Taking a Closer Look at Samsungs Jack Smartphone with Windows Mobile 6.5

Last week, Samsung released Windows Mobile 6.5 for their popular Jack Smartphone. Microsoft claims that the Windows Mobile 6.5 update is all about touch. It offers an improved home screen and today menu for touch screen devices, as well as an updated version of Internet Explorer Mobile, Market Place for Mobile, and a number of more finger friendly enhancements to the general user interface. But the Samsung Jack does not have a touch screen. So is there any reason to apply this update?

Samsung offers the following list of enhancements and additions that Windows Mobile 6.5 brings to the Jack:

• Internet Explorer Mobile 6
• Windows Market Place for Mobile
• Modified UI with updated text & icons in several areas
• Enhanced, Java platform
• Battery optimization
• Radio signal optimization
• Fixed, T9 predictive logic (able to use z character)
• Added, RNDIS bypass support (Settings>Connection>USB) for simpler desktop connectivity
• Added, AT&T WiFi and Mobile Share
• Added, Vlingo for Windows Phone for improved voice recognition

The two big things that you’re going to see after upgrading to 6.5 are an improved web browsing experience thanks to Internet Explorer Mobile 6 and the new Market Place for Mobile. I’m sure that Samsung has done some tweaks to the battery life, but it’s nothing ground breaking. I haven’t noticed an extra day or power or anything. As for the modified UI, take a look at the pictures below and you be the judge if there’s anything there that is so over the top you just have to have it, because, frankly, I don’t see it.

While the market place is a welcome addition, it has yet to receive the praise or attention that it needs from developers to make it worth while. Many developers still see developing for Windows Mobile as a costly endeavor and that hasn’t changed with 6.5.

[ ..Read More.. ]

Samsung Releases Windows Mobile 6.5 Upgrade for Jack

Samsung has released their ROM upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.5 for the Jack Smartphone. Now, to be clear about which Samsung Jack we’re talking about; If you have a Rogers or Fido Samsung Jack, then this upgrade is not for you. If you have an AT&T Samsung Jack, then this is your path to Windows Mobile 6.5. The full details and installation instructions can be found on Samsung’s website. And just like with past upgrades, Samsung has made it as difficult as possible to upgrade your device. There’s numerous steps and hoops that you need to jump through, but in the end I think the result will be worth it.

Before performing this upgrade, be sure to backup any personal information you might have on the device. The upgrade will wipe the device and restore it to factory default settings. If you don’t have a backup procedure in place, I highly recommend you install Microsoft’s My Phone service and backup all your data to the cloud for free. You can sign up here, or read more about it in my review – here.

I’m off to upgrade my Jack. If you have any problems or questions about the upgrade process, just post them in the comments here and I’ll do what I can to help. I’ll post my thoughts on the new ROM once my device is flashed and I’ve had a chance to play around with it.

Update: It looks like the update will not run on Windows 7, even if it’s run under compatibility mode as an administrator. You’ll need a machine running Vista or XP in order to do this upgrade. When I launched the installer on Vista, it failed the first time. I had to run the installer as an administrator in order for it to work.

HTC Snap vs Samsung Jack – FIGHT!

Being a big fan of the Messenger style Windows Mobile devices, I was pretty excited to see HTC return to this market with the Snap (T-Mobile Dash 3g, Verizon Ozone, etc…). While they were away, Samsung really stepped up their game and released a number of devices. HTC typically does a great job on the hardware, so let’s compare it to the latest and greatest device from Samsung and see how it fairs.

