The pink T-Zone button on the T-Mobile Dash/Mail has its function defined in the \Windows\Sort_IE.lnk file which by default contains the line:
36#”\windows\winwap.exe”
I can think of a far more useful way of re-assigning the key to CommManager so I can switch bluetooth on and off for use in my car. So, a simple edit to the file deleting the old line and replacing it with this;
36#”\windows\CommManager.exe”
Now I can launch CommManager with the T-Zoes key.
If you find holding the FN key on the Excalibur fiddly there is a simple solution … just press and hold the appropriate key down until the key legend symbol appears. So, on my UK T-Mobile Mail the H key also shows the ? symbol, so holding the H key down produces a ? symbol automatically after about a second. Keeping the key depressed causes the symbol to repeat like ????
Resetting the Excalibur turns it back into XT9 predictive text mode and you will find that a and z keys no longer display characters. Holding the FN key just temporarily switches between XT9 and 123# mode, so not much help. To change to abc mode so that a and z work as designed you need to hold FN and SPACE which will pull up the text entry selection menu where you can select the abc mode
This is my edited simple home screen for the WM6 based T-Mobile Mail (Excalibur). One of the big changes to my taste is to change the font form 16 point bold to 18 point normal as I think this looks more elegant.
<?xml version=”1.0″?>
<home>
<author>Tim Carmichael</author>
<contacturl>http:/blog.timcarmichael.com</contacturl>
<title>Tims Simple Home Screen</title>
<version>1.0</version>
<!– filename tim.home.xml - copy this to application data\Home directory on your device –>
<!–The HTC Excalibur has a Square 320 x 320 screen so target height and width are both 320 –>
<!– I use normal weight Segoe font (instead of bold) but increased in size from 16 to 18 point –>
<default target-width=”320″ target-height=”320″ font-face=”Segoe Condensed” font-size=”18″ font-weight=”normal” padding-left=”5″ padding-right=”5″ bgcolor=”transparent” fgcolor=”COLOR_HOMETEXT” padding-top=”3″ b-border-color=”COLOR_HOMERULE” b-border-width=”1″>
<format state=”unselected” fgcolor=”#FFFFFF” bgcolor=”transparent” font-weight=”normal”/>
<format state=”selected” fgcolor=”#FFFFFF” bgcolor=”COLOR_HOMEHIGHLIGHT” font-weight=”normal”/>
</default>
<!– This was designed for a T-Mobile Dash version of the Excalibur so I use the T-Mobile background, change to your own choice –>
<background bgimage-rotated=”TMobile.jpg” valign=”top” />
<!– Standard colour scheme settings which I haven’t changed –>
<scheme>
<color name=”COLOR_WINDOW” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_WINDOWTEXT” value=”#000000″ />
<color name=”COLOR_STATIC” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_STATICTEXT” value=”#000000″ />
<color name=”COLOR_HIGHLIGHT” value=”#3485ce” />
<color name=”COLOR_HIGHLIGHTTEXT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_TEXTSELECT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_MENU” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_MENUTEXT” value=”#000000″ />
<color name=”COLOR_GRAYTEXT” value=”#CCCCCC” />
<color name=”COLOR_GRADLEFT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_GRADRIGHT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_INTGRADLEFT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_INTGRADRIGHT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_TRAYGRADLEFT” value=”#0a4476″ />
<color name=”COLOR_TRAYGRADRIGHT” value=”#155D9C” />
<color name=”COLOR_HIGHGRADLEFT” value=”#3485ce” />
<color name=”COLOR_HIGHGRADRIGHT” value=”#3485ce” />
<color name=”COLOR_TRAYTEXT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_WINDOWFRAME” value=”#000000″ />
<color name=”COLOR_BTNFACE” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_BTNTEXT” value=”#000000″ />
<color name=”COLOR_SCROLLBAR” value=”#3485ce” />
<color name=”COLOR_HOMETEXT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_HOMEHIGHLIGHT” value=”#3485ce” />
