PaulSpoerry.com

About freakin time. The Sprint Touch (HTC TOUCH) update to Windows Mobile 6.1 has been released. This ROM update will install Windows Mobile 6.1 and enable both GPS and RevA data speeds. You can get the update directly from HTC here.

Sprint Touch with Windows Mobile 6.1, GPS, and RevA

Why update the ROM on your device?

The software upgrade posted below provides several key enhancements for your Touch:
Why update the ROM on your device?

The software upgrade posted below provides several key enhancements for your Touch:

1. Upgrades the operating system from Windows Mobile® 6.0 Professional to Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
2. EV-DO Rev. A functionality for faster download and upload speeds when utilizing data services wherever EV-DO Rev. A coverage is available
3. Advanced GPS functionality including the Sprint Navigation application
4. Adds the Opera browser
5. Adds a full Qwerty on-screen key Qwerty keyboard

The official update has been released… click this link to see the post.

A crafty fellow who goes by joe11223 posted a question to the Sprint Developer website and received a response that it should be early July.

We are currently working on the ROM update for HTC Touch and the official release date is not finalized. However, we are targeting to release the update in first part of July. Once the update is officially released, We are going to make the update available on our ADP website and we will also be notifying our developer community via this forum.

Thanks,
Ram Koya,
Sprint Nextel ADP Team

Of course they didn’t say July of 2008 (after all the initially said it HAD GPS and then they said it’d be updated in Q12008). LOL. Seriously, the wait is out of control and I’m sick of Sprint and this experience has led me to want to switch carriers. Here’s to hoping we actually see it in July.

The post date was June 23rd, 2008 and you can find the post here.

Spb’s Mobile Shell is a must-have for Windows Mobile users. It’s design improves the use of Windows Mobile smartphones dramatically, as well as adding some much needed eye candy. You can check out my review as well as how you can customize it in my previous post Customize SPB Mobile Shell 2.0.

Version 2.1 contains mostly bug fixes in this new release, although there is a new data connection indicator on the Professional Now Screen, along with support for voicemail, hardware keyboards, and 320 x 320 screens. If you’ve got v2.0, this is a free update.

What’s New:

• Data connection indicator on the Professinal Now Screen

• Voicemail support

• 320×320 screens support

• Hardware keyboard support

• Stability bug fixes

Product page: http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/mobileshell/

The official update has been released… click this link to see the post.

Ok so the Alltel Touch got a new ROM update that added EVDO Rev. A. It also fixed some BlueTooth issues and added video messaging.It didn’t however, include aGPS (wierd huh?)

While Sprint users are waiting (and waiting) for the Windows Mobile 6.1 update that we assume will have REvA and GPS (only WM6.1 was officially announced) apparently some craft folks over at PPCGeeks have managed to take the Alltel ROM, rip it apart and get it to install on the Sprint Touch. So… if you’re comfortable with it you can now get not only RevA but GPS on your Sprint Touch as well!

• Sprint Rev A + GPS
• Verizon Rev A + GPS - some have reported this isn’t totally stable yet

The official update has been released… click this link to see the post.

UPDATE: for latest release date info go here.

Ok so no FIRM date, more of a “Summer 2008″ tiimeframe. Sprint has posted an official press release stating that the following devices will have ROM upgrades to bring them up to Windows Mobile 6.1:

• Samsung ACE - The Samsung ACE is the sleekest world phone in the Sprint portfolio with a full QWERTY keyboard, vibrant color screen, and ability to use Phone As Modem service.
• Moto Q 9c by Motorola - The MOTO Q9c has a slim form factor with a QWERTY keyboard, extended battery, and supports Sprint Navigation for turn-by-turn directions.
• Touch by HTC - The Touch by HTC is a full touch-screen wireless phone with advanced entertainment features. It is the first device to feature TouchFLO(TM) and features a new HTC- designed homescreen.
• Mogul by HTC - The Mogul by HTC is the industry’s first EV-DO Rev. A-capable handset, enabling users to send and receive large amounts of data at broadband speeds (comparable to basic DSL) and supports Sprint Music Store.

Windows Mobile 6.1will include a new Internet Explorer Mobile with IE6 tech and h.264, Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight support, better System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, as well as Exchange Server 2007 SP1 support. Gizmodo has a bunch of WinMo 6.1 screenshot over here.

Since Sprint originally marketed the Sprint Touch as having GPS available in Q1 2008 (ya… they OFFICIALLY posted that on the sprint store site and since the Mogul has already receive the GPS and RevA update it’s probably safe to assume that the WindowsMobile 6.1 ROM update will bring both RevA and GPS functionality to the Touch. Keep your fingers crossed!

UPDATE: Tired of waiting on Sprint? You can get RevA and GPS on your Sprint Touch NOW. Head over here for details.

Looking for the best deal on a new cellular plan? Compare cell phone plans and find the perfect plan to fit your usage needs at web site BillShrink. Just enter some information about how you use your phone along with your current monthly bills, and BillShrink will offer you an alternative plan that could save you a ton of cash.

BillShrink will even connect to your existing provider to determine your current usage and the provide cheaper alternatives. It takes into account your usage, text messaging, data requirements, number of lines, pretty much everything.

Give it a whirl at BillShrink

The official update has been released… click this link to see the post.

UPDATE: for latest release date info go here.

Over at HTC Wiki someone claims to have called HTC and asked to talk to Tech Support. They claim to have been told the ROM update for the Sprint Touch (aka HTC Vogue) that updates the device for EVDO RevA and GPS will drop on March 18th. This isn’t an official announcement, but we can always hope that it’s true.

HTCWiki

UPDATE: The March 18 release never happened, but Sprint has OFFICIALLY announced a Windows Mobile 6.1 ROM upgrade that will likely contain RevA and GPS. Read more about the announcement here.

UPDATE2: Tired of waiting on Sprint to release the ROM?  Check it out, some PPCGeeks have gotten RevA and GPS to work on the Sprint Touch. Details here.

The official update for the Sprint Touch has been released… click this link to see the post.

Well it FINALLY happened. HTC has dropped the 3rd ROM update for the Sprint Mogul and it includes EVDO RevA and GPS.

The details of the ROM update include

• Adds EV-DO Rev.A functionality for faster download and upload speeds when transmitting data wherever EV-DO Rev. A coverage is available.
• Adds advanced GPS functionality including the software for Sprint Navigation.
• Adds a Task Manager to the Today screen for easier access and management of Running Programs.
• Improves Bluetooth performance including usage with Phone As Modem and wireless stereo headsets.
• Corrects an issue where Windows Live Messenger content may be erased when the device power cycles.

The last Mogul ROM update was riddled with problems, so here’s to hoping they got it right this time. Oddly, there is no announcement for a Sprint Touch (aka HTC Vogue) enabling the same functionality. The Touch which sold over 2 million units last year uses the same chipset as the Mogul, hopefully we’ll see an update soon (it was after all announced GPS would be available end of Q1).

HTC official ROM update link.

Direct download link to Version 3.35.651.2.

Okay, this one is for all you folks out there who own a Windows Mobile Pro device that doesn’t have the word “Treo” on the front (since those lucky ducks have it built in). Basically, this little trick from no2chem and stroths at PPCgeeks will change your default and lumpy 10% battery increments to the much more accurate and cool 1%.

So basically instead of going from 80% battery down to 70%, you can see your precious battery trickle away at 77%, 76%, etc. Very cool.

It works on my SprintTouch and I’ve read it works on the Mogul as well. It will probably other work on other WM devices. Since it’s a .cab installer, if there are any problems you should be able to just un-install under your Remove Programs area.