No new ROM for imate Smartphone2

[Guest nossac]

Hi All,

Just have to vent somewhere.

I have been having major Bluetooth problems (bad headset connection) with my Jabra 250.

So like any good consumer I took my complaint to both Jabra and iMate.

Both companies confirmed it was a Smartphone2 issue.

iMate support promised it would be fixed by a ROM upgrade that would come out approximately 1 month from the 26/08.

on the 28/09 I contacted iMate support to see if the new ROM was coming.

I was then told it was definately coming within 1 month.

So today I contacted iMate support again.

I was just informed there was no intention to ever release a ROM update for the iMate Smartphone2.

This really annoys me. I now have a really expensive headset I could have returned for one that function better.

However I decided to trust iMate suport and waitied for the new ROM.

Seems iMate are really terrible at keeping their promises and just fob people off and keep them waiting around with no intention of forfilling their promises.

I have logs of all my communications with iMate and will be taking this issue up with my carrier and anyone else I can think of.

Funny thing is I have an email from their local support saying there are no known issues with the Jabra heasets.

I guess they never read these forums!

O.K. finished my rant now!!!!

[Guest puckster]

Now this really makes me angry.

I have been reporting the bluetooth problems with my SP2 to i-mate since june and have experienced the same responses (i.e. every month they say a bluetooth fix or ROM update will be available next month).

All the new i-mate PDA devices have exactly the same bluetooth problems. Even the new PDA2k ROM update just released doesn't address the bluetooth problems and they are back to stating "maybe next month" for the fix.

All i can suggest is that everyone completely boycotts i-mate and finds someone else that firstly can release a working device and secondly knows how to support their current (loyal) users.

I am running O2's newest ROM on my SP2, the Bluetooth is better but still not perfect.

I will email i-mate now and see what response i get and post back here then.

Regards,

Chris

[Guest schaggo]

You're both right with the bluetooth problem. But I can't feel sorry for you, the issue was known and there were several threads to the bad bluetooth performance of HTC Voyager devices on almost every forum dealing with Windows Smartphones. Of course, this is not an excusion for i-Mates behavior or whatever, but you should read the forums before you buy such an expensive device.

And I think the problem is hardware related, so neither i-Mate, nor O2 nor Orange nor Qtek can do anything against it, it's simply HTC's fault of working with cheap bluetooth transmitters I guess. So boycotting i-Mate does nothing since it's HTC providing them with the "mother ROM" they brand for their i-Mate devices. But of course, you can boycott i-Mate for the promises they don't fulfill...

my 2 cents for today...

[Guest puckster]

I can understand your point but why have i-mate been saying for the last 6 months that they can fix it and will be releasing a patch soon only to turn around and say there will never be another update for the phone.

If any of the major device makers such as Nokia, Sony-Ericsson etc went down this path for support they would have died a slow death years ago.

My point is that if they knew it was a problem from day one they should have told their users this rather than stringing us along by keeping our hopes up.

In most of the forums i have read, nobody has ever fully confirmed that its a hardware issue not software. If you could point me to a specific instance of this, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

[Guest puckster]

I can't feel sorry for you, the issue was known and there were several threads to the bad bluetooth performance of HTC Voyager devices on almost every forum dealing with Windows Smartphones. Of course, this is not an excusion for i-Mates behavior or whatever, but you should read the forums before you buy such an expensive device.

I do also want to say that your above comments are a bit unfair.

I did in fact research the device before i purchased it back in Feb 2004 and saw problems relating to bonding but not the limited 2 feet range of the bluetooth which is my main complaint. These problems seem to be very common these days but not so back then.

[Guest schaggo]

I didn't want to piss off anybody, that wasn't my intention, for sure!

But of course, 2 feet bluetooth range and a distributor saying "We're going to fix that tomorrow" which they didn't do for half a year is, err... just friggin boring.

And February 2004, that's a long time ago, you're right. Indeed, it's strange that problems come with time and don't go with it... :shock:

Anyway, I hope I can test the bluetooth functionality of my HTC Voyager device (Qtek 8080) with my fathers Jabra 200 headset...

[Guest puckster]

I didn't want to piss off anybody, that wasn't my intention, for sure!

But of course, 2 feet bluetooth range and a distributor saying "We're going to fix that tomorrow" which they didn't do for half a year is, err... just friggin boring.

And February 2004, that's a long time ago, you're right. Indeed, it's strange that problems come with time and don't go with it... :shock:

Anyway, I hope I can test the bluetooth functionality of my HTC Voyager device (Qtek 8080) with my fathers Jabra 200 headset...

No probs, i wasnt pissed off ^_^

I just wanted to make others aware of the pain i have been through.

I have now had a response from i-mate support confirming exactly what nossac posted that they have no plans whatsoever to release any further updates for the SP2. I didnt even get the explanation that i asked for, just "Thank you for your email. We apologize for any inconviences caused." :x I advise everyone reading this to steer clear of i-mate until they get their act together and learn how to support their users.

As promised in my reply to i-mate / Carrier Devices i will be posting my entire email thread with their support people in a post in every smartphone related forum i can find so everyone can see just how dodgy i-mate support is. Hopefully this will help i-mate's sales drop off so they might get a kick up the a** :wink:

Regards to everyone, (except i-mate)

Chris

[Guest nossac]

My only comment to this is that Bluetooth is a standard.

iMate said their devices were compliant with the standard.

The standard includes a distance that 2 bluetooth devices should be able to communicate with each other over.

The Smartphone2 fails this standard.

So basically it is not up to standard.

Aslo from a customer service point of view they also fail (well in my opinion)

If they couldn't fix the issue they should have said so. I even asked them the question a few times and was promised a software update to fix the issue.

Now if this was not to be forthcoming or it was a hardware issue they should have said.

Keeping customers in the dark is not a good way to do bussiness.

Oh and I did do some research before I brought it which sorta said c boom Jabras were o.k.

It was wrong ^_^ about a week after I brought it I started noticing threads about the fact they didn't work.

Serves me right for wanting to be the first with a new toy.