A Trip Down Memory Lane - Using a SMT 5600 Again

[Mike Temporale]

I recently had to send my i-mate SP5m over to Dubai for repairs. For some reason, unknown to me, the joystick had stopped working and it's incredibly hard to use one of these devices if you can't navigate around the screen. So off it went and I was stuck without a Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone. It's time to pull out my old SMT5600 (also known as the Orange C500). Once I put the battery in and powered it up I was horrified at screen! How did I ever get by looking at that screen? I guess the QVGA world has spoiled me. I expected the rest of my experience with the device would be along the same lines as that. However, to my surprise, it wasn't the painful experience I had expected. Sure there are some things that I really missed, most of which are just subtle differences, but overall the 5600 was a pleasure to carry again. It's only a hair smaller than the SP5m, but it feels much more comfortable in your hands. And you know what else? It even feels a little more responsive than the newer SP5m.

http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Temporale-20060815-SP5m5600.jpg

In the end I borrowed another SP5m from a friend while mine was off for repairs. Only because I needed the improved messaging features that Windows Mobile 5 offers. However, my short reunion with the SMT5600 left me wishing for a Windows Mobile 5 version of the device. It's a great piece of hardware, and it's really too bad that an upgrade wasn't offered. Has anyone else taken a trip down memory lane and attempted to use their older device for a period of time? I'm pretty sure I won't have the same feelings about my Tanager if I was to pull it out and give it a whirl. ;)

[chaznet]

...slow news day? :lol:

[SteveHoward999]

I recently bought a Nokia 6682. I have strongly resisted a converged device for numerous reasons, including lack of decently priced VGA phone options.

Anyway - the 6682 has a customisable menu system that means I can fix the initially cludgy layout by arranging shortcuts how I like. It is a powerful device that is an excellent suppliment to my Toshiba E830. It lacks the power of the E830, but doesn't need it! I can share the 6682's internet connection via bluetooth and thus get decent web and email access when I need it. Alternatively I can use the phone's more limited features to access email and web, plus view document attachments and a ton of other things when I don't carry the PDA, or when I don't want to pull it out of my pocket.

On its own, the phone is pretty good, powerful, and I would probably be happy with it if I had never discovered PocketPC VGA devices. As a suppliment to my PDA it is a great tool.

[HalM]

Yeah, my SP5 went in for the same joystick repair and I too reverted to an old SMT5600. My reaction to it wasn't quite as strong as yours, but I agree that we have come a long way with these devices in a short time.

Since I didn't expect repairs to take but a week or 10 days at the most, I just used the 5600. But the experience did put me on the hunt for my next device. I was ready to order a MTeoR until I read about the lack of quad band. Now I may wait for the Palm 750 or GSM Q.

In any case, the phone came back working fine. It is still the best "phone" I've owned and I can wait for soemthing really good before I move on.

[Jason Dunn]

I had a C500 as well, and other than the dust under the screen, it was really a fantastic phone - I agree with you about the ergonomics. It had a great feel in your hand...

[craigrens]

I see we're on the same track for going through phone joysticks. I'm having T-Mobile send me a new SDA as my joystick is losing functionality quickly (just like my SP3i did, hmmmm.... which, by the way, I shipped off for repairs as well to a U.S. service center and then 2 weeks later got the SDA. :P )

Yesterday, I fired up my *new* SP3i which was hardly used after the repair and hypothetically may have upgraded it to the unofficial WM5 ROM. To my surprise, while the screen was UGLY as you noted, the whole phone was significantly faster in all screen loads. I was also surprised to find that after said hypothetical upgrade, I had about 24 megabytes in phone memory!

Dream of dreams for an SDA owner who is lucky to have 4 meg left after .NET 2.0 upgrade and other various stuff that I don't have on the memory card.

But, while I was pleased with the responsiveness, the screen is so ugly, that I look forward to my new SDA coming and going back to all of its memory hogging, QVGA glory. Ahh...smartphones.


8)

[Brandon Miniman]

My SP5m has similar issues.

[damonb10]

I guess I'm living memory lane right now. I still use and love my SMT5600! :D

[Mike Temporale]

Wow! What's with all the joystick problems?

