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Hello all,
Some of these things may have been covered but for the life of me I can't find them in the forum, so if I'm barking up a tree thats already been p**sed on, I appologise.
Basically I am looking to buy either an IIs or IIi (or similar MDA III etc) but I would like know if the same sort of problems that happen on the IIs happen on the IIi also. The problems with the IIs are detailed on many a topic (such as http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=23880&highlight=month+review) but here are the mains ones I can see.
- The keyboard is flimsy (falls out own accord etc)
- Bluetooth is unstable
- Sound cuts out on calls sometimes
- Restarts itself
- WiFi is unstable and picks up little signal
- Corrupts SD cards
- After some months the screen will 'whistle' (on some devices)
- The device does not hang up properly sometimes
- A version of WM2k5 doesn't look set to be available for this device
(Also it has older generation processor)
These problems do not seem to be experienced by all, and many seem to be fixed by a selection of ROM updates and quirky software settings. Do these same issues exist with the IIi (the keyboard one doesn't obviously)? I was going to get the IIs (the better battery life and keyboard looked useful) but the sheer quantity of problems people have put on the Blue Angel board has pushed me towards getting the Andes model. Is this a fair thought about the device or will I find just as many issues on the IIi as the IIs? I will be giving the device some fairly hefty PDA type use (Documents and Spreadsheets etc) so I would prefer to get a model that it not so buggy as the IIs appears to be. It seems it might be all software issues but could they be caused by hardware problems also?
Any thoughts on this issue would be greatfully appreciated as I don't want to make a purchase I later regret a lot.
Thanks a lot.
Tom
P.S Keep up the good work on this site - its a mine of useful information.
Without owning a IIi, I can tell you that:
- You *won't* get the keyboard problem
- AFAIK, the Bluetooth stack is the same, so any problems there are replicated over.
- The wifi signal strength stems from not having an external anntenna ala PalmOne Treos, so you'll have the same problem with the IIi.
HTH
Chris
I worried about this one for a while , but I went for the IIs as there seemed to be a lot more ROMs available to customise and sort out stupid problems like bluetooth and gprs not reconnecting. The imate 1.40 ROM for Blue Angel is really stable in my opinion and it works with the customisation CABs for o2 UK from the original extended rom. I havent soft reset my device for over a week now and everything seems to be really stable. The only possible advantage with the IIi is the camera, but reports of that say that the quality is just as crap as the IIs camera. Forget the slightly faster processor, if you really need that little bit more, just overclock a IIs, they will run at 520 MHZ very comfortably!
HTH
Fin
Thanks - This is useful stuff. The IIs might be back in the game. Will overclocking it cause the battery life shorten significantly? Also would the Bluetooth problems mean that using a portable bluetooth keyboard (such as the Stowaway one) would be impossible as it would cut out or is this just on high data transfer rates such as those needed by a headset?
Thanks again.
Tom
hi
i have both 2s and 2i...
as far as wifi goes.. the signal on 2i is way stronger than 2s
bt is 1.2 with support for listening to system sounds and MUSIC on 2i
i dont have any keyboard,sound cutting on calls etc problems you have written.. except that 2i didnt hang up properly with the old rom ..now that i upgraded to the lastest o2 rom on 2i that problem has gone.. the voice (caller and me and vice versa) is crisp adn clear on both the devices
cheers
Strange about the wifi, they must have put a boosted antenna in there, or perhaps changed the enclosure material...
Chris
Cheers for the help. I have decided to go for the IIi (well the Qtek 2020i version of it). It is cheaper than the IIs and the better Wifi signal will definitely be more useful as I will be using the device in libraries and other places where I will not be able to guarantee signal strength. It looks slightly more future proof with WM2K5 Roms looking like they will be available for it more readily. Its not that I will need the extra features of WM2K5 but it looks like I will be using the device a lot and so it will be good to get the benefits of future development. Guess i'll have to get a spare battery to compensate for it short battery life. Cheers again.
Tom
Let's face it people. When the TP2 was announced it was looking like a great device and a possible Xperia replacement. Now, after it is out, I can safely say that it has both bad hardware and software. I will hang tight to my Xperia for the time being.
Here is why I do not like the TP2:
No 3.5 m headphone jack - LOL. In 2009...............
No flash/LED on the camera - Again, it is 2009 and this is a high end device.....
No D-pad or other directional buttons on the front - They say the software is optimized for that kind of use. Well, what about the 10k apps I want to install, that require a d-pad?
No FM radio/disabled by firmware - Why??? That is the stupidest decision by a phone manufactirer ever.
