Verizon is set to shortly release a long-awaited update for the Verizon Wireless XV6900, Verizon’s version of the HTC Touch.
First, the update will upgrade the device to Windows Mobile 6.1. It also adds EV-DO Rev A. Both of these updates have already been on all other versions of the HTC Touch in the United States, their absence has been one of the largest complaints about the device. Verizon is about to leapfrog the XV6900 with their version of the Touch Pro taking the top slot… and it will carry Windows Mobile 6.1. Verizon hopes to release this update before then, to ensure XV6900 owners aren’t angered further.
The update also adds VZ Navigator, expected from the earlier release for the XV6800. And, like the XV6800, Verizon will lock down the GPS to only work with VZ Navigator. Despite Verizon’s earlier claim that they will work with third-party Windows Mobile developers, no application has been certified for Verizon LBS since our reporting.
Hackers have already bypassed Verizon’s lockdown of GPS services on the XV6800, and it appears the same workaround functions on the XV6900.
Finally, the update adds Opera Mobile to the XV6900. The XV6900 was notably missing Opera Mobile, which the Sprint version shipped with pre-installed. This update will resolve that disparity.
And, we’re hosting the download, way ahead of Verizon’s release. To get the update, head on over to the HTC Vogue (XV6900) page of our Phone Encyclopedia, linked below:
ok…so I did the hard reset and reinstalled the valhalla cab for gps. The wm 6.1 works fantastically…I still cannot get the GPS to work. Once you reinstall the cab do you need to do anything? or just download live or google maps? It is on location, not 911so not sure what is up. Thanks for your help
Joe,
Dont like to get into trouble shooting issues in such a forum but
1. Do you have a data connection? IF not, you need one.
2. Did you install Valhalla Cab to the device, NOT a storage card
3. Location set to “On”
4. Start->Settings->External GPS->Program Port set to COM4
5. Start->Settings->Ex.GPS->Hardware Port set to “None”
6. Start->Settings->Ex.GPS->Access should be checked to Manage GPS auto.
7. Install Google Maps. Open the GoogleMaps->Menu->UseGPS
If this doesn’t work, head over to http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=424387
for possible solution.
I’m downloading this now.
I saw that some people had to re-activate their phones. What number do I have to call to do that ( if I need to after installing this update)
#8899 to get it reactivated. Thanks guys, I am up and running, not sure what it was. I don’t think I could get the satellite from my condo..
Hi. This is a silly question, but where can I find and download the new upgrade for xv6900? Is this th same as MR1 for xv6800? And also, after download, do I have to go to Verizon store to reactivate the phone with options that I have (email and web-browser)?
thanks
Sorry this might be a dumb question (I apologize), but with this patch to bypass the GPS lockdown, do you need to have a data plan to use the GPS? Or will it work like a GPS (i.e. garmin) and pick up a satellite signal? Reason I ask is because I have the pay per KB plan and I dont want to rack up a bunch of charges…Thanks in advance!
Roy, The actual GPS fix only uses a couple of kilobytes… if any data at all. If you are using a local application like Garmin, you should be fine on the pay per KB plan.
You can monitor this by calling #DATA a day or two after a GPS session and see for yourself.
Mark, re-read the article, the download link is given there. You can reactivate the phone without going to a Verizon store, it just takes a call to #8899.
Why Verizon is still sitting on this is beyond me. I installed last night, did not have to reactivate my phone, only reinstall my software. This fixed my bluetooth problem immediately (bluetooth stalling, device not reconnecting, etc.) and fixed the MS Voice Commander problem (confirmations). I think those guys are a bunch of fools for not releasing this sooner, we’ve been waiting since middle of summer for the update.
Dec 1st…Have there been any updates as to when Verizon will “officially” release the update?
