Related
Yeap this is an appreciation thread for the venerable Samsung SGH-i780.
My only lament is that I didn't buy myself one earlier. I have used a few HTC devices before and this is the first time I can declare 100% satisfaction in my PDA purchase.
For the price VS feature, the i780 is A STEAL! it's almost unbelievable.
What I liked about i780:
- FAST! no joke (after upgrading the Rom to DXHE1)
- Stable - you can push it to the max and still it runs
- FAST HSDPA (I am on 3G/HSDPA day in day out for Exchange Push Mail & Internet Sharing)
- Oh yes that slim profile
- 2 Batteries! when was it the last time you purchase a phone and get two batteries
- Satisfactory battery consumption (even with Bluetooth & 3G always on the drain rate is quite conservative)
I will nitpick a bit, Dopod 838 Pro (Hermes) was the longest running PDA Phone I used. At that time it gave all the features I want and I gave it away for a Tytn II (Kaiser). Sad to say Kaiser was a dissapointment no matter how I cook the rom. Then I moved briefly to O2 XDA Flame, God I love the huge VGA display.....but then it was dissapointing O2/MWG decided to disown "older" models and refrain from giving any further support. So no WM6.0 and no update on the Nvidia Graphics driver. On top of that there's that dismal performance when running in normal mode (if you switch to performance mode it kicks but the battery drain is way overkill). Then I moved ahead and got myself a veteran - the almighty HTC Universal (Dopod 900). It's quite apparent that to this very day, HTC Universal still reign supreme as the fastest HTC device (specially with properly cooked roms). But alas the bulky size and lack of HSDPA prompted me to move yet again.
Enter the i780, it was a love/hate affair at first.....I hate the smallish keypad, but in just two weeks my fingers has grown onto them, I hate the square QVGA 320X320 but eventually found a way to adapt....the rest is history. Total satisfaction is what I can say about this device now. Perfectly functional features and usable too. The GPS worked like a charm, the Video Call does what's it supposed to do...etc...
So, I may still want to waste my $ on the Touch Pro when it comes out, but I am not so sure right now - hearing stories that the younger sibling Diamond is having hard time coping up with the demands (vs expectation)
sorry to waste your time. Normally I will be quite reserved not to say anything unless warranted....but I just have to scream out how much I LOVE i780!!!
so, do you like the i780? it isnt clear
i'm with you!
i also moved from Kaiser to I780. kaiser is really dispointting me,slow,big,heavy,and the damn drift screen!!
the speed of i780 is just satisfiable, screen is wird but ok. the most good thing is the touch experience, very precisely. when i was useing Kaiser i even think that there is problem with my eyes because of the frequently wrong reactions...
oh, the finger mouse is a highlight too.
320x320 .... thats a no go!
i couldn't possibly that 320x320 is a no go, since vga sometimes overkill for small formfactor. yet i would really want to know whether apps having issues with this resolutions or not? how is your experience with the apps, EFN? any compatibility issues with the 'unstandard' screen size?
I agree with you on the price /bang for your buck. This thing is unbelievably cutthroat in its pricing for what you get. I spent 18,000php on it, HTC phones usually go for about 40,000php. The phone actually retails for like 20,000-24,000php but I got mine "second hand" from a guy who used it for a week so I got a little discount and basically got it dirt cheap, on top of an already dirt cheap phone.
I mean come on it has 128MB RAM, 256MB ROM, HSDPA, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, WiFi b/g, a QWERTY, a 320x320 Touchscreen, not one but two batteries, the Marvell processor, this thing is freaking loaded.
I mean the HTC Touch (the original one) is still going for about 29,000php and it has a piddly OMAP processor, no 3G, etc. The Diamond is like 40k in php. This is half the price, with a very comparable feature set.
Let's not even get into how slim and light it is! It's kind of wide and tall but despite that it is very pocketable. It's about the same size as the iPhone, except thinner and a lot lighter to boot.
I do have a few issues with it but for what I paid how can I *not* be happy? The problems are pretty minor niggles:
- Samsung proprietary USB ports * ugh I hate 'em
- aesthetics -- many people like the business look and the phone is very handsome but the designs HTC has been churning out for the past year are a lot more attractive IMO.
- Touchscreen needs a lot of pressure and is not very precise or responsive. Could be a lot better.
- telescopic stylus sucks
- QWERTY keyboard is not as good as other QWERTYs in this class like the godly Moto Q keyboards or even its predecessor the Samsung Blackjack, which I found to have a better keyboard.
- 320x320 screen is such an odd choice and causes me some problems like with spb Mobile Shell
- finger mouse is a rather stupid feature I mean you have a touchscreen! You do not need a mouse! Give me a normal 5-way d-pad please
- Bluetooth Headset issue that I always get with Samsung WiMo phones, doesn't reconnect properly after I turn the headset off
Out of those, the only real problem is the BT headset problem. Everything else is a minor niggle and more just a preference nitpick or can be worked around.
Other than that though what's not to like? It is a great device.
Is the HTC Universal really the fastest HTC device? I thought the old Magician was a lot faster. My love affair with PocketPCs looked like this:
iPaq 6365 -> O2 Mini (Magician) -> O2 Atom Exec -> Samsung Blackjack -> Jasjar (Universal) -> i780
I used the Atom Exec for the longest time it was a great phone but for various reasons I "upgraded" to a Blackjack but it was not an all happy affair. Now I have the i780 and it is the fastest PPC I have had, faster than even the Atom Exec and way faster than all the other "clunky" PPCs I've used.
schizo said:
i couldn't possibly that 320x320 is a no go, since vga sometimes overkill for small formfactor. yet i would really want to know whether apps having issues with this resolutions or not? how is your experience with the apps, EFN? any compatibility issues with the 'unstandard' screen size?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not EFN but there are lots of compatibility issues with the non-standard screen size. Most games will have issues, like my favorite Worms World Party. Not that you could play Worms properly without a decent d-pad anyway. spb Mobile Shell also does not work properly. Basically apps that require a certain kind of layout have issues.
Everything else that does not need to conform to a specific screen layout will work to the resolution and work fine, and that includes most productivity apps so this is not so big an issue that you should worry about it.
Mochan said:
I'm not EFN but there are lots of compatibility issues with the non-standard screen size. Most games will have issues, like my favorite Worms World Party. Not that you could play Worms properly without a decent d-pad anyway. spb Mobile Shell also does not work properly. Basically apps that require a certain kind of layout have issues.
Everything else that does not need to conform to a specific screen layout will work to the resolution and work fine, and that includes most productivity apps so this is not so big an issue that you should worry about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the 240x240 "emulation" that seems to mess things up. I have SPB Shell working perfectly at native res in RealVGA. Then again, it's a (superbe) productivity device, so I don't expect to play video games on it.
You know, I still haven't managed to get spb shell to run properly on it. I always get an "out of memory" error whenever I try to go to the Now screen. I even tried it on RealVGA but I couldn't seem to get it to work, but no biggie. Mobile Shell is more an aesthetic layer than an actual productivity boost and actually I find the Today screen with selected plugins is more effecient all things considered.
But anyway yeah I don't play games on it either (I mean that is what a PSP is for!) and the phone does what I need it to do, and aside from my bluetooth problem I am very happy with it.
Weird how everyone seems to be struggling to get software to work on I780. I have had minor problems, mostly blue tooth which i eventualy got working.
I use SPB mobile shell, Samsung today plugin, opera, google maps, garmin, a bunch of astraware games, adobe reader, flashplayer, pocket rar, skype, WKTaskL, monocube safemode 2, threaded sms, etc ...
And they all run perfectly, i dont even use Realvga...
I am very happy with this phone so far, it is very fast, has plenty of ram, even the 2mp camera takes descent shots. Hsdpa is brilliant and GPS is awsome, connects within seconds. I would recommend this phone to anyone.
Everyday more and more software are supporting 320x320 devices, even the spb team is soon going to fully support the I780, i read it on their website. I also read somewhere that more and more phones will be coming out with 320x320 display so i dont see why people are so against it. jealousy i guess, cant think of another reason.
