I am on the AT&T network in the USA and I cannot leave it. My old phone was an HTC Fuze (HTC Touch Pro I think is the general term) and I loved it. The only issue I had with it was that it was a bit on the slow side and it lacked a 3.5mm jack, but I didn't really care. I loved it's slide out QWERTY keyboard. I loved Windows Phone. I loved it. Then the touch screen started to go bad (as if it was always being touched by something) and it being an old phone I decided to get a new one. I got an iPhone 4. I hate it. WM 6.5 let me customize my home screen so that I could see all my upcoming calendar appointments right there when I look at the home screen. The iPhone requires you to drag the top of the screen down. This may seem trivial to some, but I'm hugely scatterbrained and it really helps. There were other aspects too like the QWERTY keyboard, the ability to put emulators on it (I played Pokemon Blue on my phone), and things like that. I can't do that on my iPhone currently. Oh yeah! The built-in Stylus was also amazing! I just loved that phone.
Here's what I'm looking for in a phone:
AT&T Carrier (must-have)
Windows 7 (at least WM phone)
Slide-out QWERTY Keyboard (no Blackberry style or that wierd Vertical Slide for tiny buttons)
Stylus/Big enough Screen (if stylus, must be built-in like the Fuze, not peripheral)
Good performance (I'm referring to emulation. I played PSX games on my HTC Fuze, but only RPGs due to slowdown and lack of sound. I would like to be able to play emulators, especially SNES emulators, without slowdown and with sound smoothly)
3.5mm Headphone Jack (not a requirement, just a nice have that my old phone didn't)
What do you recommend? When I saw the HTC 7 Pro, I was in love. Then I found out it's not available for my carrier. Is the LG Quantum really the best phone for me? It technically meets my specifications, but there's something about it that I don't like. What about the LG eXPo? That caught my attention a while ago. Can that be end-user upgraded to WM 7 or 7.5 and meet my requirements?
note: I want to avoid Jailbroken/Unlocked phones if possible. I don't like fiddling with that stuff myself, and I don't want to trust some random ebayer to have done it right. I am definitely capable of learning, but I don't take unnecessary risks.
Doesnt the US version of HTC 7 Pro work on ATT network? 7 Pro and the LG are the only WP devices with landscape keyboard, then there is the Dell Venue Pro with vertical slider.
The only HTC 7 Pro released in the United States is for Sprint and is called the "HTC Arrive." I was not aware it could even be unlocked for usage with AT&T.
Im not sure is it possible to unlock and use at ATT's network, Im in Europe and dont know about US networks. Im sure if you will search you will get the answer. 7 Pro is a great device, I love it. The OS runs so smoothly, that Im sure that the LG with same specs will be a good device also, but I would go for the HTC if anyway possible.
Lotus1 said:
I am on the AT&T network in the USA and I cannot leave it. My old phone was an HTC Fuze (HTC Touch Pro I think is the general term) and I loved it. The only issue I had with it was that it was a bit on the slow side and it lacked a 3.5mm jack, but I didn't really care. I loved it's slide out QWERTY keyboard. I loved Windows Phone. I loved it. Then the touch screen started to go bad (as if it was always being touched by something) and it being an old phone I decided to get a new one. I got an iPhone 4. I hate it. WM 6.5 let me customize my home screen so that I could see all my upcoming calendar appointments right there when I look at the home screen. The iPhone requires you to drag the top of the screen down. This may seem trivial to some, but I'm hugely scatterbrained and it really helps. There were other aspects too like the QWERTY keyboard, the ability to put emulators on it (I played Pokemon Blue on my phone), and things like that. I can't do that on my iPhone currently. Oh yeah! The built-in Stylus was also amazing! I just loved that phone.
Here's what I'm looking for in a phone:
AT&T Carrier (must-have)
Windows 7 (at least WM phone)
Slide-out QWERTY Keyboard (no Blackberry style or that wierd Vertical Slide for tiny buttons)
Stylus/Big enough Screen (if stylus, must be built-in like the Fuze, not peripheral)
Good performance (I'm referring to emulation. I played PSX games on my HTC Fuze, but only RPGs due to slowdown and lack of sound. I would like to be able to play emulators, especially SNES emulators, without slowdown and with sound smoothly)
3.5mm Headphone Jack (not a requirement, just a nice have that my old phone didn't)
What do you recommend? When I saw the HTC 7 Pro, I was in love. Then I found out it's not available for my carrier. Is the LG Quantum really the best phone for me? It technically meets my specifications, but there's something about it that I don't like. What about the LG eXPo? That caught my attention a while ago. Can that be end-user upgraded to WM 7 or 7.5 and meet my requirements?
note: I want to avoid Jailbroken/Unlocked phones if possible. I don't like fiddling with that stuff myself, and I don't want to trust some random ebayer to have done it right. I am definitely capable of learning, but I don't take unnecessary risks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, first off, there's a huge difference between Windows Mobile 6.5 and Windows Phone. I'm really surprised you liked WM6.5, because it was always slow and annoying to me. I am even more surprised you had a bad experience with the iPhone. While I am completely devoted to Windows Phone, I still think the iPhone is a solid phone.
About phones, AT&T definitely has the best Windows Phones. While the Quantum is its only keyboard slider, I would reccommend you reconsider your keyboard requirement. ALL Windows Phones are smooth/fast, have the 3.5 jack, and have reasonably big screens. All Windows Phones also have an awesome on-screen keyboard. WM6.5 phones are not capable of upgrading, and I don't even think AT&T sells them anymore.
