[Q] Exchange emails sitting in Outbox - Xoom Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

We have 2 Galaxy Tabs, 4 iPads, 3 Xoom's, 1 XY Board and more than a dozen smart phones that we have connected to our 2007 Exchange server. Up until about a month or so ago we had no issues. Now the 3 Xoom's will hold some email in the outbox and never send them. There is no rhyme or reason that I can see to why some emails will go and some will not. It appears that this happens only on reply's and not new messages, and only some reply's. The Xoom's are running the latest version of Honeycomb, 3.2.6 on Verizon's network. We also have devices running on T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T, I doubt it's the carrier. I've spent more time then I care to admit trying to find a solution to this. Yes, I understand there are other email clients in the market but they have limitations and for what we paid for the tablets I kind of think it's crazy not to be able to utilize the native client. The only solution I've been able to find is to not check the "include text" box which for business purposes isn't much of a solution.
If anyone has any thoughts please share.
UPDATE-
I spoke with Motorola's Tier 4 support group and they told me this is a known issue but they have had a hard time replicating the problem. We have offered up a test email account in our servers for them to use with their Xoom hardware in hopes of recreating the problem and pulling the appropriate logs. I was told because it's a Google Experience Device the "fix" would have to come from Google, not from Motorola. Additionallly, they had no idea if the email client in ICS would be any different than the one currently installed on the Xoom. Overall I was very happy with Motorola's willingness to try and help us out. I should have just rooted the tablets (even though they're company property) and run one of the many outstanding custom ROM's...

Related

BlackBerry Connect OTA enterprise activation backup, passwords etc.

QUESTION 1
I've been flashing and reflashing ROMs for a couple of weeks now and am very impressed with Dutty's latest endeavor. In anticipation of the v4 release, I'm hoping someone in the community can tell me if it is possible to backup an over-the-air (OTA) enterprise activation of BB Connect. Currently I'm calling our technical support guys who, sooner than later I'm sure, will start asking why I have to have to get a new OTA activation password (which they change as soon as you use it) every 5-7 days.
So, in short: moving from one ROM to the next and want to back up OTA BBConnect enterprise activation. Possible? If so, how?
QUESTION 2
Any BES administrators out there willing to tell me if my Tilt/Kaiser shows up on the BES (v4) differently than a BlackBerry (like the POS 7280 I'm given by the company). If so, is there a way to "spoof" that since my company will not allow non-blackberry devices.
QUESTION 3
When using the stock AT&T ROM, my Tilt respects the (highly restrictive, Bluetooth disabling, password-enforcing, ridiculous) IT Policy pushed by the BES administrator. When I flashed to Dutty's DualTouch ROM v3 Final, this no longer happened. Now, it just reads "default" for the IT Policy. Is this a fluke or some wonderful reg entry that we need to identify and protect like diamonds?
Thanks, all.
Cheers,
Your Local Village Idiot
VillageIdiot said:
QUESTION 2
Any BES administrators out there willing to tell me if my Tilt/Kaiser shows up on the BES (v4) differently than a BlackBerry (like the POS 7280 I'm given by the company). If so, is there a way to "spoof" that since my company will not allow non-blackberry devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We run BES here and indeed non-blackberry devices are reported as the phone model when you look up the phones information.
This could probably easily be spoofed to whatever you like. If you hacked the blackberry connect application, or intercepted and modified the data passed over to BES. You could make it say anything you want at that point.
I'd get "in" with your IT guys and that way they can pull a favor for you now and then with the BES server. Other then that, have the company pay for a blackberry phone and carry two phones around, or refuse to carry a company phone and don't use your personal phone for company resources. If they're blocking your productivity by a poorly guided company policy, make it cost them money. Don't inconvenience yourself to keep your productivity as an employee on par.
Really though, it's not feasible to secretly go behind your employers back with your tilt. I think it's ridiculous a company wouldn't let you use your Tilt -- though probably because the corporation is uneducated or ignorant to the fact that the Tilt can be locked down just as well as a blackberry phone. Too bad the employer has a bunch of pointy haired management types running around who don't know what they're doing and out of ignorance banned non-BB devices.
