Hi Guys,
Long question, Cliffnotes below:
I've been thinking about buying a used excalibur (s621) as my main phone recently and I wanted to check in with you guys to address some fears I have over this phone.
Some background: I've used WM phones for many years now. My first windows mobile phone was when I went from plain old ipaq pocketpcs to the HTC Typhoon (audiovox smt5600). I was actually pretty happy with it except that it was slow and unresponsive at times and the OS would crash every few days. =( becuase I didn't have a dataplan, i never really used any over the air functions of the phone.
After getting fed up with the response times of the typhoon, I picked up an HTC prophet (dopod 818pro) after yearning to get a touch screen again. Unfortunately, I underestimated the processor of the prophet and I was eventually lead to frustration with the slow responsiveness of the prophet. I've since moved on to a blackberry (provided by work) with a data plan but I still wish I had a WM phone after discovering how limited the blackberry OS is in comparison to WM.
So in my search, my only cost-viable option at this point is either a s621 or the samsung BJ II. But I ruled out the BJII because it didn't have Wifi (though the faster CPU and GPS would've been nice).
I'm a veteran at flashing roms so i will no doubt be loading kavana's WM 6.1 rom if I get the s621 but I'm still truely afraid about having to deal with a laggy phone. Is the s621 like that? I know it has the same CPU as my HTC prophet and WM 6.1 professional was pretty laggy when I really needed it, so is Wm 6.1 standard any better? For those that have used both devices or similar devices, how does the s621 stack up? is it just as laggy (esp. when it was a device originally designed for WM5)?
How is the keyboard response times? Does it get laggy as well?
CN: Is WM6.1 laggy or responsive on the excalibur? How does it compare to other WM 6.1 Professional devices? How about Keyboard lag?
Thanks a ton for reading all the way down here.. =)
I've only had experience with the Dash, and I hated it until the 6.1 roms became available. I've used the stock rom, an HTC rom, Kavana's last rom, Ricky's v24 vanilla rom, and now the Rose rom. Ricky's rom was great, occasionally it would hang and require a battery pull, and the Rose rom works pretty well too. There are occasions of lag, but if you manage your memory, it runs pretty well. Sometimes there is internet lag, but usually it is a particular website or server causing the lag. If you buy, I would strongly suggest you upgrade the battery as well; get the 1550ma from Amazon.
Basically, I would recommend it as a cost effective phone.
The fact that you can get a used Dash or Excalibur for a little over 100 bucks right now, doesn't justify the effort of researching it so much. Buy it, use it.... throw it away or sell it on craigslist if you don't like it. 100 bucks is not that much money...
I personally like the Dash with the Rose rom, as it tends to do everything for me but that is my own opinion. I would actually check out the phone and try it for 100 dollars because that is not to much to spend on a phone.
You guys are ballers thinking $100 is not a lot for a phone... =) personally, I'd rather not spend $100 bucks and save up and get the iphone (yeah yeah, save the speech =))... but that's just me.
Sounds like there's really nothing different in terms of stability or lagginess of this phone compared to all the other WM phones (I guess I really shouldn't be surprised)... I was really hoping the WM6.1 standard was very responsive on the 200 Mhz omap CPU... especially reading how the 250 mhz cpu on the BJ II really flies...
But you're right that it's not a lot of money for the features you get. I will be bugging you guys more once I start flashing! =)
What other annoyances should I be looking out for when getting the phone?
I bought S621 and the same day I recieved it flashed with WM6.1 For Excalibur By Kavana 080408 - Remade By Rickywatt, of course that wm5 times are gone.
And from a month using it I found that it´s a very reliable, stable, light smartphone with 6.1!!, so my personal opinion is that for it´s price and time on the market is a good choice.
PD: I´ve got for free 2 iphoneys form my work cell plan and the same day I recieve them, i sold them, no more words about it...
Good day to all,
Well 100 bucks right now in our economy is alot of money, but i would not hesitate to buy the dash if i were you. It doesn't lag at all in my opinion. Best phone i've had yet out of about 50. I have the g1 and I'm still on my dash most of the time.
Same here agree with everyone, the Dash is an amazing smartphone, i use Rose ROM v1.6 remade by Ricky and I, the responsiveness is spott on, the customization is amazing always something to do, for 100 bucks as peeps putting it, it's a steal of a phone.
save up! this phone is like 100 years old. so yes, next to a g1 or anything new...its laggy, its outdated and lacks features that are hardware restricted. so as far as your 100$ goes...yes its a very minimal amount next to an iphone/g1/touchpro... so in short, this phone [email protected]! but like, a year or two ago.
