The XDA Flame is a Pocket PC device (also called PDA or Personal Digital Assistant) first released in May 2007, produced by Arima Communications [1] and originally distributed by O2 Asia Pacific & Middle East. [2] This device belongs to a wide O2 Xda device family, including XDA Atom, XDA Atom Life, XDA Zinc, XDA Orbit (aka HTC Artemis), XDA Stealth, XDA II Mini (aka HTC Magician), XDA IIs (aka HTC Blueangel), XDA II (aka HTC Himalaya) and XDA (aka HTC Wallaby). It is one of the first Pocket PC device that was enabled with 3D accelerated graphics nVidia's GoForce 5500 [3] graphic processor (GPU). XDA Flame is also a 3G enabled phone (UMTS 2100 / GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900) with VGA touch screen, 2GB flash memory, 128MB RAM, Intel XScale PXA 270 520 MHz processor and integrated FM radio.
As of 2010, the specifications are these: [4]
Appearance | Display |
Memory | CPU |
GPU | Audio |
Interfaces & peripherals | Camera |
Battery | Additional functions
|
In May 2007, O2 Asia Pacific & Middle East released the XDA Flame. O2's cooperation with nVidia and CodeMonkeys allowed this company to advertise their new product easily, because there was a big demand on the market for a 3D graphics enabled PDA, with a lot of internal memory and many additional functions like USB On-The-Go and TV-out. However, at the end of 2007, O2 began to release new products and they stopped supporting this device, passing all copyrights to a new company called Mobile & Wireless Group (MWg). [5] MWg has released XDA Flame under its own brand with Bluetooth 2.0. Many Flame owners felt a relief knowing that someone will still support their devices. Yet, after a half year, MWg resigned from further supporting this device on its main site and created O2 Asia Support where users can still get a support. In the near future Mwg is planning to release a Flame successor called Flame II [6] with probably Windows Phone 7.
XDA Flame has several software bugs. From the beginning MWg's support center have not released a new Windows Mobile 6 version since it appeared on the market. After some time a class action lawsuit page was established to raise awareness of the problem, similar to HTC TyTN II case. In The Point, Tim Osborne wrote:
(...)"We as customers have the right to demand fixes and support for a device that retailed for around $1500 dollars (expensive to say the least). We will also investigate a possible class action suit against O2 / MWG for this as well as lack of support. The class action law suit will only be a last resort if all else fails and information is been seeked on such an action at the moment. We hope that MWG shows itself to be the leading edge company it promotes itself to be and this not be necessary. However as of yet we have had only vague promises of Windows Mobile 6 coming to this device. What we ask is that MWG/O2 do as promised and publicly announce that they will “attempt” to fix these issues and deliver Windows Mobile 6. We are all just looking to use what we purchased nothing more."(...) [7]
Battling with the lack of support by MWG and nVidia, community users have repackaged many Windows Mobile ROM images by their own. After several months dealing with some issues (as sleeping beauty, which caused the device not to wake up from suspension; or a long-standing SDHC problem with Wifi), there have aroused stable and fully functionals ROMs including versions with Windows Mobile 6.1 and SDHC. [8] As of October 2008 [update] , community driven support for the Geforce 5500 GPU is still improving but far from fully functional.
To perform soft-reset on XDA Flame - put stylus in a hole next to a microphone.
To perform hard-reset on XDA Flame - while pressing Camera and Comm buttons (two buttons on the left and right at the bottom of the device) soft-reset device. When asked, user should press left soft-key (YES).
Operating system (OS) updating, which is also called flashing, is a process similar to installing a new Windows on a PC.
On PDAs, Windows Mobile "disk image" or "ROM image" (archive containing OS files) is installed in internal flash memory.
