving! I have a speaker and Mic in my car and use the handset. I'm told that the Mini USB port on the side can accept a Bluetooth boot for wireless headset operation. My car also has a horn relay to let me know when a call comes in. I modified mine with a 5 AMP Hour lead acid battery for longevity and put it into a camera bag for portability. I guess for those reading these posts who may be interested in one of these, post comments and tell me if you think contacting Phil for a sale outlet would be a good idea. I appear to be the only outlet on the West Coast for these, maybe the US too. It seems that most of the buying public is not interested in a phone like this when the smaller ones like the Razr or Iphone is available!

Most new phones do this alot better -- zero "training" involved. Just hit the button for voice activated commands and start talking. The RAZR was the first phone I had with this feature. My new SLVR took that feature up another notch entirely. My "cannot live without" feature of both the RAZR and the SLVR is their ability to sync with my date and address books in Lotus Notes. And the SLVR has a super slick MP3 player built into it. I can listen to music while mowing the lawn and it auto-pauses the song while I take a call and then resumes playing. (I use a non-motorized "reel" mower)

That would be nice if it were true. The Motorola Car Phone has the training option to help the phone recognise your voice and disregard all the sounds of being on the road, something the Razr is not good at! I don't need or want an MP3 player on my phone anymore than I want a camera. The Motorol "M" series is for mobile operations and can go bag phone. The bag is for the large battery because the antenna power is a high watt output and the Razr Phone battery will not put out a full 3 watts of signal power for more than a feew minutes before going dead. I've yet to see any voice command phone take voice commands accurately in an environment of background noise without lots of mistakes with the eception of the Motorola car/bag phone. This is because it's not fat with other programs drawing power and using file space, but it's not for everyone!

Huh? Its 100% true. Go to a phone store and ask them to show you the voice command feature on the RAZR or SLVR. There is NO training mode. You speak, it repeats back to you what it thinks you said. It will even pronounce awkward last names a pretty accurately. I use it all the time. I can say "Call Knightrider mobile" and it will do just that if there is an address book entry called Knightrider and phone number listed under mobile. You can even send text messages and pictures this way too. Welcome to 2005, man. Tell KITT to time warp you back from the 90s.

I have to footnote this post with the fact that I absolutely hated my RAZR. Battery life was a joke, it crashed all the time, I had to take it back for a replacement phone 3 times in a month. But it (and the SLVR) do the voice commands really well. I'm a huge fan of the SLVR.

You made my point! You do NOT have to add a name to the address book to call that number with the motorola "M" phone! YOU TRAIN it to recognise your VOICE so you can speak into it and get it to call numbers direct that are NOT in your Address book! The RAZR and other phones will NOT disregard outside noises from background environments if you are in an area where it's not very quiet while trying to talk into it and the "M" phone will! You can program any number into it that you want, but it will also respond if I say "call grindMarc at 555-555-9426" and You DON'T have to be in my address book to do it! THAT is true hands free while driving technology and it works so well because there is no other downloadable ringtone options or cameras or short battery life and there are no downloadable programs to crash. I don't have the SLVR and I'm not saying that they have not added these options. I'm saying they do not work as well as advertised in real life and the "M" does, however, the "M" will cost slose to a new Iphone in price and by the time you add a carry bag, battery choice, privacy handset and the Motorola Phone Tools CD to plug the phone into your computer, set up your options (Fax, selective caller ID, Data Stream, last number redial, sattelite service,etc.) you are close to $900.00!
I also need to add a footnote here that I have to carry a bag around that weighs a few pounds and I miss the little phone I could just drop into my pocket!
However, and dig out your maps for this one, while driving home back to Phoenix Arizona on 93, the Barry Goldwater/ Joshua Tree Memorial highway, I happened on to a serious car crash. We were about 108 miles North of Wickenburg in mountainous terrain where cell service is NOT available. The driver in the oncoming lane failed to negotiate a hairpin turn ( Blasted tourists!) and bounced their car off a marbled canton wall south of Burro Creek and the car was totaled and on fire blocking the highway on the Northwest bound side. No fatalities, but serious injuries and one pasenger was ejected from the vehilcle at 60 MPH through the windshield! (This is what brains and seatbelts are for!) Luckily my 300d has GREAT handling and 4 wheel disc brakes as well as a Motorola "M" phone because I was the only one who had ANY signal strength (65 to 70%) more than 100 miles for any emergency services. Yes, this is still Goldwater Country! We all had phones. I was able to lock on to a Sat-Cell 94 miles away with a 5 foot Omni-Beam Mobile mast and call for rescue even though I subscribe to T-Mobile and the Sat-Cell was a USA-040 in Wickenburg and get emergency medical help out there along with a fire engine to put out the blaze in 113 degree heat before we had a forest fire! Enough of us had ABC fire extiguishers to get it under control while help arrived. I was greatful to be able to get on to a 1900 Mghz service and tag onto an landline from a Satellite dish tower with GSM Mobile at the top of Burro Canyon Pass. But like I said, not everyone will want one!

Any of the other "super" phones from Sprint do the same thing, on a faster network. TREO's as well as a cornucopia of all those other phones do the same thing, but cost 1/6th the price. They also have ACTUAL GPS capability, while the Iphone simply uses maps from online. You also MUST by a data package for it, even if you are only using it for talking, playing music, and looking like a cool guy. The TREO my boss has cost him 114 dollars after all the rebates; I can equip my entire family with TREO's that have more capabilities, and still save 100 bucks. 600 bucks? Well the screen automatically pivots when it turns sideways. Guess its worth it. Also read since the keys are on the touch screen, and there is no actual "keyboard, you cannot simultaenously tap two keys, but must go slowly. I also can't imagine when that screen gets all greasy.

Rant done. Sorry Hatty...I think it's just my hatred for everything apple.

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http://www.betten.mercedescenter.com...n_banner_1.jpg
1976 300D
190,000 Miles
Colorado Beige

1975 300D
Parts Car
78,000 Miles
Rustbucket
Also Colorado Beige

1984 190D 2.2 (Dad's)
156,000 miles
Champagne Metallic Clearcoat

I know a lot of people with Treo's, they are ok.

I'll buy an Iphone a year or so from now when I can get it for damn near free with a new contract. If it cost more then $100 out of pocket I won't buy it.


Spending good money on a phone is a waste since most get lost or destroyed pretty fast.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200