By the way, I've had the HTC Arrive, and it's a good phone, but the new AT&T devices are thinner, faster(as in processor), and have 4G LTE.
My recommendations?
1. The Nokia Lumia 900 - $99 on contract
I have it currently, it's awesome. 4" screen, 4G LTE, beautiful hardware.
2. HTC Titan II - $199 on contract
I almost picked it over the 900, but its $100 more and doesn't have Nokia's exclusive apps. It does have a bigger screen though, and some say a better camera.
---------- Post added at 01:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:40 AM ----------
Forgot to mention, a stylus will NOT work with any Windows Phone, as they use capacitive (multi-touch) screens. Also, emulators are partially supported on Windows Phone, I think there are a couple on the marketplace, but it seems like they are always dealing with trademark/copyright issues.
If you really want the 7 Pro, you can order one online from Europe (there are various online stores that will ship overseas). It should work with AT&T's 3G, though I recommend that you double-check the bands it supports just in case, and of course make sure it's SIM-unlocked. You'll have to pay full price, and AT&T doesn't appear to offer any plan discount even if you bring your own device instead of getting a subsidized one (yet another reason I think they're a crap MO, but I assume you have your reasons...)
Do not get the Arrive; it is a CDMA-only phone and is completely incapable of connecting to a GSM network like AT&T uses. The 7 Pro as sold in Europe (and possibly elsewhere) is GSM.
Let me further explain why I loved my Fuze (HTC Touch Pro)
It was slow (ish), but not that slow. I had removed all the bloatware from mine and a few tweaks and it was only noticeably slow when doing certain non-typical tasks. This was a non-issue for me except for 2 problems: I could not play SNES games and I could not play PSX games with zero slowdown.
How I used my phone:
Organizer/PDA with contacts and a calendar. The customizable home screen that displays all upcoming appointments is great, as was the calendar system. I'm scatterbrained and it really helped me. Iphone's lack of customizability in this area sucks.
As a flash drive. I always had a usb to micro usb cable in my backpack and so I kept all my schoolwork on it as well as anything I needed. There's an app for it so my iPhone can have similar functionality, but it's not nearly the same.
As a game device to while away the time. I had PSX JRPGs on it, the original Pokemon games, Zelda, Mario, etc. These were all emulator based games from my childhood. This is strait up impossible on the iPhone without jailbreaking, which I won't do, and also means I basically require the slide-out keyboard as touch-screens work poorly with emulators.
Lastly, I stored music on it, but never really used it as an MP3 player because it lacked the 3.5mm jack.
From what everyone is telling me, and from what I've learned about how Windows Mobile 7 is not a PocketPC based operating system, I'm most likely to leave it for android. I strongly dislike operating systems that don't allow for 3rd party apps without prior approval. That's one reason I hate the iPhone. The others are the lack of a touch screen and the lack of a customizable home screen. The way I currently use my iPhone, except for a few features it's nothing more than a browser enabled phone because it simply can't do what I want it to do without jailbreaking.
I guess the phone to get for me is the Samsung Captivate Glide since Windows Phones don't really have what I'm looking for.
Related
Ok, so I've been using an HTC for my last 3 phones and now have to decide if I want to go with the Raphael or the iPhone 3g. Anyone here with experience with both care to comment?
If you want a keyboard, higher res screen, multitasking, slingplayer, a wireless modem for your laptop, support from xda dev like me, then you have to get the raphael. Otherwise the iphone would be ok i suppose.
My personal opinion about the iPhone 3G is that i find it more of a gadget then a real poweruser phone.
I also like the fact that the Raphael has a keyboard and that's a must for myself.
Here's a comparison link from pdadb.net for some spec differences.
I say GO HTC!
Plus there's no Cut/Copy/Paste functionality and the only Bluetooth profiles it supports are headset and hands-free, so no file transfers or music streaming.
And you'll have to put up with poor 3G reception: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/13/iphone_not_very_3g/
kmann said:
Ok, so I've been using an HTC for my last 3 phones and now have to decide if I want to go with the Raphael or the iPhone 3g. Anyone here with experience with both care to comment?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sort of related to pros...
I had the Diamond for a week and sent it back as the battery life was useless. Also the device heated up a lot when in use. The last straw came when I was trying to use it on the beach and the screen was totally washed out.
I am currently trying out an iPhone, and I must admit it does most all of what I want (phone/email/web) and some more... and the screen is visible in bright sunlight! Just need to get over some missing things - and itunes. Oh, and O2 network (useless 3G - have to switch it off most of the time). Oh, and iplayer works fantastically... thats almost sold me now.
I still have my TyTn2 in case I need a MS6.1 fix, but as things are going, I doubt it.
WatskeBart said:
My personal opinion about the iPhone 3G is that i find it more of a gadget then a real poweruser phone.
I also like the fact that the Raphael has a keyboard and that's a must for myself.
Here's a comparison link from pdadb.net for some spec differences.
I say GO HTC!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with WatskeBart 100%. The iphone has impressive hardware with the exception of the lack of keyboard of course but it can't do all that a normal smartphone can do because of the software on the device. If all u want is a media player and internet browser then u should get an iphone 3g. If you are a phone techie then u will be disappointed all the way. Not to say that the touch pro can't be a media player. As i'm writing this email i'm listening to music on my touch pro and i was watching Hancock like 30 mins ago.
