Related
:!: Sorry for the shameless attempt to get you here with a dreamy subject but it's relevant to the topic - honestly. :!:
I'm after a PDAPhone with built in everything. But looks so far like I'm going to have to compromise and get an external GPS receiver, however was just hoping someone might have a little gem that I couldn't find anywhere else in the forums.
I have owned and loved the O2 XDA range ever since my first XDA years ago and have since lugged around an XDAII. I damaged my II recently and have a nice cheque for £550 burning a hole in my pocket courtesy of the insurance company. This means that for the first time ever I don't need to go to a subsidised model. My initial thought was that I'd stump up a few extra quid and get a JamJar :lol: from expansys but now I'm a bit more mature I decided to check out the options first.
So far I've found (Ignoring Naming Variations):
Prices quoted are from expansys - they could be cheaper elsewhere. Pls let me know if you find any (UK Only though)
:arrow: iPAQ hw6515 - Looks a bit crap, small screen and no wi-fi listed but DOES have GPS & 1.3Mp Cam - Anyone know of any Square Aware issues with programs?
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=120563
:idea: £439.95
:arrow: i-mate JAM - Small and sexy but no Wi-Fi and no GPS but would stop people asking if I've got a brick taped to my head. + 1.3Mp, COuld afford external GPS with this one.
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=I-MATE_JAM
:idea: £359.95
:arrow:Qtek 9090- Has everything But GPS but would leave enough money for a BT GPS - No camera spec but I think it's 0.3Mp like the XDAIIs - Could be upgraded to WM5, My Mate has one and the Thumb Keyboard is easy to use whilst walking - If I use my head not my geekometer this is my favourite.
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=QTEK_9090
:idea: £414.95
:arrow: i-mate JASJAR - Dogs balls but still no GPS and not much more than the 9090 + v Expensive & Getting Bigger - 1.3Mp Cam I think. (I have no 3G service anywhere near me so that's not a bonus) I really like the 3.5mm Jack - Overall a severe number of geek points! NO CRADLE Still needs GPS Seperate, not sure how useable while walking the keyboard will be. I really want one.
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=119353
:idea: £669.95
:arrow: i-mate K-JAM - WiFi, BT etc, Smaller and lighter than Universal, WM5, 1.3Mp. I like the keyboard. Maybe my new best choice. JUST leaves enough money to think about an external GPS. Thanks JamiJam
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=125518
:idea: £504.95
My criteria to consider are as follows, argue with them and persuade me otherwise with reasons if you so wish:
Phone + PDA Essential (Tri Band+)
Camera - Prefer 1+Mp
BT - Must Have
Wi-Fi - Optional but Preferred a lot
3G - Not required
Keyboard - Like to Have (It's awkward using handwriting when travelling)
GPS - Very Nice to Have I Drive a lot and would like to use TT in the future.
OS - Not Bothered, these can be changed
I have 1 Month to decide before I burst and spray money all over the place so I'd really appreciate any comments you might have.
Don't go off on any obscure tangents though please, post them in a new topic and link to it if you wish.
Wizard...
(aka K-Jam, aka Qtek 9100)
Not sure when it will be out but Orange are going to release the Wizard and call it the SPV M600. If you can wait then you'll have it subsidised. :wink:
hmmmmm
Ok, so far the Wizard is my favourite now. I'd completely forgotten about that. What's the keyboard like though? I'm not too fussed about the size (the one on the XDA III is smaller and still useable)? It's more the key action I'm bothered about.
Does it have those rubbish 'rubbery' 'spectrum' style keys? It looks like it does.
I'm still yearning for a Universal cos none of my mates will have one but my head is still saying I don't need it and one of the others will do everything I want.
AFAIK HTC has some kind of arrangement with compaq - HTC will not make a phone with GPS as it competes with a model HTC makes for compaq that does have GPS or something like that (the hw6515 maybe ?)
I have a Blue Angel (O2 XDA IIs) and it does all of this.
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=I-MATE_III
WM5 now available and working fine on it.
It has a keyboard too, it's those blister things (more like a ZX81 than a spectrum) but it is useable, although the keyboard layout is a bit ****e.
What with the newer models coming out you should be able to pick one up cheapish.
I run mine with a Globalsat Bt-338 Bluetooth GPS and Tomtom 5
oh, and FYI, this PDA holder from halfords holds the BA perfectly and can be mounted to your dash. It obscures no ports.
(The pic is upside down BTW)
http://www.halfords.com/opd_product_details.asp?id=16600&type=0&cat=397
The keyboard on the wizard is excellent, in my humble opinion!
It also snaps in and out in a way that makes you feel it won't break down easily.
Finally, it automatically turns the phone's display into landscape mode, which is very handy.
Wizard or BA
I have to say I'm still impressed with the Wizard. Just made a scale model out of card (how sad is that) and it's tiny!
I like the BA but if the keyboard doesn't let the Wizard down I think it'll be my PDA of choice. The one thing I really didn't like about the Jam was its lack of Wi-Fi and that's solved in the K-Jam.
I assume the screen's readable, I like to think that I'll have good eyesight for a couple of years yet so I don't think the size will be an issue.
iPaq HW6515
I have tried without success to get details of the built-in GPS. The one authoritative source to whom I spoke was scathing about its performance. So whatever you do choose, I do not recommend the iPaq.
On a separate note I saw my first Jasjar close up today. It is lighter than you might think, but heavier than is reasonable for prolonged use as a phone. A bluetooth earpiece was being used that included a display for caller ID. As a data device it is pretty impressive.
I too run a GlobalSat BT-338 GPS, in my case with Mapopolis.
if you are going GPS, make sure it is SIRFstar III chipset (the current latest-and-greatest), especially if you live in a city as they are really good at "urban canyon" reception.
