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I cannot for the life of me decide which HTC phone to buy, previously I've had the following:
O2 XDA - Decent at the time
Blackjack II (Samsung) - decent phone
HTC TyTN II - Awesome business platform but too bulky
Nokia E71 - Best of the lot but hated Symbian OS (missed Win Mobile)
I want to buy one of the new HTC phones but I cannot for the life of me decide which one, it needs to last me a good 18 months and something I'll settle with and enjoy everyday I use it, stuff I'll be doing with it:
1. Emails - Googlemail, Microsoft Exchange, Hotmail
2. SMS - Will really need an unlimited SMS contract
3. MMS
4. Decent Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn integration
5. Opera browser
6. Windows Mobile 6.5 (looks great)
7. Live messenger
8. Movies
9. MP3/Music
10. PDF's/Docs/Powerpoint (view only, not much editing)
11. Remote Desktop/Putty in worst case scenario
12. Shared internet
Ok what do you guys think?
Stunno I know you asked in another thread about the TP2, what do you think about it honestly now the novelty has worn off (if it has!)?
I cant imagine the Diamond 2 being up to the task of loads of typing, but I really like the look of it, but the more I look at what I need the TP2 ticks every single one of those boxes.
At the same time I'm loving the look of the HTC Hero (android) and would wait for that if it could also tick the above!
Damn this is hard to choose.
Also what the best place to get this phone in the UK? I was thinking MPD, is it worth phoning Vodafone after I have bought one to try to improve the contract? (I think some of you guys have done it)
But ultimately which damn phone should I buy! lol cheers
Gonna get one ordered tonight hopefully if I can decide.
Doubt you'll get any bad feedback in here about the Rhodium.
As far as I can tell everyone is extremely happy with theirs so far (par the odd faulty unit owners )
By far the best HTC Device I've ever owned (Par my Uni but it's a very close call)
Read through Shingers thread (if you haven't allready), it really is a stunningly impressive work of art, the hardware and OS integration is a first for HTC, the stock Rom is amazing, the screen is bright, vibrant and crystal clear, the keyboard has nicely spaced well sized keys (although not as good as Unis) and the tilt function feels much more solid than the Kaiser.
Forget the Topaz, the Rhodium blows it away
Cheers,
Beasty
I cannot make your decisions for you but my thoughts so far are:
Looking back over my Winmo phones, the one that I remember most fondly is the Wizard (Tmobile Vario). I loved that phone! Don't know why, it was big heavy and slow, but it didn't seem to matter at the time (I was gutted when I dropped it on a concrete floor and shattered the screen)
The TP2 is better in every way than the Wizard, and is the best Winmo phone that I have used, although it isn't perfect yet. I have a Vodafone branded phone and have had a few niggles due to the branding, or rather due to the removal of the branding. Oh and I have other niggle, my email always shows a new email even when there isn't one!
My only criticism would be that it is BIG! Which may be just because I have upgraded from a Diamond, which was tiny. If they could get the screen, keyboard and battery life in the Diamond's form factor I would sell one of my kids for it! (Actually I wouldn't. It would take two of them to get the phone )
I have only tried a few of the applications/uses that you have listed
1. Email, Exchange, Gmail work perfectly
8. Divx TV episodes work fine with Coreplayer
9. Only used the TF3D player and have had no problems at all (I don't mind the stock headphones, I must have funny shaped ears)
I've had a play on the G1 and am not a fan of the OS, yet, it seems thrown together somehow. But then again I'm not a great fan of Linux either for similar reasons
I think my Voda contract worked out cheaper than MPD (although I have the dreaded branding)
My advice?
Go to a Vodafone shop and try one! If you can live with the size then this seems to be the best phone out there at the moment
Really interesting question....
I would add, if you are LUCKY enough to find a shop that has a TP2. I went looking today, and
a) VF Business Centre: No demos, only to order.
b)Orange: No Stock yet although not discrimination tween business and personal customer.
c) T-Mobile - Nothing yet; End of July.
I am also looking for a professional device with very similar reqs to yours. I was looking at the Tytyn11, but took too long over it and so the TP2 seems a logical choice. However it is VERY NEW and it still has s/w compatibility issues like LogMeIn support etc. I have heard some of the issues are related to the high res screen. However, having talked to a number of people the TP2 does seem to be a de facto business device so I am thinking that if I am going to commit to a 24 month contract then I am better off doing it with something like the TP2 which I can grow into as the problems get solved rather than get something that will be obsolete asap.
