25 replies to this topic

[Webreaper]

My handset is due for an upgrade on the 1st April (that's when my contract runs out). I was thinking of getting an M500, but was concerned about the lack of wifi - particularly given I'd want to stick a decent-sized SDIO card in to store music etc on. Now I've seen the M600 is supposedly due for release in April. So, question is, which should I get? I suspect the M600 won't be available immediately, meaning I might have to wait until May, to get hold of one, whereas the M500 should be available I'd have thought, on the basis that it'll be a model that's about to be replaced.

Are the differences between the two that large? Anyone know what the main differences are, and how they affect the device in actual real-world day-to-day use?

Any opinions gratefully accepted...  8)

[chucky.egg]

I had an M500 and now have a Dopod 818 (HTC Prophet = SPV M600)

I'd say wait for the M600, but you're right about the release dates - they're talking about April with the AKU2 stuff, but if that slips (more than likely IMO) then the M600 release might slip too.

Hang on in there.  It is worth the wait

[Webreaper]

Thought as much.

I think I might just hang on in there, but I'll see what the situation's like in April. I've never really liked the K700i I've got now as a phone, and I keep finding myself wishing I had some of the M500-type features (e.g., being able to surf properly rather than cWAP, using terminal services to check client systems while I'm on the move, possibly using Skype, etc., etc., etc).

What I don't want to do is keep holding off for the M600 and end up not getting it until August or something daft if the M500 will do the stuff I need/want pretty much straight away.

[triran]

Something I would take into consideration is the M5000 example, shown in last years 3GSM and took a further 6 months to hit the shelves. Also Orange are "hoping" to launch a WM5 update but there are some rather large issues in regards hardware.

[Webreaper]

triran, on Feb 21 2006, 12:25, said:

Something I would take into consideration is the M5000 example, shown in last years 3GSM and took a further 6 months to hit the shelves.

Exactly what I'm worried about. Still, I suppose I can hedge my bets, and if it gets to mid-April and there's still not a whisper of the M500 being launched, I can just plump for the M500 instead. The other alternative is that I could abandon Orange for O2 and an XDA Neo (same device, effectively...) if they bring it out sooner. Downside of that is that Orange's overall package as a service provider far exceeds all the others in my experience.

Quote

Also Orange are "hoping" to launch a WM5 update but there are some rather large issues in regards hardware.

Do you mean a WM5 update for the M500?! Every site I've read says it's not possible because of the memory limitations of the M500, so I can't see that happening.

And, TBH, I'm not really that fussed about WM5 anyway. The 'killer' feature of the M600 is the built-in wi-fi, for 2 reasons mainly: having to use the M500's SDIO slot for a wifi card means there's no capacity for extending the storage, and also I hate the way the wifi cards stick out of the top of the device....

Edited by Webreaper, 21 February 2006 - 12:38 PM.

[wheatoz]

Judging by what you've said re. needing wi-fi etc, i'd wait for M600. I've got a M500 and its good as a basic device but no wi-fi or WM5. If this is important to you - wait for M600 or look at M5000

Jay

[Webreaper]

You might be right, but it all depends on how long I need to wait. I want my new toy now.  

M5000's a no go, it's far too big....

[Webreaper]

Okay, one other question for this thread. Strikes me that the O2 XDA mini S does most of the things the M600 does (WM5, Wifi, etc), and it's available right now. In fact, on a tariff that's only fractionally more than I'm paying now, the handset's free. The only disadvantage I can see is that the Mini S is slightly thicker (and 1mm taller  ) than the M500.

Anyone compared the M500, M600 and XDA Mini? Any reasons why I wouldn't want the latter? Is it better/worse/different?

Edited by Webreaper, 23 February 2006 - 08:24 AM.

[chucky.egg]

I think the Mini S is a K-Jam, which has wifi, WM5, etc etc
The only differences that spring to mind are:
1.  The Mini S has a keyboard, which adds to the size and weight
2.  The Mini S has a miniSD slot, not regular SD, which limits your memory options a bit

[Webreaper]

Not hugely worried about the MiniSD slot; if I had to buy some memory for it I'd only be using it in the device, so the lack of flexibility isn't an issue. And the fact that the device already has wifi means that the main reason for having an SDIO card (like the M500) isn't relevant.

The biggest potential problem seems to be the reported processing speed issues - is it actually an issue, or am I unlikely to be concerned by it (particularly as I won't have had any other WM5 devices to compare to). My main use for the machine would be as a phone (!), possibly Skype, a bit of email and surfing, messenger, and the occasional terminal services session.

But any issues are likely to be outweighed by the fact that a) it has wifi, it has wm5 and c) it will pretty much definitely be available (and probably as a free handset) when my contract ends on 31st March.

Oh, and I know the size/weight is more, but is it a huge amount? I can't see it being a major problem.

[chucky.egg]

For me personally the reason for WiFi was "free" internet access at home and work (I dont use any GPRS any more).

Speed isn't actually a big issue - I very quickly got used to it. There are things you can do (Reg tweaks or Overclocking) to help with that anyway.

I cant speak for the physical feel of the size and weight of the device.

Why not order one online, try it for a week, and then send it back if you dont like it?  
In the UK the distance selling regs mean that you have 14 days to return something.  You'd pay for nothing other than airtime (unless you use your existing SIM) and P&P

Edited by chucky.egg, 23 February 2006 - 04:13 PM.

[Webreaper]

Quote

For me personally the reason for WiFi was "free" internet access at home and work (I dont use any GPRS any more).

Exactly my point too....

Quote

Speed isn't actually a big issue - I very quickly got used to it. There are things you can do (Reg tweaks or Overclocking) to help with that anyway.

