UK 3G Mobile Phones - O2 XDA Zinc Review

Your O2 XDA Zinc Reviews

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Reviewer: Cherry - UK
Date: 30th May 2008

Hi, I think it is a good phone with a variety of connections, powerful function & not too bad in designs but not only for carrying.

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Reviewer: Tatan - Jakarta, Indonesia
Date: 14th May 2008

I think these features are not complete because I cannot hide or protect one of program with password as video & others, but I like design, could somebody help me how to operate it more.

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Reviewer: Tyeeee - Aldershot, UK
Date: 12th May 2008

I am wondering how good the battery life is on this phone! Is it worth buying?

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Reviewer: Mathew Paul - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Date: 25th Apr 2008

I have purchased XDA ZINC in Nov 2007. The phone is OK, but battery life is very less. Please help if anyone knows the O2 mobile service centre in Jeddah or in Saudi Arabia, so that I can buy two new batteries & charger. I am worried that the website is not listing this product at all.! If spares are not available, then no use of buying this product.

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Reviewer: Juprexz - Jogja, Indonesia
Date: 19th Mar 2008

Good phone. I have one.

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Reviewer: Jaycee Mariano - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Date: 28th Feb 2008

I can't use 3G calling or video call. My signal is weak. Can not connect to Internet using WLAN.

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Reviewer: David Law - Singapore
Date: 1st Feb 2008

New to this phone but ringing Volume seems so low if you have the pouch & are outside then you will miss calls anyone know a solution to this either a download or patch?

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Reviewer: Tracey - Berkshire, UK
Date: 10th Jan 2008

Hiya, just need to know that does XDA zinc on pay you come with MMS & Internet because I was told this won't work on pay as you go. Only contract?

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Reviewer: Hiren Mehta - Mumbai, India
Date: 10th Oct 2007

I got O2 Zinc just recently. Overall the phone is good! With WM6 it works very well. I have used both GPRS & Wi-Fi & have had absolutely no issues. Bluetooth connects well & works well with other mobile phones as well. The drawbacks I have come across this phone are:

- Ring volume is exceptionally low. I missed numerous calls as I never realized my phone was ringing.
- Battery life is poor!

Overall the phone is good although I suggest you demo it before you purchase it.

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Reviewer: Prakash - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Date: 8th Oct 2007

I've had the phone since March 2007. With the ROM update, it does not hang as much. However the buttons are a tad flimsy & needs to be pressed a few times for it to respond. It would have been great if the keyboard slide came with a spring mechanism. Overall a good phone for SMS & Email typing.

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Reviewer: Sherif - Egypt
Date: 10th Sep 2007

So you need to change the message tone here it is : First the tone must be in wav extension (.wav), then put it in the windows folder then select it as a message tone from sounds & notifications that is all, have fun. Note: this problem is in the windows it was in windows 2003, 2005. Note: to have best performance free the main storage of the phone & use the memory card in everything even in installing programs.

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Reviewer: Alvin - Malaysia
Date: 27th Aug 2007

Just got this Zinc last week, & upgrade it to WM6 ROM. So far I encountered none of the instability or problems many mentioned. I think by upgrading, the problems will be solved. Some problems may be due to software incompatibility or insufficient knowledge in using the phone.

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Reviewer: Trishul - Mumbai, India
Date: 20th Aug 2007

I've read a lot of reviews. Some cursing the phone. While some going ga-ga over the phone features. Honestly speaking. The gizmo is a beauty! I bought this piece from Singapore & got the rom updated to WM 6 (the phone comes with WM5 Preinstalled) once back home & its smooth! Do a little bit of R & D (or simply read the USER MANUAL) & you'll know just how the device works.

As for the battery, I wouldn't call it weak. Would say it fares just like how batteries on other PDA devices do. Adjusting the screen brightness will help you adding 30 to 45+ minutes.

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Reviewer: Mark Grayem - Cork, Ireland
Date: 15th Aug 2007

Well I bought this in the Middle East, great phone but O2 are not so good! After over 100 emails asking the about the problem I was having upgrading to wm6 reason cross language not allowed, Not one of them could tell me the problem! If O2 tech was better this phone would most def be a number one seller, If anyone can help with this massive problem O2 have please tell me they told me to take it back bit hard when its half way around the world, I NEED AN ANSWER SOMEONE MUST KNOW WHY IT won't UPGRADE FROM WM5 TO WM6 I have TRIED EVERYTHING, please.

