My new MPx200 on Orange

[Guest UKMadBeef]

I got an MPx200 the day my local Orange shop received them (last Thursday) so I thought I'd nip in here with my freshly registered account and whinge about stuff. Please tell me you care :lol:

The phone is application locked, and I assume it's also SIM locked, given that all Orange phones always have been.

I'm not in a mad rush to remove the application lock, but I'm itching to see how it plays DivX and NES games...

Overall, I'm reasonably happy with the phone, although there are more than a few rough edges. Here's a few just off the top of my head:

1. there seems to be a limit on the size of MIDI files for ringtones

2. certain MIDI files can completely lock up the phone (I have an example if anyone's interested)

3. if you set up a guest partnership with activesync, it forgets the device password, even if you select "Save Password"

4. not really a bug, but the jog dial is a waste of time, it's not context sensitive at all (all it does is alter the earpiece volume)

5. beaming stuff between a PocketPC 2002 seems not to work in either direction

6. changing the location of the Contacts and Calendar shortcuts (and probably others too) on the start menu results in the phone losing the icons in Task Manager (and if you restart the phone, the program icons it displays by default on the Home screen revert to the "I don't know what this is" Windows icon)

7. sometimes, Pocket IE fails to scroll (and I've hardly used it)

8. putting birthdays into the contacts doesn't show on the calendar until the phone is synced with a copy of Outlook

I've not had the phone a week, so this is just for starters. The hardware is very, very nice indeed. It's light, but not insubstantial. The screen is excellent, the buttons are reasonable (could do with being bigger - there's the room for it, but then not everyone has sausage fingers like me) However, the software is definately sub-par. (about what I expected choosing Microsoft over Symbian, but the power of the hardware will be worth it when I get the thing app unlocked)

Also ... the Orange manual claims the phone runs WM2003 ... Such a blatant mistake is indication of future plans, maybe?

Anyway, that's my hat in the ring. Gimme a nudge when you guys get the thing app unlocked ;)

[Guest statscat]

you can fix the icons on teh homescreen,

there should be a copy is

ipsmapplication datahome

if not its widely avaialble on this forum, update the path to your LNK files in the home.xml and then they wil work, the plugins clever but its not that clever.

the homescreen and plugin links give lots of information on the Orange first generation plugins.

[Guest Bunchie]

1. there seems to be a limit on the size of MIDI files for ringtones

Any idea on what this limit is? I havn't had any problems with any so far and have been running some pretty sizable ones.

2. certain MIDI files can completely lock up the phone (I have an example if anyone's interested)

Yeah if you can post that up I would definitely like to check that out.

3. if you set up a guest partnership with activesync, it forgets the device password, even if you select "Save Password"

Hmm, again I can't say that i've had this problem at all. It appears to be working perfectly normal.

4. not really a bug, but the jog dial is a waste of time, it's not context sensitive at all (all it does is alter the earpiece volume)

The jog dial does navigate things on certain applications just not the main ones that the phone comes with. In the future software developers will hopefully make full use of this. I have been told by USA members that there are already apps out there that use it.

5. beaming stuff between a PocketPC 2002 seems not to work in either direction

I cannot comment on the rest of your points as i have not tried them.

All in all I have personally been very impressed with the phone. The fact that it has a few minor niggles is to be excpected really. For a first release retail build i find the software to be very stable and quick. I hope that some of the concerns and problems that have been found are dealt with in future software updates.

[Guest Will]

guest password was a bug. ans also related to the user rights if you're using xp or 2k, i had to use an admin account to get it working.

Fixed (seems to be) in 3.7.1

Will

[Guest UKMadBeef]

statscat: Hooray for Sanrio, eh?

Will try that fix you mention ... just unlocked my phone courtesy of alphaflux so I'm a little busy filling it with trash at the moment :lol:

Bunchie: I now realise this isn't a size problem, but I downloaded a cubic shitload of MIDI and only half of them work. I'll upload a non-working one to another post.

The one that crashes the phone I've attached to this post. I hold down the home button to reset the phone, but don't blame me if your phone bursts into flames or violates your pets. It appears that you need to play the file for a certain amount of time (10-15 seconds should do it) before it ties up the phone. This happens on a few MIDIs, but this one is the worst.

Incidentally, anyone know where you can get proper MIDI ringtones specifically for the SmartPhone? In particular, I wouldn't mind the Sopranos theme tune, and a version of the IK+ theme tune that doesn't sound like a strangled cat. (IK+ = International Karate, found on the Commodore Amiga among others)

The Save Password function works fine if you set up a standard partnership, so you may not have noticed this, but it definately doesn't work on guest. I've been running ActiveSync 3.7.1 since I got the phone, already running it with my girlfriend's Dell Axim. (PPC 2002)

I agree with your sentiment regarding the phone generally though - it's a neat little thing, and it's generally quick, but it's a tad clunky. The only time I notice a slowdown is when I change the Home screen, or when the inbox is first started.

Will: I've always run 3.7.1, and always run everything as Administrator-equivalent anyway. (Dell Axim on XP SP1 and my MPx200 on Server 2003) Although the no-save-password thing is probably more of a UI problem than anything else. (presenting Save Password tickbox when it's going to forget everything about the phone the minute it's disconnected, due to the guest partnership)

Thanks for all your help ;)

... bah ... extension MID not allowed ...

try here:

http://www.danmac.co.uk/Speedball-theme.mid

(this one will crash your phone if you give it half a chance)

http://www.danmac.co.uk/Godfather.mid

(this one just doesn't work)

Cheers :(

[Guest UKMadBeef]

statscat: eventually got there ... I was running the default "full.home.xml" so I had to copy that to the location you specified before I could edit it accordingly. Haven't fixed it yet, but I'm on the right track now.

Also tried Gnuboy with a GTA2 GameBoy Colour ROM ... pretty ropey to be honest.

Someone needs to write GTA: Vice City for SmartPhone :lol: