I’ve defected from Windows Mobile and the Rhodium over to Android and the HTC Desire Z (code name Vision). About a million years ago (late December, actually) Jackos asked that I write a review/comparison of the device, for which I am happy to oblige. Unfortunately, a newborn baby, holiday travel, and work travel have conspired to delay me from writing such a review. But I’m finally taking the time to fulfill the promise. Jackos thought such a review would be useful for those that are looking to upgrade from the Rhodium, so hopefully that is still relevant. Based on a recent thread, I would think so! http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=949121
The move to a different OS was certainly something that I’ve been debating for some time. But as we all know (and possibly unwilling to admit), Windows Mobile is outdated and nearing the end of its useful life. Windows Phone 7 so far is a big disappointment to me. The OS seems very limited in many of the same ways the iPhone is, with reviews at various websites and comments by users verifying this notion. One article I read about WP7 was that the OS is not a good choice for power users. Android was looking more and more attractive to me. To me, it carries on the spirit of Windows Mobile in terms of customization. Things are not accessed quite the same way as Windows Mobile (there is no registry), but there is still tons of customizations, mods, and hacks available.
Being the owner of the Tilt (Kaiser) and Tilt2 (Touch Pro 2, Rhodium), I’ve become a big HTC fan, and wanted something similar, with a hardware keyboard. The Desire Z has a very similar form factor to the Rhodium, with a hardware keyboard, nearly the same screen size, and similar dimensions. I found out that Bell Canada released the HTC Desire Z in November, with 3G bands compatible with ATT's network. I decided to take the plunge. Not an easy pill to swallow, as an unlocked, unsubsidized device like this goes for a premium price of around $600 (and obviously not for everyone). But what the heck, its a been a good year, and I decided to get myself a Christmas gift. Of course, if you are in Canada, Europe, or on T-Mobile, you have access to specific versions for those locations and carriers at a much better price.
Let me tell you guys, this device is amazing. The build quality is excellent, the phone feels very high end, with most of the body being a gorgeous brushed aluminum, accented with some slightly grippy/rubbery “soft touch” plastic (also nice looking, and does not cheapen the appearance). The feel of the phone is much nicer, and seems more sturdy then the Rhodium.
The camera is 5MP with a LED flash, and yields somewhat better photos than the Rhodium. The screen is gorgeous. While the iPhone “Retina” and Samsung AMOLED displays get all the hype, the super LCD screen on the Desire Z is still very nice. Direct comparisons I have read rate it only slightly below the quality of the iPhone or Galaxy S displays. Touch response is excellent, and registers multi-touch very well.
Much has been said about this phone’s unique “Z Hinge”. See the Engadget review, if you aren't familiar with the Z-hinge: http://mobile.engadget.com/2010/11/25/htc-desire-z-review/
Some have complained about the phone not staying firmly enough in the keyboard open or closed position, or have expressed concerns of the durability of the hinge. Personally, I like the hinge and how it is designed to open easily with the flick of your thumb. But if you’re in doubt, you might want to play around with it in person before committing to buying the phone.
The keyboard itself is very good. But strangely, not quite as nice as the one on the Touch Pro 2. The the keys are slightly smaller (and one less row of keys), and do not have quite as much “travel” when pressing the keys. It feels like a slight step backward from the Rhodium, but still one of the best keyboards around. Having come from the ATT version of the Rhodium (which replaced the row of numbers with random symbols and punctuations), the missing 4th row of keys is not a big deal. But owners of other Rhodium variants will no doubt miss the number-dedicated row of keys.
Another piece of hardware that is strangely not as good as the Rhodium is the speaker. The speaker on the Desire Z is not quite a loud as on the Rhodium, but the difference is fairly minor, and most people will probably overlook this. The 3.5mm headphone jack is a welcome addition, and good riddance to adapters and special headphones that were needed on the Rhodium (at least the GSM version).
At the time of the phone’s release, this was one of the fastest Android phones available (although there is a new generation of dual core Snapdragons coming soon). Don’t be fooled by the fact that the CPU is clocked at 800 MHz. This is a newer generation of Snapdragon than the 1 GHz ones found on phones such as Nexus One and the EVO, with a different fab process and faster GPU also. The Desire Z benchmarks faster than those phones, as well as the Galaxy S, Droid X, and others. The CPU can also be easily overclocked to 1 GHz without over-volting and affecting battery lift; and much higher than that with over-volting.
Battery life seems somewhat shorter on the Desire Z compared to the Rhodium. I was often able to get 2-3 days on a change on my old Tilt2. On the Desire Z, I usually have to charge every night. I can maybe get through a day and a half; but at least a day with all but the heaviest usage. And to be honest, I’m using the phone much more than I did my old Rhodium, so that is a factor as well.
I've played around with Project Android on my trusty old Tilt2, so Android is not completely new to me. It took me a bit getting accustomed to where some things are located, but that is true with switching to any new phone OS. The OS is overall pretty user friendly. It just takes a little while to dedicate to memory where some settings and other things are located. And there is certainly a learning curve once you are ready for customizing/modifying. There is lots of new terminology, process, and tools to learn if you want to “root” (gain super user rights to access system files) and flash a custom ROM, or do other system modifications.
Knocks on Android for not being as "smooth" as the iPhone seem largely unfounded to me. The Desire Z is super smooth, and of course has tons of customization and functionality that the iPhone will never have. And if you coming from Windows Mobile, you are going to be blown away by the smoothness and stability of the OS. The only real performance weakness I’ve seen so far is switching from portrait to landscape on the homescreen, particularly when you have lots of widgets loaded.
Using the phone is a pleasure. Browser rendering is fast, with the stock browser working very well, and Flash enabled. I’ve been previously in denial that capacity touchscreens are a good thing, but multi-touch pinch-to-zoom really does make browsing a joy. Text selection (such as for cut/paste) is aided by a zoom feature that activates with a long touch on text, and also by the optical trackpad (which allows moving the cursor by single characters).
I already keep my contacts, email, and calendar on Google. So the Google integration is awesome for me. I just entered my Google login and password, and it synched all that stuff in a couple minutes. If you are not a Google user, things might be slightly annoying, as the OS will try to steer you toward creating a Google login. Google Navigation is built-in, and will give you point-to -point directions, with audio cues, and first person perspective. It works better than the tools on Windows Mobile such as Google Maps and Bing. It works so well, in fact, that I've often been using Google Nav instead of my Garmin Nuvi GPS unit in the car.
I knew moving to Android would open up a lot of software options, and in this I was not disappointed. There are tons of useful applications and games on the Android Market, and the list is constantly growing. Software developers have embraced Android, which is a refreshing change coming from Windows Mobile. Yes, there is a ton of fluff and junk in the Android Market. But most of the major applications you can think of have a quality Android version.
