Sprenzy Shopping Blog

Looking for a thin, stylish smartphone? Well, Amazon.com is offering the Samsung SGH-i607 BlackJack for free after a $75 rebate. The offer is good for new customers purchasing a 2 year service plan. The BlackJack is a super slim, feature rich smartphone that competes in the same category as the Motorola Q. The key differentiator of the BlackJack is its multimedia capabilities.

PC World reviewed the BlackJack and noted…

“The new Samsung BlackJack i607 from Cingular is the spitting image of the black Motorola Q. While the two PDA/phones look alike, the BlackJack features a lighter, narrower design and more-robust multimedia capabilities (such as streaming music and video). Overall, the BlackJack plays a good game, but it could use a performance boost and a few design tweaks.

The BlackJack’s major selling points include multimedia features that other PDA/phones in this class lack. Unlike the Verizon Wireless-based Q, for example, Cingular’s BlackJack streams XM radio (for $9 a month), as well as video content from CNN, HBO, and more (fees vary). One disappointment, though: Cingular doesn’t offer an over-the-air music download service. You can transfer songs from your PC, and then store them in the BlackJack’s meager 64MB of RAM. You’re better off buying a MicroSD card for music, video, photo, and other file storage.”

Additionally, Mypocketpcmobile.com has a detailed review of the Blackjack that compares it to the Motorola Q, T-Mobile Dash and the HP iPAQ hw6915. They conclude…

“The Samsung Blackjack is a slim, compact and stylish smartphone. It is a very good choice for those who want a mobile device powered with Windows Mobile 5.0 that has a design similar to the normal cell phones. It has 3G support and the user can experience the great advantages offered by Cingular’s 3G services like Cingular Video and Cingular music. The battery life can last for 5.5 hours talk time and 11 days standby. The price of $200 is very attractive.

On the negative side the Cingular Samsung Blackjack has not built-in Wi-Fi; the screen is small (2.2 inches), the expansion slot is a MicroSD, and the camera is only 1.3 mega pixels.

From the 4 devices we have seen in this review the Samsung has the smallest and lightest structure. The Motorola MotoQ has the most attractive design, the T-Mobile Dash has a built-in Wi-Fi but no 3G and the HP iPAQ hw6915 has a much more bulky design but with a complete set of connectivity options including a built in GPS receiver. The choice is up to the user”

And if you need a third opinion with more phone comparisons, check out MobileTechReview.com’s BlackJack review.

It’s unfortunate all these super slim PDA/phones are offered exclusively by only one carrier. I would prefer buying unlocked phones at reasonable prices and then using it on the carrier of my choice. It’s a shame that I have to switch carriers to be able to use the Samsung BlackJack or the Apple iPhone. Unfortunately, that’s the business model game the cell phone providers want to play to lock subscribers into long term contracts.

Enough of my mini-rant on cell phone providers. If you’re interested in the free Samsung BlackJack, make sure to read the fine print (2 year contract and Conditional $250 Equipment Discount). The $250 conditional discount basically states that Amazon has the right to charge you $250 if you don’t keep your Cingular account in good standing or terminate your service before a 181 day period. Don’t worry, I’ve bought multiple cell phones from Amazon without any issues.

Personally, I’m still happy with my MotoQ. I would have no complaints if the iPhone wasn’t just announced. It’s funny how such a cool, hip phone by Motorola can become instantly passé.  Thanks a lot, Apple!

I’ve noticed a lot of Slingbox and SlingPlayer Mobile television commercials over the last several weeks. So I’ll add my two cents on the Slingbox. What exactly is a Slingbox? Well, a Slingbox allows you to placeshift your TV signal. A simpler answer is a Slingbox allows you to watch and control your TV from anywhere. Anywhere there is a Windows PC (Mac support coming soon) and a broadband connection.

Here are a couple of good reviews I found that go into the details of setting up a Slingbox and its pros and cons.

• Techlore.com review
• PC Magazine review
• Digital Trends review

The reviews were written last June when the Slingbox first debuted but I think they are still useful.  Since last year’s release, the folks at Sling Media have released a couple of software and firmware upgrades that have improved the Slingbox video quality. More importantly, Slingbox prices have dropped below $175, and you can get it at Amazon.com for $160.

The diagram above is a simple network diagram, which shows where the Slingbox sits on your network. As long as you have a TV source (cable box, DVR, satellite box, TV, etc.) that can be controlled via an infrared (IR) signal, a broadband internet connection and a Windows PC, you’ll be able to watch and control your TV from any location. Setup is quick and easy as explained in the reviews above.

The Slingbox is a very cool device that allows you to watch TV in another room in your house, at work or while your traveling. I think it’s great if you are traveling and can’t get a certain channel. For example, if you are on safari in the Serengeti the month the World Cup is on, you won’t miss the matches if you have a laptop and a high speed internet (HSI) connection. Good luck finding an HSI in Tanzania and if you are on safari you should be trying to find and watch the big 5 (lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, black rhino and the leopard) but in theory a Slingbox would allow you to watch the soccer matches at night.