Okay, sounds reasonable.

Quote

I cant speak for the physical feel of the size and weight of the device.

It's subjective, I know. I'm not so bothered about the thickness of it, and the weight isn't an issue. It's mainly the width/height, and given it's only fractionally larger than my K700i, I can't see it'll be a major issue.

Quote

Why not order one online, try it for a week, and then send it back if you dont like it? In the UK the distance selling regs mean that you have 14 days to return something. You'd pay for nothing other than airtime (unless you use your existing SIM) and P&P

Very true. I guess I'll give it 3 weeks and see what's available from who for how much. If by a miracle the M600 is available from Orange, I'll have one. Otherwise I think I'll just go for the XDA mini and see how I fair with that.

[jimbouk]

Ok - here goes:

I have had an M500 for the last year. It was blinding. A really superb tool. I used a safecom wifi card (£21.99 from ebuyer) and a 1gb sd mem card (for music, pics and stuff).

I have just got an Imate Jamin which is a simfree prophet. It is even better in my opinion.

HOWEVER:

1) The prophet is slightly slower to respond to clicks - only slightly but you do notice it. There are loads of reg tweaks you can do to reduce animations etc which help a bit.

2) There are reported issues with Windows Mobile 5. Lots of KJam owners are getting fed up with thier phones restarting left right and centre and I know one Jamin owner who hard reset his phone and restored his settings from a backup and who is now suffering the same reset problem. Mobile 5 is new and likely to have loads of bugs for a while.

3) Built in wifi means no carrying the safecom card and having to swap it with the mem card a couple of times a day.

4) My prophet has the Imate rom - which is due to be updated anyday now with AKU2 and MSFP - and this is going to be cleaner than the orange rom will be as orange will insist on lots of their own stuff going in.


The quick answer is I will keep the Prophet and have just sold the M500 on ebay. Can't wait til Orange release the M600 cos I will get one of those on a free upgrade and then sell either it or the Imate on ebay too!

[Webreaper]

Well, I popped into an O2 shop this evening, and had a look at their dummy XDA Mini S. Nice - slightly bigger than I thought (it's always difficult to tell from the photos online) but still only fractionally larger than my K700i.

The assistant was very helpful - got a real one out so I could handle it, feel the weight, check how it sits in my pocket, etc. Bizarrely the plastic mock-up is heavier than the real thing with battery....

Anyway, really, really impressed. Okay, it's slightly thicker than the M500, but I reckon that's not an issue. The built-in Wifi makes it a winner. Can't see any reason not to go for it. So unless the M600 becomes available by the end of next month, that's me sold, and I'll give O2 a try.

Main issue now is to find somewhere that'll do the XDA Mini S for free with a sub-£35/month contract. O2 shop wanted a £45/month contract to get the handset for free, which is a total mickey-take.... So anyone got any suggestions?

[andysalmon]

T-Mobile on line have the best deals at the mo, ('till the end of the month) just ordered mine yesterday and now waiting for delivery. Web n Walk 200 for £16 month for 12 months, free handset. If I get a minimum of £100 for my old Compact on ebay (last went for £190 2 wks ago) that brings the whole contract down to £16 a month as well, free sim unlock from this site as well...can't be bad.

[Webreaper]

T-Mobile is no use - their coverage is hopeless in Scotland.

[chucky.egg]

jimbouk, on Feb 23 2006, 18:21, said:

2) There are reported issues with Windows Mobile 5. Lots of KJam owners are getting fed up with thier phones restarting left right and centre and I know one Jamin owner who hard reset his phone and restored his settings from a backup and who is now suffering the same reset problem. Mobile 5 is new and likely to have loads of bugs for a while.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe these issues are due to installing software that is not 100% compatible with WM5

I've had the following:
1. Spb Diary not updating
2. Random reboots
3. Unable to activate WiFi
4. SD card disappearing

I've done quite a bit of testing on my device, and can always get these errors to return after installing something not designed for WM5.  Without those older apps I have not noticed any of these issues.

It's never possible to prove bugs don't exist in this way, but I've convinced myself that it's misbehaving apps written for previous versions.

[Webreaper]

TBH, I'm not too worried about all of that, because I'm a software developer and we write software for 'full-sized' XDAs (so it'll be fun to try 'em on the XDA Mini). Therefore I'm used to the odd glitch in software and should be able to resolve them....

[stripeycat]

Hi Andy, I tried giving you a shout via the forum messaging system, not quite sure how the steup works so i thought i'd post here as well just in case...

You mentioned you were getting a new phone on t-mobile - have you managed to track down a Prophet on the network or were you talking about buying your own sim-free phone? Or did you mean you were getting the t-mobile MDA II? I may be getting myself horribly confused here... i was just wondering, as i've just received an MDA II and would much rather have the prophet if it's coming out on the network...

[andysalmon]

stripeycat, on Mar 3 2006, 08:52, said:

Hi Andy, I tried giving you a shout via the forum messaging system, not quite sure how the steup works so i thought i'd post here as well just in case...

You mentioned you were getting a new phone on t-mobile - have you managed to track down a Prophet on the network or were you talking about buying your own sim-free phone? Or did you mean you were getting the t-mobile MDA II? I may be getting myself horribly confused here... i was just wondering, as i've just received an MDA II and would much rather have the prophet if it's coming out on the network...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

:oops: Sorry, it was a crossed post- I had 2 windows open :oops: Coming from a Compact to a Vario running WM5 was possibly the worst thing I ever did. I regulary sync so persistant memory isn't an issue for me and 2003SE at least did what it said. I thought I would like the Vario keyboard but rarely use it...much quicker from the case to use the on screen one! I think Jamin will be the way forward....when WM5 is sorted!