Develop Bugs

Is this phone worth it?

So i'm thinking about getting a new phone, and i've been following the touch pro 2 for awhile since it was announced, and it's always caught my interest. Right now i'd be paying 350 since i'm under tmobile, i'm just wondering from peoples opinions is it worth it?
can someone layout the pros and the cons on the phone for me? thanks.

Welcome to forums
Of course it´s worth every cent!
Redundant if we post here pros and cons
Better read and search!!
Good luck,

I paid $688.88 for my unlocked/unbranded version a couple months back and I have no regrets.

Paid $525 and I can't put it down! Worth every cent and thank god I made the switch and left the Blackberry world. I will not lie, I did hesitate to leave my Blackberry 8900 even after tracking the TP2 for like a month. Blackberry has nothing on HTC TP2.

I guess imma just shut up and get it haha. sorry for not using the search function. just got really curious

Pros:
the lovely, lovely physical keyboard - I just can't tell you how useful this is;
large, bright, high-res screen (3.6", 800x480);
excellent support from this website;
very good call quality (so long as you don't get the T-mobile version);
some very neat business-oriented features (e.g. if you put the phone down face-down in mid conversation it automatically switches to speaker-phone);
noise-cancelling so other people can hear you clearly over traffic;
TouchFLO interface is quite nice;
running Windows Mobile means a huge range of downloadable apps;
built-in Word, Excel and Powerpoint support.
Cons:
not everyone likes Windows Mobile, and you find yourself dumped into it more often than you'd expect - this also limits you to 16-bit colour;
HTC and Qualcomm between them have somehow managed to arrange things so that 3rd party apps cannot make use of the GPU, which makes video playback decidedly iffy;
larger and much heavier than most phones (that's the price of the keyboard);
uses much the same hardware as phones released a year ago (much less powerful than an iPhone 3GS or even the latest Samsung models);
thoroughly mediocre camera with no flash;
no one version of the phone will work everywhere in the world (as far as I know);
most versions lack a 3.5mm headphone jack, so if you want to use anything other than the bundled headphones you need an adapter, and unless you have a very fancy adapter you can't listen to music on it and charge it at the same time;
unimpressive battery life;
resistive touch-screen is better than most, but less responsive than a capacitive screen and cannot ever support multi-touch (although a capacitive screen wouldn't allow you to use a stylus, so there are swings and roundabouts);
lack of on-board storage.

paid $900 for mine on ebay before official launch - been with it on safaris in Africa , paddled and plotted my course on lower Zambezi with hippos.... It's worth every cent.

AlCapone said:
paid $900 for mine on ebay before official launch - been with it on safaris in Africa , paddled and plotted my course on lower Zambezi with hippos.... It's worth every cent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wouldn't go that far but it is a great phone.
Saying that, like with every device I'd think seriously about what you want your phone to do.
I wanted a web browsing, business phone communicator. Its close to perfect.
If you're looking for a slim camera music player etc.? Stay well away.

Shasarak said:
resistive touch-screen is better than most, but less responsive than a capacitive screen and cannot ever support multi-touch (although a capacitive screen wouldn't allow you to use a stylus, so there are swings and roundabouts)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never say never
Especially the second one is a software only solution, since the Nokia 5800 also has a resistive touch screen.
http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/9051_Multi-touch_on_resistive_touch.php
http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/03/03/nokia-5800-gets-experimental-multitouch/

ryohazuki said:
So i'm thinking about getting a new phone, and i've been following the touch pro 2 for awhile since it was announced, and it's always caught my interest. Right now i'd be paying 350 since i'm under tmobile, i'm just wondering from peoples opinions is it worth it?
can someone layout the pros and the cons on the phone for me? thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I moved to this phone from a G1 (and an iPhone before that) on tmobile, and IMHO this is the best phone available with tmobile 3G right now. Fast, stable, and with WM you have tons of options for customizing/personalizing your handset. So far (had it about a week) i really see no cons with this device, if anything it'd be its size, but its not a complaint by me, its the same size as a G1.

