It looks nice - but where's the advantage?
It's smaller and it has a higher resolution camera - but it has less RAM, the CPU is no quicker than the Himalaya's and the Angel's and it's still fumbling around at 320x240!
HTC want to get off their arses and do some more R&D - they seem to have forgotten that the only way to make something desireable to the consumer is to make it better than the competitors and keep the costs low.
They seem to have done very well at it so far - but I fear they'll be overtaken by the likes of HP if they keep producing devices with same or similar specs to one another. The XDAIIs really isn't a great leap forward from the XDA2 - the only extras it has are a keyboard and WiFi, and the battery lasts a little longer. And I have to say I'm very glad that it's not been called the XDA3 - as some members of this forum suggested, it is only really an XDA2.5!
Of course, this could be a very-much-likely-to-fail attempt to secure business in other areas. Yes, the Magician is a PocketPC and a phone, but it's still bigger and more expensive than the i-pod - and has only 3.2% of the storage capacity! All the same, it's advertised as a music playing device. You can pick up a little USB MP3 player for a fraction of the price with four times the storage capacity, or an iPod for half the price with a 20Gb hard disk. In other markets, they really aught to be looking at a complete landscape solution rather than a half-baked portrait system if they hope to pick up business from those who are put off by the price & lack of connectivity of, say, the OQO 1 (www.oqo.com)
Speaking of storage - I picked up a pair of 1Gb SDIO cards on eBay for around £50 (~72€) each!
HTC actually makes the HP units and also does the Treo 600 series units. Apart from RIM, they have no competion in these devices (as most other competing units are also prduced by them).
madkat said:
It looks nice - but where's the advantage?
It's smaller and it has a higher resolution camera - but it has less RAM, the CPU is no quicker than the Himalaya's and the Angel's and it's still fumbling around at 320x240!
HTC want to get off their arses and do some more R&D - they seem to have forgotten that the only way to make something desireable to the consumer is to make it better than the competitors and keep the costs low.
They seem to have done very well at it so far - but I fear they'll be overtaken by the likes of HP if they keep producing devices with same or similar specs to one another. The XDAIIs really isn't a great leap forward from the XDA2 - the only extras it has are a keyboard and WiFi, and the battery lasts a little longer. And I have to say I'm very glad that it's not been called the XDA3 - as some members of this forum suggested, it is only really an XDA2.5!
Of course, this could be a very-much-likely-to-fail attempt to secure business in other areas. Yes, the Magician is a PocketPC and a phone, but it's still bigger and more expensive than the i-pod - and has only 3.2% of the storage capacity! All the same, it's advertised as a music playing device. You can pick up a little USB MP3 player for a fraction of the price with four times the storage capacity, or an iPod for half the price with a 20Gb hard disk. In other markets, they really aught to be looking at a complete landscape solution rather than a half-baked portrait system if they hope to pick up business from those who are put off by the price & lack of connectivity of, say, the OQO 1 (www.oqo.com)
Speaking of storage - I picked up a pair of 1Gb SDIO cards on eBay for around £50 (~72€) each!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No bells ringing on those two points there? Basically you just stated that for a piddly 50 bucks, this thing becomes 1GB MP3 player - and that's in additon to being a full-fledged PDA and mobile phone. And still no bigger than vanilla mobile phones.
IPOD is a music player, but with this kind of range of capability of the "Magician", the IPOD reall starts to look like and old carthorse. Even where the IPD is going (displayig photos) the "Magician" can do that ith a better and bigger screen.
One could really argue that you are unduly downplaying the importance of this kind of device and this is where the market goes from here on in. I'd suspect that whatever follows the "Himalaya" will stick with this form factor and just load load on power and cababilities.
That was me posting above.. Login didn't work and it turned up as "guest".
Its JUST RIGHT
Guys
I dont know what the JAM is advertised as, but I went ahead and bought one last week and I just love it.
THe form factor is just right, the screen isnt as small as we would like to think it is - in fact I havent noticed any discomfort from the smaller screen.
Okay its not different in specs from the other devices, but this one just fits into your life unobtrusively - with the Qteks (both 1010 and 2020) as well as my first Pocket PC phone (Sagem WA3050) it was difficult to keep track of all the things you had to carry. Suddenly, life has become so much easier with the phone fitting very nicely into a belt pouch no larger than that for other mobile phones.
I am glad I made the change to the JAM, and the only cribs I have are that the build quality isnt as good as the earlier pieces - it feels really plasticky sometimes - and I wish they'd stuck to the 1010's design for the SIM card because I switch cards quite often and it is quite a chore with this new unit as the battery cover doesnt come off as easily as it did with the 2020.
And yeah, I would have preferred built-in WiFi to a 'megapixel' camera. Dump the camera, give us WiFi...
I think we're going to be seeing quite a few devices in this form factor now - EVERYONE who's seen the JAM wants one.
Cheers
Sands
madkat said:
Yes, the Magician is a PocketPC and a phone, but it's still bigger and more expensive than the i-pod - and has only 3.2% of the storage capacity! All the same, it's advertised as a music playing device. You can pick up a little USB MP3 player for a fraction of the price with four times the storage capacity, or an iPod for half the price with a 20Gb hard disk. In other markets, they really aught to be looking at a complete landscape solution rather than a half-baked portrait system if they hope to pick up business from those who are put off by the price & lack of connectivity of, say, the OQO 1 (www.oqo.com)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iPod 20 GB for 299,00 Euro the only thing it does is play music.
