Develop Bugs

Still Using Harrier/Blue Angel Because You Prefer It?

I'm testing the waters a bit to see what the HTC enthusiast community thinks of the Blue Angel and Harrier in comparison to HTC's current product line.
While the Wizard and TyTN are fine products, they clearly are not the Blue Angel's design. The display has been downsized to 2.8 inches, and the Omni's handheld use is significantly diminished.
So, please vote in the poll. We'll try to let decision makers at HTC know if you want the Blue Angel brought into the 3G era.

I think there should be a 3G Blue Angel but they should still be progress in the development of more devices similar to the Tytn as the Tytn is proving one of the most popular devices I have seen and I feel is opening up mobile computing to people who thought about getting a connected PPC but didn't like the bulk of the units which had the features to make them useful.

Personally I stick with my BA because of how large the screen is and IMO the only phone that is worth switching too is the TyTn.
I also like how much thinner it is than any of the current HTC phones with a keyboard.
Meh... just my $.02

for Me its the screen, could do without the keyboard as i never use it.

I was using a Blue Angel (Harrier) on the Verizon EVDO network. It is a terrific device. I can watch videos real time. The larger screen is also awesome and much easier on tired eyes.
I finally put my Blue Angel aside and have been using primarliy a Wizard.
Even with all the Tweaks and overclocking, the Wizard is relatively slow. However, the Wizard has been much more reliable and is a much better phone.
I'm just about ready to order a TyTN because it seems the bugs are getting worked out. I'd rather have a Blue Angle sized unit with all the new Windows Mobile Features.
It looks like all the future HTC phones are small screened. The HTC Herald looks like a verizon/sprint EVDO (possibly Rev.A) phone. Looks great but still no Blue Angel.
I'd like to have a TyTN type phone for everyday, and then an "Arch Angel" phone with a large screen to travel with. It should have a fast processor, accept Standard SD cards.

I think you almost need two devices depending what you are doing. A 3G Blue angel with the same screen or possibly a VGA one for some tasks and a Tytn for most of the time. I have a Tytn on order but I will still use my IIs a lot because of the screen.

I love my BA. I had executive, then, IIi(alpine)..now back to my BA
Its a complete device(for those who dont want GPS)

Ditto. Screen (so many new devices have such small screens). Keyboard. Large RAM memory (yes I know WM5, but persistant storage read/write is slower). Still the best device.
Although, there's always something missing (GPS/FM Radio/a huge internal memory/Some devices even have TV!/direct USB access without an adater/EDGE/3G/etc.).

Love the BA form factor
I've gone thorough half a dozen phones in the past couple months trying to find an ideal unit for me. Seems everyone these days want the cute little phones that you could swallow if you got it too close to your mouth. Whats the point ? If its just for making and receiving calls fine, but if it's meant provide visual display and input (emails and surfing) than why wouldn't you want it big bright and loud ? Within reason of course..but some of these newer phones with all the great features are too small to make them easy to use. In my case it has to be Quad band as I need the 850 for CellularOne in my area.
I had a Blackberry 7100 which was great for push mail and work stuff but not so hot for display or web stuff. I just bought and then sold a very nice Hermes (Softpoint/Jasjam) device which was probably the best phone I have seen for coverage and features. It flat out worked great. I just could not see me using that needle size stylus on the 2.8 inch screen for very long. The display was nice but just too small enjoy using for me. It might work as a heads up display, but for my main device it need to be bigger. I mean... do you really want to run GPS map apps on this while your driving ? Or shop on eBay while squinting at that little thing. It looked MUCH bigger in the Ads
I've run a Symbian based Nokia e61 (still do) and find it one of my favorites for ease of use without a touch screen. It's not a touch screen but you would never notice with the neat smart key layouts and center joystick control. The display is not huge but the layout works great for web use and the browser is very quick. The problem with this phone is it seems to have a weaker over all RF module and I constantly loose my GPRS lock when going through fades and the only way to get packet (GPRS) back is to power cycle it. Maybe it's just my phone thats bad but the dealer won't exchange it as this point and I really doubt their "repair" shop would even find the problem.
I just bought, powered up and re-boxed an Ipaq 6945/15 device. Worked good signal wise and packet data stuff/Wifi devices were good. The phone just has a overall cheap feel to it. The keyboard is a joke (compared to my e61) and the joystick and side buttons are hard to use. Would it be that much more expensive to put a rubber tip on the joystick ? The 240 x240 display was weak and grainy as well. It has about 15 minutes on it and will listed for sell at a auction site near you soon ! I am waiting for my first BA device I just purchased off the web (O2XDAiis) and hope it's what I'm looking for. The 2003se software will new for me and it will probaly go to some version of WM5 soon after I get it. I'm hoping the screen is bright and pretty and I can actually use the "touch" screen with my finger instead of digging for a matchstick while cruising at 70 miles an hour. I like heft too, it signals quality to me. I searched long and wide for a 3.5 inch display, quad band phone and found Nothing but the older BA at this point. I'd love a new device to come out with WM5, 3.5 to 4 inch display, bright screen and the latest interfaces. I'd buy one RIGHT NOW.
Guy

BA all the way...big screen..nice keyboard..