Jon,
Thank you for your prompt reply and clarification on what shows up at the BES. Hacking the BB connect app is beyond my current knowledge set, but I may look into it if I'm unable to find a simpler solution.
Unfortunately, my company has several thousand employees so my productivity concerns are far outweighed by their misinformed security concerns. I've pitched the benefits of BB connect, WM5/6 devices and direct-push Exchange sync, but my pitch falls on deaf ears. They have provided me a BB 7280 and some get newer 8XXX devices, but beyond that we're expected to be happy with what we have. I'm even buying a non-camera Tilt to replace my two week old Tilt because they won't allow personal camera phones (all BB connect issues aside). You'd think I work for MI-6...
Cheers,
T.V.I.
VillageIdiot said:
QUESTION 1
I've been flashing and reflashing ROMs for a couple of weeks now and am very impressed with Dutty's latest endeavor. In anticipation of the v4 release, I'm hoping someone in the community can tell me if it is possible to backup an over-the-air (OTA) enterprise activation of BB Connect. Currently I'm calling our technical support guys who, sooner than later I'm sure, will start asking why I have to have to get a new OTA activation password (which they change as soon as you use it) every 5-7 days.
im soooo it this situation, any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's how you do it
you could use the desktop software instead of OTA. this will activate the phone without requiring you to get a new activation code.
Here's how I back up and restore. This has worked often, and not worked a few times.
Try to follow this exactly for best results.
get task manager v2.7 from fdcsoft
tap the blackberry icon on the taskbar and suspend the service under status
start taskmanager, and go to services. stop the two blackberry services, log and security.
open file explorer, and copy the directory RIM in /application data to your storage card
flash your phone with whatever-
copy the RIM folder back to /application data from your storage card
load blackberry connect (this should be the same version you had, otherwise you may have issues)
tap the blackberry icon in settings-system
instead of installing, you should see a window that says "repairing settings"
your old password should be restored, and the phone will lock and ask you to unlock. use your password you had before the backup.
all of your folders and mail should be back.
This works about 90% of the time.
some issues I've had-
multiple blackberry folders- one with emails, one with nothing.
folders missing, a bunch of email in drafts folder.
older messages no longer sync with desktop
good luck!

Seven (push email), Tilt and WM6.1

Anyone here using Seven on their Tilt with the new ATT Rom?
I've been using it for about 2 weeks just fine with no problems whats so ever. Now since flashing my ROM I started having issues.
The two main ones are that messages are not getting marked as read back on the server side and that composed messages are not being sent.
Anyone else here seeing this?
I am running the official ATT WM6.1 ROM.
Thanks
David
texas said:
Anyone here using Seven on their Tilt with the new ATT Rom?
I've been using it for about 2 weeks just fine with no problems whats so ever. Now since flashing my ROM I started having issues.
The two main ones are that messages are not getting marked as read back on the server side and that composed messages are not being sent.
Anyone else here seeing this?
I am running the official ATT WM6.1 ROM.
Thanks
David
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might be better re-asking in the Kaiser Software forum and getting the Mods to close this one.
Ta
Dave
reasked in the Kaiser forum, Mod pls close this thread.
Thanks and sorry for the mis-post.
David
I am using Seven on my TyNT II now and it's working fine.
However, I don't know if you all know that when you setup an email account to SEVEN, your phone automatically sends an sms to an England number +447624802625, which will charge you an international sms. This will happen when you add one and every email account. Here is the confirmation from SEVEN:
abackholm - SEVEN's Site Admin said:
First of all, thanks for everyone supporting SEVEN in participating the beta program. Your efforts have continued to help our software reach higher quality and become more reliable. Sincerely, being a non-commercial offering that does not earn SEVEN a dime, we sometimes put you in a difficult spot: the setup is not necessarily optimized for the end user, but rather to maximize feedback and exposure SEVEN gets for various features and setup configurations.
In this case, we want to test the phone number validation using SMS.