Same processor as the TP. 520mhz qualcom, although the TP2 has an older version !!!!!!!!! - Older version on a model that is supposed to be a successor???
TP - MSM 7201 A
TP2 - MSM 7200 A
Same storage space as the TP.
Same ammount of RAM, although the TP2 has 20mb LESS RAM available to it. I repeat, the newer version has less RAM available!!!
TP2 has a better battery than the TP, BUT worse battery life! How about that huh???
Good things:
Nice screen. (tilting)
5 row keyboard. (awesome)
Noise cancelation.
How is the Touch Pro 2 an upgrade?? It has ther same or LOWER specs than the Touch Pro. I feel cheated by HTC . My advice is - Keep your Touch Pro or Xperia and wait for the TP3 or X2.......
I haven´t tested myself
But I must agree with you!
How possible is no 3.5mm jack??
My Universal from 2005 has it and is extremelñy usefull!, of course an adapter can be found but....
Don´t want to repat all your points but thank you very much for pointing it here
Not a real replacemet for my beloved Universal not even for Xperia
Let´s hear what users have to say about this
Some good points but I disagree with:
1. No 3.5 m headphone jack - LOL. In 2009 - I never understood why anyone would want an extra hole in their device. the adapter works perfect for me and yes, its 2009, i have wireless headphones lol.
2. No FM radio/disabled by firmware - Why??? That is the stupidest decision by a phone manufactirer ever - i installed the cab and it works perfect. who cares how it comes if you can simply install a cab file to change it. All part of customizing your device IMHO
3. Same processor as the TP. 520mhz qualcom, although the TP2 has an older version !!!!!!!!! - Older version on a model that is supposed to be a successor??? - do you actually know this proc is worse or are you just saying this due to the model #?
4. Same storage space as the TP. - who cares about internal storage when you have an expansion card?
5. TP2 has a better battery than the TP, BUT worse battery life! How about that huh??? - not sure where you got that lol. my tp2 has much better battery life then the tp1
not really feeling you advice not to buy it. I had an HD and this phone blows it away in every way. just my 2 cents
mallman said:
Some good points but I disagree with:
1. No 3.5 m headphone jack - LOL. In 2009 - I never understood why anyone would want an extra hole in their device. the adapter works perfect for me and yes, its 2009, i have wireless headphones lol.
2. No FM radio/disabled by firmware - Why??? That is the stupidest decision by a phone manufactirer ever - i installed the cab and it works perfect. who cares how it comes if you can simply install a cab file to change it. All part of customizing your device IMHO
3. Same processor as the TP. 520mhz qualcom, although the TP2 has an older version !!!!!!!!! - Older version on a model that is supposed to be a successor??? - do you actually know this proc is worse or are you just saying this due to the model #?
4. Same storage space as the TP. - who cares about internal storage when you have an expansion card?
5. TP2 has a better battery than the TP, BUT worse battery life! How about that huh??? - not sure where you got that lol. my tp2 has much better battery life then the tp1
not really feeling you advice not to buy it. I had an HD and this phone blows it away in every way. just my 2 cents
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1 - Yes, having an adapter is so cool......... I want to plug my headphones not look for the stupid adapter EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.
Wireless headphones are used by a very small percent of people. Most people (like me) prefer NOT to have two devices to charge when you want to take your music with you.
2 - That is not customizing. Installing programs and tweaking is customizing. This is poor care for the customer on HTC's part and smells of an unfinished device. How would you feel if they had left out TouchFlo 3D? Or part of it?
3 - That is what I know from doing my research. If my info is correct.
4 - I do. Many apps don't work if you install them on the SD card. They auto install in the main storage.
5 - All the reviews I have seen mention it, plus a friend of mine has both phones and has confirmed that for me.
Agreed on the part that TP2 is better than the HD. HD sucks even more. You should definitely make the upgrade to TP2.
I have the following phones:
Kaiser
Diamond
Touch HD
Xperia
Touch Pro 2
and have bought them in that order - never sold any of these
I agree with Mallman: can't see the point in saying that it sucks.
I have been using my TP2 today with the following usage:
140' phone calls (onehundred forty)
20' Opera browsing
Exchange mail push always on
2 POP3 mail account syncing with 10' time frame.
Received and read over 50 mails.
Still have 10% battery left after 14 hours of THAT kind of use - just out of the box, haven't had the time to work on energy consumption parameters under Advanced Config.
Can't really see any difference with my Xperia. Touch HD has performed less.
Radio is ok.
