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Alex's HTC Cingular 8125/8525 Reviews

around through the wire. The AT&T 8925, as you may already know, was bandying around as the HTC Tilt for some time. This is because, unlike the 8125 and 8525 (Wizard and Hermes) which preceded it, the display on the 8925 actually tilts upwards after you slide out the QWERTY keyboard. This provides for a more ergonomic form factor and a feel more akin to a mini laptop.

That’s right! AT&T has finally released the HTC Tilt. As a successor to the 8525, this smartphone comes jam packed with Windows Mobile 6 operating system, Mobile Office, 2.8-inch screen, GPS with TeleNav functionality, Push to Talk, standard IM program, slide-out and fold-up keyboard, glorious HTC-style QWERTY keys, Wi-Fi, 3MP camera, Push Email, and 3G HSDPA. You can get this gadget for $149.00 with two-year contract starting Friday October 5
 

 

AT&T Tilt Smartphone Is Official

 

 

 

The TeleNav Advantage

Considering purchasing a personal navigation device? See how TeleNav GPS Navigator stacks up.


 
  Personal Navigation Device TeleNav
Overall
Ease of portability DIFFICULT
Bulky device
0 EASY
On mobile phone
Cost
x $300-$600
Life expectancy: 2-3 years
$10 A MONTH
Customer support BUSINESS HOURS 24x7x365
Navigation
Navigation guidance with automatic reroute YES YES
2D, 3D maps YES YES
Human-voice audio prompts
x NO
Computer voice
YES
Automatic map updates
x NO
Manual updates: $50-$100
YES
Free
Address Entry
Location-based auto suggest of city/state YES YES
Enter address by calling toll-free number NO YES
Enter address via personal web portal NO YES
Business Finder
Find businesses anywhere in the U.S. YES YES
Find businesses near current location YES YES
Call businesses NO YES
Size of POI database 4-6 MILLION 10 MILLION
And growing
Automatic POI database updates
x NO
Manual updates: $50-$100
YES
Free
Fuel Finder & Other Content
Mark, go to waypoints YES YES
Find lowest gas prices near current location
x NO
Annual fee: $60
FREE
Purchased before 6/30/07
Display price per gallon of gas NO YES
Find Wi-Fi spots NO YES
Note: Comparison based on TeleNav GPS Navigator 5.0.

 

Cingular Wireless LLC's new 8525 smart phone is a slick device that packs a lot of features into a small package. Most notably, it uses the newest generation of data input for small devices that not only makes entering information simpler but also helps make the entire device easier to use.

The first wave of data input was handwriting-like shorthand, which was made popular by early Palm Pilots. The second wave was thumb-typing keyboards embedded into the front of the device, first popularized by the BlackBerry.

Cingular's 8525 more satisfying approach is a small keyboard that slides out the side of the device. As the 8525 proves, this approach offers a relatively large keyboard -- for a smart phone -- without sacrificing screen size or creating a bulky device.

The slide-out keyboard allows Cingular to use a 2.8-in., 320-by-240-pixel display in roughly the same size as similar devices. My Treo 700w, for example, is about the same overall size but has only a 240-by-240 display. Like other devices with slide-out keyboards, the screen operates in portrait mode with the keyboard stowed and switches automatically to landscape when you slide the keyboard out. The wider landscape display on the 8525 comes in handy when browsing the Web and gives the screen more height when the keyboard is retracted.

In addition, Cingular did a good job with other aspects of the 8525's interface. For instance, almost all of the buttons on the face of the phone are duplicated on the keyboard, except the buttons for starting and ending calls. The device also has a jog-wheel on the side and some assignable buttons. The reset is mercifully located on the bottom of the phone, so there's no need to pop back covers, as is the case with the Palm Treo. There's also a button on the side reserved for Cingular's upcoming push-to-talk service. Notably missing, however, is a volume control or audio silence button; you must find and use the volume control menu to change or turn off the speaker.