(1) In production deployments we need user's phone number (instead of IMSI) to be able to send SMS triggers that wake up the client so that there is no need for always-on data connection - to conserve bandwidth and battery.
(2) In production deployments the SMS would be zero-rated, but that's unfortunately not an option in the beta program as operators are not participating with beta testing in their mind. In such deployments, there is no need for multiple SMS-to-HTTP gateway numbers, and thus our setup only supports using one at a time. As the beta program is global in nature, majority of users will always have to use an international number.
I apologize for inconvenience this causes. I realize that those who need to reinstall the client very frequently are especially vulnerable. However, I'd like to remind that participation in the beta program is entirely voluntary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And luckily some solution has been found:
Hi guys, the problem is over for me as I found a trick for this. There are two ways:
1. I just install and run SEVEN with an OUT-OF-MONEY SIM so that it could not send any international sms. I don't know if you have this in your country or not but here we have 2 different accounts for one SIM, the main account and the promotion account. With the promotion account we can use most of the sms, 3g, gprs, phone services but not international sms/calls and value-added services (like buying ringtones, games etc), and the main account covers those things. So I've tried a SIM without money in the main account and everything goes great though it could not send an international sms. When I put my other SIM in, it does not request me to activate Smile
2. I've tried to install and run SEVEN without a SIM, and turn the wifi on when I add emails. SEVEN requested me to input my phone number and I did it. Then when everything is done I just insert my SIM in, and everything worked fine, no more international sms.
Cheers!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and
I can add that I have just disabled the phone connnection and connected via wifi when adding an account. This also works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can find more information from here:
http://community.seven.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2749

Advantage Not Fit for Purpose.

Hello, I have lodged a complaint and asked HTC to email me the fact that the X7510 is not fit for purpose.
Let me elaborate. I administer a Microsoft SBS 2003 server. My user/owner of the company asked me to research a mobile device which would synchronise all his Exchange/My Documents items. The HTC X7510 seemed the right choice as it appeared to allow complete synchronisation and had a 16GB storage size. No limitations were mentioned.
I then get the device and find:
1) It cannot synchronise My Documents to the 16GB storage
2) It cannot synchronise his Exchange server mailbox (10GB) 60,000 mail items - crashes
I mean, what's the point? 16GB of what?
Please do not mention 3rd party products as I am interested in an out of the box solution which this HTC is meant to be.
I just though that I would save a few people some time and money by reading this and then they would purchase a laptop.
Probably wouldn't bother with the Shift either if this is what you get.
Thanks.
Adrian.
Adrian,
With respect, an Exchange 2003 mailbox that goes over 2GB is poorly managed and will become corrupted. Microsoft has a utility to specifically deal with and recover Exchange 2003 mailboxes that are over 2 gigs. Get your boss to archive more often!
Addtionally, it is entirely possible to sync almost the entire contents of My Docs, but the question I'd ask is why would you want to?
A business owner would typically have many documents confidential to the business in their My Docs, so it's not a clever idea to sync all that to a portable device. A far better and more elegant solution would be to use SBS's remote workplace and the remote desktop client on the HTC. That way he can even use full apps installed at the office.
Also, I think you may miss the point of the Shift - most people seem to!
DON'T think of it as a phone, or a PDA or a WM device of any kind. It is a UMPC that just happens to have a WM side, so you don't always have to have the whole thing fully booted up. As such, the WM side was NOT intended to be free standing, as on any other WM device, but rather to compliment the functionality of the PC side.
Now some very clever people came up with Shift packs that allow you to "liberate" the WM side, making it far more fully featured, but it still is (in WM terms) a poor cousin to the Athena.
Go get a laptop, you say? Fine, but I suggest first do a needs analysys so you get a device/UMPC/laptop/mainfram/whatever that will actually deliver what you're looking at achieving.
Thanks..
Thanks for your elaborate and Company oriented reply.
My client (actually a friend of mine), I just happen to be an IT consultant, is a lawyer. He needs access to most of his My Documents and also all his emails. Exchange 2003 handles his 9.98 GB mailbox realy well in the office. From his laptop he RDPs over a VPN into the server no bother.
