Samsung i8910 HD comes to the UK via Orange

On my way to school this morning I saw an advert for the i8910 HD in the Metro. Rumours had previously claimed that the i8910 would be available on contract starting from the 15th, so it's nice to see that this awesome device is out a bit earlier than expected. Unfortunately, Orange have decided that they don't want the i8910 to succeed and have done everything they could possibly think of to ensure that their version of the Omnia HD will be entirely unenticing to 'average' consumers.

Look at the above image of the advert that I've uploaded. Does anything jump out to you there?

Exactly.

Orange have paid for a full-page advert in a widely-read free newspaper and they omit the main selling point of the device. Where's the mention of HD video recording?

Now look closer at the Omnia HD, especially its screen. Do you see that? Here, I'll zoom in for you:

So, not only have Orange decided to forget about HD recording, they've also decided to rape the i8910 HD's software. What sorts of surprises should we expect from this version of the i8910's software? Maybe the reason for them not including HD recording in the advert is that they've disabled it in the software? Seriously, why can't networks just leave the software alone?

And then...
Below the main body of the advert is the small print. I was expecting to find the usual: free on a 18-month contract, terms and conditions, etc. Instead I find that the phone still costs £78; on a 24-month (yes, TWO YEARS) contract and at £40 a month for 1200 minutes and 'unlimited' texts. You read that correctly. Orange have the audacity to still charge money for a phone that is on a 24-month contract with a tariff that's simply not worth the money. £1038 over two years you'll be paying if you're suckered into this 'deal'.

My advice? Don't bother with Orange. Their exclusivity won't last long and the sim-free version of the i8910 will be out in less than two weeks. Save yourself the torture of using a phone with branded software and don't sell your soul to a network that has the chutzpah to make you pay for a phone on a two year agreement in the UK. Let me remind you that just a few years ago a class-leading phone like the i8910 HD would have probably been available for free on a 12-month contract.

Continue reading

How to: Get a 17-capability developer certificate without waiting

So, you've already seen my guide on getting a developer certificate from OPDA, right? You're interested, but the thought of waiting a possible 24 hours is a daunting one, isn't it? Don't worry, I can feel your pain. And I've also got a solution. Read on to find out how to get a developer certificate (yes, this one's powerful enough to sign HelloOx) in no more than 5 minutes! EDIT: Symbian Signed have blocked this method and it no longer works. If you're still in need of a certificate, refer to my older guide HERE.

First of all I'd like to say a few things. A big 'thank you' goes out to Il.Socio of Symbian-Freak for the initial guide and files. Secondly, this guide might seem like it's long but that's only because of the number of screenshots I've used and the fact that I've tried to make this as easy as possible for everyone to understand. Now that that's out of the way, enjoy the guide!

What you'll need:
-THIS file containing publisher IDs
-The Symbian Developer Certificate Request Wizard (download HERE)
-A computer with internet access

Before you do anything, install the Developer Certificate Request Wizard to your computer and extract the Publisher IDs.zip file to a folder.

1)Get a Symbian Signed account by going to www.symbiansigned.com and clickign 'register'.


Symbian won't let you register with a public domain email so if you have a personal email domain or a work one, you can use that. If you don't have a personal email account you can also (ironically) use Nokia's own @ovi.com email service or Microsoft's @live.co.uk.


2) Now that you've got a Symbian Signed account, open up the DevCertRequest application that you installed. If you don't have a shortcut on your desktop, it'll be in your Start menu under Programs>Symbian OS Tools>Developer Certificate Request>DevCertRequest.

Once you've got it opened, press the button on the right with an ellipsis (...) on it. From here, navigate to a folder that you'll remember, name your output file and then press open.

3) Once again, press the first button that has the ellipsis on it but this time navigate to where you extracted the Publisher IDs.zip file and select the Pub1 file.

Do the same for the second field but this time select the Pub1.key file and then press next (make sure there's a tick in the box next to 'No password').

4) You'll be shown a page that oultines the details of the Publisher ID that you're using, press next.

5)Press the button with an ellipsis again. This is where you'll enter the IMEIs that you want your certificates for. You can find your IMEI code by typing in *#06# from the homescreen of your S60 device. Enter your IMEIs and then press 'add' - you can add up to 1000 IMEIs for your certificate.

Once you've added all your IMEIs, press OK. You'll see a bunch of certificate capabilities highlighted in blue. Press 'add' and they'll all be taken over to the right. Press next.

6)You'll be shown a screen containing the details of your certificate request highlighted in blue. Press finish and you'll be greeted with a success message.

7) Head back to the Symbian Signed website and login using the account you've just created, your username is the email address that you registered with. On Symbian Signed, click the 'My Symbian Signed' tab towards the top of the page. On the left of the page you'll see a bunch of links. Click on 'open signed' and then 'request'. Fill out the form by entering the characters you see in the CAPTCHA and then upload the .csr file that you generated by pressing the 'browse' button.

Click on 'send' and you should now be able to download your shiny new developer certificate!

When signing files, you'll have to use the Pub1.key file in conjunction with your new certificate. There's no password but if the application you're using requires one, just use 0000.

Enjoy!

Continue reading

Samsung's official software update guide released

Last year, Samsung announced and released the i8510 (INNOV8) to consumers. Unfortunately, the device had quite a few 'holes' in its software that lead to highly frustrated users of the i8510 resorting to less-than-official methods of updating their firmware. However, with the release of the i8910 HD inching closer by the minute, Samsung have finally provided the public with an official guide on updating their phones at home.

Software updates for phones are limited depending on the country that your device was sold in and operator branding (if there is any). Samsung currently officially supports the following countries for software updates:
-Hungary
-India
-Pakistan
-Philippenes
-Portugal
-Romania
-Spain
-Turkey
-Ukraine
-Middle east Asia and Africa, including UAE
-Nigeria

I was able to get to a United Kingdom software update website by changing one of the URLs given in Samsung's guide. If there's anyone in the UK with an INNOV8 willing to test, please report back.

One thing I noticed was that unlike NSU (Nokia Software Updater), Samsung's software updater has a recovery mode available in case your software update is interrupted or fails.

Thanks to Sammy's Ben Morris for writing the guide. The PDF file can be downloaded from Samsung's Mobile Innovator website (Samsung, if you're reading this, PLEASE fix Lab.dev!) here. You'll need to be registered on Mobile Innovator to download the PDF file but if you don't want to bother, I've uploaded the guide to a seperate mirror here.

Continue reading

Sony Ericsson stereo Bluetooth Headset HBH-IS800 review

The Sony Ericsson HBH is800 Bluetooth headset was announced in July of 2008, promising an ‘extraordinary music experience’ to the user. With its small footprint in comparison to other Bluetooth stereo headsets, the is800 could change the way we look at Bluetooth headsets forever.

Box contents:
The is800 comes in a small white and purple box with a cut-out at the front so that you can see your new headset. You’ll find the following inside the box:
-Sony Ericsson HBH is800 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
-Carrying case for HBH IS800
-Documents relating to Bluetooth and a User manual
-A set of different sized earbuds for the HBH IS800



Design:
The HBH-IS800 could easily be mistaken for a normal pair of wired earphones at first glance due to their relatively small size. The headset’s actual earpieces are slightly larger than those of headsets you’d find bundled with phones and other multimedia devices. This slight increase in size is a small price to pay for the truly wireless experience offered by the HBH-IS800.




Creating a single product that can be used by millions of different people all with different tastes, styles and needs is something that Sony Ericsson have excelled at with the HBH-IS800. Included in the sales package are three differently sized ear plugs for the headset, allowing users to find the configuration that’s ‘just right’.


The wire connecting the earpieces of the HBH-IS800 is approximately 50.5cm in length and the entire headset (including the earpieces) is about 57cm. This once again ensures all users can enjoy the comfort of the HBH-IS800.


