The ScooterBlog

There’s a couple of ways to get the BlackJack’s internet functions over to your PC … none of which are intuitive right off, but one is certainly easier than the other … Internet Sharing!

The link for this is buried way within the reaches of the Windows Smartphone .. but can be easily extracted by using the formula here. Then, run the program, hook up your USB cable, and nothing more to it!

There’s a nice blog here which talks about one of the Windows Mobile developers and their efforts to do similar things with a Motorola Q.

As if I was not already very knowledgable on the Windows Mobile product base, I feel like I can claim to be much more of an expert now.

Two weeks ago, I was a happy user of Cingular’s 8125 phone, what would now be a very entry level PDA phone, buyable for less than $100 with a plan. Enjoyed it, used most of the features (outside of media playing) and got a lot of use out of it, even used it for laptop tethering in many cases, USB and Bluetooth.

But now, it is not the standard Pocket PC phone that Cingular pushes. Now, it’s all about the “3G” (this is not a bad thing), and in comes an 8525. Similar in nature, although far more sleek with the black casing, it is faster, has broadband data speeds that 3G provides, still can be tethered (but more temperamental in Vista with Bluetooth), and has a 2.0 megapixel camera that is one of the finest I have ever seen in a camera.

Great phone. Found lots of uses for it, found myself using the connectivity more and more, and of all the phones I will talk about, it is the most feature rich.

But … the current rage at work has been the Blackjack smartphone, so I was game and figured I would give it a go, and while it has a couple of shortcomings, it is the phone I am going to stick with.

When they say it is super thin, they are not kidding! The phone is almost transparent in your pocket when you have the regular battery in, and barely noticeable with the extended battery on board, which only adds about an eighth of an inch to the phone’s thickness. The keyboard is made for one or two handed typing, and programs load very quickly and efficiently.

Messaging is at the heart of what the Blackjack (and the Smartphone genre in general) and it does not disappoint. Instant messaging with AOL, Windows Live, or Yahoo are readily available for free out of the box, while the Pocket PC struggles with this greatly. Sending that quick message or jotting the quick note with the available keyboard is nice to do. The integration with Exchange Server is just as solid as it is on a Pocket PC, except for the fact that you have limited ability to edit tasks.

This brings up the phone’s other shortcomings (all of which can be fixed if you have the needs). The battery life is very short .. in my experience, about 9 hours of constant use on the standard battery, and about 13 to 15 hours on the extended life battery. In other words, this or any other Smartphone is not for you if you can’t get yourself to power semi-frequently.

It has program limitations … you cannot sync notes with your Outlook PC (a $15 program fixes it), the previously mentioned task limitation (AgendaOne makes a $25 add-on that makes the scheduler STRONGER than it is on Pocket PC), and you cannot edit Office files (either buy Documents To Go for $30,  or wait for Windows Mobile 6, read down). As you can see, all fixable if you need them for a small price.

And, many of these will resolve when Windows Mobile 6 is released for the Blackjack, likely in July … Cingular made this official today. I am very thrilled with the new features WM6 brings to the table, and it will likely render many of my complaints moot.

I used to have a Sidekick 2 before I worked at Karlsberger, which I loved for its ability to handle e-mail, web browsing, basic task management, and calendar entries. The Blackjack feels like that phone, the Treo or Blackberry keyboard layout, and Exchange integration, all meshed into one, all things that I need in a phone right now, plus the speed the Sidekick could never dream of attaining (even with their current SK3 model, still just runs on EDGE).

Definitely a keeper … as long as I keep my charger in the bag!