I do not think that a sync schedule which is .5K x 60000 items = 30MB should cause the Advantage a problem. And thats all his mailbox, if I just do 2007 and 2008 then thats 25000 items x 0.5K = 12.5MB.
Also the sync just does not complete - via cable, wireless (pardon the pun) or 3G. Now thats no big deal, just don't sell it as a complete sync solution for MS Exchange.
Also, the country I am in has a maximum ADSL bandwidth of 2MB down 512K up, to which his server is attached via a Cisco router.
RDP from the Advantage is a no because his eyesight is bad.
Thanks again for your constructive reply!
Actually my reply was neither company orientated, nor elaborate. If you wanted elaborate then we can delve into the mysteries of the Jet db technology underpinning Exchange 03, since that will also explain the 2 GB mailbox limit. Instead my reply was technically orientated.
I support amongst other things several Exchange 03 installations. Your friend's mailbox alone is approaching the 16 GB db limit Exchange 03 has (18 to 75 GB on SP2 boxes) and I will categorically state his mailbox is poorly managed.
Remember, WM does NOT sync an entire mailbox, but instead a subset of it. Going by what your client wants no WM device will do the trick. Instead, I suggest using a laptop with offline files and folders enabled. That way he'd have his FULL mailbox and ALL his docs with him.
Tell you one thing, though: the minute I hear my solicitor carries ALL his documents out of the office all the time is the minute I change law firm! The exposure is simply too great.
Iphone 3G, N95 8 GB
Thanks agan for your concise and erudite reply.
I will therefore, after several cooked ROMS and various HTC's, not darken this doorstep again.
I have configured my N95 8GB, and an IPhone 3G to sync this Exchange mailbox succesfully. They do not have the MS Office funtionality my friend requires.
Yes it is SP2 and I will be moving to SBS 2008 as soon as SP1 for SBS 2008 comes out .
The Advantage - It cannot do what it says.
And it costs a bomb.
And you, (well, I'm using you as the corporate HTC/Microsoft Active Sync/Jet Database/etc. figure) still haven't answered why the My Documents folder cannot be sync'd to the 16GB Flash out of the box but rather to the phone memory.
At the end of the day (and especially these credit crunch days) the user wants what the user wants. And what the user wants is a mobile device which has all his documents and all his emails.
The Advantage cannot do that, therefore is not fit for purpose.
"Smart Mobility?"
Regards,
Adrian.
Office 2007
Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that the users in the office with the SBS 2003 box are running Office 2007.
Thus, were I to use FTGate or MDaemon, or even a local pop account as opposed to Exchange, I could in theory have a local pst (or ost) file up to a size of 20GB. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830336
And so, if I chose an Advantage, with Office 2007 and a local pst file, ActiveSync could not synchronise all of it.
The Advantage is not fit for purpose. Or is it Windows Mobile that is not fit for purpose?
Probably Windows, 27 Microsoft exams have taught me this.
Don't sell something if it can't do what it says on the tin.
Adrian.
Adrian,
I don't want this to degenerate into a my-daddy-is-bigger-than-your-daddy type of argument. Having said that, I disagree with you on several aspects:
1) The .PST file in Outlook 03 and 07 can be configured to be up to 33 TB (yes, Tera Bytes) in size. The 33 TB limit is NOT defined by Microsoft, but instead is a by-product of the Unicode encoding used in the file, just as the previous 2 GB limit was the result of limitations to the ANSI encoding such files used before. But all this ignores actual mailbox limitations brought into play by Exchange 03. The default maximum size for an Exchange 03 mailbox is 2 GB - imposed by Microsoft. You CAN override this by manually editing the value using the ADSIEdit console, but before doing so I suggest first exploring the reasoning behind the 2 GB limit - there's a great deal of sense in that limit.
2) I'd dearly LOVE to know how you managed to sync a 10 GB mailbox onto an 8 GB Nokia! Perhaps Nokia's discovered a new compression algorhythm that the rest of the world doesn't know about!
