Can anyone shed any light on rumours that I have heard concerning a priocessor speed and camera upgrade to the XDAIIs in Q1 next year.
I read somewhere there would be a 500MHz CPU and a 1.3MPixel camera released mid January?
R
perhaps, it's called XDA IIi ------->HTC Alpine
Is it really true that O2 gonna come out with the XDAIIi? Is there any facts to justify this? If it is true, I guess it will be the best ultimate machine ever produce from O2 with all those awesome specs.
Its true... it looks like an XDA II, has 1.3Mpix camera, 500MHz proc, but no keyboard. Wifi is still present. Cant remember where I read this now, but it was in several locations.
Nigel
xda iis better specs?
I was going to get an xda iis early next year, because I really like the looks, love the keyboard, and like the better specs than the original (forgot what processor speed is), but you say there is a better one? I've also heard there were a few problems with the xda iis, but don't know specifics. Question is...does anyone know what bennefit I would have to waiting for the new one mentioned here with even better specs than the blue angel? I will just say that I must have a built in keyboard (don't like stylis's) and I like the way the thumboard is and the way the blue angel is built in general...any suggestions or ideas is appreciated
blue angel better specs?
does anyone know where I can find info on the newest one mentioned here? who has the blue angel and what do you think?... would you upgrade to the newest one or stick with the blue angel? thanks
Hi
Blue angel is a nice device (mine is the XDA IIs variant), but like you say, it does have some problems. For the post part these can be cured by firmware updates. It is likely that the Magician (o2 XDA Mini), and the future O2 XDAIIi will also have firmware issues. Search these forums for 'veletron' for my rants about the issues that I have found). Should point out that the Magician has no wifi and is unlikely to prove a suitable device for someone otherwise considering an blue angel.
My advice would be to avoid O2 and the other telcoms companies and maybe go for a IMate PDA2K. Reason for saying this is that IMate is the *only* reseller of the blue angel that appears to have done anything about the extensive bluetooth problems that the device suffers from. I suspect the fix comes from HTC, but IMATE are the only lot that have packaged this fix as an update for its users.
O2 are notoriously bad for issuing updates, preferring to do a new firmware release that contains a load of fixes in one. IMHO, the bluetooth issues warrent a prompt patch from each of the blue angel resellers.
I dont think that the O2 XDA IIi has a keyboard, it looks just like the O2 XDA II. I would not sacrifice the O2 XDA IIs' keyboard for the faster proc & better camera myself.
Hardware wise, the main issue with XDA IIs devices has been yellow screens (though mine is fine <-- looks yellow when viewed off angle), and the loose keypad - starts off tight but the slider mechanism gets slack. Some kind of a slider lock would have been nice here. Battery life is par for a device of this kind. Wifi reception is bad (but sufficient).
There are also worries over call quality using the internal microphone (no one can hear you). I think that a firmware upgrade will fix this though.
I have found around 50 software issues (some serious) but I will stick with mine since:
1) when it works, it works well
2) 95% of these problems are softare and can be fixed with an upgrade
3) There is nothing else like it on the market
Regards
Nigel
There are people on howard forums who have done reviews of the Blue Angel, Magician, etc, and they have briefly discussed the upcoming Alpine (XDA IIi):
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=519561
It seems that we are not the only ones who are unhappy with the quality issues surrounding the Blue Angel. According to the review, the Alpine will be based on the previous Himalaya design, NOT the Blue Angel.
blue angle vs xda iii
thanks for the link...certainly great information. I will have to say I'm still partial to the blue angel because I like keys and easy, conveniant user options. The xda mini is impressive as well, but I didn't see anything about keys or built in keys in the xda mini. think I will wait for a couple of months and see what comes up. I am one who likes heavy duty material and durability, but willing to sacrifice this and get a case if the other features are more benneficial. comments? (can you get the xda iis in the us as of yet?)
Will i-mate carry a variant of the XDAIIi? If so when and what will it be called? Can't find it on the i-mate website yet.
My main issue is that the upcoming Alpine will be designed to support and probably ship with PPC'005 and that is something worth considering when stacking it up against the BlueAngle.
If PPC005 will be available as an upgrade on the Blue Angle and it runs just as well as on the Alpine -- then I like the keyboard and layout on the Angle. But what if 2005 borrows from the Wintel playbook of old and requires more Mzh or Ram or other hardware novelty that is the real reason for HCT releasing the Alpine so hot on the heels of what is otherwise a successful product just now maturing to the point where most of the bugs are fixed.
I had one of the first phones these guys made and remember what a joke the MS PPC was -- not even supporting SMS sender recognition etc .. and how long it took to get 2003 working and the associated hardship involved. As a result of that I have complete and utter faith that the master cooks in this forum like Lump will come up with a fix to get '005 on the Angle -- but if it is a big problem, then perhaps I should just make the best out of having a circa 1999 spec MegaPixel camera in my pocket all the time.
Anyone have any ideas about PPC'005 compatibility with the Blue Angle ??
-d
The thing that'll see me shelling out for a new phone to replace my XDA 2s will be a 640x480 screen resolution device at a decent price.
The XDA 2s does appear a little buggy in places, but on the other hand I am pretty much converted to the idea of a phone integrated with a PocketPC, and this form factor (particularly the keyboard) is what really floats my boat.
It would be a great shame (but bloody typical) if I've just bought something that is at the end of its evolutionary branch!
There's been rumours and even photos of the MDA4 with VGA resolution, faster processor and 3G radio (with keyboard).
I'll buy that!
yes the rumors are in fact called the xda 3, this model is due middle to late 2005 with 3G radio CF & SD and running the PXA 272 500Mhz processor with Windows Mobile 2005. But dont get your hopes up yet, there have been problems with MS supporting the 3G radio and software, because they do not have plans for 3G support on Windows Mobile, they are talking about CE.NET 5 to support 3G
But where is the "real" news here? It's not really surprising that - how ever it is named - a "UMTS Xda" will have VGA display (because mid next year VGA will be standard for Pocket PCs), using a Bulverde CPU above 400 MHz (even today's high-end devices have this), and will have CDMA (otherwise it wouldn't be a UMTS/§G device).
