Cingular Officially Announces the 8100 Series

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.cingular.com/8125' target='_blank'>http://www.cingular.com/8125</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Cingular Wireless today expanded its Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 portfolio with the introduction of the EDGE- enabled Cingular 8100 series Pocket PCs with integrated Wi-Fi. The Cingular 8100 series Pocket PCs are fully featured yet cost-effective converged communications devices that provide end-users with dual high-speed wireless data capabilities on a global scale. They feature a full QWERTY "slider" keyboard, the latest Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth support, quad-band international coverage, and EDGE, the largest high-speed national wireless data network in the U.S. Cingular's nationwide EDGE network is available in 13,000 cities and towns and along nearly 40,000 miles of major highways. The introduction of the Cingular 8100 series Pocket PCs comes on the heels of the launch of the Cingular 2125 Smartphone, the first wireless device in North America to feature the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system for Smartphones."</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060210-C8100SeriesB.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060210-C8100Series.jpg" /></a><br /><span><i>Click above for a list of specifications.</i></span><br /><br />The Cingular 8100 series has just been officially announced, and two versions will be available through <a href="http://www.cingular.com/b2b">B2B</a> starting Friday, February 10, and through Cingular retail stores by the end of February. Both are based on the HTC Wizard, with the 8100 lacking the 1.3-megapixel camera present in the 8125. Starting price is $299 with a two-year contract and qualified rate plan.<br /><br />In the first half of 2006, Cingular will release the Microsoft Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) for the 8100 series. This will enable direct push-email support, among other things. The 8100 series also marks the first of a series of Windows Mobile 5.0-based devices that Cingular will introduce in 2006.

[victore]

I noticed that in the press release that the 8125 is 802.11b instead of g. Do you think that Cingular is limiting it's speed through software or hardware? Does the speed decrease make this a "no buy" for some folks?

[Duddy]

Actually, it's the 200mhz OMAP in this thing that makes me upset. But I have no choice but to get this phone.

I have to sign a new 2 year contract with Cingular and this is the only phone that will do everything my SMT5600 and Axim X50 does. This way I only have to carry around 1 device all the time.

I'm selling my Axim and SMT5600 to get this thing, and from what I have heard on HowardForums, people seem to either like or dislike it. Most the people that don't like it are the ones that ahve used the Treo 650. They hate using 2 hands to operate.

Gimme Voice Command and a Bluetooth headset and I'll make sure I never have to touch the screen. :D

[Eriq Cook]

T-Mobile's version (the Vario) IMO is the ugliest. Cingular, Sprint, Qwest and Verizon's versions of this phone are either a slick black color or the keyboard matches the face (and has better looking keys).

[Ed Hansberry]

Actually, it's the 200mhz OMAP in this thing that makes me upset. But I have no choice but to get this phone.
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how responsive the device is.

[fone_fanatic]

i'm currently using the imate kjam with cingular and its a pretty nice device. Yah processor is slower thanothers but you can deal with it. Its not as slow as a lot of these online reviews have set it out to be. I also have a Jam and a sp3i, after i got the kjam, i gave my jam away to a friend and haven't touched the sp3i, so yah, its a good device.

About the wireless, i heard the same thing as well, that it was limitted to b. My kjam was limitted to B as well, although in the specs it as 802.11b/g/e/i. Had to do a registry edit to get it to actually go up to g speeds.

[Darius Wey]

I noticed that in the press release that the 8125 is 802.11b instead of g. Do you think that Cingular is limiting it's speed through software or hardware? Does the speed decrease make this a "no buy" for some folks?

It's probably a software limitation. This particular version of the HTC Wizard (100/110) supports 11g, and as suggested earlier, a registry tweak should do the trick. But realistically, unless you're going to use Wi-Fi for something other than standard internet browsing, the 11Mbps vs. 54Mbps difference probably won't matter.

[Phillip Dyson]

In the first half of 2006, Cingular will release the Microsoft Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) for the 8100 series.

First half? Darius, are you simply giving a broad ETA or is this what Cingular is saying?

I've been keeping my hopes up that it'll be several weeks rather than several months. Of course I've been hoping that for several weeks already.

[Darius Wey]

First half? Darius, are you simply giving a broad ETA or is this what Cingular is saying?

That's what Cingular is saying. Better hope they don't mean June 30. ;)

[eustts]

With the question marks still remaining on the RIM vs. NTP patents issues still up in the air, I really hope that the tellco's are going to offer MDA/SDA as a replacement/competitor to the Blackberry.

With the release date of MSFP from a few weeks to the first half of 06(which means June 30). It appears that the tellco's are dropping the ball a bit as to offer a Blackberry replacement.

The pocket PC is a much more capable device(currently using a BB7290), and with MSFP, and some good forward thinking, this bridges the gap between the blackberry and PPC smartphone.

[dma1965]

Once you start to appreciate the absence of the major annoyances of low battery life and total data loss due to batteries falling off or dying, you will not mind the speed loss, trust me!

[Jason Lee]

If you go back to the sight now you get redirected. It is for sale now!!!

http://www.cingular.com/8125_consumer

[dcharles18]

It's for sale now, but it's not in stock. I just called to order it and they went through the entire process, then right at the end I was told it was on backorder. They said to check back in a week or so.

[Jason Lee]

d'oh...

[yoda16]

Once you start to appreciate the absence of the major annoyances of low battery life and total data loss due to batteries falling off or dying, you will not mind the speed loss, trust me!

I thought in WM5 if the battery dies you don't lose all your data.

[stephman]

Once you start to appreciate the absence of the major annoyances of low battery life and total data loss due to batteries falling off or dying, you will not mind the speed loss, trust me!

I thought in WM5 if the battery dies you don't lose all your data.

You are correct. In WM5, if the battery dies, you do NOT lose all your data. You're just interperting the posters comments incorrectly.

[yoda16]

Once you start to appreciate the absence of the major annoyances of low battery life and total data loss due to batteries falling off or dying, you will not mind the speed loss, trust me!

I thought in WM5 if the battery dies you don't lose all your data.

You are correct. In WM5, if the battery dies, you do NOT lose all your data. You're just interperting the posters comments incorrectly.

LOL Thanks must of missed the word ABSENCE when i read it the first time.

[joelevi]

My kjam was limitted to B as well, although in the specs it as 802.11b/g/e/i. Had to do a registry edit to get it to actually go up to g speeds.

Can you point us in the direction of your regedit to get 802.11g working on your k-jam?

[JwY]

from xda-developers
use a registry editor and make sure you have these two dwords, if it isn't there, create them

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMM\TNETWLN1\PARMS: dot11SupportedRateMask=1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMM\TNETWLN1\PARMS: dot11SupportedRateMaskG=8

[galt]

128 MB SDRAM / 64 MB Flash ROMWhat? I know that's what it says on Cingular's site, but those specs are backwards right? Per BTT's chart (http://www.beyondthetech.com/downloads/phone/WMDeviceComparison.htm) it's 64 MB RAM and 128 ROM.

[tommyboyprime]

I want one. I have a razr and a ipaq 4705 (piece of crap) I can replace both.

[after_forever]

from xda-developers
use a registry editor and make sure you have these two dwords, if it isn't there, create them

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMM\TNETWLN1\PARMS: dot11SupportedRateMask=1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMM\TNETWLN1\PARMS: dot11SupportedRateMaskG=8

Please report back if this registry edit works. Thanx