Wait until you guys hear all the fun and excitment I had dealing with i-mate on the repair. But that's the topic for another post... ;)

[ksb]

My SP5m is going to Miami for joystick problems. My 5600 is already on my desk at the office waiting for me to finally put the SP5m in the box.

[ctmagnus]

8O Five issues with SP5-Ms on the first 10 posts of this thread!

Not a good track record...

[jfreiman]

Count me in too...

Since I purchased my 2125 last December I've sent 2 devices back for faulty joysticks. Now my current device is starting to act screwey and this one will go back in 2 weeks after I return from vacation.

I'm glad that I'm not alone on this one, each time I call customer service at Cingular I feel as if I'm the only one!

-John

[Jerry Raia]

My source tells me the media player buttons on the phone are the main cause of the problems. :worried:

[craigrens]

Wow! What's with all the joystick problems?

Wait until you guys hear all the fun and excitment I had dealing with i-mate on the repair. But that's the topic for another post... ;)

I know, another post, but I had some pretty semi-comical moments with Dubai tech support/customer service (what ever they are) coordinating the repair with the U.S. facility since they wouldn't give me a direct contact number. Good times :)

[craigrens]

My source tells me the media player buttons on the phone are the main cause of the problems. :worried:

Oh boy, Jerry is pulling out his "sources." Rally the troops, we could all be in trouble now. :D

P.S. I think I just degraded the value of this thread, didn't I?

[ctmagnus]

I think I just degraded the value of this thread, didn't I?

Yes. Quoting Jerry tends to have that effect. ;)

(Ooh... I deserve a :twak: for that one! :D)

[Jerry Raia]

I think I just degraded the value of this thread, didn't I?

Yes. Quoting Jerry tends to have that effect. ;)

(Ooh... I deserve a :twak: for that one! :D)

and you shall have it! :lol:

:twak:

[Ryan Joseph]

I guess I'm living memory lane right now. I still use and love my SMT5600! :D

Hey, same! It was my first smartphone (I bought it on eBay this year) and I seriously love the thing. Sure, I'd like to have a newer one with a sharper screen and more advanced features, but I love the 5600.

Don't be dissin' my phone! :D

[promano]

Still using my SMT5600 for almost 2 years now !!!


Pete...

[Mike Temporale]

Don't be dissin' my phone! :D

Don't worry, I'm not. Just saying that I miss using mine and I wish it was updated. I think, from a hardware point of view, it's far better than what we have today. (minus the screen). 8)

[dbob]

I'm coming to the end in Nov '06 of my two year contract with ATT/Cingular.
After replacing two units, this one works well. I've also learned alot about smartphones in general from the articles and posts at smartphonethoughts.

Incidentally, are there any articles/columns which address getting the most out of the 5600?

I can't really beat the 1000 minute contract which I have at $39.95 plus data.
I would like the capablitly of sending attachments from my phone, but, at present, this is not a necessity since I can send them from from my free web mail accounts.

I am considering switching to Tmobile, if they have a promotional 1500 minute plan at my decision point. Since I'm not a techie, I wonder how difficult it is to unlock my phone to Tmobile, etc? Are there any services to do that for me/us? Any options? :?:

[cingular2125]

I actually have had the 2125 (first) and the SMT 5600 (secondly) from Cingular. I ordered the 6500 right when the 2125 was coming out. They sent both.

Long story but my wife now has the 2125 and I now use the 6500. It is a much better Appliance from an ergonomic standpoint to me. I made it look a lot better than the awful stock theme by using the old "Theme Generator".

Although I would like to have some of the new features of WM 5.0 instead of WM 2003. I like this phone much much more than the 2125.

I hate the joystick, the keys are too close together, it is bigger (for no reason), and the black 5600 looks slick.

All and all other than the OS and the better quality screen it is a horrible design.

They should have taken the form factor of the 5600 ad just upgraded the screen and OS.

Here is the theme I am using...

http://www.heleadsme.org/CiscoPhone_sample.jpg

It looks nice to me. Like a Cisco IP Phone