I have been thinking of upgrading from my old slow clunky big heavy MDA for some time. A while back I was thinking of getting a Shadow. Lately, however, with the advent of 3G, I decided to wait until there is a good T-Mo WM Smartphone with 3G.

Getting rather frustrated with the wait though. All the hype about G1 (doesn't interest me), and I have seen no notice of when T-Mo USA will come out with a new smartphone with 3G. The Shadow is old already, and the Wing and Dash still much older.

There are rumors about a Shadow II coming out soon. However, without 3G! WTF?? Now that T-Mo has 3G, why come out with a new smartphone without 3G? I don't really see what benefits Shadow II might have over Shadow I. Probably just a new styling and name. BS.

Anyhow, I digress. I stopped by a T-Mo store, and was surprised to see that the Shadow is now available for $50. (with two year contract, and I think after a $50 rebate). With one year contract, $100. Much lower now than the Dash, which is $100 with 2 year contract.

I wonder if they are trying to get rid of their stock of Shadows soon, to replace it with Shadow II.

Since I am getting fed up with waiting for that 3G WM smartphone from T-Mo, I'm almost tempted to buy a Shadow at that price. I'd pay the $50 more though, to get a one year contract, as this would not be a good time to be tied down for two years, before eligibility for an upgrade again.

Might not be good to get tied down for one year either. If I buy now, and next month a cool 3G WM smartphone comes out, I won't be happy about not being able to upgrade for almost a year. (Or--can you upgrade earlier, before the contracted period is over, and just not get as good an upgrade price? In other words, pay more than the best upgrade price, but still a lot less than the full uncontracted price for the phone? If so, how does that work? How do they figure out the partial upgrade price?)

Anyone here have any info, on what T-Mo Wm phones may be coming out soon?

Do people still like their Shadows?

P.S. Since my contract ran out a couple years ago, and I have been a T-Mo customer for about six years now, I wonder if I could get still a better price on a Shadow, through retentions/SAVE, by calling and threatening to cancel. Anyone here know what the current SAVE price is for the Shadow? Free?

Rastafaripete,

Are you sure this was the price you paid? $90 before rebate. One year or two year contract? Please give more details.

I tried the same thing back in December. I have been a continuous, always paid-up T-Mo customer for well over 5 years, and have been out of contract for two years now. I also called, said I wanted to cancel, as ATT had better smartphone selection, etc. I was also given a deal price on the Shadow, as incentive to stay with T-Mo---$139.99 with two year contract, or $189.99 with one year contract. (Actual price to pay, not "after rebate".) I said I would think about it.

I read your post in January, and assumed that the retention price for the Shadow had dropped to $90 (probably two year contract, meaning perhaps $140 with one year). (From what I've heard, the retentions dept. has a fixed retention price they can offer for each phone--they don't bargain.)

I called again yesterday, again said "cancel" at the prompt, so I assume was again brought to the retention dept. I said I was thinking of canceling, as ATT has the Blackjack for sale for $49, and the Blackjack II for sale for $99. I asked what deal they could give me for the Shadow. I assumed, from reading your post, that I would be quoted a price of $90.

Instead, they gave me the same price as before--$140 with two year contract, or $190 with one year contract. I said I had read on the net from someone who had been offered a price of $90 for sticking with T-Mo, I'd like to get that price. The rep said he had never heard of such a price, the best price they could offer me was the $139 for two year contract. I argued a bit, but he did not budge. I asked to speak to his supervisor. The supervisor said the same thing, and also wouldn't budge.

So, Rasta Pete, please explain a little more about the price you paid for the Shadow, and how you got it.

Also, anyone else here bought a Shadow through retentions recently? What price did you pay?

Any T-Mobile insiders here, who would like to share info regarding retention price for the Shadow?

Thank you for your feeback.

Just noticed this now, past the 16th.

Has the deadline been extended again?

Or--too late now?

Thanks for the info. I think I'll do that.