I have seen new BT-338s on ebay for £65 "buy it now" recently
plus another thing to think about...
a seperate BT GPS unit has various advantages:
1) Battery
It won't drain your PPC battery when operating, except the charge needed to communicate via BT.
2) Upgrading
If a new improved GPS unit comes out and you have an onboard GPS unit, you are carrying useless baggage and can't sell the old one.
Also bear in mind there will likely be new features added to GPS units.
one example: digital compass. At the moment, if you stand still and rotate, a GPS unit has no clue which way you are facing until you move. A GPS does already transmit heading AFAIK - it works out which way you are facing by assiming you are looking in the direction of travel. Integration of a digital compass therefore would probably require no changes to the protocol. This does exist ( see http://www.xemics.com/internet/solutions/compass.jsp?productID=108 )
3) Switching.
BT GPS units work on laptopss too you know
4) Safety. I use my GPS for a sport called mountain boarding. Same kinda deal as downhill mountain biking, I trace a route I have done using GPS software. I ride with my XDA in a reinforced case with foam in, but find the GPS reception suffers, so I keep the BT GPS unit in my bag and the XDA in the case.
Seeing as the XDA is MUCH more valuable than the GPS this makes sense.
5) Reception versus viewing position.
Sometimes the position with best reception is not the same as the position you can see the screen of your PPC best.
????
Good point.
Ok, more questions on the K-Jam
Camera: Says 1.3/2 Is this 1.3 with software to 'frig' it to 2?
Keyboard: Is the expansys keyboard silver ( http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=125518 ) or black ( http://www.expansys.com/zoompic.asp?type=item&code=125518 )
Silver ones look plastic whereas black ones look rubbery. Which have you got JamiJam? Is it from Expansys?
Processor: 200Mhz? Is that right? Seems quite a drop. Do you have any problems with media playback? I remember my XDA I used to have a problem playing big avi files.
Ta Very Much
Camera is 1.3MP, and it is ****.
Yes, it's better than the Magician, but it's still pretty bad. I wouldn't buy the Wizard hoping to use the camera for anything useful. In my opinion this is the #1 point on which HTC is lacking. They've worked on everything else, now they need to start putting decent cameras in these devices.
I have the silver keyboard and I bought my Wizard in a store. I believe that if you order from expansys you'll get a silver one.
Processor is 200MHz (different CPU architecture) but it seems to be on par with the Magician in practice, maybe 10% slower. So yes, you should be able to watch full screen movies, once you find a bit-rate/resolution/format that works for you. Not sure which XDA you had, but I would expect similar ballpark performance.
Hope this helps.
Ta
The 'performance lacking' XDA was the original XDA I and I'll take your word for it that performance is ok. I don't use it for anything too hot and my XDA II never had a problem with films.
To be honest, every camera phone I've had from the XDA Range was ****ty quality (Very grainy) but I spend a fair bit of time on site collecting info on wagons and stuff for my job and it's always handy to be able to snap a quick video or pic of something. The only reason I want a higher res is so that when some tit with a Sony Ericson goes on about his 2Mp camera I don't loose too many 'top trumps' points. I never print the pics and my main contract doesn't support GPRS so I don't often send MMS. You'd be surprised how easily you can still get by with just plain old WAP.
Good news on the silver buttons. I prefer them. Has anyone bought one from Expansys who can verify?
Sweetness & Joy
Just thought I'd post my decision for those of you who like seing things through to a conclusion.
After much ponderation and constructing various cardboard models I have decided on the HTC Wizard, purchased from expansys (i-Mate K-Jam). There's a delay on delivery at the moment (3 Days!!!! I can't wait) but once it arrives I'll post back with my oppinions.
I've also heard that my mate is buying the JasJar so I'll be able to make a comparison and post it back.
***************************
:!: Come on Friday! :!:
***************************
D'oh! Just a note not say the expansys delivery has been put back but they've dropped the price too.
***************************
:!: Come on Some-Day! :!:
***************************
Just been looking at some larger photos of the buttons
http://forum.xda-developers.com/files/keyboard-flash.jpg
I take back my spectrum comments, they look pretty good.
Hurrah!
Ok! I've got my Wizard at last. I ended up buying the Qtek 9100 rather than the K-Jam. Looks like I'll miss out on Club i-Mate. :-(
Thought I'd post my views on the phone here just to give closure to anyone reading this thread.
The screen is very sharp. Everything obviously is smaller because the pixels are closer together but the overall effect is a very good screen. The guy in our office with really bad eyesight liked it and he's normally a miserable git when it comes to gadgets.
I take back my comments about the keyboard, it looks fantastic, the action is really great and you can use it to type replies to text messages on the move, which is something I've always struggled with before using the Transcriber. People are also really impressed when the screen rotates thru' to landscape.
I've used it for playing some music and although the speakers built in are tinny as you'd expect, the headphones are really good. I don't know if they'd be the same for the i-Mate but they fit comfortably in my ears and have a very good sound compared to the old XDA & XDA II headphones (Not that that would be hard)!
I miss having a cradle. It was nice to be able to display your phone on your desk while it was charging. Just using a USB cable makes it all feel a bit less sexy as an experience but then you can't have everything I suppose.
The coolest thing I found was the Stylus. It's about 50mm long when it first comes out of the phone. Then you give it a little pull and it extends to... hold on let me get a ruler... 85mm. It's not as comfy to use as the XDA/XDA II styli but since i haven't used it for writing much it doesn't matter. The keyboard is so easy to pull out and use that I've only really used the stylus to point at stuff so that my fingers don't get the screen dirty. The softkeys in WM 2005 also mean that you rarely need to touch the screen.
