Blackjack review - a user's viewpoint

[mrjasjit]

This is my review of the Cingular Blackjack. Just a few thoughts...

01-08-07 Update: I'm keeping this thing. It's great - slim, fast 3G, all the features - and I don't miss the touchscreen after all.

Also I posted in another thread about getting Google Maps and Gmail working http://discussion.treocentral.com/showpost.php?p=1166718&postcount=41 which I got from Howard Forums!

Pros:
1. Very thin
2. Lightweight
3. 3G
4. Crisp, bright screen
5. 1.3mp camera

Cons:
1. No touhscreen - Update 01-08-07 - I don't miss the touchscreen.
2. Number spacing on the keyboard is awkward - though I suppose after prolonged use one would get used to it.
3. Nope, nothing else to gripe about.

So more "pros" than "cons", right? So why don't I like it? Why is it going away?

Here it is...The keyguard.
I'll explain: To lock the keypad, you have to hold the "end" key for a couple of seconds (2 seconds). No big deal.

Now to unlock the keypad - Here's the real catch. You have to do the following:

1. Press the on/off key at the top of the phone. (Most will use the index finger of the same hand that is holding the device - one handed operation).
2. Press the Left Soft Key, which at this point reads "Unlock".
3. Press the "*" key (that's the * key).

Three keys to unlock the phone - and they aren't even closely spaced. Well definitely not the on/off button.

None of the reviews I've read mention this - or at least I don't believe I've seen it mentioned anywhere else.

Now contrast that with the Treo 650 (and hopefully the 750), to enable the keyguard you simply press the "end" key.

To quickly view the screen, for example to view the time, you press the "end" key again.
To unlock the keyguard, you press the "end" key, then press the center button of the 4-way navigation buttons. All within easy reach of your happy thumb.

Simple, huh? One-handed. Great for when you just want to check the time or for any missed calls, etc, etc...

I can't even begin to imagine how many times I've simply pulled the 650 out of my pocket just to check the time, then slip it right back.

With the Blackjack - forget it. I may as well start to wear a wristwatch instead. (I prefer to not wear a wristwatch - tan lines are so horrible. Just kidding).

Or how about while driving I'll glance (quickly since I don't talk while driving without a headset) at the brick to view missed calls. Why? Oh because I usually have the music waaaaay too loud. Though I also don't get too many calls - I suppose it makes me feel good to check the phone? haha...

Update 01-08-07: Using Automatic Keylock (referenced further down the thread) has been super handy in working around the keylock issue.

So I figured I'd share my experience with the Blackjack with the TC community.

I am keeping the Blackjack and not gettting a 750 (at least not right away - I'm sure I'll get all tech-junkie and buy it anyway)

Take care.

 

[bcaslis]

Keyguard on the 750v works exactly like on the 650.

 

[mrjasjit]

Keyguard on the 750v works exactly like on the 650.

Cool, thanks for the info!

...

 

[jlczl]

There is a thread at www.howardforums.com that addresses the awkward unlocking and seems to have found a solution changing it to a 2 button process.

I, like you, like to just glance at my phone and check the time so I added a 3rd party program called automatic keylock tha has a screen saver app that I use. A quick glance at the screen tells me the time and missed calls if any. The screen saver is quite customizeable so you can add different info to it.

 

[mrjasjit]

There is a thread at www.howardforums.com that addresses the awkward unlocking and seems to have found a solution changing it to a 2 button process.

I, like you, like to just glance at my phone and check the time so I added a 3rd party program called automatic keylock tha has a screen saver app that I use. A quick glance at the screen tells me the time and missed calls if any. The screen saver is quite customizeable so you can add different info to it.

Nice! I will go check out your recommendations right now.

By chance, is the "Automatic Keylock" the same as I found here http://maniac.fschreiner.de/content/view/1/4/ ???

UPDATE: The keyguard work-around would still require the on/off button on top of the unit and then the Left Soft Key. The work-around removes the "*" key requirement. Not good enough for me. I think I'd be prone to dropping the darn thing if I have to acrobatically hold the unit while using my index finger to press the on/off button - yeah, not looking forward to that.

I realize that to some the 3-key combo is a good thing because it won't allow even the screen to "wake up" and use precious battery life.

Ho-hum...decisions decisions...

...

 

[jimmiegeddes]

The BlackJack's keyguard setup is crazy. With the Dash you hold the "end key". Then to unlock press left softkey and then press the "*" key.

 

[mrjasjit]

The BlackJack's keyguard setup is crazy. With the Dash you hold the "end key". Then to unlock press left softkey and then press the "*" key.

I know, now why the heck couldn't Samsung do the same as the Dash?!?!

Wait a minute - if the Dash is WM also - couldn't the key-combo be a software setting that could be ported to the Blackjack?
Also - is there something like a BIOS for smartphones? I wonder if there isn't a setting somewhere that could be modified?

...

 

[cardio]

Unlock is an easy one-handed operation. Hold device in left hand use thumb to press the power key (top left corner) use thumb to tap the unlock key (center of phone left side about mid palm level) then thumb to press "*" key (left center bottom of phone just above little finger).

For missed calls I downloaded homescreens from http://www.motosmartzone.com/ (select Q homescreens on left pane)
these homescreens will pop up a missed call screen with the number or missed calls as soon as the power button is activated (if locked) or automatically if unlocked.

If that is the only drawback you have, try those homescreens before you give up on the device.

 

[jimmiegeddes]

I know, now why the heck couldn't Samsung do the same as the Dash?!?!

Wait a minute - if the Dash is WM also - couldn't the key-combo be a software setting that could be ported to the Blackjack?
Also - is there something like a BIOS for smartphones? I wonder if there isn't a setting somewhere that could be modified?