The information at msmobiles isn't everything else than a rant (please notice msmobiles is reporting a "XScale" CPU).
So if we are ranting here I can add that a "UMTS Xda" will most likely have a mega pixel camera with flash, either a second camera for video telephony or a rotateable, and is supposed to use the "next generation" Pocket PC Phone Edition OS. Release date is anytime between January 05 and December 05. A first view will either be provided in Cannes at the 3GSM congress (which I will attend for sure - as every year) or in Hannover at the CeBIT (which I will attend as well).
So you see, all it takes is to use the excising information, merging it and you have a "3G Xda".
But does we know more now? Comes time comes Xda XYZ.......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Related
I am very unhappy with the latest (1.40) ROM update and this has finally pushed me to this post. I thought I would provide some general thoughts/comments after about 6 months of use. I keep hoping and praying that each ROM release will actually fix some of the devices more serious issues but it never seems to happen. Certain things actually get worse through the updates.
Overall the level of integration and the sheer amount of things our device accomplishes is staggering. However, the reliability and robustness is terrible, about as good as an "alpha" release, but certainly not a production device. You may argue that I should be happy with what I have and I guess I am because I keep carrying my PDA2K. I love not having to carry so many devices but almost always feel like I have the worst of each. My "relationship" with my device is absolutely love/hate.
As background I use my device as a phone, camera, video camera, mp3 player, movie watching, internet, e-mail, gps/navigation, games, Metro subway maps, weather, pdf reading and of course all the std. windows goodies like Excel, Calendar, Contacts, etc. However, the device performs most all of these functions poorly. As a small bit of background I am not a programmer nor hardcore techie but do consider myself a power user and am comfortable with registry editing, ROM upgrading and most features/functions of all of the standard software. I do also install a fair amount of 3rd party applications. I do not see how you can get by without doing this. I use the device for work as a sales professional and also for personal use.
The phone is much less robust and reliable than almost all cell phones I have previously owned, just buggy in general, often not functioning despite a good signal and often will not connect nor hang up properly. The camera is plain terrible, nowhere even close to a decent 1MP camera, good only for a small caller ID photo taken in perfect lighting conditions. Networking in general is almost unusable: Bluetooth during navigation always disconnects when a call comes in, WiFi will almost never start with out a soft reset, and sometimes the same with GPRS. General system stability/robustness: terrible! With a device such as this it should not be possible to have spontaneous hard resets where you loose ALL data. I have them fairly often (without Sprite, I would truly throw my device away). I have also had spontaneous loss of SD card data. MS Voice Command is fantastic, except the first use of every day always requires the name to be repeated twice. The built in e-mail software is really poor, the invisible items that show up in various mail folders which require a complete cleaning out of all mailboxes to fix is beyond annoying. The long 20 second or so delay when opening the Calendar to show days with appointments really causes me delays at the most inopportune times. I suppose I could go on and on but I will wrap up this summary/gripe session
Again, the level of raw capability, variety of useful programs and integration is truly amazing. The speed when operating well is fine. However I am often nearly crippled by hard resets, poor phone, WiFi, GPRS and Bluetooth, usability and robustness and the need for soft resets. I guess this is the price one pays for being on the cutting edge, but again I can not help but feel this device is nowhere close to the reliability and performance any reasonable user would expect. From spending a lot of time on this board and other similar ones I expect to hear some quite similar echoes of my thoughts.
I do eagerly look forward to some similar comments (or different), fixes, general experiences or suggestions from the community.
Well put, some of the issues I have, some not.
Lets have a look at the hardware.
Well the case is metal which is great as it can take some punishment however the Keyboard, well.....
My Keyboard has a life of its own, I have the device in my hand and talk on the phone and it drops down. I pull the device out of my pocket and it comes out first screen then keyboard. I never use the keyboard as me fingers are to big so given a choice I would not have it.
If you hold the screen in one hand and the back plate in the other you can turrn the whole thing a good 3mm as its so loose. You can even lift the screen up away form the Keyboard at the bottom of the device and stick a piece of carboard into as a form of a break to stop it dropping.
Sound of calls is bad, tiny and to low.
Yup its a love/hate relationship and I love to hate the thing.
I too look forwared to a device that has camera which is useful (I still carry around a small 5 meg sony).
The only thing I feel that is realy good about owning a BA is this board, if I had not come here I would still have a german CE and be reseting the bugger every day.
love it
Probably, I am cheap and easily pleased.
I bought my IIs almost the same time with yours. I too have updated my ROM to 1.40 (stockROM 1.4Asia). Only the barest software I need are installed to maintain stability: KBattery, psShutXp, AgileMobile, Skype, VCard, Pcoket TV, GSPlayer, and Avantgo. For games, I only installed Smartfall, Chess, and BF Mines - not much of a gamer. IIs is too expensive for me to destroy its button playing games.
I love it very much except for some performance hiccups like restarting by itself. However, this only happens when I am using skype or agilemobile for sometime. Hard Reset rarely happens. in six months, I only remember it to happen to me once and I could not remember what I did then.
I love it because I could check my email whereever I am either thru WIFI or GPRS. In fact, I use to check my email thru XDAIIs rather than waiting for my PC to start in the morning before leaving the house. With so many "leaking" free WIFI around, no phone should be without.
I f---kng HATE the keyboard. A week after I bought mine it was already broken. Yes, it will open on its own. It was repaired though free of charge by Brightpoint Philippines. Now, I barely open it because constructionwise, it is so flimsy and I know will easily be broken again. Now, I know why they remove the keyboard in the IIi.
Will buy it again. YES, It is so neat and convenient that I could do emailing, IM and chat on the go. Of course, it is a great electronic photo album to show my family pictures to friends with MP3 background playing.