I’m not a developer. So I can’t comments on the development potential of this device and Android versus Windows Mobile. But so far there is pretty good developer support on the Desire Z. And many have claimed that developers will support this phone for a long time, as they seem to favor devices with a hardware keyboard. There are several stable custom Froyo (Android 2.2) ROMs available, including Sense and non-Sense options, as well as CyanogenMod (a popular and highly customized Android ROM). Gingerbread (Android 2.3, the latest version, just released) ROMs are in the works, with alpha/beta versions already available for testing. Personally, the stock ROM has been so stable and usable for me, I haven’t really been that tempted to flash a custom ROM yet, versus a Windows Phone, where a custom ROM is virtually a necessity.
I’ve babbled on for much too long. In short, if you are looking to upgrade from the Rhodium to something with a similar form factor, the Desire Z is highly recommended. Here’s a quick summary of the Desire Z versus my old Rhodium:
Pros
OS is light years ahead of Windows Mobile (smooth, stable, fast)
Awesome build quality, with a sturdy feel
Better display
3.5 mm headphone jack
Great selection of quality applications
Slightly better camera (5MP) with LED flash
Cons
Keyboard not quite as good
Speaker not quite as good (minor)
Shorter battery life
Z Hinge durability may be an issue
P.S.: If you like the review, please click the "Thanks" button below!
I really appreciated reading this review. I'm a Tilt 2 user, that hasn't found anything new out there to make me want to give up my Rhodium and I have the same feelings regarding Windows 7, so I'm very hesitant to give it a try. Android is completely new to me, but from what I've read, it seems like the natural progression for those of us on Windows Mobile.
I'm on AT&T, so I will keep a watch on this phone if AT&T decides to release their version down the road (but I won't hold my breath ). I've never used unlocked devices either so, unless they come down in price, I won't be experimenting with this model for a while.
Thanks again for posting this. I look forward to reading more about your experiences with this device.
Have fun!
Debbie
Thanks for the review. I enjoyed reading it. Well done, sir!
For a conclusion: Was it worth the money if upgrading from Rhodium?
DebbieNY13 said:
I'm on AT&T, so I will keep a watch on this phone if AT&T decides to release their version down the road (but I won't hold my breath ). I've never used unlocked devices either so, unless they come down in price, I won't be experimenting with this model for a while.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having finally lost iPhone exclusivity, AT&T seems to be starting to release some decent Android devices, such as the HTC Inspire (Desire HD variant). I'm skeptical they would release the Desire Z, but maybe they will release a future HTC device with a QWERTY keyboard. One can only hope.
If the keyboard is not an absolute requirement, the Inspire looks like a very nice phone. Larger display than the Desire Z, 1GHz processor (faster then the Z), and a slightly better camera. I've actually been finding myself using Swype more and more, and the keyboard less and less. So that has me rethinking the whole QWERTY keyboard thing, a little bit. Although I still use it from time to time for longer texts and emails.
BTW, if you like the review, please click the "Thank you" button!
Jackos said:
Thanks for the review. I enjoyed reading it. Well done, sir!
For a conclusion: Was it worth the money if upgrading from Rhodium?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're very welcome.
For me, spending the money was worth it. It was a lot of money to spend on a phone, but I absolutely love it. I tried to stick with WM as long as I could. But everything just works so much better on the Desire Z. I knew it would be a big improvement, but all my expectations were exceeded.
If you are in a market where your carrier offers this phone for a subsidized price, its a no-brainer.
Very nicely written
I have a TP2 now, also considering the Desire Z since it has a (rare these days) hardware keyboard.
Seeing how the DZ performs (especially when overclocked, wow!) does make me feel quite confident it's somewhat future-proof performance wise.
I do love the tilting screen of the TP2 very much, especially when I'm at the computer and using the TP2 for MSN or FB chat or something like that. Like having a miniature laptop
Have you ever missed the tilting screen of the TP2?
When my contract expires next month I can get a free DZ if I extend my contract.
I'll go to the T-Mobile store tomorrow and see if I can play around with one
ericino said:
Very nicely written
I do love the tilting screen of the TP2 very much, especially when I'm at the computer and using the TP2 for MSN or FB chat or something like that. Like having a miniature laptop
Have you ever missed the tilting screen of the TP2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, I was finding myself using the tilt feature on the TP2 less and less. Lots of times, I found it easier to just slide the phone open, write a quick text, then close it quickly, without having to mess with tilting the screen up and down. But of course, this is a personal preference.
The only times I've been missing the tilt screen is while watching video. With the TP2, I could tilt the screen up, then place the phone down on a table to watch. HTC should have added a kickstand, like on the Desire HD. It would have been a very easy to add, and super useful.
Perfect review!
I'm also considdering the DZ, and the review almost answered all my question.
But I still have one question: What do you do if you want to navigate without being online?
So if you're abroad and don't want the rediculous roaming costs, how do you navigate?
I now use TomTom really a lot, and I don't know what to use when I switch to the DZ.
TomTom has all the maps on the memory card, is there a good replacement for Android? With regular updates?
ronh said:
Perfect review!
I'm also considdering the DZ, and the review almost answered all my question.
But I still have one question: What do you do if you want to navigate without being online?
So if you're abroad and don't want the rediculous roaming costs, how do you navigate?
I now use TomTom really a lot, and I don't know what to use when I switch to the DZ.
TomTom has all the maps on the memory card, is there a good replacement for Android? With regular updates?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a paid Android app called Copilot, which is supposed to be pretty good, and does what you want. But I haven't personally used it. There are others, as well.
Also, the Euro version of the Desire Z has a feature of the "new" Sense called HTC Locations, which has a 30-day free trial, than once you pay the monthly fee or buy a lifetime license, you can navigate using maps downloaded to the SD card. Unfortunately, Locations and the Car Panel were removed in the Bell Canada version of the DZ. Likewise, the T-Mobile G2 does not have it, as it is Sense-free. But the feature can be obtained by flashing the stock Euro ROM to either the Bell DZ or the G2. I haven't done this, and I have no idea how well Locations works in the US. But comments by DZ users in the UK and Europe indicate they seem to like it.
i too miss my tilt 2, especially the tilts sliding kb. thats why i come back to these boards every now and again.
i got an evo back in august. i never thought id get another smart phone without a keyboard since i have had the 8125 8525 8925 and tilt2. its been a much easier transition than i thought moving to a phone with a giant screen let alone switching to a different os
almost anything i could do with wm i cant do with android only better. android is way more reliable and the tilt2 was a touch underpowered.
as soon as someone comes out with a 4.3inch lcd with a sliding kb that will be my next phone
off topic, don't believe the hype about the evo battery being weak, i get 24-40 hrs per charge, average is probably around 30 hrs and that's with 2 weather apps, face book, 4 emails accounts and Google searches off and on all day with gps location and blue tooth on. i also have a stock rom, although its rooted.
btw tc excellent read.
oh and as far as gps, i too was curious about the navigation, google nav is the best gps nav app i have ever used, but it does rely on a cell phone data connection, i think it gets enough of the info cached ahead incase you loose signal but if it needs to reroute and you dont have signal you are dead in the water. so i went on to try a few stand alone gps apps and i ended up going with aura, it looks pretty and it works but i dont like it, but its a good backup to have incase i dont pay my bill, lol, or loose signal.
