Related
Isn't that weird that there is still nothing better on the market than Exec?
And nothing is even announced to come!
Or maybe I missed a news about a PDA/Phone with better specs than Exec.
I love gadgets and am a bit confused when I have nothing to wait for :wink: .
And I'm going to Japan and Hong Kong in a month and was thinking to buy something there.
rottie said:
Isn't that weird that there is still nothing better on the market than Exec?
And nothing is even announced to come!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mind - I've got until December before I change my Exec - so glad I took out a 1 year contract rather than an 18month one.
Keep a look out for the SE p990i..... should interesting :roll:
BR
agent003 said:
Keep a look out for the SE p990i..... should interesting :roll:
BR
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Impressive specs, but the tiny keyboard isstoo small. Should sell well enough though - Wifi and 3G? Damn nice. Might face some competition from the XDA IQ (Orion).
The non-flush keyboard flap is awful too. http://gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_p990-pictures-1318.php
Nice looking from the camera facing side though!
And that plastic thingy supposed to be better than my Exec? :lol:
rottie said:
And that plastic thingy supposed to be better than my Exec? :lol:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'll second that
I sometimes wonder if they are so shunted for creativity & innovation! The same old crap revamped over and over again, and people still keep buying it! Unbelievable!!!
The OS is so lame, it makes me wonder how people can even use it! The applications you get for the SEs are so "compromised" and pathetic, that i really wouldnt even dream of having one of those in my gadget kitty!
again, my honest opinion....no flame war intended, but i would enjoy a breakout nonetheless
Cheers,
San
I have ordered my P990, its a phone PDA not a PDA phone. Looking forward to having a reasonable amount of user memory (>64Mb) and great MP3 playback and photos. Also I suspect I'll get two days life from the battery unlike....Also I don't expect to need to reset it every two days...Its amazing what the naff OS from Symbian can do (e.g. real-time processing)
Edit: also looking forward to having caller ID on my JabraBT800 and stereo BT playback
jah said:
I have ordered my P990, its a phone PDA not a PDA phone. Looking forward to having a reasonable amount of user memory (>64Mb) and great MP3 playback and photos. Also I suspect I'll get two days life from the battery unlike....Also I don't expect to need to reset it every two days...Its amazing what the naff OS from Symbian can do (e.g. real-time processing)
Edit: also looking forward to having caller ID on my JabraBT800 and stereo BT playback
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am going to take a serious look at the P990. I had a P800 which I didn't like much (it promised far more than it delivered), but the P990 seems leaps and bounds ahead. I then moved on to a Treo which was OK but underpowered both hardware and OS-wise. I then got a JAM and now an O2 Exec - but don't think much of Windows at all - although I couldn't survive without TomTom! I don't think any PDA has come anywhere near the quality of the Psion 5. What went wrong...?
"Looking forward to having a reasonable amount of user memory"
I've a bucket load of stuff on my XDA, never ran out of memory. Ever.
"and great MP3 playback"
Hey, me too!
"and photos."
Check. 640x480 pics look glorious. What res you running in, and on what size screen?
"Also I suspect I'll get two days life from the battery"
I get a day, but I charge every evening, so it's not a problem.
"Also I don't expect to need to reset it every two days"
Windows Mobile 5.0 is reliable. Obviously Beta software etc occasionally needs a reset, but in practice, the thing is reliable.
"Its amazing what the naff OS from Symbian can do (e.g. real-time processing)"
Sorry, what? My XDA doesn't process in real time? Really? How does it multitask?
"also looking forward to having caller ID on my JabraBT800"
Caller I'D works well through my headset via Voice Command, no need to take the headset off to look at the number.
"and stereo BT playback"
Hey, me too!
@Belfast Bikes, real-time processing means Symbian does everying there no need for two OSs unlike WM5 devices. I was trying to point out that the P990 is more a phone then PDA; some people need a rock solid phone over a PDA. On memory, I do need to reset because of low RAM and I prefer to install my apps on the main memory as I do when I use all my other devices. The Universal's 27MB user memory is very low for a USD1000 device in 2006!
@page3, totally agree about the Psion 5 - fast, easy to use and rock solid (I think I had to reset my 5MX about twice in 12 months). The Psion 5 design is from 1997! Here we are 9 years later and we have to suffer slow devices that are unreliable!
jah said:
@Belfast Bikes, real-time processing means Symbian does everying there no need for two OSs unlike WM5 devices.
On memory, I do need to reset because of low RAM and I prefer to install my apps on the main memory as I do when I use all my other devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never reset due to low memory,ever. I use gspocketmagic to actually close the apps I don't need, perhaps that helps?
As for needing two operating systems, I have no idea what you're talking about.