Shasarak said:
Pros:
the lovely, lovely physical keyboard - I just can't tell you how useful this is;
large, bright, high-res screen (3.6", 800x480);
excellent support from this website;
very good call quality (so long as you don't get the T-mobile version);
some very neat business-oriented features (e.g. if you put the phone down face-down in mid conversation it automatically switches to speaker-phone);
noise-cancelling so other people can hear you clearly over traffic;
TouchFLO interface is quite nice;
running Windows Mobile means a huge range of downloadable apps;
built-in Word, Excel and Powerpoint support.
Cons:
not everyone likes Windows Mobile, and you find yourself dumped into it more often than you'd expect - this also limits you to 16-bit colour;
HTC and Qualcomm between them have somehow managed to arrange things so that 3rd party apps cannot make use of the GPU, which makes video playback decidedly iffy;
larger and much heavier than most phones (that's the price of the keyboard);
uses much the same hardware as phones released a year ago (much less powerful than an iPhone 3GS or even the latest Samsung models);
thoroughly mediocre camera with no flash;
no one version of the phone will work everywhere in the world (as far as I know);
most versions lack a 3.5mm headphone jack, so if you want to use anything other than the bundled headphones you need an adapter, and unless you have a very fancy adapter you can't listen to music on it and charge it at the same time;
unimpressive battery life;
resistive touch-screen is better than most, but less responsive than a capacitive screen and cannot ever support multi-touch (although a capacitive screen wouldn't allow you to use a stylus, so there are swings and roundabouts);
lack of on-board storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dunno if this is considered reviving a dead thread or anything thats my own but
the size isn't a problem for me, i've owned a windows mobile phone before and liked it but whats wrong with the tmobile version? and is the battery life really that bad?

I'm pleased with mine. Basically I had an MDA for almost 3 and a half years, with a short try of a Wing. Great winmobile phone, haven't had too much battery problems, phone quality seems ok, better than the MDA.
And the phone senses when it's close to your ear--no more false button pushes!
Cheers,
Tom

ryohazuki said:
but whats wrong with the tmobile version? and is the battery life really that bad?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The t-mobile version is rather oddly configured. Most of what's wrong with it can be corrected (all in one hit if you don't mind flashing it with a different ROM) but it's a little fiddly. For example, the in-call volume seems to be lower on the t-mobile version - people complain that the sound is too quiet and "muffled". I believe this can be fixed by replacing a file with the equivalent from an unbranded phone, but it's still a fiddle if you expect things to work properly out of the box. I think the t-mobile version may also be set up to use Internet Explorer rather than Opera as the default browser. Again, it's not difficult to change this, it's just annoying.
The battery life is okay, but not great. If you're watching video clips or gaming you can completely drain a fully-charged battery in 3-4 hours.
Btw, one important draw-back that I forgot to mention is the lack of a D-pad - that's a real problem if you're a gamer.

General concensus for veteran WM users i found here is that almost all quite satisfied with TP2 out of the box, since these persons are coming from previous devices and know-well that TP2 is the 1st time HTC (almost) do it perfectly. In condition they didn't receive defect unit.
For new WM users, i see 50-50. But that's improvement, because with previous devices it can be as much as 20-80 (80% unsatisfied), with 20% are looking for ways to improve their devices. That's why now we have this great forum

i have the original EU version of this device and i must say that this is the best phone i used ever , and believe me i switch mobiles like socks ...
the most important thing for me is the stability of the OS , in my case i havnt done any soft reset since i got this device three weeks ago ( depens on your ROM version ect...)
another good thing is the speaker phone , try to compare it to the iphone 3gs and you will notice a big diffrence,

schizo said:
General concensus for veteran WM users i found here is that almost all quite satisfied with TP2 out of the box, since these persons are coming from previous devices and know-well that TP2 is the 1st time HTC (almost) do it perfectly. In condition they didn't receive defect unit.
For new WM users, i see 50-50. But that's improvement, because with previous devices it can be as much as 20-80 (80% unsatisfied), with 20% are looking for ways to improve their devices. That's why now we have this great forum
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would consider myself a wm vet, this is my 4rth wm phone and the TP2 if I purchase it will be my 5th. I can hardly run my TP at times because it is so slow. I have everything on my class 6 sd and some apps on my phone which is minimal. I am running nrg rom latest and I must say it is slow as balls.
I might even skip the tp2 because it shares the same chipset for att as the tp. Making it slow as balls but with a much larger screen. My favorite warez website just opened an Iphone section. all apps available, Gui much better, mms hacked, better graphics, shes lookin alot better these days. The tp2 just aint cuttin it as far as performance. I might just make the switch until HTC and winmo get there act together. Truely sad as I've been an iphone and apple hater for quite sometime. The truth is the tp2 lacks everything except the screen and keyboard. Winmo and htc are pushing me out with these piece of **** phones.
eh I might still get the tp2. I am seriously looking for reasons not to get the Icrap. Flame on aholes..

