alcatel OT-S853

User opinions and reviews

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q
quang hung
ULZ
10 Apr 2007

Hi every Alcatel fans!
I do not post a lot of my opinions on this forum but I have never missed any of your opinions. And I'm very lucky 2 have a 188 version firmware upgrade after a few times of sending the phone 2 Malaysia 2 fix it( I'm in Vietnam).So 2day, I will give you some of my experiences in using my OT-S853:
1.Don't care about how much 1G memory card capacity is displayed on the phone. Mine is just displayed 296M capacity with 176M used and 13% free. But the real used memory in my card is about 800M ( 150 high-quality MP3 songs and eight 11M to 33M video clips) and the phone works well exept that u have 2 wait long 2 play a video clip ( the MP3 player is exellent).
2. Sometimes, the phone cannot detect 1G card. So I remove 1G card and put a 512M or 256M in. Then while the phone reading the new card (not yet OK sign), I remove the card then put the 1G card in quickly and then wait until the phone detect 1G card.And sometimes u have 2 do so once or twice until the phone can detect the card. After that u have 2 swith off and on the phone 4 it 2 detect the card perfectly. I think u should try many way and finally u will find the best 4 u...
3. OT-S853 is exellent 4 MP3 player but bad in playing video clips ( very very slow). So don't try 2 save a lot photos or video clips in your card. It's much better not 2 save some long video clips , just some short ones 4 video tone.

4. When u get in the MP3 player it will show all the MP3 and M4A songs. And when u play one of the song it will play all the song. So u should save your songs in folders(with names after albums or singers) and be sure 2 save all your MP3 folders in MY SOUNDS directory of the memory card, if not the MP3 player cannot work properly or very slowly. After that when you get in the MP3 player, go to and open your MP3 folder in memory card then play one song in the folder. At that time, the phone just play the songs in the selected folder from the selected song 2 the last one ( if u want u can choose repeat or shuffle 2 play the folder).
5. Anther way 2 play MP3 songs: go 2 MY SOUNDS in memory card, select and open a folder (like 2 test a ringtone). If u press OK button at a song the MP3 will play only that song. So press soft key to get in Option and then select " play folder", the MP3 will play all songs in the selected folder.
Hope I can help you a little bit!

N
Nelson
M66
10 Apr 2007

OK, thank you. I hope that you'll have your firmware upgraded in US.

T
TTThunder
2xB
10 Apr 2007

Nelson,

I am from Thailand.

Today I called Alcatel center, the man said that there are some key sequences to check the firmware, but the technical guy is not there, so he cannot tell me...

He also said that if I can find Alcatel service center in US, they may be able to upgrade my firmware...

Thanks!

N
Nelson
M66
09 Apr 2007

TTThunder, first of all may I know from what country do you belong. It seems that alcatel does not exist in more shops there. Honestly, key codes for knowing the firmware version is not available yet and the only thing that you should do is to have your phone reloaded with the latest firmware version. I know that your phone is not loaded with the latest firmware because I really did not encounter problems with my phone which is firmwared with 18b but you do with yours. And in my case here in our country, person from RC Goldline where I bought mine don't have any knowledge about the firmware version of the phone because they are only selling it. They only know when I told them the 3 digits written on the back of the phone when they take out the battery. Whether they change the sticker or not, once they have reloaded your phone with the latest firmware you will really not encounter problems with it anymore.

I believe that you can have your phone's firmware upgraded in the US. There's no way we can check how many times the battery has been charged. We only have given access to view S853's phone events, ram usage, phone user counter, quality counters, gsm tracks,gprs-edge tracks, etc. And you can view it by typing 000000* but I don't encourage you to access that or touch anything there because it might result to a big trouble of your phone.