HTC for sure!!
I talk from personal experience as I had an iPhone 3g before selling it to buy my Touch Pro.
I had the original iPhone which i soon chopped in for an N95 8gb as it was too slow for net usage and the lack of apps was rubbish. I then got the upgrade to the 3g iPhone thinking this would be an amazing bit of kit due to 3g, GPS and the new App Store. After a week of owning it I was not impressed at all.
Firstly the 3g, its half speed of the HTC only 3.4 i think as opposed to 7.2mbs and even when it does get a 3g connection it times out constently. Then when the 3g connection drops it fails to switch to Edge or GPRS sometimes which means it will never connect.
The GPS is ok, although running google maps of both the accuracy on the TP is much better I found plus you cant put TomTom on the iPhone at present.
Then there is the app store, what a load of tosh. The apps that are free are free becos, well you wouldn't pay for them and to be honest I found I had a load of apps installed just becos you could not becos you wanted them.
I would say the only thing the iPhone does better is music and games, being an iPod it should be and the games you can buy do run very well although limted due to control system.
Another niggle i had with the iPhone is the new case, it scratches so easy and you always feel you have to treat it with cotten gloves. One day indoor use and i had hairline scratches on the apple logo
I sold my iPhone on ebay for a tidy sum and have had a week with the Touch Pro and am so glad i did it.
Plus if you geta WM you get help and support from all the peps on here, the iPhone community is no where near as good lol
2 things which bother me about iphones are
1. got a free rss program of itunestore for my ipod touch
and without copy paste one have to surf to the rss feed one wants
and write it down on a note open the rss program and write it there
silly that one cant copy paste
2. got a free ebook reader program but only way one can get ebooks is from www url's
no option to get all the ebooks on my computer into the ipod
so it's useless
suspect the lack of freedom with iphones / ipods
both consering accessing data from ones computer and
lack of SD data or even basic filesystem access
are one of their biggests problems
forgot tomtom, and a2dp. use that all the time too.... iphone cant do either.
HTC as the it can access parts of the internet the iphone carn't reach
Touch Pro rocks!
I personnally think the Touch Pro and iPhone are not / should not even in the same category at all:
- 2.8" screen for "pocketability" vs 3.5" screen for comfort
- Full qwerty keyboard vs no keyboard (granted, the on-screen keyboard on the iPhone is even better to use than PCM Keyboard on my VGA 4 inches-screened HX4700, mainly due to the capacitive touchscreen)
- On one side, the nerly endlessly extensible Windows mobile, can do anything, but you can't expect noobs to fiddle with the registry everyday and swap ROMs to have a better-working device
- On the other side, the iPhone platform is less open, but easier to use for nOobs, apps are easy to install, and (where the features are actually implemented) it just works
Surely there are other different points!
I myself just couldn't care to be ensconced in the iPhone, with clearly throttled-down features (no A2DP protocol for BT, no MMS, no video with the camera, no f#$..g copy-paste, for Krishna's sake? How hard can it be?).
My vote goes for the Touch Pro!
My 0.02$...
kmann said:
Ok, so I've been using an HTC for my last 3 phones and now have to decide if I want to go with the Raphael or the iPhone 3g. Anyone here with experience with both care to comment?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope that kmann could make his decision based on our replies
plain and simple........copy and paste........nuff said.
the iphone is just a glorified Ipod, the HTC phones are usable computers in your hand and much much more.
I would suggest that you take a look at the iphone thread on the macrumours forum. You get the views of a large number of iphone owners there. To my mind, they fall into 3 categories: On the fence types, fan boy types (for whom the iphone can do no wrong) and a substantial number of people who are having real problems with the iphone - not so much the things that are missing (cut and paste, a2dp etc.) but problems with doing basic phone stufff (like making calls) and build quality issues (cracks appearing in casings, bits falling off/ stopping working etc.).
I am not an iphone hater - I have an Ipod touch with the very latest firmware on - it is a great music player and some of the apps from the apple store are good fun - I have even bought a couple! I have also spent a couple hours playing with the latest iphone (a friends'), as a phone and a serious business tool, it just didn't cut it for me.
Ok, time to chime on again. Thanks all for your input. I've got 30 years of experience in deep IT technology. I've programmed Operating Systems, hardware etc. I've cooked my own ROMs for the HTC phones. And maybe I'm getting old and tired of fighting the hassles, but you've got to admit the iPhone is sexy, and simple.
Sure I understand the limitations, for example, I use push email and Calendar sync and I realize Apple has yet to fully implement the ActiveSync APIs which causes issues.
So I am in a quandry. Am I tired of fighting the custom ROMs and having the some extra features I rarely use, or do I want sexy and simplicity.
Ah, I guess we live in great times when these are the decisions I have to wrestle with.
kmann said:
Ok, time to chime on again. Thanks all for your input. I've got 30 years of experience in deep IT technology. I've programmed Operating Systems, hardware etc. I've cooked my own ROMs for the HTC phones. And maybe I'm getting old and tired of fighting the hassles, but you've got to admit the iPhone is sexy, and simple.
Sure I understand the limitations, for example, I use push email and Calendar sync and I realize Apple has yet to fully implement the ActiveSync APIs which causes issues.
