What phone to go for? - General Topics

edit: for the most up-to-date indecisive rambling, just jump to the most recent post, though feel free to peruse the whole thread.
I understand this is a very difficult question to answer, especially given that no two people's needs are ever quite the same but I'm just looking for some ideas/a sounding board.
I currently have a Touch HD which I have been quite happy with, I really quite like TouchFlo, but it's starting to show it's age and I'm due an upgrade in about a fortnight anyway.
At the moment, given what's available on the market, Android is the only choice IMO.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against WinMo/WinPho but I'm not buying a phone that won't be properly upgradeable and therefore, arguably, rendered obsolete in a couple of months and I'm definitely not waiting two months plus for a new phone on the off-chance I like what I see.
As for the rest, Symbian's a joke; Blackberrys aren't my thing; Palm is not an option; and the iPhone, well unless they announce something pretty damned special on Monday, my dislike of iTunes alone is enough to put me off - before we even get onto the flaws with the handset(s)...
In terms of what I want, that's where it all gets a bit difficult.
I can't work out if I want to go for an all-out powerful handset à la the Desire or the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S or if I want something a bit less fancy, the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini being a prime example - trading off absolute power for benefits in terms of size and cost.
My worry about a high-end handset is that I get one, then a month or two, or even a week or two, later, something else comes along that makes me regret my decision - not least the impending WinPho 7 release and all the potentially 'awesome' new handsets that will accompany that.
With the X10 Mini, I'm not too worried about something better arriving in the near-future, I think it's too niche a device to end up with much competition but, having read the review of it on GSMArena, it seems that my biggest concern is the handset's Achilles Heel - the low screen res. If it was even HVGA, I would probably just go for it but QVGA is pushing usability.
Anyway, yeah, I'm just looking to bounce ideas/suggestions around, so if anyone wants to chip in, please feel free.

Nexus one is my phone of choice at the moment. I've just made the jump to Android and this device is nothing short of awesome! The 2.2 upgrade will be rolled out soon which brings several improvements too. (It is available already but this early release isn't very polished yet. I'm waiting for the OTA release).
Unusually for me i'm keeping this device stock, so no custom ROM flashing etc. It's just such an improvement over the WM phones that i'm used to that i don't feel the need to change anything. I could harp on for hours about all the features that makes this such a good device but you should have a look around instead and make your own informed decision. There are lots of good forums devoted to this device but i'd start with the dedicated xda, nexus one section.

Thanks.
If I were going for a high-end Android device, then it would be the Desire and not the Nexus One - partly because I like the Sense UI and partly because I wouldn't entertain the idea of switching to Vodafone, their tariffs aren't competitive and their coverage is poor where I stay.
I have played extensively with the Desire and it is a lovely phone but, as I said previously, I'm concerned that if I upgraded to it, I'd only want to change again when say the Galaxy S comes out or in a couple of months when WinPho 7 arrives.
Obviously, there's a chance that would be the same if I went for the X10 Mini but I would be able to get it on such a cheap deal instead, that the idea of then choosing to shell out for a new device a few months down the line isn't so bad.
I'm also starting to question whether I need all the features that the Desire/Nexus One offers as opposed to merely wanting them.
I bought myself a laptop back in January and, since then, I'm using the web a lot less on my phone, so do I really need something with a huge, high-res screen?
Thanks for the input, it's greatly appreciated (as is anyone else's opinions/ideas), I fear I've a bit of thinking ahead of me yet though...

At the moment, there are a few phones that I'm considering and I'm trying to weigh them all up, so I'd appreciate any input, suggestions or ideas anyone can offer up.
First up, the HTC Desire
Pros:
HTC Sense
Decent CPU and RAM
AMOLED screen
HTC handset - excellent build quality and 2 year warranty
Cons:
No HD video
Screen is only AMOLED, not sAMOLED
It's already sold a lot and, as sad as it is, I don't really like the idea of having the same phone as everyone else
Samsung Galaxy S
Pros:
superAMOLED screen
HD video
CPU that's potentially even more powerful than the Snapdragon in the Desire
Samsung handset - 2 year warranty
Cons:
No HTC Sense
Even worse, it uses Samsung's childish UI
No camera flash - seriously, wtf?
Not yet released
Motorola XT720
Pros:
8MP, HD video, Xenon flash - the best camera on an Android handset just now
480x854 screen resolution - more pixels are never a bad thing
[edit] HDMI out - a real boon for an HD-recording handset [/edit]
Cons:
LCD screen - not even AMOLED, let alone sAMOLED
480x854 screen resolution - non-standard resolution may cause some app compatibility issues
No LED flash for video use - a minor point but the ideal camera phone would have LED and Xenon
Question marks over CPU compared to the Desire or Galaxy S (720MHz OMAP A8 Cortex as opposed to 1GHz Snapdragon/Hummingbird on other handsets)
No HTC Sense
Motorola handset - 1 year warranty, not sure of build quality
Not available until the start of next month
Sony Ericsson X10 Mini
Pros:
Tiny size
Well thought-out UI
Cheap
Sony Ericsson handset - 2 year warranty
TINY!
Cons:
Small screen size and resolution - will have a negative effect on web browsing experience and app compatibility
Only running 1.6 'Donut' with very vague upgrade roadmap
Sony Ericsson handset - questionable build quality, possible (probable?) software issues
LCD screen - not AMOLED or sAMOLED
No HD video
I know it may not seem like it, given the large number of points in the 'Cons' category for it but I'm actually drawn the most to the Motorola handset.
The problem is, having only just been released there's a number of questions I have which I can't as of yet get answers for - for example, the build quality may not be an issue but I won't know that until I can have a play with one, the CPU may not be a downside, etc etc.
Anyway, yeah, any/all input is always welcome.

