[DEFINITIVE]Sony Ericsson K700i Thread

[Timmah Veteran]

Well I let the battery run down till it gave me a warning and showed none left in the meter, then put the charge cable in and sent a few texts. Turned it off, left it over night and then something odd happened...

When I disconnected the power cable in the morning it just hung... I tried the power switch and other switches but I had to pull the battery out the back to restart the phone.

Battery's on about 80% now, with me fiddling with the phone all morning. Played games, texted, phoned, took pics, took 2 videos since 8am...

I wanna flash the firmware, but theres no vodafone shops in my town. Damn.

[Sporkguy]

You can always mail it off... I've heard that third-party mobile repair places can do it too.. so have a look around your area for some :)

[Timmah Veteran]

When I disconnected the power cable in the morning it just hung... I tried the power switch and other switches but I had to pull the battery out the back to restart the phone.

584991193[/snapback]

Any ideas on this?

[Sporkguy]

Well it works now doesn't it? Might have been a random hang, probably nothing to worry about if it doesnt happen again.

[Timmah Veteran]

Ok... :unsure:

Need a bluetooth dongle NOW! Bidding on one on eBay, one that comes with a load of games/java apps on CD too... I'll post the best of em if I win the lot.

[Sporkguy]

Ok... :unsure:

Need a bluetooth dongle NOW! Bidding on one on eBay, one that comes with a load of games/java apps on CD too... I'll post the best of em if I win the lot.

584992165[/snapback]

Excellent - I've got a folder full of crappy java games for the k700i around here somewhere, i'll post them if I find them :)

Edit: here we go...

K700i/Java Games

[SMH]

I've jus got myself this one, works like a treat and received it next day!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...item=6342567644

[Timmah Veteran]

That was the same deal i was bidding on, different auction though.

SMH what are the games like? Any decent Java apps? I heard you can use some java apps as TV remotes etc... sounds l33t.

[Sporkguy]

lol that's the same BT dongle as I've got! :D

It's really sexy looking on the front of my black case, and works wonders :)

BlueManager is ok to use, but it interferes with SP2's BT functionality, and also FMA doesn't like it too much.

AFAIK the IR on the k700i is too weak to be used as a TV remote.. can anyone verify this?

[Sporkguy]

googled this:

"It can?t be made for the k700 not because it doesn?t have symbian, but because it doesn?t have the necessary API to acess the IR port...it?s the same with the bluetooth port"

[Timmah Veteran]

Damn :(

I got excited.

After about 11 and a half hours of my phone being on (me playing, messing, videoing) i have roughly half a battery left - is this any good?

[Jimbobb]

Can someone please advise, BT Dongle or Dock?

I know that the Dongle is probably cheaper of the two, but whats the advantages of each?

Do they both allow firmware updrades to be made?

[Elithion]

You need the dock for firmware updates, DSS-25 or DSS-20

[SMH]

lol that's the same BT dongle as I've got! :D

It's really sexy looking on the front of my black case, and works wonders :)

BlueManager is ok to use, but it interferes with SP2's BT functionality, and also FMA doesn't like it too much.

AFAIK the IR on the k700i is too weak to be used as a TV remote.. can anyone verify this?

584992789[/snapback]

The CD is quite good lots of stuff on there, still haven't had time to look through it all. As for the dongle it's looks good, has a good range but as sporkguy said it doesn't like FMA too much. Infact ive not made one connection with FMA yet, mainly because im too lazy to find out whats up as bluemanager does what i need to for now :shifty:

I've got quite a few things on my k700i which i have done myself such as cut down ringtone, low bitrate mp3's and music video's (last one i did was eminem's new one). If anyone would like me too i will upload what i do into some webspace, just need to ask :)

[Timmah Veteran]

Ok big query:

I want to upgrade firmware - can someone post the latest (confirmed) firmware changes?

Will I be able to do this with a DSS-25 stand and the Sony Ericsson online updater? I've been told it's fine.

Will putting my phone in the stand when Im not using it bugger the battery due to it constantly charging it?

[Sporkguy]

K700 Firmware Overview

Each firmware revision listed below contains the fixes listed against that revision plus the fixes of all the firmwares above that entry.