Communications Swiss Army knife

Beyond its interface, the 8525 is, without question, a very solid Windows Mobile smart phone. Besides running a whole host of applications developed for that operating system, it's a Swiss Army knife of communications, with support for Wi-Fi (both 802.11a and g), Bluetooth and Cingular's 3G network. It can serve as a 3G modem for laptops using either a cable or Bluetooth.

Setting up the Wi-Fi connection was painless, even with WPA security enabled. The biggest benefit to Wi-Fi on a smart phone is that it allows connections when 3G coverage is poor, which typically is the case once you get out of major cities. It also means that when you have Wi-Fi access, you can use a voice-over-IP service like Skype to make calls instead of spending your talk time minutes.

 

On the downside, I was a bit peeved with Cingular's Xpress Mail for desktop mail syncing. I've become addicted to Verizon Communications Inc.'s Wireless Sync, which keeps my mail, contacts and calendar in sync automatically, even though I don't have an Exchange server. However, Cingular's software can only perform those tasks if you run some server-based corporate software such as Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes. You can read your mail without such a system, but that's about it. To sync contacts, you must perform a standard sync with your desktop computer.

Powerful and media-ready

With a 400-MHz processor, the Cingular 8525 has plenty of horsepower. There's also 64MB of RAM, with 51MB available to the user. On a fresh start-up with nothing running, I saw nearly 31MB of memory free. Depending on applications, this is a big advantage over my Treo 700w, which can have as little as 16MB free after start-up.

As a Windows Mobile device, it includes Windows Media Player 10 for audio and video playback. To store your tunes, you'd use the Mini-SD slot on the side.

The Cingular 8525 also sports a 2-megapixel camera. The user interface for the camera is quite nice, overlaying information about camera settings over the displayed image like a real digital camera would. Like most camera phones, what it badly lacks is a credible flash. The 8525 substitutes a lame LED (one of several new phones to do this), which makes no real difference to the picture beyond about a foot.

The device comes with a number of add-on services preinstalled. For example, you can subscribe to MobiTV, which lets you watch channels such as CNN and Lifetime on your phone. This isn't an exclusive for Cingular, but Cingular does let you pay for it on your cell phone bill rather than as a separate subscription. You can also install TeleNav, a TomTom-like navigation program. However, since there's no user-accessible Global Positioning System function on the phone, you'll need a separate Bluetooth GPS to make use of it.

Overall, the Cingular 8525 is fast, memory-efficient and well-designed smart phone made particularly attractive by an intelligent keyboard design and relatively large display. It's an excellent choice for corporate road warriors and geeks on the run.

 

 



2-In-1 Features: synchronize and charge smartphone with any USB-enabled Notebook/PC.
The USB docking cradle holds your smartphone at a comfortable reading angle and provides convenient access on your desk.
Portable Design - Convenient for travelers and business users.
Bonus - Charge your smartphone on the cradle with AC adapter when PC/notebook not available.
Include: USB data cable, AC adapter & stylus
Only fits phone with standard/original size battery only.,

8125/8525 Compare Phones

2-Year Pricing
Cingular 8525

Cingular 8525
Cingular 8125 Pocket PC

Cingular 8125 Pocket PC

*2-yr Contract Price $449.99   $349.99  
Online Discounts - $0.00   - $0.00  
Mail-in Rebate - $50.00   - $100.00  

*Your Price

 $399.99   $249.99  

Included Features

    
Bluetooth
Camera
GSM/GPRS
International
Push To Talk    
Video/3g  

Capabilities

    
Text Messaging
Video Messaging  
Wireless Email

Specifications

    
Size: inches 4.43 x 2.28 x 0.86  2.83 x 4.25 x 0.93 
Weight: ounces 6.0  5.0 
Digital Talk Time 5 hrs 5 hrs
Digital Stand By 250 hrs 168 hrs
 
Alex's HTC Cingular 8125 Drivers
Windows XP Driver for HTC 8125 Cingular = for Charging

Windows XP Driver= for HTC 8125 Cingular Modem Internet Connection (Instructions Included)

Free Phone calls using wi-fi  

http://www.skype.com/download/skype/mobile/brand_htc_beta.html

 

You Need This WI-Fi Companion

I cannot remember how I survived without wireless networking. I have one in my home and frequently access public hotspots in my community to dash off a quick e-mail or instant message. I have even used airport and hotel hotspots to remotely manage projects while on vacation or on business trips. Now that I can connect to the Web anywhere, I'm more efficient than ever before!