ideas
i guess your best choice can be galaxy s
but if you give up on browsing(use your laptop instead) then x10mini will be the best...feature wise and price
wish you luck

I do currently use my laptop a lot for web browsing but I'm not prepared to carry it around with me every day on the off-chance I want to go online.
If the X10 Mini had even an HVGA screen instead of QVGA, then it would probably be high enough to just to alleviate my concerns - at least in terms of app compatibility, though obviously for the likes of web browsing it would never match a WVGA (or higher) handset like the others I'm considering.
As for the Galaxy S, the power, screen and HD video do appeal but leaving out a camera flash just seems so unnecessary, almost like they're doing it deliberately.
But, between that and the Samsung UI, it's just enough to sour my feelings towards it.
As I say, against my better judgement, I can't help but like the Motorola handset.
At least, unlike the Desire, by sticking with an LCD screen it should mean it's ok to use in sunlight - obviously AMOLED has it's advantages but unless you make the jump all the way up to sAMOLED then there's still a cloud attached to that silver lining.
And regarding the CPU, while there are question marks over it, I've also heard it suggested that the TI OMAP 3430 CPUs are actually more powerful than the faster-clocked Snapdragon CPUs like the Desire uses, so it could actually be a better handset than the Desire in that respect.
Also, I should probably point out that my plan when I upgrade is to negotiate as low a tariff as I can out of T-Mobile, then if I see a phone I really like partway through the contract term, I'll just buy it.
So, the shorter warranty on the Motorola may not be an issue.
Thanks for your input, even if it doesn't seem like it, it's definitely appreciated.

Ok, so here we are a full 5 months since the last post and I'm still stuck in the same situation - want, almost need, a new phone but don't know what to go for.
Since last time, obviously things have come on a long way.
Symbian has reached the next level, meaning it's only a bit behind everyone else as opposed to significantly behind; Apple announced the iPhone4 which is a nice piece of hardware but the OS and price are too big of a stmubling block; Blackberry have moved on to OS6 but really there's nothing new about it; WinPho7 was released and looks OK but the hardware is just slightly underwhelming.
As for Maemo/Meego, Bada and WebOS, they're not even worth considering IMO.
So that leaves us with the only thing I am sure about, that my next phone will be an Android handset but beyond that I've still not been able to reach a decision.
Looking back at what I was considering before, none of them are still in the running - the Motorola XT720 turned out to be a dud, the X10 Mini was plagued with problems and the Galaxy S and Desire have both been out-done by the Desire HD.
Obviously the daddy just now is the Desire HD.
The best hardware around, the best UI around, there should be no reason to even consider anything else. And yet, I'm just not taken with it, I know I should love it, I know there should be no competition but it's not exciting me.
On the other hand, against all the odds and especially since the XT720 was so poor, I find myself quite taken with the Motorola Defy.
I know that the specs aren't so great but the idea of a ruggedised handset is pretty neat and the size is just a bit more pocketable than the Desire HD's, though that's not my biggest concern.
Going in the other direction, I'm also quite taken by the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Given how I use my phone making/receiving very few calls, mostly texting and using the internet) a larger device like the Tab is in many ways better-suited to my needs. However, it's biggest advantage is also it's biggest downfall - the larger screen makes the Tab a far less practical device than the likes of the Desire HD or the Defy (I know I said with regards to the Defy that the size difference wasn't my biggest concern but the Tab is a whole order of magnitude larger), to the point that if I decided to use the Tab as a phone, I'd need to get myself a second handset to use on occasions when the Tab's size made it impossible to take with me.
Once again, any/all help will be greatly appreciated.

Related

HTC/WinMo manufacturers stiffing users?