Compared to new smartphones its laggy and old. but for 100 usd its very good choice. Personally i'm very satisfied, after flashing to ROSE ROM it's still really good device. i have mine for 3 days and i'm still really excited, because it has all i ever wanted - wifi and qwerty . of course - camera is really poor (i have switched from SE K800 which has 3mpx camera, so it's really markable difference)
Well I would not recommend the iphone either, if anything the G1 would be the best option; however, I have the G1 and I do not like it as much as I hardly ever use it and I still use my dash.
dash/excalibur
I've had mine for 5 months and I love it more now than before, upgraded to rickwatt's v24 when I first got it , and got hooked since. After getting a 4gb micro sdhc, stuffed it with, nrgz mini weather , showaco's pocket sportcenter, pocket player 3.7 , tcpmp, google maps, pocketnester plus, and a bunch of games , file changer for tweaking cprs, dll, and learned how to edit my own xml files, I've got a pretty enhanced phone. The only thing I hated was the P.IE but I got that taken care of with opera mini 4.2 web browser. I will probably keep this phone till my 22 month upgrade comes and if we're lucky, Dash2 will be around by then. BTW thanks to all the people that's helped me with my phone. The main reason for the phone to be laggy is having too many things running at the same time, every time I'm done using something I close it , free memory , etc, task manager and cele task are my friends.
stylez said:
Same here agree with everyone, the Dash is an amazing smartphone, i use Rose ROM v1.6 remade by Ricky and I, the responsiveness is spott on, the customization is amazing always something to do, for 100 bucks as peeps putting it, it's a steal of a phone.
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We know which rom your rocking stylez lol
stats555 said:
We know which rom your rocking stylez lol
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GIX 1.0b
gixxum said:
GIX 1.0b
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Still can't get past the logon pancake can you please provide support? lol
Related
Hi Guys,
I know it's not an exact comparison, but I was wondering if anyone has any opinion on whether or not Windows Mobile is any "faster" on Excalibur (because it's the smartphone edition), or if it's exactly the same?
Both devices run the same CPU and memory so I'm curious if WM6 smartphone edition is a little better optimized or not.
Just so you know, I currently own an HTC Prophet and am on the brink of ordering an excalibure as a replacement. I don't want to do it if the performance is pretty much the same.
Thanks,
I'm not sure what the performance is like for the two devices, but why don't you go for the S630 cavalier instead of the S620 excalibur?
The cavalier isn't available from my cell provider. =( unfortunately, Canadian cell companies suck like that.
And that's stopping you from getting one.... why ?
Rofl.. we're not all made out of cash... I'd rather get a subsidized phone from my Cell Provider than fork out a huge amount of cash for a phone. =)
Plus I already paid in full for my HTC prophet.. not going to make that mistake again...
mr_yellow said:
Hi Guys,
I know it's not an exact comparison, but I was wondering if anyone has any opinion on whether or not Windows Mobile is any "faster" on Excalibur (because it's the smartphone edition), or if it's exactly the same?
Both devices run the same CPU and memory so I'm curious if WM6 smartphone edition is a little better optimized or not.
Just so you know, I currently own an HTC Prophet and am on the brink of ordering an excalibure as a replacement. I don't want to do it if the performance is pretty much the same.
Thanks,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not know but from my experience there is less stuff loaded in the smartphone edition. WM Smarphone editions (well I have only used the dash smartphone actually) seem fast as hell to me with wm6 and is even better with 6.1. It depends on what you need as the smarphone editions don't have as much software as the regular versions. Of course there is that no touchscreen thing.
Size is what sold me. The dash is so friggin tiny. I work in IS at a hospital and have tried every ATT phone there is (Friend works with the cell phones and lets me play with the new ones). I really like the Tmobile dash out of all of them (plus tmo is cheaper and they aren't assholes). It has everything you want except for GPS and 3g. Has a decent camera 1mp nice in outdoors stationary (only thing I really want upgraded on the dash). Battery on normal use gets like 3-4 days (browsing web on opera mini 1/2hr day [pages take 1~2 seconds to load under edge], 10 minutes talk). If you don't use it at all on standby using newest radio update and whatnot it lasts ~5 days (make sure data is off when not using it). Playing back music with backlight off (GSplayer) ~5 hours (no normal headjack pisses me off, can get
adapter,included headphones are suprisingly good.)
The updates that you can get for this phone are amazing. This thing has gone from wm5 to 6.1 and looks great. I have had mine for a year and is still in perfect shape. Never had any problems with my dash.
I think it all comes down to what your using the device for. With the new 6.1 roms both devices will be snappier than before with better stability, and battery life. I recently dug out my Excalibur due to an itch to flash Rickwyatt's redone Kavana rom and I am VERY impressed. It's not only much more responsive but the interface looks great! good job Rick!
Comparing the Excalibur to my Herald which runs @ the same cpu speed, honestly feels about the same, but keep in mind the user experience on these devices although both powered by WinMo, is completely different. The Excalibur for example is much MUCH easier to use in the car for example, especially one handed. Capability wise the touch screen devices win hands down! Good luck!
Hello
I am satisfied with my HTC Touch 2 Pro ... when it actually works.
I have flashed "energy rom manila 2.1"
Unfortunately manila is very laggy interface I need to reset it at least twice a day.
I need my phone to be snappy and I thinking about switching to iphone.
