Smartphone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

"The Samsung BlackJack is a slim, stylish mobile entertainment and organizational powerhouse. It plays: with Cellular Video and AT&T Mobile Music - exclusive TV content and your digital tunes. And it works: with Microsoft® Windows Mobile 5, Mobile Office TM applications, personal and corporate email and attachment support. And it does it all at break-neck 3G speeds. Only from AT&T."



Looking to replace your existing Windows Mobile Standard device? Right now AT&T has a fantastic online deal which involves a free Samsung Blackjack. What’s the catch? As always to qualify for a bargain such as this you will need to sign away the next two years of your life to AT&T Mobility. Sure the Samsung Blackjack is an older handset but this little engine that could still has a bit more 'chug' left in it. It's small, speedy, slim, and sleek; 3G enabled and was just upgraded to windows Mobile 6 not even a few months ago - though it appears only the Windows Mobile 5 versions are available online. Given everything that the Samsung Blackjack is I have to admit to being a little surprised that they're giving it away for free with no mail-in rebate. Usually a deal this good is accompanied by some kind of ring of fire that we have to jump through. It makes me wonder though - could this be the beginning of AT&T phasing out the Samsung Blackjack? If so I hope they replace it with something on par or better (which will not be an easy thing to do!)

So the other day I had the urge to change my homescreen and add something fresh and new into the mix. Searching around the Interweb, I ran across this Samsung Blackjack carousel inspired homescreen created by stellsit dubbed "Card Wheel Vista". While the homescreen contains none of the flashy animated goodness that the European Samsung Blackjack owners were blessed with, it is still pretty cool none-the-less. If you were looking for a new fun homescreen, I suggest giving this one a download! I should warn you ahead of time, the designers site is in Korean. For those that do not know Korean, I have created a a download link below!



DOWNLOAD: "Card Wheel Vista" Homescreen

Product Category: Games
Manufacturer: Astraware
Where to Buy: MobiHand [Affiliate]
Price: $19.95
System Requirements: Windows Mobile 2003 or later. QVGA or QVGA Landscape resolution screen.

Pros:

• Fun and addicting
• Great way to pass the time
• Includes instructions for how to play each game
  

Cons:

• Smartphone button layouts can make gaming awkward
  

Summary: I’m going to spoil this review for you from the get go and let you know that this is one of the most entertaining games I have ever played on my Windows Mobile handset. I would also like to start off and mention that I do not gamble one bit. I don’t even play the lottery. Reason being is I happen to get bored very easily and always end up making stupid betting decisions just to make things a bit more interesting… and then I lose all of my money. It’s a vicious cycle I tell you! This is where Astraware came in and saved the day. You can still lose in Casino – In fact I have lost a lot in Casino – but Astraware has found a way to make losing virtual money entertaining by giving away souvenirs for just about everything, including losing! So enough with my rambling and let’s get on to the review! Read more...

"Tam Hanna has taken the time to go over Handango's "Yardstick 2007" report (not my favorite company, but that's a different rant) which shows how the industry is changing in terms of platforms (PalmOS, WM Standard, WM Pro, Sybmian, BB) and category of applications e.g. games, productivity, etc. With the added touch of some simple Excel graphs, Tam finds some very interesting results. For instance, in the number of new applications added for WM Professional, it actually dipped in 2007 compared to 2006--which is quite the surprise. However, WM Standard actually increased, suggesting non-touchscreen devices, which have become more prevalent and cheaper, are quickly growing and balancing out Standard's big bro's position."



WMExperts has posted an interesting article which outlines the trends in recent software purchasing through Handango. A surprising tidbit of information that came to light is that more people are purchasing applications for Standard devices than their Windows Mobile touch screen counterparts. What is even more interesting is that the top Windows Mobile Standard devices purchasing these software packages are the Samsung Blackjack and the Motorola Q. It makes me happy to see more individuals adopting Windows Mobile Standard devices as well as supporting the developers that create applications for our handhelds. Without the developers that help expand the feature set of our handhelds we would not have as rich of experiences as we do now. I know I for one couldn't go one without FlexWallet (now eWallet 6) or Facade. I would just be plan lost without both of those applications.