Hi,
I was looking at the iSuppli figures for the new iPhone 3GS and the Pal Pre and looking at the specifications of those phones it seems like they heavily outweigh even newer devices like touch pro 2 which cost like 30% or more. The Pre and the 3GS have
Much better application processors. ARM Cortex 8 approximately 50-70% faster than the ones in omnia
Separate Applications and Base Band Processors
Capacitive touch screens
16 Million color screens
Higher capacity and quality NAND memory
Considering that these manufacturers are also including costs of R&D for their OS in the phone price as well while manufacturers like HTC, Samsung and Acer just build shells for Windows Mobile which should be a lot cheaper how are the higher prices justified?
Another thing, people from HTC have been complaining for some time now that an 18bit color more would be too much of a hit/not possible in Winmo and are still sticking to 16bit while with the upcoming Omnia pro and Omnia II Samsung is using 24bit and 18bit respectively. The only thing better about Winmo device screens is the higher resolution.
The only thing besides hardware for Windows phone manufacturers is case design and shell development. Do you think that undercutting quality of parts without much justification is ok? I would like to hear what long time users think of it.
PS: Got 3GS and Pre information from http://www.cellular-news.com/story/37945.php
Constructive comments please
Thanks
[QUOTE Do you think that undercutting quality of parts without much justification is ok? [/QUOTE]
I don´t think it´s ok.
I decided to stay in HTC line devices for one great reason that makes the diference: XDA-DEVS!!!!
Without this great site I might turn my interest on Toshiba new devices, even with WM.
I don´t have any good comment respect the others OS...
Perhaps Android in a mid-future term...
They ask as much as possible for a device. Actually that's the reason I'd never really buy the rhodium. HTC always releases devices with a little flaw they fix in the next device (but make a new flaw, like FM radio in rhodium). What we need isn't that much: (F)WVGA, Tegra/Snapdragon/OMAP, 5-8 megapixel camera WITH flash and such others. I hope that Acer F1 is going to rock so I can buy my next device
HTC is a joke. They can only blame themselves and their lousy hardware / drivers for iPhone's being a huge success.
Just heard today the the new iphonie 3gs sold a million units already
Hope HTC gets there sh#t together soon...
to be honest, the only reason i buy htc/winmo devices is this site....and the fact i can get tomtom on it
but now i see tomtom is on the iphone, having used an iphone this week, i can say there are things il ike about it, but its a bit to dumbed down for me i feel, but then, it does just work, and the touchscreen seems to work much better than any htc device i've used
i seriously miss having a flashlight, i mean camera flash on my phone, my old samsung d500 was brilliant in the dark, also miss having a camera that doesn't have wierd blue on it all the time no matter how much i seem to fiddle with it
galaxys said:
Just heard today the the new iphonie 3gs sold a million units already
Hope HTC gets there sh#t together soon...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the iPhone is ****ingly well done... I have tons of WinMo devices but, for most tasks, I use my iPhone 3G. It's, hardware-wise, so much better than those lame resistive screen-based HTC craps...
And yes, as soon as the 3G S arrives here (in July), I'll be among the first to purchase it. I love gaming on these things.
true. i am tired of defending htc with my friends who have iphone. even the new palm pre which i tested today is so sweet. the screen jumps at u. i loved it
when my contract is up next month i am so buying an iphone.
the only reason i stayed so long is XDA and the tweaking i could do. kept me interested but now i dnt have time to be tweaking.
i want a phone that works and does what it needs to do without constant resetting and tweaks from XDA
I believe HTC made the best financial choice for this year. Due to Economical situation they know there will less demand on high end devices. Therefore they have not risk any high R&D and expensive parts. They choose already existing platforms and just add few more spec. I believe that is the best way to keep their profit margins!!!! The sad thing is they do have still advantage over the other hardware manufacturers which makes them too confident.
Beside from the Hardware issues on the WinMO I believe it is the OS that keeps all Hardware manufacturer and also Software makers struggle. Window Mobile OS clearly out aged but Microsoft is not fast enough to come up with something NEW and BETTER. Be frank WinMo 6.5 is just a joke. It has no major changes. Win 7 has delayed few times and besides no one knows what going to come out from that development.
Clearly if MS and HTC continue in such way they sure will be losing huge market which we already started to see!!!!!
I know..many WinMo supporters will say compare to WinMo..Iphone can’t do this... Iphone can’t do that. The fact is that 90% consumer that buy a device for 500-900USD don’t wanted spend their entire time to tweak and modify a expensive device to function a bit better!!! Beside most of those are not technical and therefore the learning curve to handle WinMo is much much longer.
I believe as a long term user of WinMo we become use to the limitation of MS OS and hardware so that we already see those as normal. But I do trust that many of us forget that WE PAYING REALLY 500-900 USD for piece of CRAP!!!
We just NEED to see the falling prices of Notebooks and Netbooks then we know how much we over paying for our HTC devices.
"HTC is a joke. They can only blame themselves and their lousy hardware / drivers for iPhone's being a huge success."
Infuckingdeed.
Menneisyys said:
HTC is a joke. They can only blame themselves and their lousy hardware / drivers for iPhone's being a huge success.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was scared that XDA-Devs is a fanboy site, with no rational thinking allowed. Glad to see this isn't the case.
Let's call a spade is a spade - HTC has ridden way too long on the coattails of cheap design, cheap QVGA screens and crap hardware with no or poor drivers, selling for $649 unlocked.

