Re: [tlug] Buying a Blackberry in Japan (OT)

[Raedwolf Summoner <rarooam@example.com>]

Godwin Stewart <gstewart@example.com> wrote:
> > any more.) Her roommate at OSU has a Blackberry and she was
> > wondering if she got this she could use it in the US with her US
>
> It should work but without 3G, which is a bit of a pain for data such as
> blackberry mail.

Thanks, Godwin, good to know! I will pay attention to the tri-band and
quad-band specs when looking at phones. Is this just to do with speed?

Ai Ling <alchow@example.com> wrote:
> Getting it in Japan will cost you an arm and a leg--no-contract Blackberries
> cost something like 50k-60k! Unless there is a reason she needs an
> international version, if she's going to use it in America anyway, getting
> it there is far cheaper. She probably saw a Blackberry Bold. For example,
> Amazon tells me getting the Blackberry Bold 9700 from T-Mobile is $99 (with
> a service plan).

Thanks, Ai Ling. Very informative. Yes, it is a Blackberry Bold: for 30K at
Yodobashi without the contract.

> Also--the other Blackberries are (IMHO) nicer. For example, I like the
> Blackberry Gemini 8520. That one is $320 unlocked, even.

That's basically what the "Bold" costs here without the contract. And that
"locked" vs. "unlocked" worries me, too. If she gets it at Yodobashi, will it
be locked so she can't use it in the States anyway? I'm guessing that
getting it without the contract means it is unlocked, but I am not sure I
understand correctly. Also, I've heard of someone buying an "unlocked"
phone and the company where they had a contract locking it while
servicing it!! I wonder what I need to find out about getting an unlocked
phone and keeping it unlocked.

I suppose she would be better off going for a nicer model in the States,
maybe through Amazon -- I noticed those were international, unlocked
phones -- and then using it here when she comes back. She will likely be
at OSU one more year. She comes back on holidays, so she has kept
her contract here.

Thanks!
--Ralph

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