I have also looked at MPD and fine and dandy if you want a unbranded phone, but the deal is not as good as VF's IMO especially when quidco included. Also I question whether I would get a replacement mobile as quickly from HTC as VF. Perhaps I would ......
And finally the keyboard.... If you need this then that rules out a lot of options. I do.
Just thoughts, and best of luck matey...
Back to my glass of wine in the courtyard enjoying the warm sun go down !!!
Sam
Thanks all
Stunno, appreciate you replying to my questions.
I'm still undecided, I would love to buy the TP2 and get it tomorrow but I'm still not sure, the keyboard is a big deal - I think I'd definately use it heavily, I did with my old TyTN 2.
Yesterday I went to two different Voda shops (business) and none had it in stock, one girl didnt even know what it was (lol).
Right now I'm down to these:
1. iPhone 3GS - bit of a gimmick though and too expensive, but I got to try it and although the functionality looks quite thin (I had an Ipod Touch so the interface novelty wore off) its a nice phone, dont think it will suit my needs.
2. HTC Hero - I like android and what its trying to achieve, I also love Linux (my job) but I do NOT like the way the device is shaped - nightmare in the pocket.
3. HTC Diamond 2 - The more I look at the reviews the more this phone is top of my list, BUT the only issue is the touch keypad, I just think it wont be good enough, I dont know.
4. Samsung Omnia HD - Amazing phone, but not a big fan of Symbian, was almost tempted to buy this until I read about the codec issues with the sound recording and Samsung stance on fixing it.
5. Samsung Omnia Pro - ????
Decisions decisions, so many damn phones!
Final question, did anybody here order from MPD on a Friday (contract) and get the phone saturday???
SuperAdvan said:
Thanks all
Stunno, appreciate you replying to my questions.
I'm still undecided, I would love to buy the TP2 and get it tomorrow but I'm still not sure, the keyboard is a big deal - I think I'd definately use it heavily, I did with my old TyTN 2.
Yesterday I went to two different Voda shops (business) and none had it in stock, one girl didnt even know what it was (lol).
Right now I'm down to these:
1. iPhone 3GS - bit of a gimmick though and too expensive, but I got to try it and although the functionality looks quite thin (I had an Ipod Touch so the interface novelty wore off) its a nice phone, dont think it will suit my needs.
2. HTC Hero - I like android and what its trying to achieve, I also love Linux (my job) but I do NOT like the way the device is shaped - nightmare in the pocket.
3. HTC Diamond 2 - The more I look at the reviews the more this phone is top of my list, BUT the only issue is the touch keypad, I just think it wont be good enough, I dont know.
4. Samsung Omnia HD - Amazing phone, but not a big fan of Symbian, was almost tempted to buy this until I read about the codec issues with the sound recording and Samsung stance on fixing it.
5. Samsung Omnia Pro - ????
Decisions decisions, so many damn phones!
Final question, did anybody here order from MPD on a Friday (contract) and get the phone saturday???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to add to the mix - Omnia 2 has started to get some coverage...
Yeah I noticed that too mate, the Omnia Pro?
Coming July, but still, there are many many bugs with the HD version (it maybe Symbian based but...) which puts me off.
I think I am going for the TP2, though my brain is telling me to wait a month or two.
without being device specific what I see is the need for you to do a lot of typing so i would recommend something with a great keyboard. Rhodium certainly has that
SamJolly said:
a) VF Business Centre: No demos, only to order.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To order, yes, but if you call up their upgrade line and be doubtful at them, they'll tell you that if you're not happy with it you can send it back within 7 days with no quibbles... That might only be relevant to current customers mind, and distance selling regs don't apply if you go to a store. I called them up just over a week ago since I was out of contract and had one delivered the next day. A friend got the HTC Magic on the same deal the same day, and another friend has an iPhone so we were able to compare the three phones over a number of days of real use. I kept the TP2... It works well enough, there are a couple of very minor niggles, but most of those are to do with Windows Mobile (and being new to it so expecting things to work in a slightly different way) rather than the phone itself.
Steve.
SuperAdvan said:
Thanks all
Stunno, appreciate you replying to my questions.