3) After you read through various MSDN articles on the 2 GB mailbox limit, and several other dealing with the suggested maximum number of items in each mailbox folder, kindly explain how you managed to sync a 10 GB mailbox over the air, given the number of forcefully dropped connections Exchange would do on a mailbox containing 60 000 mail items.
4) On MY x7510 My Docs lives on the 16 GB flash memory. It is a simple adjustment to make and an oversight on your vendor's part for not making it default. Still, with XP or Vista a default setup will not meet your needs, so why do you expect WM at default values to be perfect for YOUR needs?
5) I've never been described as a corporate HTC/Microsoft Active Sync/Jet Database/etc. figure. Actually I work for myself, although on occassion I employ sub-contractors. I do support as well as software development, integrating Exchange, Active Directory and 3rd party SQL databases, so I've learned a fair old bit about Exchange's insides. Please don't view me as advocate for corporateland, because I'm not.
I understand you're frustrated, mate, but I did not cause your frustrations, so please don't vent it on me. Nobody here dislikes you, and we'd all like you to stay. It is just that I (and I suspect a few others) disagree with your points of view. I happen to love my x7510, far more after Cmonex weaved her magic and got us all to the point where we can unlock our devices and flash newer/better ROMs to it. My device does EXACTLY what I need from it, so in several ways I'm very fortunate.
Then again, my needs were very clearly defined before I got the x7510. I need a hardware keyboard and a large screen capable of at least VGA as I do a lot of support via remote desktop. I like the on-board GPS (although it isn't essential to me) and I'm currently working on a method to allow some of my clients to view (at my discretion) where I am when I'm out and about for them.
I have no less than four Exchange installations at my office, but they're all lab networks, mimicking client setups. For my own mail I use Live mail from Microsoft because it is simple, easy and just works.
Please consider what I'm saying here: I believe your friend is trying to work dangerously far outside of accepted good practise. You can criticise me for saying that, but you cannot alter the facts.
If he was my client I'd get him an Acer Aspire One, or the new Asus Eee PC with Bluetooth, and a 3G USB connection. I'd then set the laptop up as essentially a thin client and have him log on to a machine at his office using remote desktop.
The Aspire One is a nice little toy with a far larger screen than any WM device, and is hugely cheaper than the HTC Shift. It would give him all the functionality he seems to be after, without risking any data falling in the wrong hands.
Agree but disagree.
OK, I must admit this user is pushing the boundaries of the meaning if the word "mobility" but if you are going to sell a product that synchronises with Exchange, surely that means all possibilities for Exchange (or a pst for that matter).
It's like buying a car and finding out that it runs for 50 miles and then stops, which is what happens with the Advantage - it says it has synchronised but hasn't, no errors, failures, nothing.
By the way, it seems it is not a limit on the size of the mailbox but the number of items per folder. I have split his years into months in the inbox/sent folders and I am on 2004 already.
Takes a long time for the initial sync, but once it does it, every subsequent sync flies through, even over GPRS as the looking for changes happens pretty much straight away, it's the processing of the emails which takes the time.
I was joking about leaving the XDA forum - at the end of the day it is not HTC but Windows mobile that is at fault and I have had several HTC's, started with a Blue Angel I upgraded to WM 6.
Thanks for taking the time.
Adrian.
Found this elsewhere here on XDA-Devs: http://www.pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdachooser
Your friend might have some benefit from using that.
losdelrock said:
OK, I must admit this user is pushing the boundaries of the meaning if the word "mobility" but if you are going to sell a product that synchronises with Exchange, surely that means all possibilities for Exchange (or a pst for that matter).
It's like buying a car and finding out that it runs for 50 miles and then stops, which is what happens with the Advantage - it says it has synchronised but hasn't, no errors, failures, nothing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now I need to disagree there as well: Not all cars are made equal, either.
It seems to me that you're after a car with the looks of a Lamborghini Diablo, F1 racing performance and handling, space for 8 people and a dog, capable of being driven across the Sahara desert and through the Amazon jungle all with the comfort of a large BMW saloon, all while using only a teaspoon of fuel.
