Used N-Gage System $50 at Gamestop.com

[D. Monic]

It's the first time I've seen it in stock on the Web site in months. These are the original models, which I prefer to the QD because they have a USB cable interface (for connecting to the PC) and stereo sound, both of which I consider essential. I ordered one of these from Gamestop back in the Oct/Nov timeframe and I can't recommend it enough.

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=909069

Good luck,

-DM

[lurknomore]

I've bought other junk for more...but for whatever reason, I'm not going to pull the trigger quite as of yet. I'll wait until it drops some more. But I agree that this is the version to get between the two.

[whoknows]

I dont use a cell phone, but If I did I would get this.

[dcfox]

Still a bit high for me. Plus there really isn't anything on the N-Gage I really want to play.

[D. Monic]

I dont use a cell phone, but If I did I would get this.

I think this is the right way to look at it. It's a phone that does all kinds of other cool stuff (plays games, MP3s, videos, e-books, etc.). If all you want is a commercial handheld game system, stick with the SP. But if you want a phone/multimedia/gaming device, the N-Gage really does kick some ass.

-DM

[PenguinMaster]

If you go throgh bn.com and use the code 25OFFBN you can get 25% off. ($37.50 AC).

[starboyk]

Yeah, this thing does it all well, rather than doing one thing perfectly. Pro'lly the biggest gap between this and the psp is graphics and cell phone usage.

[Mightyclaw]

If you go throgh bn.com and use the code 25OFFBN you can get 25% off. ($37.50 AC).

How are you getting to GameStop through Barnes & Noble?

[Shadows916]

of ypu can wait a bot, spmy is making a cell phone attachment for the psp. as well as a gps,camera and other stuff. could be a while coming out, or $$$-could possibly suck all together. I'v heard from friends who have owned the n0gage that if your playing a game and someone calls, it shut your game off. i'd be pissed

[munch]

of ypu can wait a bot, spmy is making a cell phone attachment for the psp. as well as a gps,camera and other stuff. could be a while coming out, or $$$-could possibly suck all together. I'v heard from friends who have owned the n0gage that if your playing a game and someone calls, it shut your game off. i'd be pissed

i had to read through your post 3 times before i understood what you were saying.

[KingNES]

of ypu can wait a bot, spmy is making a cell phone attachment for the psp. as well as a gps,camera and other stuff. could be a while coming out, or $$$-could possibly suck all together. I'v heard from friends who have owned the n0gage that if your playing a game and someone calls, it shut your game off. i'd be pissed

Actually it doesnt shut yer game off, the game is paused and when the call is over the game will pick up exactly where ya paused. U can change apps etc while playing the game, the minute you do so the game is paused and will pick right back up where you paused. The only thing that will shut off the game is shutting off the gage.

[r1s3n]

fuck died on me just as was ordering

r1s3n

[andersontsia]

If you go throgh bn.com and use the code 25OFFBN you can get 25% off. ($37.50 AC).

How are you getting to GameStop through Barnes & Noble?

Click Here (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/bn/index.asp?affid=4985&cds2Pid=946&userid=xt12BNIAjt )

[GuilewasNK]

I dont use a cell phone, but If I did I would get this.

I think this is the right way to look at it. It's a phone that does all kinds of other cool stuff (plays games, MP3s, videos, e-books, etc.). If all you want is a commercial handheld game system, stick with the SP. But if you want a phone/multimedia/gaming device, the N-Gage really does kick some ass.

-DM

That's the way I feel about it. If I need a cellphone, I'd probably go with the N-Gage. Why do some of you prefer the original model? A lot of people say the new one is better because you don't have to disassemble the thing to change games.

I didn't realize it played videos too. If it only had a TV tuner...

[cthcky33]

tis now on backorder when added to cart, im sad

[r1s3n]

yup great deal for 37, to bad it went tits up

r1s3n

[howlinmad]

Is this the elephant ear one?
Doesn't it have speaker phone type functionality? If so, how is it?

[Grave_Addiction]

Damn! I planned on ordering me one when I got home from work. Oh well.

[guessed]

If you go throgh bn.com and use the code 25OFFBN you can get 25% off. ($37.50 AC).

This coupon will not provide a discount based on the current contents of your shopping cart. Here is the description of the coupon:

25% off all in-stock preowned video games & accessories! Only one offer per order. Valid through Barnes & Noble only. No dealers or resellers, please.

You may continue checking out without a discount; to receive a discount, read the coupon description above and make the appropriate adjustment(s) to your shopping cart.

