android phone with front facing camera? (and real keypad?)

[papaschtroumpf]

upgrading my phone for work so "money is no object", network is AT&T.

I am very interested in anything related to video conferencing so I would like to have an option to do so on my phone (even if it's only WiFi, although wireless would be ideal).
My boss wants me to get an iphone 4, because it has the front facing camera, but I'm afraid it will be a cold day in hell before other video conferencing apps are allowed on the iphones, to call other devices than iphones.

My ideal phone would be a world roaming, AT&T compatible, equivalent to the Samsung Epic 4 G (love the idea of hard keyboard) and with a front facing camera.

if something like this exists I haven't found it yet. can it be found if I give up the "real" keyboard? the AT&T Captivate which is based on the same hardware as the Epic 4G has neither the keyboard, nor the front facing camera.

 

[preslove]

I believe that the only front-facing-camera on att is the iPhone


Apple allowed Fring to appstore, so they aren't locking out other voice chat apps.

 

[boomhower]

As preslove pointed out you can get Fring on the iPhone so that would be the way to go. It's locked out of skype no so your limited to other Fring users but it's better than nothing.

 

[Deeko]

I believe the only Android phone on any network with a keyboard & front facing camera is the one you already mentioned - the Epic 4G.

 

[Deeko]

However, there are quite a few Nokia phones with front facing cameras, that are unlocked GSM and should therefore work with AT&T, if buying outside the AT&T store is an option.

edit:

Nokie E72
Nokia N97
Nokia N900 (I don't think the N900 works with AT&T's 3G though - Edge only)

 

[exdeath]

Does anyone actually use that shitty VGA camera on the front of those phones that have them or is it just something to feel good about having on the spec sheet when comparing to another phone, like having more letters on a car's trunk lid? I've never seen anyone video chat on their cell phone; I can't even stand being interrupted and having to answer and TALK to someone much less them look at me while I'm taking a dump.

I see a lot of buzz about "zomg must have front facing camera", and seems to me like it's just another thing to check off on a spec sheet when doing a review or hyping a phone.

I'm just barely getting excited over phones now for actually having quality cameras and not 1.3 megapixel 7 color garbage, and here we go all over again with front facing cameras.

 

[Rottie]

If you want to give up ATT go to Sprint and get a super[smartphone - EVO 4G

 

[papaschtroumpf]

per my original post, this is for work, I'm locked with AT&T, if AT&T supported the sprint phones I'd be all over it.

Regarding the front facing camera, I am in the video conferencing business (on PCs) and therefore I am very interested in experiencing it on a mobile platform.

 

[Spoooon]

per my original post, this is for work, I'm locked with AT&T, if AT&T supported the sprint phones I'd be all over it.

Regarding the front facing camera, I am in the video conferencing business (on PCs) and therefore I am very interested in experiencing it on a mobile platform.

I can see situations where it would be fun to use or even beneficial.

RE one of those iphone commercials: Tell you what though, if my wife were pregnant, I would want to hear from her in person and not through video chat.

 

[finbarqs]

If you want to give up ATT go to Sprint and get a super[smartphone - EVO 4G

Being on the EVO for just over a month now... I can't recommend it whole-heartedly. You'll get QA issues... I'm on my second EVO phone, and the lower left hand of the screenis somewhat rising... It's the same issue I had with my first phone, before the light leak occured. The light leak didn't bother me all that much, but having dust between your glass and the LCD is not a good experience.

This second EVO phone (brand new) is starting to experience something similar. Though the lower left hand side doesn't rise as high as my first phone, it's not as solid as the right hand side of the phone. I've had this replacement (another new phone) from Best Buy for about a week, and I already have a couple of dust particles under the screen... Another thing that the OS (maybe it's the Sense UI) is that when you are on navigation, and if you're talking with the blue tooth, the phone will restart after 10 minutes or so. I haven't tried it without the bluetooth, but the old phone did it, and the new phone is doing it too.

But the sheer amount of apps on android is worth the drawbacks!

 

[preslove]

per my original post, this is for work, I'm locked with AT&T, if AT&T supported the sprint phones I'd be all over it.

Regarding the front facing camera, I am in the video conferencing business (on PCs) and therefore I am very interested in experiencing it on a mobile platform.

Just get the iPhone. There isn't an android phone with a front facing camera on ATT's roadmap & if one comes along soon there is only a small chance that it will have a physical kb.

Yeah, it sucks that you can't get what you want, but there are worse things in life than a free iPhone.

edit: oh, and make sure to get a case