Posted by eieio
hi, i'm here in nyc and am in the process of getting the K700. however, i'm somewhat concerned about how difficult it is here in the US to get software "flash" upgrades, unlike in Europe.
i've had the 68i before, had numerous problems, now i'm using the T610, i'm satisfied, very few issues, though i waited for a couple of months in the beginning in order to NOT buy the very first batches so the one i got was at least several software versions after the very first batch. i'm kind of of the opinion that if i were to get a K700 with a host of new problems, then the pleasure of using/owning it is vastly diminished by the frustrations of trying to fix it, flash the ROM, etc. by unauthorized guys...
may i please ask for advice as to whether you all think it is better to wait a couple more weeks/months for the software to be upgraded? or is the current K700 sufficiently well made (w/very few issues) that it is worth getting immediately?
many thanks!
ps: besides expansys, what might be some other reliable places to get the K700 in the US? Reliability/return policy/honesty is of the highest importance to me, a reasonable price is also important, not necessarily the very least expensive.
thanks again.
Posted by michka
I don't own a k700. But from all I have read on this forum (and others as well), I would advise you to wait. Too many bugs at the moment, and a very poor battery life per charges.
Posted by etaab
I dont speak for everyone on Esato, but my K700 is pretty much problem free..
Yes, the 1 key stuck once for about half a second. Never done it since.
Yes, the battery meter is a little buggy.. but most of the time its fine.
Yes, the battery life is short, but not as bad as people say (my K700 now lasts about 4 days between charges, and heavy use)..
What im saying is, the little problems with it wouldnt put me off off buying the phone. Im perfectly happy with mine. Since i know the small problems will soon be fixed in a firmware update, ive nothing to worry about.
The most annoying problem for me is the Bluetooth. While its better than the T610's which i had previously, it can take about 5 seconds to connect sometimes to other devices, whereas the T610 would often connect in about 1-2 seconds. Also, i cant get the remote control to work, but i suspect its a compatibility issue with my Bluetooth dongle, and not the K700.
Posted by Residentevil
I would wait for the next firmware.
Posted by JAGUY85
I am personally waiting. There are a few people who profess to having a problem free handset, but I can't see the likelihood of getting the same luck. So... You can either try your luck now if it is in fact you can't wait or need it now. Otherwise, try waiting until there is an upgrade to the firmware or until you can find one of these sources of a bugless K700i. For now...I'll continue waiting.
Posted by eskay
As much as i would like to buy this phone something tells me that Nokia is superior in software and quality. I had SE in the past but its not as good as Nokia. Even the 6600 is better then k700. Take my word for it i had phones for years.
Posted by mers
@eieio: I have one of the first K700i phones, two days into it being released in Hong Kong. Waiting may not be a bad idea because there will be a significant number of bug fixes if SE have been paying attention. Even so, it's nice to have the phone right away, and you don't know when the firmware will be updated. And even if you do wait and get the next version, you'll still want to keep it updated afterwards.
I'm in the DC area so I'm gonna have the same trouble finding service centers. But we'll find them. I'll let you know what I hear.
@eskay: Don't be a jackass. If you want to give an uncorroborated off-topic opinion go do it somewhere else.
Posted by dj_wolfinstein
I would like to say one thing..Yes I agree SE software is little poor and unstable as compared to Nokia, But SE is more responsive to customer complaints..Like when people had problems with T 610 they promptly released firmwares..I think its just like you are comparing a Toyota to Dodge Van..Toyota is refined and good and value for money..Dodge is crude " all american crap"..No offence though just literal though..!
Eskay..why don't you join a Nokia community..I guess you got routed wrong this is ESATO- Sony Ericsson Community..lol..
Posted by fu1at
eskay,
basically what nokia did was they change the look of the phone without the firmware or hardware inside. of coz they have less bugs. u can put 6610 firmware in thier 3650 or 3660.
and now... try to put t610 firmware in K700. see that works or not. do not make comments if u don't know the truth.
Posted by mv agusta
About nokias firmware, it's like u buy a new RC211V (honda) but it got the same machine like '95 CBR1000RR. The improvments only at the body works.And i think it's okay to get a k700i today than wait till...u dont even know how long till the fw stable and free of bugs coz believe me, u gonna have a lot of fun with this baby.
Posted by ThreeX
Nokia software stable? Yea-he-he-hea right..
I suppose Vodafone stores returned a whole batch of 6230´s because of the stable software that crashed the phone when configuring GPRS and MMS settings..
Also remember my first 8310.. it went to service twice in the first 10 days, first because it shut down when you opened SMS inbox and the second time because it rebooted time and time again without any user input at all. Also many Nokias take forever to regain good reception. What I mean is like when going down in the basement and reception dropping to one click it takes up to 15 minutes to come up to full reception again.