T
TTThunder
2xB
09 Apr 2007

Hi,
.
1. If we do not know the command to check the firmware level, how can we know which version we are at now?
.
(Or once the firmware is upgraded, the sticker will be changed?)
.
2. I bought this phone from Alcatel company directly (since it is not a popular brand here, a few months after the GA, no phone can be found in any retail store) and their staff said that the firmware is already at the current level...
.
If 169 is the latest level for localized firmware version, so I will have these minor problems forever? (since I think it is unlikely that they will spend time/effort to maintain the localize firmware to always be at the latest level...)
.
3. I will be in US soon. Can I have 853 firmware upgraded in US? (I do not care about local language support.)
.
(First of all, do they sell 835 model in US? Second, is the warranty international?)
.
4. Are there any way to check the battery condition? (Eg. for notebook, we can check how many times it has been charged, ...)
.
Thank you.

N
Nelson
M66
08 Apr 2007

People using alcatel phones specially this model will not blame using alcatel phone now because Knight Rider from Europe and I from Asia (Philippines) will do our best in answering your queries and problems to the best of our knowledge. Plus there are other possible alcatel fan/s who want to help. We just want to help our fellow alcatelers in using their alcatel phones.

One popular motorola model (V3
X) had received many comments from its user but nobody answer them so alcatel users are very lucky enough.

K
Knight Rider
mAJ
08 Apr 2007

Yes Thunder, have your phone updated as soon as possible... you will find it much much much better! Also keep those questions coming people, questions and comments that is! Me and my buddy Nelson here will try to help you as good and as soon as we can. You can also mail me at un112@msn.com for more specific Alcatel questions! Happy easter ;)!

N
Nelson
M66
08 Apr 2007

TThunder, your unit is firmwared with 169 version. You really need to go to the shop where you bought it and ask them to reload it with the latest firmware version.

T
TTThunder
2xB
08 Apr 2007

Hi,

1. When I said 45 min, that is the total call/receive I had during the 3 days (not 1 time).

2. I could not reset the phone, there are too many things I had done (mainly contacts).

I guess maybe my firmware is not 188 or 18b.

How can I check the firmware with key sequence (like you Nelson said that 159 is unlock)?

(Since I think Alcatel center here may use the local firmware version with local language support, so looking in the phone may not be accurate. Mine is 169 51FA11 HGP..)

Thank you,
Theeraphong

N
Nelson
M66
07 Apr 2007

Welcome Jerico.

To all alcatel fans/users, please be reminded that there is another way on unlocking our phone. Our manual(specially S853) says that in unlocking our phone, we have to do long press of * key then press the OK button. Another way of doing it by typing 159 and your phone will unlock.

J
Jerico
PSw
07 Apr 2007

Thank you so much for your help, Nelson and Knight Rider. You're so great. Thanks for solving my fone problems... daghan salamat! :P

N
Nelson
M66
07 Apr 2007

alfa, you must also have your unit's firmware upgraded to 188 or 18b. Take it to the shop where you bought and ask them to reload it with the latest firmware version.

N
Nelson
M66
07 Apr 2007

alfa, you may have your memory card destroyed. In my case (again, mine is 18b)I have tried several times renaming my mp3 file but everything goes normal. The songs are still played and my 1 GB card is still displayed as is (it is no longer 1 GB when displayed in pc or phone normally as other space are allocated in formatting). So there's nothing wrong with the renaming of mp3 files as this feature is provided by alcatel for our pleasure. Reset your phone by typing ###847# and choose "yes" when prompted then insert your memory card again and see if the phone already displays the card memory correctly. And if it is still displayed in phone or pc as 475 mb then it should be damage.

N
Nelson
M66
07 Apr 2007

TTThunder, try to play the song number 7 in your list and while playing it click the left soft key and choose option then choose "stop", not "pause". Pause of course is simply stopping the song momentarily and when you click play again will return to the part of that song where you pause it. When you click stop (using left soft key)the phone takes you to the number 7 song again but when you make long press on the stop/play button on the left side of the phone (those that have rewind, forward, plus and minus sign and camera sign)you are getting out from the music player menu, you are exiting from it, and when you choose music player again the phone takes you the number 1 song in your list and no longer the number 7. This is normal.

