I'm getting a new t-mobile mda usa phone this week and was wondering what are the first steps expert gurus like yourselves would do?
I've never used MDA before, but I'm a quick learner and have upgraded firmware and whatnot for other things in the past.
So, what would be the first step?
Test it out, see if it works...bla bla bla
Then? Would I upgrade the firmware? Which firmware should I use?
If I upgrade to a firmware that voids the warranty, could I flash the firmware back to stock T-mobile firmware and they would never know the difference (not that i would do that, just wondering)?
What programs/tweaks would you install?
If i get the 5.99 or whatever T-Zones, could I view any website and send/receive email through gmail...or would there be additional charges? Could I also use AIM, or would that cost extra?
I bought 5 MDA's for $250 total from amazon. However, it required me to select the data internet plan which is like $30/mo for each phone. But i was told I could cancel it within 14 days for all the phones, and instead get t-zones for $5.99?
Also...could you guys recommend some good accessories w/links or prices?
Screenprotectors, BT headsets...etc?
I'm also looking for a good, but cheap MiniSD 2gb card.
http://www.outpost.com/product/4922971 <-- Would this work for me, or is there a better one I should look at?
Sorry for asking so many questions, it's just that my MDA is coming this week and I'm really excited and want to be prepared for it.
Thanks guys!
THAT KINGSTON mini sd is the roxs!! works really well!
thou it might not read on ur card reader thru teh mini sd adapter, but hey for that price you can't go wrong!!
there are a ton of progs out there.. i would carefully breeze thru the wiki and other sticky's and then mod/add prog
if you have 1.80 ver firm.. unlock sim and CID then upgrade to 2.26!!
then programs and stuff is your liking.
enjoy.. sorry im in a rush, but you'll get plenty of help!
well .. MDA's cool but if you could wait a couple of weeks or maybe just get it's current version which is the MDA II (Vario II) which should be coming out soon here in the US ... In Europe, it's been out for at least a month or so... The MDA II (Vario II), aka XDA Trion, HTC TyTN, Orange SPVM3100, and the soon to be released Cingular 8525 is available online... just my two cents worth .... the new version has a lot more power and newer / current features which would work on HSPDA/UMTS ....
FYI
I got my MDA in July or August, I believe. I got it from T-Mobile, not one of their distributers, because I could control the family plan better, that we already had, and could request the area code I wanted (Also got a Samsung t-809 slide--a really cool phone).
Coming from an HP IPAQ 6315, I am VERY pleased with the MDA. However, I did not synch it with my Jensen B/T headphones because the driver wasn't compatible with WM5. More importantly, no matter what I tried I couldn't hook it up to my Garmin GPS 10--a B/T GPS unit that works AMAZINGLY well at finding your location--Both the headset and the Garmin work with the HP.
So I followed T-Mobile's directions to upgrade the MDA firmware to the ROM version 2.26.10.105 and I am SO glad I did!
The new version has its own A2DP driver, so the Jensens immediately synched beautifully.
The Garmin was trickier. I had to buy a registry editor--I went for Kilmist which works very nicely. You need to hack the registry to reveal the GPS Icon in the System tray.
The tree is:
Pocket PC\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ControlPanel\GPS Settings.
You delete ALL the keys under GPS Settings, especially the REDIRECT key.
I've read that you can switch the HIDE key from 1 to 0, but I couldn't get that to work--when I cleared the REDIRECT it worked.
Reboot, and the GPS Icon should appear. This allows you to tailor the device's COM port to match the GPS software from Garmin.
I'm not really crazy about the Windows Media Player--it's a pain to use, a pain to set up, and I have NO idea what MS was thinking. Instead, I use something called BetaPlayer both for movies and music. It's simple, clear, obvious, and you don't have to go through stupid gyrations to get either music or movies to it (it plays AVIs). When we travel, I'll rip movies using Pocket PC DVD (an nice, inexpensive pgm) to AVIs in the 15-225 meg range, and dump them to the Mini-SD card. BetaPlayer allows me to play them without any problem and rotates to landscape mode with a tap.
BetaPlayer is a free download, that Pocket PC DVD sets you up with. I THINK they have replaced it with an upgrade.
I can use it with AIM, but the return key on the keyboard doesn't "send"--so far I've had to tap the Send icon with the stylus--Is there a way around this?
eMail works very nicely--I route to my own account, not T-Mobile's, so I can get and send my mail. But it ALWAYS truncates the mail, forces you to click on it and re-download. Again, anybody have a way to fix this?
Compared to the HP IPAQ 6315, there's really no comparison. The HP has a bigger screen, but it's a bigger, bulkier unit and I don't notice a difference. It does just about everything better than the HP, and I don't have to soft-boot it every single day!
BIG plus on the MDA/Wizard--the antenna doesn't stick out so you can't break it off (I actually broke off the cover of the antenna on the HP in an airport--Had to replace the entire antenna assembly to replace the cover!)
I really like the SanDisk cards. I have 4 2-gig cards I bought on-line for about $40-$50 apiece (I forgot which). I THINK it was at Buy.com--not sure. I've never had a SanDisk card or flash drive fail or fail to connect. Yeah, 2g mini-SDs work just fine on this PDA.
The MDA is more like a thick cell phone than a PDA in size and feel. I hope to explore a lot more of its capabilities.
Hi, thanks for all the replies guys.
I've been trying to do as much research as possible before getting the phone.
Bigshoguns said:
unlock sim and CID then upgrade to 2.26
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you explain how to unlock SIM/CID? I tried following a sticky, but it seems some of these forum links are dead or different b/c of the new forum software. I think i have to use lokiwiz or something, but I cant seem to find it? If anyone can point that out plus give me instructions, I'd appreciate it.
Also, I'm a bit nervous about OC'ing the device. Do you do it in increments? How do you know when you've OC'd it too much, does it start to freeze or will it just not turn on or something?
Yanktar03 said:
I can use it with AIM, but the return key on the keyboard doesn't "send"--so far I've had to tap the Send icon with the stylus--Is there a way around this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been doing some reading and I think I found an answer for you.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=985458&highlight=return#post985458
Not sure if you can do it with the regular AIM, but with the hacked AIM you could go to options/preferences and under IM/Chat/Mobile make sure "Enter Key Inserts Return" is unchecked.
