Related
:!: Sorry for the shameless attempt to get you here with a dreamy subject but it's relevant to the topic - honestly. :!:
I'm after a PDAPhone with built in everything. But looks so far like I'm going to have to compromise and get an external GPS receiver, however was just hoping someone might have a little gem that I couldn't find anywhere else in the forums.
I have owned and loved the O2 XDA range ever since my first XDA years ago and have since lugged around an XDAII. I damaged my II recently and have a nice cheque for £550 burning a hole in my pocket courtesy of the insurance company. This means that for the first time ever I don't need to go to a subsidised model. My initial thought was that I'd stump up a few extra quid and get a JamJar :lol: from expansys but now I'm a bit more mature I decided to check out the options first.
So far I've found (Ignoring Naming Variations):
Prices quoted are from expansys - they could be cheaper elsewhere. Pls let me know if you find any (UK Only though)
:arrow: iPAQ hw6515 - Looks a bit crap, small screen and no wi-fi listed but DOES have GPS & 1.3Mp Cam - Anyone know of any Square Aware issues with programs?
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=120563
:idea: £439.95
:arrow: i-mate JAM - Small and sexy but no Wi-Fi and no GPS but would stop people asking if I've got a brick taped to my head. + 1.3Mp, COuld afford external GPS with this one.
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=I-MATE_JAM
:idea: £359.95
:arrow:Qtek 9090- Has everything But GPS but would leave enough money for a BT GPS - No camera spec but I think it's 0.3Mp like the XDAIIs - Could be upgraded to WM5, My Mate has one and the Thumb Keyboard is easy to use whilst walking - If I use my head not my geekometer this is my favourite.
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=QTEK_9090
:idea: £414.95
:arrow: i-mate JASJAR - Dogs balls but still no GPS and not much more than the 9090 + v Expensive & Getting Bigger - 1.3Mp Cam I think. (I have no 3G service anywhere near me so that's not a bonus) I really like the 3.5mm Jack - Overall a severe number of geek points! NO CRADLE Still needs GPS Seperate, not sure how useable while walking the keyboard will be. I really want one.
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=119353
:idea: £669.95
:arrow: i-mate K-JAM - WiFi, BT etc, Smaller and lighter than Universal, WM5, 1.3Mp. I like the keyboard. Maybe my new best choice. JUST leaves enough money to think about an external GPS. Thanks JamiJam
:idea: http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=125518
:idea: £504.95
My criteria to consider are as follows, argue with them and persuade me otherwise with reasons if you so wish:
Phone + PDA Essential (Tri Band+)
Camera - Prefer 1+Mp
BT - Must Have
Wi-Fi - Optional but Preferred a lot
3G - Not required
Keyboard - Like to Have (It's awkward using handwriting when travelling)
GPS - Very Nice to Have I Drive a lot and would like to use TT in the future.
OS - Not Bothered, these can be changed
I have 1 Month to decide before I burst and spray money all over the place so I'd really appreciate any comments you might have.
Don't go off on any obscure tangents though please, post them in a new topic and link to it if you wish.
Wizard...
(aka K-Jam, aka Qtek 9100)
Not sure when it will be out but Orange are going to release the Wizard and call it the SPV M600. If you can wait then you'll have it subsidised. :wink:
hmmmmm
Ok, so far the Wizard is my favourite now. I'd completely forgotten about that. What's the keyboard like though? I'm not too fussed about the size (the one on the XDA III is smaller and still useable)? It's more the key action I'm bothered about.
Does it have those rubbish 'rubbery' 'spectrum' style keys? It looks like it does.
I'm still yearning for a Universal cos none of my mates will have one but my head is still saying I don't need it and one of the others will do everything I want.
AFAIK HTC has some kind of arrangement with compaq - HTC will not make a phone with GPS as it competes with a model HTC makes for compaq that does have GPS or something like that (the hw6515 maybe ?)
I have a Blue Angel (O2 XDA IIs) and it does all of this.
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=I-MATE_III
WM5 now available and working fine on it.
It has a keyboard too, it's those blister things (more like a ZX81 than a spectrum) but it is useable, although the keyboard layout is a bit ****e.
What with the newer models coming out you should be able to pick one up cheapish.
I run mine with a Globalsat Bt-338 Bluetooth GPS and Tomtom 5
oh, and FYI, this PDA holder from halfords holds the BA perfectly and can be mounted to your dash. It obscures no ports.
(The pic is upside down BTW)
http://www.halfords.com/opd_product_details.asp?id=16600&type=0&cat=397
The keyboard on the wizard is excellent, in my humble opinion!
It also snaps in and out in a way that makes you feel it won't break down easily.
Finally, it automatically turns the phone's display into landscape mode, which is very handy.
Wizard or BA
I have to say I'm still impressed with the Wizard. Just made a scale model out of card (how sad is that) and it's tiny!
I like the BA but if the keyboard doesn't let the Wizard down I think it'll be my PDA of choice. The one thing I really didn't like about the Jam was its lack of Wi-Fi and that's solved in the K-Jam.
I assume the screen's readable, I like to think that I'll have good eyesight for a couple of years yet so I don't think the size will be an issue.
iPaq HW6515
I have tried without success to get details of the built-in GPS. The one authoritative source to whom I spoke was scathing about its performance. So whatever you do choose, I do not recommend the iPaq.
On a separate note I saw my first Jasjar close up today. It is lighter than you might think, but heavier than is reasonable for prolonged use as a phone. A bluetooth earpiece was being used that included a display for caller ID. As a data device it is pretty impressive.
I too run a GlobalSat BT-338 GPS, in my case with Mapopolis.
if you are going GPS, make sure it is SIRFstar III chipset (the current latest-and-greatest), especially if you live in a city as they are really good at "urban canyon" reception.
I have seen new BT-338s on ebay for £65 "buy it now" recently
plus another thing to think about...
a seperate BT GPS unit has various advantages:
1) Battery
It won't drain your PPC battery when operating, except the charge needed to communicate via BT.
2) Upgrading
If a new improved GPS unit comes out and you have an onboard GPS unit, you are carrying useless baggage and can't sell the old one.
