what are the best Apps and roms? and other questions - P3300, MDA Compact III General

i just got my self an O2 XDA Orbit and i'm wondering what are the best apps and roms to have. i know it's a lil up to preference - i'm interested in the opinions out there. I already picked myself up copies of opera and cardexport 2 (i used the palm version and was very impressed). My main concerns is that i have previously been told that a firewall and a virus scanner were needed. Is this true?
Also i have read a lil bug the sd card issue. how do i know it has struck me? is the fix i have seen good?
i'd also love to be able to play fps games on the device when i am away. goes anyone know of any good review sites and/or shops? i also love playing GPL (general public license) games on my linux machine (no windows machines in this house. may have to, begrudingly, get a cheap laptop if i get problems with the device) so if there are any good free ones i will take a look.
I think that will cover it for now. if i get any more questions i will post and thanks for your thought guys and gals

if you feel progressive you'll start by joining the touchflo club using B&B4 rom (-->here<--). that might be a bit ...well, progressive.. if you just got the device, but hey, you got it for playing around like the rest of us, right?
before you flash a non-original rom to your device, make sure you read this thread. i recommend to ALWAYS use USPL before flashing something.

soardiac said:
if you feel progressive you'll start by joining the touchflo club using B&B4 rom (-->here<--). that might be a bit ...well, progressive.. if you just got the device, but hey, you got it for playing around like the rest of us, right?
before you flash a non-original rom to your device, make sure you read this thread. i recommend to ALWAYS use USPL before flashing something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whats the difference between B&B4 and the official wm5 and wm6 roms? i do have the o2 wm6 update rom but i haven't installed it (coz i hadn't looked up how yet). so the phone is pretty much stock.
I bought the phone as a work tool but as i'm a techie and techie's get bored and wanna tweak stuff there is room for tweaking

The B&B4 ROM is WM6 but has extra features such as touchflo: like the HTC touch, certain finger movements make access to contacts, messages, music easier and finger scrolling like the iphone. It also has a much cooler look.
For WM6 and thus probably B&B4 there is a reg hack to reduce CPU usage: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=308792
To put a new ROM on your device, It is recommended to flash with USPL unless it is from your manufacturer and for your country. USPL allows other ROMs to be downloaded without disabling your device. I could describe it as a sim-unlock for ROMs, if you use a sim from your carrier, all is good, if not, you cant use the phone. A little more serious than a simlock though, if you flash the wrong ROM without USPL, it could damage the phone/bootloader so as to make it a 'brick'.
To flash a ROM, make sure device has more than 50% battery. Soft-reset it and wait for it to load. Plug into usb port and wait for activesync to recognise. Run USPL and a command prompt will load, wait for it to finish (~5 mins). A new window will open with a picture of the device, tick boxes, click next then update... A progress bar will let you know how far the download has got to. Once complete, the device will reboot to wondows mobile. It is now temporarily CID unlocked with a SuperCID. Now run the exe for the ROM you wish to flash. The same kind of interface will appear as before, tick boxes, next, update... Watch progressbar eagerly (wipe drool off mouth) and let it complete. Your device will reset with new ROM.
If at any point a problem occurs, aslong as you see windows or a multicoloured screen (the bootloader) you can do this (whole) process again to complete installation.
Hope this rather messy post helps you out a bit. As to applications, somewhere on the FTP site I think is pocket doom. BEWARE: Some files on the FTP site are viruses, not detectable by antivirus software.
Pete

wicked and that leads me on to my Anti virus question. is that any anti virus tools for WM5/6? iirc i have seen some pc side ones that scan the phone if it's connected and the app is setup for it. also is a firewall advised? are there any?

There are a few antiviruses for PDAs, but TBH the only viruses I have heard of for them are proof-of-concept so I doubt anyone really bothers.
If you really want an antivirus, I've tried this before and it seems to be ok http://www.freewareppc.com/utilities/airscannermobileantivirus.shtml
When I mentioned viruses on the FTP site, I meant for your home PC!

oh right. i run linux so it's pretty much impossible to catch a virus infection. although i spose caution would be needed if i needed to install windows for something. i'm trying to install stuff straight to the device from the net atm using cabs and i have a tool that strips the cabs out of the exe files so all looks good there.
one question that has just crossed my mind (coz i just tried to do it and couldn't). Is there a way to install cabs once they have been save to the eeprom or memory card? i checked out "File explorer" for an option and didn't find one. "remove application's" seems to be remove only so, i'm a lil lost as to what to use. If i hit open in the d/l dialog in opera or PIE it installs them. Any tips?

You should be able to just tap them in flie explorer and they will run... You'll get a notification asking whether you want to run and then the usual installer screen will come up asking where etc...

i have to admit i didn't try that. i was thinking too far outside the box
thanks for all the help so far btw

No probs, I'm not an expert, computers and techy things just seem to come naturally to me!

same here but i'm known to have moments of thinking too abstractly and after using linux for so long i have kinda gotten used to having to think to get most of the things i do done.
i just saw some screen shots of B&B 4 and i do have to say "how good does that look?" i can't seem to find a feature list. i found it the other day. seems to have vanished in to the depths of the board tho. any clues?

