PDA2K Owners Petition Carrier Devices for Bluetooth Fix

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://pocketpcdubai.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=553609464&f=611104143&m=675104775' target='_blank'>http://pocketpcdubai.infopop.cc/eve...143&m=675104775</a><br /><br /></div>There seems to be some trouble brewing: PDA2K owners are petitioning Carrier Devices for a fix for a serious Bluetooth problem related to headsets. There's a thread on <a href="http://pocketpcdubai.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=553609464&f=611104143&m=675104775">Pocket PC Dubai about it</a>, but the people running the Club iMate site (which is run by Carrier Devices) have <a href="http://www.clubimate.com/forums/tm.asp?m=6698">deleted the thread</a> that everyone is referencing, so it's difficult to know what's going on. It took a fair bit of digging to figure out exactly what they were complaining about, but I found it on page four of the <a href="http://pocketpcdubai.com/i-mate_PPC/PDA2K/review_page4.html">Pocket PC Dubai PDA2K review</a>:<br /><br /><i>"Bluetooth doesn't hold the connection. If you connect - say - a headset to your i-mate, the connection works perfectly (great sound!). Leave it in a sleep mode for approx. 10 minutes... and it will never wake up (even if the connected device icon is still there!)...I tried with three different headset: Jabra, Motorola and SE: same problem. I checked with a friend PDA2K, and he got the same problem too."</i><br /><br />For those that rely on Bluetooth headsets, this is what's called a "showstopper bug" - it completely bars people from using the device in the way that it's intended. If you're a PDA2K owner interested in following up on this, <a href="http://pocketpcdubai.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=553609464&f=611104143&m=675104775">read this Pocket PC Dubai thread.</a> And for anyone else interested in petitioning an OEM for change, host the petition on your own site where the OEM can't delete it. ;-)

[Birdman]

I believe there is a thread on howardforums.com talking about a recent ROM update just posted on the imate website which appears to have corrected this issue. (At least that is what some of the early reports are indicating)

[aristoBrat]

If the bug is affecting all of the HTC Blue Angel devices, isn't it HTC that is supposed to be providing the update?

[arebelspy]

I think this news report's a little out of date.. Over on XDA-developers as well as a few other sites there's already a patch for the BT problem from Club i-Mate.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?p=73712#73712

-arebelspy

[Paragon]

Perfect timing Jason. ;) After weeks of being told later this week Carrier devices final posted the Bluetooth patch, just a few hours ago. There have been several problems with the Widcomm Bluetooth stack affecting the Blue Angel, h6315 and others. This patch at least fixes some of them.

I think the reason that some folks started the petition was because they were having a terrible time getting any info from Carrier Devices, as well as it taking awhile for the fix to appear. As well many of us found out first hand how very, very poor Carrier Devices support is. Their online support became famous for signing off in the middle of conversations when asked a support question that they didn't have a scripted answer for. Personally I found out first hand last week when I developed a problem with my battery, and had a very difficult time with their support. So I guess for some it just got to be too much and they banded together. I think Carrier Devices showed their *strings* when they removed the campaign thread(s). From what I saw they were not unruley, just unfavorable to Carrier Devices.

Oh well, the fix is here. 8) Now if we can just see the ROM update come along with it's rumored WMP10...even 8) er.

Dave

[Jason Dunn]

I think this news report's a little out of date.

Hmm. I just got a PM from someone today about this, so I assumed it was still going on. And it was just posted about on Pocket PC Dubai three days ago, so it can't be THAT old...

[aristoBrat]

So who actually created this patch, Carrier Devices or HTC?

[Paragon]

So who actually created this patch, Carrier Devices or HTC?

Well, I would assume it would start with Broadcomm, who produce the Widcomm stacks. From there is would likely go to HTC, then onto Carrier Devices, so Carrier Devices would be over a barrel on this one till it was in their hands. You would have to be a fly on the wall to know how long they have had it.

Dave

[jemichael]

I sent Jason the PM. I sent the PM to Jason the day the second phase of the campaign was supposed to take place. I was going to email before but wanted to wait till the 2nd phase started. The same day they released the Blue tooth Patch fix even though some are experiencing some issues. I am no longer getting the memory driver error but I haven't tested it with a headset yet as I do not currently have one (since I didn't have a blue tooth phone at the moment even though I had a PDA2k).

Never less, Carrier Devices should have never deleted those threads. They are hiding what went on with there customers and there lack of response and communication with us to future buys of their products. I am just thankful they don't have access to any of these forums.

Some say we should be happy that they released the patch and should stop being so upset. I personally am thrilled that the patch was released. But I am disappointed in the fact that they removed all the threads containing the campaign and chats with support and club advisors posted by users.