With the HBH-IS800, Sony Ericsson has gone for a simple yet pleasing look. The headset features only three colours: silver, black and green.

Small grooves can be found on each earpiece, providing some extra grip for the fingers.

Although the HBH-IS800’s minimalistic colour scheme allows it to match most electronic devices and clothing, it would be great if Sony Ericsson could offer a few more colour schemes. I’m sure an all-black version would go down well with tech lovers such as me.

Charging/Battery:

The HBH-IS800 comes with a slightly modified Sony Ericsson charger. The headset is charged via a port beneath the Sony Ericsson logo on the right earpiece. The HBH-IS800 should be able to be charged by practically any Sony Ericsson charger, including chargers from SE’s phones, portable chargers and of course USB cables.

The HBH-IS800’s user guide states that prior to any use of the device, it should remain plugged into the charger for a minimum of eight hours. This only needs to be done once and I believe it helps to ensure that the user can get the highest possible usage time out of the HBH-IS800.

Sony Ericsson claims a maximum of four hours music playback time and 270 hours of standby time. In reality, I’ve been able to squeeze a bit over 3 hours of constant music playback (at maximum volume) out of them. Though the battery life of the HBH-IS800 isn’t as amazing as some other Bluetooth headsets available on the market, I was more than happy to exchange stellar battery life for massive improvements in size and practicality.

Unfortunately, the HBH-IS800 takes a few hours to bring back up to full charge from empty. I’ve found that it has taken as long as two hours before seeing the green ‘battery full’ indicator LED on the right earpiece.

Pairing:
Like with most other Bluetooth headsets, pairing the HBH-IS800 with its first compatible device is a very quick and easy process. To pair the headset, it must first be put into pairing mode by turning it off and then pressing and holding the multifunction button for about 5 seconds or until the LEDs on the device start to flash. As with all other Bluetooth accessories, the HBH-IS800’s pairing code is 0000.

After pairing, the headset automatically connects with the last used device when turned on. The HBH-IS800 is incapable of storing more than one previously paired device in its memory.

Sound:
In my opinion, the sound produced by the HBH-IS800s is excellent; music is crystal clear with very good bass, if that’s what you’re into. Due to the in-ear style of the earphones, practically all external sounds cannot be heard when music is playing. Volume cannot be adjusted on the HBH-IS800 so the loudness of your music depends on your phone, I’ve found that Sony Ericsson devices were significantly louder than Nokia ones when at maximum volume and paired with the headset.

I’m no audiophile but I can comfortably say that, for me, the sound quality from the HBH-IS800 is far superior to that of the default earphones that come with Nokia’s N series, Apple’s iPods, Sony Ericsson’s walkman devices as well as a pair of Sony MDR-EX500LPs.

Calling:
Conversations are easy to maintain on the HBH-IS800, voices were clear and loud and I had no complaints about the clarity of my voice. When asked if they suspected that I was talking on Bluetooth headset callers said “no”.

Comfort:
It’s very easy to forget that there’s anything in your ears when using the HBH-IS800, they’re really that comfortable. Using the smallest of the included rubber earbuds, I’ve had no problems using the HBH-IS800 constantly for close to 3 hours.

Bluetooth signal strength:
In a clear line of sight, the HBH-IS800 is able to play music from my phone without any skipping up to about 5 metres. The headset can still play music perfectly when your phone is in any of your pockets (even rear trouser pockets) but music might start skipping if you’re wearing a thick hood; thin hoods work fine. You might also run into trouble if:
-You’re holding your phone while it’s in your pocket
-If it’s windy.

I’m not 100% sure if the wind actually affects the reception of the headsets, but on numerous occasions my music has skipped (only for a second, it recovers quickly) after I walk past a wall and the wind starts to hit me.