@Belfast Biker
re: Real-time OS
Look at these links:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/13/microsoft_single_core_phone_os/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/30/singlechip_rtos_phones/
All *current* PocketPC/WM phones require two OSes. One runs the phone radio and the other runs the rest of the PDA. They have to be working together in order to give you a usable device. Once these are integrated in a RTOS, we should be able to do more with less. This should result in more efficiency, less weight and smaller motherboards. Technically, it should also reduce the price, although that, of course, will likely never happen!
SE990 UIQ ...
Hi folks,
I own a SE P910 as well. It is pretty similar to the 990 apart from WiFi and 3G and the screen size - the 910s screen is larger ;-)
Well, compared to PPC/Phone Ed these show a different attitude.
PPC/PE are sort of PPC with the possibility to call and the SE 9XX are phones with a PDA.
Compared to my Universal the 910 definately is NOT slow once apps are loaded and you can leave a whole lot running berfore you'll notice any slow-down. I have several apps on that thingy and I have to admit there definately is light and shade - just as everywhere, in the PPC world as well.
Concerning the keyboard you are right - this is tiny with the 9xx but text recognition (scribbling on the screen similar to Transcriber) is more accurate by far.
Phone operation (there are some people left that really use their phones to phone ;-) ) is a whole lot better: quality of sound, scroll through options by a 5-way wheel switch, options in general are better and usable compared to PPCs.
And something striking is that these devices don't have a Reset-switch - they really don't need it ....
It just depends on what you want so please don't damn a device just because it is different
Have fun!
Andreas
I am considering purchasing the Atom as a replacement for my much-loved XDA2. However, several reviews and user comments in other forums have indicated that the Atom suffers from:
1) Poor quality construction- Cheesy plastic case
2) Buggy/Slow WM5 OS
3) Poor camera
What about the experience here? Do you all agree with the comments above? Would you recommend Atom as a replacement for the XDA2, or another device? Thanks
Someone has already asked this question, see my response.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=50054&highlight=
and
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=49399&highlight=
Bad Buzz Responses
Thanks, Experimenter for your post, but no one has addressed the issues I raised except to say that they love the device. Many more reviews say exactly the opposite....... my favorite "looks good, works bad". Can the users in this forum polear give me some advice on this? Thanks
Here's my 2cents opinion
Hi Pharmer,
Well let me address the issues u raised :
1) Poor quality construction- Cheesy plastic case
2) Buggy/Slow WM5 OS
3) Poor camera
Its hard to answer your questions simply because it can be quite subjective.
Best is for u to walk into a shop and handle one yourself, then you can decide on 1) ... try out the camera and decide on 3)
Some ppl complain that the black makes fingerprint smudges obvious ... but really, my peeve, which applies to almost all PDA phones, is when u hold it to your ear to make calls you'll get a greasy touch screen.
I use a casing to protect the screen.
As for your point #2 I've not had problems after the ROM upgrades ... then again, just like a PC, it really depends on what you install into the handheld. Lots of times its the quality of the additional software u install, or if u install and uninstall lots of stuff to try em out.
Software I currently use :
TCPMP to watch movies and listen to MP3 using STEREO bluetooth
HICALC calculator
Resco Explorer and Registry Editor
Pocket Informant
O2 Plus
Not had any problems using my Atom with all these loaded. In fact, I'm extremely pleased with my Atom right now.
As for the camera, yes it has been pretty poor (by my standards for a 2MP) but seems to have improved with each ROM upgrade. Seems to take pretty decent pictures now. I have found you get best results outdoors on a bright day and indoors don't do as well.
well end of the day I can only say that if you are looking for perfection then it'll be a long wait ... every device will have its flaws ...
I made my purchasing decision based on :
1. Decided on Atom's slower wireless 'B' instead of other devices which had faster 'G' as I don't expect to be doin major surfing on a tiny device ... just needed the connectivity for email and occasional browsing if a PC is not available. What is important is at least WPA support which the Atom has. Even the 'B' is faster than my broadband access and I transfer files via active sync or using a card reader so wireless speed not an issue there.
2. Selected the Atom because of the STEREO bluetooth which allows me to watch movies and listen to MP3 in full stereo ... This feature has not been available on most other devices until recently I think.
3. Sleek and small size. Not too clunky, but some ppl prefer a keyboard for SMS so I suppose it may not be for everyone.
Atom Qualities
Hi, Experimenter- Thanks for your reply. As to why I don't just go look at one in a store, you might be interested to know that the US carriers generally do not carry these phones. As far as I am aware, no US carrier has the Atom. In the US, we usually purchase them unseen (except for pictures) from websites. Even T-Mobile US doesn't carry the phones the T-Mobile in Europe carries. As for any carrier-based service- for the phone, forget it.