EFN said:
Then I moved briefly to O2 XDA Flame, God I love the huge VGA display.....but then it was dissapointing O2/MWG decided to disown "older" models and refrain from giving any further support. So no WM6.0 and no update on the Nvidia Graphics driver.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't you run into the same problem you have with the Flame? As in no OS upgrade or features unlock (p3600 GPS, qual-band Diamond). I've also tried other brands but once the manufacture announce the end of life of a product (usually within a year). You can't get any more support from them. Once I realize the short coming, I stop buying any brand except HTC. Now I know I can count on XDA Developers for OS upgrade. It's like an extented warranty for your product. Unless other brands have a forum similar to xda with super cookers, there is no way for me to go with any other brands again.
atleast its cheaper than the touch pro!
Mochan said:
I agree with you on the price /bang for your buck. This thing is unbelievably cutthroat in its pricing for what you get. I spent 18,000php on it, HTC phones usually go for about 40,000php. The phone actually retails for like 20,000-24,000php but I got mine "second hand" from a guy who used it for a week so I got a little discount and basically got it dirt cheap, on top of an already dirt cheap phone.
I mean come on it has 128MB RAM, 256MB ROM, HSDPA, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, WiFi b/g, a QWERTY, a 320x320 Touchscreen, not one but two batteries, the Marvell processor, this thing is freaking loaded.
I mean the HTC Touch (the original one) is still going for about 29,000php and it has a piddly OMAP processor, no 3G, etc. The Diamond is like 40k in php. This is half the price, with a very comparable feature set.
Let's not even get into how slim and light it is! It's kind of wide and tall but despite that it is very pocketable. It's about the same size as the iPhone, except thinner and a lot lighter to boot.
I do have a few issues with it but for what I paid how can I *not* be happy? The problems are pretty minor niggles:
- Samsung proprietary USB ports * ugh I hate 'em
- aesthetics -- many people like the business look and the phone is very handsome but the designs HTC has been churning out for the past year are a lot more attractive IMO.
- Touchscreen needs a lot of pressure and is not very precise or responsive. Could be a lot better.
- telescopic stylus sucks
- QWERTY keyboard is not as good as other QWERTYs in this class like the godly Moto Q keyboards or even its predecessor the Samsung Blackjack, which I found to have a better keyboard.
- 320x320 screen is such an odd choice and causes me some problems like with spb Mobile Shell
- finger mouse is a rather stupid feature I mean you have a touchscreen! You do not need a mouse! Give me a normal 5-way d-pad please
- Bluetooth Headset issue that I always get with Samsung WiMo phones, doesn't reconnect properly after I turn the headset off
Out of those, the only real problem is the BT headset problem. Everything else is a minor niggle and more just a preference nitpick or can be worked around.
Other than that though what's not to like? It is a great device.
Is the HTC Universal really the fastest HTC device? I thought the old Magician was a lot faster. My love affair with PocketPCs looked like this:
iPaq 6365 -> O2 Mini (Magician) -> O2 Atom Exec -> Samsung Blackjack -> Jasjar (Universal) -> i780
I used the Atom Exec for the longest time it was a great phone but for various reasons I "upgraded" to a Blackjack but it was not an all happy affair. Now I have the i780 and it is the fastest PPC I have had, faster than even the Atom Exec and way faster than all the other "clunky" PPCs I've used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you care to explain to me what are PHP hours?
Best compromise phone to date
Here are my insights to the i780 after using it for a month..
First ,this is the most tolerable phone have ever used..Even its flaws are very ok to me..
I use it for business,internet browsing, news reading, gps navigation.
I use it with vodafone Egypt 3G network.
The stock rom E2 i one of the most stable WM roms i have ever used...
My other 2 phones are a nokia e61 and a JasJar (universal)
1. 320x320 is an inconvenience at only 5% of the time..(real vga fixes all issues with application ,but games are no no..specially games that run in full screen...forget it if you plan on gaming..screen is small for games any ways.)
2. the optical touch mouse is a great feature..one handed operation is very easy.
3.Camera is OK..but not as a good as any nokia N series.
4.It rarely crashes, you can run 10 applications on it with no effect on the beast..
5.Battery life is great..i use the phone for a lot of calls...2 hours daily on average + full push email ..the battery would run the whole business day but not a full 24 hours...week ends it run for 30 hours ..
6. Voice quality in phones is terrific.
7. does not support simultaneous voice and data..so when calls are on ,data connections are off..my old e61 support this.
8. I confirm the touch screen needs some pressure above average compared to other pdas..
9. It is a very fast phone...way faster than my JasJar.
10. SPB mobile shell works without any problem for me ..perhaps the rom i have is compatible with it..
11. Key board is a bit small and awkward to use but this is the compromise for the very small form factor..
12. non standard usb charger port sucks..but the compromise is that you have 2 batteries. if you want standard go for a nokia..every place you go to you can find a compatible charger with someone around..
13. When using it to supply internet connectivity to m laptop via connection sharing ,the signal lock was weak compared to the nokia e61 ,but was very good compared to the jasjar.. signal was not lost but was lower than the nokia. Although in voice call it is superior to the nokia..
14. data connection on it is 90% stable, i get sometimes disconnected from my exchange push email server/
Generally i was not gonna buy a new WM phone but this one restored my faith in the platform..
The platform is very powerful but not as stable as the symbian (IMHO), but this one proved to me that this is microsoft's mistake leaving ROMs to be released as pleased by OEM with no proper supervision while symbain is not as open a WM hence controlled..Samsung is one exception in releasing good ROMs(so are ETEN to by the way)
This is first PPC phone with stock Rom i ever used that is 100% working and stable..
Extremely recommended if you like the form factor
320x320 not dat bad iv always wanted a device thats got equal wxh 2.5" i780 vs HP iPAQ 910c what wins
It'd be great if someone with an i780 would post some screenshots of some different applications and games in landscape and portrait so that those of us skeptical about the 320 x 320 screen can see how apps created for a 4:3 or 3:4 aspect ratio translate to the square screen!
Thanks in advance!
Icefeldt said:
320x320 .... thats a no go!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
open your mind! that's all I have to say
ksameh said:
Generally i was not gonna buy a new WM phone but this one restored my faith in the platform..
The platform is very powerful but not as stable as the symbian (IMHO), but this one proved to me that this is microsoft's mistake leaving ROMs to be released as pleased by OEM with no proper supervision while symbain is not as open a WM hence controlled..Samsung is one exception in releasing good ROMs(so are ETEN to by the way)
This is first PPC phone with stock Rom i ever used that is 100% working and stable..
Extremely recommended if you like the form factor
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
overall, I agree with what you have said, especially your parting comments.
MS biggest mistake is to leave to OEM to finalise the image, and it doesn't help when all OEM just take the image as it is and released to the market.
Motorola, Samsung are the only two I have seen where they did more to the ROM, then just pack them into the box with the hardware and sell it off as a WM phones.
since this is an appreciation thread for i780, I would share my own writeup of the phone, which in my opinon, is one of the better, if not best, WM phones I have come acrossed so far.
Take note that I don't really have good impression of Samsung products, as my wife's previous two Samsung phones (non WM phones) always ended up with some reception problem.
PS: If you know the Chinese name for Samsung, literally it means "3 Star", and i780, definitely worth more than "3 Star"
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Samsung launched its flagship qwerty product, Samsung SGH-i78,0 a couple of months ago and it has been the talking point in the “geek” town. Having tried its previous qwerty models, I had my reservation. The impressive technical specification and corresponding internet reviews, however led me to take a huge step. I finally sold my trusty Motorola Q9h and got myself a Samsung i780. So is this ultra slim Microsoft Windows Mobile-based smart phone liveing up to its reputation? After using it for a few days, here’s my take;
http://www.zenyee.com/2008/06/23/a-three-stargadget-that-is-rated-higher-than-three-star/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i780 is awesome- if get to know it
Yes - this phone can be your dream phone
use realvga to increase the resolution
use ae buttonplus to custom map your keys
and upgrade to the wm6.1 build from samsung
WOW BREAKING NEWS
Touch Pro 2 News From engadget.com (http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/htc-touch-pro2-is-awesome-in-ways-the-touch-pro-never-could-be/)
So, how do you make HTC's Touch Pro -- already near the top of the WInMo heap -- an even beefier device? For starters, you can throw out that nasty VGA screen of yesteryear and up it with a 3.6-inch 800 x 400 replacement. Next, add a dedicated touch-sensitive zoom slider that works overtime to take maximum advantage of said screen, then throw in a few key carryovers: 512MB of ROM, 288MB of RAM, microSD expansion, and a 3.2 megapixel cam. Meet the Touch Pro2, the official follow-up to HTC's popular series of QWERTY sliders that introduces so-called "Straight Talk" technology for "seamlessly" transitioning conversations between email, single-line calls, and party calls. It'll also automatically switch to the crazy high-performance, full-duplex speakerphone simply by flipping the phone over, so it's clear that this bad boy was meant for business. It'll launch early in the second quarter in parts of Asia and Europe with other "major global markets" following in early Summer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DETAILED INFORMATION HERE: http://www.htc.com/www/press.aspx?id=83956
I just wish it had tv-out or I'd get it (or the diamond2) I guess I'm the one who uses that feature a lot on my omnia.