Conclusion:
The Sony Ericsson HBH-IS800s could potentially mark the start of a Bluetooth revolution. Its design means that people can now finally experience wireless music without compromising on size, practicality and sound quality. Despite some of its faults, the Sony Ericsson HBH-IS800 is arguably the best Stereo Bluetooth headset available on the market today and I would not hesitate to recommend them to any of my friends or family.

Continue reading

How to: Speed up your gallery/ringtone selection

Do you ever get annoyed when you're picking ringtones for your profiles and you have to search through possibly thousands of your favourite songs just to find that 30-second snippet that you downloaded? Or maybe you just don't want the pictures used by applications like Garmin showing up in (and slowing down) your gallery? If you answered yes to either of the questions above, then I can help you.

Download THIS unsigned sis file, install it and then restart your phone. You'll need a hacked phone to install it.

Installing the above file will mean that your music player will only search through the E:\Sounds folder when you refresh your music library and that when selecting ringtones, the phone will only look through the E:\Sounds\Simple and E:\Video folders. It also means that the Galllery will only search through E:\Images for pictures and E:\Videos for videos.

This hack provides HUGE improvements in the gallery and in adding new tracks. From my own experience, gallery loading times have been reduced by around 65% and music refreshing time is notably improved.

For the curious people out there, the .sis moves one file to C:\resource and one file to C:\Private\10202be9. Thanks go to rol@N95d for originally bringing this hack to my attention.

Things to note:
-This doesn't work on FP2/S60V5 devices. It seems there's work being done to fix this.
-Though I've been using this for about a week with no ill-effect, I am not liable for any (highly unlikely) damage to your phone.

Enjoy!

Continue reading

The Samsung i8910 - It feels like 2006 again

Do you remember the first of May 2006? That's the day that what we know today as the Nokia N95 was leaked as the Nokia N83. Yesterday saw the first actual images of the device but today, the 6th of February 2009, we have a new king. I can't describe just how excited I am right now. Read on for more details on this God-like phone from Samsung.

My friend Phat^Trance has scored some exclusive, high quality images of the Samsung 'Acme' (sounds too much like acne to me). These pictures confirm the following:

-HDMI output(!)
-HD Video recording (!)
-HUGE touchscreen
-Divx support
-S60 5th edition
-8MP camera


It's also rumoured that the i8910 will feature a WVGA screen but that's not confirmed yet.

If the i8510 ate the N96 for breakfast, the i8910 drinks the N97 like it's water. If history is anything to go by, it's very likely that the i8910 will be available in the shops before the N97.

This is almost certainly my next phone. I can literally feel my N95 8GB shaking right now, or is that just me shaking from the excitement?

Expect an official announcement from Samsung either on Monday or in the coming weeks, at MWC.

Continue reading

S60 has been hacked once again!

Finally. It's happened, my friends. All of you with 'unhackable' firmwares, read on.

None of this would have been possible without the great work by DeltaFox and FCA00000!

What you'll need:
-A strong certificate, like the ones that OPDA give out. If you don't already know how, check out my guide HERE on how to get one.


*Please read through the instructions atleast once before starting the procedure*

Download THIS zip file and extract it to your computer. Open the 'HelloOx' folder and sign every sis file within the folder.

1)Install 'HelloOX.1.03.Unsigned' to your phone's internal memory. If you're getting any certificate errors during the installtion it either means that you haven't signed the application or the certificate you used isn't good enough. Remember, OPDA provide the correct certificates.


2)Open HelloOx from your phone's Applications folder


Wait until it tells you that it's finished (takes about 1 minute).


If you wish, you can uninstall HelloOx once it's finished.

That's it. You're done!


If you have a Feature Pack 2 device for example a N96 or N85, you'll need to sign your unsigned applications with the certificate and key files in the archive named 'Leftup_CertKey' which is inside the HelloOx zip that you downloaded.

If you have a preFP2 device like the N95 or N73, you can now enjoy installing unsigned apps without ever having to worry again.


Enjoy!

Continue reading