I'm still undecided, I would love to buy the TP2 and get it tomorrow but I'm still not sure, the keyboard is a big deal - I think I'd definately use it heavily, I did with my old TyTN 2.
Yesterday I went to two different Voda shops (business) and none had it in stock, one girl didnt even know what it was (lol).
Right now I'm down to these:
1. iPhone 3GS - bit of a gimmick though and too expensive, but I got to try it and although the functionality looks quite thin (I had an Ipod Touch so the interface novelty wore off) its a nice phone, dont think it will suit my needs.
2. HTC Hero - I like android and what its trying to achieve, I also love Linux (my job) but I do NOT like the way the device is shaped - nightmare in the pocket.
3. HTC Diamond 2 - The more I look at the reviews the more this phone is top of my list, BUT the only issue is the touch keypad, I just think it wont be good enough, I dont know.
4. Samsung Omnia HD - Amazing phone, but not a big fan of Symbian, was almost tempted to buy this until I read about the codec issues with the sound recording and Samsung stance on fixing it.
5. Samsung Omnia Pro - ????
Decisions decisions, so many damn phones!
Final question, did anybody here order from MPD on a Friday (contract) and get the phone saturday???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't mention the N97 for some reason. When I was deciding on my upgrade I ended up with a straight choice between the TP2 and the N97 as I had decided that a keyboard was a must.
The TP2 won out because of several points WM being the most obvious (I've had loads of WM phones and am used to it) and Tomtom being the clincher ( I have a shockingly bad sense of direction which, incidentally, has been made much worse by Tomtom but at least I don't get lost now)
If it is down to TP2 v TD2 then it is simply a choice between keyboard v size
There are loads of shops with the TD2 in stock. Give it a go
EDIT: Vodafone gave me 7 days to return the phone if I didn't like it. IIRC Order by 2pm for delivery next day
I just received my TP2 yesterday. I brought it from MPD on payg voda which was £453 - it comes unlocked and unbranded so I chucked my o2 sim right in.
I as well as many others had a tough choise to make - I research everything to death before I buy them, and I have to say on most occasions when I do commit and buy, its a disappointment.
However now using the TP2 it has exceeded all my expectations from all reviews I read and video's I watched (probably 100+).
The stock rom is fantastic, very fluid, very productive and hides nearly all the standard windows mobile interface (only having to see it when using explorer).
I don't expect I can change your mind by this post, but what I will say is that once you actually have it in your hand you will understand why everyone here rants on about it. I compared it to my friends HD last night and the rom beats the HD rom in terms of speed and features, and the quality of the product itself is astounding.
Couple this with the future release of WM6.5, flash 10 for WM in Oct (beta), and HTC Sense release - you have a phone that should last you 18 months - after all, I don't think we will see WM7 on phones till the end of next year, so then is when you can upgrade again.
I haven't tried the TD2 or Samsung HD i900 (or whatever they called it now), but picking between this and the TD2 comes down whether you need a keyboard, or if you like things as small and compact as possible.
Let us know how you get on - keep trying to find a place to try it out
Sounds good - I am very tempted to just pay out for the SIM free as you did since most of the contracts on there incurr extra charge for daily surfing, my existing T-Mobile contract is up for renewal and does NOT incurr extra surfing charges, its also only £22!
I am tempted to renew it and see if I can get a better deal on unlimited texts and buy the phone SIM free from MPD or Expansys.
Definately the Rhodium... or wait for the Omnia Pro
SuperAdvan said:
Sounds good - I am very tempted to just pay out for the SIM free as you did since most of the contracts on there incurr extra charge for daily surfing, my existing T-Mobile contract is up for renewal and does NOT incurr extra surfing charges, its also only £22!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
£450 or so for an unlocked handset equates to a lot of surfing!
My phone was free on 30/month (ex VAT), including 500Mb data which should be enough for my needs
Only downside is a 24 month contract
Steve.
i think htc hd is the best choice for know it has thin body 3.5 mm audio jack good battery bigger screen than all
I can't be the only person facing this choice...
I need to replace my aging HTC Touch HD (Blackstone) as my contract expires the end of this month.
I have the choice of the Omnia 7 and HTC Mozart.
I was originaly leaning towards the Mozart but having seen a few reviews now the Omnia seems to be a possibly better bet.
There are conflicting opinions of the camera on the Mozart, some say it's great others saying it's not as good as the Omnia's 5MP job.
