Technology for Mortals

I recently had two phone replacements to go through. In May, I left my Samsung Flipshot in the rain (I hated that phone with a passion) and replaced it with the LG VX8360. I liked earlier VX8300 series phones I had, but the 8360 wasn’t so hot. The buttons on the side were too easy to push, and the phone was always activating the voice dial mode or taking pictures of nothing while sitting in the belt holder. Last week, I managed to lose that phone, and I bought an LG ENV3. The ENV3 is an excellent phone with two outstandingly obnoxious flaws. The first problem is that both crosspads (it flips open for a larger screen and full keyboard) are way too small. Don’t bother paying $7 for any games which require coordination to play or speed if your hands are larger than the typical woman’s hands. The other super huge problem is that the front crosspad’s center button is too easier to push. While in the holder, if it is slightly tight, you will find your phone changing all sorts of settings. It has an automatic keylock, but the unlock button is (guess what!) the too easy to push center button! I have it set to require a double tab to unlock, which has helped, and I got a new case yesterday that is a bit looser too.

Overall, I am so disappointed in cell phone design. It has been quite literally YEARS since I had a phone that I was 100% happy with. In fact, the last phone I really liked was the one I had right before the Motorola 325i which I despised, the phone I accidentally dunked into a river.

From here on out, I’m buying the cheap phones. Why? Because with their stripped down feature sets, the keypads have more room and are easier to use, I think. It’s a shame that the cheap phones usually have poor reception.

J.Ja

Hello George
That’s a very simple phone indeed but very easy to use.
That phone at least will let you change the wallpaper just get into the screen settings.
I’ve used previous models of that phone and It’s really easy to use for Text Messaging and just talking.
If you like real simplicity, that’s the phone to go I believe.
I’m currently using a Sony Ericsson C905a

I am using a Samsung Eternity myself. While I love the simplicity of the phone, two things leave me frustrated.

1. I can change the background, but not the “Screen Saver” or “Locked Screen”

2. Samsung appears to be the last company to get on the “USB Data Cable” bandwagon. When my girlfriend and I both had Motorolla phones, it was easy to ask “Can I barrow your charger?” Now we have to make a mad dash to each other’s place if one of us forgets a charger.

Many thanks, George Ou, for the pic of the 1661 showing how the SIM should be inserted. I just bought a 1661 today and was struggling with both the poor instruction manual and the online guide. You solved my problem and now my phone works!

George, I don’t think that phone has any kind of USB PC interface except to flash the phone with new firmware, for the which you would need an special interface and connection and software.

I believe these phones can go to the web via wap and receive MMS but not sure.
if it does, you can send an email to your phone (to your mms address) with an attached image, once received, just “save” the pic to the phone and then you can set it as a background picture.

Here in costa rica, i’d send a pic to my phone like that
example, the adress of my phone would be 5068810xxxx@grupoice.co.cr (x’s would be numbers) and that reaches my phone as an MMS.

BTW: I’ve been following your posts since you were in ZDNET
You’re one of my favory bloggers (altoguether with Ed Bott and Adrian Kingsley-Hughes)

you guys all need to get hobbies… or a woman.. or perhaps both…..

The internet is an incredible place. I have basically the exact same story. I still can’t get the phone to read the SIM card however. When I install it, it is loose and slides around a bit, should it be snug in the slot?

Thanks George! When my normal Motorola crashed this weekend and they told me I was 11 months out from a new upgrade, I picked up this 1661 for $20 at Target. The manual was awful – and the online one at Nokia.com – I never would have thought there was room to slide the SIM card under the metal clip.

@Rae Rae

Is this the “Rae Rae” I think it is, or is this someone else?

J.Ja

thank you SO much great explanation – thought i was having a nightmare but this totally helps! :0)

You have no idea how great that picture of the SIM card installation was. I was pulling out my damn over this dumb phone. Like you, I just purchased this cheap phone as a temp while I am stateside for the month. Thanks again!

Hi. Just purchased the Nokia 1661 with cheap prepaid service. Does anyone know how to program the right button (or any other) to get quick access to changing the volume? Seems like I’m only able to access by going through many menu selections… gotta be an easier way to quickly silence the thing without turning it completely off! Thanks!

I just wanted to thank George for being so gracious to include a photo on how to install the the SIM card under the metal bracket. You saved me a trip back to the store and possibly saved the phone a trip of being flung across the room into a wall.

Thanks again George!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your photo was very helpful. Thought I’d got sim in correctly before but obviously something slightly different now. You’re wonderful!

THANKS! yours is the only explanation & photo that makes what to do totally clear – I got it straight away with you. THANKS! Sue

was getting frustrated. thanks youre a star.

Many thanks George,

My wife was just about to stamp on her’s !!

Thanks for your help. The instruction manual is useless.

thanxs immensely for this pic and instr–even though pic was hard to see at first, in the end i was able to make it out and it really helped! this was a lifesaver thanks again.

I’m surprised so many ppl were having trouble putting the SIM card in. I just got the phone today and had it installed in 30 seconds. anyways has anyone figured out how to put images on this phone and how to change the wallpaper without changing the theme?

Thank you, thank you! Worked like a charm!

I really appreciate this advice. I was about to throw my daughter’s new phone against the wall. You really helped.

Thank you so much for the pic!

how do I unlock this phone? i press the “*” button but nothing happens. Thanks.

@person: still working on how to put images, if that is even possible; would have to be able to save them into the onboard wallpaper folder in order to use them as backgrounds. To change wallpaper, select Menu > Settings > Display settings > Themes. (The currently selected theme will be displayed on the button before you select it, and you will land on a list of available themes with the current one selected.) Press Options on the current theme; Select Edit. Use the navigation square to find Wallpaper (actually, you should land right on it) and select it. The next page will just display the name of the currently selected wallpaper, but the navigation square will allow you to page through all of the available wallpapers. When you find one that you can live with, press OK (or Back to keep what you have).

@Eileen: The Unlock key is the left softkey (the white bar to the left of the navigation square). Press it, then quickly press the * key. You’ve got like half a second to press the second key (which is plenty of time for most people), or it won’t unlock.

Thanks to George Ou for his clear explanation of how to insert Sim into Nokia 1661, and the absolutely clear photo. I’d been tussling for ages. Why couldn’t Nokia be clear. They should test drive their instructions with technophobes before publishing them.

David

Thank you so much for the photo/illustration. Where would we be without people like you.

The instructions that come with the plan are as vague as you can possibly get. Your instructions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

George – thanks so much for those photos of how to insert the sim card. That bloody instruction booklet was driving me mad….:-)

Thank you for taking the time to do this. Very helpful and much appreciated.