It's a bit chunkier than I expected but still not big. It's only marginally bigger than my girlfriends Nokia 6230 and compared to an older XDA model it feels like it's tiny!
Voice recognition button on the side works really well so far. I've got about 10 contacts programmed in and it seems to be picking them up ok, even in the car.
Overall, i'm yet to find much of a fault with it. I'll try to get some piccies of bits posted sometime next week.
Feel free to ask any questions.
JASJAR II
When the damn thing releases.....of course
I really wouldnt auction my spare kidney and buy it, and then suffer with a RAM deficit! My xda 2 currently running on wm5, has 128megs ram and 32megs rom....compared to 43megs ram & rom of jasjar........one word.......RIDICULOUS!
i cant believe seeing a 7MB RAM free on a device, and i dont ever want to see it! HTC/ IMATE/ Whoever claim they put in less RAM for extended battery life....bucket of crap! I really dont care for those couple extra hours that i'd probably get, and i dont mind carrying a spare battery or a charger wherever i go....
Its a handicap which is BIG! Besides this, the Jasjar is divinely irresistable, and i cant stop oggling at it :shock:
So, i guess i'll wait for a JJ II to come out with same form factor, and somemore ram which would make the device practical....
HTC do you hear me??????
San
weeel
:shock:
RAM isn't everything. I have been using the device for a day now (Non-stop), often running WMP10, Outlook, PIE etc also playing Tomb Raider. I haven't noticed any diference between this and my XDA II which had I think 64Mb and a 400 odd MHz processor. The odd app is a trifle slow to load up but nothing more major than that.
If the battery life sacrifice is true, then it's not for this little puppy. All this usage (with wi-fi on but not actually using a wi-fi network) and the battery didn't drop below 60% yesterday (Using lightly whilst at work and heavily in the evening. I even synced using bluetooth).
Memory has crept down to 1Mb program mem free at times but I assume windows is just doing its thing because this comes back up after a while and I don't notice any drop in performance.
Re: Hurrah!
eayuwna said:
I miss having a cradle. It was nice to be able to display your phone on your desk while it was charging. Just using a USB cable makes it all feel a bit less sexy as an experience but then you can't have everything I suppose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This site: http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/5735.htm claims that this desktop charger/cradle is compatible with the K-Jam so if that's true then it should be OK for your QTek. 8)
-------------- EDIT ----------------
READ WARNING AT FOOT OF MSG
------------------------------------
Hi,
Does anyone else have this phone? I took the gamble after reading a lot of reviews about the g-Smart range, mostly negative, and upgraded to this from the MDA Pro/HTC Uni.
I have had only two glitches with it todate, and neither serious, was wondering if anyone else had this handset and what their views are.
If anyone has got the handset, and from the London/Essex/Kent areas of the UK if they can post the settings that they have for the TV tuners, it would be GREATLY appricated.
Also does anyone know of any themes or add-ons designed for this device?
All in all, I'm glad I ordered the 128Mb version from Thai instead of getting the 64Mb version available to the UK, if anyone is thinking about this phone, I truely recommend it!
---------------------------------------------------------------
WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING
PLEASE ENSURE THAT IF YOU ALTER THE ROM IMAGE OF YOUR GIGABYTE HANDSET THAT YOU USE THE CORRECT VERSION FOR YOUR DEVICE. IE. UPDATING THE G-SMART I (64M VERSION) WITH A ROM IMAGE FOR THE G-SMART I128 *WILL* BRICK YOUR PHONE.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - WARNING
I am also looking for the same..can u post more info as how is the speed, Visibility and especially the TV TUner..and if possible post some screen shorts..
yes more info and pics plz,wot are the pros and cons?
jaceuk said:
yes more info and pics plz,wot are the pros and cons?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Screen shots I can work on, but not able to get them at the mo as Mrs has the camera, but as soon as she's back, no problem...
These are compatible with PAL and NTSC, but not the french system SECAM (or something like that). The picture quality varies from area to area, I've had not that good picture at home in Kent area, but in London it's blinding, then visited someone else in Kent and great aswell.... if you can get a portable TV working, you'll get this working! You don't have to use the aerial thing if you're not keen, the headphones have an aerial built into them aswell...
If you are interested please DONT bid on any of the ones on eBay for ~100, they are ALL cons, if you look at the feedback, they are all from (0) feedbackers, no-longer members, and is a scam to get your dosh.
The only seller I've found that I would recommend is the one that I got it from in Thailand called Gadget-Gear, if you do a search for that name you will see he has stock of the 64Mb and 128Mb version.
The 128Mb version is the one to go for, it is expensive about US$830 including postage, but when you think of the prices of new HTC devices... not that much...
The 64Mb is available to purchase from www.expansys.co.uk, but I wouldn't get this version, as there's a lot less RAM and the glitches aren't fixed.
With the 128Mb version you get the aerial, a spare battery, desktop battery charger, and case all bundled with it, these are bits that are optional extras with the 64Mb one.
There are several great features that this phone has that my HTC uni doesn't, following are the pro's/con's compared to that, but all in all I think it's a GREAT phone.
PRO - Answer phone facility - which allows screening, you can hear the messages live as they are leaving it. Messages are stored on the phone, saving network costs.
PRO - Size & Weight - small handheld, and light.
PRO - Mapping of the hardware buttons - with the Uni you could map the Record button to do something different if you held it... with the G-Smart you can do this with all eight main buttons.
PRO - You get the super high capacity battery as well as the standard one, so you can choose slim phone, or long lasting power.
PRO - Phone recording - when set up, press the camera button during the call, and the call will be recorded and saved to the phone. Handy to prove what was said - (but remember to notify the person first,,, may be illegal otherwise... blah blah)
PRO - Background effects - out on the beer with mates? Told the Mrs that your at work... activate the overdub and she'll here the sounds of the office, the street, the station, airport etc in the background of the call...