Well I've got B&B4 and I must say It's probably the best ROM you can use on your Orbit... The black and blue go really well with the black and blue (duh) of the Orbit...
Heres the post for B&B4 with some screenies and the programs list: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=321503
It's basically WM6 based, with TouchFlo making it a bit like an iphone where you can use your finger to scroll through stuff. Other finger friendly interfaces like the new today screen interface (with quick contacts access, programs, weather, time, phone profiles etc), htc audio manager, new skin for wmp, some very useful utilities, etc etc
Like WM6, and in the (edited) post I made earlier, you should carry out the reg hack to reduce cpu usage, other than that, and needing a separate cab for live messenger, it is _thebest_
If you decide to flash it, remember to use USPL...

i may do. i think i'm gonna check out my options first. i don;t wanna mess about with it too much because it is spose to be a tool for work. but seeingas realvnc works pretty well i think i'm pretty much covered for my objectives in the software department except for GPS software. money is no object there. i want the best. i heard tomtom was a bit unstable (from a treo 750w user) so if that's true i'm gonna stay away from it

Tomtom seems to work fine on mine so far ...

As a 'working' tool
I've tried all the flavours of roms out there - but didn't like the touchflo stuff on B&B4... I need my today screen to have my calendar and messages on it, so the big clock is no relevance, and the touch stuff is gimicky.
I'm running O2 WM6 on mine, with a few tweaks. It's definitely most stable, and quite fast, although I run batterymeter to overclock to 240-ish mhz for a bit more slickness.
I also use todayagenda to replace the calendar plugin as its far more useful.
I have a synchronisation with my corporate Exchange server for office mail, and route my personal mail throuh an excelllent free imap service at www.axigenmail.com - simple imap servers, no frills, works excellently.
TomTom 6.02 or 6.03 work absolutely fine, no issues whatsoever.
I've just started using SPB PhoneTools on my todayscreen to give me a decent quickdial in the car... I've just replaced my car stereo with a Sony MEX-BT2500 unit (£90 on ebay) that gives full bluetooth handsfree integrationand streaming with minimal fuss.

Related

wm6 on t mobile dash pics!