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Reviewer: LPT - Sydney, Australia
Date: 9th Aug 2007

Onto my second handset which has just stopped working. First one lasted 3 days. This one made it to an extremely promising week & a half. It won't sync, in fact won't connect to a PC at all. O2 have suggested that I upgrade the ROM. Can anyone see a potential drawback in their plan? If you've got the option - don't buy one of these. If your company suggests that you can have one - have the purchasing office sacked as they are a danger to the company!

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Reviewer: Johnny Black - Bulgaria
Date: 8th Aug 2007

- Time revert to you. Confirmed. Solve by putting visiting time as default.
- System unstable & hangs. Confirmed. Use soft reset.
- Bluetooth doesn't sync with other mobile manufacturer. Confirmed.
- Difficulty in changing message tones to personalize tones. Confirmed.
- GPS will need additional GPS accessories.
- Ringing volume too low even at Max setting, possibility due to location of speaker & carrying pack.

Note. I haven't upgrade to WM Version 6 yet or upgraded the ROM due to problem in sync PDA to my Desktop.

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Reviewer: Saikumar - Hyderabad, India
Date: 7th Aug 2007

Hi the model you are looking at iss pretty good & excellent huge features & easy operating mobile.

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Reviewer: Oki - Hong Kong
Date: 1st Aug 2007

Pretty good device after update to WM6. The system is more stable & nice new WM6 application.

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Reviewer: Ridzuan Zulkifli - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Date: 12th Jul 2007

Funny, I haven't been facing problems with the time reverting back to US time. I only experienced it the first few days but managed to solve the problem.

Here's how you do it. Just make sure you set your local time (home) & foreign time (visiting) as the same.

Go to Settings
Select Clock & Alarms
Make sure Home & Visiting times are the same
Example: Home - GMT+8 Malaysia, Singapore
Visiting - GMT+8 Malaysia, Singapore

I guarantee you, problem will be solved. The problem is actually when you put visiting time to US time or even UK time, somehow it will revert to US time. Maybe it's a conspiracy, hahaha.

Other than that, I think my O2 XDA Zinc is a great tool for me. Do you all know that it's actually Asus Mars II? I don't understand why Malaysians must get the device under the O2 XDA brand. It's quite silly actually because O2 is a Telco in the UK. I wonder why Malaysian Telco's like Celcom or Maxis does not want to tie-up with Asus or HTC to come up with their own smart phones or Pocket PC. Everybody knows that Asus & HTC are known as Original Device Manufacturers for a lot of major Telco's in Europe - O2, T-Mobile, Telefonica etc.

Oh well, my two cents worth.

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Reviewer: Allan - Singapore
Date: 1st Jul 2007

I bought the Zinc about a week ago. The phone hung on the 2nd day after my purchase & had to wait for another 3 days, but after the firmware update the phone works well except for 1 or 2 bugs which is still acceptable for me. For me Zinc still rocks.

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Reviewer: Lucky Plaza - Benoi, Singapore
Date: 24th Jun 2007

Please don't buy this model. No GPS & the features are worst than what you think. 1st time I use it, I think it was great, unfortunately idea how to reset? I feel I have been cheated I think because I just realized the phone was painted at the left side of the keyboard, is it second hand? I don't think so because it was seal with stickers?

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Reviewer: Hans - Surabaya, Indonesia
Date: 9th Jun 2007

I have brought the O2 XDA Zinc, pretty good & bug less.

The problem I've got just the battery drains quite fast & the keyboard button it's not good as Dopod 838 & the bug, sometimes the call HW button, doesn't work.

For you guys, have a lot of problem, tru to download the latest ROM, may solve a little problem. But I think the ROM is still WM5, & my ROM is WM6 now. I don't get my phone hung. You can prove it with WM6. The ROM work nice.

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Reviewer: Gaurav - Delhi, India
Date: 2nd Jun 2007

Hi, I picked up my O2 Zinc from Singapore, though it looks good but its quite bulky to easily fit into the shirt pocket, I have a problem watching videos in full screen, even if I select full screen on the window it won't show as full.

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Reviewer: Jai - Chennai, India
Date: 25th May 2007

Hi I am in India, I found zinc in the Internet. It looked awesome I like to a kind of pda mobiles, but I don't know where to get these kind of mobiles in India, can anyone suggest me where to buy. Because O2's are not much familiar as in other countries.

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Reviewer: Rich - Saigon, Viet Nam
Date: 22nd May 2007

I am having a great problem with this phone, it looks great for executives, I am having the following problems, can anyone help me?

1. I cannot send messages frequently, after sending a dozen messages, the messages cannot be sent, it says, messages cannot be sent, I set the message centre number again, it work for a while & then again messages cannot be sent. I do not see a menu to set up message centre number. I always take the sim out & put in another phone set up the message centre number, please help me to set up the message centre number.

