App-unlocked Mio 8380 on eBay

[Guest ChezDoodles]

Hi,

I just bought a Mio 8380 on eBay. Some of the resellers claim they get the Mio 8380 directly from Mitac with no sim- or app-lock; and these units were never supposed to hit Taiwan, China or HongKong. Price has decreased the last few days - most units offered have a "Buy it Now" option for $699. I'll update in a few days when I receive one of these babies - if the app lock really is gone.

Regards,

[Guest nobznss]

Ya, keep me posted 'cause I'm thinking about doing the same!

[Guest rockdoc]

Don't want to worry you but I emailed all of the sellers of the mitac on ebay. Most did not know what application locking or certification was one of them who is a reliable seller I've bought from before thought it was app unlocked but when I queried whether he had got them from a service provider (in which case they probably would be locked) he was suddenly uncertain. Wish you luck, if it works out I'm right behind you.

[Guest Terwin]

I just got my Mio 8380 today. It's a Synnex/Mitac one from HK. It's app locked. Anything I can do to help break the lock on this phone? I think those ebay phones have to be app locked too and they're just ignorant what app locked means.

[Guest Pc-Mobile]

I think most people who bought the Mio do not know what app lock means.

How can you tell/test?

[Guest nobznss]

Just install an uncertified program, and try to run it. If it's decertified then it'll run, if not then it'll give an error message talking about Microsoft certification.

[Guest rockdoc]

Terwin....is your mio 8380 locked out to both uncertified and certified programs? This is important. Some folks might buy one of these if it was just locked out to uncertified programs but if my suspicions are correct the various cellular providers in china/taiwan have locked them out to all sorts of programs that have the ms certification.

[Guest rich_75034]

I received my Mio last week. I love the phone, but I can't even install themes. This thing appears to be locked down pretty tight. I hope that someone cracks this thing soon. Any suggestions?

[Guest Terwin]

Terwin....is your mio 8380 locked out to both uncertified and certified programs? This is important. Some folks might buy one of these if it was just locked out to uncertified programs but if my suspicions are correct the various cellular providers in china/taiwan have locked them out to all sorts of programs that have the ms certification.

I just tested it out tonight with a few demo apps. The phone locked out demos from www.handango.com, but every demo I installed from www.smartphone.net worked. The Synnex version of the phone is SIMless, so no SIM lock problem. I took it to a T-Mobile store at the local mall and it was working in about 5 minutes.

[Guest Terwin]

BTW, no uncertified apps would install.

[Guest rockdoc]

Just to get a little more detail.....www.smartphone.com is just a link to other sights none of which have apps...only ringtones, so where did you find applications?.

What apps did you try from Handago? I would hope some of the ones like repligo and codewallet pro would work...they have been around long enough and should have passed any providers screening procedure.

I have to say that although this looks like a great pda phone it is pretty much useless if you can't download specific programs to it....you might as well go and buy a samsung or motorola that runs java at half the price. It would be OK if you could run all of the ms certified programs but if most of them are locked out as well the mio 8380 starts to approach brick status IMHO.

[Guest Terwin]

Just to get a little more detail.....www.smartphone.com is just a link to other sights none of which have apps...only ringtones, so where did you find applications?

www.smartphone.net. Was a typo on my part.