[pengrus]

Is there a way to read Chinese on the blackberry?

[kirson]

There is a version of the OS that was released in Hong Kong with support for Chinese characters. It was posted on the 1010 site, at some point. I also think it may be available from the following:

http://www.one2free.com/eng/blackberry/help.jsp

I think it's version 3.7.3 for the handheld, and required an updated desktop manager as well, that is also available at the site.

Hope this helps.

Ian

[pengrus]

Ian,

Thanks a lot for the pointer. I will install it tonight. I heard it's going to take an extra 2MB space.

How do I find out what is the spare space left on the BB?

[kirson]

You can go to Options --> Status and it will display the amount of free space you have. You can also press ALT-CAP-H and get a small "Help Me" screen to pop up, with the same information. Yeah -- Chinese DOES take up an extra 2MB, so if you have A LOT of contacts and emails you may want to rethink this. Also, the 3.7.3. OS was not designed for BES environment -- it works OK, but you don't have the redirector in the Desktop Manager anymore, so you can't adjust the auto signature anymore (I would advise turning off the auto signature before upgrading, and then using an AutoText feature to put in your signature if you want to on an ongoing basis).

[pengrus]

Thanks Kirson.

My File Free shows: 4483420 Bytes, so this is 4.4 MB free?


I do not quite understand the statement that "3.7.3 was not designed for BES environment".

I do not know what is Redirector - it is not explained in the manual.

Isn't it 3.7.3 introduced by BB? So it is not going to roll out across different carriers?


Just wanted to understand this before I install that.

Thanks!

[kirson]

Sorry for the confusion. Blackberry works in 2 environments: BES in the enterprise setting, and BWC (Blackberry Web Client) for individuals. When you install the Desktop Manager initially, it asks you if you will be using an exchange server on BES or the BWC. If you select BES, then the Desktop Manager also includes an application called the Redirector. Thr redirector has a number of features, most of which it is not worth covering here, but if you are in the BES environment, one of the issues it covers is the auto signature that is added at the end of every email message you send.

Most likely, you are using the BWC - in other words, you are an individual, handling the Blackberry issues on your own via the carrier's web site. So, you should have no problem using this version of the handheld OS. If I'm wrong, and you are on a BES server in an enterprise setting, then you should definitely ask your IT support people whether or not to upgrade.

I personally access a hosted BES service via mailstreet.com. I installed and ran 3.7.3 without any issues at all, even though I was on a BES environment -- I simply lived without the ability to manipulate the auto signature -- everything else continued to work fine.

Worst case scenario, you can backup everything before the upgrade, and if it doesn't work, you can roll everything back.

Hope this explains things a bit.

Ian

[pengrus]

Ian,

Thanks for your explaination. I am going to try it out. A question for the space issue:

My File Free shows: 4483420 Bytes, so this is 4.4 MB free? If I used another 2 MB for Chinese language support, then only about 2MB left? Well that seems very tight, doesn't it?

[kirson]

Well, that depends...I have run my device down to about 200K free -- and yes, it's a bit nerve racking. 2MB is probably OK. However, if you want to add Webmessenger -- it takes up around 1MB. And eOffice takes more than 1 MB -- at some point, memory becomes an issue. Just keep track of it.

[pengrus]

Wow, 200K ? That is unbelievable.

Well, the link to the software is way too slow, it shows I will need 38 hours for these two downloads. Are there any download links hosted in US?

[pengrus]

I downloaded the softwares and tried to install, but it does not look the handheld has the 3.7.3 yet.

Here is what I did:

1. Double click on the setup within the desktop manager software to install 3.6.3.

2. Double click on the handheld software 3.7.3 and installed.

3. Connect the BB to PC

4. Click on Application Loader, clicked on Next, and it says no actions needed to perform.


Checking my BB now, it still shows v3.7.1.41. On the Desktop Manager software About section, under the handheld, it lists
v3.7.1
v3.7.3

Now I don't understand why the desktop manager shows both versions of handheld softwares, while the BB only has v3.7.1.

Is there any step that I missed? There is no Chinese input yet on BB.


Thanks for your help!

[kirson]

I know there is an easy way around this, but I can't remember what it is. One thing to try is to uninstall 3.7.1.41 from your PC using Add/Remove Software. Then Install 3.7.3. Then try to sync again.

Any chance that worked?

[acnst]

You have to delete vendor.xml from C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader to be able to install version 3.7.3.

[kirson]

Ahhh...crap...I forgot about that -- sorry pengrus (thanks acnst!). That should do the trick!!!

[acnst]

Originally Posted by kirson

Ahhh...crap...I forgot about that -- sorry pengrus (thanks acnst!). That should do the trick!!!

Nobody is able to remember everything.

[kirson]

Yeah :D but that is such a basic one to forget...

[acnst]

I think you will never forgot "vendor.xml" ;)

[pengrus]

Thank you so much for the help.. I am glad that I asked the question. Now it is installing.

So what does the vendor.xml do? Will deleting this void warranty, etc?

[kirson]

Nope -- it will do nothing at all from your perspective, and should have no other negative implications.

[pengrus]

Sorry. After installing on the handheld, I chose both the Input option and Locale option to be Chinese Simplified. But the email still cannot DISPLAY Chinese message. I was able to write in Chinese.

Any help there again to make this work?

Thanks a million!


almost there...

[kirson]

Ahhh...so close...and yet so far :(

Unfortumately, having absolutely no knowledge of Chinese I never took the next step to figure out how to use it. Actually, my next step was to figure out a way to keep 3.7.3, but get my 2MB back -- by REMOVING the Chinese support.

Try going to the site where you downloaded the software, and browse for their help forum or FAQ. I believe they have some answers there. Also, when I had some other issues with 3.7.3 I sent an email to their tech support, and they were extremely helpfull for a while, until someone decided to ask what my Hong Kong cell phone number was, and when they realized I was not a subscriber, they helped a bit less

Good luck with this project, and please do post your progress to this thread!

Ian