Edit: My bad... It DOES have tv-out))
awesome..
now i know why peoples selling their phones
Support HTC
The TouchPro 2 seems more like the Tytn II replacement to me,
I LIKE.
The touch pro is more business oriented. . . so it probably wont have alot of media features were hoping it has .
A dump promise
Hopefully, someone will soon get their hands on these units to dump the ROMs and port them to Touch Diamond and Touch Diamond Pro.
1-very nice but the lack of d-pad and other buttons is annoying as hell.
2-lets hope the fix the very very poor performance of the diamond this time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZHYimU-VHM&feature=related
3-also software,themes,apps development forums will be too segmented. diamond ,diamont2,tpro,tpro2, blackstone,x1 are all very similar phones(internally). is there a clean and logical way to combine them.
4-whats the code names of these two devices
very nice. Shame they wont work for more than about 3 minutes before something falls off/a random onboard chip of some random nature starts to malfunction.
HTC, design phones then get someone decent to manufacture them.... you cant manufature for toffe.
"...something falls off". Please explain. I've had the Diamond for 2/3 of a year now and nothing has "fallen off"....
In my opinion, the build quality of HTC products is impeccable.
Monty Burns said:
very nice. Shame they wont work for more than about 3 minutes before something falls off/a random onboard chip of some random nature starts to malfunction.
HTC, design phones then get someone decent to manufacture them.... you cant manufature for toffe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My experience of HTC hardware is far from good. BlueAngel (dead speaker), two TyTN's, one TyTN II and now a TD - all and i mean ALL of them have had at least one warranty repair or replacement. Actually , thats a lie: TD was sent back for a full refund under UK consumer law as "Not Fit For Purpose" as at the time there was no way to play music without the famous skipping/pause issue.
Just fire up google and use terms like "HTC" "hardware" "fault" "Issue" and so on .... you'll soon see what a timebomb of a device you have.
My Toshiba G900 and now Omnia have restored my faith in Smartphones and there reliability.
thats odd....my TyTNII(Kaiser, from USA) has been nothing short of amazing, and it has taken its share of nasty falls!
anyone know what carrier in the U.S will be providing the TP2??
im praying its AT&T, Its almost time for an upgrade, and I think im in love
Perhaps you got some Gremlins
My HTC phones all work like they did on their first day. I didnt have any hardware Problems and the software problems where solved by this nice Community.
Ok, i hve to admit that HTC really doesnt care that much software-wise... I bet they wont release proper drivers for these devices either...
Thats no problem for me though, as i wont buy another arm or qualcom based Smartphone anyway. Im up for atom-powered voice capable MIDs now.
Hmmm. Quite fancy the Pro 2. Shame it doesn't have a slightly beefier processor though. I'm sure these will be replaced by Snapdragon or Tegra devices shortly after I buy one!
i opened a similar thread but it's closed cause i was to slow
now my question again
what's that "zoom bar" supposed to do
but if HTC devices are built so horribly, why use them over and over?
operative1 said:
i opened a similar thread but it's closed cause i was to slow
now my question again
what's that "zoom bar" supposed to do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my guess its just the touchwheel from diamond and tpro. not that usuful if you ask me since they could have added more usfel buttons with dpad or remove it for the sake of bigger screen or just remove it to make the phone smaller.
Copy from Raphael Thread
My thoughts:
1. First thing I thought was: I wonder if there will be some way to buy this from AT&T without breaking my contract? I mean, what do they do for people who got a 2-year contract with the original iPhone, and then a year later they want the new iPhone?
2. Longer battery life and a bigger screen are very welcome.
3. I hope that keyboard is a mock-up. Also, I can't imagine using a non-Fuze keyboard, let alone one of those 3-row keyboards most phones have, but it's just way too convenient to have all those punctuation marks available top row.
4. I wonder when this phone will reach stateside.
5. I wonder why the phone's specs aren't improved?
6. I wonder why it's not all-black. It better just be a mockup.
7. Almost Touch HD-sized screen, and the TYTTN II tilt *drools*
But really, it took an entire year for the Touch Pro to come out in the states, so who is really banking on this thing coming out by Summer? And what will AT&T do when I'm willing to give them 300 more dollars for the Touch Pro II, and I still have a contract?
Sure, it's not the improvement we'd all have made. Not more RAM, not a better processor, or drivers... but it's still an improvement over the Touch Pro (unless that isn't a mockup keyboard, in which case I may cry over the colour scheme and the fact that there are LESS KEYS on that phone than the existing Touch Pro) and I'll take it. Plus, the front-facing D-Pad is a pain to use anyway that I just open it up and use my Keyboard D-Pad.
Good point...
drama2747 said:
but if HTC devices are built so horribly, why use them over and over?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When will we see some dedicated forums for these devices...? moderators...?
HANDS ON VIDEOS
I'm fallin' in love... no kiddin
good to see the phone in action...all though i was tempted to mute the sound lol
I guess it's all a matter of preference. I've always been a WinMo guy, and while I think iPhone is a sexy device, it's had too many stupid limitations. The 3GS has resolved many of them, so I've been considering it... but I still find the openness of the WinMo platform a lot more appealing. And it seems that Exchange integration is still by far the best in WinMo.
Now to the meat. I've had a few HTC devices (Tytn II/Kaiser was the last), before going with Samsung Epix (SGH-i907). Now the new device jitters are here again. I want a new WinMo device that's functional in all respects -- good screen, enough so to easily read the news, solid onscreen keyboard so I can use it one-handed, finger-friendly UI, great battery life... in other words, I am dreaming
I remember seeing Touch HD on the net and how upset I was that there was no version with US UMTS bands... What a great device it was (is). But alas, not for the US. Now I've been waiting for the TD2 (Topaz) and TP2 (Rhodium) to come out on AT&T's network in the US with bated breath. But little things bug me about these devices. TP2 seems phenomenal, but it's bulk, a 3.2MP camera, no 3.5mm audio jack, and battery life not significantly better than past devices take the excitement away. The TD2... no bulk issue, but why 3.2" instead of 3.6"? It would make sense since the on-screen keyboard is more important, and a bigger screen would make it more functional. Oh, and a smaller battery again, and no proximity sensor. Why??? That said, both devices are very appealing, and one of the main reasons is that I can always come to xda-developers and customize the heck out of them.
What about the others? There is a Pharos unit that seems similar, but I wouldn't trust it. The Toshiba TG01 has stellar specs, but from a few reviews I read: 1) the UI is nowhere near TouchFlow or Samsung's TouchWiz, 2) the battery life is not great, 3) the 4.1 screen makes it too large to be pocketable. And here's the kicker: in one hands-on review, they show poor (2-3 sec) time to rotate screen between portrait and landscape. Huh? 1Ghz CPU and you still can't get this right? Shame, Toshiba.
And in the last few days I came across Samsung Omnia II/i8000. The specs are phenomenal. I think Samsung got it right -- better than HTC here. Bigger screen and much better battery life (probably thanks to AMOLED screen) are the key points. TouchWiz UI has deep hooks into WinMo. Jackpot, Samsung. Or is it? Hmm, the only carrier that expects this phone in the US is Verizon, so no unit for us GSM-minded folks that like our 3G. And if my experience with the Epix is any indication, don't count on cooked ROMs or much customization ability, and don't expect a WinMo 6.5 update from Samsung any time soon... they take their time.