Now, don´t take this as a Nokia stabbing, because i think ALL manufacturers are equally bad! They release phones because of pressure and deadlines, not because they´re ready, and Joe Public once again is the Beta tester.
That said, I wouldn´t hesitate to buy K700i now (I already have in fact
) I think a lot of the "problems" described here is nitpicking and also some are caused by excessive fiddling and playing around. No doubt there´s people having real serious problems as well, but all i can say is that my specimen is 99% trouble free anyway. Battery standby is equal to my T630 after 3 charges and the battery indicator is reasonably accurate too.
Cheers!
Posted by macdid
go for it
Posted by Lordmike
I say go for it. You actually think they will take in all the phones already on the market (that is in the stores or in warehouses a few thousand phones) when they release a new upgrade? I think not.
You will have to wait a few months for the first batch to be sold before they make new ones with a new update.
Buy one now and update it later saying you want all updates for free when you buy it.
Posted by CyberVisitor
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I have had the K700i since day one it was released. It has some minor problems. I really want to stress out that they are minor. There's no reason to wait buying it!
You should also know that there's no way all these minor problems will be solved in the next software release (even if some people think so). It might take two or three releases before they are all solved. And as always, with new releases comes new problems. This is not a Sony Ericsson problem but a problem with major releases.
Also, if you wait buying it until the next software release it will take some time before phones out of the box have it installed. Actually people will be able to update the software before any phones with the new software is available in the stores. And, finally, since the software is upgradable for for free, there's no need to wait for phones with the new software installed.
It's important to know that the problems mentioned here are mostly very minor - the K700i is very stable and well working for being a first release of a so advanced phone. Just make sure the keypad is working fine so you don't get stuck with hardware problems.
Since all phones these days tend to be using more and more advanced software we will always have problems with bugs. Before, when phones had just calling capabilities (and maybe sms support), they also had software bugs. I remember my GH-337 even was released with beta-software and came with a note saying so. Now phones are hundred times more advanced and software dependent so I would say that they have even less bugs today than the phones from mid 1990.
In the K700i case, the problems are not much related to the calling capabilities (just check the keypads as mentioned above). The problems (bugs) are related to other system features that comes with the phone. Those problems will not all be fixed very shortly - if you want a K700i without software bugs you might have to wait for some months, and waiting that long for something that is almost here right now is a shame!
Posted by slattery69
One thing to bear in mind is if i remember your post you live in the u s you may find it hard to find a service center that up date the software on a phone that has nt hit the market there. You could be stuck with the problems for quite some time also a minor problem to one person can be a major to another
Posted by Paris
lol, buggy phone? LOL sit and wait for the next firmware? LOL
i have the phone for a week now and i never had a problem with it. I played movies on it, taken pictures, used themes, send sms,pics,videos,themes and anything via BT, synchronized with outlook via BT and many many many more stuff. I never had a problem with it and i can not see why some people even think that its buggy. lol if there are a few things that se misses, i am sure they are very little things since i have not seen anything weird on my phone.
Do your self a favor and go but it now!!!!
Posted by mwarner
I see little point in waiting. I have a K700 and am very happy with it. Issues such as a shorter battery life than the T610 can't be fixed through firmware updates and you may find that even if you buy a K700 in 6 months it will have the first available firmware on it!
Considering the battery is less capacious and the phone obviously uses a far faster CPU than the T610 it should come as no suprise that the battery life isn't as good.
My recommendation is to buy the phone now and just visit your SE Service Centre when new firmwares are released - it's free and pretty quick (usually about 30-45 mins). I upgraded the firmware of my T610 a number of times through my local Service Centre (which is located in Coventry).
Posted by slattery69
Its all very well saying they can get a firmware upgrade but if the phone is nt available in there country they probably wont get one. I bet if you took a z1010 to your service centre and would bet they wont touch it till its released in the uk not sayin dont buy it but just bear it in mind
Posted by plastAnka
Why wait?
Posted by shinshin
My k700i is incredibly stable, its only crashed once and that was cause some idiot cant create wapsites properly, reading the problems people have been having and the only thing i have in common is the battery, apart from that no complaints at all. I got mine on o2Online and was expecting a whole lot of bugs after reading in here, but to my enjoyment. NONE!
Posted by neonismo
Buggy? This is expected with a new release phone on an entirely new platform. When i first got my t68m, the phone was near unusable for a few months. Its up to you if you can live with the potential minor issues with the k700.
Posted by etaab
I listened to the radio on my K700 this morning while i was at work on loudspeaker, and kept changing station after every song, wrote text messages, and played around with a few other features.