I thought I would put my .02 cents in on this topic since I had a BA for 2 years and just recently got a Cingular 8525.
I did a pro's and con's list to help me make it very clear which phone I wanted and why. I'll just share the list with you...
Pros FOR the 8525 over the BA:
- Edge speeds are about 5x faster than regular GSM (120-150kbs)
- 3G speeds are about 30x faster (800-850kbs)
- Universal USB charger
- 2mp camera is much higher quality
- Camera application is much more advanced
- Native WM5 OS. No hacking or slowdowns from non-supported upgrades
- Jog Dial (this is a big one... Can't be without it now)
- MUCH improved bluetooth reception for handsfree
- Wifi type g and b (noticeably faster)
- Free push email w/ web2mail (simply amazing, no more disappearing gmail!!!)
- Smaller form factor... nicer fit in my hand than BA
- BT headset can start VoiceCommand. No need to touch the phone anymore.
- No soft reset to make the WiFi work start up
- PTT will be supported in the future and might be nice to have.
- Multiple sounds play without garbling (ie. VoiceCommand announcement and ringtone)
- Sharper more vibrant screen (the clarity and overall quality difference is significant)
- MUCH louder speakerphone and ring volume
- I like the navigation pad a bit better than the BA and it seems much more responsive.
Cons of the 8525 compared to the BA:
- Micro SD format max's out at 2GB (at the moment)
- No standard headphone jack
- Battery drain is higher due to 3g and push email
- The main buttons are a bit cramped around the navigation pad, but you get used to it, just like anything.
On the con side... Micro SD cards (typically) come with a standard SD card enclosure so you can use it with standard flash card readers or even put them into standard SD card devices like phones or the BA even. This is a nice thing in case you want to transfer information from one device to the other. Mini SD seems to be the real loser format out of the three in my opinion.
The headphone jack isn't really an issue for me so far. Yeah it would be nice to listen to the tunes with whatever headphones I choose, but I'm thinking a dedicated music player would be better anyway since I'm already running my battery into the ground as it is, but that doesn't change that my options are certainly limited. I'm sure someone will come up with an adapter solution soon. I've already seen some, but they are still getting better.
Battery drain is a big one... Other than disabling 3g and turning off direct push... I don't see a way to save battery. I just turn the back light down as low as it can go and use vjlumosiii (handy little app) mapped to a button to get max brightness when I need it.
Overall... I have to say that the 8525 is going to be a device that I will use for the next 2 years or so with MUCH fondness. I loved my BA and after having it all tricked out was still better than many peoples phones.
That's just my opinion on these 2 devices. I like them both... but the 8525 is going to be my work horse no doubt about it.
Mark

Apple Ipod.. The next gen BA ?
http://www.apple.com/iphone/
Looks like my next BA replacement. It's everything a new BA should be if they upgrade it... Now I just need to see one on eBay and someone to provide unlocker for it ..

GapBoyT said:
Personally I stick with my BA because of how large the screen is and IMO the only phone that is worth switching too is the TyTn.
I also like how much thinner it is than any of the current HTC phones with a keyboard.
Meh... just my $.02
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah but it's only 240x320.. maybe if they released a new vga version with a good camera/ wifi g/i/e, native WM5, id be down, the BA just too big!
Gvotuc said:
http://www.apple.com/iphone/
Looks like my next BA replacement. It's everything a new BA should be if they upgrade it... Now I just need to see one on eBay and someone to provide unlocker for it ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
baaaaaad idea man.. why do you think apple is getting sued by cisco.. they don't think things through! Hence the intel macs killing the g5's in benchmarks on OSX, APPLE Should stick to software!! (And ive got cingular!)

Yup, yup.
Still using my 6600 and love it!
The screen size and the full size SD card is what kept me from going to a 6700.

i've got the BA PH20B on 02 (2yrs now) i use it alot with tomtom, i was thinking of the HTC 3300 its got built in GPS, 2.8'' TFT-LCD 240 X 320 with 65,536 colours, but only a 201mhz chip so gotta look into it more. and i found out you can get it with out the navigation software. save a few pennies there.

Impressions of the Artemis (MDA Compact 3)

Hi,
It has been a few days since I got my MDAC3 so I thought I would share my impressions.
I have been using a JAMin for the last year so can use it for comparison.
Firstly my main reasons for changing to the MDAC3 were to get built in GPS and FM radio. Otherwise there is not really any great advantage over the JAMin.
The first thing I noticed is that it does feel smaller. I know it more or less the same size as the JAMin but it just feels less bulky. Down to it slightly slimmer profile.
Externally it feels on a par with the JAMin for build quality with all the buttons etc well fitted. The extra buttons are a bonus too.
I would have to say the JAMin screen has slightly better contrast but not by much. I am not sure about not having a separate headphone jack, time will tell if this is pain or not.
Of course the Rollr and wheel are a big deal breaker for some with this phone. I did have some reservations but having used it now I am happy to say they have been misplaced. For me the Rollr does work well and is a good replacement for the dpad. I would not go so far as to say it is better, just different. It can be a bit inprecise sometimes but not so that it is annoying.
I have hard wired the WnW button to switch between mouse mode. I find this additional function really handy in some apps. It assists in making one hand operation easier.
I am not quite so sold on the wheel. It is occaisionally faster for lists than the Rollr but not hugely so. A wheel on the side would have been better.
The lack of Wifi in the MDA3 over the JAMin is another contenious point for some. For me the only time I used Wifi was to surf using my broadband connection in the house. I can get this through bluetooth and with the WnW option on my contract it is not really an issue for me.
Software wise the MDA3 runs faster than the JAMin did. I am assuming this is probably more due to it running the latest version of Windows. Also by not installing the Ext ROM I have gained quite a lot of storage and program memory over my JAMin.
Finally the inbuilt GPS performance is very good. It connects far faster than my BT GPS ever did and holds the signal much better. From brief tests it should run for 4 to 5 hours without charge in Tom Tom which is more than enough for my uses.
So the MDA3 has been a worthwhile change for me. Coupled with my Flext 20 Contract and WnW I am paying 50p less a month than I was with O2 but getting unlimited web time and more effective usage of my free text/calls allowance. The phone is not a huge leap from the JAMin but it is a more polished a performer. None of the big omissions affect me personally (3G, Wifi, keyboard) so until the next big thing I am happy (for 18 months anyway)!!
Regards