Redpoint i hate to rain on your parade, but i went and seen that you have quite a few threads some of which are here in the Pro Tilt 2 forums regarding this new phone you are in love with, why not go to the forum for that phone ?
here make it easier for you...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=594
Sorry the tilt is a great phone although it is getting dated, but that is no reason for what you are doing ....
F2504x4 said:
Redpoint i hate to rain on your parade, but i went and seen that you have quite a few threads some of which are here in the Pro Tilt 2 forums regarding this new phone you are in love with, why not go to the forum for that phone ?
here make it easier for you...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=594
Sorry the tilt is a great phone although it is getting dated, but that is no reason for what you are doing ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was specifically asked for a comparison between the Touch Pro 2 and the Desire Z; for TP2 owners who may be interested in upgrading. If it was a straight up review of the DZ only, and no mention of the TP2, I would agree with you. But as you can see from reading my review, I make ample comparisons and references to the TP2, so I believe its appropriate here. The DZ is also a very logical upgrade from the TP2 versus just about every other phone on the market, due to its very similar form factor and same manufacturer.
You said I "have quite a few threads" about the DZ. But this is the only thread I started. I posted a reference to this review on 2 other threads started by others. Those threads were started by users looking for an upgrade similar to the TP2, so that actually reinforces my decision that this forum is the correct location for the review/comparison.
I did debate it for a while (of where to post), and your comment is not unreasonable. But I didn't see the Desire Z the best place to post it. The huge majority of the users on the Desire Z/Vision forum already own the phone, and they don't need to see a review for it. If the moderators don't agree with my judgment call, they can move the thread.
And you linked to the forum for the Desire, not the Desire Z. They are completely different phones.
Considering what HTC 7 Pro has become, looks like the Desire Z is the only one phone coming from HTC to replace the TP2. What a pity!
I'll wait until something new comes out to replace my PPC. TP2 still does a great job for me.
Thanks again for the review.
potna said:
i got an evo back in august. i never thought id get another smart phone without a keyboard since i have had the 8125 8525 8925 and tilt2. its been a much easier transition than i thought moving to a phone with a giant screen let alone switching to a different os
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It true, with Swype, I actually find myself using the screen keyboard much more than I would have thought. In fact, for my next phone I may seriously consider one without a hardware keyboard . . . maybe. But I personally can't stand typing on-screen without Swype.
potna said:
oh and as far as gps, i too was curious about the navigation, google nav is the best gps nav app i have ever used, but it does rely on a cell phone data connection, i think it gets enough of the info cached ahead incase you loose signal but if it needs to reroute and you dont have signal you are dead in the water. so i went on to try a few stand alone gps apps and i ended up going with aura, it looks pretty and it works but i dont like it, but its a good backup to have incase i dont pay my bill, lol, or loose signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had that same thought about having a nav program that doesn't need a data connection, so I have a backup in case I am in an area with dodgy coverage, or for foreign use. I might check out something like Copilot, which is only $5 for the US maps (and interestingly $80 for Europe!).
I would like to thank you also for the comparison and ask you about what I haven't read elsewhere.
Is there ability for teleconferencing inDesire Z?
Besides the mentioned problem with the DZ's speaker there were a few times that the feature was (even more than welcome) life-saving while using my rhodium. That, and the Excel files editing.
Also, (a "pro-" feature, not mentioned elsewhere) what about video out?
Am I asking for too much?
Redpoint:
I too have made the upgrade, from TP2 to G2 (Desire Z). Your findings mirror mine almost exactly.
Just in case any one is curious, I'll add my 2 pence.
I still kind of miss the resistive touch screen (think gloves or stylus for precision), but the cap screen is über responsive, and as you said, multi touch is pretty sweet.
I do not miss the complete lack of development of applications for WM. At least at any corporate or popular apps level.
I do miss the great MS Office and Outlook integration. Android does play nice with Exchange, though.
FWIW: Tmo G2's do have a Office compatible suite that should work for docs and xls, but I didn't get a chance to use it. I flashed to a new ROM too fast
I still have the TP2, and will likely futz with it some more, but the G2/DZ is a worthy successor.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
calrification on pro2 vs DZ
Sir/s,
i would like to know if DZ has the following functionalities:
1. exchange sync of email, calendar and contacts.
2. when you download exchange email, is it in html format?
3. can DZ record 2 way voice call? (not via speakerphone)
Above are the features that im frequently using on pro2.
Related
Well, it's been fun.
It was renewal day this weekend, here in the UK as many of you will know all our handsets are subsidised by the network operators. Therefore every so often we have the chance to "upgrade" our handsets, it is a merry dance. Once "out of contract", we can change operators, switch price plans, and get a new handset for "free" or a combination of any of these. It can all be rather confusing, but the long and the short of it is that I can get a shiny new piece of kit, so it's great.
Anyway, I've had the vario II on t-mobile in the UK for one year and now it's been chopped so I thought I'd leave my thoughts. It was good. Obviously I flashed it with jasjamming and more recently schaps plus several others. I reckon I flashed it probably 50 times, reinstalled settings and apps, a compulsive tinkerer I suppose!
Pros...
Full keyboard
High Speed Data on t-mobile was good and genuinely useful
TomTom 6 (with ext. gps receiver purchased on ebay for 30 quid)
Useable web browser (just)
Customisable with firmware flashing!
Amazing forum here full of helpful people
Cons...
BATTERY LIFE (it's appalling, there is no getting away from it)
Heavy as a hod of bricks
Form factor (too big)
------
So what did I go for...
Nokia 6120 Classic.
wtf nokia 6120?!
Nothing like going back to the dark ages
you should have held out for a couple of months and got one of these
http://www.htc.com/product/03-product_htctouch_dual.htm
I myself have bought a new N95 8GB as my second phone.
Bingobob,
Good luck to you. You made the choice you want and that's all that matters. Never quite sure why people think that what they would buy/get is what everyone else should buy/get!
What did you do with the t-mobile device then? Sell it or is it up for sale?
WB
that's the thing, not sure. Flash it with something I suppose and/or use it as a TomTom or ebay it. not sure.
Well if you fancy offloading it and its not too expensive, PM me. I am assuming its in good condition? Also assuming that its unlocked, etc, and you have all the bits for it?
Cheers
WB
It;s also for me the end..
I bought a Nokia N95.
Ciao, Good Bye
Each to their own. Personally I have to stay with touch screen phones... from here it will be the Kaiser or some variant down the line...
Same here, I love touch screens.
Although I'm very happy with my hermes I'm waiting for the the touch cruise.
Well, I'm waiting for a 3G iPhone, no more WM6 device I think.
Same here, when there's a good offer for the iphone I'll ditch the HTC. But as for 3G, that's only a vague rumor, I wouldn't count on it.
I could never go back to a non-Windows phone.
Especially for a Nokia or an iPhone.
I've played with various Nokias over the years and I think that they are the worst mobiles out of any I've ever touched.
As for the iPhone, over-hyped, over-priced, and under-developed.