Sorry if this is incorrect, I dont have an MDA and have never used one but I'm just going by some stuff I read.
Oh yeah, does anyone know when MDA II (USA) is coming out..I would feel a bit of buyers remorse if it's coming out soon and will be offered at an attractive price for new contracts. Oh well....MDA is still good, right?
Anymore help/suggestions would be greatful!
Thanks!
chroniX said:
Hi, thanks for all the replies guys.
I've been trying to do as much research as possible before getting the phone.
Could you explain how to unlock SIM/CID? I tried following a sticky, but it seems some of these forum links are dead or different b/c of the new forum software. I think i have to use lokiwiz or something, but I cant seem to find it? If anyone can point that out plus give me instructions, I'd appreciate it.
Also, I'm a bit nervous about OC'ing the device. Do you do it in increments? How do you know when you've OC'd it too much, does it start to freeze or will it just not turn on or something?
I've been doing some reading and I think I found an answer for you.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=985458&highlight=return#post985458
Not sure if you can do it with the regular AIM, but with the hacked AIM you could go to options/preferences and under IM/Chat/Mobile make sure "Enter Key Inserts Return" is unchecked.
Sorry if this is incorrect, I dont have an MDA and have never used one but I'm just going by some stuff I read.
Oh yeah, does anyone know when MDA II (USA) is coming out..I would feel a bit of buyers remorse if it's coming out soon and will be offered at an attractive price for new contracts. Oh well....MDA is still good, right?
Anymore help/suggestions would be greatful!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
T-Mobile makes you wait 90 days before they will give you the unlock code and procedure for free. But if you already are a customer you may be able to bully them into it sooner. I did because I added my MDA and T-809 phone to our family plan.
I don't know about the CID, but if you get the T-Mobile unlock that's all you need. The upgrade of the ROM, via the T-Mobile procedure and software is very easy and does NOT void the warranty.
Thanks about the AIM--I found another thread here yesterday where there is a modified version of AIM 2.0 that is FAR better than T-Mobile's and gives you the "return" key back, and allows you to force the sign-on. Apparently you don't have to pay for messaging with it--it's via Internet!
Little by little the MDA is becoming the PDA I always wanted.
chroniX said:
Hi, thanks for all the replies guys.
Could you explain how to unlock SIM/CID? I tried following a sticky, but it seems some of these forum links are dead or different b/c of the new forum software. I think i have to use lokiwiz or something, but I cant seem to find it? If anyone can point that out plus give me instructions, I'd appreciate it.
Also, I'm a bit nervous about OC'ing the device. Do you do it in increments? How do you know when you've OC'd it too much, does it start to freeze or will it just not turn on or something?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for unlocking use Lokiwiz02b.zip which is found in the Xda ftp:
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=BA_FTP_Site
dont worry about overclocking - im running mine @ 224 with the 2.26 rom
i was overclocking @ 240 with the custom 2.24 - really helps out performance
for overclocking someone recommended Batterystatus which is a small neat program, using very little resources to manage the battery and overclock and its free
http://www.chi-tai.info/cs_BatteryStatus_XDA_Neo_WM5_iM_cs.htm
Whatever you do don't buy ShieldZone Screen Protector.
ZzFDKzZ said:
Whatever you do don't buy ShieldZone Screen Protector.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that the same as Invisible Shield? I thought those were supposed to be good.
What would you recommend then?
If you plan to upgrade to the Official Tmobile 2.26 rom you do not need to unlock. It will handle all of that for you. Just make sure your battery power is over the suggest amount (I think its 50%) I have seen some nightmare stories here from people who didn't.
Related
I’ve done it, I’ve just ordered a T-Mobile MDA Vario, it should be here tomorrow, I cant wait!!!
I’m new to this forum and new to the world of Windows Mobile Devices, however I am far from a novice with SmartPhones.
I have been a big fan of SonyEricsson for many years and am currently looking for a new phone, but lately have lost my feel for SE and have discovered then marvel that is the Wizard!!! Wow, I’m so much going to have one of them!!!
I’ve been reading through this forum and well what can I say, what a fantastic resource, well done!
But what I really want to know is: software? I know the MDA Vario is T-Mobile branded, but what restrictions do they impose on you?
I’m a great believer that hardware developers know what they are doing and Phone Network Operators should leave the software well alone. I have read about unlocking the phone and moving Cab files etc, but what I would really want is to flash it with its “pure” software, is this possible and easy to do and how do I then set up my MMS and GPRS setting?
And am I correct in understanding what I’ve read, that, an out the box MDA Vario wont run ActiveSync?
Thanks in advance
Nick
Nick, an excellent choice of name, and an excellent choice of device
The units ROMs all seem to be largely the same, it's the extended ROM which is different.
T-Mobile's extended ROM installs a load of customisations such as wallpapers, GPRS settings, etc... Nothing seems to hinder you particularly badly , however if you don't want it, hard reset then do a soft reset before it installs the customisations. You then have a virgin machine
The only lock is a simlock, which means that you have to use a T-Mobile SIM with the device. Lokiwiz, a free unlocker, gets around this nicely with thanks to Machinagod, and all those whose work he improved
Oh, and activesync works fine with it, providing you haven't got any weird firewalls running
Welcome to the world of windows mobile
I have had my Vario for about a week and a half now.
If you used the P910 like I did, you will miss the jog wheel utility desperately. A brilliant device that was only let down by the lack of symbian (UIQ) development (it's harder to program.
I used to have a compaq 2210 and ran Pocketinformant. I've just reloaded it on my unit. It's brilliant, you give up a lot for the jog wheel but you welcome back the world of 'drag and drop' and 'double tap'.
If you use a PIM then Pocketinformant cannot be beaten.
Incidently make sure you load activesync 4.1 on your pc, providing you set your catergories in your outlook master list to the same as your device, syncing is superb.
good luck :lol:
I've just switched to Vodafone with an expansys contrct deal after four years with T-Mobile. They (T-Mobile) told me six weeks ago, they'd no idea what a Vario was, and had no information that they were going to get them even though Germany had announced them to the press. Expansys had the 9100 on Voda so off I went. The Vodafone "data" bundle which is SMS or MMS or GPRS out of the same pot is better for me than T-Mobile who would only offer web'n'walk *and* a separate SMS/MMS bundle :-(
Vodafone have been fine, but the SMS voicemail alerts that don't activate the little "tape" message waiting icon really annoys me... ;-)
Dox..