So many choices, yet no perfect one. And of course none of these are available in the US yet (Omnia II, TD2, TP2, TG01). When they do come, I am going to play with all of them before deciding. The Firestone... too far away, and may not come to the US. Superstar? Vaporware at present. But as of now, Omnia II just seems to be the closest thing to perfect, seems really ahead of the TD2 -- I might just jump to Verizon's CDMA for it. Drum roll, please
Anyone's got thoughts on the topic? Any news on when these devices are coming to the US? Would love to hear them. Let's stick to WinMo though, or the discussion will get unwieldy. Oh, and admin, this is about HTC devices (sort of), so I'd appreciate you not killing this thread
meanvulcan said:
I guess it's all a matter of preference. I've always been a WinMo guy, and while I think iPhone is a sexy device, it's had too many stupid limitations. The 3GS has resolved many of them, so I've been considering it... but I still find the openness of the WinMo platform a lot more appealing. And it seems that Exchange integration is still by far the best in WinMo.
Now to the meat. I've had a few HTC devices (Tytn II/Kaiser was the last), before going with Samsung Epix (SGH-i907). Now the new device jitters are here again. I want a new WinMo device that's functional in all respects -- good screen, enough so to easily read the news, solid onscreen keyboard so I can use it one-handed, finger-friendly UI, great battery life... in other words, I am dreaming
I remember seeing Touch HD on the net and how upset I was that there was no version with US UMTS bands... What a great device it was (is). But alas, not for the US. Now I've been waiting for the TD2 (Topaz) and TP2 (Rhodium) to come out on AT&T's network in the US with bated breath. But little things bug me about these devices. TP2 seems phenomenal, but it's bulk, a 3.2MP camera, no 3.5mm audio jack, and battery life not significantly better than past devices take the excitement away. The TD2... no bulk issue, but why 3.2" instead of 3.6"? It would make sense since the on-screen keyboard is more important, and a bigger screen would make it more functional. Oh, and a smaller battery again, and no proximity sensor. Why??? That said, both devices are very appealing, and one of the main reasons is that I can always come to xda-developers and customize the heck out of them.
What about the others? There is a Pharos unit that seems similar, but I wouldn't trust it. The Toshiba TG01 has stellar specs, but from a few reviews I read: 1) the UI is nowhere near TouchFlow or Samsung's TouchWiz, 2) the battery life is not great, 3) the 4.1 screen makes it too large to be pocketable. And here's the kicker: in one hands-on review, they show poor (2-3 sec) time to rotate screen between portrait and landscape. Huh? 1Ghz CPU and you still can't get this right? Shame, Toshiba.
And in the last few days I came across Samsung Omnia II/i8000. The specs are phenomenal. I think Samsung got it right -- better than HTC here. Bigger screen and much better battery life (probably thanks to AMOLED screen) are the key points. TouchWiz UI has deep hooks into WinMo. Jackpot, Samsung. Or is it? Hmm, the only carrier that expects this phone in the US is Verizon, so no unit for us GSM-minded folks that like our 3G. And if my experience with the Epix is any indication, don't count on cooked ROMs or much customization ability, and don't expect a WinMo 6.5 update from Samsung any time soon... they take their time.
So many choices, yet no perfect one. And of course none of these are available in the US yet (Omnia II, TD2, TP2, TG01). When they do come, I am going to play with all of them before deciding. The Firestone... too far away, and may not come to the US. Superstar? Vaporware at present. But as of now, Omnia II just seems to be the closest thing to perfect, seems really ahead of the TD2 -- I might just jump to Verizon's CDMA for it. Drum roll, please
Anyone's got thoughts on the topic? Any news on when these devices are coming to the US? Would love to hear them. Let's stick to WinMo though, or the discussion will get unwieldy. Oh, and admin, this is about HTC devices (sort of), so I'd appreciate you not killing this thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well my only thought is that if you can disable the rotation animation and disable the Toshiba home screen, then the device would run super fast.
meanvulcan,
I'm in the same situation as you. I live in China and I've been waiting for the "perfect" phone to replace this summer my rubbish iPhone 2G.
3GS ? no thanx, I'm done with Apple experience.
HTC ? nothing good coming before end of the year (and I'm sick of the same HTC 528Mhz qualcomm / 3.2Mpix camera hardware plaform)
finally only new Samsung i8000 meets my requirements:
>3.5" screen with 480x800 resolution. AMOLED is a big plus here
Fast CPU (800Mhz is a good step above)
256MB RAM
Great UI (TouchWiz 2 looks good)
High capacity battery (1500maH is the best we can get now)
3.5mm Jack
Good browser with Java support (Samsung Dolphin got rave reviews until now)
descent >5Mpix camera (Samsung features, quality and UI are much better than HTC for example)
Well supported OS (Android or WinMo were mandatory)
Ability to "cook"
when you look at everything, finally the choice is none because only one device meets all criteria and that device is the Omnia II.
So if everything goes well, next week i will get my i8000 from Singapore or Hong Kong
earth2172 said:
Well supported OS (Android or WinMo were mandatory)
Ability to "cook"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me know how your Omnia II experience goes. I am not sure we are quite in the same boat... I don't have the option of buying from HK or Singapore if I want 3G, but that's life. Hardware vendors should really catch up. Now most GSM phones are quad band, so it doesn't matter where they come from, but almost none have 3 or quad band UMTS radios. Bastardos
When you say "ability to cook"... what do you mean? I've had a very different experience -- There is practically nothing out there to cook for Samsung SGH-i907, as I understand even i780 and i900 were a challenge to most.
meanvulcan said:
When you say "ability to cook"... what do you mean? I've had a very different experience -- There is practically nothing out there to cook for Samsung SGH-i907, as I understand even i780 and i900 were a challenge to most.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in MoDaCo forum, there are roms available for Omnia (WinMo 6.5 with manila or spb3 and even Android !). So I expect custom i8000 roms available 3 to 6 months after official WinMo 6.5 update promised by Samsung
people are still stuck at this forum as there are still using htc devices only. but there are alot other forums are cooking for other branded pdas too just that alot ppl dont find it useful unless they have the device.
i must say, once a device model is popular, another forum will be setup for cooking the rom.
omnia 2 is has best spec so far compare with htc qualcomm-for-10-years spec.
How about an Android device? Quite a few of those coming out in 2009 from what I've heard. And you don't have to stick with HTC.
slick69 said:
How about an Android device? Quite a few of those coming out in 2009 from what I've heard. And you don't have to stick with HTC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android is a nice and promising OS but actually it's far to be complete, especially on multimedia field (codecs, camera, video playing/recording) and hardware support (for example, you need to wait for 2.0 donut version to get 800x480 hi res panels support)
But I'm sure, when Android will mature and erase these lacks, it will be the best mobile OS
Omnia i8000, the best option
Hi.
I live in Spain. We have already the new Toshiba TG1. I think TG1 is too much big, and there are only a few aplications optimized for 4.1" screens. Actually, Winmo 6.1 icons are too small for TG1 screen. On the other hand, the TG1 battery life is very brief. I expect the new Omnia i800 available in a few weeks, to replace my old Kaiser.
carioco67 said:
Hi.
I live in Spain. We have already the new Toshiba TG1. I think TG1 is too much big, and there are only a few aplications optimized for 4.1" screens. Actually, Winmo 6.1 icons are too small for TG1 screen. On the other hand, the TG1 battery life is very brief. I expect the new Omnia i800 available in a few weeks, to replace my old Kaiser.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to the xda forum! Let us know how you like the i800 after you get it...
Got the i8000 yesterday. Very disappointed with the UI. I am writing this based on my experience with HTC HD, Diamond 2.
1) Screen - Big bring screen which should be a plus, but turned out to be a big minus. I find it too bright even when set to the lowest level. Also, because of it's brightness, the pixels are too obvious hence makes the originally very smooth fonts look pixelated.
2) Speed - I've sent the CPU speed to High, however, the widget pages transition is still very slow, i.e. Unlike Touch flo on HD, you have to slide and wait till the next screen shows up on the i8000. Same for the screen to show up after unlocking (resuming from standby).