To be honest with you, I have not tried receiving or calling anybody from my S853 for straight 45 minutes as calling here in our place is more expensive than texting; it's 6.5 times expensive than text. I have tried caling and receiving a call for only two to four minutes and that does not consume more battery for me even when I include recording our conversation. What consumes my battery well is my 8 hours straight playing games and video because the phone spent power for audio and video during that times.

Also, when the phone is locked automatically while playing the music you can no longer use the phone's side keys (this is normal) but you can perfectly adjust the volume or go to another track/song by using remote control. The remote control is designed so that while listening to music on the street or while you are travelling you don't have to take out the phone from your pocket to unlock and operate it because the remote control which is designed to be clipped in your shirt is there for you.

Another thing is, this phone is a sound machine and therefore it plays all songs (mp3 & m4a) from all directories whether you use shuffle mode or not.

In the directory or phonebook, my phone is 18b firmwared and when I receive a call the phone displays the caller's name and the image I have associated with his number . The same thing happen when I make a call the phone displays the name of the person I am calling. Also, when I go to the directory again the phone takes me to the number or name I have last used in texting or calling. The last number in the directory that I previously used is what where the phone takes me and not the first entry (aphabetically) of my directory.

Try to reset your phone by typing ###847#and create a directory again but before resetting it back up your data first. You may have important data in your diary, alarm, to do list, your preferred atmosphere, your fm stations settings, you sent items, etc. Remember that only gprs/mms settings will remain in the phone after resetting. Data on your memory card and sim card will remain 100 percent intact.

And what are shortcut for? Well, shortcut is there for you if you want to have quick access to a function, a telephone number or a URL. Keypad quick access or one touch access gives you only 8 keys while "My Shortcuts" gives you 20. "My Shortcuts" gives you 3 options namely numbers, functions and URL where you can easily click any of them for a quick access. Keypad shortcut gives you only shortcuts to numbers and functions.

I hope that I have helped you with this. Thanks.

a
alfa
PFK
07 Apr 2007

please help...
A days ago, I buy mini SD 1 GB for my S853, than I fill up to 200 songs/mp3 files, using up to 800 MB, and it is oke to play with my S853. When I change many song tittles, suddenly the phone cannot read or cannot detect memory card, than I formatting from handset.
what happened??.. my 1 GB card change to 475 MB !!
Than I reformat from my computer, it still indicate to 475 MB. My card loss up to 500 MB!!
How can I reformat my card so that back to 1 GB...???
(note : my S853 is 164 version)

?
Anonymous
2xB
07 Apr 2007

Knight Rider and Nelson,

1. My minimal talk time is less than 45 min (I meant, I use the phone both calling and receiving < 45 min before the fully charged batt ran out...)

I guess I will go to Alcatel center and have them look at the batt...

2. Bluetooth is off.

3. I did not use the international layout.

However, receving and missing call do not work but calling work!?!

! if you stop by just stopping the song... it will restart at that same song again.

4. Do you mean that I should just pause the song (not stop) if I want to resume?

Thanks for your kind advices,
Theeraphong

N
Nelson
M66
07 Apr 2007

I just want to share my experience about the battery of this phone. I've tried taking out my battery when it was fully charge and put it inside my cabinet so it is not being use. Then after 14 days I reload it back to my phone and the battery level is still 100 percent. (During that time I was using the battery of my OT C552). I have also experienced that after charging it fully I did not use the phone except in replying messages received and answering calls when I recevied them (things that does not happen frequently) but I did not play games, video, listening to mp3 or fm music and my phone last for one week or seven days. I've experience playing games and videos and listening music for straight 8 hours and on the 8th hour my phone prompt that it needs charging but I did not charge it. 20 to 30 minutes from that prompt the battery is empty and my phone turns off. I hope that this will give you an idea about S853 battery.

N
Nelson
M66
07 Apr 2007

Thank you very much dotorn.

N
Nelson
M66
07 Apr 2007

Jerico, reloading with the new firmware does not take one hour so you can just wait it there.

N
Nelson
M66
07 Apr 2007

Jerico, reloading with the new firmware does take one hour so you can just wait it there.

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