From my point of view VERIZON like to force people in plan they don’t need. 90% of my time i am around wireless network. I wanted to upgrade my phone with Verizon and extend my contract. I choose there HTC touch pro, i was told by rep. that, i will have to add DATA plan on my monthly plan. They said all Smart phone/BB need to have data plan in order for customer to have them. I was baffle by that. I my self being a programmer and Engineer. I know there no way that’s right. Simple code can block the phone, so i don’t use there data network and still be able to use wi-fi. Offcourse Verizon cant do that how else they will make people cough up money for things they dont need. The HTC have wi-fi; so i should be able to use my wireless router or hot spot. But according to Verizon, they cant let me have the phone without the data plan. To me that just another way to extortion.
So i called: AT&T
For one they have huge selection of great phone that have Wi-fi compare to Verizon who have only 3 or 4 wi-fi based phone. I ask AT&T rep that if i get there HTC touch pro (FUZE), will they be forcing me in some data plan, there answer: NO. I can simply have AT&T have a block, so i cant use there data network, and just be able to use my wi-fi worry free.
As for maps. There are plenty of software that let you have the map on phone, not to mention i have a PC in my vehicle. With fully upgraded maps of the country.
That was the moment i switch to AT&T. And i used to be a loyal customer of Verizon for over 8 years.
Just updated my HTC XV6900, the update worked perfectly as described. However, I installed the Valahalla Cab, without error but, Google maps sits at searching for satelites indef. I followed the trouble shooting steps listed above, with reference to the com port (4) hardware (none), mange (autgo) and I configured google maps as listed but to no avail, any ideas, tips?
I checked the link for Valahalla Cab, and it recommend setting google maps to use the windows mangaged GPS, this did not change my results.
disregard, added the correct
I downloaded the update and HELP! Half of my pictures… that I took with my phone and have always been on the same memory card, used exclusively with this phone – are now encrypted… I went to the Verizon store and they basically told me – “Sorry”.
Can anyone help me? Please?!
I see that most of this blog is related to the GPS topic, but I was very interested in WM6.1 for the Bluetooth ActiveSync which after much trouble, I was able to figure out.
If you’ve tried unsuccessfully in the past to get Bluetooth ActiveSync to work, you may have a COM port tied up that is not available on the phone. The COM port in the Bluetooth settings on your PC, within the Connection Settings of ActiveSync and on the phone all have to match.
All Steps further below…
COM Ports for Bluetooth Issues:
In addition to the instructions below, you may need to manually go into System–>Hardware–>Device Manager. Once there, expand the Ports tree to see the Standard Serial over Bluetooth link. Right-Click on that entry.
Click on the Port Settings Tab, then click the Advanced button on that tab. There should be a COM Port Number drop-down box. Choose a COM port that is not “in use” and is compatible with the list of COM ports on your phone. Click OK to save that new COM port assignment. Delete the COM port from your Bluetooth settings display and re-add for Incoming. That should bring up the new COM port number for you.
A lot of the custom vendor bluetooh software, especially for notebook computers, has lots of trouble when trying to perform bluetooth activesync. The best way do do it is to use the built in Windows XP SP2 bluetooth stack. One way to tell if you have that stack/software is to:
Go to the Control Panel on your PC anfd check to see if you have the “Bluetooth Devices” option. NOT “Bluetooth Configuration” or “insert notebook vendor name here bluetooth software”. If you have the “Bluetooth Devices” option, follow these steps to perform BT ActiveSync. NOTE: you can try these steps with your custom software, they might work but I am not sure.
Steps to get Bluetooth ActiveSync working with WM6.1:
1. Turn ON Bluetooth on your Pocket PC and set it to Discoverable mode.
INSTRUCTIONS: on the PDA, go to Start=>Settings=>Connections TAB=>Bluetooth. MAKE sure that both the “Bluetooth”
and “Make the device discoverable to other devices” checkboxes are checked and then press the “OK” button on the top
right corner.
2. Now pair/connect your device via bluetooth; initiating the pairing from the PC.
INSTRUCTIONS: On the PC, go to the control panel and open up “Bluetooth Devices”. When the windows pops up. go to
the “options” tab and ensure that the “Allow bluetooth devices to connect to this computer” checkbox is checked. NEXT, on
“devices” tab, press the “Add…” button. The “Welcome to the add bluetooth device wizard” will show up. MAKE SURE that the
“My device is set up and ready to be found” checkbox is checked and then press “Next >”. It will then search for devices in
the area. After your Device has been found select it and press “Next >”. Then select “Choose my own passkey” and type in
a random passkey and press “next/connect”.
