TMobile Firmware Update Success

TMobile Pearl 8100 Firmware Update: Update ;)

I've only seen one actual error/java/null type crash since the firmware was upgraded. Much more stable. However, it does seem like GTalk may still have issues recovering from a 'no network' condition than some of the other devices. I have been unable to finalize whether this is due to the fact that the service is TMobile or whether its is a commonality in all the devices.

Also, the devices seems to be slightly less laggy and a little quicker to respond. It also doesn't crash every time it comes out of screen lock/sleep mode.

The option to keep the screen lit at a preset brightness is gone :( so now it is always relative to ambient light.

I am actually beginning to use the device again with the new found stability!

Dialing a phone number can still lag to the point where certain numbers in a digit string may be missed though.

TMobile Pearl Firmware Update to .69

I just updated the firmware from .46 to .69 on the TMobile Pearl. Will post how well it works.

As a side note, the 8525 continues to have intermiettent issues when U is showing under the service type.

Firmware for TMobile Pearl v.4.2.0.42

I currently have v.4.2.0.42 and will try upgrading to either 4.2.0.64 (TMobile) or the latest 4.2.0.69 tomorrow. Let' see if these issues get resolved!

Office Reach vs. Cingular PTT

It appears that the Cingular Pearls work fine with PTT. However, PTT and OfficeReach are mutually exclusive and cannot be put on the same account. You get your choice.

The 8525 has a PTT button, but when you press the button, you get a message that says Windows Mobile doesn't yet support the PTT feature.

BlackBerry Pearl

My TMobile unit seems to have problems, such as continued errors in email and GTalk, and now Calendar Sync just hangs. However, the Cingular Pearls seem to have none of these problems. I've been told that the OZ IM application that comes on the TMobile devices is not the best coding seen, and could be causing some of the problems.

Continued Moto Q DirectPush hangs

The Moto Q continues to have problems, with the ActiveSync/data connection on EvDO not working. I can get internet, and when I try to manually sync ActiveSync, it attempts, but cannot establish a connection. If I reboot the device, it'll work fine. If I manually turn off the radio and turn it back on, you can see it dial and establish a new data connection, but ActiveSync still won't work and it will continue to show the last sync as some time in the distant past.

HSDPA and 8525 drops/locks

The Cingular 8525 seems to have been having problems lately. It seems prevelant when it is going in and out of HSDPA, which is pretty much all the time.

If I attempt to make a call during weak HSDPA coverage, may times the signal bar will drop to nothing/no service with a series of dots scrolling. Other times, the call will attempt to connect but there will be no audio in the earpiece.

Very annoying. As it tries to hop to GPRS, you have to wait... most of the time I can get on the 8125 make the call and start talking before the 8525 is ready again.

Pictures of charger/devices/batteries

Motorola P790 Battery Pack with MiniUSB power.

Energizer 2AA Cell phone charger with MiniUSB
Boxwave 4AA power pack with full size USB / mini USB adapter
Motorola P790 battery pack.

Well, these are all auxillary battery packs that provide power via a mini USB jack. Since the Motorola Q, HTC Wizard/Cingular 8125, HTC Hermes/Cingular 8525, BlackBerry Pearl all use this interface, I have decided to write on which one is best.

Motorola P790 ($59) doesn't provide specifications on the packaging anywhere as to what the power source internally is, but it does have some sort of internal battery. I am assuming either NiMH or Lithium Ion. Either way, it has a mini USB input port to be powered by some sort of USB charger such as the one that charges the Wizard, BlackBerry, or MotoQ, and has a Mini USB output that plugs into a device such as the MotoQ, Blackberry or HTC devices. The Mini USB plug retracts into the body of the devices giving you a sleek bean shaped device that feels like it's rubber coated (like an IBM Thinkpad). There are no capacity listings, but it brought my HTC Wizard from 20% to 90%+ before going dark. The Wizard has a 1250 mAH battery, so I'm guessing that it has about 800-900 mAH of juice or so. This device seemed to charge the BlackBerry Pearl, Motorola Q, and HTC Wizard okay, but would not charge the HTC Hermes (Cingular 8525).

The BoxWave 4AA charger is a bit larger. You can put in 4 AA batteries. The batteries appear to be wired in parallel inside, though I didn't take it apart to confirm. It seems to charge the Cingular 8525 / HTC Hermes okay as well as the HTC Wizard. I haven't gotten a chance to test it with the other devices yet.

Energizer 2 AA charger. This uses 2 Lithium disposable batteries or other type of AA type battery. With 2 niMH batteries or 2 AA Energizer alkalines, it added 10% battery to the HTC Wizard before going dead. That means it has approximately 150-200 mAH of output power. Keep in mind that there must be a step up device in most of these devices to bump the voltage up to at least 5v as per USB standard.

It seems like the HTC Hermes / Cingular 8525 draws a lot of current, and that is why many of these devices won't charge it. With the 4AA BoxWave device, you can see the power LED go quite dim the instant the Hermes is plugged in. I wil ldo more detailed testing. Stay tuned.

Coverage in Atlanta, Georgia

TMobile EDGE/GPRS coverage has been good.

Verizon Wireless coverage and EvDO coverage has been good.

Cingular Blue EDGE/GPRS has been good.

Cingular Orange HSDPA has been spotty (using the 8525). It has problems holding a 3g signal. Once video or audio streaming is started, I normally have problems holding 3g and it'll fall back to EDGE causing the video/audio to crash. However, it seems fine on the AirCard 860. Also, throughput is typically 600-850k or so which isn't too bad.