I’m sure there are other countries that either have, or are soon to get the free WM6.5 upgrade but seeing as my own device is a stock, unbranded, Dutch B7610 (known as Omnia Qwerty in Holland) it’s my cue to download and upgrade.
For Dutch customers only (bricking your device is a distinct possibility if you try this with a branded or hacked device) here’s the link for the upgrade manual and upgrade software. Make sure you have plenty of battery in your PC and phone before you upgrade. Unfortauntely, this only works on Windows desktop OS. XP recommended. Linux and Mac users are out of luck.
http://software.mbzrsolutions.nl/omniaupgrade.html
Again, don’t try this unless you have a stock, unbranded phone from Holland.
I’ve downloaded the recommended version of ‘New PC Studio’ , the upgrade has been detected and I’m upgrading now.
Check back for updates.
19:53. Upgrade worked OK. Now switching from Dutch to English…I noted that the original Samsung three-screen start menu is now gone. It uses the default WM6.5 start menu now.
20:06. Switched to English OK. Confirmed that video recording is now 720×480. A nice upgrade!
20:25. Email program improved. Touch scrolling on directories and individual emails.
20:26. I prefer the Windows start menu to the old Samsung one. Its quicker.
20:30. Cant find a way to reduce font size for email yet. Seems that the WM6.5 settings are well hidden buy the Samsung settings.
20:35. I’m stunned at how little has changed between WM6.1 and 6.5 in general.
20:35. Lock screen uses default windows 6.5 lock. Quicker than Samsung.
20:57. Device completely locked (solid) after using the lock button. Soft-reset needed.
21:00Rearranging items on the start screen takes forever. You have to move them to the top and then shuffle everything else up until you get it to the rigth position. This can’t be right.
21:01 Nothing seems to be faster or slower in general.
21:05 The podcast directory is still terribly limited and some podcasts found by search arent accepted as valid podcasts. Acast on Android is a million times better than this.
OK. Stopping testing for a while. In summary, it’s a bit of an anti-climax. Nice to have the new video recording resolution and a better email UI but clearly WM6.5 is mainly a marketing trick.
I’ll start my full review now. Should be up in about a week as I have a few other devices to review for Carrypad and UMPCPortal here.
Thanks Raposa, for the tip.
#1 by jacob on December 1st, 2009
Anti-climax indeed. At least the wait is over!
#2 by Costas on December 2nd, 2009
Have you managed to use the TV-out feature yet?
Is there a cable that works for this phone? I tried it with two TV out cables I have for my iPod and Canon EOS camera and neither worked (these cables are 3.5mm jack to three phono (RCA) plugs).
#3 by Steve 'Chippy' Paine on December 2nd, 2009
Some basic cables work but need to be ‘wiggled’ or adjusted. Some dont push in far enough.
I’ve had success with the Nokia TV-out cable from my N82.
#4 by Steve 'Chippy' Paine on December 2nd, 2009
One more thing. It’s probably because the connector is a headset+TV port not headphone+TV. It has extra connectors internally. The Nokia cable appears to take this into account.
#5 by samsung Spica on December 2nd, 2009
Now it’s waiting for Windows Mobile 7 to be available to all. I really hope that’s not going to be an anti-climax. But don’t worry even when Windows is not able to get the max out of their OS the mobile phone producers can, just look at HTC with their HD2.
#6 by Costas on December 2nd, 2009
Only trouble is that none of the devices out there (with the exception of the HD2) will be compatible with WinMo7.
This is especially bad since it’s meant to be coming out in less than a year from now.
So what you just spent your hard earned money on will be obsolete in well under a year.
This is in sharp contrast to the iPhone and Android, all of which still release the same updates to all devices.
#7 by Harmens on December 2nd, 2009
Just installed the Dutch version. My impression is that screen changes (in the menu and the private screens) are faster. But for the rest, it’s pratically the same as 6.1. Well anyway, they did offer a free upgrade.
#8 by curtis on December 3rd, 2009
just some quick questions i need answering:
1. is it possible to change the tuchwiz menuback into the panel one, rather then the honey comb?
2. is the e-mail app now skined like seen in some of the photos?
3. is the new unlock process better or worse?
#9 by Steve 'Chippy' Paine on December 3rd, 2009
1 – It looks like it in the Samsung setting but it doesnt seem to work.
2 – Email is not skinned. Same app with different font and finger-scroll + scrollbar.
3 – Unlock process is fast but it’s at the top of the screen which is stupid. Samsung have stretchy thumbs!
#10 by stn on December 3rd, 2009
for me this up located unlocking scrollbar is quite ok :>
#11 by maarten on December 4th, 2009
Hi,
I’ve update my phone to 6.5
But i can’t sent pictures by e-mail.
When i take a picturen (highres) my mail can’t be sent (pop3 & exchange).
Tips?
#12 by Mystic971 on December 7th, 2009
Hi,
I’m french , i just want to know if this New Pc Studio from Holland works on my phone ?