Have a 8 GB SDHC card, with extreme satisfaction.
And believe me, I have tried all the keyboards of these phones, nothing compares to this one. Screen is superb, speed also.
IT has BETTER battery life (don't listen to pocketnow.com, they are the onlyones who are saying that. FM radio has been left out. Reason unknown, so hard to say if it is a bad decision. Does the processor id number mean it's older? Has it been released before? It's not always so that a higher number means newer.
The TP2 is actually faster (not only touch flo 3D) then the touch pro.
Maybe they should make also a HDMI and firewire connection...... That would make sense. There are really small usb mini to 3,5 minijack converters. ANd the mini usb is multi functional.
Please stop talking about the flash, there have been real flash phones, but only very little. This is because after 3 flashes, the battery is empty. That LED light, was fun, but never really used it. keyboard has been improved. Original wm 6.5 upgrade.
Looks are much better. I almost never used my dpad, only when something was to small to select. But the bigger screen and better resolution solves that. I have to admit that a jogdial (like on the hermes) would be a good thing.
So in your oppinion every device has to have a mini jack? So I think you get that I don't agree with you
quarintus said:
IT has BETTER battery life (don't listen to pocketnow.com, they are the onlyones who are saying that. FM radio has been left out. Reason unknown, so hard to say if it is a bad decision. Does the processor id number mean it's older? Has it been released before? It's not always so that a higher number means newer.
The TP2 is actually faster (not only touch flo 3D) then the touch pro.
Maybe they should make also a HDMI and firewire connection...... That would make sense. There are really small usb mini to 3,5 minijack converters. ANd the mini usb is multi functional.
Please stop talking about the flash, there have been real flash phones, but only very little. This is because after 3 flashes, the battery is empty. That LED light, was fun, but never really used it. keyboard has been improved. Original wm 6.5 upgrade.
Looks are much better. I almost never used my dpad, only when something was to small to select. But the bigger screen and better resolution solves that. I have to admit that a jogdial (like on the hermes) would be a good thing.
So in your oppinion every device has to have a mini jack? So I think you get that I don't agree with you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was at a club last night with some friends and it was kinda dim. My Xperia was the only phone with any kind of flash and I was the only one that could take pics. I really can't imagine anyone arguing in favour of not having a flash. That is hilarious. Same goes for 3.5mm jacks.
I had a couple of devices without D-pads (including HD for a while). I have to say that many of the apps require a D-pad or are easier to work with, if you have one.
Agreed on the screen, keyboard and looks (as mentioned in the OP).
For the lack of flash, you are completely right.
I see no point in selling phones without a flash - even a sucking one would be better than nothing.
As for me, I use these phones for my job, so usually in daylight.
Wish I had more spare time to spend in clubs during the night: would have certainly a different phone
ninja.rogue said:
For the lack of flash, you are completely right.
I see no point in selling phones without a flash - even a sucking one would be better than nothing.
As for me, I use these phones for my job, so usually in daylight.
Wish I had more spare time to spend in clubs during the night: would have certainly a different phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ninja.rogue said:
And believe me, I have tried all the keyboards of these phones, nothing compares to this one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I´m sure you are not counting Universal keyboard
That one is the best!
orelsi said:
1 - Yes, having an adapter is so cool......... I want to plug my headphones not look for the stupid adapter EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.
Wireless headphones are used by a very small percent of people. Most people (like me) prefer NOT to have two devices to charge when you want to take your music with you.
2 - That is not customizing. Installing programs and tweaking is customizing. This is poor care for the customer on HTC's part and smells of an unfinished device. How would you feel if they had left out TouchFlo 3D? Or part of it?
3 - That is what I know from doing my research. If my info is correct.
4 - I do. Many apps don't work if you install them on the SD card. They auto install in the main storage.
5 - All the reviews I have seen mention it, plus a friend of mine has both phones and has confirmed that for me.
Agreed on the part that TP2 is better than the HD. HD sucks even more. You should definitely make the upgrade to TP2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
all i gotta say is this: have you actually used the device? half of whats written on the web is not from actual use but pure conjecture. i actually own the device and have an x1 and blackstone. x1 cannot compare with this phone on any level. blackstone has a bigger screen and that about it! when you actually use the device then i will take on board your views but for now as an actual owner i am sorry to say your research is inaccurate, my experience is hands on!
orelsi said:
Let's face it people. When the TP2 was announced it was looking like a great device and a possible Xperia replacement. Now, after it is out, I can safely say that it has both bad hardware and software. I will hang tight to my Xperia for the time being.
