O2 willing to swap my Orbit2 for Sony Ericcson Experia... - Touch Cruise General

After my 4th lost rubber ring from my scroll wheel, O2 have offered to change my Orbit 2 for a different phone.
Initially they offered me a choice of either the Nokia N95, Nokia 6220 Classic, or LG Viewty.
Naturally, I declined and explained I require a Windows Mobile device that is capable of viewing and editing Microsoft Word and Excel Documents, which is HSDPA and GPS enabled, and also takes external memory/SD slot.
To be honest, I'm happy with the Orbit 2, apart from the rubber ring issue.
They came back and offered me a Sony Ericsson Xperia or the XDA Ignito (HTC Touch). The Touch only has internal memory, so not suitable.
I'm not sure about the Sony Ericsson Experia though. Does it have any advantages over the Orbit 2?
My contract is due for renewal in August (8 months), so this could be my opportunity for a
'fresh' handset mid-term to ease the wait.
My recent phone history goes like this - Orbit/Cruise>>M3100/Hermes>>C600>>SPV (original)
As you can see, I like my HTC phones.
Will I regret the change to the Sony Ericsson Experia?
All opinions appreciated!

do you have to give your orbit 2 back?
I would probably go for the XDA Ignito since it has 4gb internal memory and a vga screen, and you can still transfer files via WiFi or Usb connections, since i never take my SDHC card out anyway
If you have 7 month contract you may aswell get a new phone since when your current contact runs out youll get more whne you sell it, so maybe the Touch HD is cheaper in the long run!
and you get a new phone!

Yes, I need to give the Orbit 2 back.
I would go for the Ignito if it hard external memory. Transfering large files takes ages through the cable vie activesync, and I store a lot of info on my 8gb SD card.
When looking at the Ignito/Diamond in a store today, the screen looked alot smaller than the Orbit 2, which put me off, but having cjecked the specs now, the screeens appear to be both 2.8 inch.
Then there's the Xperia....
I'm confused!
lol

yeah there both the same screens, only difference is that one is qvga (320 x 240 orbit) and the other one is vga (640 x 480 ignito)
Are you actually wanting an upgrade that isnt listed?
For exapmle, you could get a replacemnet ( highest value one) then sell it straight away and use that money and a bit extra to maybe get the touchHD or soemthing,
Then when your contract come back around you can just sell that phone and make up what you spent extra getting the touch HD,
All depends on what you want really and how long phones last with you without either breaking or getting bored!!
Personally with me nokias last about 3 months but HTC ones last about 5 years!

Also depends on weather you like to flash roms and such?

The Xperia is a sizeable upgrade and worth a lot more money than the Polaris or Ignito. Furthermore, since the Xperia is an HTC manufactured device, it already has a section here and can run all the HTC specific stuff. In fact if you don't want the Xperia, I'll trade you my Touch Cruise for it as we don't have the rubber ring issue.
You'd be absolutely crazy if you went for the Ignito over the Xperia.
Xperia Pros:
3"in screen
Aluminum casing
Luxury design
30fps VGA recording
WVGA resolution
Ability to play movies w/hardware accelleration
3.5mm audio out
physical keyboard
Xperia Cons:
Less HTC software customizations (but you can install all the Touch HD stuff since they have pretty much the same internals)
Thicker than the Ignito (but thinner than the Touch Pro)

I went into a store and played with both phones, the Touch Diamond/Ignito, and the Xperia.
Sonus, the Xperia looks a real winner on paper, but what I didn't expect was that the Diamond felt better in the hand. I don't know if it's because the Xperia has a slide keyboard, so is essentially two pieces, but the Diamond felt rock solid in the hand in comparison.
However, looking at the re-sale values of the Xperia on ebay, I think I'll do what gbds suggests and sell the Xperia and buy a Touch HD
I've emailed O2 to confirm that they are not going to treat this different model replacement as an upgrade, and once I get confirmation I think I'll ask for the Xperia.
Thanks again!

Managed to get this sorted yet?

Yeah, got the Xperia delivered yesterday.
I've been playing around with it, and desperately need touchflo installed. I guess it's just getting used to a new phone again. I have the Orbit 2 set up so it does what I ask of it with ease, standard HTC home screen with the digital clock, and windows live emails on the fron screen, easy access to all my applications from tabs on the front screen, quick flick of the finger and I'm speed dialing contacts, another flick and I'm in to my photo album.
The high resolution/small icons and text on the Experia is a little off-putting.
Also, the right-hand edge of the stainless steel front bezel is raised slightly and feels very sharp to the touch (i have a sore finger from it) so will be calling them tomorrow.
Signal strength is not as good as my orbit either. Where I was getting HSDPA in my lounge, I'm now hovering between HSDPA and Edge.
The phone does feel very sturdy, and appears to have potential but I still love my Orbit 2

Related

I'm due an upgrade - Whats new on the market?