Before this phone, I was using NOKIA 9210 Communicator. It was a great phone during its time. WHAT I WOULD REALLY WANT NOW IS A NOKIA COMMUNICATOR 9500 RUNNING WM Ver.5. DREAMING....
So you guys say that the keyboard is a piece of s**t?
I'm asking because I'm going to buy BA or Nokias 9500. And if the keyboard sucks a** i'm not gonna buy BA, because I need the keyboard because I do lot of work in MSN and in IRC. So the phone must be capable to these specific applications. I know that Nokia 9500 is...
When I was still using my old trusty Nokia 9210, I sent literally hundreds of text messages per day. I love its built in keyboard. It was a breeze typing text in that old phone. I could even schedule sending text messages - what a neat feature.
The tiny keyboard of IIs is hard to use. Even painful to the fingers after long use. Now I sent few text messages because it is very hard to do so with the tiny keyboard (II's rehabilatated me, I am NOT text addict anymore). The tiny soft keyboard using the stylus is just as difficult to use.
If you will do lots of typing, I recommend you buy one of those external keyboards. Although, personally, I hate carrying extras like that. I dont want to look like Inspector Gadget carrrying with me that external keyboard. My Bluetooth suffered same fate. I dont carry it anymore. Too troublesome carrying two gadgets.
I use my IIs mainly as a communicating device (which should be) so the killer applications for me are:
Agile Mobile for IM like ICQ, MSN, AOL and yes YAHOO.
Skype for VOIP (yes, it works for me just dont expect quality calls. It's free who am I to complain)
AgileMobile will run on both Nokia 9500 and IIs BUT the SKYPE will not.
That is the deal breaker for me why I decided to go for the XDA path. Every one and then, I still do glancing look at that Nokia 9500 though.
If you will go for the XDA path and cannot wait anymore, get the IIi. The keyboard really sucks. Hard to use and easy to get loose.
If you go for Nokia path, please lend it to me sometime (hehehehe)
xcalibur said:
The tiny keyboard of IIs is hard to use. Even painful to the fingers after long use. Now I sent few text messages because it is very hard to do so with the tiny keyboard (II's rehabilatated me, I am NOT text addict anymore). The tiny soft keyboard using the stylus is just as difficult to use.
If you will do lots of typing, I recommend you buy one of those external keyboards. Although, personally, I hate carrying extras like that. I dont want to look like Inspector Gadget carrrying with me that external keyboard. My Bluetooth suffered same fate. I dont carry it anymore. Too troublesome carrying two gadgets.
I use my IIs mainly as a communicating device (which should be) so the killer applications for me are:
Agile Mobile for IM like ICQ, MSN, AOL and yes YAHOO.
Skype for VOIP (yes, it works for me just dont expect quality calls. It's free who am I to complain)
AgileMobile will run on both Nokia 9500 and IIs BUT the SKYPE will not.
That is the deal breaker for me why I decided to go for the XDA path. Every one and then, I still do glancing look at that Nokia 9500 though.
If you will go for the XDA path and cannot wait anymore, get the IIi. The keyboard really sucks. Hard to use and easy to get loose.
If you go for Nokia path, please lend it to me sometime (hehehehe)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that's the thing...those are the programs I would also use plus I need an IRC client (Nokia has s2putty which is great), so this is going to be a real hard decision.
It seems in a operating system level, Windows/qtek9090 kicks Symbian80/Nokia9500 ass, because Nokia has a pretty slow processor and Symbian80 is a little bit greedy, but so is windows.
Nokias online time should be better than Qteks so that's important fact (going to use Wlan a lot). Nokia also has much better keyboard if I have read reviews right.
But...Qtek/WM2k3 has a lot more apps if I'm right and it's hardware is better than Nokias.
But the bigges issues are still on the fact that how does the device handle Instant Messaging and IRC environments. In IRC i'm in a few VERY active channels so would like to know how well does the BA handle IRC messaging, viewing etc....
Is the keyboard slider going to loose very easily? I have read that in some models it's big issue? Or is this only problem with branded phones(i mean like T-mo etc)? Qtek 9090 is the only one which they sell here in Finland.
xcalibur, yeah sure i'll borrow you the 9500, if you come to visit Finland someday =)
The above fact is the only thing keeping me away from ordering BA...
I don't want to keep on ranting against IIs.
Yes, the keyboard will easily get loose. We have here two units and it is the same. I talked to the Brightpoint service people, they say almost all IIs they repaired is about the loose keyboard.
And yaiks, I noticed now that my IIs keyboard is misaligned by a millimeter or two. I cant stop looking at it now. I hate it.
Consider also after sales service of XDA there in Finland. These things do break down. I am sure Nokia will have superb service there in Finland as they have already excellent service here in Philippines. In fairness, Brightpoint too has good service here though their location is not so good.
My keyboard experience
I have had no problems with my keyboard. I like it, use it and it has not developed any problem with the keys themselves nor the sliding mechanism. Perhaps you guys talking all about Nokia vs HTC could move that topic to a separate thread?
Keyboard's great! However, other than for impressing your friends this phone is horribly unreliable. Also, windows is not as polished as Symbian. You will find yourself installing so many 3rd party apps (which make an already unstable handset even less stable) just to perform basic phone functions.
In my opinion, XDA IIs is truely an ingenius device. However, Ias much as I hate to agree with most of you, I share the same sentiments of hating/loving it.
I really dislike the part whereby I receive/dial a call and no sound comes out of it. Also when my IIs hang the moment I exit from Bejeweled 2. I dont use a bluetooth headset, so the bluetooth bit doesnt affect me so much. I also detest the so very prominent gap between my keyboard and screen.
