Palm Pixie Plus on platinumTel

[eadweird]

I had a palm pixie CDMA phone w/ platimumtel (ptel) and was told that they were switching to GSM sometime this year - that I could use any unlocked GSM phone and buy a sim card from them. I did both - purchased an unlocked AT&T Palm Pixie Plus. Sadly, I cannot get past the palm profile setup page. The device recognizes the SIM card (ptel in the upper right) but every attempt to create a profile fails. One possibility is that ptel requires AWS 1700/2100 bands for 3G connection, but palm pixie plus does not support this band. The phone display "E" in the upper right indicating that it is connected an EDGE network.

Does the webos require 3G to complete the palm profile, or should it work on EDGE?

Is there an (easy, preferably) way to get past the palm profile setup? There are numerous post about webos doctor, but it sounds like that will disable the cellular radio, which I do need.

I would like to use this phone for voice, text and, if possible, web access via wi-fi. Thank you in advance

Edweird

[John Steffes]

Originally Posted by eadweird

I had a palm pixie CDMA phone w/ platimumtel (ptel) and was told that they were switching to GSM sometime this year - that I could use any unlocked GSM phone and buy a sim card from them. I did both - purchased an unlocked AT&T Palm Pixie Plus. Sadly, I cannot get past the palm profile setup page. The device recognizes the SIM card (ptel in the upper right) but every attempt to create a profile fails. One possibility is that ptel requires AWS 1700/2100 bands for 3G connection, but palm pixie plus does not support this band. The phone display "E" in the upper right indicating that it is connected an EDGE network.

Does the webos require 3G to complete the palm profile, or should it work on EDGE?

Is there an (easy, preferably) way to get past the palm profile setup? There are numerous post about webos doctor, but it sounds like that will disable the cellular radio, which I do need.

I would like to use this phone for voice, text and, if possible, web access via wi-fi. Thank you in advance

Edweird

Use WiFi and Impostah...

With Pixie (webOS 1.4.5.x) one needs the DeviceTool.jar file to bypass activation, once that is done, you will not be using your profile yet, but a standy-by bypassed first use, to fix this setup WiFi, then use impostah to remove the palm profile account, then use impostah to reset the palm profile, when it asks to reboot, it will remove any apps installed during this dummy process, but then it will use WiFi once rebooted?

This has been tested on a Verizon PixiPlus (not activated, with webOS 1.4.5.1/2.1.0) so YMMV...

[eadweird]

Originally Posted by John Steffes

Use WiFi and Impostah...

With Pixie (webOS 1.4.5.x) one needs the DeviceTool.jar file to bypass activation, once that is done, you will not be using your profile yet, but a standy-by bypassed first use, to fix this setup WiFi, then use impostah to remove the palm profile account, then use impostah to reset the palm profile, when it asks to reboot, it will remove any apps installed during this dummy process, but then it will use WiFi once rebooted?

This has been tested on a Verizon PixiPlus (not activated, with webOS 1.4.5.1/2.1.0) so YMMV...

Is there a way to tell what version of webos I have given that I cannot get past profile setup page?

I am moderately computer literate, can you direct me to a how-to for the tool(s) you suggest (impostah - is that the application that devicetool.jar contains? ) and where I can find these tools?

Thanks !

[Samatman]

edit: not relevant

[John Steffes]

Originally Posted by eadweird

Is there a way to tell what version of webos I have given that I cannot get past profile setup page?

I am moderately computer literate, can you direct me to a how-to for the tool(s) you suggest (impostah - is that the application that devicetool.jar contains? ) and where I can find these tools?

Thanks !

Device tool is from Palm/HP and is on their web site, google is ones friend.

Once you bypassed use webOS Quick Installer to install impostah, again google is ones friend.

These locations and files may change so googling them is the best method.

Once you attempt and have issues please report back and I will be happy to help.

Originally Posted by Samatman

I recently activated a AT&T PPPlus on Ptel. I unlocked the phone using dogbert's protocol. It wasn't foolproof but it did work with persistence. I then had to drive to where I had Tmo signal to do the palm activation. WiFi was not working for palm activation, nor would it work for even app store.

edit: the activation took minutes. As in many.

I have never seen WiFi fail to activate a phone with a Palm Profile, but YMMV...

[eadweird]

Originally Posted by John Steffes

Device tool is from Palm/HP and is on their web site, google is ones friend.

Once you bypassed use webOS Quick Installer to install impostah, again google is ones friend.