The screen does look beautiful on the Omnia but I just don't know. Maybe people having the same dilema as me or those who have made the choice already could add their opinions to aid me and possibly others!
Many thanks!
I had the same dilemna yesterday. My Touch Pro 2 broke and my phone insurance offered to try and get a replacement or offer me the cash (£360!!).
I looked at the Mozart and the Omnia and have opted for the Mozart. Spec wise they seem very similar, but I think the Mozart seems a bit sturdier. It is arriving on Tuesday!
Definitely go for the Mozart. The Galaxy S left a bad taste in my mouth. HTC build quality > Samsung build quality.
I like the Samsung built phones but HTC built phones are also good.
I would just look at the specs / battery life / display / extras etc.
That way you can find one that suits your needs.
The Samsung looks better, especially because the display blends well into the phone frame.
However considering how text and contrast heavy the WP7 UI is, the Pentile pattern in AMOLED isn't exactly optimal for sharpness. At least I can make the color fringing on texts as well as the gritty Pentile pattern in images out rather well (I guess having not yet bad eyes helps). Right now I have a Nexus and can make things out, a larger display will worsen it for me personally.
So I'm making the compromise and go for a HTC device with SLCD (Trophy tho, not the Mozart).
Also, in the end, the hit on the battery will be generally less, seeing how browsing is a major activity, and that most websites have white or bright backgrounds, without AMOLEDs power draw in play. Samsung has a bigger battery tho.
I went for the Mozart as the Omnia's screen is a little too large for me. It's due for delivery Monday but I won't get it until Tuesday or Wednesday as I'm not at my Billing Address.
Thanks for the input.
One of the concerns I had was regarding the build quality of the Samsung model since it hasn't really been their strong point on previous handsets.
I read different opinions on the casing of the Omnia 7, mostly saying it is much improved.
I got the Omnia 7 from Orange yesterday build quality is good and the screen is awsome... Free on 18 month contract £35 per month.... So will have the option to upgrade again Jan 2012 (after 15 months)........ Had no crashes so far!!
ebzrascal said:
I got the Omnia 7 from Orange yesterday build quality is good and the screen is awsome... Free on 18 month contract £35 per month.... So will have the option to upgrade again Jan 2012 (after 15 months)........ Had no crashes so far!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A question regarding the camera on the Omnia. Reviews have stated the flash is overpowering and not that useful. However I assume since it's LED it means that it can be turned on costantly for use on video recording and could double up as a torch.. something the Mozart with a xenon cannot do?
Thanks
I'm in exactly the same boat. I've been holding off upgrading for 4 months now to see how WP7 pans out. Would like to stay with Orange but this isn't a requirement.
I wanted to ask, has anyone actually tried the phones out before buying? Are the phones in the shops yet? I haven't got down to one yet (my second son was born yesterday, so I have a good excuse), so don't know. I don't think I'd want to commit to 18 months (at least) without trying the hardware out first.
And of course, there's always the HD2, sorry HD7 on O2. Like a mini-tablet, only fits in your pocket, unlike a Streak. I'll need to try this one out too.
Having spoken to Orange they aren't offering particularly good options with regards to renewing so I did look around. However what I was offered is still better than O2 will do so the HD7 was out for me.
The LG on Vodafone didn't really inspire me nor did the Trophy.
I wish the Venue Pro (Lightning was such a better name) was offered on a carrier.
I'm heading into town tomorrow so was going to ring up my local Orange shop to see if they had either handsets in stock so that i could have a play with them.
Another thing I was curious about that had been raised in other posts was if the Omnia had Gorilla glass as with the Galaxy. That would be a real plus point for me as i do worry about having such a big screen after managing to crack my Touch HD even though i treat my phones with great care.
mtb_baz said:
I'm in exactly the same boat. I've been holding off upgrading for 4 months now to see how WP7 pans out. Would like to stay with Orange but this isn't a requirement.
I wanted to ask, has anyone actually tried the phones out before buying? Are the phones in the shops yet? I haven't got down to one yet (my second son was born yesterday, so I have a good excuse), so don't know. I don't think I'd want to commit to 18 months (at least) without trying the hardware out first.