Why would I need 20 GB mp3 on my body?
BTW I paid 479,00 euro (without contract) for my Magician....
I think the iPod is a fashion statement just like the first iMacs.
Only those iMacs where ****ty computers and the iPod is a nice mp3 player.
(and as all Mac-thingies way to expensive)
BUT to compare the iPod to the Magician is plain silly.
I can do anything with my Magician. (even swop the accu!)
Or scan barcodes. (www.flicscanner.com)
Offcourse we all want a device the size of a matchbox with all the gadgets packed in.
I would like a 21 inch 1600 x 1200 display beamed from that matchbox on the wall
and a keyboard beamed from that same matchbox on my desk.
A 300 Terra byte disk and a zillion gigahertz proc inside!
In the mean time why don't you buy a Magician and see for yourself what it can do right now.
Why am I getting the feeling that the magician is way too expensive in Sweden? My eyes almost popped out when i read that it is 479 € in your country.
I paid 595€ which was in a cheapstore, the other one i looked in took 659€!
:/
It really is a great device though, the size made me buy it, I can have it in my jeans pocket just like any "ordinary" cellphone. The only bad thing is that I got a dead pixel and I really hope they will replace the unit because it's purple and in the middle of the screen :/
Hi!
Maybe you should buy the MDA compact (same as iMate Jam) in Germany for around 400 EUR. Even with shipping to "somewhere" in Europe it'd be cheaper. Of course you need to flash an english ROM to it - or learn german...
I really didn't know that we're sooo cheap here.
Greetings
plant
Is it really 400 euros? You must be kidding me!
i bought one for 459€...
EDIT: http://fonez.de/pd1101545991.htm?categoryId=27 <- 439,64€
attention, the site is in german!
Hi!
No - I'm not kidding.
The cheapest price I was able to get was 397 EUR excl. shipping (but including german VAT which is 16%).
Just check out http://www.geizhals.at/de and search for MDAcompact - the cheapest price at the moment is 426 EUR (incl. VAT, excl. shipping).
Proof: http://www.geizhals.at/deutschland/a130814.html - as you can see the first 2 shops are rated quite good.
Beware: Site is in german.
Greetings
plant
Pocket PC phone (Sagem WA3050)
sandyind said:
my first Pocket PC phone (Sagem WA3050)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I have the same device, It seems that it is build by HTC too
Any linux hack experiences on it ?
--
http://rzr.online.fr/q/xscale
Related
Is it just me, or is the Wizard not as good looking as the Magician?
I wish they would give me integrated wireless, WM 5.0, a better bluetooth stack and more ram on the same device.
I really don't need the stupid keyboard. It seems to add quite a bit of thickness.
My .02 cents.
-CoolBeans
I totally agree. Its looks like a cheap and tacky attempt to make something look futuristic.
The Keyboard is really personal preference. I know I will get a ton of use out of that keyboard since I type about 30 emails a day on my phone and it is a logical step for HTC.
The wizard has not yet been branded by O2, Orange etc... these companies will add their own personal cosmetic flavour to the device. Have you seen the pictures of the CDMA version of the wizard? It is a very nice looking device(except for that ugly antenna sticking out)
Orange are going to call it the SPV M600 some info on www.coolsmartphone.com
I wouldn't even consider this device if it didn't have a keyboard. A keyboard is the absolute most important factor in any device I consider. Without a keyboard, I don't even look at it.
I thought the spirit of the Jam/Magician was to have a fairly full featured device in a small form factor.
If you need a keyboard, perhaps you should be looking to the Universal.
I bought a Javo case... thought it was too big. I then got a silicon skin for it and still felt it was too thick. I have now resorted to keeping my Jam naked and it feels just right (all puns intended).
Another 4-5 mm from the Wizard and I might look like I'm happy to see everyone I come across with this thing in my pocket.
It might have been a good thing in my dating days, but I'm married now.
Beleive me, if there were rumors about Sprint carrying the Universal, I would be getting one for sure. I'm only considering the Apache because I know I can get one within the next couple months.
Well, I guess I would probably get an Apache for my wife either way. But I would definitely get the Universal for myself. But as it stands right now, it's going to be 2 Apaches, 1 for me and 1 for the wife.
There are no rumors of a CDMA Universal, so there are definitely no rumors of my carrier (Sprint) offering a CDMA Universal. I'm locked into a contract with Sprint, so I can't just leave them. And besides, here in the USA there are only 2 3G networks at the moment, Sprint and Verizon. And both are CDMA (EVDO) so it would have to be a CDMA device for me to get it.
I won't consider it without a keyboard, but I won't buy it unless I can have broadband Internet on it.
I seem to be in the minoriy here, but I don't find the Wizard all that bad in terms of its shape/size/design.
I think first and foremost we need to be focused on FUNCTION, not form. HTC could have made something that looks fantastic and not do anything.
When looking at the side-by-side comparisons of the thickness of the device against the Magician, the extra thickness was necessary to add the slide-out keyboard feature. This is a feature that, IMHO, is well worth the extra thickness. When holding a device in one's hand, thickness is the dimension that's least noticible. I'd rather a device that's a bit thicker than wider or longer.
Couple the slide-out keyboard with WM5, WiFi, more internal memory, and approx. the same width/height as the Magician, and I'm sold.