Anyway, sorry for the rant, but that's why we depend on people like yourself to give honest opinions before we buy. The pictures of the Atom look pretty good, but the majority of the revierws have been bad suggesting that perhaps this is a phone that needs some improvement. My second choice is the 128mb Jam(charcoal). Looks like a similar phone to the Atom but with WM2003se instead of WM5. All the reviews on WM5 indicate that this os needs a little improvement too.
Finally, your comment that none of these phones are perfect is true and I'm certainly not looking for perfection. My MDA2 is still pretty good and perhaps its not time yet to upgrade.
atom's camera
hi experimenter i would like to inquire about the atom's camera in the latest official rom.. how many seconds does it take the atom to load the cam? and how long does it take to save pics shot? thanks dude.
about the overall performance, would you give a rough percentage of its increased speed performance compared to the previous rom (it's ok if it's your opinion). thank you very much
Re: Atom Qualities
Hi
Giving my 3 copper coins worth on ATOM too, since I am a user since last December 2005. I've been carrying other larger and powerful XDA devices before this, so I think the ATOM has it's hits and misses. IMHO, the usual benchmark on buying an ATOM is based on 2 very important criteria:
(a) Are you a COOL GADGET person?
(b) Are you tech-savvy and able to tinkle a bit on the the WM2005 registry?
I am not sure about the specs of the alternate JAM devices you have mentioned, but I reckon the hardware specs should be similar to ATOM except for the cover design and the OS.
WM2003SE is in the market longer, and there are better support of software. But that will means that it is possible for ATOM to downgrade to WM2003SE as well?
Very few pple however, will do that. WM2005 is here to stay, but as with everything M$, gave every1 more time to tweak the bugs.
Hey,
just upgraded my MDA Vario to the MDA Vario II (my third HTC phone in less than 18 months, these things are addictive) and wanted to share my thoughts for people who might be thnking of doing the same. To a lot of people there doesn't seem much more to shout about between the two but I believe the upgrade is well worth it.
Form Factor, Appearance and Build Quality:
- The Vario II (from here on referred to as as VII) is slightly longer but also marginally thinner than the VI, the difference is only small but to me the reduction in thickness is certainly welcome. The shape of the VII is very similar to the Magician, less rounded compared to the VI and flatter.
- In terms of build quality the VII is far superior, it feels much more solid especially when the keyboard is concealed (you cannot tell that there is one, feels like one continuous unit). The buttons all have a nice tactile feel to them and the jog wheel is very solid.
- Appearance is obviously a subjective matter but in my opinion the VII looks far nicer, especially the dark metallic red keyboard. It has a much more professional look to it, rather than the plasticy VI.
==> The VII takes this round hands down, it's thinner, better looking and more solid feeling with great build quality.
Ease of Use:
- The VII has more buttons than the VI which is a welcome addition for me. I used to map the top buttons (Messaging and IE) to the Start Menu and OK, there are now dedicated buttons below the soft keys. I used to find that I accidently would hit the camera button, so far have not pressed any button by accident on my VII.
- The scroll wheel wasn't a feature I was to bothered about until I used it and have got to say that it makes one handed operation even easier, especially considering there is a second OK button below the wheel which cleverly acts as the Start Menu button when on the today screen meaning you can launch programs using just your thumb. It also allows you to scroll through documents easily although for making large jumps it is a pain. I would mention the equivelent on the VI but that would be the volume slider which was the tackiest part of that phone.
- Another small but overdue feature is the new layout of the number on the keyboard, they are now arranged in a standard numerical block. This feature really comes into its own when dialing a phone number as you now no longer need to double click circle to access the numbers, when your in phone mode you just use the keys and it automatically recognizes that it should use the numbers instead of the letters (this works with SmartDialer and without).
- Keyboard shortcuts have considerably improved, you can now launch File Manager, turn on WiFi and use PgUp/PgDn using the keyboard. There is also a new input method, Symbol Pad which has common and unusual characters in a list (this can be launched directly from the keyboard).
- The stylus is almost identical to that of the VI, although it is very stiff in the VII.
==> Again the VII has some great improvements, some minor but they all add up to make a more satisfying experience using the VII.
Communication:
- Data transfer is the big change between the two devices, the VI has GPRS/EDGE compared to the VII which supports HSDPA. With the VI I only had 6Mb allowance per month and so my general usage was kept to a minimum (MSN, vgsmail and occasional web browsing) and for this purpose GPRS was generally acceptable. Not trying to sound cheesy but HSDPA is going to completly change the way I use my phone, browsing is now almost instaneous even with pictures set to download and I no longer have to worry about how much data I use. Some people mention that although download speeds are impressive there is a lag between loading pages, I have not found this to be the case. I was browsing xda-developers on my phone today and I wouldn't say there was a noticable difference between browsing on my phone and my laptop (4Mbits/s Cable). I did a speedtest on http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/ and it rated at 1.2Mbits/s (I'm in Leeds)
- Speech quality, without doing professional tests is subjective but in my opinion has improved with the VII as has reception.