Hi there all - I currently have a MDA Compact III through T-Mobile and am due an upgrade next week. I don't mind moving networks. Whats better than what i currently have? Does anyone know if there are any new PDA's out on the market shortly? If so, what do they do and should i hold on or just go with whats out there now! I'd really appreciate your help and i'm totally open to all options.
Cheers and thanks for reading
Regards
Daddy H
yep the mda compac IV, stay that few extra months, itll bring the price of the device down, its also known as the HTC Touch Diamond. Comes out in june sometime on sim-free, probably july on T-Mob.
If you wait those 2 months, yoll probs get some loyalty bonus or at least a discount.
Definitely the best phone ive seen thats upcoming
Rory
Thread moved to general as this is not NEWS for most of us that is.
I might be wrong, but the Diamond doesn't have qwertry, memory card slot or a flash on the camera right? Hardly an upgrade from the previous MDA range. In fact that seems massively lower spec than the MDA Vario II to me. aGPS and VGA screen do look a treat though.
It is pretty, but if I wanted pretty I'd get an iPhone. Also, the back is hideous and looks like it would be seriously uncomfortable in your pocket.
I have an i-Mate 9502 (pretty much brand new out) which is lovely, but until i-Mate get their arses in gear with patches/updates it has no SDHC support and it doesn't play videos so well (no worse than the MDA 3 mind). These features are supposedly coming though. It looks a bit like a sidekick which you can either take or leave.
Sony Ericsson X1 is what I'm waiting for with baited breath, although its looking like its not going to be out until the end of the year now :/
I hid money from the wife just so i could save for the raphael as long as my money doesn't corrode waiting for it.
If you can cope without the external memory card slot then the Touch Diamond (MDA COMPACT 4) is definitely the one for you: particularly given that you currently use a non-qwerty MDA Compact 3. The interface looks superb and the only drawback seems to be the lack of a memory card slot. There is no flash on the camera either, but IMHO you wouldn't buy a Winmo device for its camera anyway as they're all crap!
Another advantage is that its release on the T-Mobile uk network is imminent.
The Raphael should also be released on T-Mobile given their record of releasing wizard and Magician upgrades but you could be waiting an awfully long time for something that may not offer you any more benefits than the Touch Diamond. Its size and weight will certainly be greater too.
As regards other networks, well in the UK there is no advantage of going to another network for your windows mobile devices as no-one offers as much choice as T-Mobile, nor as good a package as Web n Walk.
leoni1980 said:
If you can cope without the external memory card slot then the Touch Diamond (MDA COMPACT 4) is definitely the one for you: particularly given that you currently use a non-qwerty MDA Compact 3. The interface looks superb and the only drawback seems to be the lack of a memory card slot. There is no flash on the camera either, but IMHO you wouldn't buy a Winmo device for its camera anyway as they're all crap!
Another advantage is that its release on the T-Mobile uk network is imminent.
The Raphael should also be released on T-Mobile given their record of releasing wizard and Magician upgrades but you could be waiting an awfully long time for something that may not offer you any more benefits than the Touch Diamond. Its size and weight will certainly be greater too.
As regards other networks, well in the UK there is no advantage of going to another network for your windows mobile devices as no-one offers as much choice as T-Mobile, nor as good a package as Web n Walk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The camera on my 9502 is excellent! Obviously not as good as an N95, but definately useable. I could happily take it on a day out instead of a camera.
"Also, the back is hideous and looks like it would be seriously uncomfortable in your pocket."
it's just paint it's not a real "diamon" crystal shape
Thanks for all your replies!!!
Cheers All for your comments - as a matter of interest, does size matter? I know the qwerty keyboards are bigger and bulkier but are they worth it?????????? what extra do you get ?
Cheers Again
Daddy
as a matter of fact i've been using the fingertouch onscreen keyboard most of the time with my universal, however if you do a lot of typing it's very useful to be able to turn to a qwerty keyboard. from experience of owning a Universal, Athena and Tytn 2 i would say that the tytn 2's keypad easily beats the Athena's mushy and unlit metal jobby, though the Athena is the best for touchscreen typing owing to the screen size and shape of the device. if you only send quick texts, and quick email responses and you're not bothered about expanding the memory of your device beyond 4gb then i'd say the Touch Diamond is the perfect upgrade for you. let's face it, if you're happy with your mda compact 3 is it really worth taking the chance of a bigger or vastly different device when you've got a natural upgrade(the Diamond) already around the corner waiting for you? it might not be to everyone's taste but the Diamond DOES look like a slick and capable bit of kit which you could do no harm by trying out.
Cheers Leoni, just ordering my HTC Touch now. thanks for all your help!
Regards
Daddy