I have also gone from a P900 to XDA mini. Its a bit of a transition and can agree - the wheel on the P900 was a luxury I do miss but there are alot moe benefits
Now - just need to try and work out if I can change the whole ROM from the O2 one
Scott
Thanks for all the info fellas, cant wait for it to be delivered…
Excuse my ignorance, but, the ROM, is that the basic OS and the extender ROM is just the individual network customizations?
I will almost certainly, as a matter of principle, do the SIM unlock, but what is the purpose of the CID unlock?
And, if I do the Hard reset Soft reset trick how will I set up my GPRS and MMS?
Sorry about all the questions, but I’m very inquisitive.
Hopefully this will also be helping fellow novices.
Thanks again everyone.
You can enter the settings manually, which if you have them in front of you is fairly simple. If you need to know what they are (I've entered Vodafone's so often for people at work I can do them in my sleep, but don't know the T-Mobile ones), google is your friend. To simplify the whole thing, Raphael over at BeyondTheTech has the cab file with the settings in here for you to download and install as normal.
If you're not going to let the rest of the extended ROM install, put this on a memory card in case you want to run it again after a hard reset..
Dox.
I too like to have a fiddle (I had an original O2 XDA and this site was fantastic for upgrading to later version OS) but so far I can't see any compelling reason not to use the T-Mobile UK custo ROM as shipped.
The only addition I've made is MS Voice with the associated Reg change to allow use with BT headset.
Obviously if there is a superior ROM out there please let us know what is recommended?
Thanks
Nick, check out the wiki which has loads of info about roms, extended roms, radio roms and all that good stuff. Not a huge amount is specific to the Wizard yet, but the information applies all the same.
Has it arrived yet, or are you sitting by the front door like an eager puppy waiting for the postman or newspaper boy (or girl, thank you Stan)
Unfortunately I’m at work today and they would only deliver to my home address
AND they need a signature, so first thing tomorrow morning I’ll be stud outside my local Postal Depot waiting for it to open…..
Oh I hate waiting!!!
Welcome to Vario-ness !
Not coming from a previous PPC platform, you won't suffer the same way i did, by installing all the apps i used on my MDA Compadt some of which may not have been compatable with WM5. That ended up with me having a poor view on the Vario.
Fear not though, i've since seen the error of my ways, thanks to the fine folks on this forum...
I have an XDA II, and would like to update if there is a significant improvement.
I have read from the t-mobile site that the Vario does not have vibrate or voice dialling. Is this true, can Fonix be installed?
The most vital things I use are the outlook contacts, calender, isilo reader and avant go. I guess all standard apps that work on windows mobile 2003 work on 5 right?
How big is the screen?
Thanks for any help.
Well, that just goes to show that T-Mobile don't have a clue, really, doesn't it? I thought you must be mistaken, but sure enough it says that it doesn't support voice dial, and doesn't vibrate either.
It does. On both counts. The vibrate is a lot better than the xda2s in that it almost dislocates a hip when it goes off, and voice dialing works very well. With a quick registry hack, voice dialing works with bluetooth headsets too
Some have found the vario sluggish in comparison to the xda 2; i find it to be comparable to the blue angel (2s) that I had running wm2005 - bear in mind you're reading/writing all files from flash rather than RAM, and that explains the performance.
The screen is 2.8 inches diagonal.
Have any of you got vibrate working on M3000 (Orange)?
I have an M3000 from Orange Switzerland, and cannot get my vibrate to work at all.
Not to get 'off topic' but T-Mobile Czech republic were about to sell me a MDA Vario and at the last moment I noticed a sticker on the box saying it doesn't support character recognizer or transcriber .. anyone know if this FOR ME huge negative can be reversed so I can handwrite sms as MDA II let me .. (perfect solution for me)
kgary said:
Not to get 'off topic' but T-Mobile Czech republic were about to sell me a MDA Vario and at the last moment I noticed a sticker on the box saying it doesn't support character recognizer or transcriber .. anyone know if this FOR ME huge negative can be reversed so I can handwrite sms as MDA II let me .. (perfect solution for me)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both work fine for me on a UK MDA Vario, I don't know why the czech would be different. I must say however that I rarely use them because the slide out keyboard is SO sweet.
On a side note, my brother just picked up the same phone on O2 and personally I like the O2 customisations a lot better than the T-mobile ones. Especially the multiple today screen functionality.
Is it possible to install O2 extended rom and keep t-mobile comms settings? I've only just started to look into this so does anyone with any experience with this have any tips?
Thanks
Hi Everybody!
I'm a newbie here and just wanted to say Hi!
Hopefully , I will get my MDA Vario tomorrow, it is locked to T Mobile (UK) and I hope to unlock it for my o2 SIM.
Currently I have a Nokia 3230.
What do you use your MDA Vario for and what are your dislikes about this model of PDA/phone?
{>
Hi!
Hello and welcome, you will certainly enjoy using your new vario and this site will certainly help you make the most of it.
I travel ALOT with work so I use it to keep in touch with family / friends by using the WLAN at airports and using Agile Messenger to connect to MSN / ICQ and Yahoo.
I also use the camera to take snaps of any interesting places I see on on my travels so I can then send them to my wife and kids back home.
I purchased a 1gb mini sd on ebay for around 12 pounds so that I can use TomTom and the various maps that are available. Oh, and also I use it as a phone! Sometimes you forget how many things this phone is capable of, but the the phone is certainly one of its strong points. As it is quad band I can use it in Europe, Asia and America so I dont need to keep changing handsets everytime I go away on business.
Oh, and for when my flight is delayed, there is always Windows Media player for your favourite mp3's or audiobooks, and of course the excellent games that are also available.
You will not be dissapointed!! Enjoy!
Hi Nmonger and thanks for your reply!
I've puchased a 1gb mini sd card too.
My current phone has tomtom on it, so I've copied the files onto my PC and hope that I can transfer them to my PDA when it arrives.
I read an article on here which says you can flash the ROM, do I need to do this on mine?