Also bear in mind there will likely be new features added to GPS units.
one example: digital compass. At the moment, if you stand still and rotate, a GPS unit has no clue which way you are facing until you move. A GPS does already transmit heading AFAIK - it works out which way you are facing by assiming you are looking in the direction of travel. Integration of a digital compass therefore would probably require no changes to the protocol. This does exist ( see http://www.xemics.com/internet/solutions/compass.jsp?productID=108 )
3) Switching.
BT GPS units work on laptopss too you know
4) Safety. I use my GPS for a sport called mountain boarding. Same kinda deal as downhill mountain biking, I trace a route I have done using GPS software. I ride with my XDA in a reinforced case with foam in, but find the GPS reception suffers, so I keep the BT GPS unit in my bag and the XDA in the case.
Seeing as the XDA is MUCH more valuable than the GPS this makes sense.
5) Reception versus viewing position.
Sometimes the position with best reception is not the same as the position you can see the screen of your PPC best.
????
Good point.
Ok, more questions on the K-Jam
Camera: Says 1.3/2 Is this 1.3 with software to 'frig' it to 2?
Keyboard: Is the expansys keyboard silver ( http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=125518 ) or black ( http://www.expansys.com/zoompic.asp?type=item&code=125518 )
Silver ones look plastic whereas black ones look rubbery. Which have you got JamiJam? Is it from Expansys?
Processor: 200Mhz? Is that right? Seems quite a drop. Do you have any problems with media playback? I remember my XDA I used to have a problem playing big avi files.
Ta Very Much
Camera is 1.3MP, and it is ****.
Yes, it's better than the Magician, but it's still pretty bad. I wouldn't buy the Wizard hoping to use the camera for anything useful. In my opinion this is the #1 point on which HTC is lacking. They've worked on everything else, now they need to start putting decent cameras in these devices.
I have the silver keyboard and I bought my Wizard in a store. I believe that if you order from expansys you'll get a silver one.
Processor is 200MHz (different CPU architecture) but it seems to be on par with the Magician in practice, maybe 10% slower. So yes, you should be able to watch full screen movies, once you find a bit-rate/resolution/format that works for you. Not sure which XDA you had, but I would expect similar ballpark performance.
Hope this helps.
Ta
The 'performance lacking' XDA was the original XDA I and I'll take your word for it that performance is ok. I don't use it for anything too hot and my XDA II never had a problem with films.
To be honest, every camera phone I've had from the XDA Range was ****ty quality (Very grainy) but I spend a fair bit of time on site collecting info on wagons and stuff for my job and it's always handy to be able to snap a quick video or pic of something. The only reason I want a higher res is so that when some tit with a Sony Ericson goes on about his 2Mp camera I don't loose too many 'top trumps' points. I never print the pics and my main contract doesn't support GPRS so I don't often send MMS. You'd be surprised how easily you can still get by with just plain old WAP.
Good news on the silver buttons. I prefer them. Has anyone bought one from Expansys who can verify?
Sweetness & Joy
Just thought I'd post my decision for those of you who like seing things through to a conclusion.
After much ponderation and constructing various cardboard models I have decided on the HTC Wizard, purchased from expansys (i-Mate K-Jam). There's a delay on delivery at the moment (3 Days!!!! I can't wait) but once it arrives I'll post back with my oppinions.
I've also heard that my mate is buying the JasJar so I'll be able to make a comparison and post it back.
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:!: Come on Friday! :!:
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D'oh! Just a note not say the expansys delivery has been put back but they've dropped the price too.
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:!: Come on Some-Day! :!:
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Just been looking at some larger photos of the buttons
http://forum.xda-developers.com/files/keyboard-flash.jpg
I take back my spectrum comments, they look pretty good.
Hurrah!
Ok! I've got my Wizard at last. I ended up buying the Qtek 9100 rather than the K-Jam. Looks like I'll miss out on Club i-Mate. :-(
Thought I'd post my views on the phone here just to give closure to anyone reading this thread.
The screen is very sharp. Everything obviously is smaller because the pixels are closer together but the overall effect is a very good screen. The guy in our office with really bad eyesight liked it and he's normally a miserable git when it comes to gadgets.
I take back my comments about the keyboard, it looks fantastic, the action is really great and you can use it to type replies to text messages on the move, which is something I've always struggled with before using the Transcriber. People are also really impressed when the screen rotates thru' to landscape.
I've used it for playing some music and although the speakers built in are tinny as you'd expect, the headphones are really good. I don't know if they'd be the same for the i-Mate but they fit comfortably in my ears and have a very good sound compared to the old XDA & XDA II headphones (Not that that would be hard)!
I miss having a cradle. It was nice to be able to display your phone on your desk while it was charging. Just using a USB cable makes it all feel a bit less sexy as an experience but then you can't have everything I suppose.
The coolest thing I found was the Stylus. It's about 50mm long when it first comes out of the phone. Then you give it a little pull and it extends to... hold on let me get a ruler... 85mm. It's not as comfy to use as the XDA/XDA II styli but since i haven't used it for writing much it doesn't matter. The keyboard is so easy to pull out and use that I've only really used the stylus to point at stuff so that my fingers don't get the screen dirty. The softkeys in WM 2005 also mean that you rarely need to touch the screen.
It's a bit chunkier than I expected but still not big. It's only marginally bigger than my girlfriends Nokia 6230 and compared to an older XDA model it feels like it's tiny!
Voice recognition button on the side works really well so far. I've got about 10 contacts programmed in and it seems to be picking them up ok, even in the car.
Overall, i'm yet to find much of a fault with it. I'll try to get some piccies of bits posted sometime next week.
Feel free to ask any questions.
JASJAR II
When the damn thing releases.....of course
I really wouldnt auction my spare kidney and buy it, and then suffer with a RAM deficit! My xda 2 currently running on wm5, has 128megs ram and 32megs rom....compared to 43megs ram & rom of jasjar........one word.......RIDICULOUS!
i cant believe seeing a 7MB RAM free on a device, and i dont ever want to see it! HTC/ IMATE/ Whoever claim they put in less RAM for extended battery life....bucket of crap! I really dont care for those couple extra hours that i'd probably get, and i dont mind carrying a spare battery or a charger wherever i go....