And of course, there's always the HD2, sorry HD7 on O2. Like a mini-tablet, only fits in your pocket, unlike a Streak. I'll need to try this one out too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been with Orange for what seems like a life time and like you I'm also out of contract and looking for a suitable replacement. I actually jumped ship and went to o2 (for the best part of a day). I got the HD7 for £45 a month on a 24 month contract which includes insurance. I had to pay £49 for the handset though but to be honest I really didn't feel comfortable leaving Orange were I was paying £35 a month (which includes insurance) for less minutes...
Again being totally honest, the HD7 is a beast of a phone. Compared to my Blackstone (which I've flashed the hell out of) the HD7 is just stunning. The large screen and handset quality easily gives you bragging rights ahead of any phone. It just seemed to work out of the box but strangely enough, something just didn't feel right. Maybe it was the big screen that I used to drool over. Maybe it was the fact I had to leave Orange. Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't flash my phone no more. I just don't know. Because of these reservations, I reluctantly returned the phone (still in shock I did this). I've decided to give WP7 another chance and I have ordered the Samsung Omnia7 on Orange, which is free of charge on a 18 month contract for £35 a month, 600min and unlimited internet. The phone arrives on Monday and I will certainly give it a good try. The reviews I’ve read are encouraging so I’m keeping an open mind. If I still have any doubts about the phone, I’ll return it and wait for the Desire HD on Orange.
For me the jury is still out for WP7. Don't get me wrong, it very user friendly and intuitive, however my only concern is that the operating system has been completely locked down like the Iphone. Simple tasks like syncing with outlook and mass storage access through explorer is a thing of the past. For me, it’s a change of mindset. I’m cool with this but old habits die hard.
Can I just say to everyone considering a trophy...
Please go and check it out with your Hands!
It's a piece of plastic junk after seeing it in a vodafone store... it's definitely the super budget WP7...
Also take note the screens on Trophy and Mozart are different, the Mozart's being 0.1" less but a much better quality display to my eye!
Just talk with Orange, they are doing great deals on the Mozart, please get that instead of a trophy!
Also if you want OLED, Omnia 7 has a metal wrapped back... it's quite solid, there's no creaks! It's sexy.
Yeah even HTC says the HTC Trophy is their bottom of the line "budget" WP7 device. Not saying it's bad, just that it's meant to be the budget phone.
Phone Titan said:
I like the Samsung built phones but HTC built phones are also good.
I would just look at the specs / battery life / display / extras etc.
That way you can find one that suits your needs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think he should only worry about exras, consiering all 1st gen phones are the bare minimum microsoft outlined
I mean, come on. Why didn't sammy put a hummingird in the omnia to atleast make it stand out a lil more?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
A_Flying_Fox said:
I think he should only worry about exras, consiering all 1st gen phones are the bare minimum microsoft outlined
I mean, come on. Why didn't sammy put a hummingird in the omnia to atleast make it stand out a lil more?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because MS told them not to, they're strict. And that's good for us.. we all know how Sammy screwed up galaxy s (maybe they'll fix it now - in november rls..NOT)
went into my local Orange shop today.
They don't have any Mozarts in and won't for a few days. They don't know when the Omnia is coming in and said only a limited number are available in the country.
So no new insights gained! I may just plump for the Omnia and if i don't like it i can return it for the Mozart.
What's the price difference between the Mozart and the Trophy... if its a budget wp7 phone?
Phone Titan said:
What's the price difference between the Mozart and the Trophy... if its a budget wp7 phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Orange don't have the Trophy at the moment it's on Vodafone.
I have a leaflet here from Vodafone store:
FREE HTC 7 Trophy
- 300 minutes
- Unlimited standard UK Texts
- 500MB of UK Web access
£25 a month on a 24-month agreement
Same tariff on Orange
HTC Mozart
- 300 minutes
- Unlimited standard UK Texts
- 500MB UK Web Access
£25 a month on a 24-month agreement
Plus £100 handset cost.
(Or free on a more expensive tariff)
£100 over 2 years remember is £4.17 a month
I'm on the verge of ordering the Omnia I think.
Looking at reviews the camera picture quality seems better on the Omnia than the Mozart, likely due to Samsung having better camera hardware than HTC. I know the camera on my HD is attrocious.
It's so difficult to decide as there is so little between the launch hardware. I like HTC as a company as my Blackstone has been superb, just there is nothing stand out on the Mozart for me really...