However, on the other hand, my IIs had helped me in so much many other ways, so much so its advantages exceeds its disadvantages. Despite the small keyboard, it had been extremely useful, and having compared with the onscreen keyboard and Transcriber, I personally found that it is so much faster and efficient to key text with the keyboard. Despite haing mid-sized fingers, with good practice, keying in text can be so much of a breeze. I especially liked its soft touch and blue iluminous glow.
Also, the calander feature of Microsoft CE is great. With appropriate 3rd party software, and its extremely ease/stability to sync with Outlook, my contacts and appointments are always at my fingertips. Tho the ringer is quite soft, I have no problems with it as I have always been using traditional ringing ringtones, which are much louder than fanciful mp3 music. Besides, I can see that O2 is doing its fair share by providing support thru O2 connect as well as the after sales service. O2 plus beta had been a great software. I had used it to replace phone alarm and pocket plus. I especially liked it phone profile feature and the part whereby my IIs vibrate upon receipt of call response. I no longer have to hold my device against my ears waiting for the other party to pick up the call.
Another comment is that the screen is clear and even using 10% backlight, I can view the screen to great details, even under sunlight conditions. The extra 4 hardware buttons for today, messaging, IE and OK had been great and it had aid me in single-handed operations with my device.
Overall, all I can say is, its been a great device. You choose to hate / like it. Cheers. Just my two cents worth...
I also came to the XDA series from the Nokia Communicators and have always been looking for a communicator with MS OS.
Can't wait for the Universal
a wonderful use of keyboard! + comments abt XDA IIs overall
hi all,
i have a very very good argument in favour of the keyboard on XDA iis and a big -ve for the absence of it in XDA IIi:
i live in india where the roads at times tend to be a bit bumpy. on such roads keying in with a stylus becomes frustrating! (those who have tried it will know). it is on these roads that u appreciate the inbuilt key board the max.
2ndly, by the grace of GOD, till date i have had NO SOUND issues with my XDA IIs.... so no probs about that..
with 1.40 update i have seen that wifi wont connect usually without a soft reset but thats not very bugging! also there is some camera application brightness control bug and thats also ignorable.
But overall i think that XDA IIs is overall a very good buy... better than XDA IIi and Mini.... NOKIA is ****ty in front of this and looks more of a brick!
i suggest you all not to load any 3rd party apps for password lock and dialler except smart dialling included in mini rom. and must haves are pocket plus, pocket informant,pocket music, skype, phonealarm, alarmtoday and 1-calc. dont forget norton anti-virus and sprite backup as the very very very imp. 1st loads.
All the best to XDA lovers... LONG LIVE XDA IIs... Doom to Nokia!
At one point I used to carry an iPAQ 3870, a mobile phone and a collapsible keyboard. With my suit on, some people thought I was a bodyguard due to my swollen breast pockets. I also also had a Navigator 3000 GPS sleeve and the WiFi CF card.
The iPAQ made me love the Pocket PC. However carrying two or more devices was cumbersome.
I then discovered the Blackberry. Look mum, no wires. Over the air synchronization using the GPRS network was great. The keyboard is also excellent. No GPS and a lack of good application was a minus. Furthermore any interesting application would be pricey.
… but I still missed the Pocket PC.
Then came the Blackberry Connect embedded in the Blue Angel. That is the best of both worlds. My dream was to have a Pocket PC with push email and WiFi with an embedded keyboard.
The cherry on the cake came with Skype. I use desktop Skype a lot and I love it. As I am an international self-employed consultant, my cellphone bills amount to at least £300.00 ($550.00) a month. Skype on the BA will save me money but I need to find a good noise cancellation headset. So what if the sound quality is not that good, my customers would expect that from a roaming mobile phone anyway.
As for the camera, at its current resolution it is a gimmick. I would rather have a lighter BA with no camera. My 5.1 Mega Pixel camera will have to stay.
I agree with everyone that says the keyboard has a bad build. The MDA III and the XDA IIs I have seen at the T-Mobile and O2 shops had the keyboard sliding out on its own as soon as I picked up the device. I had already arrived to the conclusion that the keyboard will break down even before reading this thread.
I know that I will miss the stability of the Blackberry software but the advantages I get from the BA far outweigh the disadvantages.
I don’t thing anyone of us on this board will ever find a device that is perfect in every aspect. This is technology.
I will be moving from the Blackberry to the BA XDA IIs this weekend and I am sure that most if not all on this board will encourage me.
i agree with you
hey,
i agree with you fully... no technology can be perfect... but still XDA IIs is the best bet!
just a doubt: how did u manage to get a BA with blackberry connect? any software for that available for asian users too?
Re: i agree with you
studdocs said:
just a doubt: how did u manage to get a BA with blackberry connect? any software for that available for asian users too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The T-Mobile MDA III supports Blackberry Connects. The XDA IIs should support it soon. I will be using the XDA IIs but I am hopping to use the MDA III software.
hoping 4 the best!
i am just hoping that XDA IIs supports it soon!
the earlier the better!
You have two choices...
1. Purchase an old used XDAII and upgrade it to WM5.0. Very stable and flawless communications and Bluetooth.
2. Wait for the new WM5.0 devices this summer.
(my 2 cents)
I fully agree with the love/ hate, as per others - I to have experianced neumerous resets, lock ups no sound etc. after two weeks I returned it to the shop and swapped my XDAIIs for another one (it was clearly faulty) - loaded it up with exactly the same applications as the previous one and since then I have only experianced the no sound issue twice in the last month, my unit runs on the "stock" O2 firmware loaded in using Corporate mode. I love the flexibility of the device and my ipaq-4700 is now rarley used as the XDA does everything I need of it with the addition of the phone functionality - great idea and concept, but I still feel it is nowhere near the level of maturity that it should be - Mike
Hi guys,
could you guys tell me where can I download for the latest firmware for my O2 XDA IIs that are going around currently? and is it true that updating firmware will results data losts ? thank you
A hard reset will allways result in data loss, but if you back it all up onto the SD card you should be able to return the unit to the same condition - note I say "should" its probably wise to re-install the lot from scratch to gain the true performance, as yet I have not tried the 1.140 ROM but I am tempted - you don't state whice service provider you are with - try their web site for a download to see if you are upto date - my philosopy is that the service provider should provide a functional device, in pratice the HTC unit is a bit hit and miss - but if you load up anything other than official firmware then taking it back and complaining is out of the window - I am on my second handset from O2 and this apears to work OK - at least it does for the demands I make of it, this includes running bespoke "home" created software scripted using Labview and it performs quite well - mike
Hi
My PDA2K is falling apart (I have dropped it a couple of times which has not helped.