I know I ask this question all the time, but I love the responses and every time I ask it someone introduces me to another great application I never knew existed. So what applications can you, our readers, not live without?

"You might have noticed that 2008 is a leap year and while you (and even Microsoft's Outlook Mobile) noticed it, it seems Samsung's BlackJack, BlackJack II and ACE Windows Mobile smartphones have overseen it... Anyway, I've got my hands on a couple of patches, just small CAB files for your device, which corrects the issue described above. So if you are either using a Windows Mobile 6 upgraded BlackJack/SGH-i607 (the patch isn't working with Windows Mobile 5.0) or a new BlackJack II/SGH-i617 or a recently released ACE/SPH-i325 Windows Mobile Standard smartphone, you might want to install the patch to get the Home screen issue fixed."



Just like Mike (no pun intended), I was a little baffled to see that phone was trying to trick me into believing I was living one calendar day in the past. Now the good news is there is a fix for this annoyance. Arne Hess of the::unwired fame has a few patches in the form of CAB files on his site that will correct this issue for us. The only bad news is if you have to perform a hard-reset in the future, you will have to reinstall this patch. Hopefully, if we're lucky, Samsung will just release some fancy Windows Mobile 6.1 ROMs for our Samsung Blackjack, Blackjack II and ACE handsets.

EDIT: I have created a ZIP archive containing all three patches. You can download it by clicking here .

"QoreFunctions, makers of the popular PushEffect application for Windows Mobile SmartPhones is pleased to announce the immediate availability of LEDAlerts - Custom LED notifications for your Windows Mobile 6 SmartPhone!"



QoreFunctions LEDAlerts is a pretty cool application that allows you to put those lazy LED lights to good use. With LEDAlerts you can activate your device's LEDs for missed calls and missed reminders as well as new voice mail messages, email messages, SMS messages, and MMS messages. As I said, pretty cool application... unfortunately the only device that is on the market that would make this a useful application is the Samsung Blackjack II which has a ridiculous 7 different color LED lights! Who knew?!

Don't be discouraged though, LEDAlerts is also compatible with the HTC S730, Verizon SMT5800, T-Mobile Dash/S620 though these handsets only have one LED light available for use. You can purchase LEDAlerts from QoreFunctions' website for $12.95USD

"After spending some quality time with Samsung's ACE for Sprint the past few days, yep, we can now say with confidence what we've suspected all along: it's essentially a BlackJack in Sprint clothing. Actually, it's more accurate to say that it's 95 percent BlackJack and 5 percent improvement, with a more inward-slanted, square d-pad that makes it considerably harder to accidentally hit the surrounding controls, and angled keys that offer an embedded numeric pad in the proper configuration... The Windows Mobile 6 Standard software load is fairly typical, albeit mildly Sprint-ified with a yellow theme and shortcuts to access On Demand, Sprint TV, and the like. The phone seemed reasonably snappy, and the EV-DO modem hauled butt when we downloaded the Sprint TV client..."



This phone looks incredibly awesome. The only downside that I can see is that it is on the Sprint-Nextel network. Now I don't mean to bash the Sprint network for those of you that are on it and are happy with their service, though as someone that use to work for Sprint behind the scenes, I can tell you first hand that it is one of the most dysfunctional networks on the planet... but at least they now have pretty phones. I do have to admit, the though of a dual CDMA/GSM Smartphone does give me goosebumps. If any of our readers happened to pick up this ultra sleek handset, we would love to hear your thoughts and input on how well it performs!

"After having given its newer BlackJack II cousin plenty of breathing room in the WinMo 6 spotlight, Samsung's finally doubling back to bring the original up to spec. No, seriously: as of 5PM Eastern Time today, you'll be able to hit the attached link and download Windows Mobile 6 (an official ROM, finally) for your old-skool BlackJack in all its glory. For folks not in need of the II's GPS, the upgrade should breathe new life into a handset that still holds its own in the smartphone pack, and for some time now, has been just one small upgrade away from avoiding the proverbial glue factory. Let us know how it goes, updaters!"



Woohoo! I think it is safe to say that all of the original AT&T Samsung Blackjack owners can finally breathe a sigh of relief. While everyone has been telling us an update is on the way, times were starting to look bleak as Samsung and AT&T released an upgraded version of the older hardware. Normally once a company does that, there is no reason to upgrade the previous generation's software. Luckily for us though, Samsung and AT&T (and of course, Microsoft) stepped up to the plate and decided to not only release a software update for their older hardware, but didn't charge us an arm and a leg for it either!