I'm HTC's ***** now.
kilrah said:
Same here, when there's a good offer for the iphone I'll ditch the HTC. But as for 3G, that's only a vague rumor, I wouldn't count on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They have to make one with 3G or it will not sell in Europe. Also needs mms.
i switched to IPHONE. and i am very stisfied.
i watched this forum for quite a while, but however you will patch the hermes, it will never come even near to the iphone. everybody tries to construct iphone-like UIs. so why not take the original one?
peter
I've moved from my TyTN to an iPhone. I can't see myself going back to the TyTN anytime soon either.
iPhone ist great for design (friggin awesome btw ) and "OS" only (included internet browsing) it's really neat and user friendly.
Otherwise all the rest is total crap, most of the time technology wise
No 3G (TyTN has 3G+) a heresy for a phone that want's to be "multimedia"
Camera 2megapixel (same as TyTN, crap for both )
Bad autonomy (i'm connected on 3G with BBC on all the time for straight 34h without any problems)
No email downloading possible or push mail
So if apple re-considers and brings out a phone that has all those abilities yeah I would gladly change. Moreover, BBC or something equivalent is for me top priority
what do you think about the new htc touch cruise...?
The Iphone is personally not for me. I want to customize the phone when I want to.
Also no 3G is really a deal braker for me.
As to the UI I admit MS has something to learn from Apple but other then that no thank you.
sdemon said:
The Iphone is personally not for me. I want to customize the phone when I want to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the cool thing, you actually can. What interests me and has drawn me to WM was the ability to fiddle with it, do a bunch of hacks and tweaks etc. However, while the thing is very flexible and powerful it's "unusable". 3 seconds to exit from sleep, up to 5-10 after opening the keyboard to let it rotate screen and become responsive again, ...
Once you've tried internet browsing on the iPhone / iPod touch you just realise that WM's IE even with addons is pretty much the worst thing you could think of, only to be used in last resort, while I can be nearly as effective on the iphone than on my PC...
Guys are developing apps for the iphone at the same rate than here on WM6, and having a full Unix-based OS allows for even a LOT more possibilities than a mobile Windows version...
The lack of 3G is indeed a pain. But then, when I use it on my HTC it's by using it as a modem for the laptop, as there's no way to actually make use of it on the device itself...
If there was an official news saying that the European one would have 3G I'd wait. But I'm not dreaming and know there is VERY little chance. We'll know soon, as France will have them in a few days. But for now, the imported ones are selling like hot cakes, suppliers are getting out of stock all the time and prices go up as they have difficulties sourcing them. So I don't think not having 3G will bother anyone. Especially with the sky-high prices for mobile internet around Europe.
I think so and I will tell you why. I have been following this phone since it was announced long ago. I to have been a proud HTC device owner but these days I am not so proud anymore.
I am a Windows Mobile fan. Currently I am using my old trusty or not so trusty these days HTC Kaiser/TYTN2. I became a big fan of the tilt feature. I am a tmobile user so back when the Kaiser was released not having 3g bands was not an issue because tmobile did not have 3g. I bought the Euro version and paid top dollar.
Since then its been hacked and modded to reduce glitches and increase speed but lets face it. The keyboard is worn and almost all keys require a super hard press due to wear and tear. Also the screen is tiny by todays standards. I didnt buy the Euro version of the TP2 because I live in the US and 3g is now an issue. So I waited for the tmobile release now confirmed for aug 12th. Right around the corner!
Those of you who didn't wait seem to be reporting endless bugs and glitches not to mention hardware problems. It is driving me nuts to the point that I am shying away from the TP2 hype. I have been following all the TP2 threads here and its bads news after bad news. Very different from when you all 1st got it.
Please someone speak some positive stuff otherwise I may end up holding onto my Kaiser for another year. Final rant.....the specs could be better. Damn Iphoney has an 800mhz processor and HTC just holds back!
I absolutely love it. I have not one problem with it, except for the battery door. I had to modify it a little but know its fine. Out of the 4 HTC phones I have owned, I think this is the best by far. Good luck with your findings.
Although I won't argue with you, the touch pro2 is a great phone for what it's intended for which is business users. It is lacking a bit hardware wise for multimedia and gaming, since it pretty much has the same processor and memory as its predecessor. It is for this reason that I am still trying to decide between the TP2 and samsung omnia II since it has the faster processor and beautiful AMOLED screen. So if you are shying away from the TP2 I would recommend the omnia II or the omnia pro (has hardware keyboard). Even though it annoyingly lacks a built in stylus (but thats just me).
The Great Malaki said:
The keyboard is worn and almost all keys require a super hard press due to wear and tear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its probably not wear and tear. Its the same thing that happens with TV remotes. Over time, the oils from your fingers seep through the buttons and interfere with the contacts. If you were to take the keyboard appart and wipe down the contacts, no garauntee, but I bet it would work like new.
i think most of the problems people have (including myself) on their TP2 is 3rd party softwares imcompatable to the new UI on TP2. hope HTC will offer an update for TP2 sooner than September.
if you turn away from it for Samsung OmniaHD, make sure buy it from a local Samsung stores or from your mobile operator. i've been in a deep problem trying to get my Omnia i900 fixed. i bought my i900 from an idiot ebay seller named Cutrategoods70. when my i900 bricked from a firmware update, i tried to contact that idiot, never get a reply. i emailed SS service center in UK (coz SS US & Canada never heard of this model), thay told me to send to them. 5 weeks later they sent it back & said they not support "foreign unit". emailed SS Singapore & Malaysia, they said the same thing. Becareful when you buy a Samsung on ebay or internet stores
good luck for you finding the right device
I think is totally normal to see so many posts about defects / bugs. Usually, peoples who post threads here need help with something. If everyone posted a thread about "Everything's fine with my TP2" when their TP2 is working flawlessly ... well... it would be pretty useless to do that.
Think about it : it's normal to find broken cars in a car dealer's garage. It doesn't mean the car model is crap.
I second that. You will normally see threads asking how to improve things or how to fix things.
Most of the posts here are when people need something, find something that they think could help others, and that's about it. The closest thing you can find to general chat would be the speculation on future support or release dates.
In forums for my last phone you saw threads on how to fix things, and for new software made for it (as a closed platform it had to be hacked and forums where the few places you could get software for the OS, unlike Winmo).
If you'll notice many of the threads are duplicates, and some of the complaints are somewhat invalid as the phone was never designed to do X thing (a prime example are the complaints that the Euro version doesn't support North American 3G bands.
Every phone will have defects and problems unless it's a very well built dumb phone. The question is, just how many people are having said problems, and out of how many satisfied customers without those problems?
Like vakbrain said, you're not going to find a new thread singing the praises of the phone from every person who is happy with it. It'd be extremely tedious, boring, and space consuming.
I love my TP2. I bought it SIM-free so it was quite an investment of cash, but I think it was worth every penny. It has the odd glitch here and there, but then so does any piece of complex modern equipment. I'd fully recommend it without any hesitation at all.