Is it wort it ? I never had an iphone and I am wondering if GUI is faster.
I use HTC mostly to organize my day using microsoft outlook.
Dont do it !!!
MY Roommate has an iphone 3g. she is always asking to use my touch pro to connect her laptop to my phone to get internet. Internet sharing on the iphone does not work unless you jailbreak it.
other things you can not do is draw on the cap. touch screen. there is no hardware keyboard and because of that every message I got from an iphone user made them seem like they are 5 years old. there are lots of things iphone users complain about, not just my roommate. I just dont have the time to get into it.
Main thing you need is Outlook integration, right? so why deal with Apple products? there is a better outlook in the WinMo phones than on a desktop!
Apple lets the carriers (Att) call the shots about what is possible with the dinky little iphone. Microsoft lets us call the shots when we have to raise our fingers at those who limit us. They just dont tell us how to, but make it pretty easy.
You get an iphone, you will regret it.
Just find a decent stable rom.
[EDIT]
Just think of apple as the forbiden fruit... 'cause just about everything you try to do on it is forbiden. :|
Try one one of the cell pro roms. They are really stable and manilla is quite snappy on them.
I found the NRG roms pretty to look at but a little too buggy to use day to day.
I've been using NRG's roms for a long time and prefer the 21*** based 2.1 roms and they've been stable and snappy.
As for the iPhone, go ahead and try it out and see what you think. I have a buddy of mine that switched from windows mobile to iPhone and loves it! He was sick of flashing roms and doing reg edits and such. He wanted something low maintenance.
As for me, i've had the originial iPhone and the 3G, i couldn't use either one for more than 2 weeks. They've got a bunch of apps, but 90% of them are useless, windows mobile is much more productive.
The user interface is awesome, and its a great phone for people that want something really simple. As for me, i prefer something advanced, like windows mobile
Don´t trade it!
Rhodium is a great device!!
Rhodium: business and more serious and complete device
iphone: a fun device for listening music, download 100000000000000000000000 of almost all useless apps.. oh and by the way you can make calls....
Don't do it ......
The iPhone is losing it's luster ............
To be honest with you, we can have a fanboy war all day. Also this question has been asked many times.
IMHO It comes down to personal preference.
I had a Tytn II (ATT Tilt) for 1.5 years and then got an iPhone. Have had the iPhone for about a year. Jailbroke it so I could actually do some things with it but it is still limiting. Now I want to go back to WinMo and the TP2. So, you tell me which is best?
I have both, and i'd never go iPhone only,
the iPhone is great for reading emails and browsing the internet
the TP2 is much better for messages, calls, internet sharing, and useful software, like FFT's or playing back video formats i actually use.
I can spend all day dicking around on the TP2 and still have enough battery to make calls, i put my iPhone through the same punishment and it lasts less than 8 hours.
plus every man and his dog has an iphone, and when you pull yours out, its like an open invitation for people to come up to you and compare "apps"
on apps: WOOO OVER 90,000 APPS! most of them are fart sound generators. there are 3 useful apps, and they all cost over $50.
i have had tons of smart phones and the tp2 was the only windows mobile phone i could stand after having all palm treo's. unfortunately, the phone is laggy and slow, and the iphone is so much better at switching between programs. i disagree that the apps are not useful, i have found the apps to be the main reason i want to switch. safari, yelp, facebook, etc. all the internet based apps are better written, and integrate more seamlessly with the phone. if sprint wasn't giving me such a good deal, and i mean really amazing plan, i would have switched to the iphone a long time ago. once the next gen iphone comes out (june 2010) i will get one in addition to my tp2 which i use for tethering. as for the jailbreak excuse, yes, some of the apps do require jailbreaking but i hardly see the difference between jailbreaking and installing a new rom.
the only issue, and it's a big one, is the lack of a physical keyboard. you get used to it, but still i can see it being an issue with as many text messages as i send.
I do not have iphone but have teh ipod touch which is virtually iphone without the phone feature. The strength of iphone is often the interface and the tight integration. It should be expected because the phone interface does not sits on top of the WinMo. I guess if you want a faster response, disable the touchflo.
Another strength of iphone would be finger frindly. WinMo still needs to catch up and hopefully it will on WinMo 7 (and hopefully TP2 will have it, pray on HTC to support it)>
Another strength of iPhone would be the web browser in my opnion. Nothing on the mobile platform comes as close as the safari.
I guess for more feature rich and more customization, winmo phones are great and tp2 is prob the best (with the exception of HTC Leo). The con of the TP would probably be the size and weight.
If you need more speed and stability, energy ROMs may not be for you. Lot's of extras and eye candy are put in. They are fast enough for me, but maybe you should look at a more simplistic ROM. I have a CDMA device so I can't recommend one for you but I'm sure there are plenty out there. If you rely on the outlook features heavily, Iphone is definitely not for you. It is a media phone, not a PDA.
iPhone or TP2
I never had an iPhone--I never wanted one--but I had my TyTN/8525 for just a few months short of 3 years; at that point, the battery couldn't hold a charge and that made it untenable while out on contract projects. I recently upgraded to a TP2 and am absolutely happy with it. The only problem I've had (installed an application that, after rebooting, wouldn't even load Windows. I fixed that and haven't had a problem since.