Its a handicap which is BIG! Besides this, the Jasjar is divinely irresistable, and i cant stop oggling at it :shock:
So, i guess i'll wait for a JJ II to come out with same form factor, and somemore ram which would make the device practical....
HTC do you hear me??????
San
weeel
:shock:
RAM isn't everything. I have been using the device for a day now (Non-stop), often running WMP10, Outlook, PIE etc also playing Tomb Raider. I haven't noticed any diference between this and my XDA II which had I think 64Mb and a 400 odd MHz processor. The odd app is a trifle slow to load up but nothing more major than that.
If the battery life sacrifice is true, then it's not for this little puppy. All this usage (with wi-fi on but not actually using a wi-fi network) and the battery didn't drop below 60% yesterday (Using lightly whilst at work and heavily in the evening. I even synced using bluetooth).
Memory has crept down to 1Mb program mem free at times but I assume windows is just doing its thing because this comes back up after a while and I don't notice any drop in performance.
Re: Hurrah!
eayuwna said:
I miss having a cradle. It was nice to be able to display your phone on your desk while it was charging. Just using a USB cable makes it all feel a bit less sexy as an experience but then you can't have everything I suppose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This site: http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/5735.htm claims that this desktop charger/cradle is compatible with the K-Jam so if that's true then it should be OK for your QTek. 8)
I imagine in a similar way to many people in these forums I had hit a brick wall on PDA functionality. I was was waiting for Kaiser to be THE all in one and just as I was about to buy one I discovered the shortcomings. So, having sold my TyTn and bluetooth, solar GPS receiver I brought an Athena. Wonderful piece of kit but in the end it had to go as it was just too bulky.
Having heard that the 9502 was imminent I brought an HP 9515 to see me through to it's realease.
Two weeks ago I placed a pre-order for the 9502 with Powerupmobile as stock was due on the 24th and to my surprise (and slightly disturbing swelling in my manhood) it arrived last Friday (18th April) so I have had a weekend to play.
Out of the box the overriding feeling was 'heavy'. TyTn was ABS plastic but this is (and I stand corrected) magnesium alloy encased. Personally I find that comforting...remember when B&O put lead weights in their remotes to make the quality more tactile?
Runinng WM6 which we are all familiar with there are no real surprises except to say that the 640x480 screen IS beautiful!
Down the left hand side you have JOG Wheel and 'OK' button (very blackberry and very friendly) as well as a shortcut button to the wireless comms. The charging/hardwire comms facility (mini USB) is also present this side rather than on the southern aspect.
Down The right hand side is a '+' and '-' rocker switch for volume etc, voice memo and camera activation buttons as well as a 2.5mm stereo jack.
The stainless steel telescopic pointer is housed to the top right whilst the power button is on the top, horizontal face of the unit.
The face of the unit has buttons for MESSAGING, INTERNET, START, OK, RECEIVER UP AND DOWN and a FOUR WAY THUMB PAD + SELECTOR BUTTON. To access the MicroSD HC slot you have to remove the rear battery case, but not the battery itself.
Right
Left Back
Top
Bottom
Screen up
Battery exposed
On arrival I loaded all my usual software and all has worked fine with one exception...it seems that after using TomTom6, quitting the application and letting the unit timeout, it will not reactivate on the standard power depress. I have had to soft reset. I will make I-Mate aware of this.
-------I have subsequently discovered that this is a one off and the unit is being swapped out- 22-04-08-----------
All comms functions are manually startable so you have to remember to enable the GPS radio prior to starting your satnav software.
In much the way as TyTn an Kaiser the screen can be pushed to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard (though the numerics are still FN dependant) and the keyboard is backlit depending on the ambient lighting conditions.
The screen behaves more like a Samsung phone inasmuch as it 'flicks' up and down.
The reason I didn't buy Kaiser was because of the video playback problems dirctly attributable to the drivers for the Qualcomm hardware. What is ironic with the 9502 is that it is Qualcomm based but at 320x240 video plays back just fine. Using TCPMP to watch Star Wars Episode III with TCPMP in 'Raw Frame buffer mode' the movie was totally watchable. I will test 640x480 when I get time.
The GPS is easy to set up (on COM9 at either 5,400 or 115,000 baud) with more channels (and therefore more accuracy) than any other PDA I have used with an inbuilt receiver. The cold start time is between 15 secs and one minute depending on the normal constraints. There is no 'Quick GPS' facility.
I haven't been able to test HSDPA yet but all the radio's seem to give good reception so there's no reason to assume that throughput will be anything other than expected.
So, Kaiser Killer? For me, yes without doubt but don't forget this luurvely piece of kit hast only just been released. It WILL get better.
Now, who makes it?
PS if anyone wants me to test it anyway or wants more info, let me know.
Amazing!
Wow! This is one nice phone. I've been disappointed in my touch dual for some time now (eventhough Its not been too long since I bought it!) and been looking for a replacement but none of the phones I've seen look as 'sleek'.
I may just look into this one more.
I see that this one also has the same qualcomm chipset. What is the video playback like?
Does it have bad lag like all the other htc qualcomm pdas (like the touch dual)?
Does it slow down when you keep the screen pressed?
One more thing....I cant see it from any pictures, but is the screen beveled or is it flush with the sides?
Awesome. I've been wanting one of those since they were announced. After this little review you posted, I might think about actually getting one. Thanks
That be a bezelled screen me lad.
Duplicate post.
Duplicate post
Using TCPMP to watch video there were initially problems with a huge amount of frame ripping. This was quickly resolved by switching to from DiractDraw to GDI codec and upping the buffer to 4mb. This was at 320x240. Will try reformatting to 640x480 asap but I don't hold out a lot of hope that watchability will be as good.
Don't know what you mean by 'keep the screen pressed'.
It is indeed a bevelled screen surround.
Why does every new device got to be the "Kaiser" killer?
Also, what is with the internet and email buttons being by the ear speaker at the top? Everytime I answer a call I'm going to open an email.