Processor

Both the HTC Snap (also known as the T-Mobile Dash 3G) and the Samsung Jack sport a 528MHz processor which provides a wealth of power for general tasks. Despite the fast processor, I have noticed some lag on the HTC Snap. Especially on opening the start menu after a fresh reboot. It’s a good 4-5 seconds waiting for the start menu to populate. It draws the windows almost instantly, but it takes a while to show the available programs. Advantage – Jack

[ ..Read More.. ]

A Closer Look – The Samsung Jack Reviewed

It may not be called BlackJack, but the new Samsung Jack is the third release in the popular BlackJack series of smartphones. The original BlackJack and BlackJack II devices both reached the million plus sales mark. Can Samsung repeat that success with this new phone? If first impressions are any indication, then the new Jack should easily live up to the reputation of the BlackJack’s before it and reach that million seller mark.

Here’s a rundown of the technical specifications for the new Jack:

• Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard (Non-Touch)
• 528MHz Processor
• 256MB ROM / 256MB RAM
• Supports 16GB MicroSD
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE – 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
• 3G UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA – 850 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
• HSDPA – 3.6 Mbps
• 320 x 240, 2.4 inch screen
• QWERTY Backlit keyboard
• 1480 mAh Battery
• 3.2 Megapixel Camera
• WiFi – 802.11b/g
• GPS
• Bluetooth 2.0
• 4.4 x 2.4 x 0.5 inches (H x W x D)
• Weight – 3.6 ounces

If you compare these specs to the BlackJack II, you’ll notice that the processor is a whole lot faster, and the battery is a whole lot less. The BlackJack II sported a 260MHz processor, while the new Jack has a 528MHz processor. That’s a pretty significant upgrade in speed and it’s noticeable. The battery goes from 1700mAh down to 1480mAh. That’s a drop of 220mAh! We’ve got a faster phone with a smaller battery and if you guessed that battery life dropped, then you would be right. The BlackJack II would easily make it through a day and most of the second day before it would need a charge. With the Jack, you will get 24 hours our of a charge and then need to charge it. If you have a busy day, you’ll need to charge it when you get home. Otherwise, you’ll probably need to charge it on the way to work in the morning. [ ..Read More.. ]

Understanding Vanity Dialing in Samsung Smartphones

Samsung has included a feature in their phones called Vanity Dialing. As the name implies, this feature will allow you to dial those ever popular vanity numbers like 1-800-Flowers or 1-800-Samsung. You can find Vanity Dialing on the new Samsung Jack, Propel Pro and even the older BlackJack II devices under Start / Settings / Key Settings / Vanity Dialing. After turning this on, you will need to reboot your phone before you can use the feature.

Now that you have turned this on, you can easily dial vanity numbers without trying to remember what number M, or I, or K, or E. You can use your QWERTY keyboard to enter the full word easily and the smartphone will automatically replace the letters with the correct numbers. To use the feature, start entering the number as you normally would. When you get to the letters, press the function (Fn) key and then type the word using your keyboard. For example, if you wanted to dial 1-800-MobileJaw, you would press 1, 8, 0, 0, Fn, M, o, b, i, l, e, J, a, w (without the comma’s). That’s easy enough, right? So get out there and dial those vanity numbers!

Hard Reset the Samsung Jack

Sometimes there is a need to start fresh with your device.  Perhaps you just picked up the Jack from eBay or maybe you’re getting ready to list it for sale and want to clear off any personal details from the phone.  Or maybe, you’ve installed something and it’s your device un-usable. That should never be the case, but you never know, right?  If you want to start over, you need to perform what is called a "Hard Reset”.  This will wipe your device clean of any personal information and revert the device back to factory settings.  There are a couple ways to do this on the Samsung Jack.

Just to be clear, this article is talking about the AT&T Samsung Jack (SGH-i637) smartphone, also known as the Omnia Pro B7320.  If you are using a Rogers or Fido Samsung Jack, then and need to look at the hard reset instructions for the BlackJack II, which can be found here.

On the Samsung Jack, there are 2 types of reset options, Master Clear and Master Reset. The Master Reset function will reset the phone back to factory settings. The Master Clear option will reset the phone and wipe clean the user storage locations.  To access these options, you need to hit Start / Settings / Security and then select the reset method of your choice.  You will then be prompted for a reset password. Unless you have changed this value, the default is 0000 (four zero’s). Enter the reset password and you will be prompted to confirm the reset. If you picked the Master Clear, you will be prompted to select which user storage will be wiped.