You have probably hit it on the head!
I am moving from a HP iPAQ 2210 and SE K750i. I did use an iMate Jam for a while through my previous employer and found it to be a very useful tool, but had to return it when I left their employ. I have now decided on a XDA Orbit after much deliberation (ETEN X500, ASUS 535, Gigabyte i300 and HTC P3300) for the ability to dump my BT GPS reciever and combine my phone and PDA. The HTC suffered when you looked at the stats (200MHz processor, no 3G etc), but in reality that doesn't matter. If I can keep my diary up to date, access my contacts, email, SMS, Messenger and use Tom Tom then that is all I need. I will shut down programmes if it causes others to run slow, I will get used to a new method of navigating around the screen and put up with little foibles for the advantages in weight and size that the Orbit offers. If I waited for the perfect device then I would never move forward as every few months a new service or add-on becomes available and the manufacturers have to scramble to catch up.

Rhodium slight let down

Hi all,
Whilst the rhodium is a definate viable upgrade from the Raphael (and comes a little closer to the combined goodness of the Kaiser and Universal) it still seems to lack some essentials.
Why have HTC stuck a rubbish 3MP camera in it yet the HD and Topaz get 5MP?
No flashlight, also quite an essential highly useful piece of hardware that I use on an almost daily basis and consider to be a standard function of a decent PDA.
Amplified internal antenna for Radio, not essential but surely HTC could make this happen by now. We've had several devices capable of receiving FM yet you still have to use a hardwired headset to get signal.
I imagine it would not be too difficult to replace the camera sensor with a 5MP and take the drivers and software from the Topaz to make it functional though, however this I feel is yet another major oversight from HTC.
Flashlight, not so easy to add on to the device post production, would require case modification and voltage.............. Anybody know if the MBD is similar enough to the Raphael to actualy have the circuitry for this so that we can utilise the software controls for a FlashLight or whether it would require a seperate switch to enable such functionality.
Whilst I would realy like to upgrade to the Rhodium I feel that the camera and flashlight are major components that could swing my decision.
The Universal "was" to me the perfect PDA, it's just to bulky now and lacks the hardware integration such as GPS and FM that current devices have to make it viable for everyday use.
Do we have any serious hardware guys in the Rhodium forum yet that could answer my questions regarding the camera and flashlight as post production user upgrades.
Cheers,
(a very inactive )Beasty

I can tell you this much... my flashlight broke on my MDA and I have an app that amplifies the screen brightness all the way and turns the screen white. It works almost as well. As far as the flash for the camera goes... I have the camera set to nightmode which adjusts just as bright as if using the flash. So no biggie for me, at all...

Why exactly is a 3.2 MP camera rubbish? I don't understand this reasoning at all. 5 MP is a bigger number, but it doesn't create better pictures - only bigger ones. Pictures so big that if you're serious about taking them you need a dedicated camera to do with it. The camera on the phone is an accessory. You're not buying a camera with a phone in it.
Lack of an LED camera flash is a somewhat more realistic complaint. Although the range of such things is very short, there are enough dim light situations encountered on a day-to-day basis that it would be useful.

beast0898 said:
Hi all,
Whilst the rhodium is a definate viable upgrade from the Raphael (and comes a little closer to the combined goodness of the Kaiser and Universal) it still seems to lack some essentials.
Why have HTC stuck a rubbish 3MP camera in it yet the HD and Topaz get 5MP?
No flashlight, also quite an essential highly useful piece of hardware that I use on an almost daily basis and consider to be a standard function of a decent PDA.
Amplified internal antenna for Radio, not essential but surely HTC could make this happen by now. We've had several devices capable of receiving FM yet you still have to use a hardwired headset to get signal.
I imagine it would not be too difficult to replace the camera sensor with a 5MP and take the drivers and software from the Topaz to make it functional though, however this I feel is yet another major oversight from HTC.
Flashlight, not so easy to add on to the device post production, would require case modification and voltage.............. Anybody know if the MBD is similar enough to the Raphael to actualy have the circuitry for this so that we can utilise the software controls for a FlashLight or whether it would require a seperate switch to enable such functionality.
Whilst I would realy like to upgrade to the Rhodium I feel that the camera and flashlight are major components that could swing my decision.
The Universal "was" to me the perfect PDA, it's just to bulky now and lacks the hardware integration such as GPS and FM that current devices have to make it viable for everyday use.
Do we have any serious hardware guys in the Rhodium forum yet that could answer my questions regarding the camera and flashlight as post production user upgrades.
Cheers,
(a very inactive )Beasty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Beasty
Nice to see you around!
I´m completly agree with you.
As an Universal user (As main phone) to this date I haven´t saw a REAL decent succesor, for a moment thinked of TP2 but adding to the points you mention the smaller keyboard and the fact that processor is almost the same as in Uni I think I´ll wait a while more to upgrade.
perhaps in 2010 some good models we can see from HTC¿
Or perhaps Toshiba new models.....
Cheers to you!