XDA Flame OS updating steps:
.txt
file and renaming it to 1xdtgklo.kez
..kez
file and diskimage.nb0
(new ROM image) to a micro SD card.1) Intel XScale PXA270
Application Processor
Vendor: Marvell (or Intel, which sold this processor family to Marvell in June 2006)
Product code: PXA270C5C520
Developer's manual: https://web.archive.org/web/20080820054727/http://balloonboard.org/hardware/300/ds/PXA270-dev-manual.pdf
Developer's guide: ARM System Developers Guide
2) 2 × 64MB Hynix low power SDRAM
Vendor: Hynix
Product code: HY5S7B2LFP-H
Frequency 133 MHz, CAS Latency 3, 4banks × 4Mb × 32, interface LVCMOS
Datasheet: https://web.archive.org/web/20071019045810/http://www.hynix.com/datasheet/pdf/dram/HY5S7B2LF(P)-xE_series(Rev1.0).pdf
3) 2 × 32MB Intel StrataFlash wireless memory L18 in stacked chip scale packaging
64MB stacked together into one chip
Vendor: Intel
Product code: 4400L0YTP0
NOR, 1.8 Volt I/O, Individual Chip Enables, Non Mux, x32 Ballout
Quick reference guide: http://sunsite.rediris.es/pub/mirror/intel/flcomp/linecard/qrg.pdf
Resources: http://www.intel.com/design/flcomp/prodbref/251890.htm
4) mDOC H3
2GB NAND Embedded Flash Drive
Vendor: M-Systems (bought by SanDisk in 2006)
Product code: MD2533-d16G-X-P
Extensive datasheet: mDOC H3 Data Sheet Rev 1.2
Brochure: https://web.archive.org/web/20110716002732/http://uk.sandisk.com/Assets/File/OEM/WhitePapersAndBrochures/iNAND/EFD_brochure.pdf
5) LP3971 National Semiconductor power management unit
Chip sign: VM67RA 71-B410
Datasheet: https://web.archive.org/web/20110710170059/http://www.ed-china.com/ARTICLES/2006JUN/3/2006JUN13_PM_POW_TS_4.PDF?SOURCES=DOWNLOAD
6) TSN74AVC16T245 16-bit dual-supply bus transceiver
Chip sign: 61A4R4J G1 WF245
Resources: http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/sn74avc16t245.html
7) bq24032A dual-input Li-ion charger
Chip sign: BPE TI 6BK AHL J
Resources: http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/bq24032a.html
8) TPS65110 Triple Chargepump for LTPS LCD
Resources: http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/tps65110.html
GSM parts:
Ericsson integrated circuits (IC)
A) DB2020 R2A/7 (Baseband processor)
B) DB2102 R1A (Application processor)
C) RF2111 R1A (Radio Frequency processor)
D) RF2101 R1B (Radio Frequency processor)
E) RF2001 R1B/3 (Radio Frequency processor - transmitter)
F) AB2012 R1A (Power management IC)
G) Intel Flash Memory 3050L0YTQ2
H) NVIDIA GoForce 5500 GPU with 8MB stacked memory
Core speed: 200 MHz
Embedded SRAM: 640KB
Stacked memory: 8MB
Technical specifications: http://www.nvidia.com/page/pg_20060207466624.html
I) Wolfson WM9713G Audio and Touchscreen Controller
Resources: http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/WM9713/
J) BlueCore4 WLCSP Single Chip Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR System
Vendor: Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR)
Datasheet: http://www.csrsupport.com/document.php?did=1932
K) SyChip WLAN6101
Vendor: SyChip (subsidiary of Murata)
L) Imagis ISE2200 Video Processor for TV-Out
Technical specifications: http://www.myungmin.com/products/encoder_ISE2200.php
M) Si4701 FM Radio Receiver
Vendor: Silicon Laboratories
Technical specifications: https://web.archive.org/web/20070308132512/http://www.silabs.com/public/documents/tpub_doc/dshort/Broadcast/Radio_Tuners/en/Si4700_01_short.pdf
Windows Mobile, like any Windows version, has a Windows registry. Tweaking [9] a registry refers to changing registry entries so that many OS functions will work differently. It is commonly used among Pocket PC users to get the best performance from devices and to get to OS hidden settings.
Known tools for Pocket PC registry editing:
WM registry hives:
Editing WM registry steps:
Most registry entries can be changed by using special .cab files. Those can be made with the help of WinCE CAB Manager for PC (for example). An option that allows user to uninstall such cab file should be unchecked.
The second option for quick registry entries import is through .reg files. Those are standard .txt files saved in Unicode that can be pasted in Total Commander or imported in Resco Explorer.