Well I've had the T-mobile version for about a month now and I have to say its pure Winsuace!!! Now as for the same chip set as the touch pro , that's not exactly ture. If you look around on the fourms, some one posted a link about where there was a dispute between Qulacom and another chipmaker about the cpu. So because of that the Touch Pros cpu contained some work arounds so it could be used and that made it slower. On the TP2 it contains no workarounds and its pretty snappy! Also I run a bunch of apps at once and it doesn't bog down So here's my two thumbs up!!!

i really dont see nothing wrong wit the tmo version of this phone.. besides the lack of 3.5mm jack and color change from the Euro version..
But the stock rom that comes with the phone is a bit off.. i had to flash it the first day i got it
but i wouldn't mind taking a euro version over the tmo one anyday.. one major reason that stop me from gettng the euro one is that it do not have 3G US bands on it.

Well it's too late now as I am now a proud owner of a Touch Pro 2
I love this thing already. flashed it with a new rom, whats the best radio to use? i'm not too familiar with the whole radio flashing thing like as in like whats the best one to use, so if someone could point me in the right direction? if not ill just search it.

Well it's too late now as I am now a proud owner of a Touch Pro 2
I love this thing already. flashed it with a new rom, whats the best radio to use? i'm not too familiar with the whole radio flashing thing like as in like whats the best one to use, so if someone could point me in the right direction? if not ill just search it.

Upgrading from Titan... Should I get a TP2?

Hey,
I have Verizon and currently have a XV6800 (Titan). I have loved the phone, I got it the first week it came out and it has never let me down. I flashed it when the ROMs first came available, and I use all the features the phone has: keyboard, touchscreen, bluetooth, GPS, Wifi, etc...
My contract expires on the 11th of this month, and I've been due for a phone upgrade for quite some time now. I can get the TP2 for $99 with no other fees, because I work for Goodyear and we have a corporate thing set up with them.
My question is: should I get the TP2? It's obvious that there's a lot of custom ROMs out there and the hardware looks great. I just don't want to buy this phone and another one come out a month from now that's better. I understand that phones are always being released and they become outdated weeks after their purchase, but I don't want to miss out on anything cool.
-Randy

If you love your Titan that much, I don't know what's stopping you from upgrading to the TP2. It's the Titan on steroids with a gorgeous 800 X 480 screen. The keyboard is much improved as well (I had that keyboard with the grid layout on my Mogul, and I barely used it). In fact, the soft keyboard even much improved and usable. Battery life is also improved.
The only real drawback from the Titan is the lack of a DPad (VolDPad does a pretty good job of turning the volume rocker keys into a DPad).
BTW, video playback on the TP2 is outstanding (TP2 does full DVD resolutions). Totally kicks ass over the iPod.

There will always be something better/newer coming down the road. Could be a month... could be 6... couid be 12 months. I don't think we'll be getting really new in the short term.
The TP2 is far and away the best WM phones I ever handled. I ver glad I moved to it from my Kaiser. Heck I'm glad I skipped the original TouchPro and waited for the TP2.
The HD2/Leo looks nice but not being able to use a stylus and lack of a keyboard just might keep me away. I like writing hand written notes in my note pad.

The other thing too is that the Touch Pro 2 just came out, so it should be quite a while until it is surpassed (but 3 months ago if you were to ask to buy a Touch Pro, I'd easily tell you to wait b/c of the Touch Pro 2...that and Verizon nubbed up the TP1 with locking the GPS and removing RAM). I'd say go for it!
Jason

Thanks for the good info.
Does this phone have a dedicated graphics accelerator?

I went from an XV6800 (titan) to a Tilt2 on AT&T...
Network sucking issues aside, the TouchPro2 is a GREAT phone and an amazing upgrade the the Titan.
I stayed away from the original TouchPro/Fuze phones because I didnt think they were a massive upgrade, only more RAM which helped run TF3D, but no WinMo6.5, and not much in terms of real improvement.
I love WinMo6.5, I love the TF3D 2.1, and the ram and speed of the new Tilt2 is noticeably faster than a Titan.
Oh, and did I mention the AMAZING screen improvement?
Upgrade. You wont be disappointed.

