Chinese for "foreign" mobile phone

[mozza]

Hi

Back in Germany after a year of China. I got a new mobile phone and of course it cant write any chinese textmessages. Does anyone know if it is possible to add chinese to a nokia? where can i get the software

thx for your help

[HashiriKata]

You can change the OS (software), but you'll need to know the Chinese OS for your model (use the internet). If you know the Chinese OS for your phone, you can also ask some phoneshop to do the installation for you.

[Meng Lelan]

I've got a Motorola here, about to go back to the US and will try to get Chinese added to my cell phone. What is OS by the way?

[HashiriKata]

What is OS by the way?

It's Operating System, the software that operates your phone.

The correct word for it is actually "Firmware", you need to flash your phone with a version of Chinese firmware in order to make it Chinese compatible.

[Long Pan]

Had same problem (French Nokia 6103 not reading 中文) so I followed your advise and went last Friday to change the OS. It cost me 140 RMB in the China Mobile shop in HuaQingJiaYuan, Wudaokou. Because they did not have the OS of Nokia 6103, I had to let my phone for a day (but they gave me for that time another mobile so that I could still call). Anyway now I can send Chinese SMS which is perfect.

[Shadowdh]

Also you do not need to change the whole firmware but you can just change the language pack and it does the same thing... I did it to my motorola L7... it wasnt too hard and I am not very technology literate...

[flameproof]

off topic side note: To my surprise, my new Nokia 6300 (can set to English, trad. CN, simpl. CN) display Chinese SMS.

OK, no surprise so far....

But even when it's set to English, I can write Chinese SMS either using Pinyin or the 5-key method.

[HashiriKata]

To my surprise, my new Nokia 6300 (can set to English, trad. CN, simpl. CN) display Chinese SMS.

If your Nokia was bought in Hong Kong (or in the area), then no surprise there.

[imron]

I think traditionally though (well at least on my Nokia phone), if you want to type in Chinese you have to switch the phone's language to Chinese (otherwise Chinese input isn't possible), and if you want to make use of the English predictive text, then the phone's language needs to be set to English. It's a real pain if you are regularly sending text messages in both English and Chinese, as you always have to keep switching the phone's language. This is for a phone bought in Mainland China.

[roddy]

Imron, and other Nokia users - check your menus - in my experience with Nokias it is possible to use predictive English text AND have Chinese menus, but you need to activate it somewhere - I think it's a menu accessed from the SMS editor screen.

[flameproof]

if you want to type in Chinese you have to switch the phone's language to Chinese (otherwise Chinese input isn't possible),

That was the surprising part. My phone is set to English. But in the write SMS I can have a "Writing Language" option where I can set EN, S CN, T CN. I set it to T CN... now with the # key I can switch between ABC, abc, 123, Pinyin, 5-stroke input. All menues remain in English.

So it's very easy to have write a SMS half Chinese half English.

That Nokia 6300 was bought in HK. I guess all 6300's with that 3 languages can do that.

[imron]

in my experience with Nokias it is possible to use predictive English text AND have Chinese menus, but you need to activate it somewhere

My Nokia is really old - a 3310, and it's an old 3310 at that, and doesn't even have predictive pinyin. I should probably get a new phone, but I like a phone that still works after you thow it against the wall

[Shadowdh]

I think its probably the newer phones can do as Roddy and Flameproof suggest but the older ones not so much... I love that capability though... (mines an L7)

[cdn_in_bj]

Yes, that's right - the old company-issued Nokia that I was using only had one language setting which also affected the writing language. In otherwords, when set to English, you couldn't write in Chinese. When set to Chinese, you could write in Chinese using pinyin or stroke method, as well as English (but T9 wasn't available in Chinese language mode), however the menus were in Chinese. This was a really old phone, the kind with the monochrome display and green backlighting. And built like a brick too (survived multiple drops and even rain exposure).

With the newer Nokias you can set the writing language independently of the phone language, if your phone supports multiple languages. All of the more recent Nokias sold here that I've seen also include a 2-way Chinese-English dictionary. In my experience, having a phone that supports Chinese pinyin input is a fun way to learn hanzi and pinyin.

[atitarev]

I've got "Motorola V3x", no idea which firmware it uses and couldn't find anything. Is it possible to just download the Chinese input from somewhere? I'd like to be able to switch between English and Chinese. What are the options? I bought the phone in Australia and I am in Australia.

I read something about rebranding. Do I have to do it? I am with "Three" (carrier).

[Shadowdh]

Atitarev... you shouldnt have to rebrand... I didnt with mine, I posted some links on the other thread you asked something about LP's... hope they help...

[atitarev]

Yes, thanks, I replied to your post there. Now I need to get RSD Lite (or another tool). It seems essential to finish the job. I reached the stage where I have created an shx with the language packs.

I tried to download it before but couldn't get it - lot's of broken links and forums requiring registrations. Do you have the link, please? Sorry to be a pain

I noticed a lot of links having "RSD Lite" are unsafe. Is it safe to use? What do I do next with my .shx file?

--

EDIT:

Found RSD Lite but having grieves installing

Failed flashing process. Phone(0000) error sending RAM download for bootloader. Device API error...

[Shadowdh]

I had a bit of a time of it before I managed to get it all working and then the LP put on the phone... which version of RSD do you have?? I have 3.2 and it works ok... I found a LP already made so didnt have to convert of muck around with the files (which I did try up to the point I found the LP I wanted but couldnt make it work) and after a few trial and errors (which at one point was a bit scary) managed to do it ok... if you need another copy of RSD lite I can email it to you (its only just over 6 mb in a RAR file)...

[atitarev]

I've emailed you, thanks

[Shadowdh]

Emailed you back...