A prompt will then show up on you PDA device saying that “insert your computer name here” wants to connect with you. Accept it and type in the passkey to pair the device.
3. Now, set the COM PORT on the PC.
INSTRUCTIONS: go back to the control panel on your PC and open up the “Bluetooth Devices” program once again. then,
go to the “COM Ports” tab and then press the “Add..” button. A windows will pop up for “add a com port”. Select the
“Incoming (device initiates the connection)” bubble and then press the “OK” button at the bottom. After pressing OK, you will
notice that after a couple of seconds a com port # will now be listed in the “COM port” tab of the bluetooth devices program.
REMEBER which com port # was listed. Lets call it COM PORT X
4. VERY IMPORTANT. Program the comport in the ActiveSync program on the PC.
INSTRUCTIONS: Open up the ActiveSync program on your PC (usually by double clicking on the grey cricle with 2 arrows
near your system clock). Once the ActiveSync program is up, go to FILE=>CONNECTION SETTINGS… In the “connection
settings” window, ENSURE that the “allow connections to one of the following” checkbox is checked and then from the
dropbox below select THE COM PORT THAT YOU ADDED in the “Bluetooth Devices” program. Remeber, COM PORT X.
then press the “OK” button.
5. Add the “ActiveSync” service on the PDA for the partnership between the PDA and the PC.
INSTUCTIONS: On the PDA, go to START=>SETTINGS=>CONNECTIONS TAB=>BLUETOOTH=>DEVICES TAB. Then tap
on the partnership that was established. When the next screen pops up, make sure to hide the on screen keyboard (by
tapping on the keyboard icon at the bottom.)
THEN, keep tapping the “Refresh” button until the “AcitiveSync” check box shows up on the list of servies. Once it does, check that checkbox and the press the “OK” button on the top right corner.
6. INITIATE the ActiveSync connection from the PDA!
INSTRUCTIONS: On your PDA go to START=>PROGRAMS=>ACTIVESYNC=>MENU=>CONNECT VIA BLUETOOTH. Then
the “Cannot find an existing Bluetooth partnership with a PC that supports Activesync. Would you like to set up a partnership
now?” MIGHT pop up. At that point select YES or OK and then select the partnership with the PC that you have establised.
BLUETOOTH ACTIVESYNC SHOULD NOW FUNCTION CORRECTLY.
Let me know if you guys have any luck. Also, note that with the custom bluetooth software that a lot of you have on your PCs and DO NOT have the “Bluetooth Devices” option in their Control Panel, the PROCEDURE is the same but the TERMINOLOGY and LOCATION of those options may be different.
Is there anyting that I need to delete from the storage card, 2gb, prior to the ROM install?
Your storage card should be fine, but it’s always a good idea to back it up. Your internal storage will certainly be erased by this update.
I had nothing mission critical on the card. I went ahead and ran the ROM update, with *228 option 1 and a reboot the phone immediately worked. However the internet did not until I did a soft reset (taking the battery out while the phone is on for 10 seconds). Then I installed Valhalla and rebooted and that didn’t work until after also doing a soft reset after rebooting after the install. Google maps worked immediately, but Live Search didn’t until I set it to GPS intermediate driver in the program itself, not on the phone.
Wasn’t hard at all.
I found a program called Remote Desktop Mobile with 6.1. It doesn’t provide any information as to how to configure it but it appears that I can access my home pc if it is properly configured, similiar to GoToMyPC. I have Vista Ultimate and it has Remote Desktop Connection. Again, however, after going through the instructions in the help section, I still cannot seem to figure out if what I want to do is possible. With GoToMyPC, I can completely control my home PC from my 6900. Is this possible with Remote Desktop Mobile, if so, how?