Be a pretty excellent vehicle if it actually existed, but we both know it doesn't, and never will. Now does this mean we should start criticising all car manufacturers, or simply accept some trade-offs when selecting our perfect car?
Dear NanoRuler ,
U rocks , i truly respect you because i have seen many people that are extremely difficult to satisfy yet unable to accept that he or she is difficult to be satisfied . I support u , NanoRuler rules
I prefer the Lamborghini Countach LP500s actually.
Hmm, just did a google on HTC X7510 R.R.P. and this came up:
http://www.cnet.com.au/mobilephones/phones/0,239025953,339285985,00.htm
And so, for that price, or anywhere near what we paid for it, my orginal post on this thread was correct.
A laptop is cheaper and better.
Q.E.D.
Adrian "Lamborgini Countach LP500s" N****
(Surname blanked as I don't want some wierdo turning up at my doorstep with an LP500s and an HTC X7510 attached who has succesfully synced a 60GB Exchange mailbox)
Adendum:
HTC working as well as can be expected, with 1 years emails on it.
losdelrock said:
A laptop is cheaper and better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Laptop and communicator/(mobile computer) - noncomparable models, IMHO... Different sizes, different options...
Why complain
Why did you file a complaint? Lets face it Windows is unstable from the very start. They spent millions developing Vista but nobody wants to use it. If you want something stable, switch to an iphone with an Apple computer.

[Q] Japanese Email system and language change

Ok first off if this is the wrong place to post this I apologize but I tried searching and can't find anything about my phone.
I just purchased a Toshiba Regza phone from AU in Japan. I have changed the regional settings to English and all the menus and mostly everything is in English but the problem I am having is that the email program that everyone uses here to send instant email back and forth is still in Japanese. I have contacted AU KDDI about this and they say there is no way to change the language to English from within the email program itself. My wife is Japanese and she has looked at every setting within the email program itself and cannot find any language settings.
As far as I have found out, the "email" system here in Japan is actually a MMS messaging system on steroids that uses an email address instead of the other persons phone number like in the US. I think a very long time ago some of my friends in Japan had email addresses with there phone number(at)docomo.ne.jp
I have looked on the marketplace and I can't seem to find anything that will work with the AU system.
Does anyone know if there is an app that can replace the stock email program to send and recieve email with my xxxxxxxx(at)ezweb.ne.jp? If there is where can I find the settings for AU's email system? Do they use IMAP. POP or because it is MMS it is totally different?
I love this phone, the camera is awesome the screen rez is really great watching 1 seg TV and the video quality is great. I really don't want to have to do anything to it that will brick it because it's brand new and my wife would kill me LOL Only thing is I cannot use the email program to it's fullest extent.
thanks for taking the time to read this and for any help you might provide.
Unfortunately there is no fix or alternative, as carriers in Japan have their mobile mail services tightly locked down and you require their express authorisation to develop an application for it.
The mail application for the IS04 is as bad as it gets, as are various other software related aspects of the phone... which is a shame because otherwise it's quite a capable device.
Hopefully issues like this one will be addressed at the same time as the rather late 2.2 update, but I wouldn't keep your fingers crossed.
I've been trying to extract the carrier mail application from other the au android devices and modifying it so it can install/communicate with au's servers on the IS04, but I've gotten nowhere with the security.
In case you run into any other trouble, other problems people have had with the IS04 include battery charging issues (phone runs off battery once it reaches 100% and never starts charging again, even while plugged in), contact list problems (multiple and non interchangeable contact lists for different applications), various settings resetting themselves (aforementioned mail application mainly), lost emails/contacts and weird memory restrictions (for storage).
For the record, DoCoMo's version of the Regza phone (and their other Android devices) use a relatively decent universal phone mail application, while au has gone with letting the manufacturers put together their own. I'll let you work out which decision turned out better.
In the meantime, I suggest having your wife translate the settings so you can have it up and running the way you like, and then just memorising the basic navigation and functions.
Edit: To answer your question, correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the weird MMS system for all three major carriers in Japan is still using the I-mode transport protocol.
just FYI:
2013 is around the corner and with Android 2.2.2 now (still) on the Regza IS04 nothing has really changed much.