Unfortunately, finding a Wi-Fi hotspot is sometimes easier than connecting to it. The networking software built into Wi-Fi equipped Windows Mobile devices is sometimes tough to use, and networks with encryption and other security measures can make it difficult to get online. The software applications discussed in this article can help you find and connect to wireless networks. In addition, they add some incredible additional features to your Wi-Fi equipped device.

Locate hotspots quickly

The first step in wireless networking is finding a hotspot. Wi-Fi is nothing more than a short range, two-way radio that handles data rather than voice communications. Wi-Fi equipped Windows Mobile devices come with software that lets you control the Wi-Fi radio built into the device. You can use the radio/software combination to "sniff out" the signals coming from a Wi-Fi hotspot, determine their strength, and establish a connection between the hotspot and your device.

As mentioned, the built-in networking software (a.k.a., "Wi-Fi manager") is sometimes difficult to use. Fortunately, there are third-party solutions available, and one of the best is Socket Wi-Fi Companion (http://www.socketcom.com/). This program quickly scans the area for available wireless networks and shows you each one with their signal strength (Fig. 1) as well as any encryption measures the hotspot may employ.

Fig. 1: The Socket Wi-Fi Companion gives you one-tap access to wireless networks in your immediate area.

To connect to a network, simply tap on a hotspot name in the list and tap on "Get Connected." Wi-Fi Companion will take care of all the settings and automatically download a security certificate if the wireless network requires one.

Once you're connected, Wi-Fi Companion offers a new set of helpful utilities. The screen includes a pop-up menu for single tap access to surf the Web or check e-mail, as well as for launching Socket's Wi-Fi utility applications (Ping and Trace Route).

A special Power Save feature allows you to specify whether you'd like to have the best battery savings, best network performance or a balance between the two. This dialog will change how the Wi-Fi Companion controls the power to the wireless radio to help you conserve battery power or maintain a stable wireless connection. You can also select an "automatic management" feature, which automatically adjusts the power up for better reception, when you're device is connected to a AC power adapter and down to conserve battery power, when you're not.

The Wi-Fi Companion software ships with two utility applications, Wi-Fi Ping and Wi-Fi TraceRoute. These applications can help you troubleshoot network problems by checking the range of your network and will check each "hop" your wireless connection makes to find where delays in communications are occuring.

Wi-Fi Companion is available from Socket Communications for $24.99 and a 3-day trial version is available on their Web site (http://www.socketcom.com/). The Wi-Fi Companion requires ActiveSync 4.0 to install the application on to a Pocket PC.

Map your local hotspots

When wireless networks first began appearing, a hobby called "wardriving" was born. Users would drive around their neighborhoods with GPS-equipped laptops and map all of the wireless networks in the area. This information could be uploaded to a Web site to share with other users. NeoHunt simplifies wardriving with your Pocket PC. As you move around, the software displays all of the available wireless networks (Fig 2) on-screen. If your Pocket PC is equipped with a GPS receiver, the software integrates with it to map the coordinates of the Wi-Fi networks you encounter.

Fig. 2: NeoHunt scans the area for wireless networks and stores the GPS coordinates of each hotspot.

Data can be imported into Pocket Streets to display where you located hotspots on a street map or imported into Microsoft's Terraserver. The developer has no immediate plans to support the WM5 feature that allows shared use of the GPS data. This means you cannot run another application that accesses the GPS receiver, (for example, a navigation program that provides driving directions) while you map hotspots using neoHunt. In addition, I had difficulty getting the software to work with some Bluetooth GPS accessories. So make sure you install and experiment with the trial version of the application to make sure it works with your equipment before you purchase it.