HTC Touch Pro vs Sony Xperia

Hi All.
im just wondering how this phone is, i currently have a TYTNII and i am going to get a new phone today, either the HTC Touch Pro on vodaphone, or the Sony.
Please give your views
thanks
I think a lot of it will be down to personal preference. My old Vodafone 1605 (TyTn) was getting long in the tooth, so 4-5 weekends ago I went in to my local store (Watford) and had a decent play of a Touch Pro. Aside from TouchFlo3D (which I do not like) it felt comfortable, well built and designed and up to the job.
Last weekend I went back in and had a decent play with a SE Xperia X1. I so wanted to like this phone, but didn't. I think it was a combination of things, the keyboard, the bottom double-X keys, the look of the screen (it might be a higher resolution and larger size than on the Touch Pro, but it's longer and the same width, which along with being indented makes it look stretch and out of proportion. I also found Panels to be as big a joke as I expected. I then had a small play once more with a Touch Pro, and now via their cancellations desk have a shiny one sitting on the desk next to me (with TouchFlo3D turned off).
As I said I think it's down to personal tastes, so go in to your local Voda store and have a decent play around.
dapprman said:
I think a lot of it will be down to personal preference. My old Vodafone 1605 (TyTn) was getting long in the tooth, so 4-5 weekends ago I went in to my local store (Watford) and had a decent play of a Touch Pro. Aside from TouchFlo3D (which I do not like) it felt comfortable, well built and designed and up to the job.
Last weekend I went back in and had a decent play with a SE Xperia X1. I so wanted to like this phone, but didn't. I think it was a combination of things, the keyboard, the bottom double-X keys, the look of the screen (it might be a higher resolution and larger size than on the Touch Pro, but it's longer and the same width, which along with being indented makes it look stretch and out of proportion. I also found Panels to be as big a joke as I expected. I then had a small play once more with a Touch Pro, and now via their cancellations desk have a shiny one sitting on the desk next to me (with TouchFlo3D turned off).
As I said I think it's down to personal tastes, so go in to your local Voda store and have a decent play around.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't know that the Xperia was already available in some markets..
If you do a search on xperia vs pro - you will find atl east 2 other threads talking about the same thing. Any need for another thread?
Been available on Vodafone in the UK since last Friday.
[close request]
Mods, please close this thread. Now we have two threads with almost the same name and with exactly the same topic at the same time