Iphone 3GS or Omnia HD

Dear All,
I know this is more of a WinMo oriented forum, I still could your advice as mobile enthusiasts.
I'm in the market for a new phone. I've narrowed my selection to the Iphone 3GS or Omnia HD.
I like to do everything, so the more options the merrier.
My problems with the Iphone:
-Where I live, it's expensive as hell. I'm talking 1000$
-Apple is doing good playing catch on the hardware options, but it's still missing things i value like an fm radio and a good camera.
My problems with the Omnia HD:
-Unknown territory with the new symbian performance.
-no app store.
The TP2 is too bulky for my taste, the new xperia X2/X3 might take ages to arrive and N97.....well i just dint like it.
My last phone was the Xperia, was happy with it, tragically died in an accident. Infact, if i don't decide, i'll probably get another xperia.
Any ideas, advice, suggestions?
1000$ ????? There are fools that spend this money??? No iPhone!!!
D'rath
D'rath said:
1000$ ????? There are fools that spend this money??? No iPhone!!!
D'rath
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dude, it's horrible!. The 32gb 3GS is going for 1250$.......
utrx said:
Dear All,
I know this is more of a WinMo oriented forum, I still could your advice as mobile enthusiasts.
I'm in the market for a new phone. I've narrowed my selection to the Iphone 3GS or Omnia HD.
I like to do everything, so the more options the merrier.
My problems with the Iphone:
-Where I live, it's expensive as hell. I'm talking 1000$
-Apple is doing good playing catch on the hardware options, but it's still missing things i value like an fm radio and a good camera.
My problems with the Omnia HD:
-Unknown territory with the new symbian performance.
-no app store.
The TP2 is too bulky for my taste, the new xperia X2/X3 might take ages to arrive and N97.....well i just dint like it.
My last phone was the Xperia, was happy with it, tragically died in an accident. Infact, if i don't decide, i'll probably get another xperia.
Any ideas, advice, suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where I live is also very expensive to buy a device, what I do is to buy overseas so I can get good prices, said that and regarding your question,
my personal opinion is to go for HTC Hero, Diamond 2, or Toshiba tg01 if you are worried about tp2 too bulky.
I would never think on buy Iphone or Omnia...
Just my 2 pesos
Good luck on your desicion!
utrx said:
My problems with the Iphone:
-Where I live, it's expensive as hell. I'm talking 1000$
-Apple is doing good playing catch on the hardware options, but it's still missing things i value like an fm radio and a good camera.
My problems with the Omnia HD:
-Unknown territory with the new symbian performance.
-no app store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, to begin, I want to comment on the price. My friend, $1000? I'm guessing it's the unlocked retail version. If you purchase it online, you can save quite a bit of change. On the other hand, the Omnia HD is now surprisingly cheap. In fact, I have been watching it since it's release, and it has steadily went down in price (on eBay, at least) by $20 every week. When it was released, it would have cost you $720 online. You can now get it for $600 (even less if you're diligent).
But enough about price, lets get to the point. From my perspective, this is what it comes down to:
1) Screen - Omnia HD; not only is the i8910's screen bigger and it's AMOLED, but it even has a better resolution.
2) Battery Life - Roughly equal
3) Specs - Equal; Both have the Cortex A8 600Mhz with an accelerated video chip
4) Camera - Absolutely Omnia HD; the picture is of a better quality, higher res, and video recording is far superior.
5) Applications - iPhone; Do I need to explain why?
Ultimately, as my evaluation above suggests, the question really comes down to what is more important: The i8910's HD capability or the iPhone's incredibly variety of apps.
You're worried about Symbian's performance, but it performs very well (albeit the i8910 seems to stutter in some places). One thing is for sure: It performs better than Windows Mobile (sorry guys). What is my opinion regarding these two phones (which I happen to have an interest in myself)?
If you were to ask me, I would go with the Omnia HD. The price plays a large factor in it, but what really turned the table was the incredible specs. The 3.7in, capacitive AMOLED is simply impossible to ignore and the CPU is just damn nice. The camera's capability is also very impressive, albeit I do not worry much about phone cameras myself. Word of warning, however: there have been multiple complaints regarding this aspect of the Omnia. Many says it does not work as advertised and it is true to an extent (for example, the listed 24fps recording is not completely accurate).
Furthermore, while performance on Symbian shouldn't be an issue, the variety of apps really is disappointing. Windows Mobile itself seems to beat Symbian in apps. The i8910 and the 3GS has the same CPU, but honestly, the iPhone's apps makes far better use of the power. Truthfully, Symbian itself is a rather old OS and it badly needs an overhaul to compete better with new OSes. These new revisions just aren't cutting it.
Anyway, to reiterate my stance, here is the main benefits of each phone:
Omnia HD
1) Best screen
2) Great camera/HD capabilities (although not perfect)
3) Great interface
4) Better extra specs (e.g. secondary camera, FM radio, etc)
iPhone 3GS
1) Best apps/games by far
2) 3GS is available in America and makes better use of American 3G (i8910 does not have 850 frequency)
3) Better support/community (this is debatable)
Whichever above is more important to you, I suggest you get that phone.
8525Smart said:
Well, to begin, I want to comment on the price. My friend, $1000? I'm guessing it's the unlocked retail version. If you purchase it online, you can save quite a bit of change. On the other hand, the Omnia HD is now surprisingly cheap. In fact, I have been watching it since it's release, and it has steadily went down in price (on eBay, at least) by $20 every week. When it was released, it would have cost you $720 online. You can now get it for $600 (even less if you're diligent).
But enough about price, lets get to the point. From my perspective, this is what it comes down to:
1) Screen - Omnia HD; not only is the i8910's screen bigger and it's AMOLED, but it even has a better resolution.
2) Battery Life - Roughly equal
3) Specs - Equal; Both have the Cortex A8 600Mhz with an accelerated video chip
4) Camera - Absolutely Omnia HD; the picture is of a better quality, higher res, and video recording is far superior.
5) Applications - iPhone; Do I need to explain why?
Ultimately, as my evaluation above suggests, the question really comes down to what is more important: The i8910's HD capability or the iPhone's incredibly variety of apps.
You're worried about Symbian's performance, but it performs very well (albeit the i8910 seems to stutter in some places). One thing is for sure: It performs better than Windows Mobile (sorry guys). What is my opinion regarding these two phones (which I happen to have an interest in myself)?
