Finally got round to getting the k800 working as a bluetooth modem on the Mac. To get going visit Ross Barkmans site which has a massive list of mobile phone drivers and scripts for the Mac. Grab the 3G and GPRS Sony Ericsson scripts and then install following the included readme’s. If you don’t know your providers connections settings then they can be found here. Speed is OK – better than dial up, worse than broadband but considering this gives the Mac an internet connection anywhere I’m being picky.
Tag: sony+ericsson
Sky by Mobile on the k800i
I’m still loving the k800i but Sky haven’t updated their Sky by Mobile app to support the new phone. No matter – there is still a way to run the app and remote record.
Firstly download the following file to your pc – http://mobile.sky.com/SBM/SonyE_vid/SkyMobile_SonyWithTv.jar. Then transfer the file to your phone. Running the app on your phone will ask you to install it. Say Yes and pick a location that suits. Running the app for the first time will allow you to enter your username and password. From then on it should connect with no issues (unless the Sky site is down). I didn’t have to change any other settings (with T-Mobile UK) although your mileage may vary depending on your carrier. More info can be found on AV Forums for getting it to work on O2. There is now really no excuse for missing that recording.
Sony Ericsson K800i
Another year, another phone. This is the 3G follow up to the k750i, my current phone. Although it’s been out for a couple of months I wanted to get the phone on T-Mobile’s Web ‘n’ Walk deal and take advantage of all that 3G speed online. So after a few days how has it faired?
What do you get?
In the box you get the phone plus USB cables and also headphones that double as an aerial for the radio. The k800i uses a new memory stick format, the M2. This really grinds with me – just how many different formats do manufacturers think we need? Also it means my previous cards wouldn’t work with the phone – more expense. However the T-Mobile deal included a 256Meg card which is more than adequate.
The Phone
The phone itself is heavier, taller and slightly more bulky than the k750i although it’s a great size for a 3G phone and the build quality is excellent. The back of the phone is rubberized and the only issue I have is with the lens cover – I’m sure that will break off over time. The back of the phone is also difficult to open which I guess is good in the long term – wouldn’t want it to easily slip off. The screen is excellent – more readable than the k750i, photo’s and in particular small text is clear and sharp. The software built into the phone is almost identical to the k750i except additions for RSS and Video calling. Voice quality has been excellent and on a par with the k750i which was one of the best phones I had used. Signal strength has also been excellent over the last few days.
The software on the phone also supports apps working in the background. You can be on a call or listening to music and at same time surf or get/receive e-mail. You can swap to apps running in the background via one of the keys on the front of the phone – very swish.
I was disappointed though with the software for synchronizing with Outlook. It is buggy and will only sometimes detect that the phone is connected. When this happens the launcher for file transfers also doesn’t work. Although it’s easy to connect in file mode so that transfers from the memory card can be made I recommend you download MyPhoneExplorer which has worked 100% for me. You can transfer files, sync calendars and get some other info like firmware version, battery life and temperatures. Another disappointment’s is lack of Mac support from Sony.
The big new feature of this phone though is the 3 Megapixel camera. Continue reading “Sony Ericsson K800i”
Java Apps
Couple of nice apps for your phone. First is Opera Mini (cheers Shak) which is a great browser – much better than the 750i built in browser – feels a lot quicker and you can see more on the screen. Second is ShoZu which allows you to easily name, tag and upload your photo’s to Flickr and other online photo sharing sites from your phone.
Makes me want more from my phone like some of the PDA app’s I used to use on the Palm. Contract on the 750i finishes next month so it’s time to start looking for a phone that does a bit more than take photo’s and play mp3’s.
K750i Update
It’s been a month since I picked up my new phone and thought it worthwhile doing a quick update. The phone hasn’t crashed or frozen once which is excellent, especially as I’m still using the original firmware. Updates have come out but have caused issues with some users – I’ll stick with the original version until I know there’s a stable new release which increases functionality. Pictures are also excellent and amazingly close to my 3 megapixel digital camera. I also like the shortcuts available and the events screen which shows missed calls, new texts etc.
Downsides – menu’s can feel slow to open which is apparently being addressed in new firmwares. Also there are some graphical flaws in the menus. Apart from that – nothing. Cannot recommenced the phone enough.
If you want more info on the phone visit Esato – great forums with lots of good advice on Sony Ericsson phones. There are loads of theme sites out there but eSeth.net has some of the nicer ones. Finally, if your looking for free Java games this site has plenty – http://maestro.intramail.ru/files/java/index.php?page=1&sort=date
K750i
Took receipt of my new phone today – Sony Ericsson K750i. Since getting a T68i I can’t see past Sony phones – the T610 was next and now the K750i. I’ve only had a few hours to charge and play with it but already it’s very impressive and certainly the most feature rich phone I’ve owned. What wins it for me though is the connectivity.
Continue reading “K750i”