Did you get it to work?

Edit: aah, "in-stock". I guess I'll have to wait for it to come back in and try again.

[dragonfireflys]

It's the first time I've seen it in stock on the Web site in months. These are the original models, which I prefer to the QD because they have a USB cable interface (for connecting to the PC) and stereo sound, both of which I consider essential. I ordered one of these from Gamestop back in the Oct/Nov timeframe and I can't recommend it enough.

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=909069

Good luck,

-DM

That's a lot of money for a doorstop

[Shadows916]

sorry about the garbled post-my girlfriend has used my keyboard so much just about all the letters have worn of the keys. it's black, so a magic marker won't help. had to dig out an older crusty keyboard for now

[Moxio]

Not bad at all. I actually might consider getting this.

[help1]

arent these free during ebgame deals sometimes?

[SadieDee]

How many minutes of MP3's does it hold? I *might* be going on a trip to Korea and I've been thinking about getting a MP3 player.

[guyver2077]

depends on the memory card....this is how i got my ngage ...


get it now its a great phone

[D. Monic]

How many minutes of MP3's does it hold? I *might* be going on a trip to Korea and I've been thinking about getting a MP3 player.

Though the N-Gage has some internal memory, you really need a MultiMedia Card (MMC) to get the most out of it for MP3s and such. I recommend buying the biggest MMC you can afford. I have a 1GB in mine.

For MMCs, I recommend Kingmax cards cuz their cheap and they come preformatted in a way that the N-Gage can use right out of the box. I got mine at Newegg.com, which I also recommend (great site, fast shipping).

-DM

[Pure Apathy]

of ypu can wait a bot, spmy is making a cell phone attachment for the psp. as well as a gps,camera and other stuff. could be a while coming out, or $$$-could possibly suck all together. I'v heard from friends who have owned the n0gage that if your playing a game and someone calls, it shut your game off. i'd be pissed

i had to read through your post 3 times before i understood what you were saying.

4 times for me

[adamsappel]

Back in stock.

[Grave_Addiction]

Was anyone able to get it to work with the 25% off? I thought the code was only for games and not systems.

Also, I was looking around for a cheap $1.99 game last night to get some free shipping and it seemed they were all out of stock. Any help on that front would be appreciated.

[KrAzY3]

I have one of the original N-Gages (got it free with contract when I was in Europe... didn't even have to keep a contract because a friend needed a new one and it was a good contract.. now that's cheap ass). I really have ended up using it a LOT.

To be frank, there is SO MUCH you can do with it that I've ended up not using it as much as I would have if its functions were more limited. I never know, what I want to do with it. Listen to MP3s? Play a MMC title? Use the emulators? I'll try to run down the functionality.

Games: It has some really solid MMC titles. Graphics wise they kind of fall between the SP and the DS. Games like Tony Hawk are good ports of PSX games, but some weren't done well at all. The really strong point of the MMC titles would be the titles that use Arena or Bluetooth (multiplayer). That's the one unique thing that the N-Gage has going for it. Other than that, I'd have to say the emaulators are a nice touch. With the old N-Gage, you just have to plug the USB cable in and you can install and run emulated games. It can't get much easier than that. There's also a lot of nice java titles and Symbian titles. I still wouldn't say its better for gaming than the SP, but it does more. Can't compare to the PSP though, obviously.

MP3s: Main limitation here is size of your MMC card. They aren't that expensive though, so you can really end up with a solid MP3 player for a reasonable amount of money. You can also play other audio formats, plus even more if you install other players. The original N-Gage is probably better since its stereo sound and comes with a USB cable and MP3 player software. You can also use them as ringtones.

Phone functionality: Actually about as cheap as you can get a S60 phone for. With the original N-Gage, its a pain to use it as a phone unless you use it hands free. The main advantage of the QD would be the fact that its more usefull as a phone. But, in a pinch either N-Gage will do fine as a phone.

It does other stuff to, you can run a lot of apps, even watch movies, etc... for 50 bucks you'd have a very hard time finding a MP3 player that good, you'd certainly have trouble finding another S60 phone and a used GBA SP would cost you about that much. So... if you like the idea of something that can do a lot, you can't beat the price.

[Chacrana]

I can't make myself spend $50 on this garbage.

[guessed]

I can't make myself spend $50 on this garbage.

I don't think anyone asked you to.

Back in stock, so the discount is applicable.

[GuilewasNK]

Emulation on the N-Gage original only?