I think my TP2 is great! Ive alerady installed some handy apps to it. Havent had any issues with the device itself really, more like things relating to it. Finding a Good belt clip case for it seems to be a challenge, and Finnic isnt finished yet, so it runs like crap. I would have liked to have a 3.5mm jack on it, but im dealing with the adapter. I do wish TouchFlo had its own Slide to Unlock on it, but meh. i have s2u2 for the moment.
Lyian said:
I think my TP2 is great! Ive alerady installed some handy apps to it. Havent had any issues with the device itself really, more like things relating to it. Finding a Good belt clip case for it seems to be a challenge, and Finnic isnt finished yet, so it runs like crap. I would have liked to have a 3.5mm jack on it, but im dealing with the adapter. I do wish TouchFlo had its own Slide to Unlock on it, but meh. i have s2u2 for the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi Lyian, could you please tell me does s2u2 work ok on yours?
i installed the WQVGA v2.04, it doesn't look right to me since everything so small & sticking together. VGA version look normal on my screen. other thing is when i set On Battery Power>Blank Screen on Talk, it works once, try the 2nd time the screen off then back on again. any idea to config it right?
thanks
I am using S2U2 on mine and it works fine. I am using the VGA version and it's flawless.
I love my Pro2!! no problems at all!!
One big difference
Hi all
Thought I'd add a comment.
The one big difference between my Touch Pro2 and every other HTC phone is that the TP2 works extremely well out of the box and while some people are annoyed with all the bundled software (i.e. M3D and it's incalculable extensions) I actually think that this makes is a better device and would rather have more of this than less.
The point is: It does everything I want it to almost out of the box. This has not been the case with any other HTC device I have owned/used.
Best wishes
andrew-in-woking
vakbrain said:
I think is totally normal to see so many posts about defects / bugs. Usually, peoples who post threads here need help with something. If everyone posted a thread about "Everything's fine with my TP2" when their TP2 is working flawlessly ... well... it would be pretty useless to do that.
Think about it : it's normal to find broken cars in a car dealer's garage. It doesn't mean the car model is crap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. I'm waiting for it to come out (couple weeks near me). Can't wait, watched plenty of unboxing videos and walkthroughs. *fist pump* Im ready lol.
sakshaug007 said:
Although I won't argue with you, the touch pro2 is a great phone for what it's intended for which is business users. It is lacking a bit hardware wise for multimedia and gaming, since it pretty much has the same processor and memory as its predecessor. It is for this reason that I am still trying to decide between the TP2 and samsung omnia II since it has the faster processor and beautiful AMOLED screen. So if you are shying away from the TP2 I would recommend the omnia II or the omnia pro (has hardware keyboard). Even though it annoyingly lacks a built in stylus (but thats just me).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't recommend the OMNIA II or PRO because they have only 137MB of RAM. That's hardly enough to run any software. I was really looking forward to the new OMNIA phones but it's a big disappointment with the lack of ram. I do admit other specs on the phone looks great but without the right amount of ram, the phone is very limited.
No Fail
Had my TP2 for just over a week now, so still getting used to it but I've had absolutely NO issues with it, so far it has surpassed my expectations. It seems fast, responsive and I like the functionality.
The guys who point out that people write in to forums with problems are absolutely correct. People don't just write in to say "I love it" most people here seem to be advanced users, happy to tweak and hack their phones to get that extra 10% out of them.
I'm a business user, I don't anticipate playing many games (that's what the DS/PSP etc. are for) and as a business user I think this phone rocks!
My anti-fail 2c!
No problems at all with mine. Very impressed, kicks my TP's ass in every department except LED flash.
Brilliant phone, top marks to TF3d too.
Well, I haven't gotten a TP2 yet - still waiting for AT&T to release theirs - in the meantime I'm living with my 2.5 year old Virgin Mobile USA prepaid phone, but ready to make the leap to a contract.
What I can say is that the phenomenon where everyone writes in to a forum (especially a big one like XDA) about their issues makes the problems seem much worse than they actually are. For every person posting here about a problem there are at least 2 more that have had NO problem and wouldn't even think of coming to an online forum to solve issues with their phone.
For example, I bought an Asus EeePC last fall, and went to the premier EeePC forum at the time to see what others were saying - it sounded depressing too! Everyone with issues. Then I realized that A) people wouldn't go to a forum to solve a problem if they didn't love the device and wanted to keep it, they'd just get rid of it if they didn't like it, and B) the people who come to forums are device tweakers who must have things just so (I'm one of them too) and thus are looking for feedback regarding their particular pet peeve or issue caused by the one program they just MUST use. People complained about cracks in the hardware, or messed up keyboards, or whatever, but I've thrown my EeePC 1000H in and out of airports plenty of months and it has yet to be less than 100% satisfying, other than the $150 drop in price over when I bought it 10 months ago!
So, what I'm saying is, this is a phenomenon unique to the interwebz and electronics junkies in general, so don't be discouraged by all the negatives around here, in the end we're all just questing to make an amazing device even closer to perfect.
andrew-in-woking said:
Hi all
Thought I'd add a comment.
The one big difference between my Touch Pro2 and every other HTC phone is that the TP2 works extremely well out of the box and while some people are annoyed with all the bundled software (i.e. M3D and it's incalculable extensions) I actually think that this makes is a better device and would rather have more of this than less.
The point is: It does everything I want it to almost out of the box. This has not been the case with any other HTC device I have owned/used.
Best wishes
andrew-in-woking
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I must agree with Andrew. I own about 15 HTC phones, starting with the Wallaby, back in 2002. When I unboxed my TP2, I immediately thought 'what do I have to modify now?'. But it worked perfectly out of the box and i havent modified anything. I only installed my connection and Coreplayer... Simply good.
One flaw however is the resolution, which is incompatible with some of my software. But those titles are not vital for me.
So, now I am waiting for the next big hit... HTC SUPERSTAR...where are you??????
henh said:
hi Lyian, could you please tell me does s2u2 work ok on yours?
i installed the WQVGA v2.04, it doesn't look right to me since everything so small & sticking together. VGA version look normal on my screen. other thing is when i set On Battery Power>Blank Screen on Talk, it works once, try the 2nd time the screen off then back on again. any idea to config it right?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The WQVGA is the wrong version for the TP2, you want the VGA version (WQVGA is for smaller resolution phones like the Tilt)
I would say it does work 'ok' on mine. I do have an issue with it here and there that i wont go into here, but for the most part, it doest what i want it to, which is, to keep me from accidentally calling people lol.
OP needs to stop worrying, TP2 is a fantastic device and also get off the apple hype bs, iPhone doesn't have an 800mhz processor lol, more like around 600 for the 3GS, even less for the 3G.
