Sprint Samsung A500 deal ++++++++++++++++ some info for you!

[TimeKeeper]

Costco has Samsung Phone on sale, NO rebate nor activation required.

A500 + value pak (car charger, Swivel Belt Clip Holster, microtronic headphone) + EXTRA Battery for $199.99
N400 + value pak (car charger, Swivel Belt Clip Holster, microtronic headphone) for $145.95
A460 + value pak (car charger, Swivel Belt Clip Holster, microtronic headphone) for $79.95

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##DATA (##3282)-"ok"........... will get you into NAI edit menu. If you want to edit you NAI, you need your own SML number. (remember the first time CSR tell you to press ##xxxxxx? If you forgot, bring your phone back to sprint store and and ask them to update your PRL, watch the ticket when they writing the 6 digit number )

##786-"ok"......................System status info, including how many byte you have download. Software version, PRL version, age of the phone.

Menu 0-1-0, and enter password 040793..........................debug menu. check your RF performance, change Vcode to EVRC or 13K. (samsung A500 sounds better w/ EVRC, factory default 13K)

##(sml)...............you SVC menu, update your SID, etc.

A500 has screen resolution of 128X112, which is the exact wall paper size if you are uploading.......say ....from pcspix.com
(under Jpg, this size will only be around <5K)

 

[almega]

Thanks!

 

[drewdogg808]

where are the phones? i need a new one.

 

[Solema]

I am gonna guess you are talking about Costco's prices. I just saw them today. I am going to get Sprint to give me a phone credit then I am going to get the A500!

 

[tmchow]

A460 is a joke in reception.

I have the A400 and the reception is just fine for me anywher I go. I think the A460 is a good buy for $79!

 

[Dragnov]

Originally posted by: tmchow

A460 is a joke in reception.

I have the A400 and the reception is just fine for me anywher I go. I think the A460 is a good buy for $79!

The A400 gets better reception than the A460.

 

[fong718]

how do we get firmware for a500?

 

[amnesiac]

The N400 is a joke. Don't get it. The interface is clunky and a huge pain to use. Reception is disturbingly bad. Dropped calls galore.
Lots of neat features but it's usability is nil.

The A500 is a different story. Both that and the A460 are great deals for great phones.

 

[Dragnov]

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
The N400 is a joke. Don't get it. The interface is clunky and a huge pain to use. Reception is disturbingly bad. Dropped calls galore.
Lots of neat features but it's usability is nil.

The A500 is a different story. Both that and the A460 are great deals for great phones.

I sold cell phones (not anymore) and amnesiac 2.0 is 100% right. Got TONS of returns on them because everyone kept complaining about how they couldn't get any reception.

The A460 had a mixture. Sold a lot, but did get quite a few complaints. If you're not looking at spending too much this a good phone w/ all the features although I think you can get it less than $80 somewhere else if you don't want the extras.

The A500 sold like hot cakes immediately. Never heard of a problem w/ it, too bad it doesn't have a speakerphone though.

 

[SolderSucker]

I agree. In my experience,he a460's reception is worse than the a400. My syster has the a460 and I have the A400. I get better reception than she does. For whatever reason, I get the full 4 bars on my a400 and she only gets 2 bars. When I went to Best Buy to look at phones, I noticed they had the phones plugged into a charger and again my a400 had 4 bars and the a460 had 2 bars. Surprisingly, the A500 also was at 2 bars. I was thinking about upgrading to the a460 or a500 but if my current phone gets better reception then i seen no point.

 

[TimeKeeper]

Originally posted by: fong718
how do we get firmware for a500?

Your local Sprint store will have all the new firmware for all the phone they sold.

Recently almost every phone has new firmware release.
Also you better upgrade PRL to your phone, most recently version is : 10015.

 

[dshodson]

Is there a site which will tell u the rf quality of a phone
i am thinking of changing to tmobile since they are offering 600 minutes for like 39 bucks and i heard they have better reception but dont really know (i live in san antonio)
id get the Samsung S105 to replace my older sprint samsung i guess?

D

 

[TimeKeeper]

Originally posted by: dshodson
Is there a site which will tell u the rf quality of a phone
i am thinking of changing to tmobile since they are offering 600 minutes for like 39 bucks and i heard they have better reception but dont really know (i live in san antonio)
id get the Samsung S105 to replace my older sprint samsung i guess?

D

For SprintPCS only, you can actually go to the store and test all the phone's RF quality by entering.

##040793 -> Save -> Debug Menu.

then comparing the signal.

 

[roncarter]

is there a link to this phone on the site?

 

[ChefJoe]

hrm, if someone recently bought an A460, could you PM me? I'd like to find out if I have the latest software version, yet don't want to drive by the store.... the info is the stuff under setup -> display -> version.


Edit Thanks for the version number and info below, it seems my phone is still up to date.

 

[geneticfreak]

I'm really eying that 460. I don't have a costco membership, does anyone one what 'penalty' there is for buying at costco without membership like a certain percent or some fee you have to pay?