PS. I'd love to see some of your photography and I am a photographer!
If you like flowers and buildings check out :
www.healing2.me.uk and view my online gallery!
Cheers,
Scutter
{>
You old nokia is a symbian phone. I doubt the same tomtom will work on your new Wizard.
i received my xda mini on monday, so far ive surfed the net, sent emails, sms messages, taken photos, played music and played around with MSWord - connected it to my wireless network, active synced loads of games and apps onto it - ive just bought a 2gig minisd card and bluetooth headset for around £50 from moby (based on a recomendation frmo here)
mark
www.iosilver.co.uk
Thank you for all your replies!
Glad to hear that your getting the most from your PDA/phone.
I wish I knew where to get the cards from, I got a 1 gig from ebay, cost £22 inc delivery.
I'll give the tomtom a try as it doesn't look like it is the original tomtom card (if you know what I mean :wink: )
So, do I need to flash my ROM or as a newbiw, won't I notice any difference? Not that I'm sure why I should "flash my Rom", but it sounds good LOL
I use my Nokia phone for my business and the satnav is good, but I find it very slow with the Symbian software.
Thanks again for ALL you replies
Cheers,
Scutter
{>
just been to 02's xda site and downloaded the rom upgrades - it says it deletes all data off of the xda - sureley this cant be right?
BTW its taken me all of 2 days to max out the internal storage
Mark
trooperbill said:
just been to 02's xda site and downloaded the rom upgrades - it says it deletes all data off of the xda - sureley this cant be right?
BTW its taken me all of 2 days to max out the internal storage
Mark
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want to upgrade too and they told me it wipes it. Theres no way I'm going through the hassle of losing all my data and settings. Took me ages to get it how I like it!
W..W...We...Welcome Stutter ,
You're damn right it just sounds cool to Flash your Rom, but what's way cooler is the difference you notice in speed and stuff like that with new Roms instead of (most) of the Stock Roms.
Don't hastitate with questions, everyone here is at your service
Regards,
Molski
Thanks again for the replies!
Your making me feel very welcome!
Molski >
I'm gonna tell everybody that I'm gonna "Flash my ROM" and get the t-shirt too!
Shall I order you one?
Trooper Bill>
Could you please post the link for the grade as hopefully,I will be able to unlock my Wizard and use my O2 SIm in it??????
Cheers Everyone
Scutter
{>
yup ill ftp it somewhere for you to grab...
if i use a backup system will this restore my apps n stuff after i flash da shizle?
Mark
Thanks Troopr Bill, but sounds abit complex for a newbie? :shock:
{>
Hi Everybody!!!
I just got mine today.
I have managed to unlock the sim, but can't seem to "flash my ROM"
I get an error message stating that it is not been able to upgrade the "RUU_Prodigy_2170702_21707102_20710_QTEK_WWE_Ship"
Am I doing something wrong?
Also does anybody know how to get the o2 pay as you go MMS and GRPS settings?
Cheers,
Scutter
{>
hey everyone.. just signed up and wanted to say hi.
i just ordered my new MDA, and should be here in a few days! ive had the SK3 for a month after upgrading from the SK2, and its just not what it used to be. Im looking for something with way more functionality other than being cool. Not to mention a more mature phone.
anyway, i just wanted to see if you guys could help me. seeing as how i dont have the phone yet, i wanted to read as much as i can about hacking it up. im aware that the stock phone (USA Tmobile MDA) rom isnt very well, so i need some pointers on where to start...
ive tried searching already, but theres only so many "newbie" threads i can sift through... basically can someone point me into the right direction of everything i need to get started? it would be most appreciated! Wink i guess which rom, how to update, which apps, where to go... lol, basically everything!
ill obvisouly be reading until the day the phone comes (and charged for 12 hours) so i should be more knowledgeable by the time the phone arrives.. but i really appreiciate any help!
thanks!
banky said:
im aware that the stock phone (USA Tmobile MDA) rom isnt very well, so i need some pointers on where to start...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The first thing to check is that your MDA has the latest ROM (2.26) - intalling this solved a lot of my problems. I have no other "hacks" on the MDA and am now happy with its performance.
I would definitly start by SIM and CID unlocking the phone with lokiwiz (free and available on this forum) if it has a 1.X and not a 2.x rom (if the comm manager screen has 4 icons not 6...), because once this is done it is permanent, and once you upgrade it is MUCH harder to do.. if you need specific directions let me know.
I would then upgrade to the T-Mo 2.26 rom as suggested above, I am using it now and I really like it.
I personally use Registry Wizard to tweak the wizard, at least for the basics... Some good tweaks to start with are disabeling the go online and unsigned program warnings, enable 802.11g, Enable Indicator (lets you know when CAPS and symbol are on), Different GPRS/EDGE icon, and personally I always enable the IE 4-way nav, engineering mode (type string *#*#364#*#* into phone and hit send to show cool technical info...) I also set GPRS always on... (probably not a good idea unless you have unlimited data, like I do... (if not you also may elect not to disable the go-online warning, so you know when its doing stuff...))
Agile messenger is a good program, total commander is more or less essential, and I have recently been using a program called Hubdog ( I think it can do more than I do with it, but I just use it as an rss reader...) All are free. Novii remote also works well (however with limeted 2-3 meter range) but is not free...
If you want any more info on programs I use, where to get them, ect..., or any other tweaks please just let me know.
i appreciate the help!
ill definitely be coming to you for questions
when you first got your phone, did you charge it for the whole 12 hours before using it?
Starcruiser1229 said:
I would definitly start by SIM and CID unlocking the phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I upgraded to a custom 2.24 ROm without SIM unlocking. If I want to SIM unlock now should I downgrade to 1.8, SIM unlock, then upgrade to whatever ROM I want (probably xelecin's custom 2.26 when it's out). I don't really care about the SIM lock since I'm in a contract with Tmo, I'm not changing any time soon. I just don't want to have problems if I upgrade the ROM later on.
Sorry not trying to hijack...I swear
bittermormon said:
Starcruiser1229 said:
I would definitly start by SIM and CID unlocking the phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I upgraded to a custom 2.24 ROm without SIM unlocking. If I want to SIM unlock now should I downgrade to 1.8, SIM unlock, then upgrade to whatever ROM I want (probably xelecin's custom 2.26 when it's out). I don't really care about the SIM lock since I'm in a contract with Tmo, I'm not changing any time soon. I just don't want to have problems if I upgrade the ROM later on.
