I currently am using a Samsung Blackjack also sold as a Samsung SGH-i607. It originally shipped with Windows Mobile 5 but I've since upgraded it to Mobile 6 (see instructions below).  Most of what is here applies to the Blackjack II (Samsung SGH-i617) as well. The IIs are exclusively Mobile 6.

Many of the hacks, tweaks, tips and utilities on my HTC Tornado tips page will also work on the blackjack.  For much of what is described on these pages, you'll need to first application unlock your device (see below).  A registry editor is a requirement for many as well. I recommend: PHM Registry Editor. An upgraded file system browser is also worth installing: Total Commander.

Update: I now use a Samsung Jack which is a Samsung SGH-i637 running Windows Mobile 6.5. Move of what is below applies equally to the i637. I've added updates to sections that are different.

• Task Viewer: A much improved Pocket Outlook task viewer ready for no charge download and install. This is the landscape version for Samsung Blackjack, Samsung i607, and Motorola Q amongst others.

• Smartphone Reboot: Makes device rebooting a single key stroke. This is the landscape version for Samsung Blackjack, Samsung i607, and Motorola Q amongst others.

• Free up storage Space: move Windows Media Player library, Pocket Outlook, Pocket Internet Explorer data files to the miniSD card (works for any SmartPhone -- not Blackjack specific)

Windows Mobile 6 Now Available

Windows Mobile 6 is now available for the Blackjack from Samsung: Windows Mobile 6 for AT&T Blackjack. Some good news and some bad news: the bad news is that internet connection sharing (ICS) will no longer work after the upgrade.  The good news is that a hack to enable ICS has been posted (see next note). Mobile 6 isn't substantially different but there are nice refinements all over and I've found nothing that used to work in 5 that no longer works in 6 (excepting the ICS issue which has a work around).

Windows Mobile 6/Blackjack II Internet Connection Sharing Hack

For those of you with Blackjack IIs or others having upgraded to Windows Mobile 6, you'll find that Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is no longer available.  There is a solution: http://keithelder.net/blog/archive/2008/01/18/ATampT-Blackjack-II-Windows-Mobile-Phone-Review.aspx.  I've used this on two phones now without problem but note his warning to not install this to the storage card.  I tried and, he's right, it really doesn't work :-).

Internet Connection Sharing works without having to change anything on i637 as shipped by AT&T.

Samsung i607/Blackjack Hard Reset

If you wish to clear all user storage and return to "as new" state, turn the device off.  Hold the  up arrow (push top of the silver ring around the "OK" key) and at the same time turn the device on.  This will prompt you with "are you sure".  Confirm and the task will complete.  Obviously this will clear all device storage so don't do it without full backups first.  This does not clear the micro-SD card but all device memory and O/S configuration will be returned to factory state.

Samsung i637/AT&T Jack Application Unlocking

Use the process described at: http://forums.wireless.att.com/cng/board/message?board.id=samsung&message.id=72104. Repeating it here since its basically single step. Download this file: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7K4XTY68 (clearsecurity.cab). Install in a directory on the base device rather than the storage card. Run the cab file.

Samsung i607/Blackjack Application Unlocking

In order to run unsigned applications you need to Application Unlock your phone.  This process works great and can be done in seconds: http://www.corynielsen.com/modifications-and-hacks/unlocking-your-blackjack.  I haven't yet found the CID unlock procedure but it's only needed if you are flashing the phone with a ROM image from another carrier and, even then, only if your phone was originally CID locked.

Several companies will do remote SIM unlock (~US$20) but I haven't found a no-cost approach yet.  Drop me a note at jrh@mvdirona.com if you come up anything interesting.

Laptop Tethering (Blackjack as a Modem)

There are two techniques to accomplish this with different pros and cons: 1) Modem, and 2) Internet Connection Sharing.  The AT&T supported mode is the first but ICS is much simpler to set up and a much more robust solution for a variety of reasons.  We'll describe this technique first:

• Internet Connection Sharing:

Note: WM6 users will first need to enable ICS (see note above).

This appears to be intentionally hidden by AT&T in that there is no icon available for this option in the default UI. So, we'll fix that first.  Plug in the USB cable and let ActiveSync start.  Select Explore from ActiveSync.  Select My Windows Mobile-Based Device and then navigate into the \Windows directory.  Scroll down to find IntShrUI.exe and right click. Select "Create Shortcut". Select the newly created short cut and drag to the \Windows\Start Menu directory.  The initial, one time configuration is complete and both Bluetooth and USB connection sharing are now easy to start.