Here is why I do not like the TP2:
No 3.5 m headphone jack - LOL. In 2009...............
No flash/LED on the camera - Again, it is 2009 and this is a high end device.....
No D-pad or other directional buttons on the front - They say the software is optimized for that kind of use. Well, what about the 10k apps I want to install, that require a d-pad?
No FM radio/disabled by firmware - Why??? That is the stupidest decision by a phone manufactirer ever.
Same processor as the TP. 520mhz qualcom, although the TP2 has an older version !!!!!!!!! - Older version on a model that is supposed to be a successor???
TP - MSM 7201 A
TP2 - MSM 7200 A
Same storage space as the TP.
Same ammount of RAM, although the TP2 has 20mb LESS RAM available to it. I repeat, the newer version has less RAM available!!!
TP2 has a better battery than the TP, BUT worse battery life! How about that huh???
Good things:
Nice screen. (tilting)
5 row keyboard. (awesome)
Noise cancelation.
How is the Touch Pro 2 an upgrade?? It has ther same or LOWER specs than the Touch Pro. I feel cheated by HTC . My advice is - Keep your Touch Pro or Xperia and wait for the TP3 or X2.......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't think I'd be laughing out TOO loudly at the lack of a 3.5 jack. In 2009 people are still using the things? Good heavens, get up to date!
No camera flash? Yeah it would be nice, but hardly a show stopper not having one.
No D-PAD? Erm...that's kinda the point, isn't it? If you want a D-PAD that badly, then of course you don't want this phone. I have over 40 application on my Vogue and I almost never use the D-PAD. I can't wait to get a phone that gets rid of the space-waster.
FM Radio disabled? There may be a good reason - too early to tell. Same was true of my Vogue's GPS chip. Took awhile to get a firmware update, but disabling it by default was the best option they had at the time.
Old Qualcomm Chip - Well, they didn't need to update the chip, did they? They saved a boatload of money by not manufacturing it with a new chip, and spent far less money instead optimizing the speed of the firmware. Pretty good deal, I'd say.
Same storage space - There's a handful of apps that require storage on board, but it's not likely you're going to run into so many of those that you run out of space when you have even a modest sized storage card.
20 MB less RAM - ok, so you have less excess than before. It's still excess.
Worse battery - Umm...no, I don't think so. You're not gonna get that one to fly. Everyone who has the device knows better.
shingers5 said:
all i gotta say is this: have you actually used the device? half of whats written on the web is not from actual use but pure conjecture. i actually own the device and have an x1 and blackstone. x1 cannot compare with this phone on any level. blackstone has a bigger screen and that about it! when you actually use the device then i will take on board your views but for now as an actual owner i am sorry to say your research is inaccurate, my experience is hands on!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My research is about the processors. As I said a friend of mine has it and he let me play with it for a day. I had ample time to compare it to the X1. I was really disppointed.
ajbopp said:
Don't think I'd be laughing out TOO loudly at the lack of a 3.5 jack. In 2009 people are still using the things? Good heavens, get up to date!
No camera flash? Yeah it would be nice, but hardly a show stopper not having one.
No D-PAD? Erm...that's kinda the point, isn't it? If you want a D-PAD that badly, then of course you don't want this phone. I have over 40 application on my Vogue and I almost never use the D-PAD. I can't wait to get a phone that gets rid of the space-waster.
FM Radio disabled? There may be a good reason - too early to tell. Same was true of my Vogue's GPS chip. Took awhile to get a firmware update, but disabling it by default was the best option they had at the time.
Old Qualcomm Chip - Well, they didn't need to update the chip, did they? They saved a boatload of money by not manufacturing it with a new chip, and spent far less money instead optimizing the speed of the firmware. Pretty good deal, I'd say.
Same storage space - There's a handful of apps that require storage on board, but it's not likely you're going to run into so many of those that you run out of space when you have even a modest sized storage card.
20 MB less RAM - ok, so you have less excess than before. It's still excess.
Worse battery - Umm...no, I don't think so. You're not gonna get that one to fly. Everyone who has the device knows better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes most of the people still use them..... You better read my previous posts about the wireless headphones.
I have 300+ apps on my X1 and many of them require a D-pad.
I am curious about the Vogue's GPS chip. Why was it necessary to be disabled?
The part about using saved money from the processor to update the interface is pure conjecture on your part .
Again, the size of the SD doesn't matter if you have many apps that by DEFAULT install on the main memory.
Excess??? Excsue me, but less RAM means less multitasking and although the TP was good at this, it wasn't VERY good. The TP2 is worse and it is supposed to be an upgrade....