3) UI - Many many loopholes and bugs. To name a few:
---Can't read exchange emails while set to Black Theme. Problems with font colour and background I guess. Other themes are fine.
---Sometimes there's no response when pressing the buttons in the mail/message widget
---Can't manage email folders when the Samsung UI is selected
---Disabling the Samsung UI on the Today Screen and selecting Messaging to show, while you select message to open in INBOX, it will automatically exits back to the Today Screen.
Sorry that my observations are also so negatives.
Guys
dont get hungup on processor speed. You cannot compare them easily and definitly not across diferent CPU manufacturers.
As for you i8000 experience, sorry to hear its so crap The Omnia range has an excellent reputation and i was seriously impressed with my 16gig Omnia. I would like to hope that Samsung will be very aggressive with the firmware updates on the new Omnias as they were with the older Omnias. Maybe you should visit the VERY usefull omnia.modaco.com, the guys there may be able to help you. As I said, Samsung have released many firmware upgrades for the older model, so fingers crossed, you should be ok in a month or soo...
Btw, my omnia (although now sitting in a draw as I have an acer m900) is running 6.5 very well.
pamburger said:
Got the i8000 yesterday. Very disappointed with the UI. I am writing this based on my experience with HTC HD, Diamond 2.
Sorry that my observations are also so negatives.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better a negative, honest opinion than a positive, false opinion.
I'm beginning to become a huge fan of Samsung devices (always great specs and design) and I was actually serious looking at another Samsung device which is very similar to the i8000: The B7610. If the experience may turn out to be as bad as the i8000, then frankly, I would rather just get the Omnia HD.
By the way, you might want to head over to Modaco. They were pretty great with Omnia i900 ROMs and may come out with a new ROM for the i8000 in the future. Unfortunately, though, they aren't really as active as the HTC community.
Link: http://www.modaco.com/category/410/i8000-omnia-ii-http-i8000-modaco-com/
pamburger said:
Got the i8000 yesterday. Very disappointed with the UI. I am writing this based on my experience with HTC HD, Diamond 2.
1) Screen - Big bring screen which should be a plus, but turned out to be a big minus. I find it too bright even when set to the lowest level. Also, because of it's brightness, the pixels are too obvious hence makes the originally very smooth fonts look pixelated.
2) Speed - I've sent the CPU speed to High, however, the widget pages transition is still very slow, i.e. Unlike Touch flo on HD, you have to slide and wait till the next screen shows up on the i8000. Same for the screen to show up after unlocking (resuming from standby).
3) UI - Many many loopholes and bugs. To name a few:
---Can't read exchange emails while set to Black Theme. Problems with font colour and background I guess. Other themes are fine.
---Sometimes there's no response when pressing the buttons in the mail/message widget
---Can't manage email folders when the Samsung UI is selected
---Disabling the Samsung UI on the Today Screen and selecting Messaging to show, while you select message to open in INBOX, it will automatically exits back to the Today Screen.
Sorry that my observations are also so negatives.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can imagine your disappointment for the performance. As I can see from the reviews and videos Samsung has made huge UI change. Many Samsung made application covering aged WinMo platform. Therefore I thing in the beginning the UI and performance will have issues. However I do thing Samsung will continue working on those and release new updates. Latest when WinMo6.5 will be official then you will have better performance. Meanwhile have you consider to using SPB Shell?? That might give you better performance with that processor
hi all
I to am looking for a new device i currently have the kaiser which is an awsome peice of kit made even better by all the support here @ xda. thanx ya`ll.
My main requirements are simlar to the mean vulcan`s with aditional requirement being that i need a better camera, one with a flash. I have an old cyber shot for work use and the camera is great but have to use my own phone when accessing the internet and would prefer just one device to lug about. So ive been looking at the new xpeiras that are on the way and they look good and have a decent spec on them but with no release date i dont think i can wait that long. Sony Ericson have the Aino and Astio on the way out but are relatively new to touch screen phones so i am dubious as to there performance. I would prefer to stick with a htc device mainly because of the support for customization here is 1st rate but have seen nothing of a new release that meets my high standards i have set for my next phone. So im still confused about what to do....
the omina 2 does look good though
My 3rd day with i8000. Struggling to get rid of it and it's totally because of its stupid UI. I must say, there's nothing wrong with the hardware, it got everything I need, cam with flash, good cpu, gps, tv out, big screen, good size....BUT the UI is very very disappointing. It feels like I am back to the Touch Diamond time, great hardware but poor UI, the UI made it so slow that you will keep thinking why the hell you bought the phone.
Maybe someone can teach me how to get rid of the Samsung UI completely and go back to basic WM6.1. I tried SPB shell, however, the shortcuts or application launch just brings me to Samsung customised applications. (They have gone really deep to customise the essential apps, e.g. Contact, Calendar and Messaging). I am most frustrated about not being able to get it to sync with other folders other than INBOX and DELETED.
It's not how the UI looks but rather how well it works. If you are looking for a phone that you can rely on, then I think you'd better wait until there's an rom update.
Thank you all for your suggestions, I will head over to modaco to see what other say about it
pamburger, You have mentioned that you had the HTC HD before. Would you mind please to give a comparison (hardware and software, Quality of the device etc) between HD and SAMSUNG? Until now I have own only HTC devices and never had experience with Samsung. It Is not that I think HTC is good but I don’t know how bad is the others
Therefore I am struggling little bit to take the safety and go with HD or take unknown ground and take the Samsung
Samsung i8000 vs Touch HD
1. Size and controls: i8000 is narrower than the HD hence easier one hand operation. I prefer hardware button over touch sensitive button, therefore i8000 is better. i8000 also has the back button and camera button which HD lacks.
2. Screen: i8000 is definitely brighter than the HD (at least 30%). However, because of this, the pixels are very obvious. On the contrarary, I find HD's screen displaying images a lot finer.
3. UI: I am sorry that I hate the i8000 UI. It seems to me that customisation of the UI has not been done thoroughly, leaving some part heavily customised while some very dull. Having said that, I know it's unfair to say i8000's UI is poorly customisation since Touch Flo is on V3 now. Maybe the next Samsung UI will improve. I have yet to find out a way to disable the Samsung UI so to get the WM6.1 back. Whereas for HD, all you need to do is to disable TouchFlo, and you will get WM6.1 back. Also, i8000 UI is not as responsive then Touch Flo. Expect to slide your finger, and wait for the next screen. Finally, the widgets on i8000 is nice to have.
4. Battery: i8000's battery is very good. With CPU power set to high, constant websurfing, checking emails, sms, and 40mins 3G talk time, the batt last almost 2days. HD's battery life as good only after flashing custom rom.
5. Camera and TV-out: i8000's camera is very efficient compared to the out of the box version of the HD. I love the LED flash which HD doesn't have. I've also heard people complaining that the HD doesn't have TV-out, but since I don't use it, I am not so sure about its significance.
6. Software that doesn't work with my i8000: CE-star (chinese software which you might not need), Advance Config.
7. Very personal: The price of HD should be very reasonable by now. If I were to choose between HD and i8000 now (assuming that I haven't used the HD before), I will definitely go for HD.
Reason 1: Cheaper
Reason 2: Better customer support
Reason 3: More roms to flash and a very helpful XDA-Developers community
Reason 4: Stableness
HTC TD2 vs TP2 vs Omina II vs Others
On my opinion from the competitors I would choose TP2 definetly and will add Toshiba TG01 for sure!
TP2
I like: General design, one the best keyboards on new devices and it´s great screen.
Dislike: No improvements on processor and no 3.5mm Jack
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Tosh
I like: Greater screen, very powerfull processor, slimer
Dislike: NO KEYBOARD, no 3.5mm jack (As far as I have heard)
Just my 2 pesos...
I got the Toshiba TG01, and damn, thats a very fast one!
No 3.5mm jack, I REALLY don`t care about that. I just use the headset!
On that screen rotation slowness: There are still people that have automatic screen rotation enabled? I hate it when my phone changes rotation all the time, so I applied it to a button!