check Re: wm6 for Tmobile dash?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I know the screen shots are a bit blurry so try to shrink it or photoshop if needed.
http://img02.picoodle.com/img/img02/...9m_77c6bf5.jpg
-Main screen... not much different but a few icon changes
http://img01.picoodle.com/img/img01/...9m_fe6ac41.jpg
-The new Mobile IE with a search bar
http://img01.picoodle.com/img/img01/...9m_7aff6d7.jpg
-Active Sync 4.5.. modeled for Vista... when used with AS4.5Beta... the sync is so much more stable compared to AS4.2 or AS4.1...
http://img02.picoodle.com/img/img02/...9m_f1cb263.jpg
-Internet Sharing eliminates the Wireless Modem application from prior versions. This is a major step up when tethering the phone to your laptop. it eliminates the need for the "HTC Modem" driver completely and the headache needed in "tricking" the device to work.
http://img01.picoodle.com/img/img01/...9m_915de71.jpg
-Windows Live Messenger... just a small step up... Havn't tested the stability yet.
so are you telling us you have WM6 on your dash?
I cant see any of your pic. Can you check your links? I would love to see pics.
Here is the link to pics from brighthand.
Main screen... not much different but a few icon changes
The new Mobile IE with a search bar
Active Sync 4.5.. modeled for Vista... when used with AS4.5Beta... the sync is so much more stable compared to AS4.2 or AS4.1...
Internet Sharing eliminates the Wireless Modem application from prior versions. This is a major step up when tethering the phone to your laptop. it eliminates the need for the "HTC Modem" driver completely and the headache needed in "tricking" the device to work.
Windows Live Messenger... just a small step up... Havn't tested the stability yet.
djdanska said:
I cant see any of your pic. Can you check your links? I would love to see pics.
Here is the link to pics from brighthand.
Main screen... not much different but a few icon changes
The new Mobile IE with a search bar
Active Sync 4.5.. modeled for Vista... when used with AS4.5Beta... the sync is so much more stable compared to AS4.2 or AS4.1...
Internet Sharing eliminates the Wireless Modem application from prior versions. This is a major step up when tethering the phone to your laptop. it eliminates the need for the "HTC Modem" driver completely and the headache needed in "tricking" the device to work.
Windows Live Messenger... just a small step up... Havn't tested the stability yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Their photoshopping skills need some work
no i wish i hd the ruu wm6 for excalibur but the member who posted this on brighthand works for htc
leoiden said:
no i wish i hd the ruu wm6 for excalibur but the member who posted this on brighthand works for htc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are some things that throw me off:
1.he post says the pictures where taken with an 8525. I don't know of any canera phone that has that bright of flash.
secondly, why is there a glare from a flash on every part of the phone but the screen.
On one picture you can see what looks like a bad edge when editing.
jcjdoss said:
There are some things that throw me off:
1.he post says the pictures where taken with an 8525. I don't know of any canera phone that has that bright of flash.
secondly, why is there a glare from a flash on every part of the phone but the screen.
On one picture you can see what looks like a bad edge when editing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Conspiracy?
No, wait that's not a flash in the sky, it's a flourescent light fixture. These pictures must have been taken in an office. The glare is from the light overhead and in one picture due to the angle you can actually see the next light fixture over.
HTC GUY works for HTC, he is an engineer and I would trust any pictures that he posts.
mar11974 said:
Conspiracy?
No, wait that's not a flash in the sky, it's a flourescent light fixture. These pictures must have been taken in an office. The glare is from the light overhead and in one picture due to the angle you can actually see the next light fixture over.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only thing that throws that off is how the light concentrates to the left. Even our halogen lights at my office do not beam that direct. That is hitting the device like direct sunlight vs a flourescent light as they light more evenly.
But I dont care really, I just like the pics and how WM6 may/does look.
pink
Engadget just posted some WM6 pics:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/08/windows-mobile-6-standard-in-pictures/
A few of the screenshots reference "Excalibur" and "JOGGR"...
Really cool pics, hopes WM6 ROM for excalibur will coming soon...
BTW, look at the Radio Version...is the same one in the latest excalibur ROM...So...
http://www.pdafrance.com/articles/l...700/Windows-Mobile-6---Premieres-impressions/
Windows Mobile 6 review running on the Dash....(French)
excaliber wm6
okay... so now we've seen the screen shots...how do i get wm6 on my excaliber?
Yeah, how do we get WM6 on our Dash?? I want this so bad!
almost everyone wants wm6. you'll just have to wait.
Hmmm, check out Geek's coverage...
http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2007Feb/lab20070207002377.htm
... that device looks quite familiar don't ya think?! It is confirmed... WMP6 is on the Dash... now will it come to us?!
http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/11/windows-mobile-6-out-supports-new-resolutions-too/
Looks like we're officially going to see WM6 on the Dash in the upcoming months. Can't wait!
WM6 is released in the wild...
People...not sure if this thread is still active but those who read this and want wm6 (all be it a beta) on their phone real bad will love this...
Do a little searching for it on ... i'm not sure if the rules allow this but it's harmless really..search the major torrent search engines and ye shall find it. How do I know? Look who created it ;p (Hint: This major torrent search engine starts with a "D"...come on if you can't figure that one out your shouldn't be upgrading your phone in the first place -hehe)
Anyways...this is a UI Test build and it's pretty darn stable. It's been running on my dash for over a week now and no major bugs. Windows Live screen is a tad buggy (when attempting to log into Live the home screen gives error message and you have to change back to another screen...it works some times but it's far from perfect). Full HTML email (exchange 2007 only and some webmail..like hotmail and verizon dsl email... give you full HTML messages). The OZ chat client finally includes Messenger in the selection. My Bluetooth headest is a moto HS810 and it works...just a bit buggy...
What else...Oh yeah office mobile (editing capability) are back! Word, Excel, and Powerpoint and they work great so far. The new IE browser does have a search on the cool new "homepage"...though I haven't really found the quit/exit option...I have to kill it through the task manager...
Last thing which may just be because this is Beta still but I noticed that more application memory was being used on the average without any programs running. On a fresh boot there is more memory, but after loading a few and even after shutting them all down through task manager the memory doesn't seem to go back up past 10,000KB free...if you get it that high your lucky. Activesync works great even in Vista's mobile control center thing.
The only thing that isn't working is the Tmobile account WAP page when attempting to access via the NEW WINWAP app...it stated that this version isn't supported yet and if you are a tester you need to call them up and register in order to access via this version)
All in all a great release for those who just can't wait anymore for the stupid thing to get released. However it's 100% confirmed that the Tmobile Dash will be getting this upgrade to its current users for free...thus why I don't feel bad that you can find it in the wild...
I take no credit for this being released in any way! I found it on some lowly forum in which I don't even remember where. It wasn't very easy to find so I am helping people find it so they can test it.
gee i wonder where that was.
it was posted here first!
ppl.
gr33k said:
Last thing which may just be because this is Beta still but I noticed that more application memory was being used on the average without any programs running. On a fresh boot there is more memory, but after loading a few and even after shutting them all down through task manager the memory doesn't seem to go back up past 10,000KB free...if you get it that high your lucky. Activesync works great even in Vista's mobile control center thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason that the memory usage is so high is primarily because of the additional T-Mobile apps that intercept SMS's (for IM's, e-mail, etc), as well as My-5, and some other T-Mobile stuff.
I'm guess that they also may have changed the way memory management is handled in this, because even when i get down to near zero free, i can still do everything just fine, without any extra lag or error messages. It could be something like how Vista caches things in RAM and actually has a goal of filling up as much as possible with cached items (which is a good thing).

The MOST annoying thing about WM6?