By way of an update to the issue with TomTom6, it turns out that my unit is faulty. At random it won't come out of standby. Completely unpredicatable and unrelated to TomTom, it transpires. PowerupMobile.com have organised a direct swapout so hopefully it's just a bit of bad luck. Bodes well for Powerup Mobile though. I was concerned that as they were nearly £100 cheaper than expansys the service might not be as good. Great response from their tech guy/guys too.
If you put your phone yo your head with that kind of sustained pressure your in for serious ear problems.
Kaiser killer cause it's less money, a better product out of the box (4 x the screen resolution) and it all works as it's supposed to (with the exception of mine which is, of course, a one off problem). HTC have long been repackaging the same hardware and charging more and more for it with little increase in functionality. I was a hardened HTC fan as my PDA record shows, but to tout a unit as the most powerful of it's type, hike the price and then turn out a unit which is effectively a TyTn with a GPS and a video problem isn't too customer focused...stockholder focused perhaps; to then refuse to sort a DRIVER problem....firmware no less...tends to put one off. In my humble opinion, if a 'Kaiser Killer' comes along and forces HTC to turn out better products at a more competetive price, I'll be back with them.
Oh yeah, and it's a catchy title.
i´m also interested in this phone.
could you please upload some pics taken with the camera. best would be in dark light and with text.
thanks
Eurosportler said:
i´m also interested in this phone.
could you please upload some pics taken with the camera. best would be in dark light and with text.
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will do. Give me 24 hrs though. By 'with text' I assume you mean a text imprint overlaid direct?
yes, that is what i meant with "text"
thank you for the fast response.
Could you please tell us how responsive is this device compared to the kaiser lets say. I mean do you have any problems of it being slow? I am asking because VGA screen resolution is sometimes a burden for processors and there are some examples of "slow" VGA devices.
Do you have memory leaking problems? I have heard a lot about the considerably low 30mb free RAM after a reboot, but if it remains there after starting and closing programs, I don't believe it is an issue.
Finally, could try to make some benchmarks and post the result. Try to use SPB or sktools so that there are comparable results.
Sorry for the long request message, but I seriously thinking of buying this device, and it is good to know some things before I finally decide.
Thanks!
I hate to burst your bubble, guys but since the technical specs(incl. CPU) are pretty much the same as on the Kaiser(HTC TyTN II), don't you think that i-mate just put Kaiser technology into a different(yes, nicer) outfit?! Just my 2 cents worth...
@P996: yes but you are missing the VGA spec which is something "different" to what we have seen up until now. Moreover, if imate has actually managed to use the processor efficiently so to cope with the VGA resolution demands, that we are talking about something completely new, considering the size and offers (GPS, wi/fi, VGA, keyboard). I don't think there is something similar in the market now and all its offers are called new technology.
@edenc: sorry but I have on more question . I have also read some comments about battery life. Do you think it is ok, or it might be an issue? How does it compare again to the kaiser lets say?
Diamond killer???
lol
just read the thread.. sorry
Oh its completely a Kaiser Killer. Everything about it is better. All my mates who have a Kaiser want my 9502, but the video drivers are still shockingly bad (sorry to sound like a broken record). I never even considered a Kaiser - it seemed like a downgrade from the Hermes in terms of the features that I regularly use.
The 9502 can play perfect qvga video, but it looks rubbish on the VGA screen. Other than that (and no SDHC support) this is, in my opinion much better than anything that is currently on the market, and will be until the X1 comes out.
ya. cant wait for X1 with 3" 800x480 WVGA!
compare to that fake diamond at 2.8" VGA 640x480! haha
you may also want to repost your article to http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=351788
I currently have a Blue Angel and I'm considering upgrading to an Orbit 2.
How would the performance compare between the 2? They're both 400MHz, but I just wondered how the Qualcomm is compared to the XScale?
Apart from the video driver issue, are there any other problems with it? I'd mainly be usig it for a phone, and running Tomtom.
Thanks!
Seriously... Don't bother!
LOL...it's that bad?
Can you explain why?
You will miss your qwerty. I don't know your Blue Angel, But my TC (i think all PocketPCs) has a delay when somebody calls you. Your phone will ring/vibrate after the one who calls you hears the first ring. So if somebody just gives you a call with one ring (bip) you won't hear it! Is it the same in your case, or mine is special? Maybe somebody else with TC can confirm/infirm this...
Yea, mine sort of have that sort of dealy.
I don't use my QWERTY keyboard anyway so that's not a problem.
the_scotsman said:
LOL...it's that bad?
Can you explain why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just everything about it...
The build quality is terrible. Feels like a new hobbyist threw it together in 5 mins.
It seriously underperforms compared to my Old SE P990i and older XDA's
The modifications o2 have made to the software are rubbish.
I'm miffed I didn't hold out for the SE X1i
^ In your opinion, yes its not perfect, the screen is less than ideal but the build quality is great I think. Much better than my old SE P series phone which used to creak whenever squeezed etc and the flush screen is better than orbit 1
But I would hold out for the Diamond
I want the built in GPS, and the Diamond prices ae too much for what it is...
Any other decent HTCs with built in GPS?
the_scotsman said:
I currently have a Blue Angel and I'm considering upgrading to an Orbit 2.
How would the performance compare between the 2? They're both 400MHz, but I just wondered how the Qualcomm is compared to the XScale?
Apart from the video driver issue, are there any other problems with it? I'd mainly be usig it for a phone, and running Tomtom.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've just switched from a Hermes/Tytn to the Orbit2. HardSPL'd it and installed the WM6.1 that's been floating about here and installed TomTom.
Losing the keyboard is a bit annoying (on screen is usable, but nowhere near as good) - but I realized I very rarely typed anything and smaller sized massively outweighs it.
GPS works very well - especially as Quick GPS which really does work.
Downsides:
Lost keyboard.
Upsides:
GPS - now just not having to lug around and charge my BT GPS module, but now much faster and lets me do all manner of stuff (geo-tag photos with a reg tweak), GPS trackers allowing me to see where I've been in google maps blah blah.
Much better camera - not so much the 2M -> 3M change - but AUTOFOCUS.
SMALLER - now it's not a small phone, but it's not an f'in brick like the last one.