PRO - 2.1 megapixel camera.
PRO - Pocket Ghost is preinstalled and great to backup/restore!
CON - no hardware keyboard,, but get TenGo Thumb... and who cares?!
CON - Mini-SD and none provided, but you can pick up a 1Gb one like I did from eBay for under a tenner including postage... great stuff.
All in all as I say, I've had one real problem, but it was my own fault, put a tweak that wasn't compatible on the phone, and crashed it, but hard reset and hey presto!
I've heard the customer service isn't that good from GB but I've not needed to use it, I tend to rely on forums like these to speak to real experts anyway... but the problem I had I got in touch with Gadget-Gear as first thought it was down to the phone and he was incredibly helpful.
As far as the phone, the build quality, the case and extras supplied...Gigabyte, you've done a great job.
Here are some pictures of my pride and joy...
I've put it next to a Sony Ericsson Z520i, so you can judge size etc, don't have any other phone at the mo.
hdubli said:
I am also looking for the same..can u post more info as how is the speed, Visibility and especially the TV TUner..and if possible post some screen shorts..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speed. fantastic, no issues with it at all, runs a lot smoother than my Uni ever did, got LOT more free space!, lot more memory for applications to run.
Visibility, the screen is a lot more sharper than my uni, and my mates O2 Mini, can't think of the HTC model of that one...
TV, as I've said, it's as good as the signal you have available, I've had crystal clear pictures in UK with PAL-i though. :-D
This is where I got mine from...
Great seller...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-GIGABYTE-...ryZ64355QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
There's a favorable review of this phone on a Thai website http://www.mrpalm.com/getcontent3.php?tid=389 My wife, who happens to be Thai, translated it for me & it echoes most of what jmdrizen says.
I'm looking to buy either the O2 Atom Exec or Gigabyte g-smart i128 mainly because I want a smaller pda phone. Not too fussed about a hardware keyboard as I'd rarely use it. Also camera quality isn't important for me either.
I want the phone to be fast because I use it primarily for GPS, Skype, watching the odd video & a bit of internet surfing.
jmdrizen I have a few question if poss
1/ Mr Palm says that the screen is a bit 'yellow' is it really bad?
2/ He also says that the speaker is very loud & clear, best of all the pda phones he's tried so far. I notice that speaker is on the back of the phone so when its on a table with the screen naturally facing up is the sound muffled & low or is it still loud enough to be heard acroos the room?
3/ Have you tried it with GPS or Skype - how does it handle these programs.
4/ How long did it take to arrive & did you get stung by customs. My wife is going to Thailand @ Xmas time but I can't wait that long..
Thanks
zen123 said:
jmdrizen I have a few question if poss
1/ Mr Palm says that the screen is a bit 'yellow' is it really bad?
2/ He also says that the speaker is very loud & clear, best of all the pda phones he's tried so far. I notice that speaker is on the back of the phone so when its on a table with the screen naturally facing up is the sound muffled & low or is it still loud enough to be heard acroos the room?
3/ Have you tried it with GPS or Skype - how does it handle these programs.
4/ How long did it take to arrive & did you get stung by customs. My wife is going to Thailand @ Xmas time but I can't wait that long..
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To answer those:
1) Not noticed this, if anything I think the screen is sharper and clearer, I've compared it to the HTC Uni, O2 Mini, and Sony Ericsson W800i, and myself and my colleagues rate the Gigabyte g-Smart i128 as the better screen. Once every now and again - and extremly rarely - the screen shows a few dots like you get when your TV signal loses for a second, but that's it, and it is VERY rare.
2) The speaker is great, it is louder than that of the HTC Uni, but then that doesn't take much! You're right that it's on the back, but the camera lens sticks out about 1-2mm which means the speaker won't be flat on the table if you lay it flat, I've not noticed any problems with the audio, loud, crisp and clear. Great for when I'm in the car and got the TomTom going...
3) I use TomTom Navigator 5.21, which runs like a dream, fast, and pairs with the TomTom Bluetooth without any errors or problems, first time and everytime.
I've not used Skype much, don't know anyone with a Skype contact, but this comes preloaded with SkypePLUS which has extra settings and features to the normal Skype.
4) I had a slight snag with the delivery, Gadget-Gear stated it would take 7-14 days from Thailand to UK, which is acceptable, he posted it with Thailand Post, and gave a tracking number, about 5 days into it I got impatient, and emailed him discovering that for some reason it was posted back, but Gadget-Gear was already on the case, and posted it FedEx Express to me, all in all it was in my hand 7 days after I paid for it. Fantastic - I have nothing but praise for Gadget-Gear, the manual is in Thai, but you can download a copy of this, which I can't post at the moment, but will try again later... but the phone is English OS ROM, and he chucked in a UK adapter aswell.
I ended up purchasing a UK plug and Car adaptor, which are available from expansys.
Hope this helps!!
Oh and more importantly, I forgot... call quality - FANTASTIC! Clear and loud.
ALSO, another great thing about this phone is the Bluetooth Headset software, once the headset is paired, it will use that as the speaker if you like, so you can have TomTom or whatever audio you have going threw your headset. It has Voice Commander, not the cut down Voice Dialer, so is a lot better for voice commands.
zen123 said:
There's a favorable review of this phone on a Thai website http://www.mrpalm.com/getcontent3.php?tid=389 My wife, who happens to be Thai, translated it for me & it echoes most of what jmdrizen says.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, Zen, the phone they're reviewing in that site is the g-Smart i, I've got the g-Smart i128. It's even better than the site says, as it's got a few glitches sorted out, and the RAM helps,
Memory Details of mine are:
Storage: Total 117.29Mb, In Use 62.67Mb, Free 54.62Mb
Program: Total 50.32Mb, In Use 37.81Mb, Free 12.51Mb,
Don't let the only 12.5 free program memory fool you though, it runs a lot faster than my Uni did with double that! And this doesn't have the 520 processor either!