If you were to ask me, I would go with the Omnia HD. The price plays a large factor in it, but what really turned the table was the incredible specs. The 3.7in, capacitive AMOLED is simply impossible to ignore and the CPU is just damn nice. The camera's capability is also very impressive, albeit I do not worry much about phone cameras myself. Word of warning, however: there have been multiple complaints regarding this aspect of the Omnia. Many says it does not work as advertised and it is true to an extent (for example, the listed 24fps recording is not completely accurate).
Furthermore, while performance on Symbian shouldn't be an issue, the variety of apps really is disappointing. Windows Mobile itself seems to beat Symbian in apps. The i8910 and the 3GS has the same CPU, but honestly, the iPhone's apps makes far better use of the power. Truthfully, Symbian itself is a rather old OS and it badly needs an overhaul to compete better with new OSes. These new revisions just aren't cutting it.
Anyway, to reiterate my stance, here is the main benefits of each phone:
Omnia HD
1) Best screen
2) Great camera/HD capabilities (although not perfect)
3) Great interface
4) Better extra specs (e.g. secondary camera, FM radio, etc)
iPhone 3GS
1) Best apps/games by far
2) 3GS is available in America and makes better use of American 3G (i8910 does not have 850 frequency)
3) Better support/community (this is debatable)
Whichever above is more important to you, I suggest you get that phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iPhone does not need support, you download the appliations, you use it, that's it. It doesn't function for tweaking and it doesn't feature running as a background processes. So it is very unlikely for you to have trouble. Really, when the phone freezes you don't need a community for that to sticky that. All you need is to google or use yahoo answers to get that.
Also using Cydia and unlocking your device is easy. No community is needed.
Furthermore the applications are comparable to Symbian because obviously the applications only run in foreground, therefore making the applications pointless and ****ty.
You have to understand that when you install applications in iPhone you don't really change the settings, so there is almost rarely a chance for program incompatibility...once again, they run in the foreground only 1 AT A TIME. So support for this phone? It's not needed.
yup same here in my country. iphone 3G was about $1000 before the 3GS released.
and IMO if i were u, i would still get xperia. It was familiar for me, no need to worry if i got some errors, many apps had been collected, what else? as long as u're satisfied, nothing's wrong to buy it again
I got my iPhone a few weeks ago..............best phone ever! As much as I'd love to talk about all the great things, I think the name iPhone says enough Camera isn't bad it's quick and takes good pics. MMS has an easy solution email, every cell phone has an email address u can send/rec pics with. Light, very fast, good battery, perfect touch ui, safari, and iPod. If ur worried about fm radio there are plenty of free apps to stream local radio stations.
poetryrocksalot said:
iPhone does not need support, you download the appliations, you use it, that's it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, but it does. Community/support simply doesn't mean help for when you have trouble using the iPhone. Those things you mentioned (jailbreaking, Cydia, etc)? Those were things created by the iPhone community.
I suppose we may refer to them as different things, but I have always consider all things related to a particular device/software/etc to be that particular thing's community (e.g. XDA would be a part of the Windows Mobile community). Whichever we want to refer to it as, however, the iPhone undoubtedly has a very large and active group of people working to improve it, and I don't see why they shouldn't be included.
After all, look at how many people here takes into consideration 'XDA support' as a reason to purchase a particular phone or not, so I think it's a valid thing to include.
orb3000, 8525Smart, TheChampJT, ingerasu.
I thank you for the information you provided.
Yes, i have heard about how the Omnia's HD camera does not do 24fps and the sound is usually out of sync.......I need to download videos from reviews and check it out first hand.
So far I'm leaning towards the Omnia. I get addicted to Apps(iPhone) and Flashing(WinMo), perhaps the lack of them with the Omnia will be a bit of a relief. What I see is almost all of what I get.
If I find an Omnia HD around for an accepatble price, I'll get it.
Everyone has an Iphone, need to diversify
TheChampJT said:
I got my iPhone a few weeks ago..............best phone ever! As much as I'd love to talk about all the great things, I think the name iPhone says enough Camera isn't bad it's quick and takes good pics. MMS has an easy solution email, every cell phone has an email address u can send/rec pics with. Light, very fast, good battery, perfect touch ui, safari, and iPod. If ur worried about fm radio there are plenty of free apps to stream local radio stations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good for you!
Shame you won´t have more customisation/personalization/flashing...
Any grandma out there can have one exactly identical to yours
Hope at least you save one winmo/htc to play with it!
Cheers friend!
utrx said:
Everyone has an Iphone, need to diversify
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said!
don't get these posts what do people expect to get as reply?
it's like going to www.worldhunger.com and asking give to the needy or whopper with bacon ?
IPhone does have excellent support community. In fact even better than XDA in my opinion. The amount of tweaks and customization that iPhone geeks do would shock you guys. Check out for example www.modmyi.com. All the popular Cydia software vendors have dedicated sub forums there. People there do go very deep into tweaking.
i would rather have the IPhone 3Gs over the Omnia HD.
just my opinion....
crazy talk said:
i would rather have the IPhone 3Gs over the Omnia HD.
just my opinion....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can record video with a Iphone 3Gs yes but you cant still do a video call with a a 1000 USD phone and no optional memory can be inserted.
Is Steves engineers retards or something? Like then they build the macbook air.
While with a 100 USD phone I expand its memory, take better pictures and even do a videocall.
So why pay 1000 USD for Iphone?
Besides my S/E X1 I have Omnia HD. If S/E had given the X1 a bigger screen like the Omnia. Then the X1 would have been better. Cause the current isn't finger friendly like Omnia HD.
Why do people keep forgetting that application is the most important thing to look at? Camera is but just one of the many applications. There are many more that we need. Whichever could deliver the best application solutions is the winner.
newuser888 said:
Why do people keep forgetting that application is the most important thing to look at? Camera is but just one of the many applications. There are many more that we need. Whichever could deliver the best application solutions is the winner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not even the best, just what you need in a presentation you like using.
i know this is a Winmo forum so iphone=crap. but it really is a decent device.
the OP will not be disappointed in either phone. so his best bet is to try both.
to me atleast you really cannot make a bad choice when it comes to current smartphones. they all work quite well.

