Tim H A8L

I suspect I'm not the only one who's had problems with the cradle - and, it bothered me to go back to an earlier version v60, not to mention the number of times I've messed with the phone getting it in and out from under the arm rest - sometimes while in transit because a phone number is in the phone - not my car's memory. So... today went to Verizon, who will allow you to add another phone to the same account for $20 a month - sharing minutes. Added another phone, put my newer version v60 back in service, and set the forwarding on the Audi phone so that it rolls to the new number if it's off ("busy / don't answer" forwarding). Works like a charm. Can now leave the Audi phone in the car, carry the other one all the time, and just "publish" the Audi phone number. It forwards to the other phone when the car is off, etc. Seems like a plan so far, and I've used my backup software to load my phone numbers in both phones so I also have the flexibility of using the other phone with all the numbers - even in transit if necc. Not rocket science, but seems like a decent work around.

Mr. Ricco

My provider, AT&T stated that when doing so, I would be charged by AT&T for the call time since they were the "forwarding" service. So the great deal here was paying for 2 mobile calls duing 1 call. Are you not paying for the same call twice with your setup?

XZLR8

... when I owned the '02 745i (with the Motorola Timeport phone that was the size of a small New England state). With Verizon, both lines aren't charged the minutes for a forwarded call. I imagine it could vary depending on service provider though.

BackToBasics

Also through Verizon. Allows me to carry the phone of my choice (Samsung i600 SmartPhone) wherever I go and leave the old technology V60 in the car all the time. I don't even bother with the OnStar phone

Tim H A8L

The phone choice was the other part of my motivation - I'm moving toward the "all in one" solution as soon as they get the technology down in size, and up to full features without the bugginess that's haunted the CE phones in the past. And I think they're pretty close - so I'll hopefully get rid of the IPAQ and still have a reasonably sized phone. But with the old setup, just didn't have the options. Sometimes the simplest solutions take me the longest...

Mr. Ricco

Appears I need a sitdown with Verizon. Thanks.

BackToBasics

It's got Outlook mail, contacts and calendar. I never used Pocket Word or Excel enough to care about them, so the new Windows Mobile software for smartphones is perfect combo of PDA and phone. Best thing is that it is a phone first, PDA second instead of the other way around.

Tim H A8L

Thanks for the tip! I'll give it a look....