My Samsung BlackJack II aka i617 has kicked the bucket and I'm using my old Moto Razr until I find a replacement. I'm not inquiring you to search google for me, I just would like to know if you know any that are decent. I want another Front-Facing QWERTY device, but I can't think of many that are 'Smartphones' and of that form factor except for these few I have below:
Samsung OmniaPro B7330--------------------------Palm Treo Pro
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
I'd prefer it to have a Touch-screen (not a requirement though) and must have fairly modern specs. Also are there any Android phones that meet this requirement? I willing to take recommendations for all OS's as long as it's fairly customizable.
Unfortunately, touchscreen devices with a frontal qwerty keyboard are terrible.
The Samsung Epix is a decent touch screen device. It has a stylus and optical navigation pad that can be used just like a laptop mouse pad (meaning their is a mouse cursor). However, the keyboard is ridiculously terrible and unintuitive.
There is also the Palm Pixi which has a keyboard and touchscreen right in front of you. However, the keyboard is very, very minimalist and small. The keyboard is also very bad.
There really are no good devices with a frontal keyboard and touchscreen interface. At least, not yet.
Luckily, their is a new Sony Ericsson phone coming out real soon. It's called the Sony Ericsson Aspen. It will not by amazing in terms of technical aspects because the processor is presumed to be around 500 megahertz, which is slow for a Windows Mobile device. But from my experiences with qwerty keyboards on phones like these, the Sony Ericsson Aspen will have a pretty good keyboard.
If you really need the quick access and efficiency of a smart phone keyboard, I highly suggest you to purchase a Nokia E-series device or a BlackBerry device. These phones lack the touchscreen, but they excel in this form factor. Windows Mobile and Touch Screen phones do not excel in this form factor.
I suggest the Nokia E72, it is fast and efficient with a great keyboard. However, the BlackBerry 9000 or the BlackBerry 9700 have an even better keyboard.
So here is a quick summary:
According to the form factor that you're looking for, Touch Screen devices have terrible keyboards and are inefficient. However, Nokia E-series devices or BlackBerry Bold Series devices tend to have the better keyboards and are designed to work really well with their operating system.
Just know this if you decide to listen to me: Nokia E-series devices have a good non-touch screen operating system. BlackBerry devices are designed for email and messaging and have the best of the best keyboards with this form factor, but I think that the operating system is a bit boring and lack software development.
Thanks for the reply poetryrocksalot. I was considering the Pixi Plus, but the only models available so far are CDMA and i need a unlocked phone.
When I said fairly modern specs, I meant a phone that didn't have hardware from 2006. I just neeed something that was faster than my previous phone, the Samsung i617. Also what I meant was that I would like something with a touch-screen but it's not biggy if it doesn't.
krjcook said:
Thanks for the reply poetryrocksalot. I was considering the Pixi Plus, but the only models available so far are CDMA and i need a unlocked phone.
When I said fairly modern specs, I meant a phone that didn't have hardware from 2006. I just neeed something that was faster than my previous phone, the Samsung i617. Also what I meant was that I would like something with a touch-screen but it's not biggy if it doesn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nokia E72 has a ARM 11 600 MHz processor, 5 Megapixel camera, Modern Look, Decent RAM considering the average RAM size for Symbian devices, LED Flash, 3.5 mm headphone jack, active noise cancellation microphone technology, up-to-date S60 Series 3rd Edition OS (considering the fact that it came out fairly recently), a microsd card slot, accelerometer, optical trackpad, FM Radio receiver, Digital Compass built in, flashlight integration.
BTW, of all of these devices, the Nokia E72 has the best camera (except for the Sony Ericsson Aspen).
The Palm Pixi Plus has a 2 Megapixel Camera, no FM Radio, no flashlight integration (you need someone to develop software and it isn't out yet), no microsd card and only 8 gb of memory for now, no digital compass built in, no active noise cancellation, and the OS is in it's infant stages
The only thing that makes the Pixi modern over the E72 is that the Pixi is a touch screen device. Furthermore, it's 2010 and the Sony Ericsson Aspen hasn't even came out yet, but it is a disappointment to see that it has 3 megapixel camera.
I am really against purchasing a Palm Pixi plus. By purchasing this, I think that you are basically saying: "I don't really care about the front facing keyboard, I just care that it has a capacitive touch screen and a fun interface". If this is your priority than I really hope you purchase a WebOS device with atleast a 3.5 inch diagonally long screen.
By the way, the Nokia E72 has been praised for being one of the fastest Nokia device out there right now. Symbian devices do not need as much CPU as windows mobile devices, so the processors are usually ARM processors around 400 megahertz. Even the Nokia N97 has a 400 megahertz CPU. The E72 is an exception.
HTC Trophy.... But it aint out yet.
adamdon89 said:
HTC Trophy.... But it aint out yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, I can not believe I totally forgot about this device. I should have mentioned it.
However, there are some things to mention. This image is fake rendition by an unofficial artist
Here is the link and some proof: http://pocketnow.com/tech-news/recent-htc-trophy-image-looks-good-but-fake-artist-render
Here is the actual image that was leaked: http://www.techdigest.tv/HTC Trophy.jpg
I am looking forward for HTC to implement the artist rendition!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't forget the Maple, I love it's keyboard, although the HTC inner circle which is heavily hyped on it isn't that great, but it has no touch screen
cmstackar said:
Don't forget the Maple, I love it's keyboard, although the HTC inner circle which is heavily hyped on it isn't that great, but it has no touch screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right!
HTC Maple
It´s one of the best options for bar smartphones
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=1782&c=htc_snap_s521__captain_htc_maple_100
Please don't get the HTC Maple. It's very low end.
I suggest waiting for the HTC Trophy to be officially announced or for the Sony Ericsson Aspen. Or get the successor to the E72 if it comes out.
Completely disagree
Have you had one?
or you just talking light
It´s one of the best actual options
Trophy looks nice but it´s not here today for sale
Here the low end specs:
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacomparer&id1=1826&id2=1782
Thanks for the reply. I've decided that I'm going with a windows standard device, because their cheap and simple then I'll upgrade to Windows Phone 7 or Android later this year. But the problem is that now I'm stuck choosing between the HTC Snap and Samsung OmniaPro B7330. They have similar specs, except that the OmniaPro has a Bigger Screen, More Ram & Rom, a higher res camera, and It's cheaper everywhere i look. Here's a link to the comparison: http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacomparer&id1=1826&id2=2032
Is HTC's software good enough to waiver the samsung better spec and lower price tag.
Hopefully this will be the successor of Samsung i780/Epix.
http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=15101
krjcook said:
Thanks for the reply. I've decided that I'm going with a windows standard device, because their cheap and simple then I'll upgrade to Windows Phone 7 or Android later this year. But the problem is that now I'm stuck choosing between the HTC Snap and Samsung OmniaPro B7330. They have similar specs, except that the OmniaPro has a Bigger Screen, More Ram & Rom, a higher res camera, and It's cheaper everywhere i look. Here's a link to the comparison: http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=pdacomparer&id1=1826&id2=2032
Is HTC's software good enough to waiver the samsung better spec and lower price tag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't say that the software is much better, but the keyboard is phenomenal on the snap, 2nd favorite keyboard on any mobile device. And if the keyboard is anything like Samsung's other models, it will be decent, but not great
I'm really optimistic about the Samsung Pivot. If the device we're seeing now is the actual release model, than I would definitely get it. It reminds me of the Nokia E61 (terrific keyboard!).
This is the Samsung Pivot:
This is the Nokia E61:
Horrible designs indeed...
poetryrocksalot said:
Unfortunately, touchscreen devices with a frontal qwerty keyboard are terrible.
The Samsung Epix is a decent touch screen device. It has a stylus and optical navigation pad that can be used just like a laptop mouse pad (meaning their is a mouse cursor). However, the keyboard is ridiculously terrible and unintuitive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you owned the Epix? I have, and it is a very good device. I had it for 2 years, never had a problem like everyone else says. I had mobile shell on it for a bit running fine, then switched to manilla 2D with real vga. The keyboard was great, much better than flat keyboards. I typed faster than anyone I knew could on other phones, I even used to type up notes in class.