These locations and files may change so googling them is the best method.

Once you attempt and have issues please report back and I will be happy to help.




I have never seen WiFi fail to activate a phone with a Palm Profile, but YMMV...

Thanks very much for your help. Is it likely that an AT&T branded unlockd GSM palm pixie bought on ebay will have the appropriate WebOS - 1.4.5.x ? Do you have reason to believe that I would have trouble w/ different version? I suppose there is no way to tell what the version is till after I have gotten past the palm profile issue...

BTW: I had to return the Palm Pixie Plus I was working with because it was unable to charge the battery (I thought the battery was dead so I used one from an old CDMA version - then I found that the problem was that something was wrong w/ charging circuit.) It will probable be a week before I return to this.

[John Steffes]

Originally Posted by eadweird

Thanks very much for your help. Is it likely that an AT&T branded unlockd GSM palm pixie bought on ebay will have the appropriate WebOS - 1.4.5.x ? Do you have reason to believe that I would have trouble w/ different version? I suppose there is no way to tell what the version is till after I have gotten past the palm profile issue...

BTW: I had to return the Palm Pixie Plus I was working with because it was unable to charge the battery (I thought the battery was dead so I used one from an old CDMA version - then I found that the problem was that something was wrong w/ charging circuit.) It will probable be a week before I return to this.

There might have been more issues then just charging...

But the easy way to tell webOS 1.4.5.x to webOS 2.1.x is the color of the phone app (unless modified), stock phone app in webOS 1.4.5.x is green, stock phone app in webOS 2.1.x is blue. One should be able to emergency dial (in both) and it will pull up a dial pad with 911 as a default, if webOS 2.1.x one can then type ##devmode# or #*devmode#, if that does not work then it is webOS 1.4.5.x, Also (unless modified) palm logo on startup is webOS 1.4.5.x and HP logo is webOS 2.1.x (as long as they used my meta doctor script).

[eadweird]

I returned the phone and got another one that appears much healthier - does not drain the battery...Ok, I used devicetool.jar to bypass the palm profile - btw, my WebOS is 1.4.5 Build 233 and the Palm Pixie is AT&T branded, model P121UNA for those that are keeping track of what works....

Now what? I did not follow the next step:

"you will not be using your profile yet, but a standy-by bypassed first use, to fix this setup WiFi, then use impostah to remove the palm profile account, then use impostah to reset the palm profile, when it asks to reboot, it will remove any apps installed during this dummy process, but then it will use WiFi once rebooted?"

I am able to access internet via wi-fi, but I do not really understand what impostah is or how to get it only my pixie. Is there a connection between impostah and wosqi? I am most grateful for your assistance.

[John Steffes]

Originally Posted by eadweird

I returned the phone and got another one that appears much healthier - does not drain the battery...Ok, I used devicetool.jar to bypass the palm profile - btw, my WebOS is 1.4.5 Build 233 and the Palm Pixie is AT&T branded, model P121UNA for those that are keeping track of what works....

Now what? I did not follow the next step:

"you will not be using your profile yet, but a standy-by bypassed first use, to fix this setup WiFi, then use impostah to remove the palm profile account, then use impostah to reset the palm profile, when it asks to reboot, it will remove any apps installed during this dummy process, but then it will use WiFi once rebooted?"

I am able to access internet via wi-fi, but I do not really understand what impostah is or how to get it only my pixie. Is there a connection between impostah and wosqi? I am most grateful for your assistance.

Yes once you have WiFi working, now you need to undo what you did so WiFi works during first use (I have not done this on webOS 1.4.5.x), but assume it works...

Use WOQI to install impostah...

Once installed floow the above text, reboot and let me know if it worked.

[eadweird]

Well, I installed impostah, created a palm profile (email + password) but I cannot not seem to get the next step. When I try to log onto the profile w/ impostah it says "Impostah cannot update the pal profile on webOS 1.x - you must now login using the First Use application" I've rebooted several time...

[John Steffes]

Originally Posted by eadweird

Well, I installed impostah, created a palm profile (email + password) but I cannot not seem to get the next step. When I try to log onto the profile w/ impostah it says "Impostah cannot update the pal profile on webOS 1.x - you must now login using the First Use application" I've rebooted several time...

Yeah, as I have said I did not do this on webOS 1.4.5.x, seems there in a unhide first use app patch? Run that then run the first use app?

[eadweird]

OK, found the solution!!! Use WOSQI to install unhide first use. Thanks so much for your patience and help!!
Ed