I'm umming and arring. I quite fancy the Touch Pro2. It has a wonderfully large screen (3.6", 480x800) and is otherwise like my current TyTN II with a bit more hoursepower. The biggest draw is, as ever, the XDA-Developer community and the availability of accessories. However, I do understand that it could have *more*.
I had The TyTn and I loved the flashlight. It was awful for taking pictures, but great for working down the back of electrical cupboards and desks. I miss it on the TyTn II.
I don't really care about the 3.2Mp camera being a "limit". If you want more than 3Mp, you really need a decent lens. Sure, it's nice being able to take pictures while out and about without carrying another device, but if I really wanted to take a picture I would probably be carrying a proper camera. And if I did have a 5Mp camera n my phone, I'd probably wish it was 10Mp.
I also don't see the point of the FM radio. Between podcasts and choosing the music I want to play by Mp3 file, I can't see why I'd want anything else (and 5 live is on AM anyway).
And this brings me to my problem - The Acer Temp M900. Bigger screen (3.8"), 5Mp camera and a flash, although also slightly bigger (3x3x-.15mm) and heavier (by 18 grams). By headline features it is superior.
It does,however, have less memory (256 vs 512 of ROM, 128 vs 288 RAM) and runs on a Samsung 6410 @ 533Mhz, although I don't know how that compares to the Qualcomm chip in the current batch of HTC phones. I also don't know whether there are known problems with the video capabilities of the phone like there are with the Qualcomm chips (as per htcclassaction.org). In my TyTn/Hermes I had a Samsung chip running at 400Mhz and I remember watching some CSI New York on it without much of a problem. This could therefore be a good thing (or a bad thing).
So I don't know, seems having a choice is almost as bad as not having one.

I dunno, this whole class action thing seems like much ado about nothing to me. I'm constantly ripping movies for my Vogue and they play flawlessly. The idea of videos stopping or skipping is unknown to me. It seems like this class action thing is inspired by people who don't quite know enough for their own good. I suspect it's less of a driver problem than a user expectation problem. I'm no whiz at this stuff, and if anyone would have issues with video, I would expect it to be me, since I don't know what I'm doing when ripping videos for the device.

Camera and flash is never an issue for me. I only use the camera once in a while and maybe use it for capturing my contact's photos. I try not to take photos in pitch dark or when there is not enough lighting, even when you have a flash, the photo is awful. Proper lighting is needed for good photos. Serious photos should be taken with a serious SR camera.
As for radio, I am don't mind using the headsets as an hardwire for the antenna, as long as it has a radio for me to listen to when I want to. The News is pretty important to me.
As comparing to the Universal, there is really no comparison, I think. Correct me if I am wrong, this is only a personal feeling. The camera is better, there are more memory, the CPU is at similar speed but the technology is different. Its like comparing a VIA C7-M ULV Processor 1.6GHz to an Intel Atom 1.33GHz. The Atom is actually faster as it is more refined. So really, speed is only a number. It really needed to be tested. But RAM and ROM does make a difference. So the more the better. I hate it when my device tells me I am running out of memory and it crashes.
In all, I think the TP2 is still a pretty good device to bet on. Of course I can think of lots of other things it could have. Like I would love it to have a Snapdragon CPU. I would love it to have HD video capturing. I would love it to have 16m colours. I would love it to have 16GB internal memory, etc...
All I like is an over-all, balanced little hand-held device and which I think this little one has... Actually... he he he... I really really wished it had a 3.5mm jack.

Hi I all,
I wasn't stating that I thought the Rhodium was rubbish.
I'm simply stating that I feel HTC are misguided with their designs.
The Rhodium does look very attractive and to be honest I probably will end up buying (purely for the larger screen, better speakers and keyboard) my Raphael is very feature packed but not very functional, the hard keyboard is far from useable and the screen real estate is rather painful after my Uni.
All I am stating is why can't HTC simply take the best of their ideas and current range and roll them all into the so-called "PRo" devices.
Sure we all have different specs that we would like to see as standard but what I fail to understand is why they have to add decent functionality to some devices and then leave it off of others.
For example, Topaz has 5mp lens, yet Rhodium only gets 3mp............. what is the purpose for using the less capable camera............ I'm sure it's no cheaper to manufacture than the 5mp.
It's good to see what others think though,
Thanks all for your points-of-view..........
@ Orb..... :- Glad to see you still floating around too Sir, I have seen you around the Uni and Raphael forums, I just don't have the time to Develop or participate much any more mate. Take care
Regards,
Beasty

What do you really think? Of course they won't release a device with everything, how should they be able to make a follow up ey?
Now they gave us the bigger screen and possibility to adjust the angle, but took the flashlight