 

[Mawashi]

Thanks a bunch TimeKeeper! just got back from costco with my A500. I went to the SprintPCS store and they told me that there is no firmware update... Does this FW has a ref#?
Also, what's PRL 1005? Is this the latest FW?

BTW, found those sites for A500, really neat stuff on www.a500hacking.com/. Then you can find free games and utilities on Game and Game

 

[Joe221]

I have the N400, which I bought at Costco. It replaced my LG5150 which had horrific reception. So far I think the N400 is better on reception, but it's certainly NOT stellar. I found a "feature" that when you make a personal "greeting" it F---'s up the search mechanism in the phone book. I have 2 Jabra headphones with standard connectors, and can't get either of them to work with this phone. The included Costco one falls out of my ear and when it's in, I can hardly hear anything it's so low (vol on 8). The voice recognition sucks compared to LG and is limited to 10 names, as is the A500. I may trade it in on the A500 as, although the speaker phone is nice, it's not that important to me. I also turned on Vision with the new $10 plan, and have yet to be able to download anything. I've spent over an hour with tech support (it should be less but Claire can't route a call properly if her digital life depended on it!) and have had mixed answers. I get MIC201 errors when trying to access any advanced feature, ie ringers, games etc. I haven't read on any of these boards that the Sprint Network has been down over a week, so I think I'm getting the shaft. I don't know if a different phone will cure this but I think I'm willing to try.

 

[TimeKeeper]

Originally posted by: Mawashi
Thanks a bunch TimeKeeper! just got back from costco with my A500. I went to the SprintPCS store and they told me that there is no firmware update... Does this FW has a ref#?
Also, what's PRL 1005? Is this the latest FW?

BTW, found those sites for A500, really neat stuff on www.a500hacking.com/. Then you can find free games and utilities on Game and Game

PRL= preferr Roaming list version 1005 is the latest "communication bridge" between Sprint and Verizon.
"e" version on A500 is newest FW.

 

[TimeKeeper]

Originally posted by: geneticfreak
I'm really eying that 460. I don't have a costco membership, does anyone one what 'penalty' there is for buying at costco without membership like a certain percent or some fee you have to pay?

Seriously, I love A460 a lot, light and small. BUT, it is really bad in reception.
If you don't believe me, just go to Sprint store and buy one for yourself. (they have no-question-ask 14 days return policy)
Then go to your local mall and your own office building...

 

[roncarter]

I just got CC to pricematch.. Funny thing is that they didnt call or ask for the ad. They just said.. ok!! They even gave me a free charger and headphone!!! CC is the best now!

 

[TimeKeeper]

Originally posted by: Joe221
I have the N400, which I bought at Costco. It replaced my LG5150 which had horrific reception. So far I think the N400 is better on reception, but it's certainly NOT stellar. I found a "feature" that when you make a personal "greeting" it F---'s up the search mechanism in the phone book. I have 2 Jabra headphones with standard connectors, and can't get either of them to work with this phone. The included Costco one falls out of my ear and when it's in, I can hardly hear anything it's so low (vol on 8). The voice recognition sucks compared to LG and is limited to 10 names, as is the A500. I may trade it in on the A500 as, although the speaker phone is nice, it's not that important to me. I also turned on Vision with the new $10 plan, and have yet to be able to download anything. I've spent over an hour with tech support (it should be less but Claire can't route a call properly if her digital life depended on it!) and have had mixed answers. I get MIC201 errors when trying to access any advanced feature, ie ringers, games etc. I haven't read on any of these boards that the Sprint Network has been down over a week, so I think I'm getting the shaft. I don't know if a different phone will cure this but I think I'm willing to try.

Here is something Sprint doesn't want you to know. If you still have 2G data phone...say...Sanyo 6200, you can download whatever you want and system works perfectly. (it will count against your min, NOT kb size)

3G Data phone on the other hand, still got lots problem specially in some area. Although, 3G data system will only count against size you download and charge 2 cents/ kb, but it is rediculously slow for them to implement the entire system.

 

[TimeKeeper]

Originally posted by: roncarter
I just got CC to pricematch.. Funny thing is that they didnt call or ask for the ad. They just said.. ok!! They even gave me a free charger and headphone!!! CC is the best now!

Don't forget to ask the belt holster!!!!!!!!!! (Costco's value pak come w/ that too)

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: roncarter
I just got CC to pricematch.. Funny thing is that they didnt call or ask for the ad. They just said.. ok!! They even gave me a free charger and headphone!!! CC is the best now!

Costco's pak comes with a holster....don't forget to get it!!!

 

[Mawashi]

TimeKeeper, how would one know wich PLR and FW his A500 is running? Also, do you know of any other code beside the debug?
I just got the free 3 months web/email upgrade ($5/month thereafter) and you're right, it seems to work just fine with my old service w/o pcs vision. I used www.PCSpix.com to get new ring/games through my browser witthout a glitch.