Phone suggestion

Its time to replace my raphael, its starting to show the wear for the tear. Im looking for a winmo or android phone with a keyboard and a headphone jack that does att 3g. I'm pretty ticked that the new att rhodium dosnt have a headphone jack. Is there anything out there?
That small detial on the Rhodium with no 3.5mm jack is nothing!, also some USA models have it
Or you can buy a tiny adapter and with it you´ll have the best hardware keyboard device to this date!
hardware keyboard is very important (at least for me) as to this date not any virtual kb gives you the comfortability and typing speed as a normal one.
I suggest you to take a look in the last 2 categories of this list: http://wiki.xda-developers.com/
The best for you would be to go to a big electronics warehouse and play with different phones for a while.
It is amazing how many new and cool phones have been developed in 2009, specially since middle of this year.
You should definitly take a look at the Nokia N900, as well as try out modern smartphones without keyboard (iPhone 3GS, all the Android phones, etc.).
It is amazing to notice that a keyboard is not that essential anymore, when the phone features a high-resolution screen (480x320 to 800x480!) and excellent touch-screen. Don't pay too much attention if it is capacitive or whatever technology - try them all out and see for yourself.
HTC alone has so many different devices, one really gets confused, wishing one could buy them all.
But then there is Acer catching up with some pretty cheap, yet cool devices, with great screens.
Buying a phone today should take into consideration:
- price (can you afford it)
- screen estate (it's never big enough / resolution high enough)
- fast CPU (nothing is more anoying than lag)
- functionality (messaging/outlook/internet/youtube/office/whatever you need)
All I wanted to say is that these points fit to much more phones then lets say one year ago. And Windows Mobile is not the only player anymore.
Cheers,
vma
So i just read a review of the X1, and its a fuze with a headphone jack and a bigger screen... anyone else out there vouch for the X1?
That review is very good.
I'm now thinking to buy one
coming from the x1 i must say it was a complete waste of my money. of course its much cheaper now.
first few months of usage was great but then slowly the it just fell apart.
the keyboard became unresponsive, phone hangs and lags much.
even after repair the keyboard slowly became screwed up again.
and the last month i was using it, even the touchscreen became unresponsive occasionally. and im not a rough user at all.
but thats just my take on it.
as far as wm/android phones with 3.5mm and keyboard, theres samsung omniapro b7610. and upcoming xperia x2 and motorola droid.
Take a look at the Motorola Droid...
But, wanting that 3.5 jack eliminates so many better PPC's!
At the top of any page at XDA-Developers, there's a link called "Device Database". Click on this, then at the top of that page, choose "PDAChooser". Then, input all the parameters you want. For example, I checked "Audio Out", "Keyboard", "Integrated Cellular Phone", "Any" (under supported cellular data links), and I set "Pos. Device" to "Touchscreen". That returns quite a few results. Then, all you have to do is pick any device from those results and see if it runs an OS you like and uses AT&T 3G bands.

