Orange SPV M500 Review

[Guest chucky.egg]

Mine's not very busy ATM and I'm getting 2 days out of one full charge

WiFi cards, and Bluetooth connections seem to knock it down pretty quick though

[Guest PaulF]

Mine's not very busy ATM and I'm getting 2 days out of one full charge

WiFi cards, and Bluetooth connections seem to knock it down pretty quick though

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree - I managed to use up virtually all the battery in one day the first day I had it (but I couldn't stop playing with it!!)

Now I'm getting about 2 days at work (I get more phone calls) and probably 3 on weekends/holiday (with only a couple of calls a day)

I haven't got WiFi, and I've kept BlueTooth turned off as I don't need it at the moment.

[Guest sporkguy]

I'm about the same, tho I tend to take more calls at the weekend (tend to use shop phone's for work) so my average life is about 3 days with BT switched off unless its needed.

Plus I tend to charge it when I sync, and I can charge it with the mountain of SPV chargers we have at work :)

[Guest Johnno1865]

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 is great and it worked a treat -however, do you have any idea what all these files actually install - I've installed the GPRS settings and a couple of other but I don't even know what most of them do - any ideas? (please see Doc1 attached for list of files)

Thanks Johnno

Doc1.doc

[Guest confused and hungover]

i have the same problem, i installed a few files willy nilly but i basically have no idea what i'm doing and GPRS doesn't work, plus the buttons still dial out when the phone is switched off, plus i only have the vibrate function for alarms... any suggestions?

[Guest flipper]

i have the same problem, i installed a few files willy nilly but i basically have no idea what i'm doing and GPRS doesn't work, plus the buttons still dial out when the phone is switched off, plus i only have the vibrate function for alarms... any suggestions?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Read this thread: http://www.modaco.com/Orange_Extended_ROM_...el-t225152.html

the file list is there.

[Guest confused and hungover]

Read this thread: http://www.modaco.com/Orange_Extended_ROM_...el-t225152.html

the file list is there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

sweet! cheers :)

[Guest scoobytwo]

Im thinking of getting the SVP m500 with my next upgrade so id be happy if anyone can answer some questions for me.

This phone doesnt come with a SD card on orange does it?

What is the maximum size of SD card this phone takes?

Whats the MP3 player aspect of this phone like, is it any good?

Is it fairly simple to play and transfer music onto it?

Is there any websites that give a proper spec for the phone as the orange site is pretty rubbish at giving you info. Does anyone know the manufactures website?

thanks in advance.

Edited August 31, 2005 by scoobytwo

[Guest budgeuk]

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well as i thought.....

Thankyou for your email.

Unfotunately it is not possible the upgrade from TomTom Mobile to TomTom Navigator since we are talking about two different products.In order to use TomTom software and maps on a PDA you need to have the product TomTom Navigator 5.

Please click on the following link for further information:

http://www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=99&Language=1

well i dont like to say but i have allready spent £170 on tomtom mobile... i saw on ebay tomtom navigator software for a fiver!! i have the gps device so i might do that!

:) would rather of had an upgrade ;)

[Guest sporkguy]

the hell is a SVP m700?! :)

[Guest craighome]

Hi

Could anyone comment on the call quality of their M500 as I have received mine today and everytime I phone people they say it's echo-ing very badly.

The phone reception bars look ok - maybe I have a duff phone. Can anyone who works for Orange comment too!!

Thanks for your help

Craig

[Guest Xenzo1990]

Ive had no comments about echoing. Im sure I would by now, ive been calling on it for over a week!

[Guest chrisbpr]

good review...could you tell me how far a standered sd card sticks out of the top of the device as one of the piccies shows it sticking out a fair way, ta.

[Guest chucky.egg]

The pic with the SD card sticking out is only to show you where they go, when a normal SD card is inserted it doesn't stick out at all.