No real difference noticed between the processors. Latest 6.1 I put on my Hermes made it lovely and snappy - and performs exactly the same on the Polaris. Only reservation I've got with the polaris is the screen res (i.e. same old rubbish). Not entirely convinced Hi-res WM is much better though after playign with colleagues PDAs - I've got an ipod touch and THAT is what i'd want somehow wedged into my phone..
In summary, if you want a phone now, I'd definitely get the XDA. If you can wait maybe see how Diamond and 3G iPhone stack up.
#edit - and build quality on my XDA (at least) is perfect. Nice solid feeling thing, love the slightly rubberized case.
Thanks very much for your opinion...I think I might just go with the Orbit 2 after all...a VGA screen would be nice, but I'm happy enough to have the standard one...and it's a little smaller than my BLue Angel so that's always a benefit.
Seriously this is an outstanding device. Software is software and any issues can 99% of the time be sorted with it and normally are, especially when you browse around these forums. Also bare in mind that all these devices now use windows mobile so I don't understand why someone would fault the Orbit 2 over another windows mobile device because of the software it comes with.....anyway the hardware itself is exceptional, I've posted a mini review if you look through my post history and there's plenty of in-depth reviews out there.
Losing the keyboard is a good thing in my opinion. A keyboard isn't necessary, its just as easy (if not easier) to use the software input (my personal preference is a T9 style pad that learns words and is very quick to use with just one hand like a normal phone) and obviously you save on weight and bulk.
The Orbit 2 looks great, is extremely responsive and comfortable to use and in my opinion is the best windows mobile device availible at this time.
Quick edit! - regarding the SW, the rom that the O2 Orbit 2 comes with is actually fine anyway, i've never encountered any issues with it - it would be nice to have the threaded SMS that 6.1 has but aside from that its fine and works great. Cheers!
SOunds like you're pretty damn happy with it then
So the 200MHz processor isn't an issue? Still responds well? Thing like TOmtom run well?
The Orbit 2 has a 400MHz CPU, it was the original Orbit that had 200 -it also has twice the amount of memory. TomTom was perfectly useable on the original Orbit but it noticeably runs smoother on the Orbit 2 - The Orbit 2 is a lot better at managing multiple tasks at the same time.
I was in two minds before upgrading becasue I had the original Orbit and wasn't sure if I'd get my money's worth. I was going to send it back if I wasn't happy with it. I'm more than happy with it though as you can tell! its a great device. You've always got that 14 day cooling period with O2 anyway so you may as well give it a go for yourself.
doh...you're right...I was thinking of the original Orbit.
No 14 day cooling off for me..I'm in Australia so the only way to get at a decent price is eBay.
I think I've been convinced to get the Orbit 2...just a pity it doesn't have VGA...and the diamond will probably be a fair amount more than the Orbit 2
Actually a the Diamond will be cheaper then the Polaris/Orbit2... But my oppinion is that the VGA is too much on a 2.8" screen...
The Orbit 2 is a damn good toy... after tuning the cache and graphic settings..speed was even better than before..
also gps works great...a lot of stuff in a small little case...
I am also happy with my orbit 2, copilot in mo is better then tomtom i have both installed.
I like golive's interface and extra settings plus the website for tracking is a good feature.
The Software available is none stop from here and other sources, unlike the iphone i had that you could only load decentish software if you hacked it..
a couple of minor gripes, the screen is a little shiny for sunny day use and the camera could be alot better.
apart from that i am very happy with it, let hops the diamond touch flo 3d becomes available then that will make this device look great.
the hsdpa speed is great when in the right areas, 50k download speed from my laptop...
the gps seems acurate enough, fast on a warm start as well.
its performance could be a little better but overall its very good.
I would install opera mini as i have found this much better then ie and opera mobile for day to day use.
as for the missing keyboard, try touchpal or the diamond keyboards, also make sure you adjust the sensivity of the screen do a search on here, i think the keyboard is great been software as you can load loads of different types and type quicker with the stylus on some over a flip out keyboard.
the flip out keyboard types can be a little thicker as well you cannot replace or remap keys like a software keyboard so there are plus's and minus's to both concepts...
if you type alot then get a bluetooth keyboard, or a laptop.....
i don't think you will b unhappy with your purchase...
Actually imho any HTC device when just introduced will very rarely be upto my expectation and initially i am always dissapointed,for the first few days,its just a matter of customizing(a heart felt thanks to this forum for teaching us how too) to our personal choice and then i just can't seem to live without them.When i took the Cruise i returned it the next day,very dissapointed with the handset,nothing it could do(and in the factory state it could'nt domuch)was enough,I thought that my Kaiser was far better,then after going through the Cruise forum went and picked it up again,customized it and now wonder how did I ever think negatively abbout this handset,I just love it the feel of it in my hand and also the perfomance,ended up keeping both the Kaiser and Cruise without regrets.
Well, for those that have owned both, think it's worth the upgrade/change from a tilt to a fuze?
I only got Fuze because I broke my Tilt. If Tilt was still working I don't think I would have upgraded for $500 (full price since I did not use my upgrade)
If there was a Black Friday sale and Fuze was $150~$200, then I would have upgraded even if I had Titl just for the VGA screen.
With the VGA screen I can use LogMeIn and access servers and computers I manage from anywhere.
It was possible with QVGA as well but it was very hard to get around the screen.
Same boat. I lost my Tilt 2 weeks ago and needed a new phone. I only paid 350 because I was due for a new contract.
I like the Fuze but there are a few items I liked on my Tilt.
1. I miss all the buttons. I am slowly getting used to TouchFlo but I REALLY used Start menu, cammera and Email buttons a lot.
2. I keep trying to Tilt my Fuze I guess I miss that too.
3. Biggest one for me - The Fuze REALLY does attract finger prints. I have to keep a silk cloth with me at all times.
4. Having problems with tethering. I think I have it resolved though.
5. Windows Live doesn't seem to work very well and I use it for hotmail.
Now- Things that I like-
1. Form factor is great!
2. VGA screen is great.
3. Software that comes bundled is pretty decent.
4. Flush screen does make touch more usefull
5. BIGGEST item for me is you can now add device as mass storage and copy files (mp3s) over quickly without using active synch.