While I agree it doesn't look "great", its far from ugly. Thickness? Please, it's still overall smaller than a Nokia 6600 and compared to the Magician the extra thickness is only half a centimeter... oh no!
I would have preferred that they went with a more professional look rather than this "styled" look. I'm glad to see that they keyboard is backlit - all the photos so far (except for the ones on the .nl site) haven't shown this.
I think I'll be getting the Wizard over the Apache simply because of the aerial. I'm not too fussed about the slower speed, but an external aerial would annoy me.
I agree.
All I wanted was a thinner JAM with wifi. I don't need a keyboard with my pdaphone. If i did, i would be going for the Universal, the Treo, a Sidekick or some HP device... :roll:
The JAM's design is elegant and functional. The Wizard's design isn't elegant, even though it may be very functional. (the Galaxy looked like my perfect pdaphone, until I realised it wasn't one... ) :lol:
Here's hoping that HTC will bring out a true succcessor to the minimalist JAM.
Come on, its got all these extra features and its only 0.5 cm thicker... thats this much: --
Oh my, how will we ever lug this extra size around! ;p
Guys, you're all missing the point!
The show stopper here is the processor: TI OMAP 850!
WTF :shock:
DEFINITE step down from Magician
Also v bad:
Mini-SD and 320x240
As has already been discussed - its a dual core processor which should help somewhat AND since it has a low clock rate this will help save battery life.
This isnt meant to be an "uber" PDA, its meant to be a small phone that can do the tasks of a PDA. If you want something faster, then you're going to have to get the Universal which is also bigger and has a VGA screen.
Whats the problem with MiniSD other than having to buy a new card? I needed to get a new SD card anyway... so I guess this is another non-issue for me
"Unfortunately, it will be considerably slower. While the OMAP does combine seperate processors for phone and PDA functionality, at the end of the day it is just a 195MHz ARM processor (as found in PDAs from years ago) - it's not even Xscale. " Guess who wrote that?! :shock: Dumbass
VGA would have been nice, but I agree, small screen.
SD card capacity is better than Mini-SD, 4Gb vs 1Gb at the moment.
Most people will not want to ditch their exisiting SD cards either, from their Himalayas, Blue Angels, Alpines, Andes, Magicians!
Squuiid said:
"Unfortunately, it will be considerably slower. While the OMAP does combine seperate processors for phone and PDA functionality, at the end of the day it is just a 195MHz ARM processor (as found in PDAs from years ago) - it's not even Xscale. " Guess who wrote that?! :shock: Dumbass
VGA would have been nice, but I agree, small screen.
SD card capacity is better than Mini-SD, 4Gb vs 1Gb at the moment.
Most people will not want to ditch their exisiting SD cards either, from their Himalayas, Blue Angels, Alpines, Andes, Magicians!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I fail to see why I am a "dumbass". It will be considerably slower than a 400MHz Xscale processor, but the fact that its dual core will help it out. I see no contradiction between those two statements.
As for the SD cards - theres always eBay to sell your old ones on
Try learning some etiquette before posting on forums.
http://www.pocketpc-club.nl/contentimages/qtek9100_preview/2.jpg
Tell me that aint thicker...
This thing is thicker and uglier than all 4 of your mothers teeth! :lol:
Here's a picture of ugly right here, next to a much more elegant JAM.
http://www.pocketpc-club.nl/contentimages/qtek9100_preview/1.jpg
Haha, look at the buttons! This phone is for suckers.
Here's a picture of ugly right here, next to a much more elegant JAM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotta admit it DOES look as if its scowling at me when put next to the magician
Cant really see why people are getting so personal in their insults and defences about this phone tho .... when it comes down to it the phone hasnt actually been in anybodys hands yet so until some brave soul actually goes out and gets one its all just conjecture
is anyone else here disappointed with the lack of choice at the moment? its either the Universal or Wizard and each one for me has serious drawbacks: universal is tri band with no high speed option for the US, wizard has miniSD ( i currently have over 1GB of data on mine.) The BA design has everything and just needs EDGE for US and 3G for Europe, improved camera, WM5.
This thread has become more like a voting place for the Wizzard.....With valuable infos though..... :wink:
Now CoolBeans....
I would advice that u edit ur post and add a Poll,this way everybody can say his opinion without the need to post....(althought above posts were really helpfull..).Still,post will always be welcomed.... :wink:
Oh,btw,I would vote for..."I love it"...
Greetings...
RAGO :lol:
efjay said:
is anyone else here disappointed with the lack of choice at the moment? its either the Universal or Wizard and each one for me has serious drawbacks: universal is tri band with no high speed option for the US, wizard has miniSD ( i currently have over 1GB of data on mine.) The BA design has everything and just needs EDGE for US and 3G for Europe, improved camera, WM5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well there are the HP IPAQ 6515 (and the future 6715 which has WiFi and WM 5.0). Plus the new Motorolla Q so there are others out there coming out soon.
The specs say it is .6 inches or 16 mm thick. Is that with or without the keyboard... what about in the leather wallet?
bandersnatch said:
The specs say it is .6 inches or 16 mm thick. Is that with or without the keyboard... what about in the leather wallet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 16 mm specs is without keyboard, 20 mm with keyboard, 27 mm ~ 31 mm (aproximately because the leather wallet form is not uniform).
Regards!
Thanks
Thanks much. Seems pretty big. I wonder if it will fit in my shirt pocket...
Not unless you're on the 'large' side. I can only just get it in the big pockets on my combat style trousers. 'Tis a beast for sure!
not going to be the phone for me.