For me it would be the fact that it STILL has
the same greyish, blocky scrollbars as Windows 3.1 had....
You'd imagine they would have revamped those by now...
That is a minor quibble. Personally I do not see anything wrong with WM6... yet.
Most of us here are still happy that at least we are getting WM6
If anything I had a bit of quibble with Opera and its interaction with WM5\WM6 but then again, that is a software issue.
Yeah, if that's all you have to complain about in WM6, I think you're LOOKING for things to complain about.
Like the "Error Syncronizing" problem in Outlook, that no one but me seems to have seen; or the Calendar problem where Month is always the default view, no matter what's chosen in Options... These are legit. problems, not just complaints.
richy240 said:
Y; or the Calendar problem where Month is always the default view, no matter what's chosen in Options... These are legit. problems, not just complaints.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am running LVSW Edition 2007-03-25 and do not have this problem with calendar, maybe it is your version.
Ron
Try UIQ for a month, you`ll hate PPC
WM6 has a lot to learn, as I see it on WM6 we have many stolen UIQ features.
Microsoft still has a lot to learn, a WM6 device just wont work as a normal phone and switch to "PDA Mode" when you need it.
UIQ has done it, you have a perfectly working phone with access to all the main features, with a flip of a switch you can transfer yourself to a fully featured PDA.
hm, the most annoying thing you say.
yeah , can think of 1 - a minor issue yet very annoying.
the busy signal comes out of the loudspeaker (as it did in wm5) !
i hate it. yeah of course you can delete the signal or change ir to a very quiet one, yet ...
elivne said:
WM6 has a lot to learn, as I see it on WM6 we have many stolen UIQ features.
Microsoft still has a lot to learn, a WM6 device just wont work as a normal phone and switch to "PDA Mode" when you need it.
UIQ has done it, you have a perfectly working phone with access to all the main features, with a flip of a switch you can transfer yourself to a fully featured PDA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do use UIQ3 on my M600, and I'm not impressed in the least. It has it's own set of problems... Stability for one. It's better than it was, but it still isn't great.
As for stolen features, that's crap... name one feature WM6 stole from UIQ. I beg you...
I beg to differ
richy240 said:
I do use UIQ3 on my M600, and I'm not impressed in the least. It has it's own set of problems... Stability for one. It's better than it was, but it still isn't great.
As for stolen features, that's crap... name one feature WM6 stole from UIQ. I beg you...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you are using UIQ3 - don't know that OS yet.
stolen features?
what about the new "week view" of calender? it`s entire functionality is copied from UIQ 2.1, what about the softkeys finally they copied the ability to navigate the device features?
stability, I used a p900 - for 2 years - 3!! HR(and I was to BLAME)
PPC? - cant count any more, a buggy program can crash your device until the next HR.
most of WM6 design targets declared where for a better use:
stability
speed
usability
Hmm, I had a P900 and the P910 (still use it from time to time) My friend has the Sony P990 (UIQ3). If you want to see problems with UIQ3 use a P990, admittedly most of it is hardware related but even on the M600 you will find problems.
The only way you can compare these two is to only run them on default software and never install 3rd party apps!! I have run 3rd party apps on my P900/P910 and had to do many soft resets etc even with popular apps (Sman etc)
I am so glad that I moved from UIQ(X) to WM(X) as just the increase in productivity software available to me has made it worth it alone! BTW my M3100 running the latest variant of WM6 is rock solid.
Oh & haven't you heard the expression there's nothing new under the sun. Everybody 'steals' from everybody else.
elivne said:
WM6 has a lot to learn, as I see it on WM6 we have many stolen UIQ features.
Microsoft still has a lot to learn, a WM6 device just wont work as a normal phone and switch to "PDA Mode" when you need it.
UIQ has done it, you have a perfectly working phone with access to all the main features, with a flip of a switch you can transfer yourself to a fully featured PDA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I havent taken the plunge to WM6 yet, still on WM5, but yes... having migrated from UIQ on several previous phones, I find WM to be an abomination of undocumented, overcompicated and non-integrated bloatware.
The saving features, however, are that it's the only OS I can get on such great hardware (Hermes), and there is such a massive user base that like Windows for PCs, there is loads of great software and support from forums like this.
and here i thought the most annoying thing was that the soft buttons were reversed on the bubble breaker game
weinson said:
and here i thought the most annoying thing was that the soft buttons were reversed on the bubble breaker game
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The real most annoying feature - the thing just does not work. Period. It's a glorified organizer. It's a toy for geeks like us. It's anything but the reliable tool you can depend on. Radio, messaging, alarms / reminders - they all have [not] mind and schedules of their own ... actually M$ implanted brain farts
moisha said:
The real most annoying feature - the thing just does not work. Period. It's a glorified organizer. It's a toy for geeks like us. It's anything but the reliable tool you can depend on. Radio, messaging, alarms / reminders - they all have [not] mind and schedules of their own ... actually M$ implanted brain farts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SSSHHH! You were not supposed to reveal that information!
But it is true... The look on the face of my GF when I have to restart my phone before I can make a call or when everything freezes when adding an appointment....
On my original post: the scrollbars might be a minor thing but it is something I see almost everytime I use this machine.
although I have not used UIQ for a while last one was uiq 2.1 i think or was it 3?
It was a very good os and stable.
but doesnt look as pretty as windows mobile.
Although its better programed and runs better on lower speed processors,
reminds me of the linux v windows situation.
pros and cons to both.
I like windows its pleasing to the eye
I'm sure this can be fixed, but i've search and haven't found a solution yet, so here goes, the most annoying thing about WM6 for is:
In WM5 (standard T-Mobile UK rom) i had a link in Start Menu for "Running Programs" this took me straight to Start->Settings->System->Memory->Running Programs, i would like to create a link on my WM6 that takes me straight here too, but i dont know how?
the thing I hate so far is they (in WM6) still dont allow you to quickley dial a meeting number.... like I used to do in a blackberry...... thats the only thing I find really annoying...
I sould be able to choose a reminder and if there is a number value in there I should be able to choose it to dail.....
one fo my biggest complaints.
in s60 phones when I was sent a concatenated message it would display as one contigious message.
in Wm5/Wm6 a concatenated message is displayed as several messages and sometimes they come in out of order which is really annoying.
if anyone knows of a fix for this short of using an alternate messaging app please let me know.
My biggest issue is that I cannot connect to my office VPN using Internet sharing, worked perfectly in WM5 as a wireless modem, normal browsing is ok.
Malcolm
Most annoying thing...
(1) Boot time is incredibly slow, at last count 40 seconds from reset to ability to make a call
(2) I still cannot send text messages to 'groups' - major gripe from WM5 followed through
(3) Text Messaging - New has been replaced by Delete as the initial text message screen (possibly a setting I havent found yet)
Major speed advantage so far though...
nbedford said:
I'm sure this can be fixed, but i've search and haven't found a solution yet, so here goes, the most annoying thing about WM6 for is:
In WM5 (standard T-Mobile UK rom) i had a link in Start Menu for "Running Programs" this took me straight to Start->Settings->System->Memory->Running Programs, i would like to create a link on my WM6 that takes me straight here too, but i dont know how?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That actually wasn't WM5 but an addition by T-Mobile.
You could use X-button to close programmes completely instead of making them run in the background. That way you don't even have to go into 'running programmes'.