==> This is where you'll notice the biggest difference, I don't think it's an overstatement to say that the VII will drastically change the way you use your phone.
NB: The phone came with HSDPA enabled in software but I had to phone customer services (150 from your phone then options 2 => 6, they have to get through the tech department but don't think there's a direct number)
Hardware:
- You can definitly tell that there is a more powerful processor in the VII, menus load without lag and programs load faster. There is a known issue at the moment which affects video playback (search on the forums) but this would be my only grumble with speed. Overall it is far more responsive than the VI (I always had the latest ROM and not one of them matches the VII in responsiveness).
- The one issue the VII has with speed is the length of time it takes to come out of sleep, there is a gud second lag which can get irritating if you just whipped your phone out to check for mesages.
- The camera has received a much needed upgrade as has the camera software. There does seem to be a noticable difference in quality but I don't use it much so won't comment on differences although it is clear that the VII has a better camera than the VI. One thing the VII has which at first I thought was its most pointless feature has actually turned out to be great, on the main camera theres a little macro slider (lets you focus on close-up objects) and it really works. It is excellent for taking photos of documents or writing and you can actually read the text easily from the photo. There is also a second camera on the front for video calling but I don't know anyone who has video calling so cant test it.
- Yet another memory format yet another damn card to buy, the good news is I can't feasably see how a memory format can get smaller then MicroSD without running the risk of it absorbing into your skin so hopefully this one will be around to stay for a little while longer than MiniSD. Have not yet bought a MicroSD card so cannot comment on any performance differences.
- I'm hoping that the battery life on my phone is still being misread as I have only charged it once now but if not then it is awful. I left the house this morning at 9 with a fully charged battery, as I'm still in the honeymoon phase with it I used it constantly until 2pm (webbrowsing, live messenger, no calls, 2 texts, imap idle) and the battery was down to 10%!!!! Another known issue at the moment is that the battery level goes down in 10% blocks, apparently a lot of early ROMs for HTC have this issue and it then gets corrected so fingers crossed. Something else to note is that the VII battery capacity is 100mAh higher (1350mWh vs. 1250mAh).
Update on battery life, it has indeed improved but not as much as I had hoped. My VI is still sitting in my draw, turned on waiting for messages and with no exageration its well over a week between charges. My VII on the other hand needs charging every couple of days, but I do use it a lot.
==> Apart from the battery life the VII beats the VI
Software:
- For the stock ROM unlocking the extended ROM is simply a case of running fit4cats registry tweaker, there seems to be far less less applications in extended rom as well (total ~ 3Mb). For the first time I'm not bothered about letting the extended rom as it doesn't install anything instrusive or bloating.
- Live Messenger Beta runs fine, any problems being related to the software bugs rather than the phone (all my contacts appeared to be offline, had to "Switch User" option to fix that). The voiceclips feature works flawlessly and combined with HSDPA makes for a useful method of communicating when you cant type. Live beta is currently not working
- VGSmail works fine as expected
- Resco Explorer 2005 is fine
CONCLUSION:
The Vario I was a great phone but not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, on the whole it worked but had too many annoyances for me. The Vario II I believe corrects almost every single one of these as well as providing new features. I would not consider this to be a necessary upgrade for those who don't use data communication and can live with the Vario's flaws. For the heavier users I could not recommend this phone more, as I mentioned before I have had the Magician, Wizard and now the Hermes. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that for me this is the best out of the three, but it also the first time I have considered a Pocket PC to be a worthy substitute for a dedicated phone. It truly is an amazing piece of hardware and could not imagine anyone who takes the plunge being the slightest bit disappointed.
Pros:
- HSDPA
- More responsive
- Better keyboard, buttons and general buil quality
- True one handed operation may now be a reality
Cons:
- Battery life (under very heavy usage on new battery)
Hope this helps some people when deciding whether to go for it or not, I will keep this post updated if I think of anything and don't hesitate to post any questions.
When your battery went down that quickly, where you in an area that was spotty with its UMTS reception? (sorry I'm not familiar with your area) I know I am almost on the line of UMTS and no UMTS and when I am on either side of the line I am fine, but when I am close to the line my battery drains ridiculously fast.
after some charges the battery do the best... my Tytn now as about 3days of autonomy...
not comparable with the 2 days of my magician!
great recension...
many thx
bubu
With regards to the battery I know that they take a little while to be worn in and the OS usually takes a while to learn the battery as well so I'm not to worried. I think I was in an area of spotty coverage yes, as I was only getting 3G 75% of the time.