I was on a mogul, which then i went to the touch pro, and now I'm on the touch pro 2. The single biggest upgrade from the mogul, to the touch pro was the ram. Running Opera Mobile on the mogul was hell. It's a great browser on the touch pro although i preferred the speed of opera mini. The other big improvement was the resolution/ lack of recession on the screen. Notice how it's rather difficult to hit the task manager button on the top right of the screen? That was fixed in the touch pro.
The biggest improvements from the touch pro to the touch pro 2, for me, have been the increased screen size and the keyboard. The Keyboard is ****ing amazing. No more of those little bubble keys that were present in the mogul/touch pro. I still haven't heard anyone talk about the change from bubble keys, to actual keys that depress when you press down on them. Sure the offsetness and size of the keys is great, but the fact that they are actual buttons that depress when pressed sold me. The speaker phone is much nicer as well.
Don't forget that you also will get all the latest TF3D stuff as well until a new dominant resolution comes out (or we simply can't run it because of lack of clock speed). I'm currently running TF3D 2.5 and it adds loads of improvements over TF3D 2.1. The only problem currently with 2.5 is that it's sluggish in some areas such as the landscape transitions on music/pictures.
All in all I'd say hell ****ing yes to a mogul-to-pro2 upgrade. There was a big enough difference to ditch the mogul for the touch pro alone. Ram was always the biggest pain on the mogul, and now I can't find myself ever running out of ram even while leaving everything open. I don't have to fight with the device to have it do what I want it to do.

See.... I get all these good reviews from you guys here, and you're all saying "Go for it!" Then, I go in the Verizon store too look at it, and they don't have it. I guess none of the stores have them on display, and I have to have it shipped. On top of that, the sales guy convinced me to come in Friday morning to see the new Motorola Droid when it's released. They're gonna be the same price.... so I don't know what to get now...

No Vzn stores ever got the new phone. Yea the Droid looks like it can be quite nice, but at my heart I'm still a WM user at least for now (Android is probably my 2nd bet, then maybe WebOS, and the OSX mobile isn't an option for me).
If you want to play with one, go to a T-Mo or AT&T Store. My sprint store near me (and its a big one, with a repair center and everything) still doesn't have TP2's yet either :-/
Jason

myrandex said:
No Vzn stores ever got the new phone. Yea the Droid looks like it can be quite nice, but at my heart I'm still a WM user at least for now (Android is probably my 2nd bet, then maybe WebOS, and the OSX mobile isn't an option for me).
If you want to play with one, go to a T-Mo or AT&T Store. My sprint store near me (and its a big one, with a repair center and everything) still doesn't have TP2's yet either :-/
Jason
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know what... I'm ordering the TP2. Windows Mobile isn't perfect, but there's a huge community on here for it, and Android is new and still isn't quite perfect.
It's just like running any distro of linux on your computer. Sure, there's a lot of great versions out there, but none of them are perfect, and when something screws up, there's not always an easy fix.

One more thing about the TP2:
If you want to run emus, the offset keyboard gives you a reasonable rendition of a Dpad. Diagonals won't work, but it's more than adequate for JRPGs or any game that doesn't require twitch action.
I use W,A,S,D as a Dpad.

just wanted to update everyone who gave me their input - I got the TP2 and I'm in love with it. There's nothing I've tried to do thus far that I haven't been able to do. I've tried a few ROMs on it and I'm on the latest MightyROM right now ad it's great. Thanks again for the input guys!

Which would you buy? HD touch Pro 2, Nexus One, HD2?

My contract is up for Tmobile so I decided to give up my BB Pearl (Never did like that thing). I went out and upgraded to the Touch Pro 2, but after reading the specs on the HD 2, I'm not sure if I want to keep it or wait for the newer model. (They give you 14 days to decide if you like it).
I like the TP 2 especially with the keyboard but the Nexus One has the animated desktop which is nice. I would like some opinions on which phone you would choose and possibly why. My guess is the HD will probably be about the same price as the others.

I went from a Dash 3G last weekend to a TP2. as soon as I heard about the $199 pricing for the HD2 I decided to return my TP2 and wait for the HD2. I never thought I would make much use of a touch screen, but now I am hooked. The HD2 is faster and larger. No brainer for me.

i've got a sprint tp2 and plan on getting the tmo hd2 and getting rid of my bb.

I would go for Rhodium for sure, as the others do not have hardware keyboard
But if they were the only options on the market definitely I would go for Leo as it has WM!