Thanks for the reply.
As I said I'm also looking at the O2 Atom Exec, heard good things about that as well. I was an early adopter & bought the original O2 Atom but that was a piece of [email protected] so I'm a bit skeptical about the new version.
The only thing I'm not too keen on re the i128 is the covers for the power outlet & non standard headphone socket.
I'm using the company Mio A701 at the moment & seriously miss the built in wifi of my lost HTC Wizard, although the built in GPS is great. There's too many deficiencies with the phone part of the Mio to make it a keeper.
I read there's a Gigabyte i300 on the way which has gps & wifi so I might even wait for that.
Anyways thanks for the reply & enjoy your new toy.
Very useful information...I just want to know the display font visibility as compared to say Magician or Prohet or Atom...do we need to stress too much our eyes...
zen123 said:
The only thing I'm not too keen on re the i128 is the covers for the power outlet & non standard headphone socket.
I read there's a Gigabyte i300 on the way which has gps & wifi so I might even wait for that.quote]
The non-standard headphone sockets not really an issue, as the i128 also comes with a converter to take your 2.5 connections
Where's the review on the i300?
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hdubli said:
Very useful information...I just want to know the display font visibility as compared to say Magician or Prohet or Atom...do we need to stress too much our eyes...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've not got one of those three devices to compare, but it the screen is sharper than the Uni, you can have cleartype, but I prefer it without.
jmdrizen said:
The non-standard headphone sockets not really an issue, as the i128 also comes with a converter to take your 2.5 connections
Where's the review on the i300?
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that's cool. You are slowly twisting my arm.
The i300 isn't released yet.
Some more questions
1/ does the i128 have stereo over bluetooth
2/ can it be set up so that when the device goes to standby the screen is locked & can be woken by any of the buttons. When woken the screen remains locked. My Mio can do this but not the Wizard .
3/ I have TTN5 aswell what's the signal acquisition times? Is there any lag? What cradle do you use? I have a Brodit pro clip but they don't make a cradle for it yet.
I was thinking how cool it would be have the tv function on when stuck in a traffic jam it'd make time pass quicker.
zen123 said:
Some more questions
1/ does the i128 have stereo over bluetooth
2/ can it be set up so that when the device goes to standby the screen is locked & can be woken by any of the buttons. When woken the screen remains locked. My Mio can do this but not the Wizard .
3/ I have TTN5 aswell what's the signal acquisition times? Is there any lag? What cradle do you use? I have a Brodit pro clip but they don't make a cradle for it yet.
I was thinking how cool it would be have the tv function on when stuck in a traffic jam it'd make time pass quicker.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1/ I'm not too sure about this, I've read that it does from a review, but haven't got a stereo bluetooth handset to test it. Does have the latest ROM features that everyone was after with the Uni, so *think* it does.
2/ I have mine set up to go into standby with PsShutXP, by launching it by pressing and holding the Call History button, you can have it so any button wakes, but I have it so only the power button does to avoid unwanted re-activation. It is also set up to lock on resume from standby, and initial activation, so yes.
3/ It connects to my genuine TomTom MkII bluetooth in seconds, as soon as the device has a signal, my phone's received it, no noticable lag.
The only thing I'm after for it is a propper car holder, and case, the case that comes with it is a great pouch, but I want something that I can access all the ports, and use without having to take it out. If you or anyone knows of anything... that'll be great!
Gigabyte g-Smart i300
Found the details about the i300, it does look a great phone, but doesn't have the TV, only the FM Radio.
Think I'd rather have the TV feature than the GPS, as TomTom MkII is fine for me!
jmdrizen
Hi how you getting on with the g-smart?
I just got a Orange SPV M3100. Great phone but wayy too buggy. I just sent it back to Orange & canceled the contract (14 day return). I'm still very interested in the G-smart.
My main concern is reliability. I don't want something thats unstable.
B prepared for 192 MB ROM Version..it will b there in a month's time...
Anyone know UK TV Frequencies???
hdubli said:
B prepared for 192 MB ROM Version..it will b there in a month's time...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 192Mb version doesn't have the same features though I don't think.
And I'm more than happy with the phone, there were two small glitches, but think it was due to imcompatibility with third party software, as I've removed it, and they havent occured since.
The only thing that I'm after, I don't know if any one in the UK can help is the TV frequencies for the main five channels? The scan scans from 1-453, but this takes a while, you can scan small regions for the five channels, can anyone point me in the direction of where to find a narrower range for BBC1/2, ITV, C4 and C5?
K. I had it for about 7 days now.
I was one of those people who couldn't wait to get the Touch Pro. I just couldn't bring myself to order it. I use T-Mobile. I desided to try ATT again. Last year I got drops. This time around with the Fuze, I get average. Some places I drop to Edge. And some places I go tend to be 1-2 bars.
I ran some speed tests and it hits 600+KB/sec. One Edge its about 100+KB/sec. But I swear I don't see much difference on loading websites between the two..
I love the hires screen! I missed it so much since I used Windows PDA with the hi-res screens for years. Only drawback is the phones screen is much smaller than the PDAs I used that had 3-4inch screens. And yes, some things come out too small because it's not optimised for VGA. I would still ALWAYS recomend VGA versus a low res screen.
I didn't flash the rom/radio. The unit seems to work just fine for the most part. I see sometimes for no reason, if I open folder, it doesn't "pop" open. But its liveable.