I think this is a great summary so bumping it up for other potential buyers to read.
The new keyboard is rarely mentionned as one of the improvements over the wizard but it really is a big step forward in that department.
cheers for the bump, just a few updates:
- the keyboard issue has corrected itself, it seems that when fresh from the box some of the contacts need to be worn in. all the keys are now as responsive as each other.
- battery life has also improved considerably but that could well be down to me using it less.
- the stylus is now feeling a lot smoother going in and out of the device.
- unfortunatly the screen alignment issue has cropped up on my phone. this is by far the biggest problem people have with these phones. this should not hinder potential buyers as operators are recognizing this as a factory hardware flaw and replacing/repairing it free of charge.
people looking to buy this phone should not be put off by the screen alignment issue. most newer models aren't having this problem but if they do it's just a case of getting it replaced (on that note, make sure you buy from a reputable supplier with good customer service).
hope this helps those looking to buy this great phone.
Great comparison! I'll link it on the PPC Magazine blog!
(BTW, as far as "- Data transfer is the big change between the two devices, the VI has GPRS compared to the VII which supports HSDPA." is concerned: the VI supports EDGE with speeds up to 240 kbps under good circumstances. See http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=518&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 for more benchmarks.)
Guys, hears sweet stuff abot the tytn - but how about tytn vs universal - my current pda . . . i am due an upgrade in like 6 months . . what you guys reckon???
cheers
lr
Thanks Menneisyys for the link and also the correction, have edited the post to include VI having EGDE. The reason I didn't mention it is that tmobile uk doesn't support EDGE so I never got to use it.
I bought a 1Gb Sandisk Transflash/MicroSD card, just stuffed it in the slot and rebooted (for some reason wouldn't appear until I reset, I've noted that other people have also experienced this)... But it just works.
Copied over some xvids via my LAN (PC wired to router, PDA on wifi) using Opera as it's more effective at handling large files than PIE... The files just went. I kept an eye on my upload and I was sending the file to the device at around 550-600kb/sec, which I guess is about the max that 802.11g can handle minus overheads, and the file just wrote without any lag, delay or pauses to the SD card, so I'm very happy with its performance
Not run (or installed) TomTom on it yet, so I've not really had a chance to do a long-duration endurance test of the SD card's throughput performance, but I doubt I'll have many problems compared to the issues I had with my Alpine I know there's apps available which can benchmark your storage card, but I reaaaally can't be bothered to get them right now.
I'm having a continued issue with not being able to sync my device with my computer (just doesn't recognise it at all), but I'm thinking that's a problem with my PC as it's a bit... 'touchy'... anyway All in all, a great device. That is, great device provided you get one without a screen alignment issue! I wish there was an adaptor available to convert the mini USB slot to a standard 3.5mm headphone jack for when you want to listen to music though, that's my only wish - I have some WAY better headphones which I'd love to use with my device say when I'm on the bus going into Uni in the morning, now it can stream live TV over the HSDPA... The included headset is a bit of a waste really.
I hope that the video playback issue in TCPMP is to be resolved soon, because I've had to implement my own workaround for that, but it's just one of those things with any new piece of hardware... You get it soon as it comes out, there's bound to be software bugs. As pleased with my Hermes as I was when I got my Alpine, if not moreso - it's a real all-rounder, and, like a previous poster commented, with the Web 'n Walk tariff, it has also really changed the way I use my phone when I'm on the go.
Brilliant comparison, glad I cancelled my contract with O2 now as they don't have the latest Compact XDA, instead signed with Vodaphone on a better tariff and got the phone FREE (VPA Compact III) instead of having to pay the w*nkers at O2 £150 for the older model!!!
Having been an Exec user previously, this little thing is speedy, compact, neat, modern and has a very 'well designed' feel to it - my Exec in comparison just looks old fashioned and clunky, not to mention a bit creeky with old age!!
Just about to purchase a MicroSD for it, they seem to be about £45 for 2Gb, very good value, I do hope that microSD becomes a standard for memory storage, sick of having to upgrade my desktop Card readers!!!!
Cheers, Ash
Hi there. I've had the MDA Pro/o2 Exec for over 8 months and am very happy with it (except of course it's size which can be uncomfortable). I have an upgrade due in about a week and was wanting to know how the resolution compares to the Pro? I got the MDA Vario and ended up keeping the Pro as the resolution was excellent and the sound quality was better. Just wondering how the Vario II compares to the Pro.
ashleyhall said:
Brilliant comparison, glad I cancelled my contract with O2 now as they don't have the latest Compact XDA, instead signed with Vodaphone on a better tariff and got the phone FREE (VPA Compact III) instead of having to pay the w*nkers at O2 £150 for the older model!!!