The mail app - and other default apps - are still in Japanese only and will not be changed.
The general feedback from their tech support is: Learn Japanese or get lost (though said very politely, with smiles and bows and not in such a direct manner )
Have a great 2013 all

[Q] Help me pick a phone. Please.

(long post warning...I'm placing the summary first for those who don't care to read the whole thing)
***
In summary, I want a mobile platform that I can tweak until I get it exactly as I like it; that will sync with Windows desktop and server platforms (this is a strong preference, not a "must"; upon which I own things and don't have to worry about them being stolen or broken; that doesn't tell everyone and their mother where I go and what I'm doing; and on which I can listen to Sirius radio; and to which I can transfer data back and forth via USB without any permission based cloud interface. It must also be compatible with Slingplayer software and I have a strong, strong, preference for a slideout QWERTY keyboard, but I'd sacrifice that if I have to for the above functionalities. I'm currently on ATT, but it doesn't have to be that way
***
I am thinking about purchasing a new phone. But the market is a bit more complicated than when I purchased my current phone (HTC Diamond), so I hope that you guys can give me some advice.
I have been a Windows Mobile user since 5.0. What I loved about WM is that I could come here and read about the various hacks, mods, and custom roms and generally find something to address any problems I had, or find a way to modify the phone to meet my preferences.
I love the mobile version of Office and I use it constantly for work purposes. I especially like being able to sync outlook contacts on both phone and device, and that I can make presentations from the phone, and can open and manipulate Word and Excel.
I was also using SiriusXM 6 by tcbush over on Geekstoolbox to listen to satellite radio. Unfortunately, Sirius has taken down their legacy servers that streamed content to third party providers. So it does not appear that I can listen to satellite radio any longer via my mobile device.
It is this turn of events (Sirius radio) that is my main motivator for seeking a new phone. I could listen to Sirius via the web, but that requires a Flash player and I can't find a version of flash for WM 6.1. I have both Opera Mini and IE. So, if any of you know a way for a WM 6.1 device to listen to Sirius, you will have solved my immediate problem and saved me some money. I would really appreciate that.
But on the larger scale, I know that one day I will have to replace my beloved Diamond. Her slideout QWERTY is starting to jiggle, there are a few scratches on her beautiful face even though she hasn't gone a moment without a case and screen protector. Every now and again her D-Pad loses its way, and I have to reboot. Alas, I fear the end is near. *sigh*
So, in looking over the current landscape, I see three options: iphone, Android, and WM7.
Apple products to me are out for personal preference reasons.
That leaves Android and WM7.
Problem 1:
I enjoyed my prior experience of owning a WM phone supported by a network of generous, friendly developers who found ways that we could modify our phones to our hearts' content. I also like the fact that I own my phone and all its content. Once I install or tweak something, then that's it unless I decide to change it.
But the current market seems to be based on a top-down control model. From what I've read, owning a phone with the current tech is like owning a home on leasehold property or in a HOA: You pay full price for ownership but you do not enjoy the rights of control normally associated with that ownership. It seems that the devices are locked, difficult to unlock, find ways to re-lock, and that a Nanny-server may at times uninstall or disable software that it doesn't like.
I just don't get it. Has the culture embraced a model where a user pays a provider only to be told by that provider what he can and cannot do with the property he has purchased?
Of course, my perception of these issues could be incorrect. I recently went back to school and have unplugged from most external things. I haven't been following the "insider info" on xda for nearly two years. If I'm wrong, please tell me.
Problem 2:
User tracking. Sounds Orwellian.
I get it that the cell provider can locate you. I understand the technology reasonably well for regular Joe, and I understand that the network needs to know where you are. But until recently, the cell provider could not release those records without a warrant or some emergency confirmed by law enforcement like a lost person, etc. I actually worked with Sprint in conjunction with the police to attempt to track a stolen phone. However, it now appears that the manufacturers themselves and many app developers are bypassing the law by tracking users without their consent. Am I right on this?