[CaseyRyback]

wait a few weeks. The price of the QD just dropped to 99 bucks, so pre-owned prices on the old systems should be dropping soon

[Han Solo]

I just ordered one through bn.com.
Total: $39.48

[Guapo77]

I am getting invalid coupon code when entering the 25OFFBN discount

and yes I am going through bn.com

I thought this code only applied to games and accessories?

[guessed]

I am getting invalid coupon code when entering the 25OFFBN discount

and yes I am going through bn.com

I thought this code only applied to games and accessories?

Go to www.bn.com first, then click on the Gamestop link (bottom right), code should work (just tried it, it does for me).

[Guapo77]

got it now, thank you

So I got it for about $40 w/ shipping

I seriously have no clue why I got it other than it was so cheap so it would be impossible for me to have buyer's remorse

[neonglow]

For people that ordered and recieved their N-gages, what condition did the machine come in? Were there scratches on the screen?

[D. Monic]

For people that ordered and recieved their N-gages, what condition did the machine come in? Were there scratches on the screen?

Ordered mine from Gamstop.com back in October. Came in very good shape. No scratches. Came with the CD, manual, all the cables, etc. Back at that time, some people reported getting the original box, SIM card, etc. I wasn't that lucky.

And yes, the N-Gage requires a SIM card to operate. If you don't have GSM phone service and rather not sign up for it, just get an unactivated SIM card off eBay (about $5 shipped). Then you can use the N-Gage for everything but a phone.

BTW, scratches on the screen aren't that big a problem. The faceplate, which includes the screen lens, can be popped off and replaced. Do a search on eBay for "N-Gage faceplate" to see the prices and colors. They're generally pretty cheap.

-DM

[CappyCobra]

I have one of the original N-Gages (got it free with contract when I was in Europe... didn't even have to keep a contract because a friend needed a new one and it was a good contract.. now that's cheap ass). I really have ended up using it a LOT.

To be frank, there is SO MUCH you can do with it that I've ended up not using it as much as I would have if its functions were more limited. I never know, what I want to do with it. Listen to MP3s? Play a MMC title? Use the emulators? I'll try to run down the functionality.

Games: It has some really solid MMC titles. Graphics wise they kind of fall between the SP and the DS. Games like Tony Hawk are good ports of PSX games, but some weren't done well at all. The really strong point of the MMC titles would be the titles that use Arena or Bluetooth (multiplayer). That's the one unique thing that the N-Gage has going for it. Other than that, I'd have to say the emaulators are a nice touch. With the old N-Gage, you just have to plug the USB cable in and you can install and run emulated games. It can't get much easier than that. There's also a lot of nice java titles and Symbian titles. I still wouldn't say its better for gaming than the SP, but it does more. Can't compare to the PSP though, obviously.

MP3s: Main limitation here is size of your MMC card. They aren't that expensive though, so you can really end up with a solid MP3 player for a reasonable amount of money. You can also play other audio formats, plus even more if you install other players. The original N-Gage is probably better since its stereo sound and comes with a USB cable and MP3 player software. You can also use them as ringtones.

Phone functionality: Actually about as cheap as you can get a S60 phone for. With the original N-Gage, its a pain to use it as a phone unless you use it hands free. The main advantage of the QD would be the fact that its more usefull as a phone. But, in a pinch either N-Gage will do fine as a phone.

It does other stuff to, you can run a lot of apps, even watch movies, etc... for 50 bucks you'd have a very hard time finding a MP3 player that good, you'd certainly have trouble finding another S60 phone and a used GBA SP would cost you about that much. So... if you like the idea

of something that can do a lot, you can't beat the price.

You forgot the biggest PRO! THE reason to get an N-Gage (http://www.sidetalkin.com/page-1.html)

[Grave_Addiction]

It looks as if they are back in stock. However, when I add 999 systems to my basket, it shows they have all of them in stock. So this might just be a glitch or something and they could still be back ordered.

[D. Monic]

It looks as if they are back in stock. However, when I add 999 systems to my basket, it shows they have all of them in stock. So this might just be a glitch or something and they could still be back ordered.

I'm not sure the inventory trick works with Gamestop.com. But I'm pretty sure the system is in stock right now. There are times when the main N-Gage page will say it's in stock, but when you add it to your cart it says "backordered." Right now, it says it's in stock in both places, so I think it's available.

-DM

[Grave_Addiction]

In order for it to be "used", someone would have had to bought it first.

Quite unlikely.

LOL ...................... what?