R2A041

- First release

- JBenchmark 1 - approx 2,640

- JBenchmark 2 - approx 123

- Software versions:

LCD 200404231

Camera 3.9

ITP CXC 125 813 R1S

R2C001

- Released around 30/6/2004

- Ability to mute the shutter sound of the camera

- Software versions:

LCD: 200404231

Camera: 3.9

ITP: CXC 125 813 R1T

R2E011

- Released to service points around 14/7/04

- Improved battery (i.e. green (full) to red (empty) is now slower)

- Smoother video playback

- New Bugs

Appointments are no longer marked as bold dates in the month calender. So now you can no longer see on which days you need to do things.

R2J002

- Were available from SE Online Firmware Update (http://www.sonyericsson.com/updateservice/K700/frameset.htm)

- Not released at service centres

- Software versions:

LCD 200404231

Camera 3.9

ITP CXC 125 813 R1S

R2J015

- Released to Chinese service centres around 27/7/04.

- Software versions:

- LCD 200406041

- Camera 3.9

- ITP CXC 125 813 R1T

New bugs

Ability to mute the shutter sound of the camera taken out

R2J041

- Chinese release (perhaps Chinese version of R2L?)

- Snooze is now available on Recurrent alarms

- At least 10% improvement in battery life (over and above R2E?)

- Time of the last call now displayed in the missed calls list

- The fonts of Operator logo, the command keys such as "Calls", "More" are a bit larger and the font of Date & time has been Slightly reduced.

- Faster loading of JAVA games

R2L001

- 4/8/04

- One second delay before the person at the other end of the phone can hear you when answering a call bug fixed (unless they are associated with a picture?)

- At least 10% improvement in battery life (over and above R2E?)

- Backlight timings have changed to improve battery life (20s, 26s, 40s to 15s, 20s, 60s - Fade, Backlight off, Display off)

- Pressing a volume control button when in Standby mode displays the time, or the missed call icon and time if you have missed a call, for 3-4 seconds.

- Use Now option appears when transfering pictures to the phone (previously just Ok). Options are View, Set as wallpaper, Set as screensaver, Set as starup screen, Add to contact

- SE wap link removed from Application folder

- Faster image browsing with selected images appearing full screen.

- Improved Bluetooth stability

- Bug where entering multiple names & numbers could delete the numbers for the first names entered has been fixed.

- Snooze is now available on Recurrent alarms

- Can now delete one contect from a group without deleting the whole group

- Time of the last call now displayed in the missed calls list

- The bug whereby the first call received after power up produces an "answer, reject, answer and continue" menu seems to have been fixed

- The fonts of Operator logo, the command keys such as "Calls", "More" are a bit larger and the font of Date & time has been Slightly reduced.

- The Globe icon that appears when using GRPS has been modified during initial connection (four silver ball circling around the globe)

- SMS Delivery Notification sound is now different to Incoming SMS sound (fixed to bluetooth transfer notification sound)

- Faster loading of JAVA games

- Screen brightness increased

- Performing a Sync does not cause the phone to reboot (some phones only?)

- Playing sound and video after running Java applications now always works fine.

- When in phonebook, it's now possible to change keyboard language by simply press the # key.

- New contact =>New number =>Look up =>Unsaved list is now limited to 10 numbers rather than unlimited

- Line 1/2 indicator in top line of display

- Additional profile of 'TTY accessory' (Teletype device for the hearing impared)

- Sending pictures via bluetooth to other devices occasionally sent a lower quality image with previous firmwares. This has been fixed.

- Setup wizard has tips on the back and cancel key

- "Mark several" included in messages function

- Moving around in the Main Menu is faster and smoother

- Animated images run at a constant frame rate rather than vary according the the complexity of the image.

- JBenchmark 1 - 2,313 - 2,326

- JBenchmark 2 - 118 - 127

- Software versions:

LCD 200406041

Camera 3.9

ITP CXC 125 813 R1S or R1T

- Bugs

Bluetooth turns itself off if a paired bluetooth headset goes out of range (some phones only).

Pocket PCs can no longer connect to the internet via bluetooth (still possible with IR). Add "Z" to the field of 'Extra dial-string modem commands' to fix this issue

Auto save to SIM option no longer available - Contacts / Advanced / Auto save on SIM.

R2N001

- Released by Vodaphone (Netherlands)

- Functionality as R2L

- Still unable to use MP3s as ringtones, whether they have DRM or not. (Vodaphone specific)

R2V001

- Released by Vodaphone (UK)

- MP3s can now be used as ringtones so long as they have digital rights management, e.g. repackaged using Sony Ericsson's DRM Packager Tool. (Vodaphone specific)

- "Autosave on SIM" facility readded to automatically save phonebook entries on the SIM card. This facility was removed in R2L.