<color name=”COLOR_HOMEHIGHLIGHTTEXT” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_HOMERULE” value=”#3485ce” />
<color name=”COLOR_ALERTWINDOW” value=”#FFFFFF” />
<color name=”COLOR_ALERTTITLE” value=”#444444″ />
<color name=”COLOR_ALERTRULE” value=”#000000″ />
<color name=”COLOR_TITLEFLATCENTER” value=”#3485ce” />
<color name=”COLOR_SOFTKEYFLATCENTER” value=”#3485ce” />
</scheme>
<!– This is the icon bar at the top with signal strength and battery status, remove if you add another custom battery/signal strength plugins –>
<plugin clsid=”{837FC251-FE69-43ad-84E0-EBCEDEBA0884}” name=”iconbar” height=”25″>
<iconbar y=”5″ fgcolor=”#ffffff”/>
<background gradient=”title” bgcolor=”#114676″ b-border-color=”COLOR_HOMERULE” />
</plugin>
<!– This is the most recently used (MRU) list of applications displayed as icons under the iconbar–>
<plugin clsid=”{79EFB752-CB70-446d-B317-499723482B3D}” name=”startmru” height=”35″>
<background>
</background>
<mru icon-size=”16″ max-buttons=”6″ x=”2″ y=”6″ valign=”center” button-transparent-color=”COLOR_HOMERULE” highlight=”COLOR_TRAYGRADLEFT”/>
<appname halign=”right” x=”0″ y=”8″ w=”320″ font-size=”18″ />
</plugin>
<!– This is the plugin carrier which says which operator I’m connected to –>
<plugin clsid=”{E09043DF-510E-4841-B652-388316977A7A}” name=”carrier” height=”24″>
<allowselection/>
<background>
<format state=”selected” bgimage=”" />
</background>
<!– I set x=0 below so that the ‘carrier’ name is displayed left justified –>
<label bgcolor=”transparent” halign=”left” h=”20″ font-weight=”normal” y=”0″ x=”0″ w=”81″ font-size=”18″>
<text><carrier/></text>
</label>
<label bgcolor=”transparent” halign=”left” font-weight=”normal” y=”0″ x=”0″ textwidth=”115″ font-size=”18″>
<text><wifi/></text>
</label>
<clock>
<time font-weight=”normal” font-size=”18″ valign=”top” halign=”right” y=”0″ x=”0″ w=”320″/>
<!– I set mode below to long so I see the date in long format eg 24 August 2007 –>
<date font-weight=”normal” font-size=”18″ valign=”top” halign=”center” mode=”long” y=”0″ x=”58″ w=”320″ />
</clock>
</plugin>
<!– Calls Plugin –>
<plugin clsid=”{0BA8ABB8-1F1D-417f-88C6-DA8530E2E7A6}” name=”missedcalls” height=”22″ width=”320″>
<background>
</background>
<!– visible=false means this text is only visible if there is an actual missed call –>
<format state=”nocall” visible=”false”/>
<label font-weight=”normal” fgcolor=”#FFFFFF” font-size=”18″ x=”0″ halign=”left” y=”0″ >
<text>Missed Calls : <calls/></text>
</label>
</plugin>
<!– Messaging plugin –>
<plugin clsid=”{2F930BF0-6FE9-4a53-9E17-88E9247BAB48}” name=”SMScount” height=”22″>
<background>
</background>
<label halign=”left” h=”23″ x=”0″ y=”0″ w=”290″ font-size=”18″ padding-right=”0″ >
<text>SMS : <unreadSMS /> Email : <unreadEmail /></text>
</label>
</plugin>
<!– Calendar plugin –>
<plugin clsid=”{865A354A-4A96-4687-B001-C155DC0DBE76}” name=”Calendar” height=”41″>
<background>
</background>
<label halign=”left” h=”22″ x=”0″ y=”17″ w=”285″ font-size=”18″ padding-right=”0″ >
<text><time/> <location/></text>
</label>
<label halign=”left” h=”22″ x=”0″ y=”0″ w=”285″ font-size=”18″ padding-right=”0″ >
<text><subject/></text>
</label>
</plugin>
<!– Show All Day events –>
<plugin clsid=”{2FFD93B3-0FF0-4228-A6D6-D2DF177D7D92}” name=”alldayevent” height=”24″>
<background>
</background>
<format state=”noevent” visible=”false”/>
<label halign=”left” h=”20″ x=”0″ y=”1″ w=”280″ font-size=”18″ padding-right=”0″ >
<text>All Day Event: <subject/></text>
</label>
</plugin>
</home>
The devices I just bought on ebay were already flashed with the US version of WM6 for the T-Mobile Dash, however the UK T-Mobile Mail has butle differences with the euro symbol being the only really obvious one to me. But to make sure nothing in life is easy they moved around a couple of symbols on keys for no really obvious reason. This means that the Q key on my keyboard which has a ! symbol on produces a % instead. Nothing major, just a bit irritating.
