View Full Version : Opinions about the T-Mobile MDA Pro / O2 MDA
I am looking to get the MDA pro on T-mobile's Flext+web&talk. I would like to know your opinions obout the phone from people who have had one or used it.
My own thoughts are
1. It is a big phone, but is it to big to actually use.
2. Proceesor speed is good compared to others.
3. It is a 3G phone
4. With out the Co-pilot it is £99-00 on the talk plan I was looking at, with co-pilot it is around £300-00 which is too expensive.
My other option was the vario, which is £99-00 with co-pilot apart that it is not a 3G phone.
chaslam
10-04-2006, 02:58 PM
Here is a review I wrote on the o2 XDA version a while ago. Hope you find it helpful.
http://www.3g.co.uk/3GForum/showthread.php?t=29733
and t-mobile have dropped the vario, new version of that to come june/july?
using a vario myself at the mo
Chaslam
Thanks for the info, I had looked at your review earlier, but I forgot to put it in my post. It is one of the reasons I have put it on top of the shopping list. I was wondering since you wrote the review have you changed any of your opinions on it.
fil
Can you say what you think of the vario good / bad points
Thanks
pav
chaslam
10-04-2006, 03:35 PM
Its a great phone indeed. ok its a little on the large side, but its manageable. Texting is quick and easy, the screen doesnt get scatched becuase it flips down, and it has wifi! What else could you want! I am using a v3x now, but only becuase the I had the chance to change, so I did.
If you want I can take some pictures of it tonight compared to my v3x, and you can see the size difference.
If you dont mind I would be grateful. I am used to big phones as I have the P910i amongst my collection, but I prefer a pda with a keypad.
Recption was a problem on T-mobile, but this has improved in my area to make this a viable option.
3G-Londoner
10-04-2006, 04:09 PM
I am looking to get the MDA pro on T-mobile's Flext+web&talk. I would like to know your opinions obout the phone from people who have had one or used it.
My own thoughts are
1. It is a big phone, but is it to big to actually use.
2. Proceesor speed is good compared to others.
3. It is a 3G phone
4. With out the Co-pilot it is £99-00 on the talk plan I was looking at, with co-pilot it is around £300-00 which is too expensive.
My other option was the vario, which is £99-00 with co-pilot apart that it is not a 3G phone.
My experiences with the MDA PRO since getting one in December... hope they help
1. Most of the time its not to big, well compared to other PDA's anyway. I have another smaller phone Z800 (upgraded SE V800), that I put the SIM into when I'm going down the pub etc and dont want to carry THE BRICK!
2. Processor speed is good, but it seems slower than my old X-scale 400Mhz Ipas 3970. Maybe its all the rubbish TMO put on it. Maybe its just HTC (the manufacturer) who arent making use of the high speed processory properly?
3. 3G Phone - the selling point for me. TMO's 3G coverage often surprises me as to how good it actually is. Especially considering they are one of the youngest 3G networks. And they hand over from 2G/3G properly unlike 3.
4. Agreed, I didnt buy it on orange, because they wanted (and still do) to charge silly money for a more expensive tarriff, and i'm not convinced their coverage is that much better anyway.
fil
Can you say what you think of the vario good / bad points
Thanks
pav
no real bad points about it from what i use it for!
the processors 200mhz had an ipaq 5450 before that was 400mhz, dont notice any difference? the vario replaced my nokia 6230i and ipaq, combined.
it has the keyboard, which might be too small for some people and its not 3g, but i have no use for that.
I use it with tomtom, bluetooth gps and my bluetooth nokia handsfree carkit, without problem,
i have a shares programe that updates all daylong via gprs, able to keep an eye on my emails, the odd bit of net use (weather, news, etc )
errr skype via wifi, loads of games, 100S mp3s some video stuff too.
The storage memorys a little on the low side, but my 2gb mini SD sorts that out, batterys excerlent too, once i dumpped all the t-mobile crap, and updated the rom.
oh and the WM5 pisses over the win 2003, no more lost eveything due to a flat battery/ hard reset!
poor pics but this is the vario compared to nokia 6230i
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/XRfil/IMGP1178.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/XRfil/IMGP1179.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/XRfil/IMGP1180.jpg
chaslam
10-04-2006, 05:25 PM
If you dont mind I would be grateful. I am used to big phones as I have the P910i amongst my collection, but I prefer a pda with a keypad.
Recption was a problem on T-mobile, but this has improved in my area to make this a viable option.
Yeah sure no problem. It will be later at about 10:30 becuase im out until then.
Thank you all for your help and advice, I have been to my Local T-mobile shop and compared the phones.