I need to replace it and I am wondering with what.
I could simply go for another PDA2K but really never want to buy from i-mate ever again so am looking at [email protected]'s XDAIIs and IIi or the T-Mobile MDAIII.
Which is the best or would you steer totally clear of this phone because of all its problems?
Robin
I've got an O2 XDA2s & a work colleague has the T-Mobile MDAIII. Persoanlly I'd use either agin depsite their known issues. I like having an all-in-one device & am happy to compromise to get it
I would definitely buy another XDA IIs, if mine died. The grey colour of the O2 device simply oozes more class than the silver handsets.
Quality has been good (except for the hard reset issue when removing the battery - which is easily solved by keeping the power cord in when changing the sim card). I would be tempted to hang on for the universal though....... NICE!
i simply cannot afford to buy a brand new one if mine died, id have to wait til i can upgrade again, but if i could, then i would buy another as i have already got my bro to get one of these, and also he is a driving instructor, so its useful for his appointments and stuff.
if i was close to my upgrade date tho, i would just wait and get the next xda
joey.
Personally, no. I've realised I don't need the organisation or programs of a PDA. I bought it for Skype, but that doesn't work. The build quailty is not amazing.
I'll be going back to standard Sony Ericssons next contract period.
Chris
I'm very disappointed with all PDA's.
As a long time user AND enthusiast, I'm completely dissatisfied with everyone available. Moving to the BA from a HP, I expected better innovation from the leading producer of WM based PDA's, especially after seeing what HP was producing with the 6500's. Now I just realized that HTC is producing the 6500 for HP...!?!
Why wont someone produce a quality device with a hires (vga) screen, good memory (128 RAM, not to mention the availability of multi GB micro drives), reliable phone (GSM), fast data (GPRS/EDGE), un-crippled Bluetooth (audio/voice), and a small form factor (Treo). It has to be possible. I paid $850 for the BA (unlocked), and it's ridiculously unstable, and can't do what my $50 cell phone can do.
Bitter, Bitter, Bitter...
I hear you man. Sometimes I wonder if I should have got a different Pocket PC so Skype would actually work.
All of them are crippled/broken/manufactured badly in some way. The BA has its fair share of problems, but the important thing is that they're no more than any other PDA (apart from maybe the keyboard).
Chris
Some guy at work has te iPaq hybrid pda/phone. Quite swanky. I recently have this descision on my plate. Keep my new XDA2s or swap for the slower, but better made and more stable SE P910.
I'm waiting for Nokia N91.
I will surely buy another Blue Angel. Wish they could makde the keyboard more stronger and add WM 2005 in it .
I am pretty happy with the stuff .
NO!
his hardware its really crap...
Robster said:
Hi
My PDA2K is falling apart (I have dropped it a couple of times which has not helped.
I need to replace it and I am wondering with what.
I could simply go for another PDA2K but really never want to buy from i-mate ever again so am looking at [email protected]'s XDAIIs and IIi or the T-Mobile MDAIII.
Which is the best or would you steer totally clear of this phone because of all its problems?
Robin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is your phone covered by your house insurance.....was it you that dropped it? I would be suspicious and claim for a new one if you get my drift!
I would definetaly buy another one! It has had it's issues, but they all do to one extent or another. I use mine for my work all the time, and it has been the best unit that I have owned to date.
Later.......
i will never buy xda lls.
i hope i can change my xda lls to xda lli now.
but i have no money
Absolutely NOT. Sick of the instability, the poor support, the resetting 3 times a day and everything else that goes with it.
Never again!
I like the idea of an all in-one-device but...
1) phone is unstable
2) bluetooth is unstable
3) pda is unstable requiring resets
4) no UMTS
5) no "good" camera (0.3 MP ? come on! 5MP cam phones are out already)
6) no EDGE support
7) low memory
8) don't use keyboard as often as I thought
it is an OK device, but could use a lot of improvement.
I live the universal and I would give it a try if it were quadband
Until 3 days ago I would have said no. My 02 XDA2s was horribly unstable in all the ways described above.
I then had to try and find a replacement all-in-one. All I found that does everything this does that I need is the XDA2i (which from reading the forum sounds just as bad) and the Nokia N91 (out this Christmas at the earliest - I needed a handset NOW!)
I will take the keyboard of the XDA2s over the camera of the 2i anyday (all XDA cameras are limited by the crappy lenses anyway, no matter hoe good resolution they make them). The keyboard's really useful when doing things like entering passwords with greater accuracy or chatting on MSN.
I then flashed my ROM and radio to the latest availible and I have not had to reset yet in over 24 hours!
I was resetting my other XDA2s with 02 ROM 5 times a day!
Flash your ROM!! It makes this thing work to an acceptable level! Media Player 10 is great too, although the buttons are disabled which makes toggling the screen difficult. Album art and media centre synching make it worth it
Nope, I would not buy another BA. Next time I want to upgrade to get the HTC Wizard. Smaller phone with built in wi-fi and WM5.
With the BA:
I have never used the slide out keyboard
I am fed up with wi-fi choosing whether or not it wants to turn on
I am fed up getting the driver low memory message on BT
I am fed up with the phone locking up up so I can't call out and others can't call me without doing a soft reset or turn on/off BT every time.