I hate to say it. I've been lusting after this thing since I heard it might be coming to tmo usa. But if it is as big as I think it is, I wouldn't be able to carry it on my person. That 5 inch screen is probably going to be too much of a good thing for me. I would have happily settled for 4.
thinking on the same lines
bandersnatch said:
I hate to say it. I've been lusting after this thing since I heard it might be coming to tmo usa. But if it is as big as I think it is, I wouldn't be able to carry it on my person. That 5 inch screen is probably going to be too much of a good thing for me. I would have happily settled for 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel the same way, when i first saw this device (heard the announcements about availability on T-Mobile in the UK) i was well excited and pleased, but then i did a thourough study regarding the size, including measuring my old diary which strangely seems to be about the size of the ameo in its case. I gave it some deep thought like "Gavin do you seriously think you can carry that around?, and the fact that you need a headset", hmmm will wait to hear about how others are getting along, especially after a few more weeks or months down the line. Ameo/ Athena users would like to hear more about:
1) You and your device on a daily basis, where do you carry it, and how do you use it? on a table/ lap/ other?
2) How is the keyboard getting along, or maybe you are using some other input methods?
3) What about calls are you using a wired headset or bluetooth stereo?
Just general impressions from owners over the last 3 weeks ( i know its not been long, sorry)
The Weight...
It is also 375 grams. The wizard is 150 grams. It weighs 250% MORE than a wizard....
bandersnatch said:
It is also 375 grams. The wizard is 150 grams. It weighs 250% MORE than a wizard....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where to begin after 2 weeks of owning an Ameo....happy. Yes very happy!
I would never have contemplated doing the things I do with the Ameo that I probably couls have done with previous devices owned (JasJar, Hermes, Prophet, Wizard, Xda Mini and Xda IIi....and others).
The Ameo can do what all these devices put together couldn't do.
TV out is quite a treat and allows everything to be displayed on virtually any other type of display that supports S-Video, Composite or VGA.
The USB host functionality allows a FULL PC USB keyboard or mouse (with pointer) to be used.....and it works extremely well!
Remote Desktop (WM6 version) is a joy to use on the Ameo...a smaller screen just would't be up to the Job. Whilst I'm having problems connecting to my own PC, I am easily and quickly connecting to my wife's XP Pro PC via RDP. It is truly astounding and responsive. You literally see and operate the XP PC as you would through your native monitor hooked up to your desktop PC.
Movie Playback when the occasion calls for it is pure eye candy if your using a DVD Rip. Sheer quality!
The speakers are no sound system but prove to be worthy of being best-in class from my experience of PPC devices to date. It is loud and NOT tinny or hollow.
WM5 is no faster than any other 520Mhz device I have used....but that will change when we can upgrade to WM6.
WMLive (from WM6) works seemlessly and beautifully and you even get a Message tone and visual notification of incoming Instant messages or Voice clips...if on-line at the time of incoming message. It's fast and works very well for me.
Wisbar Advance 2 completely changes the look and feel of the device and this is where standard VGA as opposed to ozVGA comes into its own for me, as the font size is just right for me and the cascading start menu etc works well with this size screen.
The Screen. Yes the screen is amazing.....and if screen real estate is tht important to some...you instantly have a choice of a host of resolutions if using RDP to XP/Vista and there are tweaks such as ozVGA and others if you really need it in the WM O/S.
The keyboard....NOT impressed in the slightest! I much prefer the keyboard on the Universal. With that I can type up a book if need be in comparison to the non-tactile feedback of the keyboard buttons on the Athena....but it's not a major issue for me as I am usually at a desk where this problem is much alleviated by a steady base on which to place the Ameo. Full size USB keyboard and mouse come into their element here with the standard non-supplied 4-1 cable.
The Ameo is a great GPS device with a screen large and clear enough to rival the biggest dedicated in-built GPS systems in top-spec luxury or performance cars. I'm not complaining.
Dual TV screen for GPS, Movies or internet surfing using HSDPA whilst travelling a few hundred miles with the kids is great. The possibilities are staggering.
I won't go on.....because the Ameo has much more to offer IMHO. I was considering a Sony UX UMPC, now I've got the Ameo, forget it. I've got me direct access to a powerhouse desktop PC where I can edit videos download torrents and other large files directly to my home or office PC whilst retaining the enhanced Mobile telephony functions of this baby via a tiny BT earpiece.
Call quality is excellent and I'm able to receive calls whilst on wi-fi or GPRS/3G/HSDPA...but this is sometimes temperamental. The new HTC Shift will be the new king, but for me, I'll be sticking with the barely pocketable Ameo.
Yes it's larger than any other device called a Pocket PC, but then this is far more than the sum of its or any other devices parts.
Did I mention that the on-board 3megapixel camera was the best I have come across in any PPC? and that it far surpassed my expectations? Well it has, enough so that I no longer need to carry another camera around at any time.
Long live the Athena....you could do worse....but I doubt you'll do better for quite some time. It just comes down to what you're comfortable with.
For your information....I carry mine without Leather casing or keyboard happily in my front or rear jeans pocket or inside suit pocket....but it actually fits with everything together aswell, but then it is a tight squeeze.
Hope my long boring post helps some of you to stick to your original decision and get one...you won't regret it...but if not..why not try one for a week and return it to your supplier if your not happy with it.
Very good and informative post. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
eagle 1 said:
Very good and informative post. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the positive feedback.