2. It hangs often, limited speed.

3. The time keep changing to American time

4. The MP3, does not work well.

Please give me suggestions?

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Reviewer: Mohammed - Kalawewa, Sri Lanka
Date: 16th May 2007

Wow, great phone when traveling on business.

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Reviewer: Musa - Bangladesh
Date: 3rd May 2007

I just bought it, I want to use skype on this. Phillips Bangkok, Thailand wrote he is using skype on this, can you help me from where I can get compatible skype software for this. Can anybody help me, please?

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Reviewer: Radja - Jakarta, Indonesia
Date: 24th Apr 2007

There's no Bluetooth at modem list! At modem list just : cellular line, cellular line (GPRS), generic IrDA & Native Ir. : ( (

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Reviewer: Abby Platero - Las Pinas City, Philippines
Date: 16th Apr 2007

Guys, don't expect all phones to work perfectly. These are just mobile phones, not humans. Oh well, in most cases, cellphones are a lot perfect than human. I mean, all cellphones got a bug or two. For as long as you enjoy what you have & it is somehow better than the others, be satisfied. Whatever phones we get, we always got a complaint. Anyways, for me, the zinc is a gem. A lot better than dopod 838 pro & dopod 900. I've tried almost all of them. This one is surely the best so far! Anyone wanna beat my stuff?

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Reviewer: Livy - Singapore
Date: 9th Apr 2007

No truetone ringtone & not much available download but overall it a good phone for people who need to be accessible thru e-mail at all time without carrying a device that is too bulky.

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Reviewer: Purnomo Setiawan - Semarang, Indonesia
Date: 6th Apr 2007

Since the dealer opened the box, I had a trouble with Bluetooth. It didn't work at all. Thankfully the dealer replaced it with the new one. Other than that my O2 zinc is okay. Using video call with windows mobile 5.0 really unpractical. Too much steps. Hope Microsoft will update that. Last thing, until now I can't connect my O2 zinc with Sony Ericsson hbh 300 Bluetooth headset. Help me please?

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Reviewer: Gar Gee - Aruba
Date: 4th Apr 2007

The ZINC is really bad.

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Reviewer: Norazmi - Melaka, Malaysia
Date: 3rd Apr 2007

I had my O2 Zinc in first week March & already had several problems. The biggest one was definitely have given me a new model & still have several problems:

1. Battery can only last less than 12 hours, even after I tried many things (PLS HELP ME! )

2. My time keeps changing back to US time, like the review from Delhi.

I intend to go back to the shop & get a new battery & advice on the changing time.

OVERALL Review: Pls don't buy this model. Go for DOPOD 838

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Reviewer: Patricia Culbert - Belfast, UK
Date: 30th Mar 2007

I got an XDA zinc in Hong Kong & O2 have just informed me that they don't have the software for me to retrieve my email as they have dropped this phone from their range.

Any ideas?

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Reviewer: O2 Zinc User - Singapore
Date: 29th Mar 2007

The phone & especially the sliding keyboard works fine. Having the keyboard spring loaded would be nice feature though.

My only problem is that when I setup my GN Netcom 6210 Bluetooth headset, no services can be found although the phone & headset are successfully paired, the phone & headset will not connect automatically when receiving or making a call.

I have reported this to O2 via the Singapore website but after one week still no reply.

Did anyone experience the same problem with a Bluetooth headset? I noted a similar problem reported for the XDA IIi, where someone suggested it might be the O2 firmware version?

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Reviewer: Junie Cimafranca - Philippines
Date: 29th Mar 2007

How can people rate a phone they never even got to use & then change their minds again without laying their hands on the zinc?

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Reviewer: Rj - Birmingham, UK
Date: 28th Mar 2007

Well I have been waiting for this for what seems like forever! I was informed that the release date was set to be the 26th March, on phoning O2 I have now been told that they are not launching the XDA Zinc as planned & you can no longer have it upgraded over the phone. Obviously I was very annoyed but was told I can go into an O2 shop & still have it upgraded as the shops were still launching the device. I asked the question why I couldn't upgrade over the phone, as I do not have time to go into the store & wasn't given an answer as they didn't know either! What difference does it make whether I upgrade in the shop or not? ! Besides which, I went into the shop & they weren't able to help me either & couldn't shed any light on the matter! All in all, I am not a very happy chappy! After being a customer of O2's for five years I think they stink. Why can't I get a straight answer?!

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Reviewer: Smith - London, UK
Date: 15th Mar 2007

What can I say, I think it's a great phone, nice video clips & stuff. I got it from Hong Kong.

