I'M Looking For A Smartphone

[dufvenmark]

Decided on going to Hong Kong on Wednesday for Visa extension plus Rugby Sevens. Surely one should be able to get it there...

[TCA]

Looks like the ZTE Skate won't now be launched until around July in the UK, as opposed to May as thought previously. Quite fancy one of these:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2035350/zte-skate-arrive-uk

ZTE Skate smartphone will tip up in the UK

Due in the second half of 2011By Chris MartinFri Mar 18 2011, 12:11CHINESE PHONE MAKER ZTE's Skate smartphone will be available in the UK in the second half of 2011, not in May as initially projected.

ZTE was unable to give The INQUIRER any details about how much the phone will cost or what networks, if any, will carry it. At a briefing this morning in London Wu Sa, director of mobile devices at ZTE, promised the phone will appear as early as possible in the second half of this year. This will mean at least a two month delay compared to the announcement at MWC for a May release date.

The Skate is ZTE's follow up to its Blade smartphone, better known by the name San Francisco from the mobile operator Orange. The Skate is a bigger and faster version of the San Francisco with a 4.3-inch 480x800 touchscreen and an 800MHz processor running Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

It's 10.8mm thick and weights 120g. It has one rear facing 5MP camera, A-GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and G Sensors. In 2010 ZTE sold 60 million handsets worldwide and of this 2 million were smartphones, all the San Francisco model. This represents seven to eight per cent of UK smartphone sales, which ZTE has said it aims to double for 2011.

ZTE is uncertain whether its smartphone will keep the ZTE or Skate brand names or whether a network will rebrand it like Orange did with the San Francisco last year.

[Darrel]

The Skate sounds nice. Hopefully it will be priced the same way as the Blade.

Anyone thinking of buying a Blade should be aware that it seems the most recent models (only distributed since a couple of days ago) are not as easy to unlock or flash as the earlier models. It can still be done though, apparently.

[lomatopo]

FWIW, I did see this office in Fortune Town today, room 2/026, it is adjacent to a Hwawei office...

Edited March 25, 2011 by lomatopo

[Darrel]

If anyone is interested in buying a Blade in the UK, it seems it is now possible to flash a ROM that allows 850Ghz tuning (for True 3G mobile data, for example). Indeed new (second generation) Blades may now even come with this as standard.

Internal available memory can also be increased.

[lomatopo]

If anyone is interested in buying a Blade in the UK, it seems it is now possible to flash a ROM that allows 850Ghz tuning (for True 3G mobile data, for example).

Internal available memory can also be increased.

Can you provide any supporting information or links? I would be supremely amazed if this were possible. In every case I am aware of manufacturers use different hardware for different 3G radio markets with the typical applications being 900/2100 or 850/1900/2100. A lot of people think you can re-program the hardware in this case a 900/2100 component to 850 Mhz, but you cannot.

Obviously, some high-end phones/dongles support quad bands, like the iPhone 4, Nokia N8, and perhaps the coming generation of high-end models like the Galaxy S2. And I've excluded the T-Mobile USA funky 3G frequencies.

I'd also like to hear how internal memory can be increased; this sounds like alchemy? Perhaps existing memory can be better managed, freeing up more for other uses, many custom ROMs do this already.

[Darrel]

Can you provide any supporting information or links? I would be supremely amazed if this were possible.

Prepare to be dazzled.

There is nothing new about locking-down devices in firmware.

Most devices that one buys these days are based on quite standard chips that have multiple functions and capabilities, and the assemblers just lock out the parts they dont need/want to provide in the cheaper models. Your car's management system will be the same, as will your TV and your washing machine.

I'd also like to hear how internal memory can be increased; this sounds like alchemy?

Identical answer. The Blade has 512MB of internal memory but the first generation model is partioned in such a way as to make only half available. This is done quite deliberately so as to make higher priced models look better than cheap ones. I did say "available memory" quite specifically in my post. Obviously one cant add extra new memory in firmware.

This is also common practice in other devices, as is the locking down of processors to give lower speeds on cheaper models: very common with computer graphics cards and CPUs. It all happens all the time.

[PattayaParent]

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/20-best-mobile-phones-in-the-world-today-645440?artc_pg=2

Review from 3 March on the top 20 'phones.

[Darrel]

Review from 3 March on the top 20 'phones.

With the Blade (aka Orange San Franscisco) at number 9.

[thaicbr]

Review from 3 March on the top 20 'phones.