So I am in a quandry. Am I tired of fighting the custom ROMs and having the some extra features I rarely use, or do I want sexy and simplicity.
Ah, I guess we live in great times when these are the decisions I have to wrestle with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i got sexy, simplicity as well as configurability. NOkia E71 (white steel). cant go wrong, 3.5G, BT, WIFI, GPS. all works as it should. IM using Garmint Mobile XT with Australia NT Maps 2009 without any issues, BT works like a charm, music player is fantastic, 8GB microsdhc card is fast.
dont know what else to say, im glad i bought this phone.
jasjamming said:
i got sexy, simplicity as well as configurability. NOkia E71 (white steel). cant go wrong, 3.5G, BT, WIFI, GPS. all works as it should. IM using Garmint Mobile XT with Australia NT Maps 2009 without any issues, BT works like a charm, music player is fantastic, 8GB microsdhc card is fast.
dont know what else to say, im glad i bought this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, one of the top chefs of all time goes with the E71 (it is a badass device btw). Are you considering getting a touch pro and cooking for it or are you just chillin in the forums (hope its the former or your part of the elite project).
I will go for the Raphael because of this great forum here, but as far as I have compared these two phones in action I must say that at this moment the only advantage of the Raphael is the keyboard, if you really need one:
1. The screen resolution of the iphone is not VGA, but the screen size is bigger (3.5 against 2.8) and this is a big advantage. The screen quality is great and the keyboard is bigger because of the size, so for many people it is not a problem to type.
2. Programs start much faster on iphone. Yes, they do!
3. The OS is much more stable for the moment. Plus, iphone comes with a stable version of a web browser, not with a beta version of Opera (which I like, but still it is beta!).
4. The iphone is really easy to use.
Cheers,
Eriol
Eriol said:
I will go for the Raphael because of this great forum here, but as far as I have compared these two phones in action I must say that at this moment the only advantage of the Raphael is the keyboard, if you really need one:
1. The screen resolution of the iphone is not VGA, but the screen size is bigger (3.5 against 2.8) and this is a big advantage. The screen quality is great and the keyboard is bigger because of the size, so for many people it is not a problem to type.
2. Programs start much faster on iphone. Yes, they do!
3. The OS is much more stable for the moment. Plus, iphone comes with a stable version of a web browser, not with a beta version of Opera (which I like, but still it is beta!).
4. The iphone is really easy to use.
Cheers,
Eriol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also agree with Eriols arguments. The program starting part can be quick on HTC i think that depends on how your ROM is configured.
Eriol said:
I will go for the Raphael because of this great forum here, but as far as I have compared these two phones in action I must say that at this moment the only advantage of the Raphael is the keyboard, if you really need one:
1. The screen resolution of the iphone is not VGA, but the screen size is bigger (3.5 against 2.8) and this is a big advantage. The screen quality is great and the keyboard is bigger because of the size, so for many people it is not a problem to type.
2. Programs start much faster on iphone. Yes, they do!
3. The OS is much more stable for the moment. Plus, iphone comes with a stable version of a web browser, not with a beta version of Opera (which I like, but still it is beta!).
4. The iphone is really easy to use.
Cheers,
Eriol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that brings it back to what WatskeBart said earlier about the iphone being a gadget not a power house phone. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against the iphone i think the hardware is excellent for a second try but there need to be some tweaking. They should open up the software and do like google did for andriod offer 10k for the best iphone progs.
I'm not sure if someone has done a thread like this before but I wanted to know your personal experiences on these 3 devices:
1. N900
2. HD2
3. Nexus 1
Only comment if you own the phones and list what you like or don't like about it. Thanks
I have the n900. It is pretty bad ass. I love the multitasking and flash web browsing. I can access sites like justin.tv with no problems. One thing that is lacking is the amount of good apps available. Which is normal considering its still early in its stages. But with flash, anything that available in apps, I can get from a website. I still prefer apps though. Having android withdrawls after recently dropping my g1. The n900 made a great companion to the G1. I now plan to get the N1 when I am availble for upgrade and use that in companion with the n900.
n900
I've had the N900 since it was released. It is an amazing device, but it has quite a few limitations. I was a previous HTC TYTN II owner and a soon to be Touch Pro2 owner. I am thinking about switching to the Touch Pro2 and selling my N900 for a couple of reasons. The N900 is an extremely powerful device with a ton of potential. However, with MeeGo coming out, slow firmware updates, etc. I am not sure that it is the best choice over the HD2 or Nexus One.
Limitations From my POV (reasons I may switch back to WM)
-Sync with Google/Ovi is incomplete/not working unless you use a 3rd party solution
-Landscape only!!! This can get really annoying while doing things such as driving
-Limited app selection - Missing MANY important things: Google Maps is a good example (Ovi Maps isn't very good)
-Maybe not a true smartphone? - The built-in PIM functions feel really limited in scope when compared to WM and S60 (not sure about android)
-Keyboard is OK, but it is a bit cramped - it doesn't slide out very far and it only has 3 rows
-Expensive ~$500 - You can find a Touch Pro2 for as low as $275 or less if you shop around
-The hardware inside is amazing and it 'looks' nice, but the casing feels average if not somewhat cheap for such an expensive device
Other things to think about
-Maemo browser is amazing, but Opera 10 for WM is pretty much just as good, w/ the exception of Flash
-Maemo has a great interface and multi-tasking
-automatic application updates and a good amount of free applications that are centrally located (easy to find)
-N900 has 32GB built in - although 16GB cards and soon 32GB cards will be available soon
-N900's Camera and screen are amazing
Basically what it comes down to is that the N900 has AMAZING hardware specs and performs well, but Maemo is really incomplete and its future on the N900 is unknown with MeeGo coming up. Also don't forget to factor in limited application selection and sync abilities (syncML doesn't exist OTA on N900).