@ All....Additionally thanks to Eagle1 I can now connect to all PC's in my office/home from my Ameo via wi-fi!! Great stuff....HSDPA - Home network is next on the Agenda.
This device is become more and more like a UMPC, but without the ability to play movies or games....but that can be done natively through WM5 and a PSP if one is that way enclined.
Well, looks really like a cool device, was waiting for a VGA, GPS, fast processor, WM6 with keyboard for a loooong time...
but first what i did was look for the size of Qtek 9000, which had all that, but could not have it (had it for testing for 2 weeks), since it was too heavy and big for a device that i carry with me all the time...
If it was only a little lighter and smaller.... the HP 4700 screen was more then big enough for PDAs, think it was 4", and bigger device then that (also fatter) just does not get me. But the features are perfect, they just need to squeeze it into 4"vga, 250g max. and then ill be running into the store looking for it.. untill then whoever buys it, hope you enjoy it, it looks really like the best pda out now..
But here is somthing that catches my eye...
http://www.gsmarena.com/i_mate_ultimate_7150-1882.php
is this a HTC product? and if, anyone knows their version of this phone?
a VGA 3.5 + keyboard , secondary display outside so you dont have to open the pda if getting a call ...
now thats a heart breaker for me
As far as I know, it's not a HTC product...
Moskus said:
As far as I know, it's not a HTC product...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's not, iMate is no longer partner of HTC, this device is made by also a Taiwanese company, but not HTC.
papizdono said:
But here is somthing that catches my eye...
http://www.gsmarena.com/i_mate_ultimate_7150-1882.php
is this a HTC product? and if, anyone knows their version of this phone?
a VGA 3.5 + keyboard , secondary display outside so you dont have to open the pda if getting a call ...
now thats a heart breaker for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I took a look at this, but was disappointed that it does not support SDHC, which means I can't have wikipedia and lots of MP3 music with me.
I understand that HTC is the one designing and manufacturing the i_mate (please check this out yourself from wikipedia under HTC). HTC in fact designs and manufactures just about everyone's PDA including Dell's, HP's, etc. but they just put in other's labels until recently when they starts to use their own HTC label.
eaglesteve said:
I took a look at this, but was disappointed that it does not support SDHC, which means I can't have wikipedia and lots of MP3 music with me.
I understand that HTC is the one designing and manufacturing the i_mate (please check this out yourself from wikipedia under HTC). HTC in fact designs and manufactures just about everyone's PDA including Dell's, HP's, etc. but they just put in other's labels until recently when they starts to use their own HTC label.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that is only true about 4 months ago, now HTC don't design and manufacture for iMate anymore, it's done by another taiwanese company (can't remember the name).
wu5262 said:
that is only true about 4 months ago, now HTC don't design and manufacture for iMate anymore, it's done by another taiwanese company (can't remember the name).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see... Thanks for the updated info, Wu.
Hi guys,
After owning the device for 5 months I finally realized that this masterpiece is just too big to be used as a phone. it's an awesome device though.
ps. i am interested in the tytn II, maybe we can trade?
Anyone interested private message me for more details.
Thank you
haztoma said:
Hi guys,
After owning the device for 5 months I finally realized that this masterpiece is just too big to be used as a phone. it's an awesome device though.
ps. i am interested in the tytn II, maybe we can trade?
Anyone interested private message me for more details.
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haztoma,
Do you have any requirements for a large VGA screen? Every tried realVGA yet? If you have not tried it, you should, and you may look at Athena differently.
However, if you have no requirements that you can think of for a large VGA screen, then a smaller QVGA screen phone would be more appropriate.
Just thought that I share my 2cents worth to help you decide if your decision is the best one. In any case, goog luck and all the best.
I think also that your price expectation is not realistic. A brand new one could be had in the low 600 now.
eaglesteve said:
haztoma,
Do you have any requirements for a large VGA screen? Every tried realVGA yet? If you have not tried it, you should, and you may look at Athena differently.
However, if you have no requirements that you can think of for a large VGA screen, then a smaller QVGA screen phone would be more appropriate.
Just thought that I share my 2cents worth to help you decide if your decision is the best one. In any case, goog luck and all the best.
I think also that your price expectation is not realistic. A brand new one could be had in the low 600 now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Eaglesteve is right: your price expectations are too high. There's a brand new Advantage (x7500) on Ebay here now for 340gbp (66o-something dollars) and Advantage's are quite rare here, owing to the market being swampedwith Ameos - the silver and white Advantages. These are available for as little as 240gbp (469usd) here despite having identical hardware to its black cousin.
I would consider sticking it out a bit unless you can find someone to swap with you. If you want the high res screen but aren't bothered about gps there are a few phones on the market that are cheaper than the TyTn 2 with similar functionlity (other than GPS) I believe Glofish make some, or the Toshiba G900 has a very nice screen and is on a par with the TyTn 2 in terms of power.
Hi guys,
thank you for your replies. I would hate to give up the htc, but I find the htc too slow for what i need it for. I am a physician and i was hoping to pull radiograms right to my HTC (that's why i got something with a VGA screen). the process is too slow. Also, I can't make use of the the occasional 5-10 minutes break i get to check my emails and surf the web because it's not fast enough. as for using it for watching youtube videos, FORGET IT the flash version available (i think version 7) either makes the htc freeze or give yous audio without video.
incidently, is there a hack that can make the thing run faster in exchange for battery life. I've installed everything on the microdrive to have as much memory read for running programs.
the camera is not very useful as the shutter speed is not very fast (image capture take about 5 seconds), it's embarrassing to ask people to stay REALLY still for 5 seconds to take an image! slowly moving objects looks out of focus (on my htc at least). is there away to allocate more memory to capture the image faster?
