N80 versus N80i - a couple of questions

[valerebel]

Hi guys

Thinkings of buying a refurbished N80 on Orange from Orange Direct on Ebay and I was wondering:

1) It is advertised as being locked to the PAYG SIM provided with the phone and it is not possible to use your own Orange PAYG or contract SIM - Is this possible or should you be able to use any Orange SIM?

2) How easy is it to unlock for use on any network these days? I believe it's fairly easy using Phoenix?

3) Is the original N80 hardware the same as an N80 Internet Edition and it is easy to upgrade an N80 to N80i?

4) Benefits of N80i? I used to have an early s/w version N80 but dumped it due to battery life and memory issues, as well as an annoyong Packet Data message constantly appearing when making or receiving a call. OK battery is never going to really improve but what about the rest?

I have done a bit of searching but I know that you knowledgable peeps can advise.

I could wait to upgrade to an N95 in two months but not too sure. I want to be able to use it for TomTom Navigation too but N95 GPS is rumoured to be a bit slow as well as non compatible with TomTom v6 at the moment until TT pull their fingers out. Would probably end up using a Holux slim GPS BT receiver anyway.

That's all folks - answers appreciated at your leisure.

Regards

valerebel

[Cash]

Originally Posted by valerebel[COLOR="Blue"

[/color];313260]Hi guys

Thinkings of buying a refurbished N80 on Orange from Orange Direct on Ebay and I was wondering:

1) It is advertised as being locked to the PAYG SIM provided with the phone and it is not possible to use your own Orange PAYG or contract SIM - Is this possible or should you be able to use any Orange SIM?

It should be possible to use any orange sim as the phone is locked to the operator not the sim

2) How easy is it to unlock for use on any network these days? I believe it's fairly easy using Phoenix?

You cant unlock the N80 with phoenix, there is currently no way to unlock the phone to use with another network unless the network give you an unlock code, its quite easy to do with orange, just phone them up and ask, they will charge about 20 quid

3) Is the original N80 hardware the same as an N80 Internet Edition and it is easy to upgrade an N80 to N80i?

Hardware is exactly the same, its easy to upgrade firmware by changing product code (if needed) and upgrading with nokia software updater (NSU)

4) Benefits of N80i? I used to have an early s/w version N80 but dumped it due to battery life and memory issues, as well as an annoyong Packet Data message constantly appearing when making or receiving a call. OK battery is never going to really improve but what about the rest?

Most memory issue's have been resolved, but battery will always be poor, although some tweaking with the software by nokia in later firmware has reported longer battery life (but not much longer)..I dont really have any software problems

I have done a bit of searching but I know that you knowledgable peeps can advise.

I could wait to upgrade to an N95 in two months but not too sure. I want to be able to use it for TomTom Navigation too but N95 GPS is rumoured to be a bit slow as well as non compatible with TomTom v6 at the moment until TT pull their fingers out. Would probably end up using a Holux slim GPS BT receiver anyway.

That's all folks - answers appreciated at your leisure.

Regards

valerebel

Hope that helps

[valerebel]

Cash

Thanks very much.

valerebel

[kontraband]

yeah, I agree with Cash's comments... but Id have used blue or something...

that red is very school teacher-ish!!

[Cash]

Originally Posted by kontraband

yeah, I agree with Cash's comments... but Id have used blue or something...

that red is very school teacher-ish!!

Better ??

[kontraband]

Originally Posted by Cash

Better ??

hahahah perfect...

[valerebel]

You guys!!!

[lazer18]

Cash, how do I change the product code on an N80 purchased in Hong Kong. I am getting the WSOD whenever I slide the slider.

[valerebel]

Refurbished N80 arrived from Orange today (£85 in delivery) with v4.0623.0.41

Phone looks like new, as it should being a refurbished product.

Changed product code from 0535061 (standard Orange code) to 0539363 EURO 1 Pearl Black Internet Edition, used NSU and v4.0707.0.7 was quickly identified as the next available update.

Update selected and after what seemed like ages, 73.4mb of download and 15 minutes of processing updates, I now have a Nokia N80 Internet Edition with no Orange branded menus. TomTom v6 installed too. Just gotta get ebaying for a BT GPS now.

Next thing is to chuck £20 on a PAYG SIM and request an unlock code.

The phone was sold with a PAYG SIM which was apparently locked to the phone and no other Orange SIM was supposed to be accepted.......total najjers because by Orange contract SIM works fine, haven't tried my O2 contract SIM yet but I bet it won't work.

Thanks to CASH and everyone for their assistance and guidance.

Cheers

valerebel