I understand that every piece of equipment is going to have some issues and bugs, especially with all the software out there today. But when you release a Phone/PPC combo and advertise Blue tooth - it is one of the most important features of having this combo since the device is so much larger than a phone. When you spend $900 for a device and the most important feature (over wireless) you are looking forward to using doesn't work it can be very disheartening.

In one of my chats with the support rep they said that "i know but am trying to say that it is in its first generations..." - "Microsoft when it released the Windows XP .. in it first time while th eexhibition ...it gave many errors..."

I can understand his statement - but XP was still usable. You just do not release such a expensive device without the most important feature working. Didn't they test it when they released this device, or did they just figure "oh in 2-3 months we shall release the fix for the blue tooth, lets just get it out and make money".

Overall outcome for me - if the blue tooth works with whatever headset I get then I will be happy. I will continue to use this device until the next incredible device released (at least a VGA PPC Phone) but unfortunately with my experience of waiting 2 months for a release patch with no updates and or responses from IMate to their customers is something I don't want to go through again. They would need to remedy their communication with their customers - or atleast have moderators that communicate to us from the company. This is a very incredible device, it is built like a brick house, and the feel is great compared to my last device the HP6315. I love the slide out keyboard and it is very valuable to me. I wish that the company communicated better with their customers. They went to such great lengths with their site in regards to community forums, live chat, etc to have the ability to communicate with their members. They have a pretty active forum, it is just to bad they don't utilize it.

[aristoBrat]

I will continue to use this device until the next incredible device released (at least a VGA PPC Phone) but unfortunately with my experience of waiting 2 months for a release patch with no updates and or responses from IMate to their customers is something I don't want to go through again.
Out of couriosity, how did the other Blue Angle distributors (T-Mobile w/ their MDA III, O2 w/ their XDA III, QTEK w/ their 9090) handle this situation?

From reading the threads at xda-developers.com, it seems like they all had BT issues.

[Paragon]

I will continue to use this device until the next incredible device released (at least a VGA PPC Phone) but unfortunately with my experience of waiting 2 months for a release patch with no updates and or responses from IMate to their customers is something I don't want to go through again.
Out of couriosity, how did the other Blue Angle distributors (T-Mobile w/ their MDA III, O2 w/ their XDA III, QTEK w/ their 9090) handle this situation?

From reading the threads at xda-developers.com, it seems like they all had BT issues.

Most if not all the Blue Angels from the different carriers use the same Bluetooth stack, so Carrier Devices (i-Mate) have not been alone. To my knowledge Carrier Devices has been the first to release a fix. Which is why I stated above that they were over the barrel on this. What was avoidable, and blew this all out of wack for them was the way the treated their customers. If they used any kind of customer support right from the start this probably would have been different for them. Their support people have been rude. They refuse to answer emails many times, on different issues. They sign off in the middle of online suppport. I think it all added up and a lot of people decide they were made as heck and weren't going to take any more. Removing the threads from their forum was a final straw....a very poor move. It snubbed a lot of people.

Dave

[aristoBrat]

Thanks for the info.

I've got an i-mate JAM on its way because I had heard nothing but good things about how i-mate releases fixes/ROM updates more promptly than carriers like T-Mobile/Orange/O2, etc.

I'm disappointed to hear about their customer service. I hope that their heads aren't getting too big because of the popularity of their devices. Logging off in the middle of a chat and not answering emails is inexcusable.

[bucho]

If the issues were with the Widcomm stack and they released a fix to the vendors, does this mean that we should expect an official fix for the hp6315 BT problems too?

[jemichael]

Thanks for the info.

I've got an i-mate JAM on its way because I had heard nothing but good things about how i-mate releases fixes/ROM updates more promptly than carriers like T-Mobile/Orange/O2, etc.

I'm disappointed to hear about their customer service. I hope that their heads aren't getting too big because of the popularity of their devices. Logging off in the middle of a chat and not answering emails is inexcusable.

From my understanding the JAM uses the Microsoft Bluetooth stack so you shouldn't experience any problems. :)

[snorbard]

Move to the MS bluetooth stack and you lose a LOT of functionality, unfortunately. The MS stack only supports a few profiles (Headset, but not Hands-free, for instance).
There are many, many threads on xda-developers about getting the phone devices to use a Widcomm stack instead of the standard Microsoft stack, with some success.

[aristoBrat]

I'm not a power BlueTooth user. As long as I can ActiveSync and use a headset during phone calls, I'll be fine.

I just hope that how i-mate handled this incident isn't indicitive of future support. 8O

[csterns]

I have a PDA2K and haven't had any success with BT Headsets. I recently installed the BT update so I am current. I have tried the Jabra 250 in it makes cracking noises. I am trying the Motorola HS820 which seems to be working fine except the PPC Phone also carries the conversation as well. The headset connects, works fine but I can still carry on the conversation simultaneously through the PPC Phone. Is that right?

Does anyone have a BT Headset they would recommend for this PPC Phone?