With the Blade (aka Orange San Franscisco) at number 9.

Which is pretty dam_n good for a 99 uk pound phone (4,000baht)

My Sanfrancisco is waiting for me at my mums.

i get to see it on sunday when i go back to the UK for a short visit. Darrel have you actually installed the new rom. If so how is it. does the 850 work ok???

[lomatopo]

Can you provide any supporting information or links? I would be supremely amazed if this were possible.

Prepare to be dazzled.

There is nothing new about locking-down devices in firmware.

Most devices that one buys these days are based on quite standard chips that have multiple functions and capabilities, and the assemblers just lock out the parts they dont need/want to provide in the cheaper models. Your car's management system will be the same, as will your TV and your washing machine.

I'd also like to hear how internal memory can be increased; this sounds like alchemy?

Identical answer. The Blade has 512MB of internal memory but the first generation model is partioned in such a way as to make only half available. This is done quite deliberately so as to make higher priced models look better than cheap ones. I did say "available memory" quite specifically in my post. Obviously one cant add extra new memory in firmware.

This is also common practice in other devices, as is the locking down of processors to give lower speeds on cheaper models: very common with computer graphics cards and CPUs. It all happens all the time.

I'm hardly dazzled.

Sorry to burst your bubble but the Blade does not have an 850 Mhz capable 3G radio, so no custom ROM can enable something that doesn't exist. At best you may be able to enable GSM 850 Mhz, which is of course vastly different than 3G 850 Mhz.

As I've already said, the 3G radio hardware is different for specific models, markets and not all-encompassing.

In the thread you linked it is interesting that no one has yet confirmed even being able to turn on GSM 850!

And thanks for clarifying the ability to de-cripple the Blade to access more memory. That makes more sense now.

It is interesting that you have to go to such extremes to make this model usable? It might be nice to hear how the stock model performs, provided you could buy it here?

Edited April 6, 2011 by lomatopo

[Darrel]

Sorry to burst your bubble but the Blade does not have an 850 Mhz capable 3G radio, so no custom ROM can enable something that doesn't exist. At best you may be able to enable GSM 850 Mhz, which is of course vastly different than 3G 850 Mhz.

As I've already said, the 3G radio hardware is different for specific models, markets and not all-encompassing.

In the thread you linked it is interesting that no one has yet confirmed even being able to turn on GSM 850!

I didnt look at the thread very closely as it's not a function that I need or want (nor would most people in the UK for that matter), but I was interested to see that some people had (apparently) had success with it, and I reported it here in case others might like to try in Thailand with True 3G. Personally I would not be at all surprised if the Blade could do 850MHz 3G and everything else, for the reasons I gave. Hardware just isnt often specific any more: it's generally universal and adjusted in firmware to suit the market.

It is interesting that you have to go to such extremes to make this model usable? It might be nice to hear how the stock model performs, provided you could buy it here?

The Android 2.1 Blade as purchased is totally usable, but it works better with Android 2.2 or 2.3 (as indeed do nearly all Android phones). Also by flashing another ROM one can remove the somewhat ugly/pointless Orange branding and apps. Flashing is not very difficult and is certainly not "extreme". It does need a little preparation though.

The official 2.2 is currently being released in some countries and may well appear in the UK soon. Official 2.3 will probably never arrive but the version I'm using (Cyanogen 7 RC4) works perfectly for my needs.

For 4500B it is a very good value phone. Coupled with a more advanced ROM it is extremely good value. I see no reason to pay 4 times as much for something very similar.

[Darrel]

i get to see it on sunday when i go back to the UK for a short visit. Darrel have you actually installed the new rom. If so how is it. does the 850 work ok???

No, I haven't tried that one as mobile data is not a function that I require (or want to pay for!). As mentioned in another post in this thread, it may not actually be working. Interesting to keep an eye on though. I am using Cyanogen CM7 RC4, which does everything I need and works well.

When you get your Blade, be very careful to verify whether it is a 1st or 2nd generation model (there is an app for this - see the Modaco forum). You cannot swop ROMs from gen1 to gen2 and back without some extra work, and at the moment there is little real support from the ROM developers for gen2 phones, though this will surely come soon. You should also back up the ROM that your Blade comes with, just in case you need to reflash it for warranty reasons. The procedure for unlocking the phone is also different for the gen2 model. So do the reading before you start flashing.

And get yourself the silicone case and screen protector from Ebay.