I actually did the same some weeks ago, but the price I was given (before rebate) (although they said the rebate isn't available through that retention deal, but I'm not sure if that's true) was $139, with a two year contract, or $189, with a one year contract. I was undecided, and said I would think about it, and haven't acted on it since.

It sounds like the retention price (that's the department you get, when you say you want to cancel) has gone down now to $90. (From what I understand, they don't bargain at all (I tried to bargain lower at the time), but have a fixed price they can offer for retention.) I assume that $90 is with two year contract, correct? If so, it's probably $140 now with one year contract. (I think I would be willing to pay the $50 more to get a one rather than two year contract.) With all the changes in phones bound to come in the next year, 3G, etc., I don't think I would like to be excluded from upgrading again for two years.

Does anyone know--does the retention department function on weekends, or should I wait until Monday?

There are a couple convertible BT headsets available now, with which you can use a headset on one ear, as a regular phone headset for phone calls, and you can plug in a stereo extension to it, so that you can attach to both ears, and hear music in stereo. With those, you can also hear music with just the one earpiece on, you don't have to add the stereo extension.

The two I know of are the Jabra BT8010 and the Plantronics 855. They have both been discussed extensively on the Howardforums Bluetooth forum, and I think a little bit here as well, possibly earlier in this thread.

As someone else wrote, there is a freeware program called BTaudio, which will route all audio from the phone to the single (non-music) BT headset, including music. I doubt you would get very good music quality that way, though.

Better, if you want to listen to music sometimes with one ear, sometimes with two, and also use the headset as a normal one ear phone headset, to get a convertible headset, like the two I mentioned.

Well, it isn't just a matter of software, but hardware. Only newer card readers support SDHC, older ones don't. For instance (I haven't yet bought my Shadow and SDHC card, but I will), I don;t think the built-in SD card slot on my laptop (2½ years old model) will support SDHC. I think I will have to get one of the new USB SDHC card readers (some of the cards come with one) to read and write to the cards from my laptop.

The very unfortunate fact is, these phone manufacturers did not come out with any kind of standards for their ports, and each brand is different. For instance, stereo phone headsets with 2.5mm plug, do not work in all brands of phones that have a jack of that size. One that works on HTC, will work on Palm, but not Motorola.

Same thing with these mini-USB ports. Each manufacturer wires them differently, and peripherals are not compatible. Totally screwed!

But--why didn't your Shadow come with headphones? I thought that was standard.

Actually, Seidio (www.seidioonline.com) has stereo phone headphones on their site (their brand), that end in the mini-USB port HTC-compatible (like the Shadow). Retractable, no less. I don't know anything about the quality of the headphones though. Try them, and tell us how they are.

That's true, and unfortunate. The manufacturers should have certainly decided on a standard for 2.5mm stereo phone jacks, so that the same headphones would work on all of them.

Needless to say, they should have at least included an adapter that would enable headphones and headsets that have a 2.5mm plug, that work on HTC devices that have such a jack, to work on the Shadow, Dash, and Wing. HTC eliminated the jack, they should at least provide a compatible adapter.

For instance, I have a nice stereo headset from Palm, the 2-in-1 Stereo Headset Pro. It functions well as a music headset, but also as a phone headset. It has a 2.5mm plug. The packaging says it is compatible with Palm Treo, 650, 700, and 750. I have used it successfully with older HTC phones, namely the Audiobox SMT5600, and my T-Mobile MDA (HTC Wizard). Besides Palm and HTC, I think they are compatible with other brands as well, although as you say, unfortunately not all.

No way to use them with the newer HTC phones--like the Dash, Wing, and Shadow (naming the T-Mobile models). Not only do these phones not come with such an adapter, as they should, but I haven't even been able to find one available for sale! Amazing!

There are a lot of adapters to add a 3.5mm jack. (Surprising that many of these don't have a microphone. Since 3.5mm music headphones are not made for telephones, and do not include a microphone, the adapters should have them, and many don't.)