I can't argue about the battery, because I don't have that much hands on time with the device. I trust my friend and the online reviews though. Unless both my friend's battery and the ones of the reviewers were faulty in the first palce
orelsi said:
My research is about the processors. As I said a friend of mine has it and he let me play with it for a day. I had ample time to compare it to the X1. I was really disppointed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe you expected too much! this phone blows x1 out the water literally. i could write a list of all the shortcomings of the x1 but i know they will be addressed by the upcoming x2. prior to getting this fone i bigged up my x1 as well so i can't get down on you for that! however ya cannot beat hands on experience(not just a day) and no one who has both devices like me will agree with you!
orelsi said:
Yes most of the people still use them..... You better read my previous posts about the wireless headphones.
I have 300+ apps on my X1 and many of them require a D-pad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
300+ apps? Where the hell did you get those... I don't have that many apps on my desktop pc.
shingers5 said:
maybe you expected too much! this phone blows x1 out the water literally. i could write a list of all the shortcomings of the x1 but i know they will be addressed by the upcoming x2. prior to getting this fone i bigged up my x1 as well so i can't get down on you for that! however ya cannot beat hands on experience(not just a day) and no one who has both devices like me will agree with you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recieved my TP2 today I completely agree with you Shingers
I owned the typhoon, Hurricane, Wizard, Hermes, Tytn, Diamond X1 and now TP2 (Rhodium)
and this is the best windows mobile I have ever owned!
300 apps.... with that many your asking for trouble regardless of handset
Cheers
Steve
rosebud said:
I recieved my TP2 today I completely agree with you Shingers
I owned the typhoon, Hurricane, Wizard, Hermes, Tytn, Diamond X1 and now TP2 (Rhodium)
and this is the best windows mobile I have ever owned!
Also, talking from a professional standpoint,
Im a Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist in Windows Mobile, aswell as an MCSA, so I know what im talking about
300 apps.... with that many your asking for trouble regardless of handset
Cheers
Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
very well said! I have actual hands on with the phones in question so thats why i can post confidently and so can you as you not only have the knowledge but ownyou the phone. just feel its a bit of a farse to say this device sucks when you dont even own it and try to put people off it! i'd say sounds like he wants one but cant get it! hehe. no one can knock you for your opinion orelsi but pocket-link review in inaccurate but can't comment on your friends as dont know. this phone is the best dude and once we get some chefs on here to kick this custom thing off - watch out! wm6.5 on this phone will look and work a treat
Hummm... sounds like just jealousy...
------------------
HTC Touch Pro
Corrupto said:
Hummm... sounds like just jealousy...
------------------
HTC Touch Pro
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
chuckle, chuckle........funny! i dont mind threads like this as i think though negative it gets people interacting and talking wihout any insults. i respect everyones opinion and even if i totally disagree with him thats how he feels!
Hey guys,
I just wanted to ask a few questions regarding the Galaxy Nexus
1.) Since a lot of devs will be coming from the US, I wanted to know if roms made for the LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus will work with the GSM Galaxy Nexus. If not, is there a quick way to port it from one to the other? (I imagine that it's just switching radios but I'm not a dev so I wouldn't know)
2.) How is the gaming performance on emulators and modern day games? Is there any lag?
3.) Is there a way to use a controller with the galaxy nexus? Either via bluetooth (PS3 controller) or USB through a regular usb controller? (When I get my Nexus I want to play ShadowGun right away )
4.) Has anyone tried any of the roms? Is there a noticeable difference in terms of performance in gaming and regular performance throughout the OS?
Thanks so much,
Mosh
Sorry for the bump, but my phone is coming soon and I have a limited amount of time to return it before I'm stuck with it so I desperately need answers fast. Thanks so much all, and once again sorry for bumping this thread.
Hey there Mosh,
To answer your questions -
1. I think it is too early to decide whether ROMs from LTE can be ported to GSM or vice versa, because there is no guarantee that it is just the modem which is different. But then again, I am not a developer - don't go by what I say.
2.None that I found, overall gaming is quite smooth and slick.
3. Come Android 4.0, there is support for USB host functionality which means support for USB drives and controllers BUT you will have to flash a custom kernel that allows you to do so.
4. Still on Stock, So I can't say for the ROMs but they seem to have be optimized quite well from the comments etc.
Hope this helps,
Cheers
I have a SonyEricsson Xperia X1 which is starting to break down and I'm thinking of getting a new phone. The Desire Z is the only non-Xperia phone I found that has everything I need. How is it? Pros? Cons? Battery life? GPS?