R2Y005

- Released by Orange UK (first appeared around 25/10/04)

- Phonebook quicksearch facility

R2AA003

- Released on EMMA2 / Total Multiserver (around 6/10/04)

- Later withdrawn from EMMA2 due to connectivity issues.

- Faster main menu

- Added shortcut to change the subject line of an MMS (on More rather than through Advanced)

- Improvements to Bluetooth

- Improved battery life (for post Week 40 batteries only?)

- JBenchmark1: 2529

- Jbenchmark2: 129

To find out which firmware revision your phone currently has installed, perform the following:

>*<<*<*

Where < and > represents pushing the joystick left and right respectively.

To update your firmware it is recommened you take your phone to your nearest Service Centre. Firmware upgrades are free within the warranty period:

UK / Netherlands / Swiss / Norway Service Centres

Alternatively, if you have a Sony Ericsson DSS-20 or DSS-25, you can visit the K700i Online Update Service to perform a Firmware update.

This service currently works for the following phone brands:

Unbranded - Yes

Orange UK - Yes

T-Mobile UK - Yes

O2 UK - No

Vodaphone UK - No

Vodaphone NL - No

T-mobile NL - No

Sony Ericsson K700i Update Service

[Timmah Veteran]

Thanks! Gonna order a DSS-25 dock.

I've heard the battery life can be improved as much as 40% - did you notice a big increase?

And some info I might put into a new thread - forget the myths!

You should avoid, if possible, allowing a Lithium-Ion battery to fully discharge, including the initial use. The battery cannot be "overcharged", so leaving it charging overnight is not an issue. Upon initial receipt, you should fully charge the battery prior to initial use, if possible.

Lithium-Ion batteries perfer shallow rather than repeated deep discharge cycles. Significantly more discharge/charge cycles (meaning longer battery life) may be obtained if the battery is only partially discharged before recharging.

For accurate information of Lithium-Ion batteries, as well other battery types, check the information at this URL:

http://www.buchmann.ca/Chap10-page6.asp

The URL is a pointer to Lithium-based batteries, but reading the additional information in the entire article will be worthwhile. Hopefully, it will help eliminate the large amount of misinformation circulating on these forums.

[Sporkguy]

I'm sorry but I disagree with the article - as will many who have followed the same advice I followed... there really IS a great increase if you completely deplete the K700i's battery and fully charge it - its fact, and i'm sure a few members will agree.

However, interesting read regarding LI-Ion batteries.

Regarding the 40% increase - at first I noticed it, but as I keep it in the DSS-25 almost full-time now, I've not had much chance of it being away from the dock for more than 15 hours at once... so I can't really complain at the life of mine :)

[Timmah Veteran]

But it's fact.

New Li-Ion batteries are damaged by complete depletion, as are Li-Polymer.

The Li-ion batteries prefer a shallow discharge. Partial discharges produce less wear than a full discharge and the capacity loss per cycle is reduced. A periodic full discharge is not required because the lithium-based battery has no memory.

[foonacha]

...& i`d like to clarify Sporkguy`s info regarding the T-Mobile network.

When i first got my Dss-25 stand,I could use the update service to flash the Firmware no problem.

However,for the last 4 weeks, everytime i`ve attempted to see if there was new firmware for my phone-i go through the process-only to have the following message interrrupt the firmware upgrade:-

"Your device is not permitted to use this service

Your operator does not approve the usage of this service for this device.

We look forward to assist you again soon.

Thank you for using Sony Ericsson Update Service! "

Conclusion:

T-Mobile have asked Sony Erikson to stop allowing their customers to use the online update service.

:(

[Timmah Veteran]

What a load of tyrranous b*stards.

[Sporkguy]

Oh dear :(

T-Mobile and Vodafone really are going down the path of bad operators - Voda because they're so big and they can do what they like without ppl seeming to mind, and T-Mobile because it's a tightarse German company (as a lot of international German companies are).

Why they'd ask SE to stop the online update is beyond me :s

[sambrentnall]

iv just got mine on t-mobile uk and i was wundering if you can change the t-zones button because when i put on a diif theme to the one that comes with it the button stayes pink and doesent fit in with the rest of the theme

[Sporkguy]

Unfortunately not - the only way to get rid of it is to buy a T28 Service Cable and a credit to De-Brand the phone with a piece of software called Total Multiserver - all in all that'll cost you ?28

[hostage]

i have used alot of phones but this one comes last in useability.