But---in searching today, i only found one adapter (Seidio) that has a 2.5mm jack, and plugs into mini-USB. However, surprisingly, it says "Monaural Only". In other words that adapter would not be suited for music-phone stereo 2.5mm headsets.

Does anyone know of an adapter that would work to plug a 2.5mm stereo headset (HTC and Palm compatible) into the HTC mini-USB port? (Of course these do not need to have microphones, as 2.5mm headsets, both mono and stereo, are made for telephones, and include microphones.)

Any links?

And if someone knows how to make suggestions to HTC, them them that they should include that adapter.

I'll point out that I also started this discussion on Howard Forums, at

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php...23#post10401923


The discussion continued a little farther there, and I wrote about some further inquiries of mine. Rather than write the same info over again here, check out that thread above, and you can reply to it here or there.


Has anyone here got a Shadow yet through this "free" Fry's deal, (the best deal I've heard of by far, for purchasing a Shadow--pay $50 + tax, and get $50 mail-in rebate)? If so, please tell us about it. Any trouble getting it as an upgrade? At which Fry's? What colors did they have?

I really think they should include that adapter. ( Someone tell that to HTC-T-Mobile. ) Of course, they are not going to include the other kind of adapter we discussed in another thread, for 3.5 music headphones, where the adapter includes a mic, volume control, and everything. This adapter for a 2.5mm phone headset is just a small little piece converting the mini USB to a 2.5mm phone port, that is standard on most other phones. That wouldn't cost them much. If they are going to have such a non-standard port for headphones, they should include the adapter, in case one wants to use a headset other than the one they provide. (I really don't understand this trend to leave off the 2.5mm phone jack, and have the headset go through USB instead. I wish they didn't do that.)

It'll be more of a hassle to buy one elsewhere. With shipping charges and such added, it will probably cost at least $10, probably more. It would have cost them less than a buck to include it, probably only a few cents.

This isn't about the same kind of headphone adapter being discussed in another thread, to use 3.5mm music headphones with the Shadow.

What I'm wondering is (haven't bought my Shadow yet, thinking of getting one soon), does the Shadow come with an adapter for its mini-USB port, so that one can plug corded 2.5mm phone headsets (either stereo or mono) into it?

Or--does one have to purchase that adapter separately?

If you have a headset plugged in, I don't think the internal microphone on the phone functions, as it expects you are using the one on the headset. So, if you are using a headset that has no mic, then there is no way to speak on the phone with that headset plugged in.

Therefore, if one wants to be able to answer an incoming call, etc., one should really either use a phone headset with a mic, or an adapter with a mic, with which you can use your own stereo headphones.

Well, with that kind of adapter you can listen to music, but when a phone call comes in, you would have to take off the phones in order to speak on the phone.

Better to get one that doubles as a phone headset, besides being a music headset, with an inline microphone.

Seidio has such adapters (www.seidioonline.com), other companies as well. And now Shure has just come out with one, which might be better, although more expensive--called MPA. (Music Phone Adapter). Well, most of these adapters (like the Shure) end in a 2.5 mm phone plug, so you would still need the adapter on the end to go fro 2.5mm to mini-USB. Seidio, however, does make such adapters that end in mini-USB, so you don't need an additional adapter. (They don't yet list Shadow though, look at models for Dash.)

Well, it seems that price is not only at THAT Fry's. Someone on another forum saw it at that same price in a different Fry's. They told him, however, that only a new customer could sign up for service there. An existing customer could only purchase the phone full price for $350.

The question is---was the rep in the store I went to mistaken, in telling me I could get it at that price for a contract renewal, or was the rep in the other store mistaken, who said only for new customers? Or, is it possible that different Fry's have different policies regarding T-Mo service for new and existing customers, etc.?

Also, if I am able to buy it at the store I was at last night, who only had the brown one, could I take that brown one right over to another Fry's who has the green one, and exchange it?

Anyone tried the 8GB SDHC card in the Shadow yet?