A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a multi-purpose mobile device which functions as a personal information manager. Following a boom in the 1990s and 2000s, PDA's were mostly displaced by the widespread adoption of more highly capable smartphones, in particular those based on iOS and Android in the late 2000's, and thus saw a rapid decline.
A Pocket PC is a class of personal digital assistant (PDA) that runs the Windows Mobile operating system, which is based on Windows CE/Windows Embedded Compact, and that has some of the abilities of modern desktop PCs. The name was introduced by Microsoft in 2000 as a rebranding of the Palm-size PC category and was marketed until 2007. Some of these devices also had integrated phone and data capabilities, which were called Pocket PC Phone Edition. Windows "Smartphone" is another Windows CE based platform for non-touch and non-PDA devices.
XScale is a microarchitecture for central processing units initially designed by Intel implementing the ARM architecture instruction set. XScale comprises several distinct families: IXP, IXC, IOP, PXA and CE, with some later models designed as system-on-a-chip (SoC). Intel sold the PXA family to Marvell Technology Group in June 2006. Marvell then extended the brand to include processors with other microarchitectures, like Arm's Cortex.
The Dell Axim family of personal digital assistants was Dell's line of Windows Mobile-powered Pocket PC Devices. The first model, the Axim X5, was introduced in 2002, while the final model, the Axim X51, was discontinued on April 9, 2007.
Windows Mobile is a discontinued mobile operating system developed by Microsoft for smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDA). Designed to be the portable equivalent of the Windows desktop OS in the emerging mobile/portable area, the operating system is built on top of Windows CE and was originally released as Pocket PC 2000.
The O2 Xda brand was a range of Windows Mobile PDA phones, marketed by O2, developed by O2 Asia and manufactured by multiple OEMs (mainly HTC, Quanta and Arima). The first model was released in June 2002. The last models came to market in 2008. The "X" represents convergence of voice and information/data within one product; the "DA" stands for "Digital Assistant", as in PDA. The name of XDA Developers is derived from it.
The HTC Wizard is an Internet-enabled Windows Mobile Pocket PC smartphone designed by High Tech Computer Corporation of Taiwan. It has a touchscreen with a left-side slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Wizard's functions include those of a camera phone and a portable media player in addition to text messaging and multimedia messaging. It also offers Internet services including e-mail, instant messaging, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. It is a quad-band GSM phone with GPRS and EDGE. There are variants which differ in the design of the case, the keyboard and the presence of an on-board camera. On AT&T/Cingular, the Wizard was superseded by the HTC TyTN, known as the AT&T/Cingular 8525. On T-Mobile USA, the Wizard was superseded by the HTC P4350, known as the T-Mobile Wing.
The HTC Universal is a Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC PDA manufactured by High Tech Computer Corporation. It was the first 3G/UMTS-enabled Pocket PC PDA with a telecommunications function, and also the first to come with Windows Mobile 5.0 pre-installed.
The HTC TyTN is an Internet-enabled Windows Mobile Pocket PC PDA designed and marketed by High Tech Computer Corporation of Taiwan. It has a touchscreen with a left-side slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The TyTN's functions include those of a camera phone and a portable media player in addition to text messaging and multimedia messaging. It also offers Internet services such as e-mail, instant messaging, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. It is a quad-band GSM phone with GPRS, and EDGE, and a single/dual band UMTS phone with HSDPA. It is a part of the first line of PDAs directly marketed and sold by HTC. On AT&T/Cingular, the TyTN was the successor to the HTC Wizard, known as the Cingular 8125. Also on AT&T, the TyTN was superseded by the HTC TyTN II, known as the AT&T 8925 and the AT&T Tilt.
The HTC Blue Angel is a GSM Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition PDA-phone, manufactured by High Tech Computer Corporation introduced in 2004. It has a CDMA EVDO variant called the HTC Harrier, which does not have Wi-Fi like the Blue Angel does. Both have the same housing. It is sold by many different vendors under the names of O2 XDA IIs, Orange SPV M2000, Dopod 700, Qtek 9090, T-Mobile MDA III, Siemens SX66, i-mate PDA2k, Vodafone VPx, Verizon XV6600 (Harrier), Sprint PPC-6601 (Harrier) among others, which all have similar hardware specifications.