Both platforms have some apps that aren't worth wasting any bandwidth on as well as some apps that are worth their weight in gold. Both have download services for applications, and I know the Windows Marketplace and CAB4Express are lacking. Still, I've patched my otherwise stock Tilt 2 to improve the network throughput, removed the extra software that AT&T installed and installed other WM65-compatible software. it's a great business platform; rumors of its demise are overexaggerated and, to the contrary, it's not dead yet.
If you are tired of the typical Manila style. Try SPB SHELL. It's kind of like the Android interface and it's pretty zippy. It might give your device some freshness. It consumes less CPU juice then manila so give it a try. Download it from the website and give it a try.
band27 said:
If you are tired of the typical Manila style. Try SPB SHELL. It's kind of like the Android interface and it's pretty zippy. It might give your device some freshness. It consumes less CPU juice then manila so give it a try. Download it from the website and give it a try.
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That looks pretty tight, i'm gonna try it out ........
69Pwned said:
That looks pretty tight, i'm gonna try it out ........
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For optimal settings:
• Start>Settings>Home>Items.....here uncheck everything and reset your phone
Hi, my iPhone 3g just broke and I was looking to get a new phone. Im a former Windows Mobile 5 user (mda, eten m700, and tilt). I am also a former G1 user. I always liked windows mobile before becasue all of the nicer devices ran it, but i always felt it was very slow and sluggish. I find the apple appstore is great and I use alot of the programs daily and they all are very smooth and fast. Have they improved windows mobile since the mda days. Will the tp2 be as fast an an iphone.
Is there a VNC program to control my desktop over edge, 3g, or wifi?
How good is the facebook app?
Hows the battery life?
orb3000 said:
oh and by the way you can make calls....
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Hahaha, this made my day. My roommate has one, and his phone drops calls CONSTANTLY. I'm being serious, like at least 4-5 times a day.
One point people have overlooked (unless I missed it wihile skimming)... is how customizable WinMo/TP2 is. You can modify your icons, enable disable features with simple RegEdits and make it look how you want
iPhone is well... still looks like an iPhone, unless you want to get into deep programming.
okay, i got my TP2 yesterday. I have got to say. I am loving this phone. I was a WinMo hater as well because of the fact it's sluggish and poor touchscreen interface. However, I think HTC made an excellent device. The screen is just great and vibratn. I think it's even better than iphone (can't confirm). the thing actually is much faster than I expected and I think it's not as slow as people cliam it to be. Even without the hacked ROM, it's fast enough.
The couple of complaints I have with the phone is the poor internet performance (it's going to e it's achille's hill for a long time unless MS get their act together). The weight is definitely not as good, it's a tad too heavy and thick to my liking but it's tolerable.
I absolutely love the keyboard, it's so much easier to work with it.
If you want a lighter phone, I think the HTC pure is an excellent alternative.
ok I am thinking about getting a touch pro to to replace my recently dead wizard so I want to find out what everyone thinks about the TP2.
I notice it only has like a 500mhz cpu how does it do for multitasking?
on tmobile's 3g are you able to talk and surf at same time?
and overall how it your experiences with it in general?
sorry for the stupid question but none of the cell stores around here have a working display and I hate to pay that the tp2 runs and not be-able to stand it.
yonu said:
ok I am thinking about getting a touch pro to to replace my recently dead wizard so I want to find out what everyone thinks about the TP2.
I notice it only has like a 500mhz cpu how does it do for multitasking?
on tmobile's 3g are you able to talk and surf at same time?
and overall how it your experiences with it in general?
sorry for the stupid question but none of the cell stores around here have a working display and I hate to pay that the tp2 runs and not be-able to stand it.
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It does great on multi-tasking, that also depends on your rom though
No your not able to. Only at&t's network your able to talk and use the web browser at the same time.
My experiences are great, Other than the HD2 its one of the better WinMo fones out.
well that is good on the multitasking. well that really sucks on the 3g that was one of the reasons I was considering the tp2 over a unlocked expo(love the idea of a 1ghz cpu and 5mp cam) other than price was I figured i could talk and surf even on tmobiles 3g wasn't aware it was a carrier thing.
thanks again,
yonu
tarroyo said:
It does great on multi-tasking, that also depends on your rom though
No your not able to. Only at&t's network your able to talk and use the web browser at the same time.
My experiences are great, Other than the HD2 its one of the better WinMo fones out.
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yonu said:
well that is good on the multitasking. well that really sucks on the 3g that was one of the reasons I was considering the tp2 over a unlocked expo(love the idea of a 1ghz cpu and 5mp cam) other than price was I figured i could talk and surf even on tmobiles 3g wasn't aware it was a carrier thing.
thanks again,
yonu
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Ooooohboy do I have some good news for the both of you!