NOTE: The update will not be available for download until after 5:00PM Eastern Standard Time! Please keep in mind that if you try to download the update now, you will only download the Windows Mobile 5 update!

"The BlackJack was one of the biggest smartphone stories of 2006. Upon release, it ran the tiny operating system du jour, Windows Mobile 5. Since then, a slew of new handhelds running the newer Windows Mobile 6 have surfaced -- the Palm Treo 750, Motorola Q9, HTC Touch and even Samsung's BlackJack II. A buggy black-market upgrade for AT&T BlackJacks surfaced this summer, but it's a far cry from the real deal. Meanwhile, owners of the original BlackJack are stuck in version-5 limbo after seeing their WM6 dreams go up in vapor."



Coming in on the top 5 spot of Wired's Vaporware 2007 article is none other than, in my opinion at least, 2006's Smartphone of the Year! I think it is pretty safe to say that the new AT&T will most likely never release the Windows Mobile 6 update for the original Samsung Blackjack. For those of you that are still using the Samsung Blackjack, it might be time to sell your old handset online and purchase a shiny new Samsung Blackjack II or Motorola Q9h Global. Christmas is only a few days away after all! ;)

"Samsung Blackjack is now eligible for Wireless Phone Insurance. As of August 7, 2007, the Blackjack is added to the insurance-eligible list. All portal eligibility listings are being updated at this time. All channels can begin offering Wireless Phone Insurance on the Blackjack to new activations, upgrades, and to any customer still within their 30 day enrollment period as of August 7, 2007 with this device. "



All I can say is, “It's about time!” As long as I can remember, I have been annoyed with AT&T/Cingular's stance on not allowing users to add insurance to smartphones — not just Microsoft Smartphones, but all smartphones! It seems as though AT&T is finally starting to wise up by allowing all new customer who have purchased the Samsung Blackjack to add insurance to the handset. Unfortunately, if you are not a new customer, or out of your 30-day grace period, you will not qualify for this must have feature! Hopefully this changes in the very near future! During my time with Cingular, I have seen hundreds of water damaged and destroyed handsets. To not have insurance on a phone that is so expensive is ridiculous!

"In World of Warcraft (yes, I play), whenever you gain a new level you often get a whole slew of new abilities - your avatar can do more than it could before. When that happens, the standard thing to yell is "Ding W00T!" Well folks, this summer I think the Samsung Blackjack will be calling out Ding W00T! When I loaded the hacked Windows Mobile 6 ROM on there, I noticed something very, very odd. There was a new setting and a hidden application that kept loading itself in the background no matter what I was able to do, and it was called "Video Share." So today Mobility site points us to an AT&T announcement that this summer they'll be rolling out a real-time video sharing service..."

Real-time video sharing? That sounds exciting! Almost as exciting as leveling up in World of Warcraft. ;) I wonder how AT&T is going to pull off this video sharing service? If they plan on making the videos out of the same shoddy Real Video codec that is used for their Cellular Video service, than I think I might have to pass on that one. While Cellular Video looks great on AT&T's feature phone lineup, the same cannot be said for their Windows Mobile devices which usually have screens resolutions that are a lot larger than size. :(

I'm not sure why this is becoming such a common thing, but once again we're seeing a leaked ROM released on the internet before the carrier and device manufacturer has had a chance to finalize all the details. I'm not going to link to the ROM since it's far from official. I'm sure the resourceful amoung you will be able to find it (anyone linking to the ROM will have their posts removed). From what we've learned, this ROM is very close to the finished product. It's fully AT&T branded and everything seems to be working. The only exception is getting the alternate characters when you press and hold a key. Not too big a deal, in my opinion.