[yellowaznboy]

In order for it to be "used", someone would have had to bought it first.

Quite unlikely.

Ha. That might be true. Fellow CAG, D. Monic, picked up a used N-Gage for me and it came complete and looking brand new. I ain't complaining! Since then, I've dropped it a bunch of times, but it's still running. :wink:

For what it's worth, I think the device is well worth the money. There are just so many things you can do with an N-Gage. At $40, it's a steal.

You can get some cheap Multimedia Cards at www.onsale.com . I bought a 128 MB EP Memory MMC for around $13 shipped. Higher capacities are relatively cheap, too.

Edit: I think first-time shoppers at onsale.com get free shipping, and after that it's some outrageous shipping cost. Oh well.

-Tim

[Grave_Addiction]

I just ordered one. $42.73 shipped.

[Grave_Addiction]

In order for it to be "used", someone would have had to bought it first.

Quite unlikely.

Ha. That might be true. Fellow CAG, D. Monic, picked up a used N-Gage for me and it came complete and looking brand new. I ain't complaining! Since then, I've dropped it a bunch of times, but it's still running. :wink:

For what it's worth, I think the device is well worth the money. There are just so many things you can do with an N-Gage. At $40, it's a steal.

You can get some cheap Multimedia Cards at www.onsale.com . I bought a 128 MB EP Memory MMC for around $13 shipped. Higher capacities are relatively cheap, too.

Edit: I think first-time shoppers at onsale.com get free shipping, and after that it's some outrageous shipping cost. Oh well.

-Tim

Have you already received it? If so, how was the quality of service at the site. I've never heard of it before.

Also, is this the one you bought?

http://www.onsale.com/onsale/shop/detail.asp?dpno=291525

[yellowaznboy]

Yeah. That's the one. They must have raised the price.

With ground shipping (free), it came in like 4 days. The MMC works flawlessly. First thing I did was format the MMC in the N-Gage and then loaded it up with some music. No problems at all.

Give the site a try, but make sure you check the shipping cost first.

-Tim

[Guapo77]

I know this has been said many times, but the sidetalking thing with the first N-Gage is just horrible

who on earth would want to talk in public with that thing next to your ear?

[Grave_Addiction]

I know this has been said many times, but the sidetalking thing with the first N-Gage is just horrible

who on earth would want to talk in public with that thing next to your ear?

There's a mod out there that shows you how to drill into the back of the N-Gage and allows you to talk normally.

Sidetalking is a thing of the past.

[EddieBelfour]

anyone know if this phone works with sprint service?

[guessed]

anyone know if this phone works with sprint service?

Yes and no. Yes I do, and no it won't. The N-Gage is GSM, Sprint is CDMA.

[EddieBelfour]

anyone know if this phone works with sprint service?

Yes and no. Yes I do, and no it won't. The N-Gage is GSM, Sprint is CDMA.


thanks for ruining my day :cry:

edit: eff my stupid camera phone that doesnt do anything. but take pictures.

[D. Monic]

I know this has been said many times, but the sidetalking thing with the first N-Gage is just horrible

who on earth would want to talk in public with that thing next to your ear?

I just use a Nokia HDB-5 headset. Pretty cheap. Works great. Problem solved.

-DM

[Guapo77]

I checked my order status today and now it says backordered so anyone else that might have ordered one might want to check

[Grave_Addiction]

Holy motherkhajkhakjalslgfasdlbfasljdghlfhfh;asjklh;v :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

I am so damn mad right now. Mine's backordered, too.

[Shadows916]

mine went from in stock, placed order- now it's a week later and it's back ordered. gamestop sucks

[Grave_Addiction]

mine went from in stock, placed order- now it's a week later and it's back ordered. gamestop sucks

I think I might just cancel my order. Stupid ass Gamestop.com! :evil:

[Guapo77]

I'll probably just keep mine up and not cancel it

and then in 3-6 months this mystery package will arrive and alas...its the $40 N-Gage!
It will be Christmas in July indeed

[snood]

I ordered the second it came back in stock, thursday evening, and I've got a ups tracking number. If anyone really wants one just check the site continuously and order the second it comes in stock.

The ngage is the laughing stock of the gaming community, but after doing some research that seems pretty unfair. For $300 or whatever price it debuted at the phone was way overpriced, but $37 for a phone, gaming console, video/mp3 player, web browser, and aim client all combined into one machine I think it is an insanely good deal. Can't wait to get it!!

[munch]

I am becoming mildly intrigued by this thing call N-Gage. i was never interested in it before, but this is an obscene price. someone convince me to buy it.