With one of the eBuyer WiFi SD cards in it sticks out about 5mm (guesstimated) so it wont fit comfortably in my phone case, but TBH that's never been an issue - with the WiFi card in battery drain is much faster so I don't cary it around with that in.

[Guest confused and hungover]

Whats the MP3 player aspect of this phone like, is it any good?

Is it fairly simple to play and transfer music onto it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i had a few beers on the train home last night, listening to some music on the M500. predictably it got louder as the journey progressed and by the time i got home i had everything set to full volume... i'm well impressed, it was sooooo loud, maybe even twice as loud as my C500 and the quality was perfect. that was the first time i actually listened to music on it, up untill now i've mostly stored movies on... not anymore :)

[Guest web-rover]

If it runs out of battery life it will lose everything - suggest use something like sprite backup. Well worth it for the hassle it saves (I just had a replacement C500 delivered this morning and it took less than 5 minutes to restore - less hassle)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Apparently there's also a backup battery which stays in the machine. Provided it has over 50% charge you won't lose your contacts. But when I started mine up from the box it said it had 5% and everything still worked OK.

There is a backup programme with the Orange software to "wirelessly backup". I sense that means it backs up to Orange servers which must cost a fortune!

I agree, well worth while getting a backup prog and keeping it on an SD card or your PC. Had mine a week and no resets, no tears and my old copy of Pocket Informant works fine.

My view? Well worth while. And you might be able to get Orange to give you a free upgrade as they did me.

[Guest antonyc]

what happens when u play games on it?

[Guest Pondrew]

what happens when u play games on it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can you be more specific with your question? What did you want to know?

The M500 is a pocket pc phone hence will only run games for that platform if that helps

[Guest mcwarre]

There is a backup programme with the Orange software to "wirelessly backup".  I sense that means it backs up to Orange servers which must cost a fortune!

That's an Orange function which backs up your contacts/calender/mail/documents via a GPRS service so yes, it costs (not much) but it is not a true backup ala Sprite or similar

[Guest sidtheparrot]

Excellent Review.

Just one question though, how do you flash the phone to get rid of the orange "stuff"?

Also, are there any dust issues with the phone? I keep the phone in my pocket and was wondering weather to invest in a decent case?

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello,

I found the easiest way to get rid of all the memory hungry orange fodder, is to do a hard reset, when the phone starts to count down from 3 (to install the orange programs etc) just switch off the phone.

This worked for me, my pda is now much more stable and feels a little faster too.

The only thing is a few of the programs where quite handy, I hope that they're on the software cd. I've not checked as yet (I've only had the phone a few day).

I hope this helps someone.

[Guest Bommer]

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}>

Look guy i just had a choice between the m500 and the m2000. i tried them both for bout a week and there is no question. the m200 is seriously a better phone. Even if you have to pay a bit more the extra features, most imortantly the keyboard did it for me. I even typed this reply on the m2000.

[Guest sporkguy]

apologies, but I'm editing the images of the review to now contain watermarks as some idiot has stolen one and used it in his eBay auction without permission.

as much as I hate watermarks, its the only solution to prevent this again. sorry folks.

[Guest mitman]

Look guy i just had a choice between the m500 and the m2000. i tried them both for bout a week and there is no question. the m200 is seriously a better phone. Even if you have to pay a bit more the extra features, most imortantly the keyboard did it for me. I even typed this reply on the m2000.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, the M2000 has greater capabilities than the M500. The only reason I went for the M500 is for the size as I found the M2000 too large. I'm sure that's why the majority of people went for it over an M2000.

[Guest Br1an_g]

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

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ive got an s110 on O2.

noob question..i cant find the flap you are talking about..:oops:

[Guest chucky.egg]

The flap might not be on the s110, I don't know.

Your manual should tell you where the Reset button is, but assuming it's roughly the same as the M500 it's on the bottom of the phone (where the power/USB socket is) and to the right of the headset socket. It's a tiny circular hole.