You most certainly can talk and surf 3G at the same time on t-mobile's network. Just to make sure I hadn't lost my marbles and completely missed something somewhere, I just went and tested it. I made a call, and while it was connected I opened Opera and surfed to this very thread.
yonu, I also come from a wizard (3 years), and as much as I miss it, I still find the TP2 a worthy upgrade...and I know there's others here who have similar stories and feel the same way. The TP2 is by no means perfect, but if you loved the wizard for the same reasons we did (mostly it's durability, versatility, and that awesome keyboard!), then the TP2 is the closest thing you'll find to that experience...only much faster and much much prettier...in the current gen of smartphones.
And, not only that, but I believe (and again others will likely back me up on this) that the stock WM 6.1 ROM that ships with the t-moble version of the TP2 is the smoothest, fastest, and most stable of all the stock roms out there, mostly due the fact that it's 6.1 and not 6.5, and it's not the later versions of sense either, all of which are known to negatively affect performance overall. T-mobile has already issued a stock upgrade to 6.5 which you can do, or you can get a custom ROM here to add that and later versions of TF3D/Sense along with many other elements. However, give the stock ROM a try first, use it to get comfortable with the phone and basic upgrades/tweaks, and see how you like it...I think you'll find you experience a lot fewer of the headaches and hassles you'll see people reporting with WM 6.5 roms.* One of the things that makes this 6.1 ROM so great, in my eyes, is that it does a wonderful job of handling multitasking...most of the ROMs are at least decent at it, but this one really shines
Now as far as maybe just waiting for the HD2...I gave the screen keyboards on this phone every chance to be an adequate full-time replacement for the hardware one, and while they are indeed very good, and more than capable, nothing replaces the tactile satisfaction that hard keys give when typing out more than 140 char at a time. So, if you liked the keyboard on the wizard, you'll like the screen ones on here, but still find yourself using the slide-out quite often. I also happen to believe that t-mobile has the best keyboard layout of all the models, although it's very simple to remap any of them at your whim.
Don't give up on the TP2, esp. the t-mobile one, I still love mine as much as the day I bought it, maybe more!
*Now, this is speaking strictly about stock ROMs, that's to say nothing about the many of the other wonderful ROMs available here, most of which are a considerable improvement over the stock 6.5 offerings
thanks for the info good to know about being able to browse and talk at same time and yes i considered waiting on the HD2 but i like having a hardware keyboard.
Thanks,
yonu
I will say the one thing i don't like about the TP2 is no led flash for the camera( comes in handy as a flashlight lol)
On the mention of camera- I miss ths LED light as a camera but now use the face of the screen as a mini flashlight.
What is a pleasant surprise is that the newer ROMs must have better camera apps because my TP2 takes very nice pictures and is pretty quick about it.
(I have 2 kids and this is actually a little nice feature on the go)
I used to have a TP1 and that thing was useless at taking pictures...
I can also verify that you can talk and surf at the same time on T-Mo's network. I love my T-Mo Touch Pro2! I don't use the camera excessively, so no LED flash isn't a major inconvenience. As far as TP2 vs. HD2 goes, I would tend to pick the TP2 because I'm the person who NEEDS a physical keyboard (and if you like physical keyboards, then there's none better than the TP2 ). I text and email a lot so it's a must for me. Of course HD2's Snapdragon gives it a performance upper-hand, but the TP2's 500-some mhz is sufficient for most people's multitasking needs.
I have had a generally good experience with the Touch Pro2. It very rarely got sluggish on its stock ROM, and it runs decently with heavier flashed ROMs. I highly doubt this phone will disappoint you if you get it.
Rhodium is the best hardware keyboard device to this date!!
You won´t find anything better in the market.
Go for it!
And don´t forget to vote
So, I'm looking at getting a new smartphone through my work. Unfortunately I'm locked with Verizon, which is usually a slow adopter of new phones AND my work is a slow adopter of new Verizon phones, so I'm sorta double-whammied. My current phone is dying, so I need to upgrade now and seeing as it would likely be a year at the earliest before any Windows7 phones would be available for me I'm looking at upgrading now.
The TP2 is one device that I can get. I'm very familiar with Windows Mobile 6.1, so this has an appeal. But I have some questions.
Does anyone know if the GPS is "unlocked" out of the box? I'd like to use some GPS programs other than VZNavigator and I'm wondering if I need to install a custom ROM first.
Will a new TP2 device now be installed with 6.5 or will I need to upgrade? Can someone give me a quickie run down of 6.5 vs. 6.1?
How's the Battery life of the TP2? I'm a heavy power user so I want to make sure I can get through a day without charging.
Lastly, I _might_ be able to get a Droid. I've never used Android before, but I have to say that I'm tempted. Anyone have an opinion? Is the Droid a lot better? Is it worth trying to push for the Droid?
aGPS works out of the box, you need to make sure to use the Quick GPS tool to update the satellite though. There are some free navigation programs but I've heard they sometimes do not choose the most logical route. Garmin, Tom Tom, and other paid GPS programs should work as well.