Remember all the flashy things will become trivial pretty soon, so what you should ask yourself is which properties are the most useful to you.
Myself, I can't live without the hardware keyboard. Sure, I wish the TP2 had the speed of the HD2, but for me the keyboard beats that. If you can do without, there is no reason to get the TP2 at all. As for Nexus vs HD2 - personally I'd take the HD2.

I have had the Touch, Touch Pro, and Touch Pro2 that my wife and I have used. I am waiting for the Touch HD3.

I love the TP2 for its keyboard and the HD2 for its screen
I possess both: the TP2 and HD2.
I like the keyboard of the TP2. I like the screen of the HD2 and its superb Sense user interface.
I transformed my TP2 with an official ROM update to WM6.5 and the tweaks (especially Co0kie hometab) I used for my HD2 to a HD2 Mini with WVGA.
Now I have the best of both on the TP2. By the way the TP2 is very responsive and speedy despite its slower processor.
For an average business user I prefer my TP2, only voice dialing using Cyberon Speed Dialer can not be activated by the call key on my BT carkit due deviating BT stack implementation by HTC

While I like TP2 (due to keyboard, and price), unfortunately it's not completely future-proof (no WM7).
Although there is still hope in Android port..

Just love my TP2 with a hardware keyboard..... sure wish it had the big screen, speed and memory of the HD2 lol

no wimm7 for hd2 as well (at least today sometimes they say yup and other times no) but hmmmm right now I am not sure hd2= 1ghz processor big screen lots of memory but touch pro 2 good size screen and a keyboard

My work is going to provide me with a new phone (new contract) Right now I have the Wing. I'm looking at either the HD2 or the TP2.
I need some input please. Some things to consider when you read this thread.
1) I don't find myself using the hard keyboard on my Wing
2) I do use the hands free speaker phone often.
3) I need WMO for a certain app that requires 16megs free ram (cooked ROM on my Wing helped here.)
4) Will the HD2 require a change in my data plan with T-Mobile?
Just some "if I was you" advise.
Thanks

Get the HD2. The only advantage the TP2 has is the keyboard and if you don't use it then there is no competition. The processor used in the TP2 is the biggest pile of crap ever.

Basically, it goes like this: If you want Windows Mobile 6.x, the best hardware keyboard of any mobile device on the market, and don't care about device speed, stay with the Rhodium. If you don't want/need a keyboard, want Windows Mobile 6.x, and you don't care about not getting a Windows Mobile 7 upgrade, get the HD2. If you don't need a keyboard and want the best Android device on the market, get the Nexus.
The Rhodium is a great device in terms of external looks, but as petard has already said, the Qualcomm MSM7xxx processor inside is quite possibly the sh*ttiest mobile processor on the market. If I were to buy a new device right now, I would certainly buy the HD2 or Nexus, NOT the Rhodium.

I've got 2 of the 3, and I'm using a Rhodium with 6.5.x and Titanium as my everyday phone. The Nexus One is on my night stand.
With the Rhodium, if you keep messaging, contacts, and calendar resident in memory and use arcsoft client, the phone is lightning quick and I have zero delays or lockups. Coupled with the keyboard, its the best all around solution.
The N1 has great google software, and as my sig says, the Navigation stuff is better than a Nuvi, IMO, and I'll probably start transitioning over to android until WinMo7, especially if swype becomes officially available (it may already be). There are also a couple apps I've found that could actually make it past the initial novelty stage of "wow thats cool" and be everyday apps.. which if you check the average lifespan of these iphone & android apps theyre so proud of, after about a week and half of saying to your buddies "hey check this out", people quit using them all together yet are still out their $1, but i digress..

Thanks for the input so far. Good stuff.
I know this isn't the the HD2 forum but it's still on topic.
What about the voice/speaker quality on the HD2? I haven't read good things on that. Is it really a problem?