Having been an Exec user previously, this little thing is speedy, compact, neat, modern and has a very 'well designed' feel to it - my Exec in comparison just looks old fashioned and clunky, not to mention a bit creeky with old age!!
Just about to purchase a MicroSD for it, they seem to be about £45 for 2Gb, very good value, I do hope that microSD becomes a standard for memory storage, sick of having to upgrade my desktop Card readers!!!!
Cheers, Ash
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm out of my contract with O2 and am looking at the Vario with T-Mobile (their web n walk looks very good) but they're advertising the vario (as opposed to the vario II) how do I know which they're dishing out?
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/Dispatche...phones_ews_overview&menuid=ctl_phones_details
MarkyMark7890 said:
I'm out of my contract with O2 and am looking at the Vario with T-Mobile (their web n walk looks very good) but they're advertising the vario (as opposed to the vario II) how do I know which they're dishing out?
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/Dispatche...phones_ews_overview&menuid=ctl_phones_details
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Vario2 is out of stock currently. When it's back in stock, it will be listed as the Vario 2. Meanwhile as your link shows, they're still selling the original.
Ah haaaa, that'd make sense.
I rang them yesterday and the best they could say was sometime towards the end of next week.
Is it safe?
Hi friends.I want to buy an mda vario 2 on ebay.Is it safe.What do i need to search before buying an mda vario 2?Can it be unlocked to be used in any country in the world?Can someone sell one which has screen alignment problems?
Is it safe?
Hi friends.I want to buy an mda vario 2 on ebay.Is it safe?I mean i won't know if it wil be in good condition n i wil also not know if it suffers from the screen alignment problem..What do i need to search or ask before buying it.Can the mda vario 2 be unlocked to be used all round the world?
eBay is a dangerous place to buy this kind of thing from, apparently there are quite a few scams going on relating to this phone. If you ask a seller about the screen alignment problem it is very unlikely they will tell you the truth as they can just claim afterwards that it developed after they sent it to you. You could obviously ask for the serial number but that is no guarentee that it won't develop the problem (as far as I know there isn't a single serial number that hasn't had some duff units).
You will have to use your own judgement but personally I think buying this phone from a private seller at this point is dangerous. Plus if the price on eBay is ludicrously low, it's almost certainly a duff listing.
Good luck
Thanks for your advice.I searhed for the mda vario 2 on tmobile.co.uk but it seems that it is out of stock.Could you tell me what is the cheapest price plan concernin this phone?Thanks.
T-Mobile UK are having serious stock issues with this phone, I've been waiting a month for my local T-Mobile shop to get some Vario IIs in so that I can get a replacement. Personally I think their flext packages are very competitive when combined with W'n'W. I currently pay about £38 per month and I get unlimited browsing and £180 worth of texts and calls included. Probably a tad too much but it means I get to use my phone without worrying about usage as I know I'll never go over my allowance. Also going for the bigger package meant I got the phone cheaper (I only paid £40 for the handset), plus I can downgrade my package after 6 months.
My advice would be to go to your local T-Mobile shop and haggle with them, there's a fair few deals that they can do for you. Obviously it would help if they had some stock.
I have had a Universal for a while now and there are ups and downs. I like the fact that i can upgrade the firmware and customize it the way i want, but the device is big and i have broken the screen once before. I have been eyeing the sony ericcson P990 for a while and i was wondering if anyone can add their input if i should get the P990 and sell my universal while the price is high since there is a new universal coming out soon.
Thanks.
It all depends what You expect from Your mobile. If all You want is a handy tool for communication I would go for an cell phone like motorola ez or similar. If You expect more like having additional calendar or PIM I would still stick to ordinary cell phone.
Universal or p990 is much more than communicating device. cut to the point because You know what UNI is ;-)
I am quite familiar with whole family of Symbian UIQ phones since p800 and motorola A925. I always considered them as much superior to pocketPC in terms of stability and potential of freeware soft. Till Ive bought WM2003 almost a year ago (now I have universal too). Overall usability and software ergonomy is much better in pocketPC than in symbian (its MY personal opinion). theres thousands small issues which make pocket pc better that symbian just like IE You cannot record conversations in symbian out of box - in pocketpc you can make notes along with recording. Theres much more things like this. Another question is constant problem with backing up data from symbian devices - I found several ways but none of them is comparable to activesync (even whatever bad things You can say about its instability etc). In terms of soft theres huge disproportion in obtaining freeware soft for both platforms - Youll wont find such great games like pocketHeroes, UFO on symbian.