6. The FM radio (once enabled) is pretty cool. Pretty good quality.
In my opinion it is a great phone, I like it more every day. I will admit the first few hours I wish I had purchased another Tilt. Slowly, I am convinced I made the right decision to upgrade.
From a dev/hardware point of view:
the Good:
a high dpi, true transflective screen (instead of Kaiser's crappy transmissive) that puts it on par with my Sony VAIO x-brite screen
auto-backlight so you don't have to walk outside and then fumble around a washed out screen to find the brightness controls
backlight nicely fades in and out
working OpenGL-ES drivers that survives suspend
flush screen that makes touch-interface easier to use
higher feedback into the earpiece during phone calls so you can hear how loud you're speaking
storage-mode usb (and it's usb 2.0 high-speed too instead of the fake usb 2.0 full-speed of Kaiser) with menu selection much like SonyEricsson z750
volume setting button that works more smoothly
much nicer (iPhone-like) phone UI
magnetic stylus holder so it's harder to fling/lose it
the Bad:
missing a lot of useful controls such as camera, scroll-wheel, windows key
smart-touch (circle scrolling) doesn't work with most apps, nor even the OS menus so gimmicky
smart-touch zooming with Opera is pretty bad because zoom resolves too slowly
auto-rotation of screen by accelerometer gimmicky and can't be disabled esp if you want to read while lying down
Java (jbed) still BROKEN (since the WM6.1 update) where it gets confused if it's the active app or not and you have to bounce between Today and Java before java starts responding to touch/buttons again
D3D is still shipped with illegal and broken test-rig driver. Have to apply d3d_ati.dll patch to get it decently working (affects Opera since it uses DirectDraw).
still ships with .NETCF 2.0. Have to update to 3.5 and apply .net configurator before Schap's Advanced Config 3.3 will work.
HSDPA forced off. Need a new variation of KaiserSimFix to fix it so it survives soft-reset.
keyboard is a bit cramped compared to Kaiser, but you got a lot more fn-less keys
auto-backlight doesn't range down to the lowest backlight level so too bright in a dark room
GPS is broken is some way (without fiddling with TeleNav) so that AGPS just causes multiple gps-disconnects, and agps-less locks take something like 2-3 minutes longer than Kaiser
finger-print magnet
eats a lot more ram (90M+B resident instead of Kaiser's 40MB+)
24 resident apps running all the time and very close to the 32 limit of wince
This is basically the "Kaiser" that should've been released last year instead of that huge foobar the Kaiser is.
I will have mine within a few hours. It got delivered to my door at noon and I am excited to see what it has in store..... I will also try and comment on the two.
I'm not sold yet. I got the Fuze on Monday, I agree with you and espically the fingerpring magnet. WEW... I'm now playing around with my Tilt and trying to decide. I have so many acces. for my Tilt. And I don't see that much of a difference between the 2 of them as far as programs. I love the build of the Tilt, far better then the Fuze, and I still have 8 months on my warranty for the Tilt, Just got in July. And using TF2 it's pretty much the same. Well decide.
For me, I had a custom rom on the Tilt w/ TF2D and I have a custom rom on the Fuze w/ TF3D. The Fuze is much smoother interface, faster, the eye candy is amusing, programs launch faster.
Also, contrary to what I've been reading, my GPS locks on extremely fast with Google Maps but will not work at all with Live Search. In GM it locks in in under 5 seconds, on like 9 satellites.
Oh yea, and my Tilt broke but I was eligible for an upgrade so I bought another one on 10/17, and returned it within my 30 days and paid the $50 difference to get the Fuze.
My GPS seems to lock pretty quick as well with google maps but have not tried live. I just recently ordered a Zagg invisible shield which should solve the fingerprint issue. But overall it's seems faster then my tilt all around and am pretty happy I switched although I paid full price since I wasted my upgrade on an iPhone.
I got my Fuze for $300, and sold my Tilt for $250, so it was a no brainer. So far, I have many more pros than cons. The screen resolution alone was worth the upgrade.
Speed and response seem about the same as my tilt (I had a hyperdragon rom w/manilla)
Touchflo 3D is pretty spiffy, but not that much better than manilla 2d on the tilt. I like that the Fuze is smaller, and feels much more sturdy, also the screen is flush so no more trapped dirt around the screen edges. Everyone cries about the fingerprints, but you can easily wipe the phone off, its not that big of deal.
I'm still getting used to the new keyboard, but I do like it better.
The fact that there are less buttons on the Fuze is a bummer, but not a deal breaker. I do actually miss the screen tilt, and the solid back plate. If your typing on the keyboard while the phone is laying on a table it tends to rock back and forth.
I had no problems using the GPS with Live search. The fact that there is a ton of ATT crapware on the phone can be fixed with a ROM flash later on.
The G-sensor is fun to play with, but so far really not very usefull.
I haven't tried much testing yet, but so far video playback seems much better.
Overall I would say I'm happy I got the Fuze, and I don't miss my Tilt.
NuShrike said:
From a dev/hardware point of view:
D3D is still shipped with illegal and broken test-rig driver. Have to apply d3d_ati.dll patch to get it decently working (affects Opera since it uses DirectDraw).
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I've tried that patch and I see no diference in Opera/OS landscape mode. Same poor redraw (videos).
Just got my fuze... Looks great, except I miss the "tilt" and scroll wheel of the tilt. But the advantages of the fuze are too great and many (Besides, may still get the Omnia with the vga screen from Korea.). PLUS, after only 1 years worth of use, the fake chrome on the buttons is wearing off. Or else I'd get a new tilt for my daughter-- she loves the tilting screen, and doesn't care about the "extras".
So after a full day of use I would agree that the Fuze is a better phone. I still have the crappy AT&T bloatware on it still, but like the performance over the tilt. The graphics are superior, and has more opportunity than the tilt. My only issues(that will take time to get used to):
-navigation buttons
-volume up/down on the side. When you try to increase it, it tries to slide the keyboard open.
-Fingerprint magnet, but just wipe it off on my shirt.
Other than those small issues, this phone is far superior in my mind and is worth the upgrade.