Mr.Sir said:
What do you really think? Of course they won't release a device with everything, how should they be able to make a follow up ey?
Now they gave us the bigger screen and possibility to adjust the angle, but took the flashlight
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps that is my problem then.
At the time of release the Uni had "everything" tilt and twist display, twin cameras, twin speakers, decent sized keyboard and flashlight.
If it had built in GPS and 3.5G I would still be using it as an everyday device.
My point is they got it right at the time with the Uni, why are doing half jobs now
As far as releasing a follow up, that too is easy, updated hardware, smaller faster lighter better battery life and MORE functionality.
Cheers,
Beasty

beast0898 said:
As far as releasing a follow up, that too is easy, updated hardware, smaller faster lighter better battery life and MORE functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easy, he says. It's a snap I think you should just get ahead of the curve now and buy one of these.

cocoaju said:
Camera and flash is never an issue for me. I only use the camera once in a while and maybe use it for capturing my contact's photos. I try not to take photos in pitch dark or when there is not enough lighting, even when you have a flash, the photo is awful. Proper lighting is needed for good photos. Serious photos should be taken with a serious SR camera.
As for radio, I am don't mind using the headsets as an hardwire for the antenna, as long as it has a radio for me to listen to when I want to. The News is pretty important to me.
As comparing to the Universal, there is really no comparison, I think. Correct me if I am wrong, this is only a personal feeling. The camera is better, there are more memory, the CPU is at similar speed but the technology is different. Its like comparing a VIA C7-M ULV Processor 1.6GHz to an Intel Atom 1.33GHz. The Atom is actually faster as it is more refined. So really, speed is only a number. It really needed to be tested. But RAM and ROM does make a difference. So the more the better. I hate it when my device tells me I am running out of memory and it crashes.
In all, I think the TP2 is still a pretty good device to bet on. Of course I can think of lots of other things it could have. Like I would love it to have a Snapdragon CPU. I would love it to have HD video capturing. I would love it to have 16m colours. I would love it to have 16GB internal memory, etc...
All I like is an over-all, balanced little hand-held device and which I think this little one has... Actually... he he he... I really really wished it had a 3.5mm jack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I fully agree with you on this,
the 3.5 is the only thing I really wish it had.
But I mean it's not like they can build the perfect pocket pc,
everyone's likes/dislikes are completely different.

Well, i think its safe to say, that no matter what device comes out, their will always be something missing.. Some feature someone wanted on it that it doesnt include. Its the way of things. Personally, except for the 3.5mm jack, it pretty much does everything im going to want from it. I just got a 10mp pocket camrea so im not concerned with the built in one. Also, i thought i DID have an FM tuner in it? everything ive read says it does. Even if it doesnt tho, im not concered about it.

ajbopp said:
I dunno, this whole class action thing seems like much ado about nothing to me. I'm constantly ripping movies for my Vogue and they play flawlessly. The idea of videos stopping or skipping is unknown to me. It seems like this class action thing is inspired by people who don't quite know enough for their own good. I suspect it's less of a driver problem than a user expectation problem. I'm no whiz at this stuff, and if anyone would have issues with video, I would expect it to be me, since I don't know what I'm doing when ripping videos for the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have watched videos on my Hermes and Wizard with little problem. Similar files on my Kaiser skipped a bit. I don't think it is quite the big thing people make it out to be (it still works as a phone), but it certainly exists and I'd rather my phone did everything I wanted rather than just most things.
Lyian said:
Well, i think its safe to say, that no matter what device comes out, their will always be something missing.. Some feature someone wanted on it that it doesnt include. Its the way of things. Personally, except for the 3.5mm jack, it pretty much does everything im going to want from it. I just got a 10mp pocket camrea so im not concerned with the built in one. Also, i thought i DID have an FM tuner in it? everything ive read says it does. Even if it doesnt tho, im not concered about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 3.5mm jack is pointless IMHO. It wouldn't take a headset, so you have to pull the headphones out to answer the phone. The extUSB is not ideal, but at least you don't have to faff, plus it allows for inline controls. I was initially sceptical, but having lived with it I have been converted. I won't repeat myself, but see here.
And it just occured to me why they have gone with the 3Mp camera. If the pixel size/density is the same in both and the lens is the same size, the physical size of the CCD will be larger in the 5Mp camera, therefore requiring either a stronger lens (resulting in fish eye pictures) or the lens to be further from the CCD. This would make it impractical (or maybe uneconomical) to put a larger CCD in a phone with keyboard as it is slimmer (or at least the keyboard section is slimmer) than a non-keyboard model.

beast0898 said:
@ Orb..... :- Glad to see you still floating around too Sir, I have seen you around the Uni and Raphael forums, I just don't have the time to Develop or participate much any more mate. Take care
Regards,
Beasty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, and thank to you and Laurentius I´m now adicted to this great community
I remember the old days on Universal with you guys
Really miss you!
beast0898 said:
Perhaps that is my problem then.
At the time of release the Uni had "everything" tilt and twist display, twin cameras, twin speakers, decent sized keyboard and flashlight.
If it had built in GPS and 3.5G I would still be using it as an everyday device.
My point is they got it right at the time with the Uni, why are doing half jobs now
As far as releasing a follow up, that too is easy, updated hardware, smaller faster lighter better battery life and MORE functionality.
Cheers,
Beasty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completly agree with Beasty!!
Why in 2005 they launched a perfect device: Universal
What happened on 2008/2009??
I´m sure they noticed it´s better to make not perfect devices as everybody will change it every year, if they continue making perfect ones buisness would not be great.
But I can see now TP2 like a good but not perfect option, before thre was nothing...