EDIT: I forgot to add, that I guess the main deciding factor in me choosing the Touch Pro2 may have been cost as well. Its hard to carry around something so expensive, worrying about messing it up or losing it. Swapping phones w/ TP2 would save me ~$250. If I were you I'd choose the Nexus One as Android really is looking to be the big future platform to compete with iPhone, but this phone is somewhat expensive as well.
you like carrying around two phones? I hate it, and when I don't use one of my other phones I miss it. I have a HTC Touch HD WM 6.5, NOkia E71 (my love) and just ordered n900. I'm hoping n900 pleases me, if not then I'll go for N1.
Does the n900 lag? someone told me that when you have multiple sms's going, the internet, and music it lags and skips and what not. I hope this isn't the case. I like the actual keyboard, which is one of the main reasons I'm getting it, but I also like N1s voice activated sms and etc. I guess I'll just wait and see!
Thanks for your input
It has a tiny tiny amount of lag when switching programs and all that but its nothing bad at all considering the abilities of the phone (n900).
But I only plan on carrying one device at a time. I just got the touch pro2 so once I decide which to keep I'll sell the other.
well if you're ever interested in the HTC touch HD running WM 6.5 let me know I'm trying to sell mine
I'm very happy with the Nexus One...it rocks! See it's forum section for full details & advantages.
giggles33 said:
you like carrying around two phones? I hate it, and when I don't use one of my other phones I miss it. I have a HTC Touch HD WM 6.5, NOkia E71 (my love) and just ordered n900. I'm hoping n900 pleases me, if not then I'll go for N1.
Does the n900 lag? someone told me that when you have multiple sms's going, the internet, and music it lags and skips and what not. I hope this isn't the case. I like the actual keyboard, which is one of the main reasons I'm getting it, but I also like N1s voice activated sms and etc. I guess I'll just wait and see!
Thanks for your input
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mind carrying around two phones. One is for regular calls and the other is for "business" calls (got to keep the feds off me! ). As for lag, I have not noticed it. I've ran multiple web pages with flash video, AIM, app manager, internet radio and took photos all at the same time with no lag.
I simply loooove the n900!!!
If you want the Nexus One, I suggest you to wait for HTC Desire, it's the HTC version of Nexus One, expect if you love the nexus one design.
PS: N900!
Just wondering why you chose Fuze/Touch-pro over Iphone.
For me 3 major reasons in order of importance:
Size: I just cannot accept the size of an Iphone. I believe in a small device with great capabilities that will nicely fit in my pocket.
Bluetooth Stereo: Bluetooth A2DP support was NOT native to Iphone at that time. Did not want to add and an UGLY connector to get bluetooth music streaming either
Not an Iphone fan boy: Never carried an Ipod nor had a Mac. Its too overrated and is more of a fashion statement. I just cant see the cool factor in Apple products.
Whats your reason?
#1: this forum
#2: can't type texts without a hardware keyboard when i'm drunk
#3: tp is my 3rd htc phone
price would also be a factor
iphones without a tariff is a lot more expensive then a touch pro without a tariff
Welll, in random order
#: xda-devs support
#: custom roms
#: HTC user since 2005
#: size and h/w keyboard
and most of all
#: never was a fan of (maybe powerful but) overrated trendy devices over powerful business ones, end of story.
iPhone may be a "powerful" device, which can provide a similar experience to WM (or even better, that's a subjective matter). However the fact that the device itself is locked, and does not allow you to experience it fully (and I mean things which are supposed to be standard in smartphones, like multitasking) without jailbreaking it, tells me one thing and one thing only: that Apple does not respect it's customers.
For me it was a matter of carrier, and the 5-way navigator, because aside from those factors my Touch Pro is almost the same as an iPhone anyways with all the skins and mods
1. iPhone is 44% higher than my Touch Pro discounted Sprint monthly Everything Plan.
2. iPhone doesn't have a physical keyboard vs. huge Touch Pro keys.
3. iPhone has zero customability. "There's an app for that" means nothing to me. Energy 6.5 with Sense2.5 ROM means a whole lot more.
Sadly I feel the opposite way. I'm thinking of selling my Fuze just because support for it sucks lets face it. Theres no where near the amount of developers for windows mobile as there is for the iphone. I find myself using my ipod touch way more than my fuze and the only thing I cant do on my ipod is make calls. Sure theres no hardware keyboard and its nice to have one but I could live without. One thing that kills me the most is the screen, its almost unbearable using my phone after I use my ipod but thats to be expected since they're different tech. But over all I find myself not liking my phone more and more everyday and I dont think its going to change. I think Im going to submit to apple with the next refresh of the iphone simply because Apple is the juggernaut of smart phones at this time. Until they find a way to standardize android its not going to shine, I truly think fragmentation is going to kill it and if it doesn't kill it, it will always be that other OS. And WP7 is a mess. For one I dont have a Facebook or any other social networking crap, nor do I have an xbox so all that integration is useless to me. Not to mention that the UI looks terrible. But thats my look on things and unfortunately the way things keep going I dont think its going to change.
