Mini Sprint Mogul review from a newbie.
 

Just wanted to post my 24 hour ownership, mini review of the Sprint HTC Mogul.


I started using it about 6:30 PM my time yesterday. It was at a full charge. First thing I did was setup the software for active sync on windows XP. Everything worked fine. Phone and computer found each other in relative harmony.


Then I did the sprint 2.17 rom upgrade.


That was mainly the only time I had issues. Not with the phone, but with windows XP finding my phone. After fiddling for an hour or so I just uninstalled the windows active sync software, and reinstalled it over again then windows found the device.


Then I installed a few applications that I had used previously on other PPC enabled devices. Pocket informant (thanks for the free app Friday link!), Sprint TV, HTC Home Customizer with plug ins, 4.0 student (A really old version, that seems to be working fine), agile messenger trail and lastly the Piscel browser.


Since then I have used it a lot. Mainly the Internet . Exploring, setting up. Adding contacts, etc. Had to do it all from scratch before I'm coming from an Iphone.


So far heres what I like and don't like.


- Went to bed at 80 percent battery or so, woke up with 70 percent battery. This was with leaving on agile messenger signed into aim. (For record, I didnt use Wifi or bluetooth at all).

• Have not experienced any freezing or any major slow down.
• Coming from old Pocket PC 2003 devices, WM6 is WAY faster and more stable for me.
• Call volume and quality in the Houston area is better than previous carrier T-mobile (so far).
• Data speeds are exceptionally fast even without the new Rev currently out. Edge sucks.
• HTC home plug ins are awesome and better than Iphone interface in my opinion.
• Keyboard rocks!
• Unit smaller than I expected.

Heres a few things I don't like so far. Not all are exclusive to device, some are software based.

• Couldn't get the Sprint TV to work no matter whose directions I followed. First error was the unauthorized user, then with cache replacement, turned into error (7000). This service was one of the selling points to me. I knew going into it we had limited support, but I hold out that this will change eventually.
• Dialing phone numbers a bit annoying with the windows mobile interface to me. Maybe I don't know how to work it well, but it's been a pain so far.
• Keyboard is great, but that space bar is a bit annoying. I find that I'd miss hitting it directly in the center point, and have to go back and fix it. Not a big deal, but I wish the entire key was functional, not just the center of it.
• Keyboard back light, doesn't like to come on unless pitch black. Maybe theres settings for it, but I haven't seen it so far.
• Case that comes with phone could have been slimmer.. The unit is smaller than I expected, but once you put it in the case it becomes behemoth. I've already ordered replacement case.
• Poor RAM management. I'm already investing into memaid, as I had a few ram out issues.

All and all, so far I haven't experienced any of the problems so people have had. I've been testing it since I got and always get the amount of missed calls. (If I don't answer the phone 3 times, it will show that I have 3 missed calls.). It also has always rang no matter how long I have kept the phone off or in standby mode. (So far.).


Hopefully the experience remains this good, so far I love the phone!

Also forgot to mention that at this time, since yesterday I'm at about 50 percent battery life.

keyboard backlight setting
 

Ya that keyboard backlight pissed me off too until I finally found it. under settings, Personal, buttons, backlight tab. otherwise, I too have had very good luck with my mogul.

There's actually a simple way to force the backlight on: cover the little white light sensor (right above the letter I) with a finger, tricking the phone into thinking it's pitch black. Just wait a few seconds, and the backlight will turn on.

I had mine for a week no problems so far. Haven't Tried the Sprint TV hack yet.

I thought I'd follow up with my review a week ago. Since I had a chance to install many programs, and use it for many different functions, etc. I thought I'd at least follow up for a few people who might be wondering rather or not this phone is good enough to switch to sprint for. Or rather or not they think that the Tilt is the only option.


I've add and removed many programs since my first review almost a week ago. The programs I am currently running now are:


HTC Home Customizer
Newest Version of Memaid. (Must for this device in my opinion)
Slick messenger (Tried them all, none of them were worth buying. Slick works, and is free).
Agenda One
4.0student
ComicGuru (Trial)
Skyscape medical reference: Dr.Drugs, Grays Anatomy, Tabers20, etc.
Resco Radio,
SiriusWM5,
WkTASK


So far I can say that I've only had one freeze up, which I can take fault a little. I was running Resco radio, while using piscel browser, and had a few other open programs. Pretty sure it it ran out of ram. Other than that I've not experienced any lock ups so far, and it's always been fairly fast. The only PPC I've had before was a 4 year old IPAQ, so at least for me this one is blazing fast.