Cavey.co.uk said:
The 3.5mm jack is pointless IMHO. It wouldn't take a headset, so you have to pull the headphones out to answer the phone. The extUSB is not ideal, but at least you don't have to faff, plus it allows for inline controls. I was initially sceptical, but having lived with it I have been converted. I won't repeat myself, but see here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can have a 3.5mm socket that takes a headset + 3.5 adaptor, or any 3.5mm plug in the same socket. My X1 has this.
I can see why you'd say it's pointless, as often I use the adaptor (to accept calls with my headphones in), so it could just as well be extUSB. However, it's useful to have the socket for those occasions you need it and don't have the adaptor on you.
Also, I've found 3.5mm sockets unreliable on phones. I had an HD for about 2 weeks and the 3.5mm socket broke (had to send it back for repair), and the same happened after a couple of weeks with my X1. I hope it doesn't happen again, as they took over 2 weeks to repair it!
If all 3.5mm sockets are as badly built as the X1 and HDs ones, I'd rather not have them (unless I renew my T-mobile contract that gave next day swap out replacements!).

codybear said:
I fully agree with you on this,
the 3.5 is the only thing I really wish it had.
But I mean it's not like they can build the perfect pocket pc,
everyone's likes/dislikes are completely different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, personally I'd just as soon it had no camera at all. I'm stuck paying for and carrying a hunk of tech I don't really want. But the world seems to be against me on the utility of camera phones.

DavidMc0 said:
Also, I've found 3.5mm sockets unreliable on phones. I had an HD for about 2 weeks and the 3.5mm socket broke (had to send it back for repair), and the same happened after a couple of weeks with my X1. I hope it doesn't happen again, as they took over 2 weeks to repair it!
If all 3.5mm sockets are as badly built as the X1 and HDs ones, I'd rather not have them (unless I renew my T-mobile contract that gave next day swap out replacements!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the iPhones 3.5mm socket seems to be holding up. I haven't heard any complaints about it, and as far as im aware, it accepts/uses headsets.

Never had any problems with my HD's 3.5mm socket.

beast0898 said:
Hi I all,
...I feel HTC are misguided with their designs.
The Rhodium does look very attractive...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why did they have to make it look like an an old i-phone? Isn't the design world past that now?
And why does it have to be bigger than it's predecessor without much usable difference in specification?

I'm still in doubt after the TP

Guys,
I appologies if I am going to repeat some of the stuff already written but believe me I read most of the posts already.
To keep the story short, last year I bought a TP and my intention was to retire my old trusted Wizzard. I was very disapointed and I sold the device after one month of frustration. Please keep in mind that my baseline is the Wizzard.
1. The sound level was so low I bearily heard the phone converstion when I was in a bit noisy environment (like in the car, or mall)
2. The touch screen became active when somebody called and the phone was replying automatically whilst in the pouch.
3. GPS lag, compared to my Wizzard plus an external gps, 2-3 seconds more delay compared with the Wizzard (TomTom)
4. No lateral buttons for voice recording during a call, or voice notes, without browsing the software.
5. The screen was way to small for the 3D interface.
6. Battery life very short, 1.5 days max compared to the Wizzard 3-4 days. (30 min calls, 30 min wifi, 1 hour of screen on for games per day.) For traveling the Wizzard with full battery, BT on and the screen on max bright, TomTom runing it lasts 4-5 hours. The TP last max 2,5 hours same conditions.
7. I use a lot voice calls while I'm in the car. Does the TP2 have it?
Please help me to decide whether the TP2 is the phone for me or maybe I should go for the TyTn II.
Thanks a lot for your feedback/opinions/comments.

Get it you'll love it
kerosen said:
Guys,
I appologies if I am going to repeat some of the stuff already written but believe me I read most of the posts already.
To keep the story short, last year I bought a TP and my intention was to retire my old trusted Wizzard. I was very disapointed and I sold the device after one month of frustration. Please keep in mind that my baseline is the Wizzard.
1. The sound level was so low I bearily heard the phone converstion when I was in a bit noisy environment (like in the car, or mall)
2. The touch screen became active when somebody called and the phone was replying automatically whilst in the pouch.
3. GPS lag, compared to my Wizzard plus an external gps, 2-3 seconds more delay compared with the Wizzard (TomTom)
4. No lateral buttons for voice recording during a call, or voice notes, without browsing the software.
5. The screen was way to small for the 3D interface.
6. Battery life very short, 1.5 days max compared to the Wizzard 3-4 days. (30 min calls, 30 min wifi, 1 hour of screen on for games per day.) For traveling the Wizzard with full battery, BT on and the screen on max bright, TomTom runing it lasts 4-5 hours. The TP last max 2,5 hours same conditions.
7. I use a lot voice calls while I'm in the car. Does the TP2 have it?
Please help me to decide whether the TP2 is the phone for me or maybe I should go for the TyTn II.
Thanks a lot for your feedback/opinions/comments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Touch Pro2 (Rhodium) is excellent, you will not be disappointed.
Also if you had waited a while and tried some of the custom Roms from here for you Touch Pro you would have been very impressed with the device, admittedly it did require a lot of reworking and tweaking on the software side of things to make it acceptable. I still have my Touch Pro and it really isn't that bad a device, the only reason I upgraded to the Rhodium was for the bigger screen and keyboard (my thumbs are far too large for the Touch Pro keyboard to be useable for my needs)
I also own a Tytn 2 and TP2 is a huge improvement over it!
GET ONE YOU WON'T BE DISSAPOINTED>
Cheers,
Beasty

