Further musings on the WM6.5 on Samsung EPIX

I found out that, due to a slight coloring on my "liquid detector" I was not eligible for a warranty replacement of my EPIX after all. However, they did send me a replacement USB cable. And much to my surprise it worked! So I was able to install WM6.5. My initial findings are that the phone is still quite stable (as I seemed to have resolved the WM6.1 instability with the removal of Newsbreak). Instead of Newsbreak I am using the default RSS reader, but do not like it so will look for another alternative.

I am not so happy with the WM6.5 browser, even though it is more modern with a zoom capability. Of course, without multi-touch capability, the zoom has to be done with a slider. It requires a tap on the options button, a zoom button and then quickly to the displayed slider. If you are not quick enough the slider disappears, I wish that the wait time could be adjusted (registry hack anyone?). Also the slider is not so easy to use so you often spend time fiddling around to get the page at the right size to be able to both read the text, as well as view the page without constant scrolling left/right.

I have noticed that "Messaging" has changed slightly, not choice of "text" or "MMS" for a new message, it assumes text. I do like that a number of key apps and screen have finger gesture controls, e.g. flick scrolling.

Where I have noticed a huge improvement is the time to lock in the GPS satellites. Previously it took as long at 2-3 minutes, now it seems to be about 10-20 seconds! Also, the GPS battery drain is gone, so I can now use location based apps.

All in all, this update means that yes, I can use my phone for a few more months, while I wait to see what comes out of the woodwork around Christmas time. I suspect that T-Mobile's "Project Emerald" phone from HTC is going to be a strong contender; what with HSPA+ (21Mbps down/11Mbps up), UMA (hopefully) and Andriod.

Test msg from Ping.fm

0-0 at the end of regulation, hope this does not go to penalty kicks

Watching the big game. Hup Oranje!

Great night spoiled in last minutes. In shuttle to car park, teenager stood up and offered me her seat. Do I really look that old?

World of Color was typical Disney, magnificent and finished to the nth degree

Finishing my magical night at Disney with California Adventure's brans new World of Color

Managed to catch one of the last flights to the Moon of Endor. Followed it with the Indiana Jones Adventure.

Disney has not only the most beautiful fireworks, they are perfectly tme to the soundtrack

Oops, 4th July fireworks only last weekend, just their normal/special tonight

Special West Coast treat tonight, Disneyland & California Adventure. World of Color as special entertainment, then Disneyland July 4th fireworks

Just finished another evening of entertainment at Hollywood's Magic Castle

Earthquake was a 5.9, epicenter about 80 miles south of my location. Effective strength here about a 3 (USGS.GOV)

Just experienced earthquake in Orange County, severity unknown but not large

Samsung EPIX WM6.5 update

Just when I had given up hope, Samsung finally released the WM6.5 upgrade for my Samsung EPIX. My initial euphoria was dampened when I realized that I could not load the upgrade because my UB connection has stopped working. However my spirits soared again when I realized that I am just (by a few days) within the warranty period. A quick call to AT&T and a new (reconditioned?) phone will be on its way to me shortly. In an earlier post to this blog I had expressed some frustration about my phon and of my desire to start looking for a replacement. One of the issues was an almost daily freezing of the phone. Due to the USB problem I decided last weekend to carry out a hard reset, to see if this would clear the issue. It did not, but then I found that I had lost my Sprite backup files when my SDHC card had gone funny one me. No major issue as all imprtant data is on the Exchange server, and other data is on the SDHC card (except the backup files).
This did require a reinstall of all key programs, an opportunity to clean out unused programs and to update the programs that I am using. For this I go to the site where the program was purchased and check to see whether there is a newre version. For my RSS reader, Newsbreak, I was shocked to notice a comment on the site that this program was NOT compatible with my listed phone (Not the Ilium Software site but a 3rd party retail site). So I did not re-install this program and since then did not have a single freeze.

So two pieces of good news this week that will enable me to extend the life of my EPIX until I am again upgrade eligible with AT&T. At that time I can take stock again and see what phones are available. There are some personal reasons to remain with AT&T, but to date their only super smartphone was the iPhone. Now that the Captivate (Samsung Galaxy S) has been announced this gives me a better phone to which I might switch. However, I am also still tempted by T-Mobile with their UMA feature and the HSPA+ network. perhaps by the time my AT&T contract is up T-Moble will also have a true HSPA+ phone. At 21M/s this would blow the Evo out of the water for network speed.

Look for a post in about 2 weeks with my WM 6.5 reviw.

Happy and safe Independence weekend to all my friends