Still Deciding between Touch Pro/FUZE and Xperia X1

When the X1 was first announced, I was all over it. Then the Touch Pro with TF3D was announced, and I thought... the X1 is too 'raw' compared to the 'slick' Touch Pro, so Touch Pro for me!
Then I tried the FUZE (AT&T's Touch Pro) and I was disappointed in a few areas where I was not expecting to be disappointed (details below).
So, as it stands today, I am leaning back toward the X1 over the FUZE (TP). But it's a close call, and I'm still undecided. Here’s why:
1. Xperia hardware looks like a device that I would be proud to be paired with. In other words, just like Apple, Sony understands that a gadget can also be a fashion accessory. That’s a 2-fer in terms of value-add.
2. I have found the FUZE to be too heavy and bricky to be really pocket-friendly. This was a major disappointment when I checked it out at AT&T last week! I was all ready to buy the FUZE when I realized that it would take a serious adjustment to have that kind of weight and thickness in my pocket. It remains to be seen how I feel about the X1’s weight and thickness (since it's not released yet in the States). But, in terms of the specs published, the X1 looks to be about .5oz lighter than the FUZE. NOTE: The FUZE for some odd reason seems to be .5oz heavier than the Sprint Touch Pro and the HTC Touch Pro. No idea why.
3. The X1 has more hard buttons on the front panel, and more easily pressed hard buttons on the front panel. I have heard serious complaints about the “up” arrow on the X1 d-pad, but I will have to see for myself if that is insurmountable. I have played with FUZE, and the front panel buttons are not confidence-inspiring. I feel like it’s a negotiation with each press of the dpad.
4. The absence of the g-sensor on the X1 is stunning, and quite disappointing. What a huge bummer. What the heck was Sony thinking? G-sensors = cool + fun. Xperia = cool+fun. What am I missing?
5. The FUZE is about $175 w/plan on AT&T, and the X1 will be around $700 retail in a few weeks (with coupons, etc.). Yikes, that’s not a marginal difference in price, is it? I’m not sure I can justify a 4x price difference for a phone that is about 1.5x as good. Or, can I? Well, it’s like buying clothing: I can spend $200 on a shirt or $10 on a shirt. They both cover my torso about as effectively, but which one do I want people to see me paired with? This goes back to the gadget-as-accessory frame.
6. Panels. I figured they would be a dead platform as soon as 09, but the new facebook panel could be a game-changer. It shows how Panels could be the equiv to iPhone apps! Will panels have market mojo? What incentives are Sony peddling for developers to get on board? What kind of penetration can panels have if limited to only 1 device? Very chicken/egg situation here, and kind of a risk for X1 owners if they are relying on panels to breathe life into WM6.1.
7. TouchFlo 3D on X1. If this really ends up being portable to the X1 with 100% functionality and no bugs, then the X1 ends up being the more flexible device of the two. But 100% compatibility seems to be a ways off still, for many good reasons. Conversely, it is highly unlikely for several reasons that the TP would ever get panels. Sure, they might be portable over to the TouchPro HD, but that’s not the TP/FUZE, is it?
8. Keyboards. I’ve read some horrific reviews of the X1 keyboard, but they’ve been scattered and not consistent. So, I guess I’ll have to wait to actually try one myself to see how bad it really is. I tested out the FUZE keyboard, and I know it gets rave reviews, but coming from my HTC S710/Vox, I found the lack of space between the keys troubling. I’m sure I’d get used to it, but it seems like the X1’s layout (with spaces between keys) is more like my S710’s layout, which I find quite comfortable to type on. I am quite concerned about the lack of tactile feedback on the X1 keyboard, though. If there’s no feedback, then what’s the point of a hardware keyboard? Again, reviews have not been satisfactory around this aspect of the X1, so I’ll have to wait to see for myself.
9. Touchiness. I found the FUZE to be fiddly with touch sensitivity. Too often, a swipe was interpreted as a select, which was quite annoying. I've read that the X1 has a better touch experience, but that will be something I'll have to xperience myself, I guess.
10. Screen rotation. OK, big minus for X1 to have no G-sensor, but big plus for X1 for its apparent "instant switch" technology between landscape and portrait modes! I've seen some videos and it's quite impressive in Opera. One of the reasons why I 'dread' to go to my slide-out keyboard on my S710 is due to the lag. It's just painful to wait. If there were no "wait tax" on using the slide-out keyboard, I might go to it more readily.
11. Dpad+ features. The FUZE has the circular zoom thang, and the X1 has the glidey thing. No idea which is preferable. Both are interesting in their own way.
So, this is where I am right now re: X1 v. FUZE. To be honest, I am kind of looking for excuses to cheap out and get the FUZE just so I'm not spending $700 on a friggin phone. But the thickness and weight are things that I'd have to adjust to.
Does anyone have any thoughts/comments/additions to this analysis?
Jon
[cross-posted on Xperia X1 and Raphael forums so I can get both viewpoints]
I too was stuck between the X1 and Touch Pro. But I think the X1 hideous. The specs are pretty much the same but you lose the G sensor and only gain .2in of screen. But the 3in screen is narrower then the TP so it looks smaller when your looking at the phone the in one hand. But they keyboard is what really killed it for me :-(.
I just returned my Xperia and should have my Fuze from Amazon tomorrow. I loved everything about Xperia except the buttons below the screen. I just couldn't accept that quality on a $700 phone. I got Fuze only as a short-term toy as it cost me only $100 after $25 rebate from Amazon. I plan to sell it as soon as I see something more impressive. Maybe N97, or an Android phone. Whatever it is, it should have 3G on AT&T as I am stuck with AT&T for 2-years.
My experience with Xperia in 2-weeks:
Tried all kinds of customizations from XDA including TF3D, spPanel skins, Youtube, XperiaTweeks, etc. In the end, I discovered Xperia out the box with just the following customizations makes it a beast of a phone if the front buttons don't bother you as much as they bothered me.
1. XperiaTweaks has to be the best. It lets you customize some little annoying things with Xperia like increasing font size, sorting contacts by FirstNames, default panel on startup
2. Blackstone Keyboard
3. Youtube installed as a panel
4. Facebook Panel
I was totally impressed by TouchFlow3D as a panel as it has a WOW factor to it. But, each day I found myself going back to the Sony Ericsson Panel that I customized with weather, e-mails, RSS feeds, calendar, etc. Eventually, I made that as the default panel to start by Xperia using XperiaTweaks. Eventually, I un-installed the TF3D's as the Landscape fix program I installed for TF3D seems to be causing problems with my phone when I slideout the keyboard.
Some issues (some minor) I had with Xperia.
1. I could not reconnect to the Bluetooth of my GPS unit in my car if I stepped away for a short time with my phone. This didn't happen with my W910 phone. To get the Bluetooth work I had to restart my Xperia and even the GPS unit all the time.
2. Build quality of the buttons below the screen.
3. Sometimes I found myself sliding out the keyboard as I was holding the bottom part of phone hard.
4. Hard to select menu's with finger. Ended up getting used to D-pad.