Gutted that the Orange stores didn't have any in to play with though. In the past there have been clear choices, such as the Touch HD vs Xperia X1 was any easy decision for me.
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?
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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 ....
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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.
After dropping my Nexus 7 the other day, breaking the screen in the process, discovering it would power up just fine but with no touch response and then blatting the thing to death with a large hammer for giggles I now need a new tablet. So, my question is; do I buy another N7, as they're still readily available at a decent price on the high street in the UK, or something else out there that is better? Apart from the pathetically weedy speakers that required ear trumpets to hear, I was pretty happy with the N7. I did hold out a few days for the madebygoogle thing, but the new rumoured small tablet was not proffered unfortunately*, so what next? Price is not an issue. The N7s I can buy new are £99 and £119 for the 16Gb and 32Gb respectively, but if I do go with something different and more expensive my wants would be:
Decent resolution screen 7-10"
Rootable
Loud(er) speakers
Not too heavy
Maybe a chance of some Nougat in the future at some point.
Thoughts, please, thank you...
*at least the prices of the new phones gave me a good laugh to make up for it, though!
Personally, I am very happy with the N7 and wouldn't hesitate to buy another. My entire household uses them too. It's a perfect combination of price, functionality and size. Does everything I need it to, and I do IT for a living.
Well, I bought another one. Having said they were readily available, I've since found out that wasn't quite true. I got the last one in the store and they're no longer on sale where I got it (Argos).
I rooted my last one quite simply back in the day and my PC was running Windows 7, but had hours and hours of frustration trying to do this one on W10, as I couldn't find drivers that would play nicely when debugging was switched on! Got there eventually, though. The old one had been dropped once or twice before its terminal fall and the screen refused to rotate even though the accelerometers were all functioning, so it's good to have one that works readily again.
Since it costs 130 $ now and it support will end in february does its worth to pick it up now? my bugget is 200 $
Yes, I actually just bought myself another one this morning! I think of them as a steal when it comes to the pricing compared to the specs. I have a good feeling they'll support 8.0 since they managed 2 7.0 updates within the year
With your budget you can almost buy two. Colors are limited unless you want Mint, but new ones are going for as low as 109.99 on a certain auction site. From trusted (certified) sellers.
I was "lucky" my three year old decided my Honor 5x needed a bath a couple of months ago when I stupidly left it on a chair. I snagged an emergency replacement NIB Electric Blue Robin for 99.00 by using a rebate code.
marvelljones said:
With your budget you can almost buy two. Colors are limited unless you want Mint, but new ones are going for as low as 109.99 on a certain auction site. From trusted (certified) sellers.
I was "lucky" my three year old decided my Honor 5x needed a bath a couple of months ago when I stupidly left it on a chair. I snagged an emergency replacement NIB Electric Blue Robin for 99.00 by using a rebate code.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whered you pick it up for $100? I want that color badly, or the ember :crying:
tlxxxsracer said:
Whered you pick it up for $100? I want that color badly, or the ember :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A seller on eBay, they were running a sale at 114.00 and I had a 25.00 off 100.00 or more coupon code. This was a couple months ago and if the same seller has any left they're all the Mint color.
I try not to advertise specific sites, but I am not selling any phones at this time and I am in no way related to anyone selling the Nextbit Robin.
marvelljones said:
A seller on eBay, they were running a sale at 114.00 and I had a 25.00 off 100.00 or more coupon code. This was a couple months ago and if the same seller has any left they're all the Mint color.
I try not to advertise specific sites, but I am not selling any phones at this time and I am in no way related to anyone selling the Nextbit Robin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Guessing I purchased mine on the same deal - it went for $115 (USD) with a %15 coupon, total of $100.
I looked on slickdeals.net, found that deal post from 2017-06-26 (expired). Seller was BuySPRY:
* https://slickdeals.net/f/10291048-n...ed-android-smartphone-99-99-fs?src=SiteSearch
Seems the same seller has posted three more sales since then, one appears to be going on now.
* $115 on 2017-06-28 (expired): https://slickdeals.net/f/10296728-n...one-115-fs-ebay-daily-deal?v=1&src=SiteSearch
* $105 on 2017-07-17 (expired): https://slickdeals.net/f/10362632-nextbit-robin-is-105?v=1&src=SiteSearch
* $110 on 2017-08-11 (appears to still be live): https://slickdeals.net/f/10454576-n...m-100-gb-online-for-109-99?v=1&src=SiteSearch
Note, I'm not promoting or advocating the seller or sales platform, rather I'm mainly hoping only to report on deal postings. Since I bought my phone, I haven't seen any other deals from other sellers via slickdeals. I would share those too if I found any.
