Help Android G2 without data? Yes/no?

[sharky34]

Hi,

at the moment, I use my personal PDA and phone for pro use with pro SIM card.

I am looking for replacing both machines by an android one. Next month probably (June salary is already off).

I have seen something telling that it is impossible to activate a G1 or G2 withoit a data contract.

I know that having 3G would be great but I am not the one who neociate telecom contract. Perhaps, next year with a new contract and/or carrier (andoid make the point here as it is simple to unlock).

So, can someone tell me if a will be able to use G1/2 with my voice ony SIM? And use internet through Wifi, of course.

Thanks for anwswers, phil

 

[slarti]

Where you read that it was impossible to activate a device without a data contract probably relates to the terms and conditions of that service provider rather than the needs of the phone.

Of course the phone will work perfectly well as a phone without a data service, you'll miss out on a lot of the functionality of the device when away from a wifi hotspot but on the upside if you're not using data you could lock the phone to 2G only networks and you'll increase your battery life.

RE: replacing your PDA and phone with a G1/G2, I came to the Magic after using Psions then Handspring/Palms for 10+years and feel that at the moment Android isn't the best offering for everyone. Until Agendus (or something similar) comes to android the PIM side of Android is weak compared to some of the more mature OSes.

 

[sharky34]

Where you read that it was impossible to activate a device without a data contract probably relates to the terms and conditions of that service provider rather than the needs of the phone.

It was in an ebay announcement. One that probably doesn't know what he sells.

Of course the phone will work perfectly well as a phone without a data service, you'll miss out on a lot of the functionality of the device when away from a wifi hotspot but on the upside if you're not using data you could lock the phone to 2G only networks and you'll increase your battery life.

Good.

RE: replacing your PDA and phone with a G1/G2, I came to the Magic after using Psions then Handspring/Palms for 10+years and feel that at the moment Android isn't the best offering for everyone. Until Agendus (or something similar) comes to android the PIM side of Android is weak compared to some of the more mature OSes.

I agree with you but PalmOs is dead, WebOS just born and both Microsoft and Apple lock their system so much that it is ... not my cup of tea. I think (or hope) that an open system will push to such an improvement.

 

[grimmy]

Android was designed to be used with a data connection... You are going to miss a lot of functionality without one.

 

[sharky34]

I totally agree with you. But it is not my choice. I hope it will change.

At office, at home and in a lot of meetings out of office, I can find a wifi connection. I would like if it is possible to begin like this.

NB: when my company will be bored to pay me back wifi connection at hotel, they will give me data connection

 

[Jayziac]

A lot of people confuse Android being a smartphone with HAVING to have a cellular data a plan. The android OS was designed to be on a network, but whether it's through wi-fi, 3G, or even some hacker allowing a ethernet cable. it doesn't matter. Sure 3G is convenient because it's almost everywhere in a metro area. Wifi is less reliable, but for a lot of people still convenient if they're mostly at home, or work, or even some cities where they get subsidized city-wide wi-fi. What the cell phone companies force us is to buy their expensive monthly data plans. From my research it seems that the G1 just requires a 3G data plan to initially setup a google account. Hopefully other android phones in the future don't require this. As long as the wi-fi is setup properly, it shouldn't matter if the actualy bits are transferred through wi-fi or 3G/2G.

 

[sharky34]

From my research it seems that the G1 just requires a 3G data plan to initially setup a google account.

oh, bad.

I'll have to borrow a data enabled card (or use the one which is inside the 3G PCMCIA card of my laptop).

 

[punkzanyj]

A lot of people confuse Android being a smartphone with HAVING to have a cellular data a plan. The android OS was designed to be on a network, but whether it's through wi-fi, 3G, or even some hacker allowing a ethernet cable. it doesn't matter. Sure 3G is convenient because it's almost everywhere in a metro area. Wifi is less reliable, but for a lot of people still convenient if they're mostly at home, or work, or even some cities where they get subsidized city-wide wi-fi. What the cell phone companies force us is to buy their expensive monthly data plans. From my research it seems that the G1 just requires a 3G data plan to initially setup a google account. Hopefully other android phones in the future don't require this. As long as the wi-fi is setup properly, it shouldn't matter if the actualy bits are transferred through wi-fi or 3G/2G.

