Automatic Time/TimeZones - Setting

[dg1904]

I have an Unlocked T-mobile Dash that I use on Rogers network in Toronto Canada.
The value for Automatic Time/TimeZones in Settings->Clock&Alarm keeps switching back to "Enable" on it's own. And that in turn screws with the dates and times of my appointments.
Has anyone else had the same problem?
Is there a way to change default setting for this parameter to "Disable"?
Any input is greatly appreciated.

David

[chaznet]

Wish I had good news for you... but for some reason T-Mobile has disabled the ability to turn this off. It will only stay off until you reboot the phone. I've read that other phones, the Blackjack in particular, retain this setting when it's changed.

Someone else may come up with a registry setting to make the change permanent, wish I knew of one :)

[dickybilly]

you're not the only one with this problem...
I've an open problem ticket with microsoft for perhaps some answers but don't hold your breath

meanwhile, no one has a fix for this...
the only way to resolve the issue is to fall in line with the microsoft implementation of outlook meeting/appointment scheduling which is to always record the meeting/appointment time RELATIVE to the timezone you are in when you make the entry
for example, if you're in Dallas TX on Central time and need to record a meeting in NYC 2days from now, if the NYCity meeting is at 2pm you MUST record the meeting time as 1pm which is the meeting time relative to the Dallas timezone. When you arrive in NYCity and you turn on your DASH/Excalibur it will automatically (since enable is forced ON) reset time to NYCity local time and reset the timezone to Eastern. When this happens your meeting time becomes 2pm, the correct time.

I hate this implementation but its a known "FEATURE" of WM5 and Outlook calendar operation. My investigation has found three groups of opinions:
- those who have learned to live with this implementation and agree with it
- those who have never figured it out and have given up
- those like me who hate the implementation and are looking for microsoft to add a checkbox to outlook meeting which makes the meeting time absolute and unaffected by change in timezone

Its also been suggested that a program like CityTimeSP might work ... I've downloaded and tested the 15day trial and it works as advertised allowing one to setup calendar events in other timezones without having to make the mental timezone calculation so that when you arrive and your phone time/timezone syncs all your meetings will show the correct time.
http://www.codecity.net/prodctsp.htm

good luck

[chaznet]

A little clarification: The previous poster mentioned a "microsoft implementation" of "always recording the meeting/appointment time RELATIVE to the timezone you are in" -- this is his implementation, not Microsoft's. Once understood, the Microsoft implementation is actually pretty slick.

You can specify a time zone for an appointment when entering it in desktop Outlook -- there's a button in the appointment entry window labeled 'time zone'; when you click it you can specify alternate time zones. It's actually a powerful way to handle time zones that I was unaware of until a couple days ago. While at home, alternate time-zone appointments display earlier/later (depending on the time-zone) -- once you get there, they display correctly as your Dash pulls time and time-zone from your new location.

The real issue is that when creating appointments on your smartphone, there isn't a way to enter time zone info. Until there is, you can enter 'away' time-zone appointments on your desktop and sync them, or edit ones you've created on your phone after they sync to Outlook.

Or, jump through some hoops and add another layer to your calendar with the Citytime product, kind of overkill just to deal with time zones, but it is an option.

Pocket Informant for the PPC (not smartphone) does allow the editing of time zone info in an appointment -- hopefully a future release of the smartphone version of Pocket Informant (Papyrus) will offer this as well.

[dickybilly]

Regardless of my phrasing, I suggest you go to desktop Outlook help and search for the keyword "timezone", then read the "about timezone" and "troubleshooting timezone" items which should clarify how microsoft has implemented timezone processing.

[sfu_engineer]

Same exact thing happens to me and I am on Rogers Canada as well. I just learn to change the auto time zone back to disabled everytime I time I reset.

[chaznet]

How interesting :)

Same exact thing happens to me and I am on Rogers Canada as well. I just learn to change the auto time zone back to disabled everytime I time I reset.

[psxp]

Does this happen on a HTC S620 as well?

oh, I am on FIDO, Canada.. which I guess is Robbers too?

B

[sfu_engineer]

It's probably a firmware thing. I am using a TMOBILE DASH if it matters. I am too lazy to upgrade the firmware to HTC 620 though

[CraigMac]

My dash changes from Pacific time to Mountain time... No date change tho.

[UnicornKaz]

looking at the date of the original post ... I believed this is due to the extended "daylight saving time" the USA implemented this year (2007)

there have since been a patch release to resolved this issue:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/daylightsaving/default.mspx

[Warthogdriver]

Was just reading a similar thread in HowardForums. They don't have a sure-fire fix either. It really is frustrating. I have just learnt to reset the time zone info each time I have had to reset my phone.:(

[Pagemakers]

I fly a lot and my Dash is the only WM device I have ever owned that updates itself to time of the country I am visiting even if I have this option turned off.

OK, I can live with that if I have to, but when I arrive back in my country (UK) and turn my phone back on the time (and appointments) remain as at the last destination forcing me to have to manually update the time and turn off auto-time zone settings AGAIN.

The feature does not stay turned off though, because the next time I arrive abroad.....Bam, the auto-time zone settings have turned them selves back on again and the entire cycles starts again.

I am using the dreadfully buggy T-Mobile WM6. Hopefully when HTC finally release their WM6 version the problem will have been fixed.

[Warthogdriver]

Yup, I feel your pain. I am an airline Pilot, so you can imagine how frustrated I get!! I hope there is a fix for this soon. Otherwise, I really like the Dash.

[Pagemakers]

Same here :) It drives me nuts.