There is a solution however. With the UK region set the device looks for a file called \Windows\eT9.Excalibur.0409.kmap.txt containg keyboard remappings. This is a standard file and you can replace the excalibur part of the filename with your devicetype name and the 0409 with your region code.
Anyway, you can edit this file using notepad to overide particular keyboard responses. You must save it as UNICODE however when you finished editing. Here is the correct uk version of the file, just copy it to \Windows directory on your device.
//
// eT9.Excalibur.0409.kmap.txt
// N O T E: This file must be saved as Unicode
//
// This file contains the virtual keys mapping table for the
// Excalibur device. The mapping table is define as follow
//
// VK_TPOUND = 0×78
// VK_TSTAR = 0×77
// VK_TAB = 0×09
//
// We do not support escape value yet. So the key/char values should be
// entered explicitly or by encoding start with 0x
//
// Format:
// {VK VK’ CH1 CH2}
// VK -> value from keyboard driver
// VK’ -> printed on keys
// CH1 -> symbols produced by Fn + key
// CH2 -> symbols in 123 mode
{Q Q ! !}
{1 W 1 1}
{2 E 2 2}
{3 R 3 3}
{T T + +}
{Y Y ( (}
{U U ) )}
{I I - -}
{O O _ _}
{P P ” “}
{0×78 A # #} // VK_TPOUND maps to Device Button A
{4 S 4 4}
{5 D 5 5}
{6 F 6 6}
{G G / /}
{H H ? ?}
{J J £ £}
{K K $ $}
{L L € €}
{0×77 Z * * } // VK_TSTAR maps to Z
{7 X 7 7}
{8 C 8 8}
{9 V 9 9}
{B B ‘ ‘}
{N N @ @}
{M M = =}
{0xBC , ; ;} // 0xBC = VK_COMMA
{0xBE . : :} // 0xBE = VK_PERIOD
{0 0×09 0 0} // 0×00 = VK_TAB
Just in case I ever forget, the hard reset key combination for Excalibur is holding down both soft keys whilst powering on the device. I think they should make this a standard procedure for all smartphones rather than the range of weird and wacky combinations you have to do on each different model.
In case anyone didn’t see this yet, Microsoft released Windows Mobile Device Center for Vista 6.1. You can read about the changes here http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx and download the 32-bit version here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=46F72DF1-E46A-4A5F-A791-09F07AAA1914&displaylang=en and the 64 bit driver here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4f68eb56-7825-43b2-ac89-2030ed98ed95&displaylang=en.
Just recently purchased a couple of used T-Mobile Mails on ebay since T-Mobile wont sell me the handsets offline. Both are already unlocked and both have had the US WM6 update for Dash already installed before I got them. Both appear fine and not blocked from T-Mobile network (phew) now I just need to reconfigure them over the next few days. I’ll post the steps I perform to get them to my spec.