 Before you purchase a Slingbox, there a few things you should consider.

• TV source IR code support - make sure the Slingbox supports your source’s IR code. Most devices are supported.

• A universal plug and play (UPnP) router - check to see if your router supports UPnP, which makes set up easier if you are not comfortable with router configuration. If your router is non-UPnP, you can configure it yourself if it has port-forwarding. I prefer using port-forwarding so I can set my own Slingbox port rather than using the default port.

• Good upstream bit rate for remote viewing- depending on the type of programming you watch, you want to check the upstream/upload bit rate at your home. The Speakeasy Speed Test is an easy way to check your upload rate. Slingbox recommends a minimum 256 Kbps upstream rate. This is adequate if you are watching a regular TV show. However if you are watching sports or any high action programming, 360 Kbps upload rate will be ok but there will be fuzziness and pixelation. 600 Kbps upload would be much better and 1 Mbps would be ideal. Here’s a screenshot of the SlingPlayer during a football game at approximately 360 Kbps. It’s adequate and better than not being able to watch the game at all. If you are watching within your home network, then there shouldn’t be any issues and the video quality is very good.

• Limited to one connection - a Slingbox will allow only one connection at time. You can setup multiple PCs or Smartphones but only one connection is allowed at a time.

• Firewall issues - if you plan on using the SlingPlayer at work you should buddy up with the IT guy who controls the company firewall. Believe it or not, there’s a dedicated Watching TV at Work help forum on the Sling Community Site. The Sling Community forum is a great place to find answers, troubleshoot issues and find out how/what people are slinging. Another helpful resource is DynDNS, which allows you to alias a dynamic IP address to a static hostname.

My only complaint with the Slingbox is the lag to control the TV source. Since there is a several second delay in transmitting the TV programming remotely, there is also a delay in changing channels or fast-forwarding/rewinding a DVR, which can be annoying.

If you purchase a Slingbox before September 16th, you’ll receive the SlingPlayer Mobile software for free. The software allows you to watch TV on your Windows Mobile Smartphone or Pocket PC device. I watch TV on my Motorola Q occasionally. It’s more of a cool, geeky thing to show off because the speed of the EV-DO and Edge networks are not sufficient/reliable to support a quality video signal. The sound quality is excellent so it’s great if you want to follow a game or listen to the news. Here’s a video from Qusers.com showing someone slinging their Tivo to a Motorola Q Smartphone.

Overall, the Slingbox is a relatively cheap device that allows you to placeshift your TV programming. For regular TV shows, the video quality is sufficient at the minimum 256 Kbps upstream rate but for high action programming you’ll definitely want a higher HSI upload rate at home. I still prefer watching my TV programming in high definition, but if you are traveling or when you can’t miss a show, the ability to placeshift and timeshift your TV programming is pretty amazing! And at $160, it’s one of the cheaper tech toys you can get!

There are other placeshifting options available such as Sony’s LocationFree TV or Orb, which requires a PC with a TV tuner card. However, the flexibility, simplicity and value of the Slingbox make it the best placeshifting solution available right now.

The Motorola Q smartphone was one of the most anticipated and hyped smartphones to go to market. After three months of using the Q, does it live up to the hype? For me the answer is yes, but I never had “Blackberry killer” expectations.

My previous phone was a Samsung i730 Pocket PC phone. The i730 is a great PDA device but it was terrible phone. There weren’t enough notifications for missed calls and voicemails out of the box. And the voice quality was awful. No one I talked to could hear me clearly or loud enough.

So I decided to sacrifice the great PDA features of the i730 for the Motorola Q and its better calling features, RF and voice quality. I’m very happy with the Q as a phone. Voice quality both listening and talking is excellent and I can have an actual conversation without hearing… What did you say?

I don’t think it’s fair comparing the Q with the Treo, i730 or Blackberries. Windows Mobile 5.0 is not robust enough to make it a fair comparison. Comparing a Smartphone OS to a Pocket PC OS, Palm OS or Blackberry/RIM OS is an apple to oranges comparison. They are different tools for different people. Granted, it’s Verizon/Motorola’s fault for hyping the phone as the Treo/Blackberry killer.

If you are looking for great phone with adequate PDA/productivity features get the Q. However if you are looking for a great PDA/productivity phone get a Pocket PC, Treo or Blackberry device.

For my needs, the Q is the perfect phone. It’s a great phone first and a PDA/PIM second. The features that I love about the Q are:

• Form factor and stylish design - it speaks for itself
• QWERTY keyboard - excellent implementation
• Speakerphone - best stereo speakerphone I’ve heard yet
• Directional pad - best designed d-pad on the market, I hardly use the thumb wheel
• RF and voice quality - YES! I can hear you now!!!
• Bluetooth profiles - extremely easy to pair BT devices

The misses for the Q are:

• No push email - Solved with the latest software update
• Poor battery life - if you use Goodlink or a frequent multi-media user, battery life is short
• Limited customization - without using registry hacks, there is no customization.