Your thoughts on Asus Padfone

I feel this is more of a general "lets get your opinion/feel" but ive experienced in the past, any topic that has any question in it, gets moved to this section.. So im posting it here.
I'd like to get people opinions (and experiences if any) on the Asus Padfone. I've been eyeing the HTC Amaze, but there have been a few issues reported with it, and with new tech being released this year, im also considering other devices. The Padfone caught my eye due to its apparent versatility. (Especially since the HTC One series has been a massive letdown with the non-existent mSD card slot)
Though there do seem to be some things lacking with this device, such as the camera (apparently, the HTC one has an independent processor which speeds it up) for example.
Also the fact that its 3g and not 4g/LTE seems to be a step back (tho this isnt an concern for me, but could be later).
Anyway.. Thoughts? Concerns?
Not worth buying
I'm considering getting one. I'm from the Netherlands so 3G is just fine for me!
Pricing is rumoured around €699 euro here, pretty steep though... That's without the dock (which will set you back another €150 I bet)
I love the idea of having everything in one place (on your phone) and basically click it into the tablet for typing during class or watching/reading something.
Jam it into the dock for longer writing sessions... I can see this being a very useful combination for me personally. I'm not sure the average user will find this a useful gadget though.
Downside is that you really have to use the phone all the time and I'm not sure how well everything works softwarewise when you load the phone into the dock, screensize wise etc, etc.
Its just that I got a Gnex that I love so dearly
PokeiShoW said:
Not worth buying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Care to elaborate?
newbie thoughts on the padfone
Last July 2011, I posted this thread on another forum and look at what happened in the interim - the Padfone!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Looking for serious multi-purpose (non-existent yet) tablet
I am a newbie. I have been communicating with a variety of tech publications incl Walt Mossberg, WSJ. But no serious response. I do not own a tablet right now but want to propose features that can be incorporated to the current crop. You folks can chime in (with respect) if you think my ideas are plausible.
Full disclosure. Currently, I am not a fan of the crop of tablets in the market today. What is out there (regardless of brand) are just pure "gadgets" for me. I do not do social networking nor games. I realize that I am in the minority in the high-tech populace.
I will consider a tablet with the configuration below to trim my techie equipment inventory. I believe this would be a truly PORTABLE, POWERFUL, SINGLE COMBINATION alternative to having (1) a communication/convenience/entertainment" device (tablet) AND (2) a PC for serious professional computing work, should I need to do some.
Samsung Galaxy-like form factor (or maybe even slightly larger or heavier)
Full Cell phone call capable (CDMA/GSM) - 3 or 4G thru BT (either on ear device or car's BT wireless communicator) - not just Google Talk or Skype
Web-access wireless card (a/b/g/n)
BT enabled to pair with my car's BT audio system wireless connection to play music stored in the tablet and other BT capable devices (tech already available)
Semi-full size BT keyboard/case (tech already available)
Available USB2 or 3 port/s
Available docking device to connect to an external larger LCD monitor, full-size keyboard, printer, optical drive, external HD, etc (?) to really replace my office/home notebook
Enough processor power (Intel/AMD dual core or higher), storage to support a full PC OS (Windows 7/8 or Mac OS), Internet Browser (IE9, FF5, Chrome, Safari, etc) and APPLICATION PROGRAMS AND DATA!
Sufficient battery life (replaceable) with AC/DC charging/connectivity capability
???????
Do you think this config for a tablet system has market and production potential? Or better yet, is there one already out there? I know that the technology to accomplish all of these exist already. It just takes somebody to put it all together.
Your professional insights are greatly appreciated."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since the Pf is not in our shores yet and I have been sick and tired of the all the unboxing, first videos from Barcelona, Taiwan specs and availability, I just implore ASUS to get their act together and stop the teasing and give us the US model! Regardless how a bunch of folks have trashed it, I on the other hand WANT ONE NOW. I realize that this desire is sight unseen, performance and quality unknown and not all the specs I listed above are in the model available everywhere else, I believe the concept of 3 in 1 is a brilliant one. I may not be as techie as you folks but for my use and from prelim videos and specs, what ASUS has done is phenomenal.
I would greatly appreciate your more techie input as well as marketing intel (US availaibility, specs, price, carrier, etc.). BTW, I still refuse to buy and do not want any of the tablets available today. Thanks.
The mechanism to insert the phone into the tablet looks like its the first thing to break rendering the whole concept useless.
But i have not hold it in my hand, anyone have some info on the build quality?
Dark3n said:
The mechanism to insert the phone into the tablet looks like its the first thing to break rendering the whole concept useless.
But i have not hold it in my hand, anyone have some info on the build quality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's possible, it depends if the "door" needs to be closed before it will output to the tabdock. Plus, im sure alot said that about flip phones and sliding phone. My Touch Pro 2 is still going pretty strong, and it has a sliding keyboard.
Something id like it know is with the Keyboard dock, is it 'closeable'. As in, can you dock the tablet to it, then "close it" like a laptop so you can transport it as one piece?
first try... and probably last
very difficult positioning for Asus. They're trying desperately to innovate more that the competition to get a strong foot in that market.
However, this solution might not be fully interesting for a lot of people... If its a failure, they'll have lost a great deal of money that could have been used to make up for the difference with the latest ipad...
If this will be a failure , atleast the price will drop fast ( something like Evo 3d -50% )
addiz said:
If this will be a failure , atleast the price will drop fast ( something like Evo 3d -50% )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why do you think it will be a failure?
it's something new and different let's see how people will act after buying it
Has a lot of potential...
Has a LOT of potential if marketed correctly.
I have a original ASUS Transformer TF101 with keyboard dock for eight months now and I can say its an amazing machine. The performance is just right, the battery lasts forever, almost stock ICS, lots of updates.
I have the only combination of devices that can compete with the full Padfone setup: a modern smartphone (Samsung Galaxy Note) and the mentioned Transformer, with full tethering support. If the Padfone system can have a significant price advantage, the consistency it provides (the Note have Android 2.3.6) can make it a winner.
Feels way to expensive.
$1 gets you a reply
yes the hinge closes like a laptop
problem: the hinge only opens around 90 degrees so you won't get a great viewing angle unless you are at a similar level.
when the latch of the tablet station opens to release the phone, it stops the phone being bent outwards, so you have to pull up and thus, not breaking the connector.
not having 4g is a big downer for me. I was going to get this and might still but seriously, uk is getting 4g this year so I doubt I'd want this when it gets released.
The price of phone + 10" screen is Euro 699.
I think it will not be a success.
Why? (iPhone 4S + New iPad) is only Euro 199 more than the phone and a dummy screen.
Moreover, if you're going to carry around a dummy screen, why not carry a REAL tablet??
tytung2020 said:
The price of phone + 10" screen is Euro 699.
I think it will not be a success.
Why? (iPhone 4S + New iPad) is only Euro 199 more than the phone and a dummy screen.
Moreover, if you're going to carry around a dummy screen, why not carry a REAL tablet??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
beeecause with a iphone and ipad, your data is in 2 places? So if you edit something on your ipad, you have to take steps to also update it on your iphone.. Plus, itunes.. thats always a disadvantage.
I see the appeal, and 200 bucks More isnt small.
Lyian said:
beeecause with a iphone and ipad, your data is in 2 places? So if you edit something on your ipad, you have to take steps to also update it on your iphone.. Plus, itunes.. thats always a disadvantage.
I see the appeal, and 200 bucks More isnt small.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it's no need to take any steps? As long as your iPad is online at home, whatever you do on iPhone outside is automatically synced, as shown in the iCloud launching videos.
199 euro is small, when you compare a screen+ battery, with a fully functioned retina display iPad.
sounds good
tytung2020 said:
I thought it's no need to take any steps? As long as your iPad is online at home, whatever you do on iPhone outside is automatically synced, as shown in the iCloud launching videos.
199 euro is small, when you compare a screen+ battery, with a fully functioned retina display iPad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, i wont get apple products. If i were to get two devices, both would be android. Im sure it would be similar, but i don't like messing with clouds either, that's just a gimik to eat up your limited "unlimited" data package. Especially when your talking about my case of 400+mb PDF files.
I'm not completely sold on it, but it seems like a good idea, plus ive not yet seen official pricing on it.
Not that benchmarks mean much.. but...
ASUS PadFone gets benchmarked: a mere teaser of what's to come