Sorry not trying to hijack...I swear
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no problem
so, did everyone here charge their phone for the full 12 hours before using their phones?
also, another question, on the sidekick there was an app called "money clip" where it allowed me to keep track of different accounts such as my checking, savings, and credit cards... are there any apps like that available for the MDA?
i tired to use exel right now to see if i can just do it the ghetto way, but its not really letting me.. ;x
hey good job man (i donno about money clip) about returning the sidekick 3 for the MDA. i did that too. and i upgraded from a sidekick 2 too.
i can tell you the MDA is at least 9 times better (random number?)... but the only thing i haven't gotten to work is setting up outlook email... hopefully you have better luck. (but it is because the free yahoo doesn't support it).
hmmm, i charged phone for maybe two hours out of the box, did the cid unlock and sim unlock, and have been flashing the rom ever since (remember to thank all the folks here who cook up all these lovely roms)
zetajunkie said:
hmmm, i charged phone for maybe two hours out of the box, did the cid unlock and sim unlock, and have been flashing the rom ever since (remember to thank all the folks here who cook up all these lovely roms)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha.. cool, so i dont need to do a full charge on the it?
where can i find the instructions on how to flash the ROM? and also, which ROM is recommeneded?
I'm a newb waiting for my MDA too. I dont see why one should SIM unlock if he/she already has the MDA (US). Can't I just upgrade to the 2.26? Or are there some feautures that I would be noticably be missing?
Starcruiser1229 said:
I would definitly start by SIM and CID unlocking the phone with lokiwiz (free and available on this forum) if it has a 1.X and not a 2.x rom (if the comm manager screen has 4 icons not 6...), because once this is done it is permanent, and once you upgrade it is MUCH harder to do.. if you need specific directions let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What version of lokiwiz would you recommend using? I noticed there are two different threads, one for 0.2 and one for 0.3. Do they do the same thing? The steps for 0.3 seem to require a second SIM, is that true? Thanks.
Ok, first, the reason to SIM unlock is because then you can swap to a different providers SIM later on, for instance if you dump T-mo or you travel to Europe or something. For me, it simply seems like a good idea to do it now, because then I know I have it if I need it.
CID unlock is for using other providers ROMS. You can just upgrade to the 2.26, but then what happens when you decide you want to upgrade to the cingular 3.xx b/c of some amazing feature... Once you are in a 2.x rom it becomes much harder to do this. It is sooooo simple, why not just do it now? again, your phone, yor decision, and I think flashing an unofficial rom will void the warranty if they can prove it (personally I don't care, some do)
As far as Lokiwiz, I used Lokiwiz 02b, downloaded from this forum. The newer version, .03, is only needed if you have already upgraded to a 2.x ROM.
As far as SIM unlocking after upgrading, I do not know if it is possible to downgrade from a 2.x to a 1.x, especially if you haven't CID unlocked already... I think you may be stuck using the .03 2 sim card method (this is required as the phone dosen't know it needs to prompt for unlock code untill you enter a 'banned (ie from another provider)' sim... get a cheep prepay (NOT T-mo prepay if you have T-mo) from the local drug store/Walmart... This may be easier than downgrading and then upgrading anyway, and since ( I am assuming) you have already CID unlocked, I do not think you will have any problems...
.02 does not need the second sim as it changes the setting directly by accessing some part of the memory on the device, which cannot, apparently be done in the new roms...
O. Brown... SIM, as I mentioned above, is different from CID. You are thinking of CID. I would do it simply b/c you cannot do it later, yet once done it is permanent...
Bittermormon, same idea...
As far as chargeing, I am notorios for taking it out of the box and hitttng the power. If it turns on, well then why should I charge it...? Plus, you can turn it on plugged in, so if you are worried, plug it into the wall and then start playing... but I don't want to promise this won't have some negative effect, do what you feel safe with, all I am saying is what worked for me...
As far as financial software goes, I checked out the PocketPcMag Nominations for best software 2006, in the financial category... Cash Organizer '05 Premium, Pocket Quicken, PocketMoney, Spb Finance, Stock Manager... I have not used any of theese. I do not know if they are what you want... I do not know how much they cost, but it is a place to start at least.
As far as pocket outlook, no problems here, except with gmail pop access, which always seemed kinda... messed up... to me... So, I did something even better... I setup a free exchange account with mail2web.com (I think they call it mail2web live or something...) and my gmail forwards a copy of all incoming mail to the exchange mail address... THis allows me to use PUSH email for my gmail acct (which is my main acct.) If you have a corporate exchange, you can use that instead. The only "Problem" with this is that deleting messages on the phone does not delete them in gmail... I personally like this as I cna then use gmail on my pc to its fullest to label, archive, ect... On the ppc I delete all of the newsletters ect... and only really read personal mail or important stuff. This lets me keep my phone inbok clear, and I can still read all of the other stuff later on the desktop... Or you can always just switch to using the exchange email address as your main...
And as far as the best ROM, well, that is as much opinion as anything else... I am running the T-mo 2.26 with the extended rom installed... I have noit seen any cooked versions of this yet, although I believe someone on the HOFO is working on one... I gotta say, I like this rom. I have a few small glitches, but I think that it is installed software, not the ROM...
A few other tips... I recently discovered microsoft voice command, and I am enjoying it very much... First of all, no setting voice tags, and secondly, for me, I could never remember exactly what the voice tag was for someone, especially when I had one for the house and cell... Now I can just say ther full name ie, Call John Doe on Mobile, and the phone does it... as with any other software, your mileage may vary... PM me if you want me to email the cab...
Also, buying a large miniSD is a great idea, I have a Sandisk 1gb and I love it. Watch out for 2gb cards, a small minority may be valid, most are fakes, and all are probably lower quality...
Any other questions, feel free to ask, or even PM me (especially if I do not seem to be responding fast enough....)
And Uh, SORRY about the length... just trying to answer everythng...
I have an SPV M700 (HTC P3600).