GPS. Same issue as most people. I get GPS lag. When trying it with igo or TomTom, I seem to be about 3cars to a 1/2 block back of where I really am. The Tilt didn't have this issue.
It comes with Microsoft voice. Too bad its not 100% working when you get it. But I got a hack to work so it'll say the incoming caller. This program makes the WM OS better than the IPhone and G1 if you ask me. I love being able to leave the phone in my pocket, hit my BT headset and ask my phone what's my battery life, what's my signal strength, what's my appointments, whats the date or time. Nice feature. And how many phones you know that you can say "Dial 123-4567" and it'll get it right more times then wrong? Or say, "Call sam smith" and it'll ask you if you want to call his Mobile, Home, or Work? Then dial it when you say "home".
The unit back cover squeaks. Can't be perfect. The size is right. I'm the type that always wants a larger battery. Even at the cost of making the unit a bit larger. Battery life seems ok. I can't judge it yet as I keep playing with the unit so I know the battery is draining faster.
I can't stand the PPT button, but then the Tilt had it too. I don't think XDA site found a simple fix to use the button for something else. To bad, I have my Tilt PPT setup to opening my Calc and long hold for Voice Command.
I don't have any issues with the touch button or pushing up/down/left or right. I miss the thumbwheel my Tilt has.
Auto screen rotation is neat, but since so much stuff doesn't use it, it's more gimmick than something useful.
Opera is neat. Works well.
I miss my indicator lights for BT or if my phone was on. Some didn't like those lights as it was bright on the Tilt.
I'll update this more as more things cross my mind.
For the price, I think its worth it. Am I gonna keep it? I have it unlocked, but T-Mobile is BAD on this phone compaired to my Tilt. At work, I get 1 to drop connections if I use T-Mobile on the Fuze. So I'm not sure if I'll keep it.
Pricing is a big part on if I keep the phone. T-Mobile is $59.99+$19.99 data. And ATT is $59.99+$30 for data. Because I'm still in an area where I hit Edge, I'm not sure if being stuck on a 2-year contract is worth the phone...
I wonder if I want to spend $$ on the X1. Aww no voice command on that one.
Nice mini review. So do you like the Fuze better than the Tilt? I have the Tilt rite now and thinking about making the change....
FYI, a hack has been found and the PTT button can be set to whatever you want (press as well as press and hold).
-Mc
Video to remap your PTT
For PTT, Fuzemobility put up a video (http://www.fuzemobility.com/?p=598) and gives credit to the two xda threads that have the information (Black93300ZX and Proto732)
My battery also doesn't last more than a day if I do a good amount of surfing or GPS. I'd like to test how long my battery lasts on standby without touching the phone, but I haven't been able to keep my hands off of the phone these last few days.
I'm loving Microsoft Voice Commander as well. That was a nice little hidden feature that I didn't expect. I find myself launching apps all the time without looking at the phone (e.g. When I'm at a stoplight in my car, I don't need to look at my phone to "Open QuickGPS", "Open Google Maps").
Although I'm sure a lot of the board regulars are already jaded with it, haha
starstreak said:
Auto screen rotation is neat, but since so much stuff doesn't use it, it's more gimmick than something useful.
Opera is neat. Works well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, I am very jealous
I can't afford my new Fuze until next month.
But, I have been doing ALOT of reading up on it, so I will be well prepared when I am able to get it.
As far as the screen rotation, a program called Gyrator will enable the accelerometer to work in many/all programs (except I think it won't work in Manilla).
Anyway, hope this helps.
PS: My birthday is Friday, so if you hate your Fuze too much, you can send it my way
cincy1020 said:
First of all, I am very jealous
I can't afford my new Fuze until next month.
But, I have been doing ALOT of reading up on it, so I will be well prepared when I am able to get it.
As far as the screen rotation, a program called Gyrator will enable the accelerometer to work in many/all programs (except I think it won't work in Manilla).
Anyway, hope this helps.
PS: My birthday is Friday, so if you hate your Fuze too much, you can send it my way
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gyrator needs lots of messing with. Yes it does rotate Manilla, you need to disable that lol. It took me a while to mess with Gyrator's sensitivity to get it just right. Btw, my bday is tomorrow <3
hipertec- I think it would be a good upgrade if you're not paying 400+ for it.
And for the rest, thanks for the PTT info, I'll check it out once I figure out why my BT headset quit hearing incoming calls when I answer via the headset.
starstreak said:
K. I had it for about 7 days now.
I was one of those people who couldn't wait to get the Touch Pro. I just couldn't bring myself to order it. I use T-Mobile. I desided to try ATT again. Last year I got drops. This time around with the Fuze, I get average. Some places I drop to Edge. And some places I go tend to be 1-2 bars.
I ran some speed tests and it hits 600+KB/sec. One Edge its about 100+KB/sec. But I swear I don't see much difference on loading websites between the two..
I love the hires screen! I missed it so much since I used Windows PDA with the hi-res screens for years. Only drawback is the phones screen is much smaller than the PDAs I used that had 3-4inch screens. And yes, some things come out too small because it's not optimised for VGA. I would still ALWAYS recomend VGA versus a low res screen.
I didn't flash the rom/radio. The unit seems to work just fine for the most part. I see sometimes for no reason, if I open folder, it doesn't "pop" open. But its liveable.
GPS. Same issue as most people. I get GPS lag. When trying it with igo or TomTom, I seem to be about 3cars to a 1/2 block back of where I really am. The Tilt didn't have this issue.
It comes with Microsoft voice. Too bad its not 100% working when you get it. But I got a hack to work so it'll say the incoming caller. This program makes the WM OS better than the IPhone and G1 if you ask me. I love being able to leave the phone in my pocket, hit my BT headset and ask my phone what's my battery life, what's my signal strength, what's my appointments, whats the date or time. Nice feature. And how many phones you know that you can say "Dial 123-4567" and it'll get it right more times then wrong? Or say, "Call sam smith" and it'll ask you if you want to call his Mobile, Home, or Work? Then dial it when you say "home".