VibrantRedGT said:
3. iPhone has zero customability. "There's an app for that" means nothing to me. Energy 6.5 with Sense2.5 ROM means a whole lot more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^^^^THIS^^^^
nagle3092 said:
Sadly I feel the opposite way. I'm thinking of selling my Fuze just because support for it sucks lets face it. Theres no where near the amount of developers for windows mobile as there is for the iphone. I find myself using my ipod touch way more than my fuze and the only thing I cant do on my ipod is make calls. Sure theres no hardware keyboard and its nice to have one but I could live without. One thing that kills me the most is the screen, its almost unbearable using my phone after I use my ipod but thats to be expected since they're different tech. But over all I find myself not liking my phone more and more everyday and I dont think its going to change. I think Im going to submit to apple with the next refresh of the iphone simply because Apple is the juggernaut of smart phones at this time. Until they find a way to standardize android its not going to shine, I truly think fragmentation is going to kill it and if it doesn't kill it, it will always be that other OS. And WP7 is a mess. For one I dont have a Facebook or any other social networking crap, nor do I have an xbox so all that integration is useless to me. Not to mention that the UI looks terrible. But thats my look on things and unfortunately the way things keep going I dont think its going to change.
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I'm sorry.....but April fools was on the 1st.
For myself it's all of what this guy says (from 3:40-4:00) in this iphone review "The Gadget Show" on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bumP10hUaVs, and more.
When I think of iphone...I can't help of think of the Will Smith movie iRobot. I have thoughts of Apple trying to brain wash me into thinking that it's the only phone I need and I don't need to think for myself because "there's an app for that". It want's me to drop my guard and completely trust that it can run my life with only finger swipes across the screen yet.....it will not let me have a close relationship with by shutting me out of it's inner workings (battery replacement, removable storage). It try's to keep me hanging by a thread just strong enough to stay attached for a new version with "innovative" abilities like "copy and paste". It's true colors are hard to see through it's colorful ads and apps.
1: size
2: its need to always be on the net
3: can't sync calendar, contacts w/out using iTunes, which I cannot stand
4: can't multitask apps
I have both a fuze and an iPhone 3G (from my son when he moved to 3Gs.) Both phones are jail broken, so I decided to use the iPhone with an international SIM while traveling. I was really (&**&(*^( t'd off when I noticed that it always connects, thus incurring international data roaming charges. There's no way to make it not "call home" for one reason or another (checking if there's something new in app store, etc.) unless you tweak connectivity, block almost every app, or install some "firewall" to block all traffic. That just sucks if you travel a lot. ATT warned me, but I didn't think it was that bad.
International roaming data charges are nothing to mess with. I've never used an iphone, but I've heard that many of the apps are web-based widgets. One of the problems with not having things like a native file explorer is that if you download an app, you can't look in program files to see what the hell you just downloaded. You'd know if it was just a web app on winmo pretty easily, but I'm sure it's hard to keep track of everything loaded on an iphone.
I went from an iphone 3G to a Fuze to a 3GS to a Tilt2 back to a Fuze with a Bold 9000 in there at some point as well.
I can't do without the physical keypad. I email on the go a lot with my phone, and I just can't get used to virtual keyboards. Just can't do it. I'm also a sports nut, so browser navigating ability needs to be on point, meaning I need a touch screen. Now, I'll admit the iPhone's capacative touch screen beats the hell out of the pressure sensitive ones, although they'll get a lot better with some of the tweaks and ROMs available. There's no lag when you use the iphone's screen (although the newest ROMs for the Fuze have done a great job closing that gap, but it's still very much present). I miss that and the myriad of apps.
I really do hate Apple, what they did with the priority bandwidth with AT&T, and the fact they can't and absolutely won't support flash, along with that internal battery and no storage card. They could easily provide these features, but they don't simply because they don't HAVE to in order to sell the product. But, the iphone does what it does incredibly well. I'll concede to that.
I went back to the Fuze from my Tilt2 because I was pretty pissed that the hardware wasn't really upgraded much between those models. That was an unpleasant surprise. Also, the Fuze is SOLID. It's a beast, the tracks don't have tight tolerances, and the case is thick with robust corners. Plus, the Android development for the Fuze seemed to be further along than for the Tilt2. Also, when typing on the hardware keyboard for the Raphael, your thumbs do all the moving, and your hands don't. The Rhodium's bigger layout is nicer in that you hit the wrong key much less; however, you're moving your hands a lot too. I didn't like that. ROMs are also getting ridiculously good for WinMo devices.
Let's be honest; what the iPhone does, it does incredibly well, and if I didn't have needs (HW keypad) that it didn't meet, I would still have it, even though the Apple logo itself makes me want to kill a hippie every time I see it.
1. I'm used to Windows Mobile, having used it on a PDA for several years
2. Getting a refurbished Fuze through AT&T with an Employee Purchase and a 2 year contract brought the price of the Fuze down to a rather attractive $0.
Fate was kind to me. I'm glad to have stumbled upon the Fuze.
Mainly the Hardware Keyboard, but all-in-all, I simply love HTC devices.
Oh, and the Hardware Specs were actually pretty good for the Fuze, not the best, but for a device with a hardware keyboard, not bad.