Some of you are missing the point here! Let's compare to units that are already available, not things that have not arrived yet! With the right rom combination,this is an acceptable unit! Edge is new and very limited right now,and was not available when these came out.Stability issues can be resolved by cooking your own rom! Using reasons like that,as well as "I don't use this,or that feature", is not really the point,is it!
Just my 6 cents worth..... Later....... 8)
ill still buy ba or the upcoming one
this is the best i've ever had...i started from xda1 then xda2 now xda2s...that's why i love this site...and thanks t'all the people Here...lm working at night, n use my wifi w/o problems...use my verichat for chatting or agile, surf net...play my old school super nintendo (thousand selection)...use resco to ftp my website n upload/dowload mp3's ,files etc....listen my new remix mp3's w 2gigs while im in the gym ...ayt....
With the current selection of phones/pdas in the market today, I would still buy the same IIs I have....thats considering I can still aford one
Hi,
I currently own a Prophet (I-Mate Jamin model) which I bought around 12 months ago on an o2 contract. I'm happy with the device and haven't had any issues with it that I haven't been able to resolve myself (& by lurking on these forums) but as I mentioned, I've had it about 12 months now and I'm due an upgrade with o2.
I'm considering getting an XDA Orbit but the specs seem pretty much the same as my Prophet. I'm attracted to it becauase physically it looks nicer from what I can tell, but that's pretty much it.
Can any of you shed any light on what the main differences are between these devices and if it would actually be worth me upgrading to the Orbit?
WM6 is obviously a big factor in this, I don't know if it will ever be availible for the Prophet but it appears that there may be a chance it will be availible for the Orbit.
The only faults I have with my Prophet are the way it has the worlds worst vibrate feature (very noisy & long) & it's quite weighty and a bit bulky for my pocket. If these features are better on the Orbit then it would be a selling point for me.
Lastly, one thing that's importnat to me is the 'keypad' software that seems to be present on the Prophets roms. I'm used to this for one handed input, - is this availible on the XDA Orbit?
I realise this is all a bit drawn out but I'm hoping that there will be members hear that can relate to my issues and give me some advice!
If not, I might just stick with my Prophet for now and see what else comes out in the future, although I'm also slightly tempted to go the Symbian route and get a Nokia N95 which o2 also have an offer and it looks quite nice (but then I don't know a great deal about Symbian)
Any views??!
Thanks for any help!
An update to an Orbit will be fairly easy for you as you will be used to the operation of the phone
You will also get
wi-fi - I use this all the time
GPS - either Co-Pilot or you can get TomTom (worth the upgrade on it's own in my opinion
WM6 next month (hopefully)
O2 will let you have it for free, you can sell your old one on ebay for £150ish
I don't think the N-95 is all it was cracked up to be. The GPS is not as good as the Orbit - either the hardware or the supplied software
What have you got to loose ?
Hays
Gah, screwed up...
Thanks hays, I appreciate that.
This might be a silly question but can you get the T9 'phonepad' on the Orbit, it's just I read in a review that it wasn't available & I use this constantly on my Prophet.
One of the other things about the N95 that's been attracting me is the camera quality, but I do feel more comfortable sticking with windows mobile if I'm honest, especially if I can upgrade for free.
Also my Prophet does have Wi-Fi, I use this a lot...The N95 also has it...
Thanks again,
yes the phone pad was posted on the forum and I use it all the time with my orbit.
I cant argue re the camera - the orbits is good in daylight - not so good in low light. Definately 1-0 to the N95 for that one
I've not seen tomtom running on a 95. I gather the supplied s/w is pretty lame. The GPS chip is not SIRF III, meaning it takes a few mins to lock on when you start up. Also needs a failrly good line of sight in your veh according to some
My orbit locks on in around 20 secs. It can even get a lock from the middle of my house
Hi hays, thanks again for the free help!
Sorry to keep up with the questions, but one last thing - GPS is new to me. Is this something that there are data charges for? I'm not sure how it works.
I've a Vodafone sim from my works phone that I was hoping to use in the Orbit but I'm not sure if I'll still be able to use GPS with it or how much it costs if I stick with my o2 sim.
I guess I should probably be proactive and Google this!
Thanks again,
(also, good news about the phone pad)
GPS = Global Positioning System. Free and used worldwide
GPS is free on the Orbit as it behaves exactly the same way as a regular in car GPS (unless you subscribe to live traffic updates which use GPRS - which is your phone's mobile data service)
The maps are stored on your storage card and therefore require no downloads. It does not matter which network or sim card you use as the orbit's GPS is stand alone
I believe the N95 uses GPRS to download the maps so that may be a factor to consider
Kaizer has GPS, great, smaller, but barely, slanted=who cares, same screen=sucks.
Other than GPS, that I only use while driving (so the BT GPS is fine), can't really find a reason to upgrade and spend $800????
Also, been playing with the Iphone and having terrible thoughts...
But the Poll is:
Will you upgrade and why???
definitely
I have upgraded and no regrets faster cpu although its the same 400 mhz but it feels faster
i wanna see the polaris first
My next PDA will got VGA screen and a better camera than the kaiser one.
But It's Got A Higher Version Number!!!!
Will be trading up, but to the Vario 3 rather than the Kaiser. What's the difference? Lots of cash!
My contract's up in a couple of months, I can sell my Vario 2 for more than the upgrade's gonna cost me so the question (in my case) is why wouldn't I?
Indeed I will
Yeah i will upgrade cause
Slanty Screen
Native wm6 not a cooked rom
umm.. I like new stuff
My Hermes 8525 is here to stay this year. Very happy with it's looks and capabilities that were developed on the forum. Next year I'll reaccess the Kaizer's progress.
I'd consider it if I could be a NON US version that has the front camera. I hate not having an option that I'll never use
Nah, I'd rather wait for something that has the specs of XDA Flame with GPS and WM7 (and less buggy).