The unit back cover squeaks. Can't be perfect. The size is right. I'm the type that always wants a larger battery. Even at the cost of making the unit a bit larger. Battery life seems ok. I can't judge it yet as I keep playing with the unit so I know the battery is draining faster.
I can't stand the PPT button, but then the Tilt had it too. I don't think XDA site found a simple fix to use the button for something else. To bad, I have my Tilt PPT setup to opening my Calc and long hold for Voice Command.
I don't have any issues with the touch button or pushing up/down/left or right. I miss the thumbwheel my Tilt has.
Auto screen rotation is neat, but since so much stuff doesn't use it, it's more gimmick than something useful.
Opera is neat. Works well.
I miss my indicator lights for BT or if my phone was on. Some didn't like those lights as it was bright on the Tilt.
I'll update this more as more things cross my mind.
For the price, I think its worth it. Am I gonna keep it? I have it unlocked, but T-Mobile is BAD on this phone compaired to my Tilt. At work, I get 1 to drop connections if I use T-Mobile on the Fuze. So I'm not sure if I'll keep it.
Pricing is a big part on if I keep the phone. T-Mobile is $59.99+$19.99 data. And ATT is $59.99+$30 for data. Because I'm still in an area where I hit Edge, I'm not sure if being stuck on a 2-year contract is worth the phone...
I wonder if I want to spend $$ on the X1. Aww no voice command on that one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
go to www.fuzemobility.com and they have redirect the PTT button articale on there.
Hi all,
not been here for ages. anyhow,
i am getting a varioIV on saturday, i was wondering should i carry on using my sat nav (if it works) with the external gps unit or use it with the phones gps.
i ask because i have breifly read about lag with internal gps, and it would be no big issue for me to use the external still.
if i want to use the internal i can use it with google maps or something.
i am actually dilemming over the touch pro or touch HD.
any suggestions greatfully appreciated.
mahender
Use either depending upon the access of the situation.
An external unit will provide a faster performance and a better receiver thereby returning better precision. When not in a car and at a much slower pace, use the internal when you need a quick fix for a location.
GPS issue
Great Question,the forums are full of fear for the built in gps on touch pro devices! However the vast majority of these quotes are 2008, I just picked up an 02 serra (touchpro) and it works great, the first ever gps link on googlemaps took about 5 minutes and the second ten miles away was around fifteen seconds. My tomtom gps receiver has been gifted to my (happy!) eleven year old!
Hmm, if you ask me, I would recommend trying the internal GPS first to see whether it works to your liking or not, then buying an external receiver if it doesn't.
See, I prefer internal GPS due to sheer convenience. I only have to charge one device and I only have to carry one device. However, it is true that external GPS receivers are just way better. I have an i.Trek M6 GPS receiver that works so well, it can get a signal deep inside my house, and it can do it quickly. The Touch Pro, on the other hand, eh...
Concerning the Touch Pro/HD, I would prefer the HD, but that's because I love WVGA phones. They're definitely not for everyone, though, and I would suggest you research each device carefully in order to make an informed decision.
thanks for your suggestions guys,
i have co pilot from my old vario 2 days just move it along with each phone.
i will keep this in the car and use that. then when im out and about i will use google maps with the internal gps.
as for my decision, i like them both i am unsure of the size and practicality of the HD but love the screen and hope the interface is good.
but i really love the qwerty key vario 4.
and i know beleive the HD is free on t-mobile woohoo.
it is also the carrying aspect HD big (ish) and the touch pro fat(ish) i think i will go and see them in the store.
thanks....
Hello all:
I've been trying to do my homework dilligently to decide whether I buy a x7510 or not. To me, the lack of vibrate is a showstopper.
However, in one review posted on pocketpcthoughts.com, I read that the vibrate function is enabled when the keyboard is attached.
Is this accurate or not?
What does "keyborad is attached" mean exactly; does it mean "attached" as in "covering the screen", or "attached as in "typing mode"?
Thanks all for any hints here.
That review/opinion is not correct.
The X7510 does not have a phone vibrate function- these are generally built into the battery pack or on the motherboard.
The keyboard 'vibrate' feature refers to the 'haptic feedback' enabled on the X7510's hardware keyboard, which gives a small vibration and sound 'pulse' when any key is pressed, as the keys have no physical travel.
Thank you very much for the clarification !
It's still a good device!
Yes, I am sure it is a great device.
I am somewhat concerned though since I've used vibrate functions forever, and if I were to go with the X7510, I'd like to use it as a phone as well (with BT headset, something I've used for what it seems forever as well .
I have read about some workarounds (like recording a vibrating phone and use it as a ringtone), so I am still thinking about it. But the review at pocketpcthoughts threw me off a bit; I am glad you clarified.
My problem is that I am absolutely against ringing phones; they are so disruptive :-(
Do you use it as a phone? Do you have another workaround?
Thanks again...
IMHO
The xda universal is still the best pda on the market. I would never recommend purchasing this device (x7510). The phone features is 'average' at best.
Just me 2 cents
orinoco said:
Do you use it as a phone? Do you have another workaround?
Thanks again...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The short answer is no- I don't use it as a phone unless in emergencies. I use mine mainly as a reference, research and media device, and my Diamond as my primary phone.
When I do use it as a phone, I use it with a BT headset. My Plantronics earpiece does have a 'beep' or 'vibrate' function so I simply have the ringer sound on the X7510 muted.