The new VZW phone comes with 6.5 as far as I have seen lately. One ordered off their website in early April came with 6.5. Here is a post with everything you'll need to know about all windows 6 versions, 6.1 vs 6.5 will be down towards the bottom more: http://www.modaco.com/content/i9x0-...m/299717/com-branches-explained/#entry1153714
The phone can make it through a full day of usage in most scenarios. I would say unless you talk 3+ hours and run GPS, 3g/wifi, and multiple programs ALL day you should be fine. If not there are extended batteries you can purchase (although the phone is already big enough as it is).
In my opinion Android is a great OS, motorola is not my favorite phone manufacture, but beyond that it is still a nice device. It is slightly more responsive than the TP2. The keyboard is much more cramped and the top row is difficult to get use to. It doesn't quite replicate the desktop feel I get when I use WM. I can't give a real in depth break down because I've only messed with them a couple times.
Hope that helps your decision a little.
I have a coworker a few desks away from mine who has a Droid, and we often pass the time with a few heated rounds of "yeah, but can yours do this??" LOL Neither of us has done much to convince the other that our phone is better (his Droid vs my TP2)....but, the one thing he openly admits he wishes he had was the MUCH better hardware keyboard that I enjoy all day long
In fact, I suspect that once a fully-working version of android appears on the TP2, he'll be finding a way to sell his droid, and join the ranks of the HTC fans
Thank you both. I appreciate the info!
RedRamage said:
Will a new TP2 device now be installed with 6.5 or will I need to upgrade? Can someone give me a quickie run down of 6.5 vs. 6.1?
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I'm pretty satisfied with 6.1, though I use SPB Mobile Shell for my UI. Though I can't give you a run down, having not used 6.5, the only feature I've come across yet that I actually want is a reg entry for the keyboard backlight. Also, last I checked Office Mobile 2010 is 6.5 only. Once OneNote Mobile 2010 is out, I'll probably bite the bullet and upgrade.
Personally I'd avoid the Droid. If I didn't need a better hardware keyboard than that, I'd probably get a Nexus One and use the on screen keyboard. Cramping the keys that close together with minimal key differentiation... I honestly don't know what the point of that was. Another nice thing about the Nexus One is you get OS updates straight from Google. No waiting on VZW and no fragmentation concerns.
Choosing the TP2 instead means being outdated in terms of power but having marvelous levels of interface comfort. I'm already plotting trying to find a similarly sized android snapdragon that I can somehow transplant into my TP2's casing. It's probably impossible, but it is super comfortable. I'll just have to dual boot and pretend I don't mind the ancient guts.
I've never heard the battery life described as anything other than average. Although the CPU is slow, the newer faster processors also come with new power-saving tech it doesn't have, so a nice snapdragon will go longer on the same battery capacity (though most snappys come with a smaller capacity battery stock). I'm actually using my VZW TP2 as a PDA right now, typically with all radios off, so my usage couldn't inform you. If you're a heavy power user, average might not do it. You can get a 1700ish mah battery that fits in the existing casing, or up to a 3500mah battery that requires a new battery cover if that suits you. Alternatively you can get a charger that charges both your phone and a spare battery simultaneously and swap as necessary.
Since this is posted in the TP2 sections, you'll get biased results, same as if you were to post this on the Droid forums. I have a Droid and my girlfriend has a Tilt 2. My Droid is rooted with AdamZ 2.1 Android and overclocked; the thing is lightning fast. My girlfriends Tilt 2 has been custom cooked with EnergyROM Sense 2.5 and have also installed Android to test it out.
Performance wise, the Droid is faster, much faster if overclocked; it was a huge performance upgrade for me since my previous phone was a Samsung Omnia i910 with a cooked WM 6.5 rom. There is virtually no noticeable lag between scrolling screens and opening apps. Her Tilt 2 was fairly slow out of the box loaded with AT&T bloatware, she even complained to me about the phone being laggy. However, it is noticeably faster since installing the cooked rom.
I know Android is still in it's beta phases for the TP2, but it's still fairly buggy, many of the apps don't function correctly and eventually gave up on using it.
If apps are a big thing for you, I'd stick with Android, as there are many more fun apps, many of them free. With the Windows Marketplace, many apps are merely trial or lite versions, an example being Shazam, which is free on Android, but limited to 10 uses on Windows. I'm not sure if it's just Microsoft's doing or what. Also, the Droid has Google Navigation, which is arguably the best GPS for a phone, and is completely free. I've even thought about selling my Garmin 265WT since I barely use it anymore.
As for the keyboard, the Tilt 2 is clearly better, but I've never had any problems typing on the Droid, which many people complain about. I type with the tips of my thumbs, so that may make a difference. Battery life is pretty much the same, which can last about a day or two depending on usage.