Also, I'm new to Android because the Xperia X1 has WinMo. What are the drawbacks of Android? The pros I already know of. How's the freeware app availability and development? (I will never pay for an application.) How about the advanced user customization? (I liked that about WinMo. Registry editing and changing files.)
Thanks for any answers!
Here's my review of the Desire Z based on my review (note: this is my first mobile device with something better than WinMo 5.
It has a nice performance (unless you're running something like HTC Sense 3.0+ HTC Sense). The keyboard (if you use it) is very comfortable and it features a "search" and a "menu" key, plus 2 shortcuts, the only thing I would like is an extra row for numbers (but I'm already used to the soft keyboard so I rarely use it). I wish I could review the stock rom, but I removed it after 2 days (and this is my first android phone). Battery life is OK, I get 1 day of battery life with medium use (screen on for like 4 hours, nothing heavy running), however, I bought my phone used, so I think the battery should have been better if it was new. The camera is OK for taking casual photos, the flash does a very good job for taking in dark places, just don't expect "ultra sharp" quality. The speaker is very loud, however, I find myself most of the time putting my hands on the back of the phone to "bounce" back the sound to myself, as the speaker is on the back side.
As for android, there are a lot of free applications, however, the market sometimes has apps that are useless or malicious (although you'll usually only notice them after scrolling a lot down). There's also something called GetJar, where you can get apps for free every week legally (they call them "gold apps"). Most of the apps you'll need will be free (soft keyboards, launchers, email apps) and most of them will be free but will have a "pro" or "donate" version (usually the free ones will have ads, which I can easily ignore, as they're usually small.
Sorry for any typo, English isn't my main language.
Time has long since passed to ditch Winmo. The drawbacks to Android? There aren't any. Winmo is a joke for lag, memory leakage, instability, and crashing. Android is stable and fast; and enjoys huge support from manufacturers, developers, and the user community. There is no "registry" since that is a Windows invention. But there are hacks and mods for anything you would ever want to do, and much more. Trust me, make the move to Android, and you will never look back on Winmo (except to shake your head and laugh).
There are plenty of free or ad-supported apps on the Market, as far as most any utility you would need. And also good quality free games. But really, why such an adamant stance on paying for apps? What would be the big deal in PAYING for software, if its something well made, that you use frequently, and say costs $1 (less than a Euro). That amount of money is completely insignificant for me when spend on something useful like a good app. God forbid the people that develop software should be compensated for it, and motivated to create other quality software, and to continue supporting their apps with updates and bug fixes? User made freeware is fine an all, and there is certainly good stuff out there. But its not going to fill every hole or need.
The con with the DZ is that its over a year old. This is really old in smartphone terms. Good phones with hardware keyboards are indeed rare. But aside from the keyboard, the Z has really fallen far behind in terms of CPU, memory, and other specs. If you are really hung up on a hardware keyboard, and can get a good deal on a Z, then go for it. Otherwise, I'd use my money on a more current device.
Thanks for the replies, guys!
Yes, the physical keyboard is a must. It's so much easier and faster than virtual keyboards. If I have to write more than three consecutive letters, I'll flip the keyboard open instead of trying to write with the virtual one. I do a lot of writing with my phones. My work phone is a Galaxy S and I have tried pretty much every keyboard it has, but they're all equally horrible. The same with my Xperia. I blame my first ever smartphone, the Nokia Communicator 9500. It was huge and awkward, but it had the comfiest keyboard ever.
The Xperia X1 has otherwise 95% of what I need, but it's starting to physically break and it has become abominably slow and unstable. And it wasn't that great to begin with. In hindsight, I really should have bought a HTC phone (assuming there existed one with a physical keyboard at the time).
The reason I won't pay for apps is because what has happened to me quite a many times with both my phone and my computer. I buy a program or app I need, happily use it and after a month, discover that there has existed a free alternative the whole time that is actually better. Cue me being pissed off. I have learned my lesson and right now, there is no software on my phone that I paid for and the only software on my computer that actually costed money are the operating system and games. That doesn't mean I won't donate to the authors of the software afterwards.
The only experience I have with Android is via my work phone, but I don't know about how customizable it is, because the work phone has been heavily restricted.
Tych0n said:
The Xperia X1 has otherwise 95% of what I need, but it's starting to physically break and it has become abominably slow and unstable. And it wasn't that great to begin with. In hindsight, I really should have bought a HTC phone (assuming there existed one with a physical keyboard at the time).
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The Xperia X1 was made by HTC.