Avyer said:
Well, for those that have owned both, think it's worth the upgrade/change from a tilt to a fuze?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I strongly suggest the upgrade.. It's better to get used to the Fuze before other similar HTC Phones come out. (YES, THERE IS LEARNING CURVE.. I've owned my Fuze for 3 days now and I'm so glad i got rid of it)
I'm not sure about you, but the biggest factor that killed it for me on the Tilt was it's vga video card
The Fuze's VGA is Excellent.. It's like it has a mini HD 2400 XT video card in it.. It's very crisp and something I did not expect. Touch Flo is awesome, better than an IPhone 3G's touch screen. Get it as soon as possible
Come on, the Fuze touchscreen or any other is not better than the iphone. I've tried my share of touchscreens. Apple has that nailed. That being said I think the Fuze is a nice upgrade over the Tilt.
The screen is nice but so far I'm not wow-ed enough by it to convince me to keep the Fuze over the Tilt.
I miss the easier to use slideout keyboard of the Tilt. The Fuze buttons are smaller and placed strangely...why put the FN immediately to the left of the A? Stupid.
No soft keys. No camera key. Had to remap the Home button to NOT go to the today screen but instead do Windows Start. Hated the bloatware. Hate TouchFlo. Immediately removed all that crap to make the Fuze more useable. Don't like Opera and with the AT&T customizations, it defaults to Opera over PIE...yuck.
sp44 said:
Come on, the Fuze touchscreen or any other is not better than the iphone. I've tried my share of touchscreens. Apple has that nailed. That being said I think the Fuze is a nice upgrade over the Tilt.
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Totally agree, I've had the Iphone and my Partner has the 3G Iphone, can't touch the Touch Screen on the Iphone, shame it's more for fun then work. LOL
sp44 said:
Come on, the Fuze touchscreen or any other is not better than the iphone. I've tried my share of touchscreens. Apple has that nailed. That being said I think the Fuze is a nice upgrade over the Tilt.
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Click to collapse
I don't miss my iPhone touchscreen at all. The multi-touch functionality of the iPhone screen was nice but the only thing I ever used it for was zooming in and out of webpages and the scrollwheel of the Fuze is a nice replacement for that functionality.
And I'm frequently using my phone outside in cold weather so being able to use the touchscreen with gloves on and/or use a stylus makes the Fuze screen superior IMO. Plus, with the Fuze I can edit the registry to adjsut the touch sensitivity and I don't think you can do that with the iPhone.
trjons said:
The screen is nice but so far I'm not wow-ed enough by it to convince me to keep the Fuze over the Tilt.
I miss the easier to use slideout keyboard of the Tilt. The Fuze buttons are smaller and placed strangely...why put the FN immediately to the left of the A? Stupid.
No soft keys. No camera key. Had to remap the Home button to NOT go to the today screen but instead do Windows Start. Hated the bloatware. Hate TouchFlo. Immediately removed all that crap to make the Fuze more useable. Don't like Opera and with the AT&T customizations, it defaults to Opera over PIE...yuck.
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Totally agree. I've had mine since Monday, and have finally decided just not good enough over the Tilt, espically as I have 8 months left on the warranty and all the asscs I have brought for it.. I've gotten to really enjoy TF2 and I feel the Fuze is not as fast as the Tilt. Just my opion. There's a phone and mine is the Tilt. After all the sleep I lost over the Fuze and now I'm taking it back. LOL well unless someone wants it for 300.00.
Beachboyde
trjons said:
The screen is nice but so far I'm not wow-ed enough by it to convince me to keep the Fuze over the Tilt.
I miss the easier to use slideout keyboard of the Tilt. The Fuze buttons are smaller and placed strangely...why put the FN immediately to the left of the A? Stupid.
No soft keys. No camera key. Had to remap the Home button to NOT go to the today screen but instead do Windows Start. Hated the bloatware. Hate TouchFlo. Immediately removed all that crap to make the Fuze more useable. Don't like Opera and with the AT&T customizations, it defaults to Opera over PIE...yuck.
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Click to collapse
Yikes, sounds like someone needs an old Palm device J/k, to each their own.
I have had the Fuze for a half day and want to put it through it's 30 days before deciding but so far I love it. Can't really judge battery life cause it hasn't left my had for about 5 hours and is down to 30% but in a normal day my Tilt never saw that usage either so we'll see.
beachboyde
i'll buy if you'll ship it to Europe
I'm a tilt user currently and looking to upgrade my phone with AT&T. Can someone give me the pros and cons of owning the Fuze? Is it as versatile as the Tilt? What about connectivity, ease of browsing, GPS etc. I like tinkering with my Tilt using Visual Studio.NET. Would I be able to keep doing that with the Fuze?
Any response would be appreciated.
ashoooo said:
I'm a tilt user currently and looking to upgrade my phone with AT&T. Can someone give me the pros and cons of owning the Fuze? Is it as versatile as the Tilt? What about connectivity, ease of browsing, GPS etc. I like tinkering with my Tilt using Visual Studio.NET. Would I be able to keep doing that with the Fuze?
Any response would be appreciated.
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Click to collapse
My Tilit was replaced (by insurance) with a Fuze a couple moths ago - the Tilt had developed radio issues. I have been very happy with the Fuze. Other than the lack of hardware keys (which is fairly easy to get used to), my Fuze does everything that the Tilt did, and does most things better. The display is amazing, the flat face really makes it easy to use without a stylus (you can touch the corners of the screen easier). Once I switched to the radio in my sig, I haven't had any GPS issues, other than a SLIGHT lag as compared to my old Tilt. GPS fixes (aGPS) usually take less than 10 seconds, and are just as accurate as they were on the Tilt.
All things considered, I am very happy with my Fuze. Given the choice between a Fuze or a Tilt, after having used both, I would definitely choose the Fuze.
I loved my Tilt. It was one of the "Top 25 most innovative electronic devices in 2008". Got my Fuze the day it came out, and gave my Tilt to my GF almost immediately. lol
Does everything my Tilt did (except tilt of course) but WAY better. GPS lock is a little slower, and the battery doesn't last as long, but you will not be disappointed.