Which ROM (already read about them yet questions linger)

So i have a att 8525 and for the past month or so been reading here and HOFO and 4winmobile and mrvanx about the rom updates. I feel confident in my ability to update but i am really unsure as what some main differences are between all of the many different versions. At first i was sure to go with Black but now after looking LVSW, Faria and ELF. I have read what they offer but i dont really get whats the big differences between them. I notice a big "selling" point is the amount of ram available for use. I DO want WM6, a few things that i need are good BT support, WIFI, 3G/data connection, my Exchange direct push to work, Remote Desktop and easy dialing (like the HTC smart dialer). So do any of these really meet my needs? i know thats a loaded question but i just cant seem to be able to differentiate between them. Thanks for any help that you can give.
Ull
*EDIT* I do want WM6.. it was a typo sorry for the confusion */EDIT*
My suggestion is to try them and stick with the one that most support your needs.
UllSang said:
So i have a att 8525 and for the past month or so been reading here and HOFO and 4winmobile and mrvanx about the rom updates. I feel confident in my ability to update but i am really unsure as what some main differences are between all of the many different versions. At first i was sure to go with Black but now after looking LVSW, Faria and ELF. I have read what they offer but i dont really get whats the big differences between them. I notice a big "selling" point is the amount of ram available for use. I dont want WM6, a few things that i need are good BT support, WIFI, 3G/data connection, my Exchange direct push to work, Remote Desktop and easy dialing (like the HTC smart dialer). So do any of these really meet my needs? i know thats a loaded question but i just cant seem to be able to differentiate between them. Thanks for any help that you can give.
Ull
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You say you don't want WM6, so then none of the mentioned ROMS will meet your needs as they are all WM6. This is the WM6 forum. Check here http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=306 for discussions about the latest WM5 ROMS.
You say you dont WM6....
but you want a good Remote Desktop client and Good bluetooth support....
both reside in WM6 and not in WM5
As i edited in my post i made a typo i do want WM6. Sorry for any confusion again.
UllSang said:
As i edited in my post i made a typo i do want WM6. Sorry for any confusion again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with arluckett2002, try some out.
I personally recommend the Elf, because he cooks with the ExtROM, leaving you the ability to remove unwanted apps and is built on LVSW core (very stable). It is sort of a combination between a clean fast & sleek rom, with the added benefits of some apps. But, you can remove them if you want.
Most of the rom's are good now, it is a matter of trial & error and style preference.
There is no way you get everything you want in a rom (unless you cook your own). Get the closes one (or a basic one and add the programs you need). In my experience with a Hermes phone, LVSW is the most stable. ELF which uses LVSW is almost as good as LVSW.
I update programs as they become available.
UllSang said:
So i have a att 8525 and for the past month or so been reading here and HOFO and 4winmobile and mrvanx about the rom updates. I feel confident in my ability to update but i am really unsure as what some main differences are between all of the many different versions. At first i was sure to go with Black but now after looking LVSW, Faria and ELF. I have read what they offer but i dont really get whats the big differences between them. I notice a big "selling" point is the amount of ram available for use. I DO want WM6, a few things that i need are good BT support, WIFI, 3G/data connection, my Exchange direct push to work, Remote Desktop and easy dialing (like the HTC smart dialer). So do any of these really meet my needs? i know thats a loaded question but i just cant seem to be able to differentiate between them. Thanks for any help that you can give.
Ull
*EDIT* I do want WM6.. it was a typo sorry for the confusion */EDIT*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SL said:
There is no way you get everything you want in a rom (unless you cook your own). Get the closes one (or a basic one and add the programs you need). In my experience with a Hermes phone, LVSW is the most stable. ELF which uses LVSW is almost as good as LVSW.
I update programs as they become available.
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Click to collapse
I always had this question... If a program is installed while the ROM is being upgraded (it is part of and packaged with the rom), and a new version of the application is available, can we upgrade the application without losing precious storage/program memory? Or will the upgrade disable the "read only" older version and install the new version as if it is a new application?
Good Question!!!
chrisvor said:
I always had this question... If a program is installed while the ROM is being upgraded (it is part of and packaged with the rom), and a new version of the application is available, can we upgrade the application without losing precious storage/program memory? Or will the upgrade disable the "read only" older version and install the new version as if it is a new application?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My understanding is that the new program will place new copies of it's files over the ones in ROM, thereby sort-of deactivating the ROM-based one, but now taking up twice the amount of space ... and if you uninstall it, you should be left with the old copy.
However, if the uninstall removes registry settings, the ROM-based one might not work anymore. I know I've "overwritten" certain files in the /Windows folder, and when I delete them, the old ROM-based ones are again visible.
Again, this is MY understanding, and I may be wrong. I would LOVE to know the truth from somebody who's a real genius with this stuff. We have soem true geniuses here, so maybe one of them can confirm or deny what I've written here.
-pvs
is VP3G's version relatively stable?
pvs said:
My understanding is that the new program will place new copies of it's files over the ones in ROM, thereby sort-of deactivating the ROM-based one, but now taking up twice the amount of space ... and if you uninstall it, you should be left with the old copy.
However, if the uninstall removes registry settings, the ROM-based one might not work anymore. I know I've "overwritten" certain files in the /Windows folder, and when I delete them, the old ROM-based ones are again visible.
Again, this is MY understanding, and I may be wrong. I would LOVE to know the truth from somebody who's a real genius with this stuff. We have soem true geniuses here, so maybe one of them can confirm or deny what I've written here.
-pvs
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Click to collapse
So, based on your answer, the best rom currently available (at least in relation to memory) should be the Elf, since he installs all programs in ExtROM using CAB files, which can be uninstalled / overwritten etc, without taking up twice the amount of memory in case of a program update. Agree?
chrisvor said:
So, based on your answer, the best rom currently available (at least in relation to memory) should be the Elf, since he installs all programs in ExtROM using CAB files, which can be uninstalled / overwritten etc, without taking up twice the amount of memory in case of a program update. Agree?
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Click to collapse
No, not neccesarily. There are several very clean ROMs to choose from, as well, where you can simply add what you want, period. And several only have some limited apps built in, that provide some extra functionality, and will probably not be upgraded, or you can live with the versions that are already installed. The question is best answered by each user and his/her subjective needs and desires.
On top of that, you must think about the quality of support that the cook is willing/able to provide. If you are a newbie, you would probably do best to steer away from the Elf and Black versions, since their authors are somewhat lacking in patience, although I must admit, they are extremely talented with the technology.
You really need to measure it all out from several different angles, and in the long run, only you can decide which is best for you.
-pvs
VP3G v2 rom
I have been running VP3G's v2 hybrid rom for about a week. only issues i had after flashing was i needed the cingular settings cab file to configure everything that i didn't want to manually add myself. i'm still looking for the smart dialer cab that i found on here awhile back but other than that it's got everything you need, it's stable, and very fast. tomtom 6 works great with it as does any of my bluetooth devices. exchange direct push works well though i find that sometimes the phone doesn't sync cahnges back to the exchange server. so far it's the best rom i've tried for wm6. oh yah.. i'm running an ATT 8525 on ATT's network.
Damn talking about bring the thread back to life, haha. I am actually currently running VP3G v2.0.1H also. VP3G has the cingular settings build in, did that not work for you? it worked great for me. It works perfect for all my BT devices and i have no had any issues with the exchange DP. so definitely my favorite rom so far.
pvs said:
My understanding is that the new program will place new copies of it's files over the ones in ROM, thereby sort-of deactivating the ROM-based one, but now taking up twice the amount of space ... and if you uninstall it, you should be left with the old copy.
However, if the uninstall removes registry settings, the ROM-based one might not work anymore. I know I've "overwritten" certain files in the /Windows folder, and when I delete them, the old ROM-based ones are again visible.
Again, this is MY understanding, and I may be wrong. I would LOVE to know the truth from somebody who's a real genius with this stuff. We have soem true geniuses here, so maybe one of them can confirm or deny what I've written here.
-pvs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will overwrite the current file, it won't take up more space.
Maybe I'm getting to old for this but seriously how many times a month does this question need to be asked and answered?????
i must be having a bad day.