[civx]

I ordered the second it came back in stock, thursday evening, and I've got a ups tracking number. If anyone really wants one just check the site continuously and order the second it comes in stock.

The ngage is the laughing stock of the gaming community, but after doing some research that seems pretty unfair. For $300 or whatever price it debuted at the phone was way overpriced, but $37 for a phone, gaming console, video/mp3 player, web browser, and aim client all combined into one machine I think it is an insanely good deal. Can't wait to get it!!

I probably missed it, but how do you put AIM on it?

[wubb]

So can you play games on an N-Gage without having any phone service to it? (Too lazy to do the research - or even read this whole thread :oops: to see if it has the answer already)

If you can I could see me getting one of these if I find one for less than $10 someday.

[guessed]

So can you play games on an N-Gage without having any phone service to it? (Too lazy to do the research - or even read this whole thread :oops: to see if it has the answer already)

If you can I could see me getting one of these if I find one for less than $10 someday.

Gameplay does not require phone service.

[snood]

I probably missed it, but how do you put AIM on it?

google "agile messenger," it's an instant messaging client for phones, including the ngage. You need to have proper internet service from your cell provider to use it, but it looks great.

[oasis007]

Well, I got mine this week, and it was in terrible condition. First, there was NO BATTERY! Hmmm. Ok. The back cover wouldn't stay on the unit at all, and kept falling off. There was a large scratch on the screen, and other marks on the body of the console. No manual, no cd, and did I mention no battery?!
I'm sending it back today, and hopefully they'll ship me a usable one next time.

[D. Monic]

Well, I got mine this week, and it was in terrible condition. First, there was NO BATTERY! Hmmm. Ok. The back cover wouldn't stay on the unit at all, and kept falling off. There was a large scratch on the screen, and other marks on the body of the console. No manual, no cd, and did I mention no battery?!
I'm sending it back today, and hopefully they'll ship me a usable one next time.

That's lousy. I hope the next one they send you is in great shape. From past threads, it seems Gamestop usually does send out good units, but you're not the first one to get a stinker either.

-DM

[Milkyman]

Well, I got mine this week, and it was in terrible condition. First, there was NO BATTERY! Hmmm. Ok. The back cover wouldn't stay on the unit at all, and kept falling off. There was a large scratch on the screen, and other marks on the body of the console. No manual, no cd, and did I mention no battery?!
I'm sending it back today, and hopefully they'll ship me a usable one next time.

That's lousy. I hope the next one they send you is in great shape. From past threads, it seems Gamestop usually does send out good units, but you're not the first one to get a stinker either.

-DM

the first one they sent me couldnt even be charged but it was complete with all cables and battery. i sent it back and it took them 3 months to send me another one but this one is in perfect condition and still came with everything.

[D. Monic]

the first one they sent me couldnt even be charged but it was complete with all cables and battery. i sent it back and it took them 3 months to send me another one but this one is in perfect condition and still came with everything.

Well, the good news is that it's come back in stock twice in the last week or so, after being sold out for at least a couple of months. Maybe people are trading them in as the PSP launch nears. Who knows? But hopefully that means Oasis won't have to wait three months for a replacement.

And those who have them on backorder, don't cancel yet. Give it at least until the end of the month. The signs suggest that Gamestop's supply of used systems is better now than it's been in a while.

Good luck,

-DM

[Grave_Addiction]

What's strange is that on my Paypal account, it shows that Gamestop.com is pending a charge on my card for the N-Gage.

But the weird thing is is underneath the Gamestop.com name, there's a phone number for a B&M Gamestop near Dallas.

Do you guys have any idea why that is? Does Gamestop have a warehouse or do they just ship stuff out of B&M stores now?

[SadieDee]

What's strange is that on my Paypal account, it shows that Gamestop.com is pending a charge on my card for the N-Gage.

Butthe weird thing is is underneath the Gamestop.com name, there's a phone number for a B&M Gamestop near Dallas.

Do you guys have any idea why that is? Does Gamestop have a warehouse or do they just ship stuff out of B&M stores now?

I think they do that for tax purposes.

[guessed]

Mine came today, and it appears to be in good shape. I had always assumed that either one could access non-phone features without a sim card, or that it would come with a dummy sim card, but neither appears to be the case, so I can't actually try it out yet (I have no intention of using it as a phone). What is the cheapest pre-paid sim card, or is there a way to get a dummy/used one (I've always been with Sprint, so I have no sim experience)?