I originally bought my Fuze because of the hardware keyboard. 6 months later, I bought an iPhone 3GS. I liked the Fuze for the most part, I just couldn't take WM anymore. With the stock firmware, my battery would not last a day. Timlol's stock like firmware made the battery life bearable and the device much more usable. But in the end, it was the limitations of WM that made me switch. It is nice having a browser that works, a mail client that can display messages and not move to the next message when you accidently move your finger sideways, a well stocked app store and a touchscreen that actually responds properly to touch.
I still have my Fuze and will use it to play around with the current Android project, but for day to day use as a phone and data device, the iPhone is it.
On your poll it was a hard toss-up between "Hate Apple products" and the "Other options (cooked ROMs, Android etc)".
My biggest factor was that it was more open to open source and cracked (aka free) software, and more moddifications that could be done to the firmware. The reason this could be done is because its not an Apple product.
So today I decided I wanted to replace my Touch Pro. I've been having some issues with it lately so I took it to my repair center, as I have service plan on it, to see what they could do for me. Long story short all they did was replace it with a refurbished Touch Pro - not a problem as mine was really beat up.
However, I have an upgrade coming at the beginning of next month and am having troubles deciding on what phone to get.
This is what I narrowed my choices down to, all sprint:
1. HTC Hero
- This phone is $79.99 right now online all instant rebates!
2. HTC Touch Pro 2
- Exact same specs as my current Touch Pro but with better keyboard and screen and is $199.99 after $100 MIR
3. HTC Moment
- Android with full qwerty slide out keyboard and is $99.99 after $100 MIR
Here are my concerns:
1. The Touch Pro 2 is what i have been leaning towards for the past several months. I was hoping to get the free upgrade to this from the repair center but that did not happen. Also I do not think it makes sense to pay $199.99 for a phone which is identical in specs to the "crappy" phone I have now.
2. The HTC Hero is my next option which I am really starting to like the more I look into it. However, it is android and I am a windows man. I have used android on my Touch Pro and have found it to be very nice, but i'm worried I wont be able to manage my calendar, text, calls, emails as easily as I was able to before. Lastly, this phone is missing a hardware keyboard, even though it does have a very nice virtual keyboard!
3. The moment has got to be one of the uglier android phones I have seen floating around. But it would have the "power" from android that everyone is talking about and I would retain my hardware keyboard. I still can't seem to get past the price of the Hero right now though.
In Summary:
I think i'm going to get the Hero but really would like some input from some other Touch Pro users and if there is anyone that has upgraded to android from Touch Pro what your thoughts are. I have looked around these forums and have read a lot about the phones and what they are capable of...but it still comes down to how well they work as a whole not what they can do.
Also, if there are any other phones that might be a good choice over what I mentioned let me know, it has to be compatible with sprint. I will not switch carrier they are the best in my area. And the EVO is out of the question, battery life is bad due to screen size and I don't think the extra $10 is worth it when i have to go into another state to get 4G!
HTC Hero
I recently switched from an HTC Touch Pro2 to an HTC EVO. I've previously had Android setup on my Touch Pro2 and it felt nothing like it did on the EVO or even my brother's Hero. When I had the Touch Pro2, it felt bogged down due to WinMo compared to the Hero with similar specs in my opinion. There were lots of times I would admire the hardware keyboard and while it is one of the Touch Pro2's greatest asset, I felt it hindered the experience sometimes when it came to switching between orientations. For instance, there were times when I would text someone and swap to the hardware keyboard only to find that the input box wouldn't display my key presses and I would have to quickly swap orientations again to "refresh" my inputs.
To me, Android seems to manage processing and handle lag better than Windows Mobile. So far, it's been a smooth and enjoyable experience for me (HTC EVO) and my brother (HTC Hero).
Brandizle said:
I recently switched from an HTC Touch Pro2 to an HTC EVO. I've previously had Android setup on my Touch Pro2 and it felt nothing like it did on the EVO or even my brother's Hero. When I had the Touch Pro2, it felt bogged down due to WinMo compared to the Hero with similar specs in my opinion. There were lots of times I would admire the hardware keyboard and while it is one of the Touch Pro2's greatest asset, I felt it hindered the experience sometimes when it came to switching between orientations. For instance, there were times when I would text someone and swap to the hardware keyboard only to find that the input box wouldn't display my key presses and I would have to quickly swap orientations again to "refresh" my inputs.
To me, Android seems to manage processing and handle lag better than Windows Mobile. So far, it's been a smooth and enjoyable experience for me (HTC EVO) and my brother (HTC Hero).
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Do you use the calendar or gps heavily? Also, I just found out that froyo 2.2 will be awhile before it reaches the hero. I have yet to even see froyo or what has been added. Does anyone think it is worth fussing over?
GPS & Calendar
I am generally a schedule- and task-oriented person. So yeah, I find that Android offers a nicer interface and input for logging in appointments. I've always been a Google person, so syncing it with my Google calendar is a no-brainer.
As for the GPS, I have found that Google Maps is by far the best GPS I have used. I have a high-end TomTom device and after using Google Maps, I no longer feel the need for the TomTom. Augmented reality Android applications such as Layars and Layers from Google Map makes it easier to find places and things of my interest within a specific proximity which I find convenient if I'm in an area unfamiliar to me.
The intuitiveness of Android won me over in the end.