I own the Fuze
Pros:
BEAUTIFUL VGA screen
VGA screen = better web browsing
Good enough battery life to last a full day comfortably and charging at night
LED Flashlight + hTorthc = powerful flashlight (BIG PRO to me)
Much more stylish and attraticve
Cons:
No Control Key
No Control Key
No Control Key (Did i mention that already)
No TAB key (Who the hell needs a caps lock button???)
No scroll wheel like the tilt (uses capacitve touch that doesn't work with all programs by default)
lack of hardware buttons (new leaked AT&T rom allows you to change the PTT buton)
No 2nd camera
All in All, very pleased with the phone, The battery life is really satisfactory for me - i get a full day of above average use out of the phone, never feel like the battery is too weak for the phone.
I LOVE the accelerometer, gives the phone a Lot more functionality (programs and games)
But AT&T REALLY pissed me off about the keyboard. Instead of control+v or control+c etc shortcuts, they give you an "ok" button! Seriously, and what about the tab key, they replace it with a "caps" key.
Those flaws are enough to make me consider buying a damn unlocked Touch Pro and enjoying it.
I love this phone though, I have to say, this is the first phone that has everything i need and more. I plan on using this phone for years and simply updating the OS every once in a while. (though right now stilling with AT&T firmware until i get everything ironed out like preferred applications and such
The phone has its issues, but most of them are related to windows mobile ha ha.
The biggest asset of this phone over other phones is the VGA scree. This is a blessing and a curse because of the compatibility with older programs. But in reality, the graphics are simply stunning and crystal clear.
If you do buy the phone, make sure to update to the latest leaked rom from AT&T - it will fix some performance issues, and GPS issues. I also noticed the camera speed is quite improved
Cassetti said:
Pros:
BEAUTIFUL VGA screen
VGA screen = better web browsing
Good enough battery life to last a full day comfortably and charging at night
LED Flashlight + hTorthc = powerful flashlight (BIG PRO to me)
Much more stylish and attraticve
Cons:
No Control Key
No Control Key
No Control Key (Did i mention that already)
No TAB key (Who the hell needs a caps lock button???)
No scroll wheel like the tilt (uses capacitve touch that doesn't work with all programs by default)
lack of hardware buttons (new leaked AT&T rom allows you to change the PTT buton)
No 2nd camera
All in All, very pleased with the phone, The battery life is really satisfactory for me - i get a full day of above average use out of the phone, never feel like the battery is too weak for the phone.
I LOVE the accelerometer, gives the phone a Lot more functionality (programs and games)
But AT&T REALLY pissed me off about the keyboard. Instead of control+v or control+c etc shortcuts, they give you an "ok" button! Seriously, and what about the tab key, they replace it with a "caps" key.
Those flaws are enough to make me consider buying a damn unlocked Touch Pro and enjoying it.
I love this phone though, I have to say, this is the first phone that has everything i need and more. I plan on using this phone for years and simply updating the OS every once in a while. (though right now stilling with AT&T firmware until i get everything ironed out like preferred applications and such
The phone has its issues, but most of them are related to windows mobile ha ha.
The biggest asset of this phone over other phones is the VGA scree. This is a blessing and a curse because of the compatibility with older programs. But in reality, the graphics are simply stunning and crystal clear.
If you do buy the phone, make sure to update to the latest leaked rom from AT&T - it will fix some performance issues, and GPS issues. I also noticed the camera speed is quite improved
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with a lot of this post... Had a tilt for a little over 2 years, and loved it, had a 8125 and an 8525 before those... Missing the hardware keys took some getting used to, but since then, I'm doing great. Bought an international touch pro, and ended up swapping it for a fuze to get the HSDPA speed back... I plan on swapping the keyboard to get rid of the annoying one that AT&T replaced it with, but other then that I think most Tilt users would enjoy the upgrade...
GreenLantern said:
I agree with a lot of this post... Had a tilt for a little over 2 years, and loved it, had a 8125 and an 8525 before those... Missing the hardware keys took some getting used to, but since then, I'm doing great. Bought an international touch pro, and ended up swapping it for a fuze to get the HSDPA speed back... I plan on swapping the keyboard to get rid of the annoying one that AT&T replaced it with, but other then that I think most Tilt users would enjoy the upgrade...
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Click to collapse
how hard was it swapping out the keyboard?
Have to agree on the Fuze keyboard: someone was smoking a LOT of crack that day. The lack of a proper D-pad is annoying, and stuffing VGA into the same 2.8" of screen space keeps that resolution from being nearly as useful as it might have been, but the picture is outstanding. Battery life will be a surprise for you as a tilt user and as much as you think you won't miss the tilting screen, you will. Also, the keys on the Fuze keyboard are smaller than the Tilt, so that takes some adjustment.
I have both a Fuze and a Tilt: the Fuze is the better overall device, but the Tilt is the best "bang for your buck" that can be had.
Reefermattness said:
I loved my Tilt. It was one of the "Top 25 most innovative electronic devices in 2008". Got my Fuze the day it came out, and gave my Tilt to my GF almost immediately. lol
Does everything my Tilt did (except tilt of course) but WAY better. GPS lock is a little slower, and the battery doesn't last as long, but you will not be disappointed.
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lol...ditto!
got my fuze in feb., with the tilt i flashed almost as soon as i got it. Im still holding out with the fuze. I like it that much. The slight lag, also found on the tilt is remedied for me by one soft reset a day. I also geocache with both phones (wifey now has the tilt), and gps is a little slower on fuze to appear (10sec) but after that it works great. I think ive missed the tilt feature exactly once with sunlight in the car shining on the screen. But the flat flush screen is SO MUCH better youll look at your tilt like a dinosaur one week after you get your fuze.
gl
Thanks for your replies guys. Very much appreciated. Seems like I might end up buying this device afterall.
Yeah you should. I find it to be superior to the Tilt in almost every way, minus the lack of a few buttons and the slight GPS lag. It has a great screen and let me make this very clear...much better than the Tilt. I had a Tilt and upgraded to the Fuze...I actually went "Wow..." when I saw the screen. The flat surface makes it infinitely easier to work the touch screen with your fingers instead of having to use buttons. I'd pick one up.