I've installed the black dual rom on it hoping things improve. some programs are just not ment to run on the x7500. eg the new pix viewer takes FOREVER to load the thumbnails. the origian pix viewer and resco pix view loads much faster.
One should have a lot of expectation out of this device after all it did cost $1200 (that's WAY more than my hp laptop).
I thought about the iphone too (seems to be much faster) but I have a lot of medical programs made for windows mobile. I would hate to carry books around in exchange for the simpler iphone.
When i travel, it's awesome for listening to music, playing movies, gps (a must), emailing, surfing the web, skyping, but all of which can be done with the smaller tytn II.
any other ideas how I can improve the advantage to my advantage?
haztoma said:
Hi guys,
thank you for your replies. I would hate to give up the htc, but I find the htc too slow for what i need it for. I am a physician and i was hoping to pull radiograms right to my HTC (that's why i got something with a VGA screen). the process is too slow. Also, I can't make use of the the occasional 5-10 minutes break i get to check my emails and surf the web because it's not fast enough. as for using it for watching youtube videos, FORGET IT the flash version available (i think version 7) either makes the htc freeze or give yous audio without video.
incidently, is there a hack that can make the thing run faster in exchange for battery life. I've installed everything on the microdrive to have as much memory read for running programs.
the camera is not very useful as the shutter speed is not very fast (image capture take about 5 seconds), it's embarrassing to ask people to stay REALLY still for 5 seconds to take an image! slowly moving objects looks out of focus (on my htc at least). is there away to allocate more memory to capture the image faster?
I've installed the black dual rom on it hoping things improve. some programs are just not ment to run on the x7500. eg the new pix viewer takes FOREVER to load the thumbnails. the origian pix viewer and resco pix view loads much faster.
One should have a lot of expectation out of this device after all it did cost $1200 (that's WAY more than my hp laptop).
I thought about the iphone too (seems to be much faster) but I have a lot of medical programs made for windows mobile. I would hate to carry books around in exchange for the simpler iphone.
When i travel, it's awesome for listening to music, playing movies, gps (a must), emailing, surfing the web, skyping, but all of which can be done with the smaller tytn II.
any other ideas how I can improve the advantage to my advantage?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This radiogram stuff, are they just picture files? Hugh size? I never use the picture viewer of the cooked ROM but my resco picture viewer is quite fast. I've seen my GP using computers at work, but always on laptop computers rather than PDA.
Athena can never be used as a laptop although it can look like one. It's not fast enough for that purpose. You should be able to use email very fast, unless you're dealing work very large attachments and graphic filled mails. Internet browser is still not fast enough especially if you have only 5 to 10 minutes extremely short break. There's not much we can do ATM on that. If mobility is not a real requirement, you might find that a sub notebook could work better for you. Would a sub notebook pull up your radiogram fast enough? Are you sitting in front of a desk with your patient or standing in front of a hospital bed when pulling in the radiogram? How do you get the radiogram into Athena? Special program? Are the radiogram on a server?
However, moving to a sub notebook, software availability could be a challenge, depending on what software you're using. Many medical reference type software are on WM6 platform but not sure if they're on XP platform. Of course they would run on tytn II.
Camera is pretty crapy for indoor use, but try using the action button to take picture as it's faster than pressing the camera button. With natural day light it's quite fast. If not, forget it. I use it quite frequently outdoor without problem. Using it inside my house during day is also acceptable. But I once tried taking my mother in law's birthday party picture at night, and it was a disaster. Yes, a very slight movement produced blurred image. Not only that, the quality of picture was really bad in terms of color and resolution. May be scaling the resolution down could help but haven't tried it.
I'm not sure if we can install wm2003 se on Athena. It will certainly make it fly. Wm5 can changed to the persistent memory mode, with big sacrifice in speed in favour of battery life. I personally also prefer the older approach. Not much we can do on that one. This applies also to tytn II.
So, looks like the expectation for it to work like a notebook could not be met, so a rethink is indeed needed to look for new means to meeting your requirements.
get an Asus EEE pc for £220( stick XP on it) and get an LG viewty.
Best of both worlds
cmon you all knew i was gonna say that
spacecat said:
get an Asus EEE pc for £220( stick XP on it) and get an LG viewty.
Best of both worlds
cmon you all knew i was gonna say that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahahaha self irony is the best from all worlds some times!
I think haztoma said he has lots of medical software that only run on Window CE platform.
Spacecat, I thought you would have learned that the choice of devices must depend on a user's requirement by now. If all that you're interested is to start wars everywhere, then do it. Otherwise, let's speak with constructive suggestions.
leoni1980 said:
Eaglesteve is right: your price expectations are too high. There's a brand new Advantage (x7500) on Ebay here now for 340gbp (66o-something dollars) and Advantage's are quite rare here, owing to the market being swampedwith Ameos - the silver and white Advantages. These are available for as little as 240gbp (469usd) here despite having identical hardware to its black cousin.