The HTC TyTN II is an Internet-enabled Windows Mobile Pocket PC smartphone designed and marketed by HTC Corporation of Taiwan. It has a tilting touchscreen with a right-side slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The TyTN II's functions include those of a camera phone and a portable media player in addition to text messaging and multimedia messaging. It also offers Internet services including e-mail, instant messaging, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. It is a quad-band GSM phone with GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, and HSUPA.
The HTC Magician is a Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition PDA-phone, manufactured by High Tech Computer Corporation and released in December 2004. It is sold by many different vendors under the names of Qtek S100, O2 Xda II Mini (Asia), O2 Xda mini (Germany), T-Mobile MDA compact, i-mate JAM, Vodafone VPA Compact, Dopod 818, Krome Spy, and Orange SPV M500. Despite the names and appearances all have the same hardware specifications. The i-mate Jam has a slightly different fascia which requires modification to be retrofitted to other magicians.
The HTC Touch, also known as the HTC P3450 or its codename the HTC Elf or the HTC Vogue for the CDMA variant, is a Windows Mobile 6-powered Pocket PC designed and manufactured by HTC. Its main, unique feature is a user interface named TouchFLO that detects a sweeping motion and can distinguish between a finger and a stylus. TouchFLO incorporates stylus-free access to a music player, a photo album, a video player and a picture-based contact book. The global launch of the Touch was in Leicester Square, London, on 5 June 2007, and the phone was initially available in two colours: black and green. The carrier bound names for this phone include Verizon Wireless XV6900, T-Mobile MDA Touch, O2 XDA Nova, Okta Touch and Vodafone VPA Touch.
The HTC Touch Dual, also known by its codename, Niki, is a Windows Mobile-powered Smartphone in the HTC Touch family. It is designed and manufactured by HTC Corporation and was announced in October 2007 and released in November that year.
The HTC Touch Diamond, also known as the HTC P3700 or its codename the HTC Diamond, is a Windows Mobile 6.1-powered Pocket PC designed and manufactured by HTC. It is the first device to feature TouchFLO 3D - a new version of the TouchFLO interface, unique to the Touch family. The HTC Touch Diamond was first available in Hong Kong in late May 2008. It was available across all major European carriers in June 2008, and later in the year in other parts of the world. The American Touch Diamond was launched on September 14, 2008 on the Sprint network, and April 10, 2009 on the Verizon Wireless network. The European release date was slightly delayed by a last-minute ROM update. The carrier bound names for this phone include T-Mobile MDA Compact IV, O2 XDA Diamond and O2 XDA Ignito. It is the official successor of the HTC Touch.
The HTC Touch Pro is a smart phone from the Touch series of Internet-enabled Windows Mobile Pocket PC smartphones designed and marketed by HTC Corporation of Taiwan. It is an enhanced version of the HTC Touch Diamond with the addition of a left-side slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a microSD card slot, and a camera flash. The Touch Pro smartphone's functions include those of a camera phone and a portable media player in addition to text messaging and multimedia messaging. It also offers Internet services including e-mail, instant messaging, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. Depending on its market, it is a quad-band GSM or quad-band UMTS phone with GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, and HSUPA or a tri-band CDMA phone with 1xEV-DO Rev A. All versions feature TouchFLO 3D — a new enhanced version of the TouchFLO interface, unique only to the latest Touch series. In March 2009, HTC announced a new version, the Touch Pro2 which has a larger screen (3.6") and a redesigned slide out QWERTY keyboard with spaces between the keys.
The HTC HD2, is a smartphone in the HTC Touch family designed and manufactured by HTC. The HD2 natively runs the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, and was released in Europe in November 2009, in Hong Kong in December 2009, and in other regions including North America in March 2010. The phone is the successor to the HTC Touch HD, and is succeeded by the HTC HD7.
MSM7000 is a series of system-on-a-chip processors manufactured by Qualcomm for handheld devices, especially smartphones.
The HTC Evo Shift 4G is a smartphone developed by HTC Corporation and marketed as the concurrent/sequel to Sprint's flagship Android smartphone, running on its 4G WiMAX network. The smartphone launched on January 9, 2011.