@youmeus: Granted, the XDA Exec/ HTC Universal was good in its day, but is very long in the tooth now. The processor and memory are both low and the GPS and 3G performance was pretty poor.
OK, it wasn't such a brick as a phone, but you do look a bit of a wally holding it to your ear, so it still really needs a BT headset. I used mine for a few months before changing to a Wizard/ XDA MiniS.
It's all in the eye of the beholder though
What do you need from the CD?
There's nothing on there that can't be downloaded from Microsoft .
to orinoco :- use the phone recorded vibrating buzz sound as advised by steve eagle post , it works pretty good , you can hear it for sure but u will feel the sound a bit if u are touching your device - only a bit though , dont expect the same as ordinary phone vibration .
to neilm :- yes u r right - it's a damn great device
to youmeus :- u r dead wrong , no way in this world this device will lose to your xda universal , x7510 of athena family is the king of pda , period ...
and please go back to your universal forum
thanks for reading , cheers to all athena owners - jimmunsw
My View
Hi Guys
I have a Universal and an Ameo (Athena) and using them both I would have to say that the ONLY place the Universal wins, is as a phone and its great keyboard. Dont get me wrong, the universal as a 4-5 year old phone is superb and some of the uni roms are as good as stock. It will do most of what you ask, but it lacks up to date hardware. The Athena as a laptop type replacement is exactly what it was made for, the phone is like a secondary item. HOWEVER if you use a styleI as a blue tooth addon the problem is gone If you switch the sound off then the styleI has a very quiet discreet ring. you answer the phone as you would a normal phone and the Athena stays in its case. I still look a bit of a prat using the Uni as a phone coz it is BIG, the Athena is only 15mm wider thats all. I only have both now coz the Uni is only making small bucks now, and you know how it is when its sitting on the shelf looking at you saying use me
Jay
Hi Jay- good to see you over here
I agree with your comments- the Ameo with BT headset is a good combination . Will you be getting an Ameo 16GB/X7510 then?
NeilM said:
Hi Jay- good to see you over here
I agree with your comments- the Ameo with BT headset is a good combination . Will you be getting an Ameo 16GB/X7510 then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its all about cost against what extra enhancements you get, so yes I would love to but the cost at the moment is a put off. apart from the extra 8gb, what would you say is better than the Ameo?
P.S dont tell the X7500 guys, I may get banned, talking to the X7510 lot and admitting to owning a Uni
Regards
Jay
responderman said:
P.S dont tell the X7500 guys, I may get banned, talking to the X7510 lot and admitting to owning a Uni
Regards
Jay
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We all have our little secrets
TBH if I hadn't got an X7510 (XDA Flint) free from O2, I would probably not consider upgrading from the X7500 apart from the fact that it's newer and less battered
The extra 8GB is nice but not essential for me, and there is always the miniSD for expansion.
In some ways the X7510 is a retrograde step- the lack of a joystick is a total PITA as there is no way to manually navigate some programs without executing a screen click.
The keyboard is a big improvement, but TouchPal is so good that I very rarely use the physical keyboard. The X7500 ROMs by Michy et all are every bit as good as the X7510 ROMs- no surprise I suppose as the hardware is identical in most respects.
I'd second all the good reviews of the XDA Shift (HTC Advantage X7510 with an O2 case). I've had two, yes count them, two XDA Execs (HTC universal with O2 case) because I couldn't find a device which was as universally adaptable as the Exec for several years. (did you see what I did there?)
With the addition of an external bluetooth GPS receiver and a bluetooth headset I had everything I needed. A decent size screen, hardware QWERTY keyboard (which is a must for me as I'm a writer, in fact my last novel was written almost exclusively on the Execs) Sat Nav (via tomtom nav 6) games, phone, browser, media player, and all-round super gadget in a clam shell with tablet mode swivel screen! Then my second Exec broke (from extreme over-use) and I had no option of a replacement as O2 no longer stocked them :-(
Then I discovered the Flint...
It has all of the benefits of the Exec but with more memory, bigger screen, built in GPS, and funky magnetics to boot! Admittedly it has no vibrate function, and O2 de-activate the G-sensor in their ROM (both of which I'm certain are functions that can be re-activated with cooked ROMS -at least I'm sure I've read on this here forum of such things being achieved- am I right?), but the benefits really outweigh these small issues for me.
So as a user who sang the praises of the XDA Exec for several years, I can say that the XDA Flint is a superb progression and excellent replacement device, well worth the £50/month contract to get it free (which includes unlimited data and texts, and 950 mins! -no, I don't work for O2).
(HTC and O2-you can pay me later
Hi Thintin- glad you like your Flint.
The G-sensor thing with O2 is odd. Some examples have a working hardware even with the O2 ROM though it needs G-Sen or similar to activate it. But some examples need a new, cooked ROM to get the G-sensor working and a small number seem to have it physically removed.
As one of a small group of pre-release testers for O2 we had a number of discussions about this- O2's line was that they requested NO G sensor in the hardware build, but HTC only did that with a small number. My 1st one definitely didn't have it, not did it have a working sub display. A replacement had both working with the O2 ROM, though a colleague never got subdisplay working, and another colleague never got the Gsensor working.
O2's Flint ROM is actually pretty good. It's very basic, but all the better for that. However, Michy's Lite WM6.1 is so much better
NeilM said:
...O2's Flint ROM is actually pretty good. It's very basic, but all the better for that. However, Michy's Lite WM6.1 is so much better
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm hoping my device falls into the category of having the g-sensor, my sub-display works fine (I'm assuming this is the display that can be seen through the keyboard's letterbox shaped portal when the device is closed?). Glad to hear that Mitchy's lite ROM is better than the O2 one because I'm planning on flashing it soon.
Great vibrate ringtone
This works like a charm...