I would consider sticking it out a bit unless you can find someone to swap with you. If you want the high res screen but aren't bothered about gps there are a few phones on the market that are cheaper than the TyTn 2 with similar functionlity (other than GPS) I believe Glofish make some, or the Toshiba G900 has a very nice screen and is on a par with the TyTn 2 in terms of power.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I have seen The X7501 is in the 600 to 700 dollar price range used, 899 new, but the X7500 is a more expensive device usually around 1000 too 1100 dollars new. Not sure what makes them different to justify the cost
eaglesteve said:
I think haztoma said he has lots of medical software that only run on Window CE platform.
Spacecat, I thought you would have learned that the choice of devices must depend on a user's requirement by now. If all that you're interested is to start wars everywhere, then do it. Otherwise, let's speak with constructive suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so the sense of humour bypass was a success then?
spacecat said:
so the sense of humour bypass was a success then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay. Sorry. I forgot my own advice to not take you seriously.
cib911 said:
From what I have seen The X7501 is in the 600 to 700 dollar price range used, 899 new, but the X7500 is a more expensive device usually around 1000 too 1100 dollars new. Not sure what makes them different to justify the cost
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they must be more expensive your end of town then. The most you'll pay here is 450GBP, unless you shop somewhere like Expansys, but they're overpriced and don't dictate the market you're looking to sell to.
cib911 said:
From what I have seen The X7501 is in the 600 to 700 dollar price range used, 899 new, but the X7500 is a more expensive device usually around 1000 too 1100 dollars new. Not sure what makes them different to justify the cost
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think it's the front camera for video calls. we don't have that available in the states yet, but it is in canada and europe.
i got the x7500 because america will soon catch up with the rest of the world and provide video call options and that tiny front viewer takes up the additional $200
Hi,
I already have a Qtek 9090 (3 years old, used during 2 years) and a MDA Pro (1 year in my possesion - purchased used at ebay).
I like to use my birthday to get myself new devices and because I like my MDA Pro / Universal so much, I am considering getting myself another one as a backup.
While I liked my Qtek 9090 very much, the truth is that I am in love with the VGA display and never want to go back to 320x200 resolution.
Now the question: I can get a Universal at ebay for less than 200 Euro. A Athena costs about twice as much. Still I was wondering if it is worth it: should I get a Athena instead of a second Universal?
Why I like my Universal so much:
- WM6
- great VGA screen
- fast processor
- 4GB SD card
- fit's in my back pocket of my trousers
- voice command, which works with my car kit
- keyboard
Why I have doubts regarding the Athena:
- screen is bigger but same resolution (should be 800x600...)
- device is huge - will it fit in my trouser's pocket?
- isn't it strange to have a phone which has to be used with a bluetooth headset (cable is out of the question for me)
- can it be mounted in the car, so I can make use of the GPS?
I would appreciate your feedback, as I am not convinced. On one hand, I would like to have a different HTC device for my (small) collection, on the other hand, the Universal is cheaper and seems to be more practical.
Cheers,
vma
Why get another Universal? I loved mine but prefer my Athena. The screen is much biger and better and using a Brodit mount in the car with CoPilot7 makes most dedicate GPS devices look pathetic.
it fits in my pocket - but I have big pockets. The lack of vibrate is a biut annoying but the big screen and massive storage (my 8Gb drive is suplimented by a 4Gb card) make it ideal for me. You also get HSDPA which you don't with the Universal - but it eats battery life.
I still have my universal but it is kept in a drawer. The Athena is not for everyone but with WM6 / 6.1 is a fantastic device - does everything the Universal does but bigger and better.
Your choice.
PS Happy Birthday
vma said:
Why I have doubts regarding the Athena:
- screen is bigger but same resolution (should be 800x600...)
- device is huge - will it fit in my trouser's pocket?
- isn't it strange to have a phone which has to be used with a bluetooth headset (cable is out of the question for me)
- can it be mounted in the car, so I can make use of the GPS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I recently switched to the Universal and also thought long about getting the Athena...
Full VGA resolution on the Universal sometimes was annoying for me. Using the Uni in PDA mode needs much concentration and is limited in speed, because you just can't hit some buttons precisely while walking.
So to me the bigger display would be a plus, but only you know, whether this is true for you or not.
The size of the Athena is just a bit too big for some applications. The Uni also fits in my rear trousers' pockets but the Athena definitely wouldn't. I'd be willing to accept that, if the screen would be bigger and had a higher resolution, but as it is the Athena is just too big or too small.
Get the measures off the net and wrap something around your Uni until it is as big as the Athena, then shove it up your.. err... pocket
It is strange to have a phone you have to use with a BTHS. But if you watch yourself in the mirror with the Uni, you'll also realize how funny you look with such a brick at your ear. I tend to see this feature of the Uni as a backup, in case my BT800 runs out of juice, gets stolen or whatevercouldhappen.
Most certainly yes! There surely is some device available, that can take it.
I was very close to buy the Athena, but at the end the size mattered. For half the price it got all the features I wanted and kept the option of leaving the house ready to work without any bag or case.
If you don't mind the size and the price, what's keeping you with the Uni?
If it is the vibration, get the right headset.
Thanks for the replies.
I was in a store today and they had an Athena in display: it is substantially bigger than the Universal.
What's even worse is that a used one costs twice as much as a used Universal. I think I will be getting myself another Universal as a backup device, which I can flash at will...
The Athena will have to wait for next year - hopefully it will be available cheaper then.
Cheers,
vma
The Uni is a great device, not sure if I'd buy a second one tho. If the Athena is not for you why not try something different? Maybe a kaiser?