New to the Excalibur

Hi all! This is my first time posting in here as I'm just now getting one of the "new" T-mobile Dash phones. I've been reading the different threads, especially the ROM threads, trying to figure out which is the most stable/usable.
I know my way around PDAs pretty well, having had an IPAQ 1945 and then a Dell Axim x30 (the 624 MHz processor one), which I still love and have with me constantly. But this new Dash will be my first smartphone and my first entry into the WinMo 6+ world.
I'm interested in hearing which ROMs you guys like and what are some of the good and bad with them. I've read the version changes and all of that, but there's nothing like reviews from the guys that use the software/hardware every day. Basically what I'm looking for in a ROM is:
1) WinMo 6.1
2) Updated radios for bluetooth and wi-fi (might as well have the hardware at its best if you've paid for it, right?)
3) SDHC compatibility (Anyone know what the largest size memory card is that the Dash (Excalibur) can read and fully utilize? I've heard 16 is the max.)
4) Stability. If the phone isn't constantly crashing, it'd be great. haha
So to all you Excalibur users: What ROM do you recommend and why?
Thanks all for your time and I'm glad to be joining the Excalibur community!!!
~Walter
Your best bet is to flash them all and see the ROM you like as best ROM there is none, it's down to personal preference, won't take more than 30 mins to get base set, with regards to SDHC all WM6.1 support 16GB "taken from other threadz" as i only have tryed 8GB.
Hope that helps.
i had used the 6.1 final from kavana, and flashed to the rose Rom by Ricky and Stylez last night. so far, i like the Rose rom the best. but like said, its all personal preference as to which is the best. and like Stylez sad, 16gb is what people say will work. i havent even tried anything over a 2gb yet lol
I tried the various 6.1 roms from this site and from my experiance with them, IMHO I think the Kavana 080408 WWE is the most stable and less laggy over the Rose 1.7 rom.
But I have to agree its all about personal opinion and what features you are looking for. Your just gonna have to try them out for yourself and decide wich one you like the most.
MY favorite improvement is that I can now use my 4gig SD over the 2gig I had to use with inMo 6, I was so dissapointed about that.
Thank you guys for the response. I'll start with the suggested ROMs and then work my way around to others.
I just got off the phone with t-mobile, my Dash should get here either tomorrow or Friday. I'm going to spend the whole weekend flashing ROMs and loading all my favorite software onto it! haha
Okay, a related question: I've been looking into Java games for the phone since it seems most of the ROMs on here have Jbed or Esmertec Java loaded on them. The games list phones they're meant to run on, but I know on my old Sony Ericsson phone I could run Java games that weren't meant for that device, but were compatible.
So are there any phones "like" the Excalibur that I should keep in mind when doing my Java game buying? (Like will games that work on the Blackjack II most likely work on my new Excalibur?)
Thanks again!
Help please!
I thought I will use this thread since I am new to the Dash too.
I just got a couple of easy questions. I tried to look here and even on Google, but I either suck at searching or the answers I am looking for are not there.
I read the wiki on how to flash and I read that: If necessary, unlock your phone using either the SDA Application Unlock program or Surreal Networks' AppUnlock or both. This will enable third-party software installation. Not performing this step properly is the primary reason why Error 270 happens.
So, either or? The reason I ask is because I would do both just to be safe, but SDA unzips fine but Surreal does not. When I unzip it, it copies the files that are in the zip in the folder I chose to unzip them into. Do I have to do both? And if so whats wrong and how do I fix this. Same thing happens for other supposed CAB files I downloaded. They just copy themselves but don't "change" into one cab file to be installed. Same happens with tegic.
romupdateutility.exe... where do I find it and what is it? I saw all the videos possible about flashing Kavana's and even Jamerican doesn't use this.
Is it true that if I update to Kavana I will not be able to use MMS and the Internet or are those an older update problems? The new 6.1 works flawlessly correct? (I saw a thread on how to fix the sms, mms, and web problem) Where can I find an original uncooked WinMo 6.1 update?
It doesn't seem hard to flash, but I am a newbie to this smart phones WinMo stuff. My Dash, I got it yesterday and I already run low in memory. I closed all the apps and I still only have 7.212 Kb of memory! That sucks! I hope WM 6.1 is better because WM 6.0 is not good.
Captain Totti,
Please read the sticky "guide to flashing"
With re: to surreal check our RoseRom remade first post there is a guide to flash click the if stuck @ 3%, as both files & what to do there..
Re: MMS either connection setup or input of settings manually will work.
stylez.
Capitan Totti you will not be dissapointed in 6.1. Imagine your drowning in a pool and someone finally decides to pull you out of the water and you finally get to breathe, thats what going to 6.1 feels like! IMO WinMo 6 is complete garbage and 6.1 should be the standard for every phone out there thats running 6.
Flashing is very simple as long as you read the directions. Good luck!
Oh I have been reading a lot alright! Yes, it does not seem hard, but I just wanted to make sure I don't brick the phone.
Double post.
I screwed it up the first few times (from not reading the directions first) and still came out ok.
I found some good threads and done a lot of reading, but I guess no one had this problem so far but me. As I said above, I got the tegicet9 files and also the fullet9 files... (I am Italian so I would like to have both Italian and english on the phone) but when I unzip them into a folder I called New Folder for all my unzipping... they just copy themselves and don't change into one icon like say the SDA unlock or the USPL thing I got makes itself as more than one folder... ?? Thanks.
Was wondering if I should also call T-Mobile to SIM Unlock the phone, you know so I can use the Dash with any SIM. I am gonna have to do it anyway for when I go to Italy but I was wondering if NOT sim unlocking the Dash and then upgrading will cause issues on the phone. ???
So far it seems easy.
Connect Dash, run SDA unlock from desktop, once its done unzip (if you have not before) SurrealNetAppUnlock (which is another file that does not unzip for some reason), place it in My Documents (I don't have a memory card yet), go to Dash itself, go to File Explorer and install it from Dash itself. Once done turn off Dash.... turn it back on connected to ActiveSync, run USPL.Bat (Mine says USPL.Batch but I take it its the same), click enter on keyboard and ok on dash when prompt to, after a bit it will go black then white (bootloader mode), open RUU.Kavana and follow the steps (if I pass 3% I know I am good)... now I got a question... When the upgrading is complete 100% and you can click finish... I know it does a cold reboot, do I have to (ever? I've seen videos and all but this part is not clear also sound wise on say YouTube) unplug the usb cable or no?I know that for et9 I got to just place it and install it on the Dash but like I said, it does not unzip insto an installable file. If someone can read this and answer my few questions and help, I will be done hacking this baby in less than 30 minutes. Thanks