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Reviewer: Mike - Shanghai, China
Date: 13th Mar 2007

Have had this phone for about a week, but have been unable to turn off the WLAN, therefore the notification LED is a permanent green (as opposed to the flashing green that it should be).

Has anyone else experienced this?

Apart from this small thing (which does not hamper the use of the phone), the phone is wonderful. Easy to use & well laid out.

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Reviewer: Jai - UK
Date: 7th Mar 2007

Guys, change of plan. You shouldn't get the XDA zinc, must go for the blackberry.

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Reviewer: James Joy - UK
Date: 6th Mar 2007

I have an XDA Exec which is great but bulky. The Zinc is smaller & has all the same features but the delays are becoming a concern. With the release of WM6 soon I am now not sure if I should buy the Zinc when it comes out or wait & see what WM6 brings.

It is a real shame they did not build in GPS.

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Reviewer: Yuvraj - Delhi, India
Date: 5th Mar 2007

Hangs quite a bit. There are several bugs with the software & the watch keeps going to US time even though I have set it to Delhi time more than a dozen times. Looks good. Has a lot of stuff in it. Unless the hanging problem is limited to my set, would not recommend.

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Reviewer: Jai - UK
Date: 25th Feb 2007

I was going to buy the XDA mini s but I then found out about the zinc. (This was sometime last year). I read all about the zinc & then went on to o2s website & there it was under coming soon. It was meant to be coming out in January but now it has been delayed so it is now coming out in March. In other words I have to wait about a month before I can get it but I am going to wait because a friend of mine had told me that the XDA mini s wasn't very good. He said that it kept freezing & the software always took ages to load. I have made my mind up & I have decided to wait until the zinc comes out because if I get the mini s I would be stuck with it for a year whilst watching other people enjoying a pain free zinc. It worth waiting one month & getting a good phone instead of getting a not so good phone & suffering for a year! The XDA zinc is going to be a great buy & anyone who is waiting until it comes out & then are going to get it are making the correct choice! I only have to wait about a month whilst watching everyone else making the wrong choice have a real problem & complain about your XDA mini s forever!

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Reviewer: Expat - Bangkok, Thailand
Date: 25th Feb 2007

Excellent phone. Highly recommended for all any professionals traveling & for business needs.

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Reviewer: Tom Hall - Worcester, UK
Date: 21st Feb 2007

This phone looks brilliant & I am definitely, however, I am disappointed as I went into an O2 Shop where a sales advisor told me: 'Yeah you can order the O2 XDA Zinc on 21st February'.

So this morning I rang to order & was told: 'I am sorry, this phone isn't available to order until 26th March 2007'

I asked why & was told there's a problem with the manufacturer, what the? !? There will be something better out before they release this. Jeez.

PS: I rated features 95% because it hasn't got built in GPS like its competitor - Nokia N95.

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Reviewer: Jai - UK
Date: 11th Feb 2007

I live in the UK & the XDA zinc isn't out here so I just want to ask anyone who lives in a place where the XDA is out whether it has Wi-Fi & also whether the security system is good & last of all does the phone take a while to load & freeze quite a lot. Thank you. Jai

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Reviewer: Simo - Sheffield, UK
Date: 10th Feb 2007

Have decided not to buy the Orbit & wait for the Zinc to be released instead. Will need to be traveling to Thailand but need to know if anyone knows if tri -band will work there for voice & data calls.

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Reviewer: Phillips - Bangkok, Thailand
Date: 21st Jan 2007

Zinc looks really very nice & cool, but my zinc still some headache problem with skype, even I use turbo model & with strong Wi-Fi signal, when I make a skype call. The sound is very poor, like the speaker is broken. Like the decoding speed is too slow.

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Reviewer: Ken - Wokingham, UK
Date: 15th Jan 2007

The Zinc is fantastic, a best buy.

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Reviewer: Jai - UK
Date: 24th Dec 2006

The XDA zinc is a great phone on the whole although there are still much more that the designers could have improved on. These things are like the front cover, the back, the shape of the phone etc. The front cover looks OK but it also can look a bit ugly. The back is the same. But as well it can look rather ugly. So far I think that the specifications are very good. The specifications are extremely similar as the XDA mini s. It's good that it includes the Wi-Fi as I have found that it comes in very helpful. The XDA zinc is practically just a newer model of the XDA mini s but with a completely new makeover. Let's just hope that with this phone it doesn't start running slowly after a few months & also let's hope that the stylus actually does stay in! Overall I rate the XDA zinc. 9.7 / 10



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