All in all, I'm happy with my decision and when I asked my girlfriend which phone she preferred, she picked mine, but the for her it was between an iPhone and a Tilt 2.
ekimmik said:
Since this is posted in the TP2 sections, you'll get biased results, same as if you were to post this on the Droid forums.
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I actually disagree, especially considering the responses thus far. There's plenty of Android love in this thread, but I'd wager there'd be little WinMo love in a droid thread. I think TP2 users are dramatically more aware and more willing to admit to their device's weaknesses than users of more popular phones.
I would appreciate if anybody could give comparison between HD2 and Touch Pro2 because I am torn between the two models. I am now using Dopod 838pro (Tytn)
and want to upgrade coz my phone is "dying". Basically I like the HD2 for the speed and the screen but it don't have video call or macro mode. I like most of the spec in touch pro but it lack speed compare to HD2. So i guess someone who have used both of these models would know the pros and cons. Especially the speed of these two processor in real life. Any input would greatly appreciate
You should go for the HD2. The speeds of the TP2 is getting really anoying. And the fact that android is running very smooth on the HD2.
And there is the possiblity of a WP7 rom for the HD2 in the future.
The biggest decision you have to make is how much do you value a physical keyboard? If it's a big deal for you, then go for the Touch Pro2. If you don't care about a keyboard, then the HD2 is a far superior choice in terms of hardware as well as software development. HTC's website lists the specs of both machines. Keep in mind that the T-Mobile version of the HD2 has 1GB of internal storage as opposed to half of that on any other version of it.
my own opinion, go for TP2, it's qwerty hardware keyboard are valuable things to have, just like Your Hermes, it make different easy way related for daily working usage
Thanks for all the replies. My problem with HD2 is there is no secondary camera for video call. Then if I choose TP2, how bad is the speed, is it acceptable if compare to Hermes (Hermes is quite slow to me)?. Or is it just about the same?.
Well.... I think I have to choose TP2 for the secondary camera. If HD2 come with secondary camera that would be a dream. I have also look at other WinMo device such as Omnia Pro with the slide keyboard, secondary camera and 800MHz but not so good UI, and I like HTC more.
dx3me said:
Thanks for all the replies. My problem with HD2 is there is no secondary camera for video call. Then if I choose TP2, how bad is the speed, is it acceptable if compare to Hermes (Hermes is quite slow to me)?. Or is it just about the same?.
Well.... I think I have to choose TP2 for the secondary camera. If HD2 come with secondary camera that would be a dream. I have also look at other WinMo device such as Omnia Pro with the slide keyboard, secondary camera and 800MHz but not so good UI, and I like HTC more.
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If you are in the US, the second camera makes no difference as it will not work for video calling here. Video calls on the TP2 only work in Europe.
Ok dx3me, here's my personal opinion. I had previously purchased the Touch Pro2 because of its keyboard form factor as well as the front camera. I came from the Xda Exec/Htc Universal phone and this greatly influence my choise for the Tp2.
-->First complain edited since the TP2 can play smooth videos provided you know how to convert it with this tool--->http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=467112
Second complain is that the internet experience is not that great and after using a hd2, I really prefer its bigger screen as it delivers a new approach on how you can easily browse, email, chats and so on. Very stylish in the hands and its look is simply amazing - it will surely not go unnoticed by people around you due to its huge screen + "slim" size.
Third and last one is that some softwares are so damn slow to run on it and the lack of extra RAM suffers greatly.
So I am definitely planning to switch to a HTC HD2 in the coming weeks as compared to the TP2, the HD2 has specifications of a new generation phone where as the tp2 is very very far behind. Now that many phones are coming out equipped with a 1ghz proccessor, I bet that most people will follow the trend and get similar powerful phones unless keyboard is an absolute must or money is a key factor...My opinions only...
Okay, you want an opinion? I'm a person with both a Touch Pro 2 and a HD2.
Well first, I loved my TP2. I thought it was the best phone I've ever had. Loved the physical keyboard, it seemed to be running fast, and it can run Android on it, although not quite so well. The resistive touchscreen was very accurate, even though it could sometimes be one big pain in the arse. That's when the stylus came in.Pop it out, use it, pop it back in, simple. But then after a while, the darn thing felt so slow. Pages took a long time to load, no Flash support in browsers, my battery drained fast. One day I went to the T-Mobile store in my area. What do I see sitting in front of me? A live working HD2, hooked up to their security system. So I try it. So fast, I have to have it. So I h'whipped p) out $500 bucks from my pocket a few months later, and I had my HD2. It can run Android 2.2. It can run Flash videos perfectly. Hell, even Windows Mobile was fast. Then I thought, oh shucks, the keyboard. I flipped the phone into Landscape mode and that friggin keyboard is amazing. Now I have big hands - my fingertips are about as big as the keys on my keyboard. This keyboard won't make you miss your Touch Pro 2. Since then, my Touch Pro 2 has sat in a corner, neglected. I feel sorry for it from time to time and use it p), but then I go straight back to the HD2.