Microsoft Vista Note: if you are running Vista you will find that the "Create Shortcut" option is missing when executing the instructions above and right clicking on IntShrUI.exe.  However, there is another option that will work on Vista and other versions as well: execute the instructions above to the point where you found IntShrUI.exe and select the file and drag and drop it to the \Windows\Start Menu directory.  Your done.

Another approach to creating this shortcut described above is to install a filesystem explorer like Total Commander: http://www.ghisler.com/smartphone.htm).   Navigate to "\Windows\IntShrUI.exe".  Create a short cut and, when prompted, request the shortcut be placed in "\Windows\Start Menu". 

To start ICS over USB, plug in the USB cable to both device and computer, go to the device start menu and select internet connection sharing.  From PC Connection selector chose "USB".  Press left soft key (called connect) and your sharing.  Note if you are connected to the a Wi-Fi connection it'll be used ahead of sharing  so disconnect from other networks to test.  To disconnect, again hit the left soft key which is now labeled "disconnect".

To start ICS over Bluetooth, you'll need to have established a Bluetooth partnership.  Assuming that one time configuration step is done, go to ICS, and in the "PC Connection" selection box, select "Bluetooth PAN".  Got to the computer network connections, find the "personal area network" section and in that you'll find "Bluetooth network connection". Double click it and then request connection.  You can subsequently disconnect from either the device or the computer.

• Modem

Go to settings->connections->USB->USB Connection setting and select Modem (it should currently be in Active Sync mode).  It'll prompt you that the phone will not sync in modem model.  Accept and the system is now in modem mode. Plug in the USB cable. Create a new network connection with the Samsung Blackjack as the modem. Use these configuration settings: http://forums.cingular.com/cng/board/message?board.id=samsung&message.id=18529. 

You'll notice in that many users are having trouble with this configuration and report to be getting a 619 error.  I've been advised to reboot the phone which often solves the problem.  However, what's really happening is that you can't use modem mode while the device has a data connection.  All rebooting does is tear down the data connection and, if you are fast, this will work.  The right answer is that modem mode should have taken down the data connection (HTC images do this).  Another solution is to enter modem mode and, before dialing, check to see if there is a current data connection. If there is, go to wireless manager (settings->conections->wireless manager or press on/off momentarily and select wireless manager from the menu).  From wireless manager select menu->disconnect cellular data and you'll be able to use the modem without 619 errors.  If the phone re-establishes the data connection quickly, configure active sync to manual sync while using as a modem.

Why would anyone use modem mode when internet connection sharing works so well and is so easy to use?  It's not really clear and to really drive the point home there are two additional problems: 1) the phone can't concurrently use the data connection in modem mode (as mentioned above) and, 2) the phone will not concurrently charge while in modem mode.  When using ICS you can both connect a laptop and (slowly) charge.  In modem mode, the phone is not charging and will discharge very rapidly.  I recommend ICS.

If you are developing with Visual Studio for the Blackjack using Visual Studio, you'll want the Landscape emulator available for download from Microsoft at: Landscape Emulator.  Here's a great trick to get the correct orientation for forms views when developing for landscape QVGA devices: Form Designer Tip.

Samsung i637/AT&T Jack Home Screen Configuration

I updated the home screen to remove the AT&T apps and other crapware I didn't want. I also changed the ordering so that the profile was visible without scrolling. Install JRH_SlidingPanel.home.xml in \Application Data\Home. Then go to settings->display->home screen and select "JRH Sliding Panel" and you are done.

Samsung i607/Blackjack Home Screen Configuration

From the screen shot on the right, you can see the home screen that I currently use.  My preference is to get more information onto the home screen display so I've gone with a small icon configuration that leaves more screen real estate useful.  I chose to delta off of the ATT default screen as a starting point.  You can take this xml file as a starting point and edit to fit your needs.

Download ATT3.home.xml and store it on the device in \Application Data\Home.  Once the home screen is on the device, you can select it by going to the setup application: Setup->Display->Home Screen and, from there, select AT&T3 (the screen you just downloaded).

Samsung i637/AT&T Jack Key Remapping

I wanted to change key mappings of the world key at the bottom row second from the left to point to Internet Explorer and I changed the key on the bottom row third from the right to point to the reboot program mentioned above. Change key mappings by installing a file browser like Total Commander (see: http://www.ghisler.com/smartphone.htm) and editing these two files to the program you want to run when the key is pressed:

• Edit \windows\CellularAT&T Navigator.lnk to read 65#"\Storage Card\Program Files\RebootPhoneLandscape\RebootPhone\RebootPhoneLandscape.exe"

• Edit \windows\MobileWeb.lnk to read 64#"\Windows\iexplorer.exe"

Last updated 2010.02.17

Copyright 2012 James Hamilton