Expert: Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen

Anyone new to Pocket PC Phone Edition devices but well-versed in configuring Internet connections using "traditional" mobile phones will be first be frightened by his or her knowledge not working with Pocket PC Phone Edition (PPC PE for short) and will think at first she/he can't use his/her overly expensive PDA as a modem for other PDA's.

What's the point, you may ask, in trying to use your PPC PE as a modem for another Pocket PC. The reason is simple: current PPC PE models all have serious compromises. Even the currently best one, the HTC Universal (Qtek9000, MDA Pro, O2 Exec etc), is, in many respects (weight, CPU speed, lack of buttons on the front, lack of status screen on the back, lack of jog dial etc) clearly worse than standalone, non-converged Pocket PC's like the Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox 720 and the forthcoming N560, the Dell Axim x51v or the iPAQ hx4700.

Read more!

Verizon customers wating to get a Treo 700w, beware. The Bluetooth functionality of the Treo 700w is crippled.

Unfortunately, this isn't the first device to be crippled by Verizon. They have done the same to the Motorola V710 (and some other models), causing a lot of headaches. In addition to the above article (and the links inside), you may read this thread on the latter. I've provided extensive v710-crippling related information in the given article, which may be useful to understand what has been crippled in the 700w.

(Also, please note that I've updated the latest Fujitsu-Siemens blog entry with a lot of new links.)

Q: I have a T-Mobile iPAQ h6315 and have severe problems with it. What should I do?

A: Did you install the T-Mobile h6315 ROM upgrade? It may fix some? all? of your issues.

Q: Which is better: GPRS or Wi-Fi? Which should I subscribe to if I'm a T-Mobile (US) subscriber?

A: The answer is: both. These two technologies are (mostly) complementary because of the vastly different range and accessibility they provide.

First, if you want a connection that is (almost - see the coverage map in this thread) always accessible (except in rural areas, away from lanes), GPRS is a better choice. GPRS is sufficient for a lot of things (except for multimedia streaming and VoIP - that is, stuff that requires a lot of bandwidth), even for Web browsing. (I also use GPRS extensively. While not a speedking, I can get on with it. Occasionally, however, I also switch on the Wi-Fi in my PDA('s) too while at work/at some other place with Wi-Fi. At home, I only use GPRS (we don't have landline / cable TV connection at home to save expenses - they're very expensive here in Europe, so, GPRS is a much better choice).)

If you, however, need a much faster connection and the much more limited Wi-Fi range isn't a problem (GPRS can be used even 2-3 miles from the closest T-Mobile radio tower; Wi-Fi, on the other hand, only some 100-200 feet), go for Wi-Fi.

In addition to the much better throughput of Wi-Fi (beware, you will not see so great speeds as on a decent desktop; see for example this article on this question), you can run into many free(ly usable) Wi-Fi hotspots that you don't need to subscribe to (you may still want to read for example this thread on the ethical questions of doing this). However, to be absolutely sure you will always have Wi-Fi connection (in heavily urbanized regions - not in villages/rural areas!), you may want to subscribe to the T-Mobile Wi-Fi service too (see the above-linked thread) so that don't have to rely on public, free hotspots, which may not be accessible everywhere and also pose security/ethical questions.

Q: Can I use my T-Mobile MDA (HTC Wallaby) as a desktop/notebook modem?

A: The MDA (HTC Wallaby; a.k.a. O2 XDA, Qtek1010, Siemens SX-56 etc) can be used via a serial - either cable or IrDA - (but NOT ActiveSync USB!) connection. For this, you'll need a PPC2k2 (WM2003+ isn't supported!) ROM version that has wmodem. Please read this thread for more information.