New Phone - 1

First of the expected batch of new phones following disasterous train travel! This one is just me pulling my Vodafone upgrade forward a couple of weeks - they were really annoying with the WM-based V1615 I was going to get, so I forked out for an E90 since I'll pay for it with reviews.

Nice little handset. Little is definitely an appropriate phrase; it's not that much bigger than the N73 and definitely within the realms of "normal" phone dimensions, with only the slightly small outside screen looking a little odd.

However.

Bloody Vodafone.

Firmware? 7.24.0.3. Non Vodafone ones are on 7.40.something with A-GPS and quite a few bugfixes.

I am going to get it unlocked to use it with T-Mobile, since Vodafone's data is useless. I am quite tempted, really, to not replace my Ameo; to just use the E90 for T-Mobile, the N73 for Vodafone, and then whatever I get for my smashed phones I'll just save until something compelling comes along. I can see myself trying to install a 3G/HSDPA card in the FlipStart, or buying an HTC Shift (less use for that though, really).

Should I "hack" my way into having new firmware (change product code)? Or just tolerate the slower GPS and know the phone has a warranty for a bit ;)

E90 - more foughts

It's a frustratingly slow UI; getting an SMS and leaving an app leaves the screen half-drawn for ages. However, Nokia's lovely "phone" UI skills results in me - amusingly - being quite happy to SMS short messages from the front as I would with the N73. Nice and familiar.

I also think - still googling - I need to use the PC to install apps. Bah.

Symbian people - what's the best forum? I'm already leaning towards doing the "hacked" update to the later firmware (which I believe will also debrand the handset, but not unlock it) once I've unlocked it.

EDIT: Jesus fucking christ, will some decent programmers PLEASE go an work for Nokia and sort out this unbelievable piece of shit software they call "PC Suite"? Not only does Vista have an immense spack trying to handle the many and varied drivers, but it just doesn't work. At all. And it looks ugly whilst not working. You'd think after 11 years they'd have managed to get some of it to work at least.

I may give up on trying to de-cripple this phone. Why do phone operators do this?! What possible harm is there to Vodafone in having the bloody A-GPS function working!