One disadvantage of the HD2 is the BATTERY LIFE. Heavy use - 4 hours (constantly on)
HD2...I really like the hard keyboard on my TP2, but it just doesn't have enough Ram, My older Samsung Epix ran better, the TP2 just sucks away ram, I end up soft resetting a couple times a day, just from text messaging or checking my calendar or weather, it's a pretty big disappointment in that area. Just think, the HD2 will have a processor about twice the speed of the TP2 and twice the ram, plus half a Gig to 1 Gig of internal storage, for pesky programs that won't go on the storage card. If you want specs just check out: http://www.htc.com/us/products/compare/104-65-61?view=1-3&sort=0
I think I know which one to get!!
Thank you everyone for the inputs.
Well, I'm changing my mind. I have tested a demo HD2 in the shop and like it. I think I have to get the HD2. I also can't consider any of the WP7 devices at the moment because I think I would not buy the WP7 devices until it become better devices. That could be a year or two. Well if I could not live without the video call (on HD2), I have to fix my Hermes a bit as a backup. So I can use the video call on my good old Hermes. Hopefully this could work. (The only bad thing is I have to carry my Hermes along if I intend to do a video call)
Hi Mate,
I Have both the Touch Pro 2 and HD2 and I would only recommend the HD2!! My personal opion is that I would not waste your money on the touch pro 2.
Col
Hmmm, I've been using the HD2 for 1week now and my previous excitement has a bit vanished for this phone. I used the phone a lot for business purposes (especially using emails and chat a lot) and the lack of a keyboard suffers GREATLY. Though the HD2 screen is large for typing, I ended up in making mistakes couple of times when typing fast and I was really frustrated having to constantly correct my mistakes. This is time consuming especially when I have a lot of emails to respond on the way, and often gets my nerves to the limit.
The touch screen though is very responsive but I feel that the TP2 resistive screen has a bit more precision. Speed wise, the HD2 blows the TP2 and it is definitely great to watch your pictures/movies on the large screen. Apart from the mutimedia use, I am going to stick back to my TP2 and return the HD2. Nothing feels better than a physical qwerty keyboard and...a resistive screen for selecting a specific word easily when typing (...my opinions only).
Final5k said:
Though the HD2 screen is large for typing, I ended up in making mistakes couple of times when typing fast and I was really frustrated having to constantly correct my mistakes. This is time consuming especially when I have a lot of emails to respond on the way, and often gets my nerves to the limit.
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I have big hands and I only make one error out of every hundred words.
Hi there,
I'm hoping to help you with my story: Using my father's old WM device (MDA Compact III) for about one year, in the beginning of this year I decided to go for something new. My most important requirement for the new device was a QWERTZ-keyboard (here in Germany). So, there wasn't much of a choice I had and after scanning through some device's reviews looking also at those without a QWERTZ to get to know the current standards (among them the HD2, "old" TouchPro, G1, BlackBerry 9700, Xperia X1 and some of the Samsung and LG devices) I bought the TouchPro2 as it seemed to me the best choice concerning specifications and my demands. And I was really happy about it! It was way faster than my former MDA, had much better graphics, loads of software to use and so on...
When time passed by, I started to pick up on some custom roms, as I wasn't satisfied with the speed (everyone know about the upgrading his personal requirements). Found the roms of NRGZ28 very good, stable and fast.
However, I was constantly getting more and more fed up with WM6(.5) and the phone as there are some constant (to me unknown) freezes and hangs. And as WM7 will not be seen on this device I decided to go for another change: I ordered the Desire Z, which is (finally) on its way, maybe arriving today.
My advice for you: take a look at Android or WM7. And try around with those keyboards and decide, if you *really* need a physical one. There is a whole bunch of good devices, that will be released with WM7 and Android.
Cheers!
OP got the HD2. There is no longer any reason to try to convince him of anything.
cajunflavoredbob said:
OP got the HD2. There is no longer any reason to try to convince him of anything.
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ah, too late... well then, have fun with the hd2
abprie said:
ah, too late... well then, have fun with the hd2
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Hmmm I would be curious to hear your opinions on both phones - may you share?
I'd vote for the HD2 because of it's specifications. Like it was said earlier the HD2 blows the TP2 out of the water. But also pointed out is the problem with WinMo 6.5. This stock ROM is a dinosaur in age and just doesn't hold a candle up to Android or WM7. I also was fed up with it on my HD2 so I made a complete change and switched my device over the Android via custom ROMs found on these forums. I've never been happier!
So the debate really is between Android and WM7. Considering the future I think getting android would be a better deal. It's going to explode in popularity due to Microsoft's and Apple's security lockdowns on their devices (they aren't very customizable, WM7 and the iPhone etc), and because of Android being open source.
So before I get going on a tangent , I'd recommend getting the HD2 if you like customizing your phone A LOT. It can be kind of a scary procedure. But if you're not up to that kind of stuff I'd recommend looking at HTC's Android phones. They're very stable and fun to use. The TP2 will become a very average phone in the next while with all the new and cool stuff coming out.