Mobile Phone Chinese Language Software Support

[zhouhaochen]

People who come to China usually bring their mobile phone with them and on them Chinese Character support is not installed. However, for progressing in Chinese texting with Hanzi is very useful. Does anyone know if it is possible to install a "Chinese Language upgrade" on mobile phones that currently do not support Characters?

Of course on can buy another cheap phone here, but I am just wondering if there is a better option.

[chrix]

What phone do you have? I put a Taiwanese OS on my Nokia, you can follow the instructions on the Nokia Users Forum

You can also purchase software that enables phones to enter characters,but I haven't tried it..

[yialanliu]

Most smartphones already have the language pack installed, you just need to activate it. For example, blackberries and iphones have it installed already. Just google, "your phone model + chinese" or "phone model + chinese compatibility"

~yialanliu

[chrix]

Blackberries and iPhones are not "most smartphones" (and strictly speaking, the iPhone is not a smartphone, but I don't want to start a flame war over this). That's interesting about the Blackberry, I know people with a China-related job who use one and can't use Chinese characters with theirs.

It would actually be nice to collect information on what the different types of smartphones and whether they're "Chinese-compatible" or not.

Android - I'd assume they would be, but not sure

Nokia Symbian - no, BUT there's a work-around as I said above.

What about phones that run on Windows Mobile?

Edited January 10, 2010 at 12:16 PM by chrix

[xiaoxiaocao]

If you have an HTC smart phone you can check out http://forum.xda-developers.com/ Lots of roms, upgrades etc. I bought an HTC phone with windows 6 english operating system then found the Chinese language software on their site.

[zhouhaochen]

so my friend is using the Motorla Razor. Any ideas how to upgrade to Chinese?

[LongwenChinese]

If you go to Beijing, you can get it done cheap and fast in Zhongguancun.

Or you can find ways to "flush" your phone, which means reinstalling. There are plenty of ways online. I did it on my own razr some time ago and I don't remember how anymore.

If you are going to reinstall the operating system on your own phone, don't forget to back it up first~

[thekhanon]

Chrix,

I think it's possible that those people you know with Blackberry devices that are unable to get Chinese support working might have trouble because their devices are controlled by their employers. If the employer is controlling the devices, they may be limiting what can be installed on the devices, and they may also be limiting which configuration settings can be changed. If this is the case, you might suggest to your acquaintances that they speak with the IT department support personnel and request their devices be configured for Chinese support.

[chrix]

yes, I think that's a great suggestion. They work in a China-related field and can neither receive nor send messages in Chinese, that's kind of impractical, though it gave me an excuse for sending them messages in English

[yialanliu]

Chrix, reread my post. I said for example, these phones and I just happened to mention blackberries and iphones. Nokia phones all come with chinese enabled as well as well as HTC, and Samsung smartphones. Granted iphones are not a smartphone by strict definition, I think a regular user would understand what I was trying to say. I consider them in the same category when speaking about a phone that has data capability which also tends to be phones that use/require a data plan hence questions about emailing in chinese.

I was merely pointing out that you might have to turn on the software rather than install something.

~yialanliu

[chrix]

I'm sorry but you're wrong, unless Nokia just recently changed its policy, which would be great news. If that's not the case, you have to change some internal number in order to trick the phone into updating a different language version, by which you forfeit the warranty (at least that's what Nokia claims would be the case)

[yialanliu]

I have both a nokia N95 and N97 and both can use and write chinese as well as one of my friends 71 smartphones.

[chrix]

Well, I have a N95 and E71, and no luck here. Where did you buy your phones?

[yialanliu]

Goto Nokia cell phone provider and have them give you the code for China/Hong Kong/ or Taiwan. Mine actually probably was most likely an asian phone as when I received it chinese was an option readily available especially since the US didn't offer an unlocked 95 yet.

I was hoping http://thenokiablog.com/2007/11/19/how-to-update-nokia-n95-8gb-product-codes-for-changing-language-packs/

would have the product codes for those region but unfortunately it does not which is weird.

~yialanliu

[chrix]

Yes that's what I was talking about, it's all discussed on the Nokia Users Forum I linked to above. AFAIK, Nokia says if you do change the number (you have to use some software tool that changes the code), you could end up forfeiting your warranty. Now if they've changed their stance, that's good, but flashing your phone is still something the average user won't really dare to do.