I have been playing with it all day, my HTC Surround is quite a toy. While this is version 1.0 of WP7, its pretty good. There are maybe 125 free apps in the market place and most paid apps are $1-$3 or more. I see a lot of potential. The interface is responsive. It's not perfect but I expect MS will address all of its shortcomings. I lost all of my favorite installed apps I had on my Dash 3G - all the TV and radio apps, my MIRC app, most of the things I really care about, so I am holding onto my Dash for now. But I am SURE most of these apps will be ported over sooner than later. If I get desparate, I'll pay AT&T the $10 they want for their streaming app. Video quality is OK using the Zune software. I used it convert my smaller .mp4's using the Zune converter. I may get sharper pictures if I convert from the original .avi's. There are a few free radio apps that work well. So far I don't see any 3rd party video news apps, maybe Netflix is good, so haven't figured out how to get Sky video news, but again i am sure it will be available soon. There's a glitch in windows live causing some people to get error messages, but MS says they will have that fixed shortly. IExp works great, as does the weather maps and search. My contacts downloaded fine from my sim card and synced fine to my computer. All in all this was a good move....can't wait for the rest to come!
Congrats!! And a few questions please
Have you ever played with an HTC Aria and its Sense touch technology? Is the HTC touch interface the same or as stunning on your new phone? I love my Captivate (which askpcguy just helped me unbrick ), but have really always loved Windows' PC OS and the HTC Sense on my Aria just really seemed snappier to me than Samsung's TouchWiz. My fiancee will get my Captivate, but I'm torn between one of the new AT&T 7 phones or a decent touchscreen/real keyboard Android if and when AT&T gets one. I miss my real BB keyboard, but the Torch is too underpowered and the screen is to small for my aging eyes.
Also, I read a few reviews on your excellent phone at PCmag, CNET and Endgadget earlier today, and Endgadget mentioned the fact that the speakers are muffled when closed and you have to really have them open to hear well. That seems logical, but is it as noticeable as they lead one to believe please? Can you hear a call come in well? Endgadget indicates those are the only speakers on the phone, and if muffled, would I still hear my ringtones? For a totally useless question, can you set a whole song as a ringtone, or are you limited to a certain file size like most phones nowadays (my old Krzr, which I used today while Captivate was out of service, can handle a whole song, why not smartphones? One of those things that make me go hmmm?). The same review had issues with the kickstand. What have you noticed please?
I read an interview with HTC's owner and founder in Businessweek this past week, and he is truly a trendsetter. HTC came out of nowhere and are making the best touchscreens I've seen to date (just eclipsed by Samsung and Apple for now in crispness - but that won't be the case for long).
HTC Sense Hub
this is one of the reasons I went with the Surround instead of the Samsung (ok the screen is a bit smaller but I like the build and HTC seems to have better continuing device support)
Well back to the HTC hub, it is very sense like but not as we are used to on WM/Android devices, imho there is a bit too much animation but it is very cool and the device seems to handle the graphice very well. the hub mainly consists of the basic clock/weather combo with links to additional HTC free apps that are many of the unique value added apps we all know and love, Flashlight, calc, a very cool picture enhancer and some others that must be installed, the few att bloat ware present can be easily removed (a first i think) it's not the same as we are used to but they did a nice job of adding the HTC feel as a component to the metro interface. these are just my observations/thoughts and your milage may vary.
Cheers
BR
1toadfacedfrump said:
Have you ever played with an HTC Aria and its Sense touch technology? Is the HTC touch interface the same or as stunning on your new phone? I love my Captivate (which askpcguy just helped me unbrick ), but have really always loved Windows' PC OS and the HTC Sense on my Aria just really seemed snappier to me than Samsung's TouchWiz. My fiancee will get my Captivate, but I'm torn between one of the new AT&T 7 phones or a decent touchscreen/real keyboard Android if and when AT&T gets one. I miss my real BB keyboard, but the Torch is too underpowered and the screen is to small for my aging eyes.
Also, I read a few reviews on your excellent phone at PCmag, CNET and Endgadget earlier today, and Endgadget mentioned the fact that the speakers are muffled when closed and you have to really have them open to hear well. That seems logical, but is it as noticeable as they lead one to believe please? Can you hear a call come in well? Endgadget indicates those are the only speakers on the phone, and if muffled, would I still hear my ringtones? For a totally useless question, can you set a whole song as a ringtone, or are you limited to a certain file size like most phones nowadays (my old Krzr, which I used today while Captivate was out of service, can handle a whole song, why not smartphones? One of those things that make me go hmmm?). The same review had issues with the kickstand. What have you noticed please?
I read an interview with HTC's owner and founder in Businessweek this past week, and he is truly a trendsetter. HTC came out of nowhere and are making the best touchscreens I've seen to date (just eclipsed by Samsung and Apple for now in crispness - but that won't be the case for long).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hate to break it to you, but HTC cuts a lot of corners. Especially lately. It may be due to demand or whatever, but it's one of the primary reasons I'm looking to buy from another manufacturer this time around. I believe they used to make KIRFs, by the way. Though, I have no source on that.
I really don't like my Surround, but HTC never made KIRFS. HTC made just about everyone else's PDA and WinMo phones back in the day though. Including the XDA (hence the name of this forum, which is based on HTC phones). It wasn't until around 2006/2007 that they started trying to be a brand name in their own right though.
Croak said:
I really don't like my Surround, but HTC never made KIRFS. HTC made just about everyone else's PDA and WinMo phones back in the day though. Including the XDA (hence the name of this forum, which is based on HTC phones). It wasn't until around 2006/2007 that they started trying to be a brand name in their own right though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you going to give the Focus a try? I played with one at the store today and have to admit, it was pretty nice. Didn't look or feel cheap to me.
No, I own a Galaxy S I9000M that's in for repairs, with that I get the same 4" SAMOLED as the Focus, AND a real OS. Once it comes back, this Windows Phone 7 detour is over. After a day of using it, I'm certain Windows Phone 7 is not for me.
On the other hand, this might just be the perfect OS for my father, who still can't set the clock on his microwave.
ericc191 said:
I hate to break it to you, but HTC cuts a lot of corners. Especially lately. It may be due to demand or whatever, but it's one of the primary reasons I'm looking to buy from another manufacturer this time around. I believe they used to make KIRFs, by the way. Though, I have no source on that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, agreed, agreed! I don't think I'm ever going to buy another HTC device, ever, which is why I never looked very hard at Android. I've been burned by their corner cutting several times too many. I was also burned by that WinMo phone from LG that was supposed to sell with the snap on projector and had "numerous UI enhancements" from LG which actually made the already lousy WinMo 6.5 UI even WORSE. It was a bad phone and I don't think AT&T tried selling it for very long. So I went with the Samsung Focus and so far I'm impressed. The hardware is nice, it works well and the system, while spartan, works well and hasn't slowed or crashed on me. As was also mentioned, I have a TON of stuff I use on a regular basis on the iPhone so I haven't sold it, nor am I 100% committed to the Focus yet....I have 30 days to return it and I may do that. But so far I have no reason to do so PLUS Slingplayer, my favorite app of all, is already available for WP. I waited almost a full year for Slingplayer for the iPhone and the day after I buy a WP phone, there it is. Now that's impressive!