More information and a link to a trial download are available on the developer's German language Web site (http://www.playseven.com/) or on the special English language site he's created for his .NET applications (http://www.dotnetux.net/). You can also purchase the software directly from Handango.com for $15.

 

 

Alex's Screen Capture's

 
TeleType GPS 20-Channel Sirf III Bluetooth Receiver - US Maps & Program

TeleType GPS 20-Channel Sirf III Bluetooth Receiver - US Maps & Program - Holida Special!

Quantity in Basket:none
Code: 2852
Price:$129.00

Shipping Weight: 4.00 pounds
 
USB Adapter > Mini 5 Pins Key Chain http://www.usbgeek.com/prod_detail.php?prod_id=0450
click to enlarge click to enlarge
click to enlarge  
   

click on the picture to enlarge
You never know when you might need it !!

Features :
 

  • Tiny, portable.
  • Interchange for most mini usb devices,
    e.g. PDA, MP3, Cellular Phone, etc.
  • Usage for Battery charging, Data Communication or Synchronization..etc.
  • Comes with small chain for connecting to your keyring, backpack, tool bag, etc.
  • Price: US$ 5.00
    •  
    Alex's Soft IP VoIp


    Alex's Settings Capture

     

    Alex's Screen Cleaners

    Screen Puff™

    Clean your screen with this puffy, ultra-handy wiper!  BoxWave's new Screen Puff™ is made of non-abrasive and lint-free material that can clean your screen easily and quickly.  It comes in your choice of seven colors: black, blue, green, orange, pink, silver, or yellow.  Just attach it to your phone or case and clean your screen wherever you go.

    Alex's 8125 Cradle


    Alex's 2.0gb MiniSD Storage Card


    Alex's Nice Cover

     


    >.................


    ll

    Alex's The Best Cradle of All
    Alex's 8125 ????

    8125 Specs
    Here are some of the main features of the Cingular 8125. Please add more fun features that you've used on the 8125

    Operating System Microsoft Windows Mobile™ 5.0 software for Pocket PC


    Applications Microsoft&#reg Office Outlook&#reg Mobile, Word Mobile, Excel&#reg Mobile, PowerPoint&#reg Mobile, PDF viewer, Internet Explorer Mobile, MSN Messenger&#reg, ClearVue, Windows Media&#reg Player Mobile


    Processor TI OMAP 850, 200 MHz


    Memory Built-in 128MB Flash ROM and 64 MB SDRAM


    Display 2.8" QVGA TFT LCD, 320x240 64k


    Network Quad-band world phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), GSM, GPRS, EDGE class 10

    Wi-Fi Built-in Wi-Fi with compliant IEEE, 802.11b, WPA authentication (WEP,PSK,EAP-TLS, PEAP) and 802.11i


    E-mail Support for Cingular Xpress Mail, GoodLink, ActiveSync, POP3/IMAP4 e-mail client


    Battery Rechargeable Li-ion 1250 mAh


    Speakerphone Built-in speakerphone


    Built-in Camera (8125 model) 1.3 mega-pixel color camera with fixed lens and camcorder


    Caller ID Customizable Photo Caller ID


    Audio MP3, AMR, AAC, WAV, WMA Codec
    2.5mm stereo audio jack


    I/O Interface Bluetooth wireless technology (version 1.2), IrDA, standard 5-pin mini USB port


    Expansion Mini SD memory card slot


    Antenna Internal antenna with external antenna connector

    Alex's Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 (for Pocket PC)


    Check your Outlook e-mail, edit attachments, schedule meetings, browse the Internet, and listen to music. With a Windows Mobile powered device in your pocket, you're ready to face your day.Learn more about Windows Mobile What Can Windows Mobile Do For You? Shop for a Windows Mobile device

    Alex's The Best Application Closer

    http://www.insoftwarehouse.com/download/inclose/xe.php?l=en InClose Mobile InClose Mobile
    Summary
    . Simple Task Manager. Close button that really closes. Details Real Close Button: The Smart Minimize Button will be smarter. Task Manager: You can handle the currently running applications more easily. Accessories: You can reset the device or rotate the screen with simple actions. Multiple Gestures: Not only Tap, Tap and Hold but also Horizontal Drag, Vertical Drag and Diagonal Drag are supported.