With any luck, the final ROM will be released soon and we can safely upgrade without the risk of losing any functionality. Speaking of upgrades, it looks like Samsung hasn't changed anything since the last ROM upgrade. There are a number of tricks to getting it to upgrade successfully. First, it will not work on Vista, so you need XP or Windows 2000. Second, you have to install the modem driver from the CD. Then you have to do a weird keypress combination to start the device into the bootloader mode. If you're looking to get ready for the official release, check out the steps and requirements from the last ROM released and make sure you have everything you need in place. ;)

"In order to provide business users with the mobility and the versatility of a mobile office, ASUS has designed the new ASUS M530w Smart Phone. Packed with innovative features, the ASUS M530w allows users to send and receive messages instantly anywhere � providing vital information for users to make important and informed business decisions.The ASUS M530w supports Push E-mail and can simultaneously receive mails from the user's office Outlook mail server. It can also update their organizers and communications records for easier data management. These important features will ensure that users will never miss any important information and be able to quickly reply to work requirements � enhancing their work productivity even if they are not in the office, or caught in a meeting. The ASUS M530w is equipped with high-speed transfer capabilities to provide users with a host of multimedia benefits. With the 3G Video Phone, users can talk to anyone face to face, and 3G broadband makes downloading music, MV and other video and music programs a breeze. It is also able to utilize wireless connections via 802.11 b/g for high speed data transfers for total mobility. In addition, built-in Bluetooth technology seamlessly interfaces with other Bluetooth devices and provides freedom of movement without the hassle of wires. The built-in Business Card Recognition feature allows users to use the ASUS M530w�s 2.0 Mega Pixel Auto-Macro camera to capture the details of a business card and avoid tediously keying in the data into the contacts book."



I have to admit, the Asus M530w looks like a handsome powerful device. I love the front side camera. I wonder when the US will get to a point when we can face to face video conference with our mobile devices. With WiFi, 3G, and bluetooth, you're connected in every way. I'm very curious to see how the built-in business card recognition works. All in all it looks like a pretty slick powerful device. The down side? I'm not sure if we will ever see it here in North America. :x

Earlier this year, I managed to take some pictures of a few of the hottest new devices. Unfortunately, these are not the best quality images around. And the devices, well they could use a good wipe down to remove some of those messy fingerprints. Regardless of all that, these pictures really show how these device measure-up when placed beside each other. Just remember when you view these, it's not about the quality of the image, it's all about the comparison. ;)


The new Moto Q9, BlackJack, and Vox lined up side by each. Click the image for a full size version.

That blurry device in my hand is the new Q9 sitting on top of my BlackJack. Click the image for a full size version.


Adding the Asus Smartphone to the top of the pile. Watch out, the Asus is really a lot thicker than it looks. The sides of the device slant in at the bottom. Click the image for a full size version.


Looking down from above, you can see that the Q9 isn't that much wider than the BlackJack. The two devices are pretty much the same when it comes to length. Click the image for a full size version.


The Asus doesn't look much thicker, but is sure feels like it when you hold it in your hand. Click the image for a full size version.


Everyone's favorite new phone - the HTC Vox sitting ontop of the BlackJack. It sure is small! Click the image for a full size version.


The reduced size comes with a price. That price is thickness. Click the image for a full size version.

Looking for a great deal on a Windows Mobile Standard handset? Well right now you can grab a refurbished Samsung Blackjack for the low price of $50USD, with no mail-in rebates! You do, however, have to sign up for a new two year contract. :)



If you are like me and cannot stomach the thought of using a refurbished device, or could care less about the Samsung Blackjack, there are a few other deals that Cingular has right now on other Windows Mobile Standard devices! Here are a few of there other offerings below. Remember, all of these deals require a new two year contract!

• Samsung Blackjack (new) - $74.99USD after mail-in rebate
  
• Cingular 3125 (new) - $99.99USD after mail-in rebate
  
• Cingular 3125 (refurb) - $79.99USD

"If this rumor is to believed it, it looks like Dash owners will enjoy another full month of exclusivity. Pocketnow is reporting that "an industry source" informed them that Cingular's Samsung Blackjack smartphone won't be receiving the Windows Mobile treatment until June. It's anyone's guess as to why the updates are taking so long, as the software has clearly been ready and available for quite some time now. Without, ah hem, pointing fingers, we can only assume that this is a carrier-side issue, as it's been clear from the jump that upgrade availability would depend entirely on the willingness, or lack thereof, of the Windows Mobile software. All we can do is hope that the delay means that Samsung is working hard to include a version of the uber-slick Carousel home screen interface that they're currently including on the European version of the i600. While we're at it, why don't you fix the keyboard issue Sammy�You know, the problem that you can't type more than 1 letter a minute?"