I have the following problems with it:
Speaker phone is rubbish, got it set up in the cradle in my car and can hardly hear the person i am talking too. Anyone agree?
GPS!!!!!! TomTom will not work and is driving me know where except slowly insane. Same problem as other post, no mention of GPS in menus and tomtom just says No GPS device! Other post talked about ROMs? Sorry i have no idea what these are or how to install them. Any chance of someone giving me a quick dummies guide. It seems to work for other person having the exact prob.
Most internet pages don't come out too well, expected better from the IE windows mobile. Not used it before, you see.
Purchased unlocking off ebay, don't think its worked. Is there a link to unlocking on this forum?? Will i loose my Orange menu and colours when unlocked.
Keyboard. When i tried this phone out in the shop the keyboard was like a phone pad (press 2 twice for letter B) but can't find on mine, just normal one, transcriber etc??
PLEASE PLEASE spend a minute helping me. I am looking at the MDA compact III on t-mobile but just been told tomtom won't work on it by them. Don't know what speaker phone is like on it either.
Kind regards
George
Nottingham.
George Nottingham...... Relax, get a brew, take a breath..........
First a question.... have you read all that there is here.... and which version of Tom Tom are you trying to run, you need 6.03 an "most" of the problems go away other wise....... go read this lot:-
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=310971
Beofre you start rom-ing read also all of either:-
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=305133
OR
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=305250
after reading AT LEAST the first post of each, upgrade the rom, there is an Orange .cab (file thinggy) knockig about to put all your orange setting and front page back on after sorting out the software and getting TT running.
As for the speaker phone... never been happy with mine, but use SoreTooth in stead
More tea and biscuits
Thanks deech for your quick reply. All that talk of tea and relaxing really worked!
Ok i have just checked the tomtom version and is it 6.00. Never i have been so happy that i have out of date software! Only concern is i tried to run Orange's Sat Nav (yes they have there own sat nav that comes sort of free, funny thing is when i rang them up they didn't know they did!). Anyway that didn't pick up a GPS signal either, ummmmm.
What is SoreTooth? Searched for it but can't find anything.
Any luck with my other two moans:
Purchased unlocking off ebay, don't think its worked. Is there a link to unlocking on this forum?? Will i loose my Orange menu and colours when unlocked.
Keyboard. When i tried this phone out in the shop the keyboard was like a phone pad (press 2 twice for letter B) but can't find on mine, just normal one, transcriber etc??
George Nottingham
I've been looking around the site, it look great. No idea what anything means! I'll learn, I guess.
think the keyboard thing i was banging on about is called Phone Pad?
I wonder if i can get WM6 on my orange spv m700....
I can work out how to bluetooth pictures to my mac. Oh no thats another thing to worry about, syncing with my mac! The missing sync looks good?
This is stressful. Remember what deech said George, make a brew!
ahh ummm right.... missed the other moans.........
Right Oranges own Tom Tom thing FORGET IT, get real and proper Tom Tom (from wherever ) It's limited and trial and well frankly not worth the effort.
The Phone pad thing... get PhonePad International (search round these fora) it's here
As for the unlocking....... search round here for CID and ... summat else Unlocking. No if you just unlock, then you wont loose the Orange Branding.. however why you would want that is beyond me... but hey ho.
In Tom Tom have you checked the gps receiver?..... Set it to Other NEMA and com 9 and baud rate... well anything you want from what I can see.
In TTT6.03 there is anew option... "Use Built in Reciever" and after that it ermmmm just works.......
Think I got it all now......... right time for some tea here too
And sorry for the red herring.... soretooth = Bluetooth... can be troublesome on occasion
macmacman said:
I've been looking around the site, it look great. No idea what anything means! I'll learn, I guess.
think the keyboard thing i was banging on about is called Phone Pad?
I wonder if i can get WM6 on my orange spv m700....
I can work out how to bluetooth pictures to my mac. Oh no thats another thing to worry about, syncing with my mac! The missing sync looks good?
This is stressful. Remember what deech said George, make a brew!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can, follow the posts I gave earlier and robert will be your mothers brother, I did it, just remeber back up any "special" ring tones, and phone book etc etc, and afterwards grab the Orangesettings.cob, to put the mms gprs etc all back in place
Can't beleive i fell for that! I gave sorethooth a proper search as well. what a plonka. I think it comes with being a novice to all this, it takes over your life a bit and your mind only thinks about tomtom v6!
Ok cheers agian for your help deech, much appreciated.
Just one more thing if you will be so kind.
Now you have equiped me with all the links to keep me up till the weekend, i think i want to hard reset my phone. Didn't like the ebay unlocking thing and hope its hasn't buggered it up. Thinking i could start fresh? Good idea. Maybe just a factory reset?
G
's upto you or just re-flash it and have done with it, tbh I have no experience with unlocking these... now Nokias onthe other hand
Dont think you'll hurt it by doing a Hard Reset, however I dont know if it'll re-lock the phone or what, might be one for a seperate thread?
Hi macmacman- you still need to slow down!
I'd actually go against the grain here and say don't consider flashing your ROM until you are decently competent with Windows Mobile. There isn't a great deal of difference, and the M700 comes with a late version of WM5.
Why did you need to unlock? Are you going to use a different SIM card in it? Some unlockers actually work by replacing the Radio part of the ROM, and some of those are NOT GPS enabled. Go into Settings/System/Device Information and check the Radio version- it must end in .11 for GPS to be enabled. All stock Orange M700's come with GPS enabled. If yours is incorrect you must install un updated Radio stack.
As Deech says, set TTN to either Built-In, or Other NMEA using COM9 and 57600 Baud, then GO OUTSIDE WITH A CLEAR VIEW OF THE SKY to obtain a first fix- it will take up to 10 minutes the 1st time. If TTN has detected your GPS, the status line under the map display will say 'Waiting for Valid GPS Signal' - if you see that you just need to wait till it amalgamates all the sat signals. If you still see 'No GPS Device', then you either have a faulty device, or the Radio ROM isn't working properly.
Either case would be a cause for replacement by Orange- another reason not to flash the ROM, because by doing so you invalidate the warranty.
Keep trying- its worth it!