5. The Picture ID on my W910 shows a picture that covers almost half the screen and I can easily see while on Xperia the picture is about the size of a penny and is almost useless. The call logs also show the names so tiny and is almost impossible to go through the call logs while driving.
I would go for the Touch Pro
The best phones I have ever had were Sony Ericssons (T637, P910a) and I too lusted after an Xperia but...
1. SE is dying or dead already
2. SE and HTC are, reportedly, parting ways
3. There isn't and won't be enough units running the panels interface to make it attractive for developers to bring apps
So, if you spend the $ on the Xperia, you'll be sitting on the sidelines, watching windows mobile for VGA developers aping the cool apps coming for the iPhone and wishing that more than just a small percentage would work on your SE.
Just my $0.02.
TouchPro vs. X1
I too was lusting after the SE X1 after it was announced (about a year ago) and said "that is my next phone".
I read website after website with videos, reviews/previews, etc.. and I couldn't have been more excited for "my phone" to be released here in the states.
Well....it came time for a decision a few months ago and the X1 still wasn't widely available in the states so I waited....and waited. Delay after delay from SE and the comparisons for the TouchPro and X1 were starting to trickle out and they weren't looking good for the X1. Yeah, the panel interface was amazing if utilized proficiently but the interface was laggy. The phone was expensive and the keyboard was terrible.
I was coming from a Hermes (8525) so I was fairly pleased with my existing keyboard and once I saw the Sprint version of the TP I was hooked. The keyboard is brilliant. For someone who emails/txt dozens of times/day the new TPO keyboard is a HUGE time saver. Long gone are the days of softkey input for special commonly used characters "@", "(", ")", etc.. This just made for a more streamlined user experience. The X1 is restricted by having only four rows of keys. The same as my Hermes.
Yeah, the X1 has the panels and that gorgeous screen (and it is beautiful!) but with the exact same internals I see no real world benefit in owning one.
Just my opinion.
JC
I'll offer my insight point by point as I feel qualified to respond...
JonDeutsch said:
2. I have found the FUZE to be too heavy and bricky to be really pocket-friendly. This was a major disappointment when I checked it out at AT&T last week! I was all ready to buy the FUZE when I realized that it would take a serious adjustment to have that kind of weight and thickness in my pocket. It remains to be seen how I feel about the X1’s weight and thickness (since it's not released yet in the States). But, in terms of the specs published, the X1 looks to be about .5oz lighter than the FUZE. NOTE: The FUZE for some odd reason seems to be .5oz heavier than the Sprint Touch Pro and the HTC Touch Pro. No idea why.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FUZE size is a bit awkward at first...I switched to it from an iPhone, but after about 3 days it was only natural. In a way, I always liked a bit larger / heavier phone because you know its there. Every smaller / skinnier phone i've had (compared to the fuze or 8125) I often felt naked with even when it was in pocket.
JonDeutsch said:
3. The X1 has more hard buttons on the front panel, and more easily pressed hard buttons on the front panel. I have heard serious complaints about the “up” arrow on the X1 d-pad, but I will have to see for myself if that is insurmountable. I have played with FUZE, and the front panel buttons are not confidence-inspiring. I feel like it’s a negotiation with each press of the dpad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fuze dpad is very awkward at first...but it becomes second nature in no time flat - i have no problem navigating in the dark at this point.
JonDeutsch said:
4. The absence of the g-sensor on the X1 is stunning, and quite disappointing. What a huge bummer. What the heck was Sony thinking? G-sensors = cool + fun. Xperia = cool+fun. What am I missing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bummer that its missing - but at the same time, theres no real item that the fuze is taking advantage of it with so far. beyond the wow factor of labyrinth for about 5 minutes....
JonDeutsch said:
5. The FUZE is about $175 w/plan on AT&T, and the X1 will be around $700 retail in a few weeks (with coupons, etc.).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
damn thats expensive...
JonDeutsch said:
8. Keyboards. I’ve read some horrific reviews of the X1 keyboard, but they’ve been scattered and not consistent. So, I guess I’ll have to wait to actually try one myself to see how bad it really is. I tested out the FUZE keyboard, and I know it gets rave reviews, but coming from my HTC S710/Vox, I found the lack of space between the keys troubling. I’m sure I’d get used to it, but it seems like the X1’s layout (with spaces between keys) is more like my S710’s layout, which I find quite comfortable to type on. I am quite concerned about the lack of tactile feedback on the X1 keyboard, though. If there’s no feedback, then what’s the point of a hardware keyboard? Again, reviews have not been satisfactory around this aspect of the X1, so I’ll have to wait to see for myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The keyboard feels cramped at first, but you adjust in a very short amount of time....again, several days and you wont think twice of it...probably? lol
JonDeutsch said:
9. Touchiness. I found the FUZE to be fiddly with touch sensitivity. Too often, a swipe was interpreted as a select, which was quite annoying. I've read that the X1 has a better touch experience, but that will be something I'll have to xperience myself, I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same problem with the stock rom...however, with tf3dconfig tweaks (or registry edits directly should you so choose) it responds MUCH nicer and I no longer run into these problems. There may also be a small degree of "self training" on this one.
JonDeutsch said:
11. Dpad+ features. The FUZE has the circular zoom thang, and the X1 has the glidey thing. No idea which is preferable. Both are interesting in their own way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
circle zoom is no iphone multitouch, but it works pretty damn well with opera in my experiences. Also nice for text size in messages etc.
I think from your feelings, you may be best off getting the fuze and using it for a while, and maybe picking up a used X1 down the line. That said, ive never even got to hold an X1...but i have trouble imagining its worth 2-4x the price of the fuze. But...if its really a fashion / toy thing to you - you could very well feel differently.
While some may argue you should have no initial complaints with a device - and that may be true, but it isnt the reality today with 99% of phones for 99% of people - its sort of expected you have some gripes with some aspects. That said, most of your feelings seem spot on with things that I initially pandered about but soon adjusted to. I was just happy to have service in my living and travelling area again (goddam iphone...)
I also think kitsVA, dgduris, and jcotterman all hit very VERY valid points on the software side of thigns, so I will not bother getting into that.
good luck in whatever your decision may be!
I went through this dilemma too. I calculated that I would save around $200 if I went for a used TP rather than a used xperia. With $150-200, you could get an unlimited data plan for a year, or buy a working GPS, etc. etc.
The touch pro isn't bad if you don't wear tight pants. I have a wallet which is much larger in dimension than my TP! I come from a very thin razr I once fit in my pocket and the change didn't both me.
Good luck with your choice!