[chaznet]

The solution is to use the timezone feature in Outlook. Specifiy the time-zone for your appointments in Outlook. If you do this, then everything displays correctly as you change timezones. It's actually a slick feature if used correctly. It's even easier than complaining about it ;)

[Pagemakers]

That's not what I am 'complaining' about.

Even with the auto-time zone off....

I leave the UK. Clock = UTC
I arrive in Orlando and the time changes to UTC-5
I arrive back in the UK and the phone is still on UTC-5


With the setting off it should stay on UTC time forever.

It wouldn't be so bad it if chnaged the time without me wanting to do it, but the fact it does not change back to my home time zone on arrival back home is irritating.

[chaznet]

Works great for me -- must be there's something wrong with your device.

That's not what I am 'complaining' about.

Even with the auto-time zone off....

I leave the UK. Clock = UTC
I arrive in Orlando and the time changes to UTC-5
I arrive back in the UK and the phone is still on UTC-5


With the setting off it should stay on UTC time forever.

It wouldn't be so bad it if chnaged the time without me wanting to do it, but the fact it does not change back to my home time zone on arrival back home is irritating.

[Pagemakers]

Should be Ok for me too form now on sinice I've just dumped the buggy T-Mobile ROM :)

[Warthogdriver]

Works great for me -- must be there's something wrong with your device.
Not so sure about that......there are several of us that have the same problem. It's most frustrating.

[chaznet]

Do you specifiy the timezone for the appointment in Outlook? If you do, then you don't have a problem with incorrect times when you switch timezones. Use the timezone feature of Outlook, and there's nothing to be frustrated about.

Not so sure about that......there are several of us that have the same problem. It's most frustrating.

[Pagemakers]

It is nothing to do with Outlook!

In the UK my phone is correctly showing the UK time.

I fly to the USA and the phone updates its time to US time (even with the facility turned off).

I return to the UK and the phone is still in US time requiring me to manually re-set the time.

I fly out of the UK 3 times a week and it is becoming a pain having to reset the time each time I land back home.

I have owned countless other WM devices and none of them have done this.

[Warthogdriver]

Yup, that's it exactly. Plus, every time I reset my phone or turn it off completely....I have to reset the time zone. It seems to default to GMT/ London, Dublin. No matter what I put in Outlook....it does this.
Also, whenever I sync the device...the time goes ahead one hour. I can't figure it out, because my time zone settings for the phone & Outlook are identical. They are both set to GMT -4 (Atlantic).

[chaznet]

This forum is about the T-Mobile Dash (Excaliber, etc) -- is that what you guys are using? Prior to my getting the Dash, with all my other WM devices (I've been using them since the early days of WindowsCE) the timezone was set manually and I never changed it. I would always just leave it as is, and change the time manually (not the timezone) when I entered a different timezone. Worked fine for me.

When I got the Dash, I could no longer do this -- as it auto-changed timezone info depending on where it was when powered on -- it pulls timezone info from the cellular service. There's no way to shut auto-timezone feature off with the Dash. Thought it was WM5/6 related, but my friends BlackJack lets you turn off the feature.

This is when I learned about setting the timezone for an Outlook appointment, and found it to be a great solution for working with timezones. If you specify the timezone info in Outlook when making an appointment, it's great -- whether you have to manually specify your timezone or not. All the times are correct regardless of your timezone.

One pitfall with a Smartphone (WM Standard) is that there's no way to specify or edit the appointment-timezone on a device, it uses whatever it's current timezone is. You can later edit the timezone info in Outlook after it syncs. With PPC's (WM Pro) you can specify an appointment timezone if you're using a 3rd party app like Pocket Informant, which has this field available for editing when working with an appointment on the device.

This topic relates to the Dash/Excaliber and how you can't shut off the auto-timezone feature -- sounds like some users with other devices & issues have attempted to hitch a ride ;)

[Pagemakers]

Yup A Dash alright. However, I've just removed the T-Mobile ROM and installed the far better Beta WM6 ROM and hopefully my problems are long gone.....

[Warthogdriver]

Yup A Dash alright. However, I've just removed the T-Mobile ROM and installed the far better Beta WM6 ROM and hopefully my problems are long gone.....
Hey, let me know how that works out for you. I have the Beta ROM as well, stored away on my hard drive, but was hesitant to use it. However, if it is more usable than the T-Mo shipping ROM.....then I will load it up!

[Pagemakers]

Had it installed for a few days now and so far it's far better and noticably faster!

[Warthogdriver]

and no timezone switching??

[UnicornKaz]

the official ROM is around the corner ... I would hold off on wasting time with the BETA ...

last I heard (rumor ) ... supposed to be official today !! :eek:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1380585&postcount=158

nothing yet ... I bet we excalibur owners are online checking right now ... LOL !! :D

[Pagemakers]

and no timezone switching??

It's typical. I'm at home for a week now!

[Warthogdriver]

the official ROM is around the corner ... I would hold off on wasting time with the BETA ...

last I heard (rumor ) ... supposed to be official today !! :eek:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1380585&postcount=158

nothing yet ... I bet we excalibur owners are online checking right now ... LOL !! :D
LOL...been waiting on that for a while now!!

[Warthogdriver]

It's typical. I'm at home for a week now!
:D Ain't that just...typical!! LOL!

Let me know though, I'd appreciate it!

[Pagemakers]

Sadly the new WM6 ROM does not update the time back to the home country when you arrive back.

[Warthogdriver]

Sadly the new WM6 ROM does not update the time back to the home country when you arrive back.

Oh well............:(

[CraigMac]

I noticed when I changed the Regional Settings "Short date style" to the very last settings (16-Aug-07), my time zones seems to stay put even with a soft reset!! I haven't done anything else to the phone so give it a try...

Craig

[Warthogdriver]

Interesting......worth a shot! Will let you know!