[Edit- Oh and T-Mob are talking bolox- any WM5 device can run any WM5 program. But, the Compact III is an inferior device- no WiFi, slower processor, and MicroSD card as opposed to MiniSD. Micro cards are slower, and more prone to file system errors]
deech said:
's upto you or just re-flash it and have done with it, tbh I have no experience with unlocking these... now Nokias onthe other hand
Dont think you'll hurt it by doing a Hard Reset, however I dont know if it'll re-lock the phone or what, might be one for a seperate thread?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A hard reset can be good to clear unwanted operator customisations, especially if you reset before the Operator Customisations start, but with the Orange M700, this can lead to loss of some services, especially Orange World, which is built into the main ROM and Extended ROM. Disabling the horrible Orange Today application is no bad thing though!
Generally once a device is unlocked, it will remain that way through hard resets and even ROM updates, but there are different unlocking methods:
SIM unlock just allows a different operators SIM card to be used (Orange and T-Mo both SIM lock their WM phones)
CID unlock allows other ROM versions to be installed (ie if an Orange device is not CID unlocked, you can only use Orange ROM's)
SPL unlocking changes the Bootloader (akin to the BIOS) to allow any valid ROM to be loaded.
All the Unlock and ROM tools are availiable via the Trinity Wiki on this site- too late for you, but don't go near the Ebay ones as you don't know what you are getting
Ok i have checked my Radio version under Device information and it says 1.16.00.00 so you right that doesn't end in .11 and so my GPS doesn't work. So i need to install un updated Radio stack.
Like you said NeilM the m700 come with .11 so something has changes this? Could have been that dodgy ebay unlocking software? I bet orange will reject my devise if i send it back for that reason!! damn it.
I am thinking of going onto t-mobile for the web and walk package. Actually i don't like the orange menu so don't care if i loose that too.
So i just need to install un updated Radio stack and so a SIM unlock. easier said then done?
Cheers NeilN and deech for your help so far. George
Yes- your 'dodgy' unlock software has corrupted the radio stack.
You first need to 'super CID' your device to allow a new Radio ROM to be added (though as your current radio is non standard this has probably already happened);
Head to This Thread which has links halfway down the 1st page to a CID Unlocker, and Radio 1.41 upgrade.
That ought to work, but make sure to follow ALL the instructions!
Ok I have hard reset my phone, so i am now back to where i started and hopefully there is no trace of my dodgy ebay unlocking rubbish?
First thing i did after resetting is check my Radio version under Device information and it still says 1.16.00.00! That must mean it was shipped to me like that.
Anyway i need to change that to .11 so i have gone to here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=305250
and downloaded the 2) Update GSM: GSM_1.41.00.11
Is the right? Sorry for being a dullard if wrong.
Anyway i downloaded it put it in a new folder on my devise then went to it on my devise and it said this is not a valid pocket pc app!
Have i got the wrong file?
No sorry- hard resetting DOES NOT go back to how it was supplied- it goes back to the latest ROM flash, be it the Radio or OS, so you are stuck with the dodgy radio stack until you upgrade it.
I don't know the specifics of the Radio ROM you have downloaded, but 1.41 is the current latest.
The file MUST BE RUN from the PC, with Activesync connected. If your device is correctly unlocked, then it will load into the PPC via A/S and initiate the update process. In the course of that, A/S will stop, and a generic USB connection established.
At that point you may get a 'Cannot Connect' error, and the screen of the Trinity will be multicoloured bars. You now need to run the update file once again, and the ROM Update progres bar should start. If it won't proceed, then you need to take Step 1 from the page you cited, and load the Hard SPL updater, which will allow the Radio update.
Ok its going well, i've managed to change my radio to.11 which i pretty proud of to be honest!
Now then i have tried the terrible orange sat nav just to see if the gps would work and it did! Next i tried my TomTom v6.00 and it didn't work. Do i definately need 6.03?
Feeling more confident now. might upgrade to WM6. If i go hear
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=305250
LVSW_Trinity_WM6_v2.0.1.1
HowTo:
1) Update SPL: HARD-SPL
2) Update GSM: GSM_1.41.00.11
3) Update ROM: 20070527_Trinity_WM6_v2.0.1.1
and download 1) 2) and 3) in order will that be ok? Will it get ride of my Orange today menus, hopefully they are a bit annoying!
I also would like Phone Pad international or something that can act like a standard textign phone pad when i am entering text for some reason mine is available to me? Think that might be an Orange thing as my mate has an older HTC and has it on.
Thanks for your quick replies so far, much appreciated.
George
one more thing, i am about to purchase tomtom navigator 6. Jsut rang them up and the version they sell is the latest 6.06. Take it this will be fine considering deech said 6.03?
Thanks
yup, basically in 6.03 they introduced "use built in gps" feature, so should be safe to assume 6.06 will still have this
I've ordered my tomtom software. I've also upgraded to WM6 thanks to that thread all about it. Doing ok for a novice i think.
Last thing to solve is this keypad thing.. had a look for phonepad international but can't find it?
Looking through options on new OS and can't find any options for the keyborad. I now seem to have lost transcriber with WM6 too!?
If you have already bought TTN6.00, you should be able the updated file FOC via TomTom Home, though you will need to pay if you want the latest maps.
Using TTN6.00, in the GPS settings, select Other NMEA Receiver (NOT Other NEA Bluetooth..), then Baud 57600 and connect to COM9
Once those are entered, you should be able to see the main screen status change to 'Waiting for Valid GPS Signal'; the GPS Status screen will have asmall revolving icon at the top right. This proecess can take some time and a clear view of the sky, so be patient!
Google PhonePad International on XDA Devs and you will find the file. It runs well on late WM5 or WM6, but as you found, won't run on the Orange version. It is a bit limited in that it doesn't have word completion, but is useful nonetheless.
Some of the WM6 ROM's omit transcriber, because it uses memory, and few people use it anyway
NeilM said:
Generally once a device is unlocked, it will remain that way through hard resets and even ROM updates, but there are different unlocking methods:
SIM unlock just allows a different operators SIM card to be used (Orange and T-Mo both SIM lock their WM phones)
CID unlock allows other ROM versions to be installed (ie if an Orange device is not CID unlocked, you can only use Orange ROM's)
SPL unlocking changes the Bootloader (akin to the BIOS) to allow any valid ROM to be loaded.