However it has been discontinued, so the chances of getting a new one are very slim. It just didn't have the appeal and didn't sell, but with windows 6.1, maybe a possible official 6.5 upgrade(doubtful since it was discontinued, however ms website says april 2010), and everything an htc device has except for a g sensor and a perfect touch flo. I liked it, too bad mine decided to stay in my pocket when I went for a swim. HTC Touch Diamond 2 in 3 days wooohoo
brunodemelo said:
Have you owned the Epix? I have, and it is a very good device. I had it for 2 years, never had a problem like everyone else says. I had mobile shell on it for a bit running fine, then switched to manilla 2D with real vga. The keyboard was great, much better than flat keyboards. I typed faster than anyone I knew could on other phones, I even used to type up notes in class.
However it has been discontinued, so the chances of getting a new one are very slim. It just didn't have the appeal and didn't sell, but with windows 6.1, maybe a possible official 6.5 upgrade(doubtful since it was discontinued, however ms website says april 2010), and everything an htc device has except for a g sensor and a perfect touch flo. I liked it, too bad mine decided to stay in my pocket when I went for a swim. HTC Touch Diamond 2 in 3 days wooohoo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not own the device but I have handled the device and typed on it every time I have the chance when I see one. The keyboard is terrible.
The BlackBerry on the other hand is very, very good.
I bet you really like Windows Mobile...well if the Samsung Epix had the keyboard shape and form of a BlackBerry, than I am pretty sure that you are would like your Epix even more.
Anyways, sources say that the Samsung Pivot will be like the successor to the Epix. Fortunately the keyboard is like old E61 keyboard which is a keyboard that is actually better than the new E72 keyboard.
I understand that the Epix keyboard have a more honest feedback (meaning that you are certain that you clicked a button), however, the keys are very firm. You really need to press a little on the keys for the input. Firm keys prevent typing fast. Productivity takes a bit more time on these keyboards. The E72 and the BlackBerry have less firm keys meaning that speed typing is permissible.
Also, the best way to test keyboard is to do a speed run typing on the Epix and the BlackBerry 9700. That is what I did. The results are that I am less likely to make a typographical error on the BlackBerry 9700 than the Epix when I typed the same sentence at full speed.
poetryrocksalot said:
I do not own the device but I have handled the device and typed on it every time I have the chance when I see one. The keyboard is terrible.
The BlackBerry on the other hand is very, very good.
I bet you really like Windows Mobile...well if the Samsung Epix had the keyboard shape and form of a BlackBerry, than I am pretty sure that you are would like your Epix even more.
Anyways, sources say that the Samsung Pivot will be like the successor to the Epix. Fortunately the keyboard is like old E61 keyboard which is a keyboard that is actually better than the new E72 keyboard.
I understand that the Epix keyboard have a more honest feedback (meaning that you are certain that you clicked a button), however, the keys are very firm. You really need to press a little on the keys for the input. Firm keys prevent typing fast. Productivity takes a bit more time on these keyboards. The E72 and the BlackBerry have less firm keys meaning that speed typing is permissible.
Also, the best way to test keyboard is to do a speed run typing on the Epix and the BlackBerry 9700. That is what I did. The results are that I am less likely to make a typographical error on the BlackBerry 9700 than the Epix when I typed the same sentence at full speed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess that is the case for you. It is different for everyone, and each and every person gets used to their phone's keyboard in a few days. I can't just pick up a blackberry and hope to do a fair speed test as I am used to the Epix. Only way to find out would be someone who has never typed on either phone.
About the pivot, that thing is quite ugly. It might have a better keyboard but thats pretty much it over the Epix, and some more memory.
Chinese Blackberry clone with WM 6.1 Pro
http://www.nowsupplier.com/new-w088...one-quad-band-single-card-gps-wifi-p-378.html
This device has a keyboard and WM professional, I dont think it has a touch screen, but it looks to be a good cheap device, although it lacks 3G. Quad-band GSM and GPRS, with WiFi and TV antenna.
Just my two bits.
adamdon89 said:
HTC Trophy.... But it aint out yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree and it's coming soon! You can pre-order it here:
http://www.mobilecityonline.com/wir...c&utm_term=HTCTROPHYBKEU&utm_campaign=froogle
I am just treading water now. I don't understand why keyboards are being dropped. I love the Fuze's keyboard. It could be improved on, of course, but keyboards like the Droids make me lose faith in anyone's ability to build a good keyboard.
HTC is the only one I have faith in. And with awesome phones like the HD2 and the Evo... I may not have a keyboard phone at all!! What to do!!
Someone give me good news!!
I have nightmares of a not so distant future where real keyboards on phones (and perhaps one day even computers) no longer exist. Even on this board, when reading posts of people going from the Touch Pro 2 to the HD2, and exclaiming how (because of the gigantic screen) they no longer need a real keyboard, I shed microscopic tears.
Even if one could become as proficient with a touchscreen keyboard as they would be with a real one, there is one thing that a real keyboard can do that a fake one will never be able to emulate. That is, the ability to not take up 3/4ths of the screen while using it.
I cannot imagine using SSH or RemoteDesktop with a touch keyboard that obscures half the screen every time I want to type something. I like using my phone as a mini computer, and I appreciate having the choice to control it without always smudging up the screen. Ever try scrolling through large webpages with a series of flicks? Yea, hooray for directional buttons!
Anyways enough rant, I have no idea what the next good keyboard phone from HTC will be. There's the HTC Tera, but that seems to be a stripped down Touch Pro 2 (lower screen res, similar CPU) which makes no sense. Something like an HD2 Pro would be boss, considering the surface area of that device, HTC could fit some serious keyage in there.
Until then you can pry my underpowered Touch Pro 2 out of my cold dead hands.
MooGoo said:
I have nightmares of a not so distant future where real keyboards on phones (and perhaps one day even computers) no longer exist. Even on this board, when reading posts of people going from the Touch Pro 2 to the HD2, and exclaiming how (because of the gigantic screen) they no longer need a real keyboard, I shed microscopic tears.
Even if one could become as proficient with a touchscreen keyboard as they would be with a real one, there is one thing that a real keyboard can do that a fake one will never be able to emulate. That is, the ability to not take up 3/4ths of the screen while using it.
I cannot imagine using SSH or RemoteDesktop with a touch keyboard that obscures half the screen every time I want to type something. I like using my phone as a mini computer, and I appreciate having the choice to control it without always smudging up the screen. Ever try scrolling through large webpages with a series of flicks? Yea, hooray for directional buttons!
Anyways enough rant, I have no idea what the next good keyboard phone from HTC will be. There's the HTC Tera, but that seems to be a stripped down Touch Pro 2 (lower screen res, similar CPU) which makes no sense. Something like an HD2 Pro would be boss, considering the surface area of that device, HTC could fit some serious keyage in there.
Until then you can pry my underpowered Touch Pro 2 out of my cold dead hands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
get an lg expo.
Personally, I find the keyboard just easier to use, and it allows for you to use other applications (such as games, which I never play cause the Fuze is slow) or, even better, to scroll through contacts precisely when you have a phone without a front-facing D-Pad. Buttons are great. You just need those keys. I do like to use my phone as a mini-computer as well. I fell in love with the Sidekick when I was younger (never one one), the idea of a mini little IM station. I use my Fuze like that now, putting it next to my monitor when playing a game to direct the IMs to it.
Without a keyboard, it'll feel incomplete. Sure, an onscreen keyboard works, but it's slow. It's clumsy. You need to look at it when you type, and you can never get too far ahead because you are unsure of what you're hitting. My Fuze keyboard is second nature. I need a GOOD keyboard, as good as the Fuze or better.
And I'm not seeing one.
thehyecircus said:
I am just treading water now. I don't understand why keyboards are being dropped. I love the Fuze's keyboard. It could be improved on, of course, but keyboards like the Droids make me lose faith in anyone's ability to build a good keyboard.
HTC is the only one I have faith in. And with awesome phones like the HD2 and the Evo... I may not have a keyboard phone at all!! What to do!!
Someone give me good news!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I´m with you!
Only HTC I want and with keyboard.
Not any virtual keyboard can be compared to the REAL feeling of typing on REAL keys!!!
Tera should be launched in q3 o q4 this year but it´s not really an upgrade from actual great Rhodium
I would say, wait till q2 2011 and for sure we will see something it worth the upgrade.
I spent several years with Universal waiting for a great successor and got it hard to find something till I got Rhodium.
If you know something please share it here!