I have to disagree in part, I don't think people are saying "you need the data plan" more that they're saying "you need the data CONNECTION" . Sure, if someone has citywide free WiFi and never travels outside that city, and always has a charger on them (WiFi eats batteries faster than 3G does) then sure -- they'd be taking advantage of a good deal of the features of the phone. They'd miss nothing, really. Well except I believe they would have to rely on GPS more because the non-gps location information is a data connection thing. Could be wrong on that one.

However, my data connection went out for a few hours and MAN is the phone limited when you don't have data. My contacts and calendar appointments disappeared, I couldn't use google maps, no email, no IM, no weather updates, no twitter updates -- even some games need data connection to either post your scores online, or to connect with other players, or to download the ads that make the game $free$ in the first place. Without any data connection, you easily loose more than half of the phone's features and capabilities. With no data connection at all, you pretty much have just a phone, and an expensive one at that.

 

[sharky34]

However, my data connection went out for a few hours and MAN is the phone limited when you don't have data. My contacts and calendar appointments disappeared, I couldn't use google maps, no email, no IM, no weather updates, no twitter updates -- even some games need data connection to either post your scores online, or to connect with other players, or to download the ads that make the game $free$ in the first place. Without any data connection, you easily loose more than half of the phone's features and capabilities. With no data connection at all, you pretty much have just a phone, and an expensive one at that.

I thought that contacts, calendar were synched to/from google. Do you mean that local cal and contact aren't usable without a data connection?
That is really bad. What do you do in a plane?

 

[justjimjpc]

I thought that contacts, calendar were synched to/from google. Do you mean that local cal and contact aren't usable without a data connection?
That is really bad. What do you do in a plane?

you would be on auto-sync ... or manually sync before having to use airplane mode .... then any changes you make on the phone will be sync'd when you turn off the airplane mode ... Ideal IMO ...

 

[sharky34]

OK. So calendar, contacts and so are available even when away from a connection.
And you sync whenever you get a connection. Normal.

Same way that with my actual PDA. If I don't connect through sync cable, I can use the local datas on the PDA (or the PC). Difference is that there is no cable and that sync is done "on the air" (even "on the cloud" since you sync with Google).

Am i right?

 

[justjimjpc]

OK. So calendar, contacts and so are available even when away from a connection.
And you sync whenever you get a connection. Normal.

Same way that with my actual PDA. If I don't connect through sync cable, I can use the local datas on the PDA (or the PC). Difference is that there is no cable and that sync is done "on the air" (even "on the cloud" since you sync with Google).

Am i right?

Sync is OTA .. and you go into Settings and turn auto-sync on/off and manually sync items as well ..

 

[Jayziac]

A lot of the apps are actually online apps, so of course they won't work without a data connection. Since Google is an online ad company, it's their preference. But there's also a lot of great apps for android that take into account when even the best 3G signal isn't possible and queues data up until the next connection. The reality of all wireless connections is that they are not reliable.

 

[sharky34]

Sync is OTA .. and you go into Settings and turn auto-sync on/off and manually sync items as well ..

Perhaps we misunderstood on the term "sync". For me, synchronise means that you have datas on two different storages and after synchronising both sources contain the same data.

So, you have a calendar on google, one on your android. You can modify appointements by both way. After the sync your appointements are the same on your android and on Google.

Is this correct?

 

[sharky34]

A lot of the apps are actually online apps, so of course they won't work without a data connection. Since Google is an online ad company, it's their preference.

Oh, I get that.

But there's also a lot of great apps for android that take into account when even the best 3G signal isn't possible and queues data up until the next connection. The reality of all wireless connections is that they are not reliable.

Exactly, I do not want to be utterly dependant on an internet connection.

 

[therompalace]

So can I use contacts and calendar without having a data connection at all? i.e. - no data plan, no wi-fi, in a subway for example.

Thanks

 

[therompalace]

I can confirm that with the auto sync off, you can use the local contacts and calendar without requiring a data connection (via 3G, wifi etc).