Lots of interesting ideas and advice, and I love gaining the pros and cons of devices, as well as the history (thanks Croak ). You guys certainly know your stuff, but before you give up on HTC, get last week's Bloomberg Businessweek and read the interview with the top man, because if he knew of the problems you speak of it appears he would be highly upset. Some of what Croak indicated are in that same article. He seems to be a perfectionist like Mr. Jobs; but being human, we will never attain such a lofty goal, but sure have fun trying.
FWIW, the Sense UI blows me away, which is why I miss the underpowered Aria.
I am looking for advice from others who have been in my position and tried to go to another phone from the Touch Pro 2. Like most people here I HAVE to have a full keyboard.
My tp2 is having some physical issues and I am wondering if there is greener grass out there (with a faster processor but probably not as good of a keyboard) or if I should just buy another tp2 from the bay.
I'm with t-mobile and it seems like the mytouch 4g slide is my best option if I go new (4 row keyboard...but it's htc and seems to be decent from my research). The sidekick has a 5 row keyboard but seems like a mediocre phone.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks.
MT4GS seems like great hardware.
I wouldn't get another TP2 if you can help it. Sure the kb is great... but that's about the only thing "great" about it. Android will get better, but only slightly - I doubt it'll ever be 100% as good as a native Android device with the exact same hardware - which keep in mind is ancient by mobile standards. Start talking about/comparing newer hardware, and the TP2 is a lost cause.
arrrghhh said:
MT4GS seems like great hardware.
I wouldn't get another TP2 if you can help it. Sure the kb is great... but that's about the only thing "great" about it. Android will get better, but only slightly - I doubt it'll ever be 100% as good as a native Android device with the exact same hardware - which keep in mind is ancient by mobile standards. Start talking about/comparing newer hardware, and the TP2 is a lost cause.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the processor is a vast improvement and the memory is triple, I think. The keyboard doesn't have the numbers row and might not even have arrows but I think I'm going to have to move on. It's been a good couple of years. I think based on my join date here I got it in dec/jan of '10. So I'm coming up on 2 years. Hardware changes too fast to stay relevant much longer than that.
sry to hijack your thread but i have pretty much the same question. my tp2 died on me yesterday and i urgently need to find a replacement. i am temporarily using my old dusty Wing for now, lol.
what's a good phone to replace tp2 currently? i like to stay with windows but it seems the window phone are not getting much love so i am open to go android (just got my kindle fire in the mail today so might as well give android a try)
i am not big on social networking, so all these twitter and facebook app don't really attract me that much. i primarily use my tp2 for business, need email (imap), calandar (able to sync with outlook calandar), conference calling would be nice, and some basic internet browsing (espn, cnn, etc)
base on the above, what would you recommend?
eric1032 said:
sry to hijack your thread but i have pretty much the same question. my tp2 died on me yesterday and i urgently need to find a replacement. i am temporarily using my old dusty Wing for now, lol.
what's a good phone to replace tp2 currently? i like to stay with windows but it seems the window phone are not getting much love so i am open to go android (just got my kindle fire in the mail today so might as well give android a try)
i am not big on social networking, so all these twitter and facebook app don't really attract me that much. i primarily use my tp2 for business, need email (imap), calandar (able to sync with outlook calandar), conference calling would be nice, and some basic internet browsing (espn, cnn, etc)
base on the above, what would you recommend?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any of those needs would be met with WP7, iOS or Android. I say use your Kindle, then go to the phone store and use WP7. Read reviews, understand the pros and cons of each system and understand how they will effect you and whether or not you care.
pimpmasters said:
I am looking for advice from others who have been in my position and tried to go to another phone from the Touch Pro 2. Like most people here I HAVE to have a full keyboard.
My tp2 is having some physical issues and I am wondering if there is greener grass out there (with a faster processor but probably not as good of a keyboard) or if I should just buy another tp2 from the bay.
I'm with t-mobile and it seems like the mytouch 4g slide is my best option if I go new (4 row keyboard...but it's htc and seems to be decent from my research). The sidekick has a 5 row keyboard but seems like a mediocre phone.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go with Android! I would prefer a phone with at least 512MB memory.
Himalayas said:
Go with Android! I would prefer a phone with at least 512MB memory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second that. The Rhodium has been out for so long now but reality is that it's seriously outdated, although it is a sturdy as hell phone that can run android pretty darn well. The only thing I miss about my Tilt2 is how sturdy that thing is. The keyboard, you could buy a slide phone but think of it realistically. The less moving parts, the less of a chance of it breaking(not to mention how slimmer it gets) . Also, there are so many android keyboards out there that can really help you cope with not having a slide keyboard. Get an Android phone, I'd recommend Samsung. Motorola is nice but their MotoBlur UI is too cruddy. HTC isn't too bad either except that their batteries suck ass.
Sent from my nice little phone... or should I say huge gigantic beast
Meh, I love my slide out 5 row keyboard. I'm not switching to a new phone anytime soon. Keeping an eye on Android development for the TP2 though.
thenexus said:
Meh, I love my slide out 5 row keyboard. I'm not switching to a new phone anytime soon. Keeping an eye on Android development for the TP2 though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those developers are brewing something great too .
The issue with my TP2 is strange. when I slide out the keyboard it will go to landscape for a second...then switch back and think it's closed.
From what I have read the open/close is determined by magnets. That doesn't make much sense since they seem to be able to tell that the phone was opened/closed...but then forget. That seems to be more like a contact issue. I opened the phone up but don't exactly know what to look for when it comes to an intermittent problem like this. It doesn't make much sense based on the research I have done and information I read.
Hi folks,
Noob here - I'm currently running a Tilt2 with an Energy rom, and am pretty happy with the interface... just not the size of the display. (gettin' old & cranky).
I use the FM radio (on external speaker) while I'm working, so that's a must. I also have a GPS program that works well with the Tilt2 (NoniGPS). I find that the audio (speaker) from the Tilt2 is really pretty good (in my old-ears opinion).
I'm thinking that I may miss the keyboard tho, as I've got big fingers and find that most of the on-screen keyboards are too small.
I've looked at many of the comments here - some are lamenting the lack of apps... can you run the 'older' 6.x version apps on this platform?
I played with one at the ATT store the other day, and couldn't figure out how to get to all of the tools settings like the Tilt2... maybe AT&T turned it off so folks couldn't mess with their demos.
I'll continue looking and reviewing, just figured I'd ask a few questions.
Thanks!!
Tim
The FM radio only works on headphones, unless the phone is unlocked (which we haven't done yet). GPS will come with the Lumia (Nokia Drive).
The keyboard is one of the best I've seen in a phone, very accurate and responsive.
And no, you can't run the WM 6.x apps in WP7.
tim051 said:
Hi folks,
Noob here - I'm currently running a Tilt2 with an Energy rom, and am pretty happy with the interface... just not the size of the display. (gettin' old & cranky).
I use the FM radio (on external speaker) while I'm working, so that's a must. I also have a GPS program that works well with the Tilt2 (NoniGPS). I find that the audio (speaker) from the Tilt2 is really pretty good (in my old-ears opinion).
I'm thinking that I may miss the keyboard tho, as I've got big fingers and find that most of the on-screen keyboards are too small.