Wizard Vs TP2
Hi there,
My personal experience with the wizard wasnt great, yes it was the first with a slide out, horizontal keyboard but it had a slow processor and was far too sluggish for the things I threw at it, I also had the Tytn and the Tytn 2 (my personal favourite for a long time) and I finally bought the TP2 (skipped the TP1 as I was so impressed with the Tytn 2 I felt it was moving slightly backwards).
I can say without doubt that I love the TP2, it's taken a little tweaking and getting used to as there is a lack of hardware buttons (no navigation buttons) and there is no voice call option via bluetooth (I am still working on getting MS Voice Command 1.6 to connect).
I would personally say that if you cam live without the hardware buttons and voice activated calling via bluetooth then go for it, otherwise get the Tytn 2 as it's still an amazing bit of kit and it still has the tilt screen.
I hope this helps.

Wizard Vs TP2
Hi there,
My personal experience with the wizard wasnt great, yes it was the first with a slide out, horizontal keyboard but it had a slow processor and was far too sluggish for the things I threw at it, I also had the Tytn and the Tytn 2 (my personal favourite for a long time) and I finally bought the TP2 (skipped the TP1 as I was so impressed with the Tytn 2 I felt it was moving slightly backwards).
I can say without doubt that I love the TP2, it's taken a little tweaking and getting used to as there is a lack of hardware buttons (no navigation buttons) and there is no voice call option via bluetooth (I am still working on getting MS Voice Command 1.6 to connect).
I would personally say that if you can live without the hardware buttons and voice activated calling via bluetooth then go for it, otherwise get the Tytn 2 as it's still an amazing bit of kit and it still has the tilt screen.
I hope this helps.

apologies for the double post guys

terryd1980 said:
Hi there,
II would personally say that if you can live without the hardware buttons and voice activated calling via bluetooth then go for it, otherwise get the Tytn 2 as it's still an amazing bit of kit and it still has the tilt screen.
I hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it helps a lot, thank you guys for your feedback.
Concerning the voice call, without bluetooth, is it available on TP2? I mean like for the Wizard, you press a hardware button and the phone is waiting to make the voice call.
Is the phone loud enough, anyway louder than TP1?
I know the wizzard wasn't fast at all - I cannot run skype for instance - but with some compromises it fits my needs. Of course I would love the bigger screen and the faster processor and the integrated GPS of the TP2.
TX u all.

I would personally say that if you can live without the hardware buttons and voice activated calling via bluetooth then go for it, otherwise get the Tytn 2 as it's still an amazing bit of kit and it still has the tilt screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this mean that when the TP2 is connected to a car kit via bluetooth and then i initiate a call by speaking the name of the person through the car kit that it wont work ? i.e. my built in car kit has the option for voice dialing but it connects to the phone over bluetooth. Is this the same thing or have i misunderstood the quote above ?
thanks

Which currrent device could replace the BA?

What about the current followers?
Toshiba TG01 / K01, Touch Pro 2? Samsung Omnia Pro? Acer Tempo M900
I still can't find a suitable BA-substitution.
portrait orientated keyboard? docking station with battery charging option? Big 3:4 screen to make easier office working?
Not to mention the sd-card-slot ...
But, if make compromises, all mentioned devices have no really improvements (like a much faster processor) or they seems to be not reliable enough (Toshiba).
What do you think? Which device would you make to throw away your BA?

never throw your BA
TouchPro i would get!

never throw your BA
TouchPro i would get!

although none of the newer devices looks similar to the blueangel, they all have their respective advantages in their fields. it starts with the display resolution, all newer devices are better in that field, though not all the displays are necessarily bigger. i don't know, the portrait keyboard is not really something i need in a device, maybe it is because some keys of mine haven't worked since the day i bought it, but even if they did, i don't like the ba's keyboard, i really appreciate the universal's one, i can type almost as fast as on my pc there.
but i gotta admit, in one point, the ba really kicks ass:
the docking station, no lame usb cable, but a proper stand, you can charge the device and a second battery, and let's not forget, the headset port on top (though it is not 3.5mm *aaargh*) you can charge and have handsfree calls at the same time.
that's one reason, why htc will go back to the 3.5mm headset port, they said, you can simply connect the device to any speaker system, fm transmitters... and still charge at the same time. people were sick of carrying an adaptor from mini-usb or extusb to 3.5mm in their pockets, just in case they wanted to play loud music or use good headphones.
i do not fully agree on the sd card slot, while they are certainly the cheapest memory cards (3x 2gb for 10eur unbeatable), the 2gb limit is not exactly future ready. the most important thing is, that the card is interchangable without taking out the battery and stuff like that (yes, i am talking about you, NOKIA, damn you!1).
but talking about memory i would really say, the BA itself has an expiration date. how long do you think, fast proper roms will fit 32mb, external apps are growing bigger every day, 60mb is also not the killer, and installing to an sd card is also not really an option because it's slow and since there is no sdhc support, how far are you gonna get, i don't want to install my apps on every card i have.
don't get me wrong, i love the ba, and i don't think your post was to say, it would last forever.
i agree with you, there is no real successor to the ba featuring all its features, but really thinking about it, you must agree, you would give up some minor features for all the new stuff.
and i personally love gadgets, nonsense additons to devices, that i could perfectly live without, but i want them. there would be: accelerometer, proximity sensor, light sensor, noise sensor, multi-touch...
when it was up to me, the devices would also get a barcode- and fingerprint sensor, voice recognition and x-ray
just my 2 cents
hope some of this was interesting to my fellow BA enthusiasts and supporters of this community.
have a nice weekend everybody
Chef_Tony