Geek.com wrote the best Motorola Q review that I have seen to date. Over the last month, ZDNet’s Between the Lines blog has written a series on the Q after everyday usage. David Berlind disses the Q pretty hard but I don’t agree with most of his issues, particularly his second post that dogs the Q for missing the dial by directory feature. The issue is valid but the fix takes 10 seconds to install.

Software Update

I’m happy with my Q because I updated the software yesterday and did some hacks to improve the functionality. I’ll start out with the new Motorola Q Software Update. The new software update provides the following enhancements:

• Start menu icons display 4 items per row instead of 3.
• Improved operating performance - I haven’t noticed significant improvement, but I never had any issues.
• AKU-2/push e-mail - Requires Exchange Server 2003 SP2 or Verizon Wireless Sync
• Dial-up networking (DUN) - requires $15/month fee to use the Q as a modem

First off, it’s an easy update if you follow the instructions exactly. Second, all of your personal data (pictures, music, ringtones, background images, etc.) will be deleted and you will have to reinstall any 3rd party apps that are on your Q.

Before beginning the update process, I would think diligently about the need to update your Q. If you really need direct push email or DUN, then go for it, but be warned that you could run into issues as demonstrated by this 18+ page thread on Qusers.com forum. If you are not comfortable with troubleshooting your phone and are currently happy with its performance I recommend holding off on the update.

Best case scenario the update takes 15 - 20 minutes and additional time to reinstall your 3rd party apps and personal data. Worst case scenario, your phone may get hosed. If you are a glutton for punishment, here are additional directions for the software update.

1. Go to the Motorola Software Update site.

2. After you select Verizon and Q, read and print out the guidelines and instructions. Make sure you follow the instructions!

3. Backup your data. You can manually back up your personal data by using the “Explore” icon in ActiveSync and copying your files. Or you can save a lot of time by using Sprite Backup, which will backup all of your data and 3rd party apps.

4. Charge your phone completely and disconnect after the charge is complete.

5. Download this file: MSU_VZW_STAND_ALONE_FIRMWARE_MOL_1.msi. This is step 2 on the Motorola update site. You have to download and install this file (double-click the file after you downloaded it to start the installation process). Many people have had issues because they failed to install this file.

6. I recommend disabling any firewalls after you download the software update.

7. Download the software update (step 4 on Moto site) and continue following the instructions.

8. My USB driver update failed initially. Then I was asked to soft reset/power cycle my Q. I had a black screen on the Q with “USB connected” displayed. I could not turn off my Q and ended up removing the battery to soft reset the phone. Once I reconnected the Q, the installation process continued and completed successfully.

9. After the update is complete, you’ll have to use OTA programming to make and receive calls. Dial *228, select option 1.

10. Now re-sync your data with ActiveSync, copy all personal data files and re-install your 3rd party apps. Using the Sprite Backup will save you a lot of time with this step.

At this point, I hope your phone is successfully updated. If you run into any issues, search the following forums Qusers.com forum or PDAPhone.com forum for troubleshooting tips. Again, I want to re-emphasize that the software update process should go smoothly if you follow the instructions. However, the process is not for someone who is uncomfortable troubleshooting issues.

Hacks

There is a ton of great information on the Qusers.com forums and the PDAPhone.com Q forum. I’ll point out a couple of registry hacks from these forums that have improved performance and functionality of my Q.

Before you begin, download the Resco Explorer 2005, which is a registry editor and file explorer. If you are not comfortable with editing registry settings don’t attempt any of these hacks because you could damage your phone. So proceed at your own risk.

Dial by Directory

This is an easy hack because a forum user packaged the install files into a self-installing CAB file. This hack will display the alphabet mapping for the number keys.

The directions are simple for this hack. Just click on one of the four dialing images that you like and download the appropriate CAB file. Then transfer the file to your Q using ActiveSync and remember the location. On your Q, use Resco Explorer and navigate to the CAB file location and click on it. The file should self-install. Power cycle your Q and you should be good to go.

To find out more details about this hack, go to this Qusers.com forum topic. Thanks to tonyxcom, gadget, isayx3, Ben74 and blue rocket for contributing to this great fix.

Remove Sent Message Confirmation with SMS

If you hate the sent message confirmation that is displayed after you send an SMS message, use the following registry hack to disable the confirmation message.

1. Select Start and open Resco Registry app
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Inbox
3. Enter Inbox, select Menu –> File, New Key
4. Name the New Key as “Settings”
5. Click on “Settings” and select Menu –> File, New String Value
6. On “Value name:”, enter in SMSNoSentMsg and in value data “String”, enter 1
7. Soft reset your device and test by sending an SMS, the confirmation message should not display.

There are several other registry hacks for changing the startup sound, increasing call history, changing the start menu from grid view to list view and several others on this Qusers.com registry hack thread.

Motorola Q Accessories

If you are not interested in hacking your Q, then check out these Q accessories.

• Bluetooth headsets
• Cases, Pouches and Clips
• Chargers and Adapters
• Car Kits
• Batteries

Finally, if you are looking for the next “Blackberry killer”, check out the Nokia E62.