crachel said:
I've got 2 of the 3, and I'm using a Rhodium with 6.5.x and Titanium as my everyday phone. The Nexus One is on my night stand.
With the Rhodium, if you keep messaging, contacts, and calendar resident in memory and use arcsoft client, the phone is lightning quick and I have zero delays or lockups. Coupled with the keyboard, its the best all around solution.
The N1 has great google software, and as my sig says, the Navigation stuff is better than a Nuvi, IMO, and I'll probably start transitioning over to android until WinMo7, especially if swype becomes officially available (it may already be). There are also a couple apps I've found that could actually make it past the initial novelty stage of "wow thats cool" and be everyday apps.. which if you check the average lifespan of these iphone & android apps theyre so proud of, after about a week and half of saying to your buddies "hey check this out", people quit using them all together yet are still out their $1, but i digress..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry but nothing about the Rhodium is lightning quick, nothing. I use the builtin WM messaging client and Arcsoft MMS and once I get over a couple messages per thread it takes about 5 seconds from clicking the thread to where I can type. This is due to both the crappy WM messaging client based on the IE rendering engine and the garbage processor.
I use vito SMS-chat for text messaging and once it is loaded up it has some decent speed but it takes about 5 seconds to load the program which is why I leave it running in the background as much as I can. The program is really ugly though.

petard said:
I'm sorry but nothing about the Rhodium is lightning quick, nothing. I use the builtin WM messaging client and Arcsoft MMS and once I get over a couple messages per thread it takes about 5 seconds from clicking the thread to where I can type. This is due to both the crappy WM messaging client based on the IE rendering engine and the garbage processor.
I use vito SMS-chat for text messaging and once it is loaded up it has some decent speed but it takes about 5 seconds to load the program which is why I leave it running in the background as much as I can. The program is really ugly though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll give vito a shot..
check out "S.V.I keyskin" in the TP2 themes/apps section, its also helped my phone feel snappier by decreasing the load time for the SIP

Verizon Touch Pro 2... thoughts?

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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.

Where to upgrade after the Touch Pro 2?

I've been using the HTC Touch Pro 2 since last April with T-Mobile. I've absolutely loved the functionality, including ability to customize the ROM(<3 Energy), simple to use web browsing, texting, email, wifi router, bluetooth ability, and many other features that come with the smart phones. I'd die right now during school/work/personal stuff without the calendar.
When I bought it last year, the HD2 was sitting next to it, and the reason I went with the HD2 was the hardware keyboard. Software keyboards annoy the heck out of me unless they're well done. I could type 5 times faster on my TP2 than an ipod touch. But, what is getting to me now after using the TP2 for 10 months?
- Camera: Quality isn't high enough compared to other shots I've seen taken by phones. I switch the lighting settings to tweak it, but it's still grainy. I as in a dark club the other night, and watched someone take pictures that were noticeably clearer than mine.
- Lack of 3.5mm Headset Adapter. I have to use the HTC USB -> 3.5mm adapter to listen with earbuds to music. Annoying.
Like I said, the hardware keyboard is almost necessity, but I could learn to deal with a software if it's not the kind that can be easily fat fingered.
That's all I can think of right now. Any help with the phone upgrade process would be greatly appreciated.

i think your first decision is probably are you going to stay with windows phone 7, android, iOS, or webOS.
Almost all of these software has some nice phones with physical keyboard. 3.5mm headphone jack (it's pretty much standard now with most high-end phones). If you want a good camera, go with the phone with led flash support then you probabaly will be fine.

PUTALE said:
i think your first decision is probably are you going to stay with windows phone 7, android, iOS, or webOS.
Almost all of these software has some nice phones with physical keyboard. 3.5mm headphone jack (it's pretty much standard now with most high-end phones). If you want a good camera, go with the phone with led flash support then you probabaly will be fine.
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Click to collapse
I liked the TP2 after I got it because it was an operating environment I was used to and familiar with. I haven't used any other one, so I can't comment on it. What are examples of phones with hardware keyboards that have the same, if not better functionality than the TP2, including the things I listed of any OS? The HD2 and HD7 look enticing, but if there's something similar that might suit my needs better, I'm just looking for suggestions.

raz1337 said:
I liked the TP2 after I got it because it was an operating environment I was used to and familiar with. I haven't used any other one, so I can't comment on it. What are examples of phones with hardware keyboards that have the same, if not better functionality than the TP2, including the things I listed of any OS? The HD2 and HD7 look enticing, but if there's something similar that might suit my needs better, I'm just looking for suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the keyboard is what you care about, then perhaps you should simply wait for the HTC 7 Pro to be available. It is basically the Touch Pro2 on steroids. It is the successor to the TP2 and runs WP7. There's a thread with a bunch of useful information HERE.

I'm in same boat as you, trying to figure which phone next. Still cannot decide and will give it another year, mainly because 3G networks are in a state of flux where I live (now still using EDGE). I will likely either go to Android if I can get the sync with MS Office to my liking or WM7 if the apps take off. No interest in other phones.
As for headphones on TP2, I have a nice bluetooth set by Jabra that does away with need for jack.