Now you have to admit, rumors lately have been coming true. We heard that the Dash update would be May 4 and indeed it was. Now the Boy Genius is reporting that the Blackjack will get the Windows Mobile 6 update next month. Now besides the OS upgrade, what else would you like to see Samsung add to make the Blackjack even better than it is? Perhaps the Carousel home screen interface mentioned in the article? Anything else?

Product Category: Windows Mobile SmartPhone
Manufacturer: Samsung
Where to Buy: Wirefly (Affiliate link)
Price: $499.00 - free after rebates with new Cingular Wireless account
Specifications: Samsung site

Pros:
[*]Small and lightweight;[*]QWERTY keyboard;[*]Bright screen;[*]Very fast wireless data connectivity.
Cons:
[*]Smartkeys easy to press by accident;[*]Proprietary connectors;[*]Battery life only fair;[*]Mediocre camera.
Summary:
As a longtime Pocket PC fan and resident geek/gadget freak among family, friends and co-workers, I've faced the following question many times in the past:

"When are you going to move to one of those 'all-in-one' units that combines a PDA and a cell phone?"

I'd reply that most such devices were either too large as a cell phone or too small and limited as a PDA, at least for my needs and preferences. Some recent devices that look and act much like a PDA, but with roughly the same size as a cell phone, have tempted me to take the plunge. So here's my review of my new Samsung Blackjack, along with some comparisons to a couple of the very devices it's supposed to combine and replace. Can a diehard Pocket PC guy achieve satisfaction with a new kind of device? Join me in my odyssey into the world of Windows Mobile SmartPhones...
Read more...

"The Blackjack is, well, black and perhaps a touch boring because of it - so for the first case review I figured I'd try out a color case - the Monaco Sleeve in Red. The Monaco Sleeve Case for Samsung Blackjack is a leather case that will protect your Blackjack and (if you like) add some color to it."



I'm not necessarily a leather sleeve case kinda guy. The standard case that comes with my Dash is fine enough for me. Nonetheless the fine folks over at WMExperts seem to like the Monaco sleeve case for the Blackjack. If you're looking to add a little pink, red, or tan protection to your all black Blackjack, the Monaco sleeve just may be your ticket.

"Samsung has recently released a software update for the BlackJack, which is recommended to be installed. This update should enhance roaming capabilities, especially Internationally. In addition, there are cosmetic user interface changes (several icons have been changed) contained within the update. The update will take about 10 minutes to complete if the system is already set up."

Don't get too excited - It's not Windows Mobile 6. But it does address some roaming issues along with some new icons for apps. The download is 51MB and you'll need to turn off pop-up blockers or else you won't see the EULA window that takes you to the download. I have downloaded my copy and will be flashing my device this afternoon. Please post back here and let us know how it goes for you.

Caution: Doing this update will remove all your personal data and settings from the device. It will reset the device to factory settings. If you have SIM unlocked the device, it will remain SIM unlocked.

"Well, it's safe to say the Motorola Q has seen its day as the champion of sleek QWERTY devices. In the last prizefight, the fresh and svelte Samsung BlackJack marched into the ring, and after five dirty rounds, handed the aging Q its walking papers. Since then, the BlackJack has enjoyed a great deal of fame and admiration from a crowd of mobile professionals, but as we all know, when you're at the top, there's always someone who wants to knock you down. Enter the RIM BlackBerry 8800. Sporting a new, polished body and bulked up with multimedia capabilities, the 8800 wants to prove it's more than a one-trick pony. Can it take down the seasoned BlackJack?"



Initially I wanted to discuss the results of this CNET prize fight, but decided that I should not spoil the climax. Instead I want to focus the attention on Round 2. I was expecting this round, titled "Navigation," to be based on the menu navigation and ease with which the common tasks can be carried out; an area where lot of reviewers feel that BlackBerry has an edge because it requires fewer clicks and is more intuitive. But was surprised to find that the reviewers discussed the hardware aspects of the navigation, that is the keyboard and the trackball/trackpad. :? Am I the only one who thinks this is odd?