    IP Dashboard
    IP Dashboard Network Monitor 1.9 Have you ever wondered whether your Pocket PC was connected to your wireless network? It was that simple question that led us to develop IP Dashboard, the most intuitive network monitoring tool available for Pocket PC devices. With features for both the casual and professional user, IP Dashboard will never leave you wondering about your wireless connection again. Version 1.9 introduces full support for Windows Mobile 5.0, including VGA displays, landscape mode and square screen devices!

    Key features include:

    Monitor WiFi or Ethernet connection status on Today Screen
    Network activity icon shows inbound and outbound traffic
    View and Edit current network settings, including IP address and DHCP configuration
    Configurable meter to track bandwidth usage
    Graphical display of current data rate and historical network usage
    Release/Renew IP addresses obtained through DHCP
    Ping function to test connectivity to other computers
    Network profiles make it easy to save and restore network settings
    More features...
     

    Jabra BT620s Won't work for Music on 8125
    Jabra BT620s Support
    JabraBT620SWelcome to the Jabra BT620s technical support area, where we offer answers to your frequently asked questions and technical product information.

    Your Jabra BT620s lets you connect to one or two devices for phone and music features.

    Phone features Music features
    • Answer calls
    • End calls
    • Reject calls*
    • Voice dialing*
    • Last number redialing*
    • Call waiting*
    &149 Put call on hold*
    * Phone dependent

    • Play music
    • Pause music
    • Stop music
    • Pause music and answer call*
    • Fast Forward*
    • Rewind*
    • Jump to next track
    • Jump to previous track
    * Device dependent




    Compatibility Guide

    FAQ's  on 8125

    Can you use Skype with it?

    We were able to get Skype up and running with absolutely no problems, but we weren’t able to use a regular headset because the Universal has a 3.5mm headphone jack.

    Does it have a Widcomm Bluetooth stack or a Microsoft Bluetooth stack?

    Widcomm. UPDATE: Or at least our pre-production unit did. Apparently the i-mate JASJAR and T-Mobile MDA Pro have the Microsoft stack.

    Will this be available from any US carriers?

    No US carriers are planning to offer the Universal, at least not as far as we know.

    How is data on the phone?

    We weren’t able to’s GPRS worked just fine. No EDGE, sadly.

    Quad-band GSM?

    The version we have is tri-band (900/1800/1900), however other versions could go quad just like AT&T/Cingular did with the HTC Typhoon (quad-band was only available on the U.S. version of that phone).

    Can the camera shoot video?

    The camera can be used to shoot video. You have the option of shooting either MPEG-4 or Motion JPEG with a resolution up to 320 x 240.

    Does it come with a cradle?

    No cradle, but supposedly one might be available eventually.

    USB 2.0?

    Yup.

    How solid is the swivel neck?

    Seems pretty solid, but you probably wouldn’t want to find out the hard way how easy it is to break.

    Does the joypad change along with the landscape/portrait orientation?

    Yup. It’ all automatic

    Milliamps of the battery? Is it swappable?

    1620 mA. And the battery is swappable.

    Comparison shots with the Treo 650?

    Of course. We’ll have a gallery of hands-on shots up later today.

    Does it have Bluetooth 2.0?

    Nope, just Bluetooth 1.2.

    Is the keyboard backlit?

    Yeah, it has very slick, almost sinister, red LED backlight.

    The Blue Angel’s WiFi signal sucked! Has the problem been fixed with the Universal?

    WiFi is way, way better on the Universal, both in terms of signal strength and in terms of ease of use. We were able to easily get online with the Universal here at Engadget HQ, the phone auto-detected our wireless network and then prompted us to enter our passkey and that was it, we were good to go. Switching between WiFi and GPRS was a little tricky, but after a few minutes we were able to figure it out.