I was in the same boat as you a couple months ago when my contract ended with my provider. I had been looking at WP7 since the first whiff of it came out, but the more I read about it the more I disliked it. Long story short I greatly dislike all of these current operating systems for varying reasons.
So eventually I decided that the TP2 was as good as it was going to get for me for now, and bought up a couple extra of them. They're relatively cheap, and they all should last me until I cannot physically use them anymore (carrier doesnt support for some reason, or I can't find any good batteries, etc..) or until some company makes something desirable for me.
My advice is that you research at length all of your options before you end up with something you don't like using. It took me a lot of time playing around with android and WP7 before I decided I didn't want any of them. The TP2 is an excellent device and Windows Mobile is an excellent OS, don't let anyone fool you into thinking otherwise.
As far as your complaints, 3.2 MP is enough for me and my carrier's TP2 includes a headphone jack.. So I guess we're not in the same boat in those regards...

maybe an evo shift 4g?
http://www.htc.com/us/products/shift-sprint#overview
and i dont know where you live, but in europe we have an HTC Desire Z

Check out my review/comparison of the Desire Z (T-Mobile G2) to the Touch Pro 2:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=955526
A friend of mine works at T-Mobile, and can have any phone he wants (that T-Mobile carries). His weapon of choice is the G2.

redpoint73 said:
Check out my review/comparison of the Desire Z (T-Mobile G2) to the Touch Pro 2:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=955526
A friend of mine works at T-Mobile, and can have any phone he wants (that T-Mobile carries). His weapon of choice is the G2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in a similar boat... I love the TP2 for it's design, had a Tilt before so this was a great upgrade. But there's nothing that's coming out from HTC that I've seen or heard of that looks like an upgrade. The 7 Pro is kind of an upgrade, but not the same kind of amazing upgrade like the Tilt to Tilt 2... I would like a slightly larger/better display but also keep the physical kb... I've been lookin at the Atrix (even tho they say you can't put custom roms on it yet), just cuz it sounds pretty sick but I keep hoping a phone w/ a kb comes out. Looks like Dell is gonna bring something out but not til the end of this year I think... I really hope HTC brings out a Tilt 3 w/ a 4-4.3in screen, better camera, runnin android since I don't really like WP7 & a dual processor...lol

rkub said:
I'm in a similar boat... I love the TP2 for it's design, had a Tilt before so this was a great upgrade. But there's nothing that's coming out from HTC that I've seen or heard of that looks like an upgrade. The 7 Pro is kind of an upgrade, but not the same kind of amazing upgrade like the Tilt to Tilt 2... I would like a slightly larger/better display but also keep the physical kb... I've been lookin at the Atrix (even tho they say you can't put custom roms on it yet), just cuz it sounds pretty sick but I keep hoping a phone w/ a kb comes out. Looks like Dell is gonna bring something out but not til the end of this year I think... I really hope HTC brings out a Tilt 3 w/ a 4-4.3in screen, better camera, runnin android since I don't really like WP7 & a dual processor...lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Atrix concept looks very cool, but I've been pretty underwhelmed by the recent Motorola handsets. They just feel cheap and clunky compared to HTC phones. But maybe they can step it up a notch. Similarly, the Dell Streak seemed like nothing special that just about every other manufacturer couldn't match or do better. And there were some things, like the proprietary dock connector, that were outright inexcusable. Again, they are going to need to kick it up a notch to get me remotely interested in their products.
I agree that a slightly larger screen (maybe around 3.9 or 4.0 in) would be really nice for watching video, and make the on-screen keyboard easier to use (for the times you don't feel the need to flip out the hardward keyboard). But I think a 4.3 in display with a hardware keyboard would result in a really big, thick, heavy phone.
But I have to say, the Desire Z is a pretty sick upgrade over the Tilt2. Maybe not in terms of form factor, but in terms of just about everything else.

