Cingular 8525 Review

[patrickj]

I was fortunate enough to get hold of a review unit a little over a week ago. Have now posted a review after 8 days heavy usage, at:
http://justanothermobilemonday.com/Wordpress/2006/11/17/review-cingular-8525-as-good-as-expected/

 

[jeepik]

nice review

ive had my tester for a couple of weeks

the device is amazing...the scroll wheel and ok button, make usability sooo much better

 

[txschafers]

I have had mine for about 4 hours now and am blown away at home much better it is then the 8125. I test drove an HP 6925 and am returning it. I had planne don getting the Treo 750 when it comes out but I am not so sure now. I really like this phone.

 

[trjons]

I'm wondering if I'll be dumping my 750! Fedex should be delivering my 8525 any minute!

 

[patrickj]

Definitely a great device - and yeah, a huge step up from the 8125 (and the 8125 is a good device) ...

 

[berdinkerdickle]

I can't wait!
Well I guess I have to.

I've read where others didn't know if they would like that the keyboard is smaller on the 8525.

I played w/ the 8125 today, and I thought the finger travel was alittle more than I would prefer.
So I tend to think the 8525 will be better because of less finger travel distance.

 

[patrickj]

yeah - waiting is very hard ...

 

[txschafers]

I can't wait!
Well I guess I have to.

I've read where others didn't know if they would like that the keyboard is smaller on the 8525.

I played w/ the 8125 today, and I thought the finger travel was alittle more than I would prefer.
So I tend to think the 8525 will be better because of less finger travel distance.

I am not able to type faster then I could on my 8700...yet....but I can type much faster on my 8525 then I ever could on my 8125 or Treo 650. The keyboard is great.

 

[waynew73#WP]

i got an unlocked tytn today and have it running on T-Mobile. It is faster, but I'm not sure how much faster it is. Is there a difference in the memory and processor speeds of the tytn vs. 8525. And yes, I know they're supposed to be the same device. I added back all of my standard programs and I think it is slowing the phone down...I added spb plus, spb diary, spb backup, spb weather, memory maid. Backup and weather are being run from the card.

 

[Pearl_Diva]

SPB always has heavy programs IMO. How much RAM is being eaten up under "memory management"?

 

[Certs]

i got an unlocked tytn today and have it running on T-Mobile. It is faster, but I'm not sure how much faster it is. Is there a difference in the memory and processor speeds of the tytn vs. 8525. And yes, I know they're supposed to be the same device. I added back all of my standard programs and I think it is slowing the phone down...I added spb plus, spb diary, spb backup, spb weather, memory maid. Backup and weather are being run from the card.

spb weather on the card???? I would change that immediately, unless its not on your today screen and it doesn't update automatically.

I'm loving my 8525 right now. I miss the front keyboard (treo 700wx) but the wheel helps make up for it. I just wish I had 3g in my house, and considering I live in NYC I'm pretty shocked that's not the case.

 

[CPcrazyfly]

my unlocked tytn will be here monday, i chose it over the 8525. all the tytn bugs have been worked, i got one of the latest batch of serial numbers at a good price.

 

[Pearl_Diva]

From which importer?

 

[gadgetluva]

I am not able to type faster then I could on my 8700...yet....but I can type much faster on my 8525 then I ever could on my 8125 or Treo 650. The keyboard is great.

yea, I really like the keyboard on the 8525

 

[CPcrazyfly]

From which importer?

smart-mobile-gadgets. he is selling the 641xxxx serial number, the latest. and it has a US warranty with US support so no need to ship accross seas. no more screen alignment problems...etc.etc. i just fear the 8525 may have some of the same issuse the tytn initially had, plus i like the unbranded.

 

[txschafers]

I have been running my 8525 non-stop for 24 hours and not a single problem. It seems the long delay in launching this phone by Cingular worked out the bugs since mine is working fantastic.

 

[waynew73#WP]

spb weather on the card???? I would change that immediately, unless its not on your today screen and it doesn't update automatically.

It is on my today screen and does update automatically. Is that a bad idea? I haven't had any problems with it even when it was running on the mda.

I too live in NYC, but I'm on T-Mobile, which does not have 3G yet, but I just really wanted the phone. But I have run dslreports on both phones and I have to say that the tytn is constantly coming back with like double the speed of the mda..must be a result of the processor speed. I definitely notice that the phone wakes up faster and responds faster.

One complaint I have about buying an unlocked phone is the lack of some customization by the carrier. I no longer have the t-zones button on the screen and I have to go manually copy the t-mo ring off of the mda and put it on the tytn.

CP, you mentioned the serial number issue...do you know where the range of the "good" serial numbers begin? mine is ht636... I bought mine from J&R electronics, a big vendor here in NY.

Also, as I haven't been on an unlocked phone since my T-600 & 650, how do you do upgrades of the device/OS?...is it something to just get from MSFT's site or is it something you get from HTC's site?

My final issue that I'm trying to resolve is that although I know the phone is picking up EDGE speed, the phone only shows the "G" for GPRS and not the "E" for Edge. I presume it's because the symbols are only set to show G and 3G, but not the E. I know this is not relative to the data speed performance it's picking up and is only what it's displaying as the speed, but I'd like it to show the E.

For a lot of these things, do I need to go to xda-developers and flash the rom? I really don't like the idea of doing that, but I will if I have to.

 

[CPcrazyfly]

One complaint I have about buying an unlocked phone is the lack of some customization by the carrier. I no longer have the t-zones button on the screen and I have to go manually copy the t-mo ring off of the mda and put it on the tytn.

CP, you mentioned the serial number issue...do you know where the range of the "good" serial numbers begin? mine is ht636... I bought mine from J&R electronics, a big vendor here in NY.

Also, as I haven't been on an unlocked phone since my T-600 & 650, how do you do upgrades of the device/OS?...is it something to just get from MSFT's site or is it something you get from HTC's site?

i like unlocked and unbranded. cingular customers dont have to worry about no tzones, and all medianet settings can be programmed into phone and you can even throw the Cingular ROM on if you wanted. you can really do anyhting you want now a days.

and the serial number issue is here http://www.htcwiki.com/page/TyTN


"HTC636 or higher serrial number. Avoid S/N HTC62XXX and HTC63[1-5]XXX"

 

[waynew73#WP]

Thanks CP, just checked out the Wiki..very cool. I was able to add the t-mo settings pretty quickly on the phone..took all of 5 minutes. Just copied them from the MDA.

Another question for everyone, the mda came complete with a "phone pad" option in the list of keyboards available to pop up. Phone pad gives you a number pad, a t9 pad, and an alpha pad. This is very helpful when you're riding the NYC subway and only have one hand available to type with. Any idea where I can get this to add on? I guess I could search through handango.

 

[phattysalz]

Should I still get it even with no 3G available?

So I've read the reviews and checked out the wiki and am reading the comments. It looks like this is quite the device. I'm a huge fan of my 8125 and use it all the time. I don't have Cingular's 3G service available at home or work or anywhere in between. I use wifi for fast connections at those locations. WiFi use coupled with listening to tunes via BT headphones is a pretty decent strain on battery life. I imagine UMTS isn't quite as strenuous as wifi.

Does the snappier operation, redesigned keyboard, extra buttons, streamlined exterior and better camera warrant an upgrade even without the 3G functionality? It has a pretty hefty price-tag compared to when I bought the 8125 for $249 back in Feb. I wanted to wait til I had 3G access before upgrading but if the 8525 is such a better experience than my already heavily-used 8125, I may have to re-consider!