M500 questions for help please

[Guest ryanred5]

Hiya

Ive had a good read through this forum and found some great tips, but there is a few questions Id still like to ask. I know how to use the SPV range, having had the E100, E200 and now the C500, but the M500 is a different kettle of fish for me.

Here they are, hope someone can help:-

1. Id like to have the Start button at the bottom of the screen instead of the top, is it possible to do that with a plugin or something like that?

2. Themes - are these similar to the homescreens for the SPV phones, Ive found a few good theme places, but where do you download them too?

3. I use MSN Messenger quite alot, and when I signed out of it on my C500, the GPRS connection used to drop straight after, but it doesnt on the M500, is there anything Im not doing, I know I can just press the red phone hang up button?

4. I had a home screen that I created myself for the C500, it just had Orange at the top in the middle, and the date and time at the bottom at either side. Is there any way of creating a screen like that, if so how? I know C500 use xml files.

5. I want a case for the M500, Ive seen a few on Ebay, I like to use Krusell cases, find them really good, but having read about problems with cases not fitting properly, can someone tell me if these are okay or not?

Krusell Case

or is this a better case.

Another Krusell case

Hope someone can help with these questions.

Thanks alot in advance

Catherine

Edited January 22, 2006 by ryanred5

[Guest Disco Stu]

I'll make a start...

1. I don't think I've ever seen this done but it may be possible.

2. PPC themes come as tsk files and you copy them into your My Documents folder.

3. As an open GPRS connection doesn't cost you in terms of money or power this isn't all that important. Holding down the red button is the easiest way to shut it down though.

4. I haven't seen any free theme-making programs but you might want to look at these :

Kamware's Thememaker range

Thememaker McDeb

Alternatively you could put a resized jpeg from your simple Orange skin into My Documents and go to Settings, Today, Appearance tab and use the 'Use this picture' option.

5. Haven't used a Krussell case with my Magician but love this Brando one :

http://shop.brando.com.hk/bwo2xdaIIminicase.php

Proporta are another popular supplier you could look at.

[Guest ryanred5]

Hi Stu, thanks for answering my questions.

1. Ill have a nosey about to see if I can find anything that can do it, probably a plug in Im guessing.

2. I managed to download some and put them in the Windows directory, which was where the info I got off the net told me to put them, the M500 did find them, and its now sporting a very snazzy Vaio laptop piccie (I have a Vaio)

3. Right okay, Ill just use the red button to shut GPRS down. As long as nothing is downloading the connection doesnt charge you does it?

4. TBH I cant remember how I did the C500 one, I think I took a XML file and fiddled with it, I dont think they have anything like that on the M500 do they?

5. Ive seen a few Krusell cases and they seem to have the wrong holes on them for the M500. I might just get one anyway, and have a fiddle with it.

One other question I wanted help with is, I have read that the M500 doesnt turn off it just goes into standby when you press the power button, does leaving it in standby like this actually use any power from the battery.

Thanks again

Catherine

[Guest Disco Stu]

With GPRS you only pay for data transferred so there's no cost involved until you up/download something. I imagine there's a power saving in not connecting/disconnecting/reconnecting and of course it will be quicker to leave it on !

You can tap the G symbol to close the connection with the stylus but I found that I was moaning about always having to get the stylus out when a lot could be done much quicker and easier with the hardware buttons. There might even be a way of getting MS Voice Command to do it for you...

I remember your Orange skin and still have a copy of the xml. We were collecting simple skins with minimal information for better display of images. I have no idea how tsk files work and haven't heard of people writing them from scratch but you can use your own images with the standard Today screen and then deselect all the plugin items you don't need. You'd have to resize the image to 240x320 to fit though.

The big problem with PPCs running WM2003 is the lack of persistent storage. The M500 therefore is using some battery power to retain data in the memory when in standby mode. Although you have a backup battery it doesn't last long and complete power loss means total data loss - hard reset time.

Shutting down background programs and keeping Today screen plugins to a minimum is the best way to prolong battery life. I bought a battery pack from AddonsWorld for travelling and it was a life-saver.

PPCs can be hard work but it's fantastic having all that power in your pocket !

Tim

[Guest ryanred5]

With GPRS you only pay for data transferred so there's no cost involved until you up/download something. I imagine there's a power saving in not connecting/disconnecting/reconnecting and of course it will be quicker to leave it on !

You can tap the G symbol to close the connection with the stylus but I found that I was moaning about always having to get the stylus out when a lot could be done much quicker and easier with the hardware buttons. There might even be a way of getting MS Voice Command to do it for you...

Ill just press the red hangup button from now on, dont want to be leaving the GPRS on even though there is nothing downloading. After having a £188 bill in October with my C500 from using MSN Messenger and the net, Im abit scared of getting a bill like that again. Mind you Orange did admit to charging me wrong a few weeks ago and Ive just been issued with a £93 credit (nice one eh!!).

I remember your Orange skin and still have a copy of the xml. We were collecting simple skins with minimal information for better display of images. I have no idea how tsk files work and haven't heard of people writing them from scratch but you can use your own images with the standard Today screen and then deselect all the plugin items you don't need. You'd have to resize the image to 240x320 to fit though.

Wow you remember the skin, blooming heck, thats from ages ago. It was just dead simple though and you could see all the background, just what I wanted.