I've looked at many of the comments here - some are lamenting the lack of apps... can you run the 'older' 6.x version apps on this platform?
I played with one at the ATT store the other day, and couldn't figure out how to get to all of the tools settings like the Tilt2... maybe AT&T turned it off so folks couldn't mess with their demos.
I'll continue looking and reviewing, just figured I'd ask a few questions.
Thanks!!
Tim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will be unhappy with the lack of customizability.
You will be happy with the reliability.
FYI, former Tilt, Tilt2, Fuze owner here.
Former Tilt2 owner (last one was sold on eBay this past week). Most of the apps that are missing from WM6.5 are utilities that you don't need/cant use on WP. Like Total Commander for example.
WP is very short on customization, so you won't find tools and menus. Ultimately, the choose is yours, so take this for what it's worth. I was so convinced that WP would be too immature an OS for me in 2010, I bought two backup Tilt2s to compliment the one I already had. Figured it might take a year or two to mature. Spent an hour with the HTC Surround on launch day, and knew I had to have it. Yes, I miss a little from WM, but there is so much more. And WP is so buttery smooth. The L900 is the best phone I have ever owned.
Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express Pro
Hi guys,
Thanks for the inputs. Wow, 6.x apps won't run on 7. Guess I'll have to see if there are 7 versions for the stuff I use. I figured all the 6.x would do ok... figured that's a big marketing thing that Msoft wouldn't let go.
Can it sync with outlook? (I don't use it for e-mail, although it's where my contacts are.
I don't really have any issues with the current Energy ROM & tilt2, it's <pretty> stable... haven't had to do a hard reset yet. Just looking for a larger display.
Guess I could keep the Tilt2 & use it every now and then!
Oh, I read in one of the on-line reviews that the FM radio can play through the speakers.. if not, guess I can wait till the unlock comes around... I didn't have that capability until I upgraded to the Energy ROM
But hey, Amazon has them for $20, so I guess I can't complain. Just have to re-up for another couple of years contract. Shouldn't be any more $, as I already have unlimited text/data plan, etc.
Again,
Thanks!
Tim
tim051 said:
Hi guys,
Thanks for the inputs. Wow, 6.x apps won't run on 7. Guess I'll have to see if there are 7 versions for the stuff I use. I figured all the 6.x would do ok... figured that's a big marketing thing that Msoft wouldn't let go.
Can it sync with outlook? (I don't use it for e-mail, although it's where my contacts are.
I don't really have any issues with the current Energy ROM & tilt2, it's <pretty> stable... haven't had to do a hard reset yet. Just looking for a larger display.
Guess I could keep the Tilt2 & use it every now and then!
Oh, I read in one of the on-line reviews that the FM radio can play through the speakers.. if not, guess I can wait till the unlock comes around... I didn't have that capability until I upgraded to the Energy ROM
But hey, Amazon has them for $20, so I guess I can't complain. Just have to re-up for another couple of years contract. Shouldn't be any more $, as I already have unlimited text/data plan, etc.
Again,
Thanks!
Tim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you cant use the WM6.5 appa as this is a new OS..
cant sync outlook but you can load outlook connector on your outlook and move your contacts and calande to your windows LIVE account, whic will sync with your WP7 (lumia 900). i was worried about this as well but now tis the best thing. i changed from HD7 to Lumia 900 and all i had to do was log in to my windows live ID and and all my contacts and calander items were in my phone at the telco counter...
but if you are happy wit tilt 2 then you shoud not change it...
So as a fellow Tilt2 user. How often do you need to soft reset? On my L900, I never need to. But I might every few weeks, just for the heck of it.
Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express Pro
I knew it was a new OS, but figured they would keep some kind of compatibility like 95 - 98 - XP. Guess it's too major of a change.
On the soft resets... with the original rom (the newest 'official' one), it seemed that I needed to do it pretty often for major lockups.
With the new Energy ROM, it seems about once a week I need to for minor issues.
However, I'm really happy with most features of the new rom - on the original one, internet (even over wifi) was poor at best. The new energy rom really makes it work better. Can't seem to run netflix with it tho (on wifi). It comes back and gives me an error saying it can't run with the browser. Maybe there's something that needs to be changed. (maybe the OS)?
But, there's still the display size issue.
Tim
The onscreen keyboard on either the Lumia 900 (4.3") or HTC Titan (4.7") are plenty big enough for my clumsy mitts, I use both phones and apart from the odd typo never seems to create a problem, Bear in mind you can type in landscape mode giving you a bit more keyboard to play with ;-)
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the info.
Since you have both phones, what differences do you see between the 900 & Titan? (other than the larger screen) Build quality, durability, speed, etc.
I figure they are pretty close, perhaps some of the software bundled with the Nokia may be different than that of the HTC.
Thanks,
Tim
Yes the software bundle with the Nokias is very good, Nokia Drive being the most prominent and Free compared to HTCs Locations which you have to pay for As for build quality well the Titan is a sturdy and quite slim build but the fact it comprises of two parts ie: Screen & Rear housing & then you have gold contacts to worry about for antenna & wi-fi etc, These need to be checked once in a while or you can experience connection issues, Funnily enough it doesn't feel too big and is similar in overall size to the Lumia 900.
The Nokia Lumia 900 is a solid single piece of Polycarbonate which is as tough as nails and although the screen is slightly smaller than the Titan the amoled screen reallly does make up for that difference & it is made from Corning Gorilla Glass, The Titans slcd screen really appears somewhat washed out in comparison, Not a problem as it still displays nicely and if I hadn't experienced the Lumia then I would be more than happy, One advantage of the Titan is you can remove the battery and swap it for a higher capacity one although I do get very good battery life from both handsets under moderate usage,
Performance wise there really is not much in it and to be honest, Both are super esponsive which is partly down to the OS to some degree, The Titan can be a smoother experience as I have encountered very slight lag when scrolling on the Lumia on occasion, Nothing drastic though.
Pros and cons for both depending how you look at it.
If I had to choose one it would be the Nokia for the simple reason it is more durable with a nicer display and great bundled software, There is nothing I dislike about it, It also stands out clearly away from the mundane looking HTC and is in a different class where looks are concerned.
I have to agree on displays. I had a samsung super amoled and when the upgrade came up my choices for HTC didnt hold a candle when I put the samsung next to it. Oddly enough I prefered HTC for almost 5 years prior and until I actually did the side by side I thought the HTC was great. Little did I know. I suggest an in-store side by side before deciding. And I mean literally side by side. The fact that amoled can be seen in sunlight outside was enough for me. The color richness and the fact that it doesnt look washed out completed the sale.
Thanks Andy,
Nice comparison!
Tim
tim051 said:
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the info.
Since you have both phones, what differences do you see between the 900 & Titan? (other than the larger screen) Build quality, durability, speed, etc.
I figure they are pretty close, perhaps some of the software bundled with the Nokia may be different than that of the HTC.
Thanks,
Tim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This will help answer your question too: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_900_vs_htc_titan_2-review-755.php