where to start

i have a new touch pro 2 coming tomorrow
im a windows mobile virgin never used it before
so where do i start with software,
what must haves should i put on it, and what hacks (if any should i do )
want sat nav if possible, watch movies, music etc
thanks for any advice
In terms of nav, I've used TomTom 6 and 7 on winmo, both are really good. Copilot Live is also highly rated, so I'd go for one of them - would have to be TomTom 6 on the TP2 though since you can't buy TT7, only get it already installed on some devices.
Have a look at the SPB website - the do some great software for winmo phones (SPB Traveller, SPB Weather, SPB Time, but probably best of all SPB Mobile Shell 3 - you'll see it called MS3 a lot on here).
Personally I also use PocketInformant for calendar, PIM type stuff, that's made by WebIS. Handango is a good site for finding tons of winmo apps etc... it's basically just a case of go browsing thos kinds of shops and see if they have stuff that fits your needs (or more likely just your wants )
In terms of movies and music, it will come with built in players which should do the job well. You can get DivX player for winmo which could be useful (can't remember if the inbuilt one will play divx).
Good luck, it's a whole new world, and if you're already on here then you'll be hooked to this place as it's a total gold mine!
thanks but what i also men is where to start with custom roms, install stuff from cab
its all over my head is there an idiots guide i can start reading up on stuff
Custom ROMs are amazing, and if you want one, this is the place to look. However, this device is still so new that there are no custom ROMs as of yet. The brilliant minds behind this place still need to make HardSPL for this device, and test it too. We can't flash custom ROMs until that's done. If you're curious about HardSPL and what its purpose is, I suggest seeking further information in the wiki.
Anyways, once they've made HardSPL, I'm sure someone will write a "Flashing your first Rhodium ROM for noobs" guide in the Rhodium ROM Development forum. And believe me when I say that with a little know-how, some adrenaline, and a good guide, anyone can flash a custom ROM.
And if you're curious about Windows Mobile, simply try playing around with it for a while. It has a bit of a learning curve, but I've never met anybody who couldn't figure it out eventually. The wiki here at XDA also helps.
Or, if you'd rather read a book, there is helpful book called "How to do everything with Windows Mobile", or something like that. It doesn't cover fun stuff like linux, bootloaders, or custom ROMs though. I'm not sure if it's available where you live, but I bought that book a week or two before I received my Kaiser, and although a bit outdated, it helped me with the basics of WM. In actuality, you probably don't need the book, but it sure can help sometimes.
Oh, and cab files are probably the simplest aspect of WM. You put the .cab on your device, open file explorer, find it, and tap on it. It walks you through a simple procedure, and then you're done! I hope that pretty much answers your questions,
Dave
I second the TomTom 6 vote. Having used several GPS programs, I find it user friendly. Not sure what else to say about that really!
I too use Pocket Informant for PIM. It's better than the standard software, no idea how it compares as I got it as a freebie from mobihand.com. It seems powerful, again easy to use, and worth purchasing.
Don't think the included Pocket version of Media Player can handle DivX or .avi files. Go for Core Player. I use an old version that seems good. Most here rate it.
If HTC have included their Audio Manager (it was included as standard on my TyTnII), stick with that for music. It's pretty good and can be used one handed. Again better than the standard MS one, but I'm not convinced its worth paying for an MP3 player app.
Suggestion, if you are a WinMo virgin, stick with the stock ROM etc for a while and just learn the device / OS. I had an old WM5 mobile (HTC Universal) that I flashed with a custom ROM to upgrade it to WM6, simply because there were features missing in WM5. I've now had my TyTnII for nearly 18 months running the stock operators ROM (o2 UK, WM6) and have been perfectly happy with it. I don't see the point of flashing the device "just for the hell of it", when there is a chance of turning it into a £500 brick. That's just me, I sibscribe to the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" way of life.
Can't wait til I can get one!

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