After 2 hours of constant use, the battery meter went down 1 green line of the battery, thats a couple of pixels. Thats great battery life i reckon !
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This message was posted from a desktop computer
[ This Message was edited by: etaab on 2004-07-09 14:37 ]
Posted by michka
The only reason why I told the guy to wait is because he is from NYC. And so he won't have access to a SE service center, as there apparently is only one in the US.
So, my recommendation is for him to wait till the phone comes with the first or second FW upgrade so that the small glitches are ironed out. And, maybe, the battery life gets extended.
Posted by etaab
Other phone shops can perform the update too, not just a SE centre.
Where i live, all shops do it, even the back alley ones, so im sure its the same in the US.
Posted by slattery69
i am sure non authorised places can do firmware upgrades but where does that leave the person if it goes wrong and the phone gets screwed up. at least in an se centre they are abliged to sort it out i dont know if a non authorised place would feel such and obligation.
since the phone isnt out in the us yet and isnt for the near future it may not be a chance they wish to take.
at the end of the day there are all the problems listed here on esato if you consider them to be minor ( most of which seem to be) then it would be worth buying
in the next few weeks i am sure there will be a firmware upgrade out and if you buy from a reputable dealer over the net i am sure they will make sure you get the lastest firmware on a newer week handset esp if you ask them and explain the situation
Posted by Arne Anka
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That's nice. But even after the second FW upgrade is released, how will he know the K700 he orders has it ? The chance is probably greater he gets one with old FW then one with new one and same
problem will arise again. Where to upgrade.
Posted by tommo21
When I bought my T68i(6 months after it's release), it still had the original firmware on it R2A something. I remember checking out which was the current one, and to my surprise it was R5A I think. This means that it will be an awful long time before you get handsets that has the updated firmware. I also noticed that the people with the most problems with their K700's is mostly the branded ones from Vodaphone and Orange. I have a brand free version and although it has some small problems which can be rectified by new firmware releases, I'm nowhere near some of the problems the branded versions are having. We must also remember that new firmware also can create new bug's as well as fixing old ones.
Posted by etaab
Mine came direct from SE themselves and ive had hardly any problems with mine.
I think everyone is blowing this way out of proportion. When i got my T610 last year it had the R1A firmware, the very earliest, but i still loved the phone and was happy with it. When i got it updated later in the year i was suprised at the difference it made to the phone.
Well, right now the K700 is way past that stage in its firmware. Even the current K700 firmware puts the latest T610 firmware to shame.
If the next firmware for the K700 has as much impact on the phone as it did with the T610, apart from fixing the bugs, i dont see how it could get any better.
SOD WAITING, GO BUY ONE !
Posted by SilveR.
I got Z1010 right now, it's got some buggy at this moment, it's worth few weeks more, and prices drops down
.
you save more cash, and skipp a buggy FW.
If u got old phone liek T68, then buy it now
I got Z600 before I get Z1010, I shall wait, but I alredy got it now..
Posted by eieio
hi guys, thanks for all the advice. while i think it is a decent "bet" that the current K700i will work decently, i've read so many guys with K700i's which have phone numbers switched with other names!
one alternative is to get it from a more expensive but more reliable place so the return policy is solid.
another alternative is to wait till after the very first firmware upgrade, which i would estimate at a month to two from now.
as i'm in the US, there aren't that many Sony Ericsson authorized service centers who will upgrade firmware, all of them cost something, around $25 for a firmware upgrade, plus fedex charges to and from them.
i'm less concerned about the $25 but am concerned about the aggravation, mailing the phone back and forth, etc.
just don't want to buy a fun toy and end up with a bunch of headaches! i want to buy a fun toy and end up with enjoyment...
does that sound reasonable? hope at least the first firmware upgrade will come up soon.
if i ordered one now, i'll get it 2nd day fedex next Tuesday.
ugh.
Posted by hariznordin
Just buy. later can upgrade firmware 4 free!
Posted by eieio
i've been told repeatedly that it costs typically $25 here in the US for a software upgrade, and there are relatively few places that are authorized and are totally legit. most are hackers, i was told. the legit places use sony ericsson hardware and sony ericsson cables, etc.
how do u do it easily and free in the US?
any ideas as to who is legit and authorized in the US? i only know of one place in California, and i live in nyc.
it will cost me $25 for the firmware upgrade, plus $15 fedex to get it there, another $15 to get it back. ugh.
any advice would be most appreciated.
after hearing so many horror stories about phone numbers being lost or mixed up with wrong names on the various forums about the K700i, i'm kind of worried that i'll end up "buying a bundle of problems and frustrations", rather than a fun new toy.