I could tell much more but reasumming: as for size p990 is smaller but not so small afterall - I would tell both UNI and P990 are in the same class (comparing to small samsung or motorola). As for battery operation time. Hmm, in papers P990 should run much longer but in reality theres almost no difference between those devices (my friend have P900)
Sorry for my unconsistent reply but I just wanted to give You some points for consideration.
I would definitely stay with Uni - BTW I love to watch movies on it. Futurama looks great on UNI.
Regards,
Piotr
Hard to decide. The p990 is much better to be uaed as a phone than the Universal. However, the latter has much better software support.
If I were you, I'd wait for either the Omni or would go for the TyTN.
I would definately go for uni .
Thanks
Thanks, i appreciate your inputs. I think i will stay with the UNI, but i would like to give the P990 a try. My main reason is for somthing powerful and that can stay in pocket or belt clip without pulling me down. The universal has a much nicer interface than the symbian, buti will see, might have to try the P990.
Thanks again.
i prefer universal
So all these show that with many drawbacks r uni still has a upper hand above many pda's.
Hey everyone,
I currently have a Wizard and am very happy with it. I am extremely tempted to buy a at&t 8525 just cause I have a huge amount of money to play with right now, and I would like to know what everyone thinks of their phones. Do you like it? What are your favorite ROMs? How is the battery life? Camera? Speed? etc etc. Please post something of a mini review. Much appreciated.
-Nstefanelli-
well, i love mine, the 3G and large keyboard buttons were a seller for me and my huge thumbs.
not a very detailed reply but thats my 2 quick cents
I've had little but problems with the Cingular and AT&T ROMs. I thought for a while that I had a defective phone, but it turns out they just don't know how to program well. If you do get it, just make sure you unlock the thing and get a better ROM.
I have used PocketPC phones for a very long time.
I had some really old one that I don't even remember what brand it was.
I also had a Hitachi G1000 and a Blue Angel.
I also have an 8125 (wizard) that is still in use.
The 8525 is the best, hands down. The main drawback would be that case seems the least rugged out of them all, but this might just be a perception issue -- it's smaller than the others and the battery door seems far too flimsy for its own good. However, there are hard plastic snap-on skins available for just a few dollars on ebay which eliminate this problem -- though these of course make the 8525 a little bigger.
The other drawback would be the MicroSD card slot. MicroSD is a BAD IDEA. These cards are far too small. My biggest fear is having the card pop out when I'm out and about and never being able to find the card again. If you make a device that uses a memory chip that is the size of a fingernail, you really need a door over it. Or, better yet, don't design devices that use them and let MicroSD die quiety....
Otherwise, the 8525 is nicer than the others in every measurable way. It's not much smaller than the 8125/Wizard, but it is more rounded so it feels smaller. I use the 8525 far more than I ever used the other devices, and as you can tell I've been sold on the technology for a good while.
Amazon had 8525s for $99 and $149 for a few weeks with a new plan or a renewed plan if you're eligible to renew. Totally unbeatable price.
Hi. I've been lurking here for a couple of weeks. I had checked the boards here for "real life" use of the 8525 before actually getting my own. Then I started watching for devices on eBay. Then one Saturday morning, I lucked out and was able to get a *really* !! great deal on a refurb from AT&T with a 2-year plan. The phone I got did not have the new ROM and - from what I've read - not so sure I'm going to upgrade until the WM6 comes out.
Having had the opportunity to play with it for 2 weeks, I really love the device. This is my first PDA phone, and use of the PPC platform - having come from the world of Palm OS devices. I'm a gadget freak, and this one has kept me up nights downloading new apps, playing, deleting apps, performing backups, and ultimate resets. I've hard reset the phone at least 3 times so far.
Not having played with other PDA phones, my biggest complaint is the internal memory - or lack thereof. I've encountered a couple of low memory issues, even though the few extra apps I was running were installed on the MicroSD. Wi-fi has been testy - it seems to find networks when I don't need them, but fails to find and/or connect when they are available (i.e., my office).
All in all, I love the 8525. And, am looking forward to more good things to come.
dKaye
I have come close to throwing this thing out the windows so many times
So many problems with mine. Freezes about once an hour. If not more. Randomly freezes. Sometimes it'll freeze when it's in standby mode in the case so I end up missing calls and emails and everything. WTF.