Which Smartphone?

Hi Guys & Gals.
First, a thanks for the website. It's a good read, and I've got some useful info off it. Don't know enough in this field to contribute though.
I've got a generic "which phone" question for you all.
I currently have an Orange SPV C600 (HTC Tornado), upgraded to WM 6.1. I use it mostly for phone calls, e-book reading with Mobipocket (probably 95% of the time I actually use the thing for), and sat-nav using TomTom 5 and an external Holux GPSlim 236 (which I've had to re-solder the BT module, due to the dodgy batch of receivers).
The phone is now showing its age (I bought it 2nd hand almost 3.5 years ago). It won't always start TomTom (only about 20% of time will it start properly) , it'll randomly flatten itself overnight, hangs mysteriously etc.
I now want a newer phone. Money is tight though, so I can't justify spending large sums (e.g. >£80/$130) of money on a new phone, even on a contract (my mobile bill is typically £8 a month: £3 calls, £5 data).
I'm currently looking at...
SPV M700
SPV M3100 (Hermes?)
HTC TYTN II (Kaiser)
HTC Touch Diamond (1st version, only if going for silly money on ebay)
HTC Touch Pro (1st version, only if going for silly money on ebay)
Wish list...
GPS
3G
WiFi
Touch screen
Keyboard would be nice.
Better res than 240x320 would be nice
My thoughts on the list are...
M700
Can be quite expensive on ebay (can be cheap though). Fits all of the important stuff though. Not too old.
M3100
No GPS, but has keyboard. *Can* be bought fairly cheaply, because it's quite an old model now. I've borrowed an O2 XDA (which is AFAIK the Orange SPV M3000, which is a 3100 less the 3G and WiFi). Getting on a bit.
TYTN II
Has everything, but have read many bad reviews online about graphics performance (has this been fixed?) and battery life.
Allowing for the down sides, this (so far) is my favourite, in that it ticks all of the boxes.
I *think* I've even seen a video on Youtube of someone getting TouchFlo 3D working on it.
It's getting on a bit too, but Expansys still sell them new (oddly enough for more than a Touch Pro!)
Diamond
Gorgeous screen, No keyboard, no expansion, ticks all the other boxes. Main downside is the cost. Even a broken one went for £52 on ebay!
Touch Pro.
As Diamond, but including keyboard, got expansion, ticks all boxes. Even more expensive than Diamond.
Are there any other phones I should be looking at? Have I missed a point somewhere? Am I better of sticking with my ancient flaky phone and waiting for the Diamond II prices to push the Diamond prices down? I need help here!
Thanks.
Pete.
Welcome to forums
I think 1st you have to have clear what is your main use for a device, said that and taking your list, I would choose Touch Pro.
Also will depend on how much $ you want to spend
If you are looking for something much cheap include on your list Universal, it´s a great device!
Good luck,
if you already have an external gps you should get a wizard they are really cheep an pretty good. they are a lot more responsive than the specs would have you believe. also you can get a tytn II for pretty cheep these days and the battery life is really not that bad if the wizard had an internal gps and more ram i would pick it every time over the tytn II.
Hi.
Thanks for the feedback.
I'd discounted the Universal (SPV M5000), mainly for 2 reasons.
1) It's an old design (12 months older than the M3000, and about the same age as my current phone)
2) It's just too big. Even though it's got a good size screen, I need a pocket phone.
I'll be using the device mostly for reading e-books (it saves carrying around huge numbers of physical books!). I don't find the screen size of my current Tornado sized device a problem. The other thing I'll be using it for is sat-nav. Again, the screen size isn't an issue, because I mostly follow the voice navigation, not the screen. Finally, there's the normal phone stuff of voice calls and texts, occasional web browsing etc.
Ideally it'll be 3G. I'd really like it to have WiFi.
My budget is tight, about £80/$130
josefcrist: You've echoed my own thoughts. Do I keep my existing BT GPS receiver (which gets flaky when it's hot), and go for the Tytn, or do I spend a bit extra, and go for the Tytn II with built in GPS.
One thing that makes me nervous about the M3100 is the ease with which you can brick it. Upgrading my last phone was very easy, but the Hermes forums are full of people who've bricked their phones. I'm a constant fiddler, and if there's a chance of upgrading an OS, or cooking my own, I'll give it a go.
I've found that http://pdadb.net/ allows side-by-side comparisons of phones, so I can now compare my targets, and choose the most appropriate one (e.g. I now know there's been a change in processor from Tytn to Tytn II, both ARM based. The II has double the RAM and ROM.
This page compares my existing phone with the 3 main contenders in my list.
Does anyone here have a Tytn II? I've been using a Wizard (borrowed), and I find that even though the resolution's the same as my existing phone, the pixels have quite a gap between them, giving quite a pixellated appearance.
Many thanks,
Pete.

Help me pick a phone!