#13 by chippy on December 7th, 2009
Hi Mystic971
I used it from Germany but it was on an OP bought in Holland. If you bought your phone from a shop (a generic version of the phone) then it might work but please be aware that you might have problems. Language is changeable after install. Let us know if it worked or not!
#14 by gadgety on December 8th, 2009
Hi Chippy,
I’m posting here rather than on the forum as the action seems to be more recent here. It seems several of the latest generation WinMo phones including HTC HD2 and possibly the Acer Neotouch, as well as the Nokia N900 do not handle voice dialing through a BT head set. At the very least you have to activate it on the phone and can’t initiate calls straight from the head set. In some instances (HTC) it replies on the phone speaker rather than through the BT headset. Incredibly stupid. Or, in the case of the N900 the software doesn’t exist, with the proverbial “yet” as it’s a new phone OS. So, what about the Omnia Pro?
#15 by gadgety on December 15th, 2009
Really, no mobile users around here using BT headsets?
#16 by curtis on December 13th, 2009
thanks for the fast reply to my questions chippy. i’m right onteedge of putting my money down, and just have to sort out alast few niggling questions.
1. How responsive is the touch screen? the only touch screens i have a lot of experience with are the nokia 5800, the samsung f700 and the samsung omnia.
2. Did you find a way to change the mainmenu back to the 6.1 style? i really don’t like
the honeycomb
3. how long does it take to fully charge it? does it charge through the usb?
4. can you chose which browser is the default?
5. do scratchesgo through the screen protector? does it need a case?
6. does it sinc with any browser favorites? or just ie and opera on the pc
7. how easy is it to set up the tv out?
well thats it, if you can answer any of those thanks
#17 by Jacob on December 13th, 2009
I can answer a few of those questions for you.
1. If you’ve used the original Omnia, the sensitivity on the B7610 is far better than that.
2. I doubt you can change it back without downloading some modification off the internet. I haven’t looked for one, but there might be one out there. I’m pretty sure, from my usage, that there’s no way of changing it back on the phone.
3. It’ll charge from 0% to 100% in about five hours. You can charge it from USB, but it does take longer.
4. Yes you can.
5. I would buy a case. I’ve had no problems with screen scratches so far, but that’s probably because I use a case.
As for the other questions, I can’t answer because I haven’t sync-ed my favourites and I haven’t used the TV-out! Hope this helps!
#18 by gadgety on December 15th, 2009
@Jacob
As you have the phone – can you voice dial through a BT headset? Does it require you to push a button on the phone first, or can you initiate from the headset?
Thanks!
#19 by Jacob on December 20th, 2009
I’m afraid I don’t have a bluetooth headset. I’ve never really liked them! But as far as I know, it doesn’t let you voice dial through a wired headset, so it probably wouldn’t through a bluetooth headset.
#20 by gadgety on December 23rd, 2009
Thank you for trying it out despite not having a BT headset! What a shame. I would think these business oriented phones could handle something that SonyEricsson did 7 years ago…
#21 by curtis on December 14th, 2009
thanks for the reply jacob.
the video reveiw on phonearena makes it look likeyou can change the main menu (3:16),but doesn’tshow how.
also how do you find the call clarity? iask cause they are really down on it in the above review
#22 by Jacob on December 14th, 2009
Ahh! You mean the Samsung skinned main menu. I thought you were talking about the WM6.1 listed start menu. In this case, that menu is available alongside the normal WM6.5 honeycomb menu. To access it, all you need to do is press the function button (the big button between the call send and call end buttons). You don’t need to alter any settings to get to it, you just need to press one button.
About the call quality, I find it pretty good. My only issue is that it’s a bit quiet sometimes. You can sometimes miss things people say when you’re in a noisy environment, by which I mean if you’re in large crowds of people or areas with lots of noisy traffic. If someone calls you when you’re doing you’re buying your Christmas turkey down your local supermarket, you shouldn’t have any problems. In summary, I’ve used better, but I’ve also used much worse.
#23 by Jacob on December 14th, 2009
“you’re doing you’re buying”?? I should make my mind up whether I want to do the Christmas turkey or just buy it.
#24 by achan10 on December 14th, 2009
Is there new information when this rom will be available for other countries??
#25 by curtis on December 20th, 2009
another day, more questions. i tried out the omnia 2 a few days ago and came out with more questions.
1. is the screen on the omnia pro the same as the omnia 2?
2. is t possible to use the horizontal keyboard in the office apps? also if using the physical keybouard do the apps go full screen?
3. does the media player play .flv files? also is there a youtube application installed or that can be installed.
4. how much of the 2gb of onboard can you use for file storage?
5. i know that i won’tbeable to upgrade to windows 7 with this phone, but will it be ugradable to changes made to 6.5?
sorry aboutall the questions but this will be the most expensive thing i’ve bought with my own money
#26 by curtis on December 22nd, 2009
welli bit thebullet and bought it,hereshoping all goes well. i should have it tomorrow or wednesday
#27 by curtis on December 23rd, 2009
well i bought it, but city-link screwed up my delivery.
hoping it comes tomorrow
#28 by curtis on December 29th, 2009
wel i got mine, and aside from a few niggles i’m quite impressed