Battery life has been a bit of a mixed bag. After performing the registry edits posted here, I seemed to have gotten a little better battery life. It's not even so much that its poor battery life, it's that I'm greedy and want much more.


If I use the phone for normal calling, an hour or two of Internet based streaming or web page surfing, and throw in a few text messages here and there, I get well over a day and a half without touching a charger.


But that is only on those days. When I study and want to listen to some Soma groove through Resco radio, I'll stream it for about 3-4 hours while at the library and then I'll see the battery life is around 70 percent, sometimes down to 60. I wouldn't complain, but it seems that once you break 50 percent it goes down much faster.


Either way though I really shouldn't complain. I have a laptop with considerable battery management. If I stream using wifi, my battery will not last past 6 hours. (7 hours on really good days). And that laptop at the time cost me just under 2k. I can do the same thing with my phone as my laptop for the most part, and it lasts longer connected to the Internet. Not bad huh?


Sprint has been good to me as well. The price as advertised showed up on my Internet plan details. So I didnt have to worry about calling and bitching about fixing it.

So for me so far I'd have to say:

PROS:

• Have not experienced any freezing or any major slow down.
• Only one dropped call in a weeks of regular use.
• Sprint coverage in the Houston, TX area is spectacular.
  Battery life when using moderate Internet is great!
• Coming from old Pocket PC 2003 devices, WM6 is WAY faster and more stable for me.
• Call volume and quality in the Houston area is better than previous carrier T-mobile (so far).
• Data speeds are exceptionally fast even without the new Rev currently out. Edge sucks.
• HTC home plug ins are awesome and better than Iphone interface in my opinion.
• Keyboard rocks!
• Unit smaller than I expected.

Previous cons moved to pros:

• Dialing phone numbers a bit annoying with the windows mobile interface to me. Maybe I don't know how to work it well, but it's been a pain so far. (NO longer an issue since switching to Agenda One, and using the programs default contacts application. Great for texting and calling now.).
• Keyboard back light, doesn't like to come on unless pitch black. Maybe theres settings for it, but I haven't seen it so far. (Changed the options as noted by justpctech, and now the back light for the keyboard is always on. Fine by me!)
• Case that comes with phone could have been slimmer.. The unit is smaller than I expected, but once you put it in the case it becomes behemoth. I've already ordered replacement case.
• Poor RAM management. (RAM management is much better with the use of third party applications like MemMaid.)

Cons:

• No SprintTV. I know.. I know. Beat the dead horse some more... The previous hacks at least gave hope that we could watch live TV on the fastest network for cell phones out there. But now that those are gone, and there is really nothing else for free out there that doesn't have an additional price.
• Battery life when using high levels of Internet isn't going to set the world on fire with the OEM battery. But honestly, I'm just being greedy.
• Unit seems to have everything but the extra ram. 3rd party applications help keep this under control, but it would be sweet to have the double ram that the touch has. But, with proper management of ram with memmaid, it's been fine.
• OEM case still sucks, but at least it works.
• USB required headphone adapters. Sure, you can use the hands free that came with it as headphones, but they are free. I do miss the standard headphone jack found on most phones and MP3 players.
• Keyboard is great, but the space bar is annoying. After a week of use I hoped it would loosen up a little. It's still a mid center only key. Hit it from the sides, and it will not work properly.

After all is said and done. I love the phone. It's worked well with old programs I had as well as the new programs that have come out. Having a keyboard has made life easier when texting or even browsing Internet forums.
Call volume, and quality have been more than average for me. My Iphone at least on the T-mobile network, was average at best. I haven't faced any of the issues that some Mogul owners have before me. Such as the missed call not being displayed correctly. Missed text messages, etc.
I can say the phone has been great for me. I am glad I made the switch. The Sero plan with the Mogul has been a 10/10 for me.