I´ll do the same
Posted by MooGoo
Even if one could become as proficient with a touchscreen keyboard as they would be with a real one, there is one thing that a real keyboard can do that a fake one will never be able to emulate. That is, the ability to not take up 3/4ths of the screen while using it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn right!!!!!!!!
----------------
See this reference thread regarding members asking for a keyboard device
I'm with you guys on this. I'm sure HTC will be releasing some sick phones once win7 hits
I feel the same. I hope that there will be HTC Android phone with keyboard in near future.
And NO i don't want Motorola, LG etc. I want HTC phone with xda support!
Typing on screen is super-slow-motion for me compared to hardware keyboard, probably because of the small screen. But i think good HW keyboard can beat any SW keyboard on any screen.
Keep it alive!!
Great words
Let´s keep alive and actual this thread!
Perhaps...who knows....somebody from HTC could be watching...
Well I don't know about HTC but DELL are rumored to release some great devices one with a keyboard that I bet will have XDA support. It's worth having a look at this monster.
http://www.gsmarena.com/dell_lightning-3280.php
I hope that DELL being a serious firm will not let us down everything on paper looks very promising.
thehyecircus said:
... I need a GOOD keyboard, as good as the Fuze or better.
And I'm not seeing one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Touch Pro 2 Keyboard > Touch Pro 1 Keyboard in all way, shape, & form.
In fact so far, the Touch Pro 2 is the most perfect phone keyboard that I have ever used...no comparisons anywhere else.
But I'm with the OP here, I want to see some new phones coming out w/ specs like modern phones with keyboards like my current phone. It shouldn't be too much to ask. Or else I'd be tempted to make a frankenphone of the HD2 w/ the touch pro 2 keyboard if possible!!!
Jason
myrandex said:
It shouldn't be too much to ask. Or else I'd be tempted to make a frankenphone of the HD2 w/ the touch pro 2 keyboard if possible!!!
Jason
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be incredible, please DO IT!! Xda will create a new subsection for your frankenphone.
And while your at it, hax the scroll wheel and d-pad from the hermes onto your new phone of horrors, and maybe a couple lazzzars too.
I'm totally serious!
andes83 said:
Well I don't know about HTC but DELL are rumored to release some great devices one with a keyboard that I bet will have XDA support. It's worth having a look at this monster.
http://www.gsmarena.com/dell_lightning-3280.php
I hope that DELL being a serious firm will not let us down everything on paper looks very promising.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That ain't a real keyboard.
And the TP2 keyboard lacks buttons!! And has awkward placement on some keys!! I can use the TP1 so well that I see no reason to compromise. Now, a bigger screen, and the TP2 approach works.
orb3000 said:
I´m with you!
Only HTC I want and with keyboard.
Not any virtual keyboard can be compared to the REAL feeling of typing on REAL keys!!!
Tera should be launched in q3 o q4 this year but it´s not really an upgrade from actual great Rhodium
I would say, wait till q2 2011 and for sure we will see something it worth the upgrade.
I spent several years with Universal waiting for a great successor and got it hard to find something till I got Rhodium.
If you know something please share it here!
I´ll do the same
Damn right!!!!!!!!
----------------
See this reference thread regarding members asking for a keyboard device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey. I was checking out iPad in a local best buy one day, thinking about if it's going to replace my laptop, went back home, opened my lenovo X301, and caught my self thinking, that this kind of flip device, with keyboard on the bottom and screen on top, is a so freaking good NEW idea after all this tablets
alexsemi said:
Hey. I was checking out iPad in a local best buy one day, thinking about if it's going to replace my laptop, went back home, opened my lenovo X301, and caught my self thinking, that this kind of flip device, with keyboard on the bottom and screen on top, is a so freaking good NEW idea after all this tablets
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A real Tablet PC is a convertible, where the screen can flip down and go on top of the keyboard. They ALSO use digitizers so you can use a stylus and draw on the screen accurately (instead of this multi-touch capacitive crap designed for fingers.) That is the laptop I want. Not these tablet craps.
If it is designed for the internet, I NEED to type on it. That's all I do online.
Lenovo X200 Multi-Touch Tablet FTW. It could literally eat the iPad.
I upgraded from an HTC Dream to the Nexus One, thinking that I probably wouldn't miss the physical keyboard at all because I had been reading how people were pretty happy typing on their iPhones and whatnot. Although a physical keyboard is not necessary, I find that I make a lot of mistakes typing on a virtual keyboard. I've since switched to a BlackBerry and typing emails is so much worry-free now.
alexsemi said:
Hey. I was checking out iPad in a local best buy one day, thinking about if it's going to replace my laptop, went back home, opened my lenovo X301, and caught my self thinking, that this kind of flip device, with keyboard on the bottom and screen on top, is a so freaking good NEW idea after all this tablets
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah!
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
myrandex said:
In fact so far, the Touch Pro 2 is the most perfect phone keyboard that I have ever used...no comparisons anywhere else.
Jason
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, wholeheartedly. Of course, it's also my first keyboard phone. Regardless of that, I think I've already been spoiled rotten by the TP2's keyboard.
Actually, the Touch Pro 2 is my first smartphone ever. Being a noob to this phone tech level, I did what research I could, but one of the considerations back then that really locked me on to the TP2 was how great its keyboard looked. (This was before I knew what there was an XDA or that the phone could do other little neat things like host 3 different operating systems and other stuff.) I even dropped Sprint and signed on to T-Mobile to get the TP2 in its first week in the states. I love the phone, and I was dead on in my assessment of the keyboard.
It's awesome. I mean, the buttons are huge AND there's space between them like a real keyboard. (I looked at the Palm Pre for awhile and couldn't fathom how someone was supposed to actually press the keys on that tiny keyboard.) The keys are laid out in very efficient locations; again it's like a real keyboard. I actually like the TP2's keyboard layout better than the one on my ASUS netbook.
Yes, the row of number keys gets partially blocked by the screen when it's flipped up, and, I agree, it's annoying. But it's not crippling to me, and the problem is easily solved by just flipping the screen back to the flat position.
Here's the kicker, though. I can type probably 10x as fast on the keyboard than I can on the touchscreen. I'll usually use the touchscreen if I just need to type a few letters for something. I was using the touchscreen more recently, but it got annoying trying to accurately press the right keys quickly with my much larger fingers. So I switched back to keyboard, and now I'm flipping it out just about every time I need to type more than 6 letters or so.
I recall a probably-500-word email I recently had to mash out on my phone as fast as possible to get it to someone important. Keyboard all the way. And I managed to get it done and to the person just before they left for their appointment. Without a real keyboard, I wouldn't have even tried.
So, yeah, I agree with MooGoo above. Until another good keyboard phone comes along, I'll be clutching my Touch Pro 2...and shredding out emails while clutching.
MooGoo said:
Lenovo X200 Multi-Touch Tablet FTW. It could literally eat the iPad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking of technology eating technology, one of my simple pleasures in life is the state in which my desk at work may often be found.
Often I'll have my netbook sitting in front of my desktop and my TP2 sitting in front of my netbook with the keyboard out and the screen tilted up. It looks like the netbook is going to eat a miniature version of itself. And the whole setup is like one big computer matryoshka doll. (I should probably throw a full sized laptop in there for even greater effect.)
This, to me, is another strong argument for keyboards on phones.
SemisolidSnake said:
Speaking of technology eating technology, one of my simple pleasures in life is the state in which my desk at work may often be found.
Often I'll have my netbook sitting in front of my desktop and my TP2 sitting in front of my netbook with the keyboard out and the screen tilted up. It looks like the netbook is going to eat a miniature version of itself. And the whole setup is like one big computer matryoshka doll. (I should probably throw a full sized laptop in there for even greater effect.)
This, to me, is another strong argument for keyboards on phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just the fact that I can see my whole screen, navigate using the d-pad (for anything tricky), and actually type on documents that need it is way too strong an argument for any phone maker to be ignoring keyboards. I don't understand why keyboards aren't being used more - I know the Droid's keyboard sucked big time, but it proved how THIN you can make a phone with a keyboard while still being way too powerful.
If Motorola grew a brain, they could pump out an awesome keyboard phone. And then, maybe it'd set a precedent like the Droid didn't.