Posted by loonee
Don't wait! Get it ASAP!
Posted by eieio
thanks for all your advice. thinking through all of this and looking more at the S700 (originally i disliked the S700's size, swivel which requires two hands, weight), i think i'll end up also getting the S700 when that comes out, which some say will be Christmas, am i correct?
with that in mind, waiting too long to get the K700 will mean that i'll have a very short window to use the K700 which means that i'll pay a high cost for using this toy -- very short "half life", so to speak.
probably, the most sensible solution is to wait a little, enjoy it, then get the S700 when that comes out. even though they say Christmas, that really means, typically, Feb or March of next year! right?
so if i waited for just one firmware upgrade to occur in the next batch of K700's, that might happen in about 3 more weeks' time, i speculate. the phone has been out roughly 3-4 weeks now, and add another 3 weeks, that's almost 2 months out, so that's sort of roughly when they might issue a first software upgrade.
that way, i'll get some of the most fundamental bugs taken care of, like the battery life meter issues, maybe the wrong phone numbers under certain phone book names issue, etc.
i'll get to use it from late August till like next Jan/Feb or March, then move on to the S700. by the time i get to the S700, i'll be able to get rid of my current T610 because i'll have my K700 as my "backup" phone, a little fancy, but i'll have that as a good backup.
what do you guys think about this strategy?
thanks again.
Posted by eieio
i thought what i said above made sense...i guess not too many others agree...
Posted by Bianca
It does make sense though i think it goes the same with the s700. Are you going to wait for later firmware too?
Posted by ThreeX
He did mention getting the S700 in March -05..
I myself will generally go for it right away, unless there's known problems which leads to factory recalls.
The only thing that grieves me a bit, is when my smart friends get the same phone as me 4-6 months later for 1/2-2/3 the original price.
Posted by dards
take my advise ... DO NOT BUY K700I because of
a- Contact search with more than one alphabet is not possible. Imagine call the 60th person out of 140 contacts with first letter 'S'
b- SMS chat is missing
c- 'Call list' is not available durig calls
d- In Hong Kong region phones 'My Friends' is missing
e- Bad battery even after 20 charge cycles
I am planning to sell my k700i after using it for 5 days
Posted by etaab
20 recharge cycles.. and you've only owned the phone 5 days..?
Thats 4 recharges per day, thats 16 hours of charging the phone each day (4 hours per charge according to the SE manual).. so how did you find time to run the battery down, eat, sleep, and generally live ?
Someones talking BS
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This message was posted from a desktop computer
[ This Message was edited by: etaab on 2004-07-13 23:46 ]
Posted by CyberVisitor
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Posted by dards
Conditions:
Always connected Bluetooth to connect the phone with PC.
GPRS for browsing on the net through PC.
Usually uploading and downloading movies and music to and from Phone.
Playing Music/Movies with speaker on.
Yes my usage was a bit more than the usuall because I was testing the featuers out. But read other threads on the K700i battery by other people using k700i and see what they think of it. I had to recharge my battry atleast three times a day.
my phone is taking approx 1 hour 45 minutes to charge!!! How come your phone is taking 4 hours???
Also. I have been a dedicated Ericsson and then SonyEricsson user for the past 8 years. I still have 337, 868, 688, t18, t28, R320, R520, t68i and t610 (I loved eachone) and people usually think I work for SE because I always used to promote SE among my friends and colleagues. (See my previous posts and you will know)
K700i has lots of goodies which will attract kids and casual mobile phone users. I also believe k700i will be the most successful SE mobile phone set ever in terms of sales cause it has all the features that made NOKIA and Samsung so popular.
But the sole reason I always liked ericsson and then SE was because it always had best 'Serious' functions. They never compromised on the 'Serious' functions such call handeling etc. However this is not the case with K700i. Can anyone of you justify why SE did not include
a) Contact search with more than one alphabet? I have more than 140 contacts starting with letter 'S' imaging how much scrolling I have to do to dial out the 60th contact.??
View call list during call? This is a simple yet very important feature.
This is criminal on SE's Part. I have decided to sell it. And it will be first time in my life that I will be selling off any SE product that I have ever bought.
Ohh I forgot to mention that I work for a GSM operator and mobile phone set is one of my hobby. People usually take advise from me before buying any new mobile phone set!!
[ This Message was edited by: dards on 2004-07-14 14:13 ]
Posted by BOOYAR
personally i'd wait but it depends on whether you can be bothered to go to SE for upgrades, or even want them.
Posted by Lion King
you can update the software here:
http://www.sonyericsson.com/updateservice/K700/frameset.htm
Posted by urbanmac74
can this be done to a K700 Orange branded phone?