...

I would think since they are both running WM5 Smartphone that there should be a way to possibly edit the registry to make this happen.

 

[MacUser]

For missed calls I downloaded homescreens from http://www.motosmartzone.com/ (select Q homescreens on left pane) these homescreens will pop up a missed call screen with the number or missed calls as soon as the power button is activated (if locked) or automatically if unlocked.

Are all those software items on that website available for any WM phone? They all seem to refer to the "Q".

Just curious...

 

[jimmiegeddes]

I've been using many "Q" programs on my Dash. I think they refer to the Q since it's been out longer, as long as something works on the Q it should theoretically work on the Dash, and BlackJack (it's mainly because of the 320 x 240 landscape screen they all have).

 

[MacUser]

I've been using many "Q" programs on my Dash. I think they refer to the Q since it's been out longer, as long as something works on the Q it should theoretically work on the Dash, and BlackJack (it's mainly because of the 320 x 240 landscape screen they all have).

So the Cingular 8525 would NOT work because of the screen?

 

[brmcguire]

So the Cingular 8525 would NOT work because of the screen?

No, because the 8525 is running Windows Mobile 5.0 PocketPC, where as the Q/Blackjack runs Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone. Different OS's.

 

[jimmiegeddes]

There are 2 OS' for WM, WM for PPC and WM for smartphone. You can't run ppc apps on the smartphone OS (Q,BlackJack, Dash). There are many apps that say they are made for the Q, they should work on the Dash and BlackJack because they all run WM5 smartphone and have their screens in landscape. Some WM5 smartphones like the T-Mobile SDA and the Cingular 3125 screens are portrait and may not run apps that are made for the Q, Dash and BlackJack because of the way their screens are.

 

[MacUser]

There are 2 OS' for WM, WM for PPC and WM for smartphone. You can't run ppc apps on the smartphone OS (Q,BlackJack, Dash). There are many apps that say they are made for the Q, they should work on the Dash and BlackJack because they all run WM5 smartphone and have their screens in landscape. Some WM5 smartphones like the T-Mobile SDA and the Cingular 3125 screens are portrait and may not run apps that are made for the Q, Dash and BlackJack because of the way their screens are.

Is there a strenght or weakness of one OS over the other?

 

[jimmiegeddes]

The PPC version of WM is touchscreen, the smartphone edition isn't. I'm a Treo user and have gotten used to not really using the touchscreen since the 700p can be used one handed in basically every app, going to the Dash was pretty easy. I also have the 700wx, and can tell you that the Dash seems to run more quickly in terms of OS. The smartphone OS is more limited than the PPC version since you can't create or edit Office apps, and there is much more software for the PPC verison. Still, I am very much enjoying the Dash, it's the best feeling, best looking, and does everything I need smart device.

 

[jlczl]

Nice! I will go check out your recommendations right now.

By chance, is the "Automatic Keylock" the same as I found here http://maniac.fschreiner.de/content/view/1/4/ ???

UPDATE: The keyguard work-around would still require the on/off button on top of the unit and then the Left Soft Key. The work-around removes the "*" key requirement. Not good enough for me. I think I'd be prone to dropping the darn thing if I have to acrobatically hold the unit while using my index finger to press the on/off button - yeah, not looking forward to that.

I realize that to some the 3-key combo is a good thing because it won't allow even the screen to "wake up" and use precious battery life.

Ho-hum...decisions decisions...

...

UPDATE:

After using Automatic Keylock for several days I have come up with a good solution (for me at least), and I thought you might like it.

I DO NOT activate the Keylock portion of the program. I only activate the Screensaver portion of the program and within the screen saver settings I turn ON the Supress Key Presses option. With that activated, only the Home, Left Soft Key, Power, of Mail Button will turn on the device. All other key presses only turn on your Screen Saver (which I only have the time displayed on). Since I'm now using the Samsung plastic holster this works great for me because most of the those keys are recessed and usualy are not the ones that get accidently pressed (except for the mail key). To be safe, I hardly put the phone anywhere that I get a bunch of keypressing (especially the raised keyboard buttons). Whenever I will be putting it somewhere that may be prone to alot of keypressing then I use the built-in 2 second push on the hang-up button to activate the key lock (and the dreaded built-in unlocking method). Hope that helps.

 

[jlczl]

^^^ My settings for timeouts are 20 seconds for the screen saver in the Automatic Keylock program, 30 seconds for the Backlight timeout in the built-in settings, and 1 minute for the Display timeouts in the built-in settings.

 

[mrjasjit]

Great info! Thank you!

I will try the program soon. So far I'm impressed with the 3G speeds - although Media Player Mobile sucks for its lack of video support.

I've downloaded tcpmp, so that is filling the void.

Trying to be ever-so-careful with the device so as to not scratch it all up.

Haven't ever tried to "return" something to Cingular after it has been used by me (I'm not the easiest on a device - but also not the worst). I'm careful, but life happens.

Anyhow, thanks Jlczl...

 

[mrjasjit]

UPDATE:

After using Automatic Keylock for several days I have come up with a good solution (for me at least), and I thought you might like it.

I just installed the program...so far so good.

Have Line 1 set for Digital Clock @ 100 pixels.
Have Line 2 set for Date @ 90 pixels.

As far as holsters - I have cargo pants with a zippered semi-padded pocket on the right leg. I have a couple pairs and that pocket had been reserved for the Treo 650. It now will be carrying the BJack - though I'll be using a sleeve of sorts until I'm absolutely sure I'm keeping it.

(Heck, all this talk about keeping it or not - I've recently realized - like 2 days ago - that I'm a tech junkie. So keeping this thing and getting the 750 is likely.
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