My quick take on buying this phone - true there is no longer warranty service for it if you need to make a new claim. But given that I've bought used phones for more money, with no warranty, makes this phone a good deal for the asking price. This phone is new and has the bonus of continued OS/Software updates through February 2018, even if we don't know how much more development we actually see. The other very positive note, especially for me, is the active XDA development. It's a nice upgrade from my Nexus 4.
Hope that helps.
Ember is incredibly hard to find, I have tried
wouldn't recommend it :/
The phone itself is brilliant when you first get it, but like all phones, deteriorates over time --- but a bit worse than most. The Nextbit system is built based on the Android OS, but an edited version, so originally, as each renewed version of the android OS was released, an update to the Nextbit OS would also be released. However, Nextbit has now been bought out by Razer, and as I understand Razer has since shut down everything related to the Robin. This means that the Android OS continues to be updated, but the Robin's modified OS is not --- & I think this is probably the root of many of my problems with the phone as of now. It's slow, the screen registers touches where there aren't any, the archiving system works too well and deletes apps in the middle of use, and images don't stay on the phone for longer than about three seconds ( and these are by far not the only problems :crying: ). In my opinion, buying the phone now would only cause you grief, since any further updates to the android OS will only further cause issues with the operation of the phone. It's pretty, and alright for the money, but you could get waaaaaaay more functional phones :victory:
Personally, I still think it's a good buy. Snappy phone with a good screen, nice front-facing speakers and 32 GB onboard storage. Although official updates are only through Feb 2018 (which is probably better than a lot of major brands offer for a phone at this price point), there is an active community with good rom support so it will live well beyond.
I picked mine up a few months ago at $140...Running resurrection remix and it's super smooth and fast...no regrets.
The robin is definitely worth buying in 2015, other phones with comparable specs are the moto g4 plus and g5, nexus 5x, and etc, but they all go for at least 100 or even 150 more than this phone. Plus this phones dev support is great, and i wouldnt be surprised if we got custom roms for android 8 a few months after the official release, i got my robin from buyspry on ebayr for 109, great deal for the money. Plus i had a 100 gift card so i really got this phone for 10 bucks, a killer value. That being said the nextbit skin on top of android 100% sucks, and i dont buy into their cloud integration with storage at all. However, its easy to get around all of that with the custom roms, imo they have better performance and give better screen on time. with stock i got about 3 hours, with aicp (my new daily driver) i can put whatever customization on andorid (i have customized it too look exactly like the pixel) i want and still get great performance (4 hours of screen on time)
rahul200023 said:
The robin is definitely worth buying in 2015, other phones with comparable specs are the moto g4 plus and g5, nexus 5x, and etc, but they all go for at least 100 or even 150 more than this phone. Plus this phones dev support is great, and i wouldnt be surprised if we got custom roms for android 8 a few months after the official release, i got my robin from buyspry on ebayr for 109, great deal for the money. Plus i had a 100 gift card so i really got this phone for 10 bucks, a killer value. That being said the nextbit skin on top of android 100% sucks, and i dont buy into their cloud integration with storage at all. However, its easy to get around all of that with the custom roms, imo they have better performance and give better screen on time. with stock i got about 3 hours, with aicp (my new daily driver) i can put whatever customization on andorid (i have customized it too look exactly like the pixel) i want and still get great performance (4 hours of screen on time)
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Click to collapse
I get better mileage than that but yes, you got a great deal and the phone is definitely worth it. Worse case scenario, they get rid of the 100gb cloud integration, other than that, it performs well and of course, you cannot go wrong with a 6 core phone. The first thing that I did was root, recovery and rom. The 3 "R's" I don't use the cloud, I use titanium backup for all of its settings that the cloud doesn't offer. AOKP for me has been one of the most rock solid ROMs and has all of the settings that you'd expect plus some. Performance, lag free and smooth gaming. The Robin Stock rom rooted is amazing as well but its just a little heavier then custom and of course, that's because it's the rom with Gapps pre-installed.
Sent from my Robin using Tapatalk