I used to have a Universal.. I kinda miss the VGA screen. I was willing to let go of the VGA screen just becoz the Hermes has HSDPA. But right now, I'm not willing to pay for a new device just because of GPS and 128Mb RAM.
Slanted?? so what? I rarely even use the keyboard ever since I discovered pocketCM kb.
If I had a lot of money to waste, maybe I will.
I'm waiting for the omni. If it ever comes out, that is.
I am staying with my 8525, no upgrade for me
Would love to have the gps and that slick tilt screen, but gonna stay with the Hermes for now. Will wait until they finally throw in a 800x480 (or at least something more than this pitiful 320x240) screen with some real estate to view websites and documents. Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later.
My contract is up @ January 2008
Then i will get the Kaiser and my Hermes will find a new owner in ebay *g*
Got the Hermes from t-mob at 70€ here in Austria and that will be the same for Kaiser.
I think it is not bad if one waits until the new year as the early-product-problems will be sorted out then...
N-DEE said:
My contract is up @ January 2008
Then i will get the Kaiser and my Hermes will find a new owner in ebay *g*
Got the Hermes from t-mob at 70€ here in Austria and that will be the same for Kaiser.
I think it is not bad if one waits until the new year as the early-product-problems will be sorted out then...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine will be up in January too, but it's going to be hell trying to change contracts.
I'd like to get everyone's opinion on the built in GPS feature. My question is that, if I have the unit mounted on the dash of my car, for navigation purposes, will the GPS have a good view of the sky through the roof? With a BT GPS, I just toss the little reciever up on the dash so it can "see" out the windshield, and I can mount the PDA anywhere I want it.
How good is the reception of the GPS unit when it is built-in? Do any built-in units have an external antenna plug that can be used?
Brian.
Owwww yeah! That will be my new phone(A)
duttythroy said:
I have upgraded and no regrets faster cpu although its the same 400 mhz but it feels faster
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently it has some kind of dual CPU one for the phone part and one for the PDA part. You might be able to test the speed for me... Stream or play soemthing in RealPlayer then start up messaging and compose a new txt message... does the sound stay constant and uniterrupted?
It never does on my Hermes but this would interest me if it did on the Kaiser and if it renders web pages faster.
The built in GPS and slandted screen are nice but not necessary for me to upgrade.
Qaiser/kaiser hypes is just as bad as iphone!
all hypes, dont do much!
tell me, what does Qaiser has that my tytn/8525 cant!
and how much do u pay for those "few", or "little" features?
800buk?
i dont mind to pay 800buk to upgrade my tytn, but i want something better then just build-in gps!
this is what i going to get! eten x800 with VGA, gps build-in! or Imate 6150. i'm just desperate for VGA!
y do i call the Qaiser/Kaiser all hypes just like the iphone?
go to ebay and take a look! most sellers got like 30 or 100 Qaiser avail, and how many did they sold??
Nope... will wait for the price to drop further!
Why???
Every six months, there is a good ppc on the market, well I don't care as I don't have that kind of money to change devices every six month. Hermes fulfills my needs and I don't need a GPS. So My Hermes (and Cavalier) are to stay untill WM Photon arrives (by the way I read somewhere that it will be 2008 or 2009).
Cheers
Hi folks,
Noob here - I'm currently running a Tilt2 with an Energy rom, and am pretty happy with the interface... just not the size of the display. (gettin' old & cranky).
I use the FM radio (on external speaker) while I'm working, so that's a must. I also have a GPS program that works well with the Tilt2 (NoniGPS). I find that the audio (speaker) from the Tilt2 is really pretty good (in my old-ears opinion).
I'm thinking that I may miss the keyboard tho, as I've got big fingers and find that most of the on-screen keyboards are too small.
I've looked at many of the comments here - some are lamenting the lack of apps... can you run the 'older' 6.x version apps on this platform?
I played with one at the ATT store the other day, and couldn't figure out how to get to all of the tools settings like the Tilt2... maybe AT&T turned it off so folks couldn't mess with their demos.
I'll continue looking and reviewing, just figured I'd ask a few questions.
Thanks!!
Tim
The FM radio only works on headphones, unless the phone is unlocked (which we haven't done yet). GPS will come with the Lumia (Nokia Drive).
The keyboard is one of the best I've seen in a phone, very accurate and responsive.
And no, you can't run the WM 6.x apps in WP7.
tim051 said:
Hi folks,
Noob here - I'm currently running a Tilt2 with an Energy rom, and am pretty happy with the interface... just not the size of the display. (gettin' old & cranky).
I use the FM radio (on external speaker) while I'm working, so that's a must. I also have a GPS program that works well with the Tilt2 (NoniGPS). I find that the audio (speaker) from the Tilt2 is really pretty good (in my old-ears opinion).
I'm thinking that I may miss the keyboard tho, as I've got big fingers and find that most of the on-screen keyboards are too small.
I've looked at many of the comments here - some are lamenting the lack of apps... can you run the 'older' 6.x version apps on this platform?
I played with one at the ATT store the other day, and couldn't figure out how to get to all of the tools settings like the Tilt2... maybe AT&T turned it off so folks couldn't mess with their demos.
I'll continue looking and reviewing, just figured I'd ask a few questions.
Thanks!!
Tim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will be unhappy with the lack of customizability.
You will be happy with the reliability.
FYI, former Tilt, Tilt2, Fuze owner here.
Former Tilt2 owner (last one was sold on eBay this past week). Most of the apps that are missing from WM6.5 are utilities that you don't need/cant use on WP. Like Total Commander for example.
WP is very short on customization, so you won't find tools and menus. Ultimately, the choose is yours, so take this for what it's worth. I was so convinced that WP would be too immature an OS for me in 2010, I bought two backup Tilt2s to compliment the one I already had. Figured it might take a year or two to mature. Spent an hour with the HTC Surround on launch day, and knew I had to have it. Yes, I miss a little from WM, but there is so much more. And WP is so buttery smooth. The L900 is the best phone I have ever owned.
Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express Pro
Hi guys,
Thanks for the inputs. Wow, 6.x apps won't run on 7. Guess I'll have to see if there are 7 versions for the stuff I use. I figured all the 6.x would do ok... figured that's a big marketing thing that Msoft wouldn't let go.
Can it sync with outlook? (I don't use it for e-mail, although it's where my contacts are.
I don't really have any issues with the current Energy ROM & tilt2, it's <pretty> stable... haven't had to do a hard reset yet. Just looking for a larger display.
Guess I could keep the Tilt2 & use it every now and then!
Oh, I read in one of the on-line reviews that the FM radio can play through the speakers.. if not, guess I can wait till the unlock comes around... I didn't have that capability until I upgraded to the Energy ROM
But hey, Amazon has them for $20, so I guess I can't complain. Just have to re-up for another couple of years contract. Shouldn't be any more $, as I already have unlimited text/data plan, etc.
Again,
Thanks!
Tim
tim051 said:
Hi guys,
Thanks for the inputs. Wow, 6.x apps won't run on 7. Guess I'll have to see if there are 7 versions for the stuff I use. I figured all the 6.x would do ok... figured that's a big marketing thing that Msoft wouldn't let go.
Can it sync with outlook? (I don't use it for e-mail, although it's where my contacts are.
I don't really have any issues with the current Energy ROM & tilt2, it's <pretty> stable... haven't had to do a hard reset yet. Just looking for a larger display.
Guess I could keep the Tilt2 & use it every now and then!
Oh, I read in one of the on-line reviews that the FM radio can play through the speakers.. if not, guess I can wait till the unlock comes around... I didn't have that capability until I upgraded to the Energy ROM
But hey, Amazon has them for $20, so I guess I can't complain. Just have to re-up for another couple of years contract. Shouldn't be any more $, as I already have unlimited text/data plan, etc.
Again,
Thanks!
Tim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you cant use the WM6.5 appa as this is a new OS..
cant sync outlook but you can load outlook connector on your outlook and move your contacts and calande to your windows LIVE account, whic will sync with your WP7 (lumia 900). i was worried about this as well but now tis the best thing. i changed from HD7 to Lumia 900 and all i had to do was log in to my windows live ID and and all my contacts and calander items were in my phone at the telco counter...
but if you are happy wit tilt 2 then you shoud not change it...
So as a fellow Tilt2 user. How often do you need to soft reset? On my L900, I never need to. But I might every few weeks, just for the heck of it.
Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express Pro
I knew it was a new OS, but figured they would keep some kind of compatibility like 95 - 98 - XP. Guess it's too major of a change.
On the soft resets... with the original rom (the newest 'official' one), it seemed that I needed to do it pretty often for major lockups.
With the new Energy ROM, it seems about once a week I need to for minor issues.
However, I'm really happy with most features of the new rom - on the original one, internet (even over wifi) was poor at best. The new energy rom really makes it work better. Can't seem to run netflix with it tho (on wifi). It comes back and gives me an error saying it can't run with the browser. Maybe there's something that needs to be changed. (maybe the OS)?
But, there's still the display size issue.
Tim
The onscreen keyboard on either the Lumia 900 (4.3") or HTC Titan (4.7") are plenty big enough for my clumsy mitts, I use both phones and apart from the odd typo never seems to create a problem, Bear in mind you can type in landscape mode giving you a bit more keyboard to play with ;-)
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the info.
Since you have both phones, what differences do you see between the 900 & Titan? (other than the larger screen) Build quality, durability, speed, etc.
I figure they are pretty close, perhaps some of the software bundled with the Nokia may be different than that of the HTC.
Thanks,
Tim
Yes the software bundle with the Nokias is very good, Nokia Drive being the most prominent and Free compared to HTCs Locations which you have to pay for As for build quality well the Titan is a sturdy and quite slim build but the fact it comprises of two parts ie: Screen & Rear housing & then you have gold contacts to worry about for antenna & wi-fi etc, These need to be checked once in a while or you can experience connection issues, Funnily enough it doesn't feel too big and is similar in overall size to the Lumia 900.
The Nokia Lumia 900 is a solid single piece of Polycarbonate which is as tough as nails and although the screen is slightly smaller than the Titan the amoled screen reallly does make up for that difference & it is made from Corning Gorilla Glass, The Titans slcd screen really appears somewhat washed out in comparison, Not a problem as it still displays nicely and if I hadn't experienced the Lumia then I would be more than happy, One advantage of the Titan is you can remove the battery and swap it for a higher capacity one although I do get very good battery life from both handsets under moderate usage,
Performance wise there really is not much in it and to be honest, Both are super esponsive which is partly down to the OS to some degree, The Titan can be a smoother experience as I have encountered very slight lag when scrolling on the Lumia on occasion, Nothing drastic though.
Pros and cons for both depending how you look at it.
If I had to choose one it would be the Nokia for the simple reason it is more durable with a nicer display and great bundled software, There is nothing I dislike about it, It also stands out clearly away from the mundane looking HTC and is in a different class where looks are concerned.
I have to agree on displays. I had a samsung super amoled and when the upgrade came up my choices for HTC didnt hold a candle when I put the samsung next to it. Oddly enough I prefered HTC for almost 5 years prior and until I actually did the side by side I thought the HTC was great. Little did I know. I suggest an in-store side by side before deciding. And I mean literally side by side. The fact that amoled can be seen in sunlight outside was enough for me. The color richness and the fact that it doesnt look washed out completed the sale.
Thanks Andy,
Nice comparison!
Tim
tim051 said:
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the info.
Since you have both phones, what differences do you see between the 900 & Titan? (other than the larger screen) Build quality, durability, speed, etc.
I figure they are pretty close, perhaps some of the software bundled with the Nokia may be different than that of the HTC.
Thanks,
Tim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This will help answer your question too: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_900_vs_htc_titan_2-review-755.php