My entry into the smartphone/pda industry was an original HTC Tilt/Kaiser. I loved it and still do.
Recently I renewed my contract with AT&T and made the knee jerk decision to get an iPhone 3GS. I was enamored with the phone in the beginning but its over. I am trying to decide which phone to get but none of them fit the bill! So I need some assistance deciding when to sell my iPhone to buy a newer one.
I want to sell it while its still crazy priced on ebay and I can land over $700 for it still heh... crazy people.... So I want to time it about a month prior to the release of the phone I am after.
The one I am eyeballing now is the Sony xperia x10. Although I do sort of want windows mobile (my currency trading broker has some sweet trading software for it.) But I will take the hit and use android with a vpn to my home pc.
I really want a high end phone with a great camera and fast processor and beautiful large screen for multimedia and stock charts...
So what future phones for AT&T fit the bill? Also, if they are not a AT&T direct release is a big plus also since you can get cheaper internet. (Yes I am looking at you x1 users! I hate you!)
mercilus said:
I really want a high end phone with a great camera and fast processor and beautiful large screen for multimedia and stock charts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Mercilus
The obvious phone that fits that descreption is the HD2 (or Leo, depending how it's being branded where you are), however, for me i would choose the Touch Pro 2 (Rhodium) as it has a phisical keyboard, as a Winmo user, I am unaware of the stats of the android phones lying around
(Go For Winmo )
Badwolve1
I would go for Rhodium or Leo
Thanks for the responses I will research into those a bit.
Doing a quick search and it seems they both are expected any time now?
Still trying to decypher if they are available for US-AT&T 3g.
Rhodium is out since some moths
Tils2 is the name of it on at&t and I guess it has 3G...
And for Leo I know it´s also already out in Europe
orb3000 said:
Rhodium is out since some moths
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL...now that's funny
Htc leo/hd2 is coming exclusively to t-mobile u.s.a
For People saying get the HD2 a.k.a HTC LEO, that phone is coming EXCLUSIVELY to T-Mobile U.S.A. If you want that on at&t that means you have to buy the unlocked version and get only EDGE on at&t.
I know this since I follow t-mobile usa and htc on twitter and they both said it. Phonedog said and even facebook said it. Go google it if you doubt me.
AndroidNoobie said:
For People saying get the HD2 a.k.a HTC LEO, that phone is coming EXCLUSIVELY to T-Mobile U.S.A. If you want that on at&t that means you have to buy the unlocked version and get only EDGE on at&t.
I know this since I follow t-mobile usa and htc on twitter and they both said it. Phonedog said and even facebook said it. Go google it if you doubt me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that definately would be a problem. I definately do enjoy using high speed data, so 3g is a must.
So for the current phone options, it looks like I may be keeping my iPhone 3gs for a bit longer god it hurts to say that.....
Any ideas what I should keep my eye on for the future? The LG Expo looks pretty cool but I dont know if I trust LG....
People here have a bias for HTC, and I don't think they considered that you might want a phone that is being offered by your carrier.
So you are satisfied with Windows Mobile and HTC was a good Xperiance.
I suggest HTC Touch Pro2 or an LG Expo.
HTC Touch Pro2 for functionality.
LG Expo for speed, and performance.
i've been using a dopod u1000 / athena / ameo / advantage for quite some time now...and finally opted to sell it.
just got myself a brand new htc touch pro 2 sprint. definitely worth it!
poetryrocksalot said:
People here have a bias for HTC, and I don't think they considered that you might want a phone that is being offered by your carrier.
So you are satisfied with Windows Mobile and HTC was a good Xperiance.
I suggest HTC Touch Pro2 or an LG Expo.
HTC Touch Pro2 for functionality.
LG Expo for speed, and performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true about the bias.
If you want something like the Tilt ... you could probably get the Tilt 2 for cheap on ebay.
lg expo. just the lg expo.
josefcrist said:
lg expo. just the lg expo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is what I anticipate and what I know and I will list as Pros of the Touch Pro2 (AKA HTC Tilt2) over the LG Expo:
Pros:
Stereo speaker (LG Expo does not have 2-speakers)
Tilting screen (LG Expo does not have)
Dual microphones (LG Expo does not have 2-mics)
Touch FLO3D Home Screen (subjective) (LG Expo does not have)
Better keyboard design and feedback (subjective)
HTC's tendency to offer updates (input fields will be enlarged finger friendly!)
LED Indicators for CAPS Lock and FN Lock, which has proven useful
LG Expo's Point Of View
Pros:
Projector attachment (HTC Tilt2 does not have)
Twice the CPU speed (technical) (HTC Tilt2 does not have)
Fingerprint reader and scroll pad (HTC Tilt2 does not have)
Other Stuff
Things that I never consider when comparing phones: form factor and size difference, and XDA Support (cause I rarely flash and do that kind of stuff).
Things that you must consider when reading my opinions: I have never laid my hands on an LG Expo. I never touched the LG Expo keyboard but from the looks of it, the keys look amazing, but I've laid my hands on top keyboards before and Touch Pro2 is the best so I am just guessing that LG Expo isn't as good.
As you can see, if you need a speedy device with keyboard almost as good as the Touch Pro2, get the LG Expo. If you are tired of the lag of the likes of Xperia X1, Touch Pro1, or Touch Diamond, then maybe LG Expo is better than Touch Pro2.
If you really like the fact that you have an indicator their to watch your back and protect you from Capitalization/Symbol typography-mistakes, and if you like a beautiful home-screen to soothe your stress while you load a movie and watch it via a 3.5 inch tilting screen with high quality and loud volume, then get the Touch Pro2.
However, you might consider getting external bluetooth speakers and attach that projector on the expo so you can have a movie experience, but the setup is just too much of a wasted time. The same goes for the TV-Out on the Touch Pro2.