I have heard that Verizon Wireless stores have them in stock. Some online retailers list them, but many list "out of stock", and others aren't very clear about that.

I have read before that the Shadow, like the Wing, supports microSDHC cards, which now come in 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB cards (the latter just came out, not yet widely available).

One of the reasons (among a few others) I thought of upgrading from my MDA to the Shadow is the SDHC support. I like to use my phone as my MP3 player, and for that purpose, the more storage the better. I planned to buy one of the new 8GB cards for it.

I was just surprised to read the following at the HTC web site:


http://www.htcwiki.com/page/T-Mobile+Shadow

Under the rubric "Expansion", it says "microSD up to 4GB, no SDHC".

What?? No SDHC?? I was under the impression that the Shadow does support SDHC!

And--since the upper limit of regular SD cards is 2GB, any 4GB card is by definition SDHC!

I read a post somewhere (perhaps on this forum) from someone who successfully uses a 6GB microSDHC card in his Shadow. One would assume then, that the Shadow supports SDHC. Why then, would the manufacturer state that it doesn't?

I know most of the country has a 14 day return policy for cell phones, but I believe it is 30 days here in California. T-Mobile certainly has a 30 day policy here (although it used to be 14 days), and I believe 14 days everywhere else, like where you are.

I believe I have read that this is CA state law. Therefore, i was surprised to be told of a 14 day policy. Unless that law applies only to the carriers themselves, and to their stores, and not to 3rd party dealers. Since you work at a T-Mobile store, you might ask your boss about it. He might know about the policies in other states. (I know for sure if I buy a phone from T-Mobile, either online, by telephone, or at a T-Mobile store, there will be a 30 day return policy, although a couple years ago it was 14 days. Someone from Washington would call the same T-Mo number to order a phone, or go to the same web site, and only have a 14 day return policy. So, there is something different here in California, regarding cell phone returns.)

Fry's isn't always cheap. They sometimes have good deals. Often the best price I can find on something is not at any retail store, but on the net somewhere. But they do sometimes have good deals, including this one.

I just called another Fry's, in Woodland Hills, CA. I asked the price of the Shadow. I was asked if already had service, and I told him I was already a T-Mobile customer, but my contract had expired, and I was willing to sign a new one. He said the price was $349. I said "what about with service"? He said that they do not sell service to existing customers, but only to new customers.

I guess I could have gone further and asked him "out of curiosity, what is your price for the phone for new customers signing up for a two year contract"?, but I didn't. He had answered that the price for me would be $349, without service, and that was that.

So---I don't know if they have the same price listed for new T-Mo service customers or not, that I listed above. It could be that they do, but that they won't give the price to an upgrading customer. Or--the salesgirl at the one in MB could have been mistaken, in telling me that I could get that price for a contract extension. Or--this sales guy might have been mistaken, and he could have sold it to me at the new service price. I don't know. I also didn't ask, having been stopped at the $349 price tag, whether they have it in green, or also only in brown.

If anyone else wants to call that WH Fry's, ask for the cell phone dept., and ask what the price for the Shadow is with new T-Mo service, the number is: (818) 227-1000. Or call any Fry's--then we can find out if that price is only at that store, and see what another clerk's perspective is, on whether an existing customer can get that price for a contract renewal.

Sell it on Ebay? I doubt I would. I have never sold on Ebay (although I have bought there several times), and probably wouldn't bother. Anyhow, I'm looking to get a Shadow. I would probably keep it, and as you say, get used to the ugly brown color. (Always wishing I had the other color instead.) Anyone here with a new green one, who would prefer brown, who might like to trade? (I guess then I shouldn't call the brown one "ugly", but instead call it "beautiful", so someone would want to trade. )

I probably should have gone ahead and done it yesterday in MB. Coming again, they might not still have that price, or a different clerk might tell me I cannot get that price as an upgrade.