TBH Im going to leave just the date on the Today screen and use the start button to go to anything I want.

The big problem with PPCs running WM2003 is the lack of persistent storage. The M500 therefore is using some battery power to retain data in the memory when in standby mode. Although you have a backup battery it doesn't last long and complete power loss means total data loss - hard reset time.

Shutting down background programs and keeping Today screen plugins to a minimum is the best way to prolong battery life. I bought a battery pack from AddonsWorld for travelling and it was a life-saver.

How come stuff was never lost on a C500 or the other SPVs, cos they dont have a hard drive either??

I do charge quite alot, cos my charger is plugged in next to my bed, and cos I take the phone up to bed, it easy enough to check what battery is left and then charging it.

Im planning on buying a memory card for the M500, so I guess its best to install everything to that, so that stuff isnt lost.

PPCs can be hard work but it's fantastic having all that power in your pocket !

Tbh Tim I dont really need a PDA type phone, I just want one. ;) I love the stuff thats on the C500, MSN Messenger (to keep in touch with my friends when Ive not got my puter), the Internet and other bits on it, so the M500 was the next natural phone up for me. Im sure Ill suss it out eventually.

Another quick question for you, when you click start and you have the list of apps you can open. There is a list underneath of stuff that Ive opened, how do I get rid of that list, is there anyway of deleting them (recent opened items they are).

Thanks for your help.

Catherine

[Guest Disco Stu]

Mind you Orange did admit to charging me wrong a few weeks ago and Ive just been issued with a £93 credit (nice one eh!!).

Good for you. Hopefully it didn't take too much of a struggle :D

TBH Im going to leave just the date on the Today screen and use the start button to go to anything I want.

Do you know that if you go into Settings, Buttons you can change the functions and use one of them (Camera in my case) to fire up the Start menu ? That way you can scroll through the Programs list with the D-Pad rather than taking out the stylus.

How come stuff was never lost on a C500 or the other SPVs, cos they dont have a hard drive either??

They do have 'persistant memory' though which does the job. I have no idea what the technicalities are though so don't ask ! ;)

Tbh Tim I dont really need a PDA type phone, I just want one.

Same here. I've never used Word, Excel or Powerpoint. I use my Jam most as an MP3 player and games are fantastic on PPCs.

Another quick question for you, when you click start and you have the list of apps you can open. There is a list underneath of stuff that Ive opened, how do I get rid of that list, is there anyway of deleting them (recent opened items they are).

I use Tweaks 2k2 (available from MoDaCo's software store :D ) which will do this. It might be a sledgehammer/nut solution but I've not heard of a simpler way.

I wonder if eventually you'll miss the simplicity of a Smartphone, particularly when texting. I did and got a C600 recently but the relative lack of software is getting me down now :roll:

Tim

[Guest ryanred5]

Do you know that if you go into Settings, Buttons you can change the functions and use one of them (Camera in my case) to fire up the Start menu ? That way you can scroll through the Programs list with the D-Pad rather than taking out the stylus.

No I didnt know that, Ill have to change one of the buttons then.

They do have 'persistant memory' though which does the job. I have no idea what the technicalities are though so don't ask !  ;)

Funnily I put a file manager software on the M500 and even though I had to remove the battery the programme was still there when I reinserted the battery and turned it back on. MMMMMM

Same here. I've never used Word, Excel or Powerpoint. I use my Jam mostly as an MP3 player and games are fantastic on PPCs.

I think I will use the word side of the program, but not Excel or PP, but at least they are there.

Where is there some free good games, cos I love games to play, mind you I am addicted to Jawbreaker. :-)

I wonder if eventually you'll miss the simplicity of a Smartphone, particularly when texting. I did and got a C600 recently but the relative lack of software is getting me down now  :roll:

I dont think it will, cos Im finding texting and using MSN great using the stylus and virtual keyboard, alot easier than my spelling mistaked errors using the keypad.

Heres another question for you. I have wifi in my house for my laptop and was thinking it would be great to get a wifi card for the M500, having read the Ebuyer thread about one, would that be fine to use in my M500 and if so how do you connect. I have WPA on my router plus its set only to accept certain Mac addresses, I take it I can bypass that cos I think the Wifi card for the PDA would have a mac address wouldnt it?

Catherine xx

[Guest Disco Stu]

Funnily I put a file manager software on the M500 and even though I had to remove the battery the programme was still there when I reinserted the battery and turned it back on. MMMMMM

Poclet PCs have a backup battery somewhere though so as long as the main one wasn't out for too long you will not lose data & software immediately. There may also be a very clever difference between the M500 and the Jam though which I'm not aware of ! :?: ;)

Heres another question for you. I have wifi in my house for my laptop and was thinking it would be great to get a wifi card for the M500, having read the Ebuyer thread about one, would that be fine to use in my M500 and if so how do you connect. I have WPA on my router plus its set only to accept certain Mac addresses, I take it I can bypass that cos I think the Wifi card for the PDA would have a mac address wouldnt it?

I'm sorry but I've no experience of WiFi so you might want to repost this as a seperate topic :oops:

Where is there some free good games, cos I love games to play, mind you I am addicted to Jawbreaker. :-)

Try here : freewareppc.com

Tim