I've read a number of articles on the Apple and Android tracking problems - generic apps tracking you and reporting your movements to Apple, Google, etc. Apps turning on the mic or camera at intervals and tracking your surroundings or conversations. Route these concerns through the awfulness of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Patriot Act, and the fact that both the post-digital presidential administrations (Bush II and Obama) seem intent on eroding what remains of our privacy, and it makes me uncomfortable. To make it worse, Google and Zuckerburg are both in bed with the Obama administration, and stories of their privacy infractions are epidemic.
Yet none of the progs I use on my WM 6.1 device use tracking (that I know of). So, in a very short time, it appears that the culture of mobile communications has gone from an ownership model with Constitutional protections to a free-for-all where you essentially pay big brother to track you.
I have heard many of my younger friends who have grown up in the big-government era use the default: "If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about." But that's exactly backward. The law presumes your privacy and allows infractions only after due process. The current culture seems to presume lack of privacy, and treat privacy-seekers as an anomaly. And the tech seems to reflect the culture rather than the law.
Am I crazy? Even if I am crazy, is there a way to block this tracking? And, if so, does Android or WM7 better lend itself to blocking this tracking?
Problem 3:
USB data transfer.
WM7 doesn't support smart cards. But, the devices seem to have adequate on-board storage for my needs. However, from what I've read, I'll need to use Zune (on WM7, don't know about Android) to move data back and forth. Is that correct?
I currently use Windows Mobile Device Center to transfer files back and forth via USB or Bluetooth, and I really want to keep that functionality.
Thank you if you have read this far. And, given those criteria, what are my best options?
Droid X2. Get it.
Droid X2
Droid X2. Get it.
+1
Thanks for the responses. I've done a bit of research on the phone you recommended, and some research in general. I really need to spool back up
It looks like there are apps out there like WhisperMonitor that will help with my privacy concerns. Actually, it looks like there are Android Apps to address most of my concerns.
I'll keep researching that to determine how much functionality I'll have to sacrifice. And I appreciate the responses. Love the dual core structure of this phone. From what I've read, the benchmarks don't differ too much from single core phones, but it looks like the dual core really helps with load distribution and multi-tasking.
It will be hard to leave Windows...been with it since it was Pocket PC 2000. But atm, it appears that Android may work best for me.
I agree Droid X2, although VZW is expensive, its the best network
Off the basis of wanting a slide out QWERTY and Windows Phone 7, I would go with the HTC Arrive for Sprint. You still have Windows Phone, you can get Sling Player from the Marketplace, and it has a slide out QWERTY that when it slides out, angles the screen for better typing the way I look at it.
samsung galaxy s2
or atrix
If you QWERTY I'd wait till my4g slide if it launches with s-off. I don't imagine you'd be keeping the os in tact.
The g2 is also a beautiful phone. Amazing specs for the good hardware.
T-Mobile is also cheapest, I find, of the four carriers.
The epic 4g seemed nice. Hummingbird (Samsung 1ghz processor) is very nice and has a great gpu.
If you're looking to use google talk video chat, avoid nvidia tegra 2 chips.
Google's suite of software is pretty sweet. Google docs works nice, and there's an app for that.
As long as you download from android market you're good from malware. (If you do get it from market, google does pull the app from the store AND your phone, that's the only time I heard them doing this, and that was once instance.)
Besides... Supporting your developers is a great thing.
Did I miss anything?
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
IMO almost any of the android phones would work for what you have in mind. As you pointed out in your follow up post there are apps out there for your privacy concerns. I've had a Moto Droid and now the HTC Thunderbolt. Both have been synced with my works exchange servers with no issues, google apps work great with Office docs, and the available roms and other customizations are almost endless.
Also, don't get hung up on a QWERTY keyboard. I swore I would never have a phone without one, but now that I do I actually don't really miss it.
Edit:
USB data transfer - very simple to do with android. Install a driver for the phone and then connect to your pc with a USB cable. Your pc will recognize the sdcard as removeable storage. Just select it in My Computer and drag and drop anything you want to move like you would for moving any file around in Windows.

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