Bryan,
Yes, you use it just like you use remote desktop on a computer..
Keep in mind that the phone will be bouncing in from the internet, so your computer must be accessible via RDP on the internet. So you’ll need to have port 3389 forwarded to your computer and then you will connect to your computer either by external IP address, or by dynamic DNS (assuming you don’t have a static address)
Very simple.
I bought this phone specifically for this feature… 🙂 (installed hacked version on 6.0 which verizon had yanked out..)
Uh, maybe not so much… I’ve done some looking on Help in Vista about port 3389 being blocked in the past and that’s why there is a TS Gateway using port 443. But I’m pretty stuck at this point, and because this isn’t a Verizon ROM update, I can’t call technical support. Just guessing, I tried http://Bryan's-PC/tsweb/, that didn’t work, then I tried my IPv4 IP Address under the server name. At least that was accepted. I then put that same IPv4 IP Address in the Computer section of RDM and my User name under than and hit Connect. At least it tried, unsuccessfully. I’m out of ideas.
But, wait. Some success?
I’m writing this from my phone over my computer via Remote desktop. But, boy is it slow! GoToMyPC has a much better, easier to use, and faster interface. But then again it costs $240 a year. Besides the obvious, 256 colors, disabling sound, smooth fonts, etc., is it possible to speed this up at all? And I’ve already lost the connection once while writing this. Finally, how can I make sure that no-one else can log onto my machine?
Sorry about all these posts. I guess I’m excited. Speed is much better now. And I can get around pretty well. But if I go to full screen, I can’t seem to find a way to disable it so that I can enable the keyboard so that I can write more posts as I’m doing now from the XV6900. This is soo cool! So how do you disable full screen?
Now the speed is blowing me away. I’m at 16 bit color with all the options. I guess it had some caching to do. Still concerned about security and finding a way out of full screen. Amazing stuff.
Thanks for all the great info! Did the update to 6.1 last night and it seemed to go through flawlessly. Had to go out this morning to hit a Verizon tower to try the update, then ended up calling in and got it authenticated without trouble. Working good since then.
As for the troubles… of course it can’t be all easy, heh. For some reason since the update my SMS is acting funky. Messages sent or received seem to work fine on the phone as it is. The problem is anytime the phone is reset using the soft-reset button on the bottom all of my messages disappear. Did this after restoring my messages with a backup utility and it would only remove new messages(my backed up messages stayed there), and have since hard-reset a few times and tried switching to classic messaging as well without any luck. Everytime the phone resets, all my text messages are gone. Any ideas or similar problems?
Bryan,
I think that that’s why verizon probably removed it from 6.0… it doesn’t come out of fullscreen very nicely. I know I get out of it by pushing the “end” button, but I think that disconnects you completely IIRC.
It will be interesting to see if they yank it from the final 6.1 release.
As far as security, you have your computer published to the internet for RDP. Just make sure all of your accounts have strong passwords. You could also only allow connections from a particular IP range if (you’re paranoid) you figured out what IP’s you’re likely to come in from on your phone. But mess it up and you may only be able to connect *sometimes*.
Updating:
SMS problem seems to have resolved itself and messages have remained on the phone after a series of resets now. Installed the Valhalla GPS update according to the instructions and GPS works like a charm as well! Thanks again for the great info!
I have tried to download the Valhalla cab many times from different computers and the connection always times out. Can someone put up a mirror on rapidshare or megaupload please. That would be great.
Since the update I have noticed one annoyance which I hadn’t noticed before. I use TX9 for texting and when typing very quickly sometimes it will lag just a little. Not a problem at all, except every now and then I will hit 8428 (for example) and instead of coming up with “that”, it will have a V for the first character (making the rest garbage) and will not change until you delete it and reenter it.
This isn’t really a problem other than the fact that if you don’t catch it, this jumble of characters gets saved into the dictionary and somehow always seems to have high precedence.
I have found one dictionary editor for WM, but it will not load the dictionaries in 6.1. Does anyone know of a dictionary editor that works in WM6.1?