All the Unlock and ROM tools are availiable via the Trinity Wiki on this site- too late for you, but don't go near the Ebay ones as you don't know what you are getting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Newbie to HTC devices. I'm familiar with ETEN X500/WM5/WM6 etc, ROM flashing by card and all that jazz, but CID/SPL I don't know yet, so:
does SPL unlocking also cause CID & SIM unlocking? Or does each operation need to be done consecutively, if so any order?
what does CID & SPL stand for anyway, please?
and can the sat locations be updated via internet, like HP and ETEN etc ?
The reason for this is I'm waying an HTCP3600 against yet-to-be released ETEN X800
Hello to everyone, A quick introduction - Im new to the PDA Place if you could call it that, I personally use a Nokia N95 at the moment, And just the other day managed to get hold of an o2 XDA Exec second hand. Unfortunatly for me the devices appears to be in chinese when turned on so as you are aware theirs is not exactly much I can do with it!
I am familiar with the flashing process on Symbian phones and have done it a few times, With this knowledge in mind I thought and assumed I would need to flash this XDA Exec to an english firmware, or ROM as it seems to be called around here. I have been reading through a few threads in regards to updating and have also tried to download a new update off the o2.xda website, But it seems to keep saying I have an incorrect IMEI Number even though I have entered the correct one by typing in *#06#
I found this forum and was hoping perhaps someone would be kind enough to help me in regards to the problem I am having. I believe this device has Windows Mobile 5 and have seen and heard that Windows Mobile 6 has been released. I assume you have to purchase this much like you have to purchase a new copy of windows for a PC. Is this correct?
I had a go at the flashing process, And downloaded this EXTROM Unlocker from a buzz site? I didnt know what to do with it as its a .cab file so I downloaded KDSkamal WM5 Ultimate edition and thought well if I can at least get it to english then its a starting point at least. I double clicked the file inside and went through the update process, Then it said that it was not designed for my device, And this is where I am upto because im lost with what to do now.
Any help, information and/or advice would be most appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Hi there, whenever you try to change the ROM of one of these new Windows CE devices (all those names are the "marketing geniuses" ideas, PocketPC, Windows CE, Windows Mobile), the device verifies that you are installing the "right" type of ROM for your device, as uncle Bill would say, you cannot put anything that you shouldn't suppose to, and by "suppose to" I mean anything that they don't want you to do, I think it's enough on politics.
Anyway, if you try to change the languaje of your ROM, the bootloader will not let you to do so, so we use an special (treatened) kind of upgrading tool.
It is normally inlcuded in the ROM.
If you read the wiki, you should be able to find the whole process, well explained, right now I just can't remember the exact name of this file (something like noIdUpgrade, MaIdUpgrade, or something like this), normally all our programming gurus supply it with the cooked ROMs.
I know how frustating it is at the begining (also considering that you know Symbian), but consider that these questions arise too many times and people get the idea that you come and ask the same question that literally have been answered thousands of times and you don't even want to make some research work.
Again, read the WiKi, it's the perfect place to start with your device, when you get to know some of the jargon, you'll begin to understand many of the things discussed here.
cheers and good luck
Thankyou for the reply, I shall indeed read the wiki. Since I posted that I managed to get hold of an o2 update ROM which I tried to install, as it was doing it where it says do not disconnect it came up with ERROR 101, and that the cable had been removed when it had not. I also tried again and the same thing, Now the PDA wont turn on at all. If I try to press the hard reset buttons it says press 0, but then does nothing. At the moment it seems to be stuck on the bootloader I think you people call it. And wont come out of it :-( looks like I broke it already
Ok, quick udate after alot of messing about and research I finally flashed it, Its now on the newest version of the o2 firmware. Though now its full of o2 rubbish. I tried to install this custom one I pointed a link to in a previous post but when installing it says its not designed for my country. I assume this is in line with your reply but I tried a search for that program and it turned up nothing.
vwrmic said:
Ok, quick udate after alot of messing about and research I finally flashed it, Its now on the newest version of the o2 firmware. Though now its full of o2 rubbish. I tried to install this custom one I pointed a link to in a previous post but when installing it says its not designed for my country. I assume this is in line with your reply but I tried a search for that program and it turned up nothing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, O2 is full of crap. Try this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=320116
As I suggested in it. KDSKamal's ROM is the best. Better than official ROMs. You can find links on how to upgrade in that thread too.
---
Hey i had exactly the same problem as you, just bought an O2 Xda Exec in China, and all in Chinese but now I changed my Chinese WM5 to the KDSKamal's ROM, it works perfectly, and it seems stable.
Excellent, Thanks for the replies! I had a good play with it last night web browsing and such, I must say its so much easier than a Nokia N95 I love the software and such on it, Now if only there was a PDA/Phone that had the specifications of an N95 that would be great! I know there is the HTC Tytn but that only has a 2MP Camera I believe.
Anyway I really am pleased I got it working thankyou to everyone.
Now I know the basic process I would like to take it a step further and upgrade to Windows Mobile 6. Is there a way of doing this? I assume I need to get hold of another ROM, I admit I had a look around and found some dead links I assume due to copyright issues with Microsoft but im not sure.
Another question I had, Was I was looking around games you can get games like Riven (Myst series) And Age Of Empires which look just like the PC Version! Wow im overwhelmed by all the stuff you can get. On some of the games I have been looking at it says you need a certain graphics chip or higher in your device, May I ask what is in the Xda Exec? And if its a 3D Graphics chip thats good at running games.
How would I find out if the device is unlocked? Just popping in a card and trying? As I have a contract with T-Mobile where I get free internet, So it might be worth using my T-Mobile sim card on it instead of on o2.
The case isnt in the greatest condition, The screen and keyboard are perfect but there are a few scratches and blemishes on the case of the PDA, Is there an easy way of changing this and buying a new one to swap it with? I know it involves taking the machine apart which im comfortable with doing, Preferably getting a non o2 one would be great.
I hear about the radio and such, Does this device have a radio built into it?
Also is there anywhere I could either purchase a copy or download a copy of the manual? Im not sure how this device actually turns off, It seems to just go into standby mode when I press the power button.
Other than that, Thankyou very much so far!
again check the wiki my friend.... all answers to your questions are already posted there...