I have no upgrades available for a long time so I'd be buying retail. The 7 pro looks quite interesting. Maybe I'll stop buy the T-Mobile store and see how the desire z feels. Is there much of a change over the TP2 to go to a Desire Z?
I've somewhat fixed the no 3.5mm jack issue by buying a bluetooth headset that supports a2dp. I guess that'll hold me over until later this year if I upgrade.

raz1337 said:
I have no upgrades available for a long time so I'd be buying retail. The 7 pro looks quite interesting. Maybe I'll stop buy the T-Mobile store and see how the desire z feels. Is there much of a change over the TP2 to go to a Desire Z?
I've somewhat fixed the no 3.5mm jack issue by buying a bluetooth headset that supports a2dp. I guess that'll hold me over until later this year if I upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The keyboard on the Desire Z is smaller than the Touch Pro2, but most people who own it say that it still feels very nice. I would miss my dedicated number row, though. I've gotten very used to it.

i have loved my touch pro 2 for the past year or so and all the devs, everyone at XDA made me love it even more. my girlfriend has an iphone and ill never ever trade my phone for iOS and theres not any other phone carried by ATT that is any better than the touch pro 2 i think..but then the Atrix came along. its a sad realization but you cant compare the specs of our touch pros to any of these new devices. sure im sacrificing the full qwerty kb we all know and love and moving on from winmo 6.5 (that ive grown with since 5.x) but i feel like its for the better. especially with all the wear and tear ive put my phone thru, sure is one hell of a trooper thats for sure, its time to set it down and ive made my decision. expecting my atrix to arrive this coming monday. so with this goodluck to all with whatever you decide!

Phone after TP2
I'm also investigating new phones (although doing so would also require me to give up my sero plan, which seems unlikely at the moment).
For me on Sprint, there seems to be a few major choices that include a physical keyboard that I was looking at:
Android:
-HTC EVO Shift
-Samsung Epic 4G
WP7:
-[upcoming] HTC 7 Pro
The EVO shift has a similar sized screen to the TP2, while the Epic 4G goes a bit larger (4") and has a faster processor (1 Ghz vs. 800 Mhz on the Evo Shift). Nonetheless, I'm still pretty turned off by the touchwiz UI on the Epic 4g -- a bit to cartoony for my tastes.
Since the 7 pro is essentially the successor to the TP2, the dimensions are pretty similar albeit with an upgraded processor (1 Ghz).
I'm currently running XDAndroid on the TP2, so I have a sense of how android works, but I've never tried WP7 -- after classic WinMo I'm still kind of hesitant to go back to Microsoft.
To anyone who has been using WP7 -- any thoughts on the disadvantages/advantages over android?

I guess the most obvious phone would be the HTC 7 pro closely followed by the Desire Z.
Personally i decided to keep my TP2 after 2 years (i can pick a new phone @ my provider in june). The phone does everything i want.
The only program i miss on Windows Mobile is WhatsApp/pingchat

FeareX said:
I guess the most obvious phone would be the HTC 7 pro closely followed by the Desire Z.
Personally i decided to keep my TP2 after 2 years (i can pick a new phone @ my provider in june). The phone does everything i want.
The only program i miss on Windows Mobile is WhatsApp/pingchat
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get the Desire Z. I went to T-Mobile hoping to find one to even hold and play with, but didn't see one. I'm just really hung up on the hardware keyboard when considering an HD7. The hardware keyboard makes me want to pump out paragraphs of forum posts on the phone. The software keyboard makes me hate texting.

Same thougths here, and same conclusions, just like some people wrote: I tried some phones, but the only possible choice would be the Desire Z (7 Pro w/o card slot is a NO GO!). I ended up buying an new display to replace the cracked one in my TP2 (via ebay, from HK), saving LOTS of money, and still having the device I like and am used to.
Someone wrote about TP2 being cheap(er) now, where do you get them and at which price? They're still above 50% of the price at introduction around here in Germany. If they were cheaper, I'd buy one as spare, too.

mwrsa said:
Same thougths here, and same conclusions, just like some people wrote: I tried some phones, but the only possible choice would be the Desire Z (7 Pro w/o card slot is a NO GO!). I ended up buying an new display to replace the cracked one in my TP2 (via ebay, from HK), saving LOTS of money, and still having the device I like and am used to.
Someone wrote about TP2 being cheap(er) now, where do you get them and at which price? They're still above 50% of the price at introduction around here in Germany. If they were cheaper, I'd buy one as spare, too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They go for cheap in the Marketplace forum here in XDA every now and then. There's also eBay. I've seen them as low as $120 recently.

That's an incredible price! They're still well over 250€ new on Ebay, almost 400€ in the cheapest onlineshop I found in Germany! WOW.

I will vote for HTC 7 pro, as you've been used to using a keyboard, it's hard to go back to the on-screen one, and BTW HTC 7 Pro is really amazing