4 hardware buttons, rocker switch, power switch, volume control.
Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 ready
What different versions of this phone exist?
The Wallaby comes with two different GSM radio parts built-in. It is either a GSM phone on both 900 and 1800 MHz bands or one that operates on 900 and 1900 MHz bands. Apart from this, the Wallaby also comes in two slightly different packages. One is the generic package, and one is a special package for T-Mobile, that sells the Wallaby under the name T-Mobile MDA.
Only the contents of the ROMs (which you can change, see further down), the phone hardware (which is either 900/1800 or 900/1900, and the exterior piece of plastic. You can always change the OS version, OS language and provider personalisation of your phone if you don't like the way it is now.
But I heard you could use a 900/1900 phone on 1800 and a 900/1800 on the 1900 band sometimes
You can change bands, but the phone will then be 'out of tune'. It may still work, depending on a number of factors, but it is not recommended. If you still want to try, read ChangingBandsWithBootloader.
So there's just one ROM image that's different?
Well, no. Actually the device has two separate and different ROMs. One is a 32 MB piece of ROM which holds both the WallabyBootloader and the OS ROM. The other is a 4MB ROM which holds the firmware to the GSM radio inside the device.
Where can I buy one then?
Right now it seems only one company in the UK (Microdirect) is selling the Wallaby without SIM-Lock, in the form of the Qtek 1020, for around £135. Check the product page for more information. (Please feel free add more places here if you find any store selling it)
(Microdirect page now says "Discontinued" - September 2007)
Pretty much. The worst that could happen if something goes wrong is that you are left with a device that needs to be flashed by means of an SD-card instead of through the cradle. But if you have a PC SD-card reader/writer, or are smart enough to produce a resque SD-card before playing, there is little to no risk of damaging your device.
Won't changing the ROM void my warranty?
Only if they find out about it. So make sure you have a copy of the ROM that was in there before so you can flash it back in before returning it for warranty repairs.
But what if it breaks in such a way that I can't flash it back anymore?
Then they might find out and give you a hard time. But then again: if you can't talk to it anymore, chances are they can't either. In which case they'll just swap the motherboard anyway.
What is the latest OS ROM for the Wallaby?
That would be the 4.02.04 English ROM, (dated 24/8/05) containing Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003, as seen on the Qtek 1020.
How do I find a new ROM ?
Look around on the net and the forum. People are distributing ROM images in two sort of formats: either as RUU packages or as .nb1/.nbf files.
What is an RUU package?
RUU is the name of the upgrade package for the OS ROM. It comes as a desktop Windows installer that holds both the ROM image and the software needed to get that image from your desktop PC to the Wallaby.
What does RUU stand for?
It stands for Radio Unit Upgrade. But please forget this name: it is confusing, because it upgrade the Radio Rom & the OS ROM, or only one of them.
Why does the RUU package I downloaded say it won't work on my device?
The software in the RUU package checks whether the type identifier in your Wallaby matches the one with the ROM image. So if your Wallaby claims to be a German O2 XDA, the English Qtek 1010 version of the OS will not install. Our tool adaptROM makes this problem go away. (See below)
I have an .nb1/.nbf ROM image file. How do I get it on my device?
Download XDAtools. It includes OSImageTool, which will allow you to read the file from your disk and either flash it to your device immediately (it includes adaptROM and runs it for you).
When they talk about a 'locked' phone, what do they mean?
GSM providers often offer the phones for less than they actually cost. They do this because they count on customers making up for this loss by paying monthly fees and per-minute call charges. However, they needed a way to make sure these too-cheap don't end up on the open market. Enter the SIMlock.
What is SIMlock?
It is a feature, technically also often called 'SID lock', which locks a phone to a specific network or set of networks. If the user of a SIMlocked phone inserts a SIM for a network that isn't part of the list of networks that phone is SIMlocked to, the locked phone will ask the user to enter an 'Unlock Code'. This code is, in the case of the Wallaby, an 8 digit number.
How do I know my phone is SIMlocked?
If you get a box asking for an unlock code when you insert a SIM from another provider than the one that sold you the phone, your phone is SIMlocked.
How do I get the lock removed?
The official way is to talk to your provider. They have a list of unlock codes, and when you give them your IMEI (the International Mobile Equipment Identity, the electronic serial number of your phone), they can look up your unlock code. However, the providers usually charge for the code. This charge may be excessive if your contract hasn't expired yet. In some countries providers may be obliges to give you the code for little money or even for free after a certain period.
OK, but how do I really get the lock removed?
We've written a few tools here at XDA-developers to help you. Especially on the Wallaby, the unlocking story is more complicated than we'd like it to be. This is why we created the 'Unlocking Wizard'.
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/wiki/WallabyFAQDE