    Ability to use WiFi and WAN at the same time?

    Not as far as we can tell, though it’s possible that we haven’t figured it out yet.

    Is it useable as a phone?

    It is definitely useable as a phone, but it’s not great and if you’re planning on making a lot of calls you’ll probably want to use a Bluetooth headset. To be honest, if you’re someone who is going to be using this thing more as a phone than as a PDA, you probably won’t be happy.

    How is the screen for watching films?

    The screen is great for watching films, really crisp and clear. We tried watching videos with both Windows Media Player and TCPMP, both worked fine, though we got plenty of stuttering when we tried to play back a full 640 x 480 res video with TCPMP.

    Is the keyboard easy to use?

    The keyboard is very easy to use, but it definitely requires the use both hands. The keys were also surprisingly tactile, we’ve played with earlier versions of the Universal where the keys weren’t so hot.

    USB or mini USB?

    Mini USB.

    Can you easily make calls without opening it up?

    You can answer calls without opening it up — it has two buttons for taking and ending calls on the side – but unless you use a Bluetooth headset and voice recognition, it doesn’t look like there is any way to make calls without opening it up.

    Word/PDF/Excel?

    It has Windows Mobile versions of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and you can install a PDF reader on there.

    Phone call sound quality?


    Call quality was about average for a cellphone.

    How are the stereo speakers?

    Very small and very tinny – which is about what you’d expect for tiny little speakers. It’s possible to listen to music or watch a video, but you’ll probably want to use headphones if you can. Still, if you’re hanging out with friends and want to play them a song or show them a video it’ll get the job done.

    Will there be a version without a camera?

    None is planned, but it is possible that a carrier could ask for a version without a camera.

    Can you use it with VNC?

    Wasn’t able to get Pocket VNC working, not sure if it’s an incompatibility with WM5.0 or something else, but we were able to get Remote Desktop working ok.

    Can you answer calls when it’s closed? Is there a small external screen?

    You can answer calls while it’s closed, there are two buttons for answering and ending calls on the outside. There isn’t another screen besides the main one.

    Vibrating appointment alarms?

    Yup.

    Is that an SDIO slot?

    Yup.

    What Bluetooth profiles are included? Does it support A2DP?

    It includes the Hands-Free and Headset profiles, but not A2DP. Our contact at MSFT says that A2DP support is coming.

    Can you attach a hard drive to it via WM5.0’s USB on the Go support?

    Yup.

    Streaming video over WiFi? Can you multitask while doing it?

    We were able to stream video over WiFi and successfully multitask while doing it. Multitasking in general felt very good. The phone is surprisingly snappy, we didn’t see much lag at all jumping between apps, well, except when we had a whole bunch of different programs open at on

    Microsoft Windows mobile 5.0 Site and News

    Windows Mobile (US)
    What is Windows Mobile?
    Microsoft Windows Mobile powered devices help you access the business information you need even when you are away from your desk. With over 40 form factors, the Windows Mobile platform ensures that there’s a device type uniquely suited for your organization, your team, and your role. In addition to Microsoft Outlook Mobile and familiar Microsoft Office Mobile software, innovations in Windows Mobile 5.0 include applications such as Voice over IP, persistent storage, on-device password enforcement, and remote wipe.
    The Windows Mobile platform is an open platform that supports needs beyond mobile messaging. It’s based on Microsoft .NET, giving developers freedom to innovate. Over 18,000 Windows Mobile applications are available from third-party developers.

    The Windows Mobile platform also offers choice in mobile operators, networking and synchronization technologies, and cost.

    The following are the top six reasons that enterprises choose Windows Mobile:
    Return on investment
    Familiar and easy to use
    Better together – partners
    Improved security
    Flexible development platform
    Competitive advantage

    Coolest Application for WiFi Discovery

    radar2

    http://www.aspecto-software.com/rw/applications/wififofum/

    Description:
    This is the latest version of WiFiFoFum - the best WiFi scanner an