The staff were very helpful with no pressure sales tactics, they offered the same advice as on here. They said come back as many times as I Liked and ask as many questions as I wanted and only when and if was happy will they sell the phone.
That makes a change from the hard sell tactics. Now all I have got to do is make up my mind.
solo12002
11-04-2006, 07:18 PM
what did you go for in the end,??
chaslam
11-04-2006, 07:20 PM
Opps I forgot about the photos. If you would still like them, then please tell me and I will post them.
what did you go for in the end,??
its 50/50 at the moment but edging towards the mda as its got every thing that one needs. I am looking at mda forum on the web site below.
http://www.mdapro.co.uk/index.htm
Opps I forgot about the photos. If you would still like them, then please tell me and I will post them.
its ok I have compared some phones although they were dummy ones against the mda.
solo12002
11-04-2006, 11:08 PM
question for 3point if hes about? Some of us will go for the MDA Pro and its 3g, but a bit large to take to the pub, do you know if t-mobile will supply you with a second sim card , with the same number so you can put it into a normal mobile have the one bill etc?
I know orange does this? Thanks
Hi All,
I've run a forum on the MDA Pro for about 6 months. Despite the occasional gripe, most of my forum users seem to love it. It is a little on the large side to take to the pub. T-Mobile refuse to give out duplicate sims, but you can buy a PAYG for around £30 to get over the problem. You can also buy sim coppiers quite cheaply, just make sure you never have both phones online at the same time or t-mob will block them both.
Like others here, I considered the wizard and thought I may have made a mistake with the MDA Pro at first. 6 Months on, I know I've made the right choice. T-Mobile have released several software upgrades this year, continually adding features and making it more reliable. It now has features for stereo over buetooth, push e-mail and comes with MSN now as standard. Most of the good software available refused to work with WM5 when i first bought the phone, but most has now been upgraded and works without a problem.
HTC, (the manufactures of the Wizard and MDA Pro), have bought out a replacement for the wizard, which is now 3g compatible, has wi-fi, supports EDGE and runs on WM5. More Details below:-
http://europe.htc.com/products/htctytn.html
If I was in the market now, the TyTn would get serious consideration. It will do all the MDA Pro does and it's a fair bit smaller. All it's missing is the clam shell part.
HTH
Dave
frazzel
28-07-2006, 10:54 AM
Hi Dave,
Not related as such but does the MDA Vario allow you to use skype on? Also are dual sim adaptors avaialbe?
Last question I promise;) Can you unlock these with ease as would like to get one on t mobile for data use and use my 02 sim for calls.
frazzel
I have the web & walk add on and I dont think skype is allowed under the terms and condition at the moment.
I dont know about the duel sim adaptors.
I have just installed the latest firmware and tried a free unlock programme but it did not work, others were reporting that the same software was unlocking their Vario's.
frazzel
28-07-2006, 03:38 PM
Hi Pav
Thanks for the answers above. Very helpful!!
Skype is not allowed but have seen that people are doing it. Mind you I would use this on a mda vario not the pro and over a wifi connection. Im not getting the pro as way to big for me to carry around. One day the pro will shrink...like all things mobile.
I have a handset on 02 which im not happy having to use for data as finding my bill going through the roof! Anything tips n tricks I should do let me know ;)
I went for the vario in the end myself on the size grounds. The unlimited web & walk for £5-00 (25 % when they had their offer on) cut my data bills. I no longer have to worry how much is my data going to cost me.
I installed the new firmware as soon as it was availiable, which was an improvement as on the old firmware ocasionally the phone would not make or receive calls after a data connection. The connection manager has also been improved.
frazzel
28-07-2006, 04:03 PM
Hopefully the new models have the new firmware already on. If I find an unlocking link I shall post it on here.
Kinda looking forward to having a new toy to play with.
If you get a vario and you need the firmware you can get it for free from the T-Mobile web site, as usual the risk of flashing is up to you.
http://www.tm-phonedownloads.com/download_manager_mda_vario.html
What I did find a pain was using active sync for the first time and in the end I turned off windows firewall, then after the first sync I turned it back on.
I forgot to post version my phone is now running.
In setting / device information / version
ROM version 2.21.2.6 WWE
ROM date 3/9/06
Radio version 02.19.11
Protocol version 4.1.13.09
ExtRom version 2.21.2.109
When the phone boots up it shows the following
IPL 2.21
SPL 2.21
GSM 02.19.11
OS 02.24.2.6
frazzel
28-07-2006, 10:04 PM
Yes I have the same as you as was updated already before I got it.
Now looking to try and unlock it