Orange SPV M500 Review

[Guest chucky.egg]

I don't know if there's any difference, but to get more free memory I did the "Soft Reset after a Hard Reset" trick and got an extra ~20Mb

It's very easy to do and you don't have to play around with flashing stuff

[Guest mitman]

I don't know if there's any difference, but to get more free memory I did the "Soft Reset after a Hard Reset" trick and got an extra ~20Mb

It's very easy to do and you don't have to play around with flashing stuff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you lose all the apps such as clearvue pdf viewer etc when you do this? What exactly is lost from the memory when you do this?

cheers.

Edited August 16, 2005 by mitman

[Guest Confused Stu]

Mitman, what's lost is entirely up to you! :)

This "trick" stops the phone installing the apps Orange add on (such as the Powerpoint Viewer, massive help files, and all the other stuff) and crucially stops the phone fencing off 20Mb of memory and putting the installation files in it just in case you do a hard reset. This means that, should you do a hard reset, you'll need to manually re-install the programs you decided to give memory space to.

I did the full BigStorage ROM hack last week partially because it was fun, and partially cos I hadn't heard about this easier method then! :( Worked fine though and I got my extra 20Mb of storage! ;)

[Guest flipper]

I use GPRS quite heavily and have found no problems with it. It may only be your handset.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've looked around and there seem to be various versions of the JAM with GPRS problems. I'll have to go through the software I've loaded on there and see if that's causing it.

[Guest cabane77]

I don't know if there's any difference, but to get more free memory I did the "Soft Reset after a Hard Reset" trick and got an extra ~20Mb

It's very easy to do and you don't have to play around with flashing stuff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hi ,

how do u do the 'soft reset after a hard reset' thing ? could u please explain or u have a reference ? thanks

[Guest chucky.egg]

It's quite easy...

1)Backup your data (sync to your PC is the easiest way. This only applies to the phone - the stuff on your memory card is safe

2) Hard Reset: turn the phone off, then press the reset button (under the bottom flap) whilst holding the power button down

3) Go through the initial setup up to and including setting your time zone. The phone should then load the Today screen

4) When you see the Today screen press the reset button again (this time without the power button) to do a soft reset. You have to be quick, so get reasy with that stylus!

You can then manually install the extra stuff that you do want (GPRS settings etc).

I've got an extra 20+Mb out of it

[Guest b3nny]

Many Thanxs For The Info

Cheers

B3nny

[Guest budgeuk]

Well i have just orderded mine from orange today, so i have 7 days to play.. must admit though .. i love my SPVC500 so far it has been the best samrtphone i have ever owed... i have had all of the SPV range except the C550. ond love the way they work. i must also say if it wasn't for sites such as Madaco and coolsmartphone i would never had my issues fixed or cool aps to play with. thanks guys.

[Guest JOEJOETHEJOEY]

Any ideas whether there will be a version with WiFi built in? Maybe a M550 or something? I love my C500, but if the M500 had built in WiFi too (not with SDIO WiFi card), I'd get it straight away!!!

[Guest Pabs(Sco)]

Any ideas whether there will be a version with WiFi built in?  Maybe a M550 or something?  I love my C500, but if the M500 had built in WiFi too (not with SDIO WiFi card), I'd get it straight away!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I read on some site about a M600, (HTC Wizard) which is similar to the M500 but it ha a slide our keyboard, but it has WiFi built in.

http://www.coolsmartphone.com/news1618.html

[Guest sporkguy]

thanks for the feedback guys - and i've just PM'd b3nny with a response.

I highly recommend the bigstorage rom change, mine seems to go much faster with the new rom :)

also - in addition to the review, I just wanted to add that the Bluetooth on the phone isn't exactly brilliant, has anyone else noticed how incredibly slow it is? (it's REALLY slow compared to my last phone, the black 6630 seen in the pics)

[Guest Funster]

It's quite easy...

1)Backup your data (sync to your PC is the easiest way.  This only applies to the phone - the stuff on your memory card is safe

2) Hard Reset: turn the phone off, then press the reset button (under the bottom flap) whilst holding the power button down

3) Go through the initial setup up to and including setting your time zone.  The phone should then load the Today screen

4) When you see the Today screen press the reset button again (this time without the power button) to do a soft reset.  You have to be quick, so get reasy with that stylus!