Oh, well, something other than the X1, then, preferably something that used HTC's UI.
Tych0n said:
Oh, well, something other than the X1, then, preferably something that used HTC's UI.
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i thought buying an HTC cellphone is reather better than other android cellphones for 2 things:
1- its tough... it doesn't break easily, even with tiny hinges holding the screen...
2- it has Sense UI...
but turns out, Sense UI really affects performance, even on stock unrooted, the phone was really slow... although HTC Sense offers great look... but no performance comparing to other UIs
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May be, but it's been my favorite since I first saw it.
Riro Zizo said:
but turns out, Sense UI really affects performance, even on stock unrooted, the phone was really slow... although HTC Sense offers great look... but no performance comparing to other UIs
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I've only found the launcher (home screen and app tray, for the OP) itself to really be any effect on performance, and its easy enough to use an alternate launcher. And the lag on the Sense launcher is really not as bad as some make it out to be.
Its purely a matter of personal taste, of course. But my personal opinion is that Sense is a much more aesthetic, refined, and unified Android experience than AOSP, or other manufacturer skins.
Of course, the beauty of Android is that if you don't like Sense, you can always flash a more vanilla ROM, or something else like MIUI.
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Tych0n said:
The reason I won't pay for apps is because what has happened to me quite a many times with both my phone and my computer. I buy a program or app I need, happily use it and after a month, discover that there has existed a free alternative the whole time that is actually better. Cue me being pissed off. I have learned my lesson and right now, there is no software on my phone that I paid for and the only software on my computer that actually costed money are the operating system and games. That doesn't mean I won't donate to the authors of the software afterwards.
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If you are just talking utilities and useful apps, I think you will be right at home on Android. I honestly can't think of any utilities that you HAVE to pay for. Many are either free, or have a paid premium version with extra features (or remove ads), if you like the free version and decide to pay.
Desire Z it is, then!
I can get one from two different places without a nordic keyboard for ~300€ or one with nordic keyboard for ~500€. Guess which one I'll buy...
I came to Android on the DZ from a WinMo phone. Best move I ever made, Android made my old WinMo (which I was happy with at the time) look like a laggy, clunky joke.
Welcome to Android !
Sent from my Desire Z running CM7.
If you want a qwerty-slider android phone I don't think you can do better than the DZ. My preferred rom is virtuous affinity - this give a smooth and very usable sense 3.5 experience. However, I would do think this phone is at the end of its lifespan. The built in ram and the single core cpu are going to limit how much further it can be pushed and I don't think we are ever going to see usable/smooth ics or sense 4 on this handset.
If you want a qwerty-slider android phone I don't think you can do better than the DZ - but I wish there was!! Come on HTC where's the quad core 4.7in HD qwerty-slider I want so badly
MaxWiz said:
If you want a qwerty-slider android phone I don't think you can do better than the DZ - but I wish there was!! Come on HTC where's the quad core 4.7in HD qwerty-slider I want so badly
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This a million times! I'm astonished that there's so few sliders with full keyboards out there. The market is dominated by those goddamn slates. I've watched my friends write with the virtual keyboards of iPhones, Galaxies and whatever, and it always looks slow, clumsy and awkward. They even have to use predictive text input to compensate for the slowness. In contrast, writing with a QWERTY thumb keyboard is a breeze. The Desire Z is apparently pretty much the newest and best Android slider there is on the market, but it still has a WVGA screen, while pretty much every new slate has some HD-super-gizmo screen. What the hell? My Xperia has a WVGA...
But anyway, seeing as I can get a DZ for LESS (~300€) than I paid for my X1 (~450€), I'm happy even though it might not be the fastest and newest there is.
I'm a big fan of hardware keyboards too. I switched from the Motorola Droid to the HTC G2. I found the keyboard on the G2 to be not so good. Not sure if it's just because I got mine used on ebay and it was worn, but it doesn't look like it's worn out. I've noticed the keyboard tends to miss/duplicate keystrokes often. So I've been tending to use the on screen keyboard, which is really good. I think the on screen keys are bigger than on the droid so it's pretty easy to type on. But I found the hardware keyboard to be much slower to type on than the Droid.
jgummeson said:
I've noticed the keyboard tends to miss/duplicate keystrokes often.
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That could be from wear. The keyboard of my X1 worked flawlessly in the beginning, now it duplicates and misses keystrokes all the time. It's still better than the virtual keyboards, though...