Thanks
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NDIIEOM7
There ya go William. Took me a while to find it myself from a working link. There’s the copy I found to get it working on my 6900. 🙂
Tommy, I haven’t noticed much of a difference since the upgrade, other than a slight problem which was caused more by the resetting of the screen sensitivity. Did the registry hack for that to adjust it back to where it was before and it seems to be working properly for me now.
Thanks Daniel. I got it up and running in about 2 minutes and it works perfectly!
🙂 Glad to hear it – I was surprised how easily it went!
[…] Verizon HTC XV6900 NEW! […]
[…] Verizon HTC XV6900 NEW! […]
Does anyone know how to get the GPS to automatically start on boot up so I can go straight into any app and not have to open Google Maps to get the GPS to load?
Not really sure. Google Maps seems to be about the only thing I’ve tried so far that wants to recognize the GPS and lock onto any satellites. 🙁
William,
I don’t think you really want to do that… I notice horrible battery life when the GPS is connected for hours at a time.
hey I just upgraded to 6.1 and works great as does gps. One thing, I thought 6.1 was supposed to allow youtube to work on windows media player, but it gets an error just like 6.0 did. And when I install tcpmp it doesn’t work neither…any ideas??
I don’t know who told you that Windows Mobile 6.1 added YouTube support… but that makes no sense. You need to install third-party software such as Skyfire to watch YouTube videos.
I just read somewhere that 6.1 added flash support. I use skyfire but don’t like how the video plays small and can’t figure out how to play it fullscreen :\
@verizon rep
I use yotubeplay (http://bit.ly/u2v4) for my youtube. Its is very function and never crashes.
[…] Verizon HTC XV6900 […]
2 questions…
Do they charge you if the re-activation is needed?
also, when the official update comes out, is it possible that it will brick my phone with this update installed?
Is anyone else having the problem of the camera popping up without having pushed the button after having installed the upgrade?
If you need to activate your phone and dont want to call in, go online and update your phone (activate new equiptment) and put in an old cellphone that you have lying around, activate it using *228, then repeat the process with your newly flashed 6.1 xv6900 and it will be able to place calls and everything just fine (Verizons tech support isnt always open it turns out).
My story, in case it’s helpful for some people who had some trouble along the way:
1. Updated to the WM 6.1 ROM — went smoothly. It wasn’t clear to me whether I should let the Verizon customization run, but I did, and I didn’t seem to be the worse for it.
2. Tried to use *228, option 1 to program my phone — didn’t do anything. Also tried *22800 and *22801 — the latter appeared to reprogram my phone, but I still can’t make calls due to Verizon being “unable to authenticate” my phone. I’ll call #8899 tomorrow to take care of that. (I read somewhere else that anytime you upgrade from a non-GPS radio to a GPS radio firmware, you have to call Verizon.)
2.5 Noted that my data plan was already working.
3. Installed the Valhalla GPS Server CAB (after I FINALLY found it at Daniel’s megaupload link: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NDIIEOM7). Initially this did NOT appear to work, as Google Maps would search endlessly for satellites without finding anything. After rebooting a SECOND time after installing the Valhalla CAB, it worked like a charm!
Thanks to all for the helpful questions, answers and links here.
Does this new update (mobile 6.1) fix the missed calls and texts? Does anyone know?
There have been multiple messages regarding the missed calls when the phone is “sleeping.”
I also have the same problem. The phone is basically useless.
Has anyone used this update (6.1) or several weeks to see if it solved the problem?
It’s either this or I am changing to a blackberry..
Thanks
-David
Good tips- I’m going to DL the update later tonight. Does anyone know if this resolves the ringer/ vibrate issue (which is different than the one referred to already). Basically, my ringer will spontaneously change from vibrate to completely silent to full ring. It’s becoming a pain as I put the phone on vibrate for a reason and don’t want “magically” ringing during an important meeting. Anyone have any other thoughts on this?
Thanks
just talked to a verizon rep and they said it was ok to download this because they listed a patch for 6.1 on the xv6900 on their website