You can then manually install the extra stuff that you do want (GPRS settings etc).

I've got an extra 20+Mb out of it

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This might a dumb question, but how do you manually install the extra stuff after? I've got a very basic M500 in my hands :)

Cheers

[Guest chucky.egg]

No. not a stupid question at all - I should have explained that too...

After the Soft Reset you shoulo have an extra 'folder' called Extended_ROM which contains the CAB files that would have been installed if you hadn't stopped it.

Install the one's you want from there.

[Guest Funster]

No. not a stupid question at all - I should have explained that too...

After the Soft Reset you shoulo have an extra 'folder' called Extended_ROM which contains the CAB files that would have been installed if you hadn't stopped it.

Install the one's you want from there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for clearing this up quickly chucky.egg, much appreciated.

Funster

[Guest mitman]

Just one question.

Does changing the rom void the warrenty or anything similar with orange?

Cheers

[Guest chucky.egg]

If you put a different ROM on it then probably yes, but if you just do the Soft Reset trick you can always just do a Hard Reset if you ever need to send it away.

[Guest martinwilliams999]

hey good review, im due an upgrade next month from my beloved c500 and my minds now made up which to have, thanks for the persuasion  :)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gavin, you took the words right off my keyboard!

I too am thinking of upgrading from my C500 next month.

Nick, your review has clinched it, the M500 is the gizmo for me.

I briefly considered waiting for the M600, but the bugger's an inch thick and there's no definite release date yet.

Excellent pictures, by the way.

Words can only tell so much about a product.

Martin

[Guest Pondrew]

I was surprised to note that the I-Mate site now lists the Jam and the (New) Jam. It's not obvious if the new Jam uses the M500 shell or the same old Jam shell but it's certainly now coloured the same as the M500. What is obvious is that it now includes a full 128meg ram (same as the Qtek S110).

[Guest Xenzo1990]

My m500 is coming tommorowwwww. Very excited. Hopefully it will be here in the morning so i have plenty of play time with it.

Ye, the review tipped it for me. I was thinking about waiting for the Wizard, but I just didn't need a keyboard, and it would have been too bulky.

[Guest budgeuk]

Well i got my M500 on friday and have had all weekend to play with it, i do like it. the only issue is my TOMTOM mobile 4 obviously doesn't work on the new phone, have emailed TomTom to see if i can up grade to Navigator.

if not i must still use my old phne as well :)

ho hum.

[Guest sporkguy]

for those of you who are after decent screen protectors for your M500, I got myself one from what appears to be a very reputable seller today,

he's got a few more for sale, and it seems like a bargain for £5 with p+p!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SPV-M500-DoPod-818-A...0QQcmdZViewItem

on another note, here's what my M500 desktop currently looks like :)

Edited August 21, 2005 by sporkguy

[Guest]

Well i got my M500 on friday and have had all weekend to play with it, i do like it. the only issue is my TOMTOM mobile 4 obviously doesn't work on the new phone, have emailed TomTom to see if i can up grade to Navigator.

if not i must still use my old phne as well :)

ho hum.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I very much doubt Tom Tom will let you upgrade between products but let us know if they do! I've got TTM5 and am reluctant to splash out on Navigator now.

[Guest PaulF]

for those of you who are after decent screen protectors for your M500, I got myself one from what appears to be a very reputable seller today,

he's got a few more for sale, and it seems like a bargain for £5 with p+p!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SPV-M500-DoPod-818-A...0QQcmdZViewItem

on another note, here's what my M500 desktop currently looks like :)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey Sporkguy!

What app(s) did you use to get your homescreen to look like that?

I'd love to get some shortcut icons direct onto my homescreen.....

Can you tell me how??

(superb reveiw by the way - this thread was what convinced me to get my M500 - I've had it about 5 days now and I LOVE IT !!)

Cheers

PaulF

[Guest sporkguy]

I'm using Wisbar Advance 2 with the Wisbar Desktop Beta 0.4 plugin for the desktop with icons - and then I used a combination of default icons and some Mac OS X ones.

Glad the review has helped you guys decide on getting the device, its a great little tool :)

[Guest zeflar]

One quick question to those that are using - how long does the battery last with average use ?.

Many thanks