[TriLUG] Cell Phones w/i Linux question

[Harry Halpin]

    I just moved back to the Triangle after a multi-year sojourn in
Scotland. I'm in a market for a mobile phone. Any recommendations for a
phone for a heavy computer user/linux geek?  I'm having real difficulty
with the following requirements, listed in order of importance:

1) I absolutely require that my cell phone be compatible with Linux (in
particular, I use Ubuntu on my laptop and OpenZaurus on an old Zaurus
5500), and my dream is to simply be able to both download and upload my
phonebook across all three phones.

2) I'd love to be able to use my mobile phone as a modem as well with my
laptop. This would probably involve some trickery. I'd like a non-insane
priced data plan. A friend of mine on Sprint here said that some Sprint
phones like his seem to have unlimited data access "for free."

3) I'd prefer a GSM-capable phone since I often travel to Europe, and
would otherwise have to buy a new phone in Europe. But that might be
worth it.

4) I'd prefer one-year contract to two-year contract plans, and since I
work at Duke now I have substantial discounts on Verizon and Alltel. My
parents use Cingular and my friends tend to use Sprint. I'm also trying
to get the best deal - I'm not making as much money as I'd like :)

This phone looks amazing but alas, you have to buy the SDK and *then*
get a plan:
www.trolltech.com/products/qtopia/phone_edition/*greenphone*

I'm tempted by the RAZR since it can be used as mobile device with EV-DO
I heard, but it seems to have severe difficulty getting the phone book
to download with Linux. I've heard Nokia's work well, but most providers
only seem to be providing very low-end Nokias.

-- 
		-harry

Harry Halpin,  University of Edinburgh 
http://www.ibiblio.org/hhalpin 6B522426