The best reason to get Expo2 is for speedier response and for projected presentations (not entertainment).
The best reason to get Touch Pro2, aka Tilt2, is for it's multimedia value and capabilities (better sound, tilting screen) and for the effectiveness of typing messages (especially when you don't make mistakes with CAPs indicators).
What would seal the deal for me was that if the CAPs button had the LED indicator build into the button, it would be perfect. The same desire applies to the FN button. Besides, sometimes I forget to read the indicator because I am used to looking at the indicator directly on top of my CAPs button on my laptop.
Robson said:
i've been using a dopod u1000 / athena / ameo / advantage for quite some time now...and finally opted to sell it.
just got myself a brand new htc touch pro 2 sprint. definitely worth it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why?
I was hoping for an advantage as an upgrade to the Universal. To me, the touch pro2 is just too small and fiddly.
coldpenguin said:
Why?
I was hoping for an advantage as an upgrade to the Universal. To me, the touch pro2 is just too small and fiddly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
apologies as this is deviating from the topic =)
the thing is, i've been using my u1000 for like 3 years now. don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic device. but i've also outgrown the size factor. meaning, the u1000 is not as easy to carry around unless you tuck it in your pocket...in which case you'll have a bulge that deserves its own zip code. of course there are pouches or cases that can be strapped on your belt...not that i'm not a fan of it...and there is simply carrying it around with one hand. given that, when a call comes through i either have to use the handsfree or bluetooth...the former of which has a dangling wire which i'm not too comfortable with...and the latter which can be a drain as you constantly have to be aware of battery life (both for the bt and u1000)...and trust me, i never had plans of putting the unit right next to my ear to answer a call. again, it's a fantastic device but my preferences have changed. so last monday, sent it off to a buyer in ebay and then got myself a touch pro 2.
on that note, i was considering a touch hd 2, an acer m900, lg expo, and the touch pro 2. my views in order of preference
touch pro 2 - keyboard is fantastic. was able to try this out myself when i borrowed my mate's unit. tilt screen is awesome and the display was simply tops. i already have a 16gb micro sd so memory is no problem.
touch hd 2 - fantastic all out but lacks a physical keyboard of which i've gotten used to.
lg expo - a very good contender but the screen doesn't tilt. plus i get all the support i need through this site for an htc. not really a fan of the fingerprint thingee. i was able to play around with this while in hong kong. keys are good (definitely better than the acer m900 per below) but not on par with the touch pro 2. for the projector which you need to purchase separately, there's a whole bunch of mobile projectors that can be bought and linked to your ppc.
acer m900 - lacks memory (@128 ram), while in hong kong i was able to fiddle with one and i must say that the design wasn't as good...no offense to anyone using it. keyboard was not as easy (sticking keys), screen does not tilt, sliding the keypad kinda gave me the feel that it would eventually fall off (?) as it was "shaky"
Robson said:
apologies as this is deviating from the topic =)
the thing is, i've been using my u1000 for like 3 years now. don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic device. but i've also outgrown the size factor. meaning, the u1000 is not as easy to carry around unless you tuck it in your pocket...in which case you'll have a bulge that deserves its own zip code. of course there are pouches or cases that can be strapped on your belt...not that i'm not a fan of it...and there is simply carrying it around with one hand. given that, when a call comes through i either have to use the handsfree or bluetooth...the former of which has a dangling wire which i'm not too comfortable with...and the latter which can be a drain as you constantly have to be aware of battery life (both for the bt and u1000)...and trust me, i never had plans of putting the unit right next to my ear to answer a call. again, it's a fantastic device but my preferences have changed. so last monday, sent it off to a buyer in ebay and then got myself a touch pro 2.
on that note, i was considering a touch hd 2, an acer m900, lg expo, and the touch pro 2. my views in order of preference
touch pro 2 - keyboard is fantastic. was able to try this out myself when i borrowed my mate's unit. tilt screen is awesome and the display was simply tops. i already have a 16gb micro sd so memory is no problem.
touch hd 2 - fantastic all out but lacks a physical keyboard of which i've gotten used to.
lg expo - a very good contender but the screen doesn't tilt. plus i get all the support i need through this site for an htc. not really a fan of the fingerprint thingee. i was able to play around with this while in hong kong. keys are good (definitely better than the acer m900 per below) but not on par with the touch pro 2. for the projector which you need to purchase separately, there's a whole bunch of mobile projectors that can be bought and linked to your ppc.
acer m900 - lacks memory (@128 ram), while in hong kong i was able to fiddle with one and i must say that the design wasn't as good...no offense to anyone using it. keyboard was not as easy (sticking keys), screen does not tilt, sliding the keypad kinda gave me the feel that it would eventually fall off (?) as it was "shaky"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TBH, Acer is the worst of them all, and Touch Pro2 and HD2 are the best.
And the LG Expo isn't that good either but it is a sign that LG is finally making good phones. I'm tired of their voyagers and env's which are too popular in the U.S. and they are the worst 'smartphones' ever. Their new chocolates with 4 in super-wide displays and 4.8 inch super-wide displays have also increased my enthusiasm for LG phones.

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