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    anyone use the cingular with their SZ?

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by CNC GUY, Nov 4, 2006.

  1. CNC GUY

    CNC GUY Notebook Enthusiast

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    im in the market for the SZ370 and wondered if anyone has used the cingular with it? if so,any inpout would be great.am i correct in saying that the SZ370 has the external antenna?
    thanks everyone. :)
     
    CNC GUY, Nov 4, 2006
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  2. pwaggs

    pwaggs Notebook Consultant

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    You are correct. I have not used mine. I use my smartphone, Cingular 3125, for mobile wireless conectivity.
     
    pwaggs, Nov 4, 2006
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  3. sunshine3

    sunshine3 Newbie

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    You should note that the cingular edge network is unbearably slow for web surfing. Imagine dial up modem speeds. For about the same price of subscription you can get EVDO from either sprint of verizon. Speeds with EVDO are nearly 10x that of EDGE. This would however require a new PCMCIA adapter on you laptop.
     
    sunshine3, Nov 5, 2006
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  4. CNC GUY

    CNC GUY Notebook Enthusiast

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    wow-
    thanks for the input.i was not aware of that.i just converted my desktop to high speed from dial up.i can't imagine dealing with the same waiting period with the sz370.thanks for the heads up!
     
    CNC GUY, Nov 5, 2006
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  5. pwaggs

    pwaggs Notebook Consultant

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    Sort of true. EDGE is not that bad, and Cingular 3G is better than Sprints or Verizons, however, you still need a card to install. I have NO IDEA why Sony bothered installing EDGE on the computers except that it is VERY reliable and VERY prevelent and wide spread (almost available everywhere). The funny thing is that Cingular 3G is backwards compatable so they could have given us that and it still would have been compatable with EDGE if you were out of a 3G area.
     
    pwaggs, Nov 5, 2006
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  6. FenderP

    FenderP Notebook Deity

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    I have the Japanese SZ, so no built-in Cingular.

    I use the OptionMax PCMCIA card which is the 3G network. I use it on the road all the time, and while it is a bit slower than my normal home network, it isn't by much. I use it in the airport and in hotels where they still charge for Internet. Sure, $80/mo is not cheap, but better than $10/day for internet at a hotel, or $7 for 1 hour of time in an airport.

    I couldn't get Sprint's card to work in my machine, and had a horrible customer service experience with them. Beware of Sprint's claims - it's against EDGE only. Cingular's 3G network is in most major cities at this point.

    The NextGen networks (Sprint is starting to roll theirs out, Cingular is there, not sure what Verizon's EV-DO speed is compared to Cingular's 3G) are definitely fast enough for most normal use. Even downloads are pretty good.
     
    FenderP, Nov 5, 2006
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