Well, you really really helped me out here. I have been leaning towards android for awhile and have been using it on the touch pro, but that doesn't compare to the real thing.
I just needed to hear it from someone else who was more "business" orientated and wasn't just in it for the stupid beer can apps like iphone.
I got the Hero from sprint a few hours ago. I can honestly say that I have no regrets. I have yet to use the Google Maps, but i'm sure it will suffice. I will miss my Garmin XT app though. Along with all the customizations that SPB Mobile brought to the windows market. But it was pretty slow.
"Stay Frosty"
That's good to hear! Yeah, I hear ya. I also had my doubts when I was operating it on my HTC Touch Pro2. But, once the Android phone I wanted so long came out I threw away any and all hesitation. I'm glad it was a no compromise situation for me and I hope it will be that way for you.
After playing with it all day....I love this phone!!! It is everything I needed in a phone and everything I wanted in a phone. The virtual keyboard is one of the best I have used, in my mind the evo has the only better virtual keyboard.
I would go for Rhodium with no doubt!
And even more if you are coming from a device with REAL keyboard.
I'm going to be getting a new phone soon and being completely biased, what do you think I should get? The HD2 or the TP2?
Okay, 21 people and no reply? Not even a choice in the poll? Come on man!
I vote hd2. The display and hardware are excellent.
Thank you! Finally someone actually said something haha The people (person) have finally spoken a word haha
Depends entirely on what you want. The HD2 is a nice, high-spec piece of kit, but it's a bit on the large side. The Touch Pro 2 is more pocketable, and has the best keyboard I've seen in a phone.
These are personal observations, and it's why I traded my HD2 for a Touch Pro 2.
HTC HD2
pros:
1. faster processor
2. more memory
3. capacitive screen
4. largest screen on a WinMo device
5. 16gb card included
6. hspa+ capable (not sure if tp2 is, but probably is also)
7. thinner
Touch Pro2
1. best hardware keyboard of any slider device
guess you can tell which way I voted.
To the person that said the tp2 is more pocketable, they are crazy. Yes the hd2 is bigger, but the tp2 is much fatter.
I have the TP2 and trust me it is becoming outdated fast. Get the HD2 or better yet wait another month or 2 because WP7 should be dropping by the end of this year.
If you must choose between one of these two phones, get the HD2. I have a TP2 because I want a hardware keyboard, but man is this thing slow by today's standards.
If you can wait though, there are a TON of better phones about to be released. It's worth waiting if you can.
Yeah, I completely agree with you about the Touch Pro 2 becoming outdated, I think if they would have just waited and relaesed it with better specs more people would buy it and it would have been a completely better product to sell and buy. I'm leaning more towards the HD2...especially since I can just hook up a mini bluetooth keyboard up to it and type off of that like a super slacker
But I digress, it sadens me that the touch pro 2 is getting outdated so quickly. I don't know how I feel about WP7 right now...I'm going to have to get a feel of it before I make an opinion on that but from what I've read, I'm not liking some of that stuff and I don't like that crappy "zune" concept that they are giving it. They should make it original. To me it seems like Gates and Jobs are having a battle to see whose phone will resemble their MP3's more haha
Beside the hardware keyboard, there is another function that keeps me to stay with Rhodium TP2, that is its dominant accoustic/sound performance. It is equipped with dual speaker and dual microphone. In addition, you can turn it into a conference phone by simply turn it upsidedown and put on the table during a phone call. Up to now I did not find any other hand phones with such good speaker phone performance.
I do also have a Leo, but the sound performance is far behind.
I did like the sound on the TP2 (I've played with both the HD2 and the TP2) but the sound really isn't that important as long as it's still audible like the HD2 and I'm not really a business man so the laying down of the TP2 to have it in speaker is awesome...but not really needed since I mostly use bluetooth. By the by, does anyone know if you can actually have Android as the main Rom for your HD2? (Meaning, the phone turns off, turns back on and android is loaded without having WM 6.5 as the middle man)
I voted HD2
I find the TP2 a little bit out-dated at this moment.
_Madmatt said:
I voted HD2
I find the TP2 a little bit out-dated at this moment.
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Yeah, it definitely is. Honestly though the only other HTC phone that stands out to me is the HD2...well that and the G2
Bro. Coming from a guy that has both. I actually like the HD2 better. The touch pro 2 is a great phone but the HD2 is far more advanced and the modding ability (if your into that type of thing) is great for both WM and Android. I cant go back. The touch pro 2 still is a good phone. Just may be outdated at this point.
I voted HD2. I love mine.
i have the hd2 and im very happy.so my next phone is hd3.haven't see it yet;see it and wait.all the money.
TP2 have a lovely sound play xD.......its amazing and the best keyboard ever done....But other way, HD2 have a better screen, much more fast (the TP2 its very noise about speed :S)
But...hd2 can be dificult with touch screen...dont support any stylus :S
Don't get either. Wait for one of the new WP7 devices.
Go for the HD2 unless you really want the keyboard IMHO.
I have used TP2 since its release to Tmobile then switched to HD2 recently. After using HD2 for a couple of months, I can't stand the resistive touch screen that TP2 uses anymore. The capacitive touch is much much more sensitive.
Now I'm using TP2 as a backup phone in case HD2 goes out but if I had the choice initially, I would be all in for HD2.
BTW, unless you have to have WM6.5, the new MyTouch 4G and Samsung Vibrant are pretty good as well.