It's clear to me that sometimes I must change my device. In my case (I still use the BA with WM2003, have 4GB SD installed and another BA to replace faulty device parts) the main problem is the slow Internet connection.
I'd like to have a device where I can check some information in the Internet in seconds, not in minutes.
Finally the question for me is to find the right moment, when HTC's devices are fast enough, Toshiba's work properly a.s.o. Will there be better BA successors in future? HTCs with 1 GHz? Toshibas with inside pens?
When this future will start?

I think my question is close enough to this thread, so I ask it here:
I'm also looking for an alternative to my MDA III (Blue Angel).
In general, I'm quite fond of the device. What I like about my MDA III and want to have in a future device are these things:
+ Windows Mobile hackability
+ sufficient RAM
+ realtively fast CPU
+ fingerfriendlyness (MDA III is because of its screen size)
+ reasonable battery life (I have a clunky extended battery)
But I want another device, because I see some drawbacks in the Blue Angel and want to have this:
+ less clunkyness (even without the extended battery the BA is huge)
+ landscape keyboard
+ built-in GPS
+ 3G ability
+ even more battery life (I always want more of that)
I got me an e-ten Glofiish M800, which has almost everything on paper. But the RAM (64MB) is much too small for a VGA device and the build quality is really bad. I can't even make decent phonecalls because the speaker is truly awful.
So, is there something the experts can reccomend? What about hte TYTN II, does it have a decent battery?
Regards,
Dirk

pdahunter said:
I'd like to have a device where I can check some information in the Internet in seconds, not in minutes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which browser do you use? For just getting some information Opera Mini (a Java application) is the browser of choice. It reduces the size of images and rearranges the website's content. With GPRS it is already fast, I never had to wait minutes.
Regards,
Dirk

I'm afraid the main problem is the connection speed.
I don't like operas user interface very much (I have V8.65) - no direct click to favorites/bookmarks, many other functions take more clicks than in IE. So IE became my favorite broswer.
Should I upgrade opera?

pdahunter said:
I'm afraid the main problem is the connection speed.
I don't like operas user interface very much (I have V8.65) - no direct click to favorites/bookmarks, many other functions take more clicks than in IE. So IE became my favorite broswer.
Should I upgrade opera?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a misunderstanding, I'm not talking about Opera for Mobiles but Opera Mini, a Java app.
Grüße,
Dirk

It seems I should give Opera Mini a chance ...

I've been using BA for about 4 years now! never disappointed me, its been amazing till now! however the weird look in ppl eyes start to annoy me so i decide to upgrade: so i got Touch PRO, and frankly i didn't feel it add much to my BA (may be a little bit)
bottom line: BA is one of the greatest device, and to replace it i would go for Touch PRO or PRO 2....but never through my BA
Cheers!

moh980 said:
bottom line: BA is one of the greatest device, and to replace it i would go for Touch PRO or PRO 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I thought so. I'll look for a Touch Pro when I get back the money I spent for the faulty E-ten. To0 bad that the Touch Pro still ist quite expensive.
Dirk

Last week I had a chance to compare BA and Touch Pro 2:
There are pros and contras for the Touch Pro 2.
Considering the contras the most important is the smaller screen (despite the 3.6"):
If I play games in portrait mode all signs and graphics are smaller than on a BA.
If I use the keyboard (E-Mail, Office) I have not enough place for lists and texts (landscape mode instead of portrait mode keyboard).
If I use the touch as navigation system the square of the screen is to small.
(moreover there is not car case yet with integrated power supply)
Hope sometimes HTC will build something like the TG01 with a keyboard.

I own a BA, have done for the last couple of years, currently running xplodes latest 6.5 rom and over all its a good pda... Yes, I class it as a PDA, due to its sheer size, I don't think I can ever comfortably use it as a phone... Yes, the screen is deffinitely bigger than most and that has its advantages, but I do think its getting old now and the way I see it, its probably getting a bit hard to adapt the latest software and roms to its 'aging' hardware...
I've just purchased a 2nd hand HTC TyTn II and to be honest, it really is fantastic, I really am very impressed with it, got it off eBay for £100 and the fact that it has a 3.0mp camera, built in GPS reciever, WiFi (like the BA), a 2.8" Screen and in my opinion, a much much better Qwerty keyboard pulling out the side giving much easier and bigger keys to press! I've currently got a Windows Mobile 6.5 rom on there and the battery life really does make the BA look like it should'nt have Windows Mobile 6.5 on it at all!
But hey, thats just my opinion, i'm not running the BA down at all, as its deffinitely one of my favorite devices and a device I'll keep forever! But I'm just giving my input to this thread and to reflect on what ive said above, for a good six months of the last year, I went back to using my SPV M500 rather than the BA just because it works better as a 'Phone'...
Cheers, Adz.