[Q] Does the model of your phone really matter?

Hi all,
Recently my trusty Galaxy S2 started to bug the crap out of me and I decided it is time to start looking out for a new device.
Some of the devices which have caught my eye: HTC one M8, Z1 xperia compact, Oppo first7, One Plus One (although this one seems to be to be more elusive than an albino unicorn) and Mi 3 (although I am not a big fan of Miui).
-note: even though this post is not to ask any recommendations regarding phones, if you would have any to share, please feel free to do so
As someone who spends time on this forum ever since my HTC Excalibur, breaking my phone and hoping to fix it (the kid who takes apart his alarm clock and doesn't know how to put it back together... that's basically me), the first thing I mostly do when getting a new phone is rooting it and installing a custom rom...
Earlier today, I read an article on The Verge, which made me wonder: do different phones still matter?
If you consider the choice of a phone depending on following elements:
screen size
battery life
Android version (and probably OEM added bulk)
price
specs (ie ram, processor speed etc)
design
"various features" (such as the double lens on the HTC one)
Screensize is mostly similar in phones nowadays (except for the z1 compact), the android version is mostly the latest version thanks to everyone on this forum (in phone list above the Mi3 is a a bit different) and design is subjective... so these three won't really make any difference.
From the article on The Verge, it seems that specs to be of less importance nowadays in modern phones (it's attractive to have a quadcore whatever processor with an unlimited amount of ram, but does anyone really use all this horsepower -if you don't game?).
And the thing which I called "various features"; I haven't seen a single feature that wow-ed me enough to consider this a musthave (again if someone knows about something I don't please let me know
Which leaves us to battery life and price.
These seem to be the only dealbreakers for me at the moment...
Anyone who can find him/herself in this opinion (or absolutely disagrees)?

Categories

Resources