As 2.2 is probably "coming soon" for the Orange Blade anyway, it may be worthwhile just waiting for that, unless you particularly want a function that only 2.3 or a modded ROM provides. You can remove nearly all the Orange branding without flashing another ROM. The biggest single difference I noticed on my Blade was going from 2.1 to 2.2

Either way, for the cost of a decent MP3 player you really cant beat this phone and what it can do. Hope you have fun with yours.

[thaicbr]

Thanks for the advice Darrel.. When i get home 1st phone call is to Orange to check on the 2.2 upgrade..

[ThaiLife]

Thanks for the advice Darrel.. When i get home 1st phone call is to Orange to check on the 2.2 upgrade..

This looks interesting

How To Install Android 2.2 (FroYo) / Custom ROMs From Scratch On The Orange San Francisco / ZTE Blade

Article Link .....

TL :jap:

[Darrel]

It is indeed a useful link but the info is gleaned from the Modaco website and it is not an official 2.2 ROM from Orange. Personally I would skip that one and go for the Cyanogen 2.3, or just wait for the official 2.2

Another thing to remember is that the guide mentioned above may not be up to date for gen2 models. The Modaco site is up to date (if a little complex). It is important not to flash gen2 phones with a gen1 ROM as it wont work.

Not much point calling Orange about an official update as they wont say much even if they know (which I doubt!), but when an official update does become available then you can be sure that the link to it will appear on the Modaco and SanFran websites as well as the Orange site.

[ThaiLife]

It is indeed a useful link but the info is gleaned from the Modaco website and it is not an official 2.2 ROM from Orange. Personally I would skip that one and go for the Cyanogen 2.3, or just wait for the official 2.2

Another thing to remember is that the guide mentioned above may not be up to date for gen2 models. The Modaco site is up to date (if a little complex). It is important not to flash gen2 phones with a gen1 ROM as it wont work.

Not much point calling Orange about an official update as they wont say much even if they know (which I doubt!), but when an official update does become available then you can be sure that the link to it will appear on the Modaco and SanFran websites as well as the Orange site.

Thanks Darrel

Ive got one coming over ( from Argos ) with a mate , looking forward to trying a few things out .

TL :jap:

[rak sa_ngop]

I have just seen a full page advert in one of the glossy's for an Acer Liquid Metal. I have checked the specs and it looks pretty good with a LED flash (something missing in the present Galaxy S range) and Android 2.2 for 14,900 baht with free 8 GB micro SD at Jaymart.

Anybody have any opinions on this model?

[ThaiLife]

Hi , Ive been looking for a new phone , the WellcoM A99 seems to have a good specification too . Ive had a play with it and the price at the time around 10,900 ฿ , and it came with a Free 8GB , a second camera and HDMI TV out

The Huawie U9000 IDEOS X6 is the same as the WellcoM A99

Just a Thought

WellcoM A99 Link

TL :jap:

[Aquarius83]

Hi, is ZTE Blade available in Thailand yet, friend recommended this phone today but i didnt find it at any netshop and google didnt gave me any info.

[moo9]

Nokia N8 o E7 with Symbian ANNA update (BELLE will follow soon), if you like the touch of a real phone, no plastic junk.

Both are good for the normal normal smartphone operation...if you opt for Galaxy or stuff like that, then you are a) young or/and love stupid games on the phone. Furthermore I realy hate to have these falt phones in my hand, not very comfortable.

[lomatopo]

Nokia N8 o E7 with Symbian ANNA update (BELLE will follow soon),

So have Nokia adopted the hurricane/typhoon (natural disasters where many people die) naming sequence for their software releases now?

Let me guess, Chloe comes next? Then Danielle? Elise? Then Fugettaboutit? (Actually this experiment will end before the need "F", or they get to "K" maybe best to pass on Katrina.)

Sheesh. The last gasp.

[Aquarius83]

Nokia N8 o E7 with Symbian ANNA update (BELLE will follow soon), if you like the touch of a real phone, no plastic junk.

Both are good for the normal normal smartphone operation...if you opt for Galaxy or stuff like that, then you are a) young or/and love stupid games on the phone. Furthermore I realy hate to have these falt phones in my hand, not very comfortable.

For who was this writing for? Some quoting might be nice.

I myself have been buying Nokia's since -97 and basically just because it's from Finland like i am. Just lost N97 mini and 5800 before this, so some cheap phone with okay features would be nice for now on.

Edited August 23, 2011 by Aquarius83