I have installed (most on my 2 gig card - ex. for SPB Shell, PP, PS, Diary and GPRS Monitor):
SPB Mobile Shell
SPB Pocket Plus
SPB Phone Suite
SPB Diary
SPB GPRS Monitor
SPB Pocket PC Tips and Tricks
SPB Air Islands
SPB Backup
Google Maps
Windows Live
Microsoft Live Search
PHM Registry Editor
Blue Point Studios Pocket Earth
DIVX Inc DivXPlayer
PhatWare PhatPad
NoviMedia NR Deluxe
Resco Picture Viewr Sync Module
Resco Photo Viewer
Resco Today Plugin
Resco FTP Add-in
Resco Explorer
Microsoft .NET 2.0
Aspecto Software WiFiFoFum
TomTom Navigator 6
Microsoft Voice Command
e-mobile Pocket Streamer
e-mobile HandiTV
Pocket Mechanic
Blackberry Service Connect
Webcamera Plus
Landware Shanghai
Landware Shanghai Tilesets
Landware Shanghai Music
Come to think of it... I think it's just really bloated with too much stuff?
nstefanelli said:
Hey everyone,
I currently have a Wizard and am very happy with it. I am extremely tempted to buy a at&t 8525 just cause I have a huge amount of money to play with right now, and I would like to know what everyone thinks of their phones. Do you like it? What are your favorite ROMs? How is the battery life? Camera? Speed? etc etc. Please post something of a mini review. Much appreciated.
-Nstefanelli-
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After initially being enthusiastic about it, am getting more and more negative about my Hermes.
- the functionality is excellent, but that comes from WM 5/6 not from Hermes.
- the design (shape and color) looks somehow cheap - but that's of course a a matter of taste, other ppl might love it
- the manufacturing quality is miserable, absolutely cheapest plastic parts of any PDA/phone in this price category you can buy these days,
- the sliding mechanism is worn out (if not loosing its hold entirely) after a very short while.
- I suffer from the screen alignment issue + weird colors and fading white screen, The screen is fading, and if you touch certain points on the frame, you get weired artefacts, and such stuff.
- the camera is bad, it's not only that auto-focus is missing or that it has only 2 Mega, other build in cameras with the same specs deliver far better quality.
I see the Hermes based on an excellent idea, but cheaply designed and at least partially of shoddy quality .
randomtask16 said:
I have come close to throwing this thing out the windows so many times
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep, considering the "official" price for an unlocked one without a carrier contract, Hermes is not a good buy.
nstefanelli said:
Hey everyone,
I currently have a Wizard and am very happy with it. I am extremely tempted to buy a at&t 8525 just cause I have a huge amount of money to play with right now, and I would like to know what everyone thinks of their phones. Do you like it? What are your favorite ROMs? How is the battery life? Camera? Speed? etc etc. Please post something of a mini review. Much appreciated.
-Nstefanelli-
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Hermes..but if I was you, I would go for the HTC Kaiser! That will be my next device!
i really like it specially coz there are so many roms to put on it and ways to upgrade it.
furthermore, the people making them are ace and are so easy to use, unlike the other HTC machines which are less popular and their upgrades can be still confusing at times.
i really like this phone!
Moving from the Wizard to the Hermes was the best decision I have made in ages.
The Processor is faster and browsing is 10x faster
Bram87 said:
I have the Hermes..but if I was you, I would go for the HTC Kaiser! That will be my next device!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep, Hermes is almost history. Softbank, for example, will stop selling it soon. There are better devices, from HTC but also other manufacturers now in the market.
I have to say it's the best phone I have ever had. Featurewise it is brilliant and I have never had any problems that I didn't cause myself .
In terms of it's build, well i dropped it onto a hard concrete surface from about 2 meters last week (it was one of those moments where the world seems to suddenly drop into slow-motion) and all that happened was a couple of scratches and the battery cover flying off. I just clicked it back on and all was fine.
All that said, I would probably be looking at the HTC Kaiser now which has the built in GPS and thinner size. Anyway, just throwing in my 2 cents. Hope it helps
I agree with Dinty. The best device I ever owned so far. The flexibility of the the device is amazing.
The device is just terrible. I keep having problems with the screen alignment.
I even replaced the device with a completely new screen, but to no avail.
With the new screen, the aligntment issue is a little bit less worse. Alot of times I can't close applications with the close button. It just seems unresponsive. The funny thing is, when I either re-align the screen, or click the start button once, I can close the application.
My girlfriend has the same device, and is also having the same problems.
We both have the 3.0 Black WM6 ROM.
I originally bought this as a business tool. However if I had my time again I would think twice before buying one.
Apart from the software lockups which have taken me the best part of 6 months to resolve, I now find that the quality of the product is questionable.
The stylus head fell off the other day (my second) and now stylii simply slide in and out without the ability to extend as you could do when new. So you get the situ where you slide the stylus out, then have to struggle to physically extend it before you use it. I now carry a non collapsible item in my pocket rather than go through this palaver.
As an innovative idea the Tytn is a great one; however its execution in a number of areas is rather poor.
WB