Hi, I'm mainly from the Samsung Galaxy S 4G forum and I am considering buying this device, before I do I would like to ask a few questions:
1. Just 2x checking, this runs an android ICS port, right? if so is it fully functioning?
2. What is your default clocked processor speed?
3. How much RAM & System memory does this have?
4. Are there any major drawbacks to this device?
5. Would the 7 in. screen be an issue for typing notes during my college classes?
6. Is it possible to mount devices (ex. phone, camera, etc..) through your micro USB port with a type B male to A female USB cable?
7. Does anyone have any major regrets about buying this device?
8. How fragile is this device, compared to most phones? (I just want to make sure it wont shatter after a 3 foot drop since i have a baby brother)
9. How is development? How many active devs do you have? (i just want to make sure I'm not buying a device that has a dead dev section)
10. Does this have expandable memory? (ex. micro sd)
Thank you so much and sorry for the newb like questions, I will remove them as I research tonight if I find some answers to these questions.
Thanks Again!
1.yes
2. Mine is 1008 but its clocked to 1200
3.512 mg
4.internal storage capacity
5.I type fine on it could depend on finger size
6.no not yet
7.none I love my kindle
8. Very sturdy but not indestructible
9. Plenty development is very active
10.no but development is working on USB otg
1. Just 2x checking, this runs an android ICS port, right? if so is it fully functioning?
CM9 ROCKS
2. What is your default clocked processor speed?
most roms overclost @1200
3. How much RAM & System memory does this have?
512
4. Are there any major drawbacks to this device?
Memory
5. Would the 7 in. screen be an issue for typing notes during my college classes?
I am way oldschool when it comes to this.... I use Grafitti for android
6. Is it possible to mount devices (ex. phone, camera, etc..) through your micro USB port with a type B male to A female USB cable?
yes
7. Does anyone have any major regrets about buying this device?
baught as a stepping stone to get soemthing bigger.... good starter device
8. How fragile is this device, compared to most phones? (I just want to make sure it wont shatter after a 3 foot drop since i have a baby brother)
there are loads of shock cases on the market to assist in protection.
9. How is development? How many active devs do you have? (i just want to make sure I'm not buying a device that has a dead dev section)
plenty of developers, new or improved ROMS are released all the time
10. Does this have expandable memory? (ex. micro sd)
not yet
Hope it helps.... emjoy
others have answered the specific questions so here's my take on the general ones:
4. Are there any major drawbacks to this device?
No 3G is a pain in the ass. I feel like I'm limited where I can use this thing fully. If I want to play a little WWF during lunch, I gotta stick to places that have wifi. I can't just whip it out and get directions while out walking, or look something up on the spur of the moment. If you have a phone that can act as a wireless hotspot, this is no biggie.
Also, nothing major but I've found some basic customization and tasks have been a bit harder than expected. It took forever to get a proper screenshot program working... should be built into the OS. I'm still trying to find a randomized wallpaper changer. Little things like that... it seemed like people were on top of this stuff when I looked into customizing my phone.
5. Would the 7 in. screen be an issue for typing notes during my college classes?
I find the screen more than enough to do anything. Feels big and clear. Also, swyping with this thing in portrait mode is perfect, you don't have to be as precise as you would with a phone, but it's not so far between the letters that it slows you down. If you already use swype you'll be golden for note-taking.
7. Does anyone have any major regrets about buying this device?
No, I'm quite pleased with it, and the price is amazing for what you're getting. The lack of 3G still gets on my nerves and I would gladly have paid an extra 50+ bucks to add that functionality.
8. How fragile is this device, compared to most phones? (I just want to make sure it wont shatter after a 3 foot drop since i have a baby brother)
I got a screen protector and a cheapo (like 6-10 buck) carry case. I've dropped it twice from waist level or so and the case kept it fine. I'd say if you get the case you'll be ok, but an unlucky landing facedown onto blacktop might crack the screen or something.
9. How is development? How many active devs do you have? (i just want to make sure I'm not buying a device that has a dead dev section)
I feel like it's pretty good but I don't have much to compare it to. One thing I really liked is the devs made it SOOOO easy to root and install a new rom/os/bootloader/etc. I got the appropriate usb drivers, used the KFU, and in no time I was able to back up my stock image, get a good bootloader going, get a new launcher, get root, and even get some sort of hack that gives you access to both the amazon marketplace and google play store. Most apps I've installed work fine, a handful that were made for the phone do not, but they make it very easy to DL, install, update and uninstall apps.
4. there are some drawbacks:
-no bluetooth
-no volume buttons
-only about 6 GB of useable storage space
-no upgradeable storage (except through mounting something on USB)