If the Samsung Jack won’t boot or hangs just after booting, you can still perform a hard reset on the device.  From a powered off state, press the power button while holding down the “F” key on the keyboard. Keep holding down the “F” key until you see the format menu.  Here you will be prompted on which type of reset you are looking to do. Select 1 for Master Clear, or 2 for Master Reset and the device will be wiped accordingly.

Samsung’s Smashing New Smartphones

Samsung has officially announced four new Windows Mobile devices. There was no mention of price or availability of the 3 Windows Mobile Professional and 1 Standard devices. However, it is expected that they will be available in the next couple months. The Professional devices all build off the incredibly successful Omnia product line. The first device is the Omnia II which will feature a large 3.1 inch AMOLED display with 480×800 resolution, 800 MHz processor, TouchWiz 2.0 user interface, and Samsung’s Dolfin internet browser that supports viewing of up to 5 web pages simultaneously. The Omnia II, also known as the Jet, will also sport a 5 megapixel camera, GPS, FM Radio, Bluetooth, WiFi, DNSe and SRS Sound Effect technology, as well as DivX and Xvid video support. The Omnia Pro will have a slide-out QWERTY keyboard allowing fast and easy text input. The 4 row keyboard will slide on the left side of the device. The Omnia Lite will scale things down a little with a 3 megapixel camera and aGPS.

The final phone, and the only Windows Mobile Standard based device announced, is built from the extremely popular BlackJack I/II line of devices. The new Omnia Pro B7320 phone is very much the same as the Samsung Jack that has been released on AT&T’s network. The only noticeable difference in features is that the B7320 model will add an FM Radio.

The Omnia II and Omnia Pro devices appear to be very nice units. I’m not so sure about the Lite at this time, we’ll have to wait and see how that one turns out. And the B7320 (Jack) device is a solid follow-up to the BlackJack II. Samsung is sure moving hard and fast in the mobile space. It will be interesting to see what HTC announces later this month at their big event.

Unboxing the Samsung Jack at Mobility Minded

Johan van Mierlo was able to get his hands on the new AT&T Samsung Jack smartphone and has filmed an unboxing video showing off the device in all of it’s glory. The Jack sports a similar keyboard to that of the Motorola Q9, but as the picture below shows, the Jack’s keyboard is a smaller due to the overall device being smaller. Samsung will be releasing a Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade to the Jack later this year. Samsung and AT&T recently released the Propel Pro smartphone, which is similar to the Jack but the keyboard slides up and underneath the screen. Check out the full unboxing videos over at MobilityMinded.com (Part 1, and Part 2) and let us know your thoughts on this device. Is there a Samsung Jack in your future?

AT&T Set to Release New Samsung Jack Smartphone

This past week, AT&T announced another Samsung smartphone that will be added to their line-up. The new phone is called the Samsung Jack, not to be confused with the Samsung Jack being offered on the Canadian GSM carrier – Rogers, which is actually a BlackJack II. This new Jack runs Windows Mobile 6.1 but will be upgradable to Windows Mobile 6.5 when the time comes. The new Jack adds WiFi, a 3megapixel camera and a new keyboard design. The new keyboard is more like the one found on the Motorola Q than on previous BlackJack models. There are no more spaces between the keys on this new layout. I actually prefered the keyboard on the old BlackJack and didn’t care for the keyboard on the Q because of that space. I found it much easier to find the keys without looking at the keyboard. So it might take a little getting use to for some of us. It’s getting very hard to decide what my next device should be. I’m still lusting after the Propel Pro which was released a couple weeks back.

The Samsung Jack will be available on May 19th for $100 after a mail-in rebate and a 2 year contract.