[CaseyRyback]

What's strange is that on my Paypal account, it shows that Gamestop.com is pending a charge on my card for the N-Gage.

But the weird thing is is underneath the Gamestop.com name, there's a phone number for a B&M Gamestop near Dallas.

Do you guys have any idea why that is? Does Gamestop have a warehouse or do they just ship stuff out of B&M stores now?

http://www.gamestop.com/investor-relations/

they are based out of Grapevine, so it is reasonable that their warehouse may be in Dallas (just hopefully not South Dallas :lol: )

[Grave_Addiction]

What's strange is that on my Paypal account, it shows that Gamestop.com is pending a charge on my card for the N-Gage.

But the weird thing is is underneath the Gamestop.com name, there's a phone number for a B&M Gamestop near Dallas.

Do you guys have any idea why that is? Does Gamestop have a warehouse or do they just ship stuff out of B&M stores now?

http://www.gamestop.com/investor-relations/

they are based out of Grapevine, so it is reasonable that their warehouse may be in Dallas (just hopefully not South Dallas :lol: )

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ... :oops:

Thank you, sir.

[D. Monic]

Mine came today, and it appears to be in good shape. I had always assumed that either one could access non-phone features without a sim card, or that it would come with a dummy sim card, but neither appears to be the case, so I can't actually try it out yet (I have no intention of using it as a phone). What is the cheapest pre-paid sim card, or is there a way to get a dummy/used one (I've always been with Sprint, so I have no sim experience)?


Just buy an unactivated SIM card off eBay. You can generally find one for $5 shipped or so. An inactive SIM gives you access to every feature on the device except the stuff that requires a service provider (phone, text messaging, etc.).

Welcome to the world of the N-Gage.

-DM

[snood]

just got mine today, good condition!

I signed up for the $4.99 tzones plan, got web browsing to work through a proxy but aim doesnt seem to work with agile messenger. have to use some other software called im+ and now it works great.

so far the only game i tried is the 3d snake nokia made, pretty fun. bought the thing more for the non-game features of the ngage, ill check out the games down the line i guess 8-)

[D. Monic]

just got mine today, good condition!

I signed up for the $4.99 tzones plan, got web browsing to work through a proxy but aim doesnt seem to work with agile messenger. have to use some other software called im+ and now it works great.

so far the only game i tried is the 3d snake nokia made, pretty fun. bought the thing more for the non-game features of the ngage, ill check out the games down the line i guess 8-)

Sounds like you're off to a flying start. :o

For those who don't know, you can download free demos of some of the more recent games from the N-Gage Arena Web site. You can also get the free full download of Snakes. You'll have to register with the site first, but here's the link:

http://arena.n-gage.com/n-gage/web/en/play/downloads/downloads_games.jsp

It's a good way to get started with the system.

Have fun,

-DM

[Grave_Addiction]

I would also suggest going to ngagegaming.com and look at the features on the site. There's a lot of good info there.

[Guapo77]

what is the $4.99 tzones plan?

I have Cingular as my carrier, but I do have a GSM phone, and I really don't feel like switching over (I don't pay because I am on a family plan, and if I do..well then I have to lol)

[Shadows916]

you can get the n-gage "unlocked"- people clam an unlocked version canbe used on any network. seems you have to enter a code for the phoen and it sissables the sims lock and the service lock. some people on eby say the phone was used through at&t, verizon and cingular in the auctions i was watching(getting tired of waiting for gamestop).

[snood]

what is the $4.99 tzones plan?

I have Cingular as my carrier, but I do have a GSM phone, and I really don't feel like switching over (I don't pay because I am on a family plan, and if I do..well then I have to lol)

the $4.99 tzones plan is tmobile's cheapest plan that allows access to the net. Of course, being a cell phone company, they make nothing easy. Since they want you to pay for the more expensive internet plans they disable the default web port, and make you go through a proxy to get web sites. they also block almost every port besides the bare essentials for mobile web and getting your email. That makes it so you have to specially configure your software to get on aim or to regular web sites, etc. The more expensive plans dont require this. I haven't tried ngage arena yet, it's possible it would work but most likely tmobile is going to want me to pay for a more expensive plan for that.

As Shadows916 said I believe that ngages are compatible with practically every cell network, except sprint(i think they use an entirely different setup from the others) so either the ngage will work with Cingular out of the box, or it will need to be unlocked. Chances are if you called cingular and explained your situation they would probably help out with that, or even called the company who the ngage is locked to.