You say they pay full price for the phones? Then why would they sell it at such a loss as that, where the customer would only pay them $50? Even if they have too many brown ones, that they want to get rid of, I'd be surprised if they would sell the phone at a loss to themselves of $300 per phone, over their cost!

Anyhow--if anyone else looks into this, at any Fry's, please let us know about it.

I don't know why they only put 8 GB of storage on these though. With hard drives having an increasing storage capacity in a smaller form factor, and cheaper, a HD would make more sense, even if their SSD drive is a little faster.

If an Ipod can have 160GB storage, certainly this computer could have more than 8!

No way to put a HD on one of these?

I didn't read all the details yet--what expansion ports does it have--USB, Firewire, PCMCIA, memory card slots?

Last night I was at Fry's Electronics, in Manhattan Beach, CA, and I was very surprised at the price I saw on the Shadow--$349 minus $300 instant rebate minus $50 mail-in rebate=free!

I had never seen the Shadow at any price close to that before, including for new customers.

I thought that price must be only for new customers, but I might as well ask. I asked the girl working there, if existing customers could also get that price, telling her that my contract had expired. She said yes, with a two year contract extension. (I asked her what about with a one-year contract, she said they didn't have that available.)

I don't know if she might have been mistaken about the existing customer thing. Worth trying though.

I almost purchased one on the spot, but there were a couple of things that made me uncertain about it, so I left undecided. I may go back and do it though. For one thing, the only color they had was the brown, which I find really ugly. I would want to get the metallic green color. She said they didn't have that, and didn't know if they would get it.

Also, when I mentioned 30 day return policy, which I thought was mandated for cell phones in California by state law, she said no, the store has only a 14 day return policy on cell phones. (Does anyone know anything about this--does the 30 day law only apply to phone sales from the carriers themselves? Can retail stores set any return period they wish?)

Well, at such a great price, it still might be worth it, despite the ugly sh*t-brown color , and the shorter return policy, and the two year contract. (Upgrading in another manner, I was thinking of paying $50 more to get a one year contract instead. With 3G coming out in upcoming months, and probably many much-improved phones, I don't like the idea of locking into a two year contract (with 22 months before upgrade price again)at this time. But for this price--can't beat it.)

Still--I thought they might get in the green color later--and other vendors might soon offer similar prices. (It's hard to imagine how one vendor could have it so much less than others. What kind of a deal is T-Mobile giving them?)

Anyone here purchased a Shadow at this price from Fry's? Any existing customers do it as an upgrade? If anyone went to a different Fry's, did they have the green color available as well, or also only the brown?

If anyone could answer my question above about the California 30 day return policy on cell phones, whether all vendors have to honor that, I would appreciate it.

Also---has anyone seen any deal like this at other places?

Generally preferred by whom? By the people involved in such deceptive advertising. When you have to pay $140 for a product, I don't think it's honest to advertise it as $90, even if there is a mail-in rebate available (which are extra hassle, you have to wait months for, and don't always come). (An "instant rebate" is a different matter.)

That is why I purposefully did not use the "after-rebate" deceptive pricing description, even if commonly "preferred" by advertisers, and chose to list the actual price one pays, while also mentioning the mail-in rebate.

We were referring to Plantronics 855s, which are stereo headphones (convertible to mono), therefore the comparison with S9s.

That surprises me. I wouldn't expect WMP to play .mkv or .ogm movies, but certainly .avis, including encoded with .xvid.

Have you installed TCPMP on the Shadow? That should install codecs capable of playing xvid.

Thanks a lot, Paul!

Where did you get all those language packs so quick?

You should probably make this post an "Announcement", so it stays at the top of the page, so that people can easily find it who are looking for other languages in the future.

Thanks again.

I'd have to again say---you haven't tried the headphones yet, you have no idea about what you might write about them.

I'd have to again say---your response above is an idiotic non-response. Not at all helpful to your fellow users.

I found out a lot today, regarding possible upgrade prices, both via the Windows Mobile promo, and retentions.