Good luck with whatever you decide.
The key difference is the 5 inches VGA screen which allows you to use RealVGA meaningfully in 96dpi. No other devices would have this capability. This allows you to surf internet with unmatcheable pleasure, same goes for excel spreadsheet, etc, etc.
This is the key difference. Do you want to see more?
Don't get me wrong: I would prefer to have an Athena instead of a second Universal. But the price for a used one is still to high, specially considering that I won't get that much difference. I simply am going to wait another year to see if the price drops to an acceptable level.
What's makeing me consider a second Universal now is that I am afraid that my current one could get broken (can't live without it) and the fact that I would like to try more firmwares. Having only one means that I am under time pressure to get everything working again, before the next working day...
Still, I'd love to have an Athena!
Cheers,
vma
i considered getting a universal again as they're so cheap! Hsdpa is no concern for me as there is no difference between rendering times with hsdpa over standard 3g since opera and i.e can only render to a certain speed anyway. The only time hsdpa is handy is for internet sharing, but as stated it milks the battery VERY badly. The screen is bigger on the athena but the same resolution - so no extra screen real-estate compared to the universal, just bigger icons. I like the fact that you can use the universal against your ear properly, and that the screen is protected. I also think the keyboard is a hell of a lot better than the athena's. The athena does have an 8gb drive, but an sd card is fine for me, and i'd sooner use a sirf 3 external gps than an internal one, though internal ones are handy for on the go. I don't think the athena is worth twice as much as a universal, though the screen is very nice.and big. It is pocketable so long as you don't attach the keyboard though
I had a universal for a while then I got an s620 because of the whole size issue. However, I just couldn't stand not having a touch screen.
I gotta say, the bigger you go, the crappier they get as a phone. The smaller you go, the crappier the functions get. I love my advantage, but I don't use it as my primary phone.
If you ask me, both the universal and advantage are huge phones. The universal makes a better phone while the advantage is a far better pda...well...it's kinda big for that too.
One thing I hate is compromising. In your situation, you're going to compromise something if you go either way. You already have a universal and know what it's good for. Why not try the advantage. If you don't like it just sell it.
I have a universal, athena, and kasier and many others. The universal is a great device, clear nice screen and a great keyboard. My issue with the universal as that as I live in the US, i could not use its 3g data. So I bought an Athena. The universal is a much better phone than the athena, but the screen and data usage is so much better on the athena.
The best pda for a phone I have used so far is the kasier, has same memory and ram as the athena (twice that of the universal and hermes). But the athena just can't be beat for data/pim usage and surfing the web on a pda.
But the universal has the best keyboard i have used on a pda. I wish the athena had a keyboard as good as the universal.
I carry my Athena in my jeans jacket, trench coat and other jackets, no problem ( just the device not the keyboard which I don't use anyway), yea the device is big but has not been an issue for my at all, but the screen is great for GPS and you can mount it in the car and whenever I use public transport it is great for e books or just browsing.
Bluethooth headset is a must, I used to carry a in ear device but I wasnt happy about it, now I carry a pendant type and you wouldn't know its there, luckily i didnt have problems with entangled wires.
I f you worry about cost, then yes the UNI can be bought at reasonable price, if it is size or other functionality perhaps a Portege, but I am very happy with Athena so far.
Hi,
I am considering to get me an Athena and I need some help and advice.
I already own:
1x Blue Angel
2x Universal
1x HP iPaq 514 Voice Messenger
1x VDA GPS (aka Toshiba G710)
I also have an Asus eeePC 701.
My SIM has an internet contract included (100 MB download/month) and I have an USB Internet adapter which I can use i.e. with my eeePC.
Having said this, you probably understand I am a nerd and I like to "collect" phones and gadgets. The reason is simple: I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't waste money on anything, so at least, I think, I can get me some nice phones from time to time. All were bargains, most I got from eBay. The reason I like smartphones is that i carry them around all the time, so I can really have a benefit of owning them. A PS3, for example, may be a nice piece of hardware, but I would not have much time at home to really make use of it.
What do I want to know?
Basically, if you guy's can use the Athena as a phone. Do you REALLY use it as your sole mobile phone, or is it too big and clumsy (specially having to use BT headphone) to make calls?
The Universal is big, but it does fit nice into my back pocket of the jeans - how do you carry the Athena around?
What are the real advantages of an Athena, compared to a Universal? The screen resolution is the same (I guess having a bigger screen, will make the RealVGA usefull - on the Universal things get far too small), the CPU speed can be the same, by overclocking the Universal (actually not overclocking, but letting it run at full speed), the GPS is nice, but can be overcome with an external one (like the one I have).
I know these are lame questions, but 250-300 Euro is still a lot of cash and I want to make sure i don't regret it.
My major concern is that the device is not usable as a phone. I hate carrying two devices with me and that is exactly the problem I have with the eeePC: it's screen is too small to replace a proper laptop and to replace the MDA Pro, I would have to carry two devices with me. That's too much.
So any feedback is appreciated, as I am wondering what would be more USEABLE on a daily basis: an eeePC 1000 (10" screen, 1.6Ghz, 160 GB HDD, battery up to 6 hours...) for around 380 Euro, or an Athena second hand at eBay for around 300 Euro.
The eeePC 1000 has the advantage of replacing a laptop, but the disadvantage of not replacing a phone.
I know, long post, but please shed some light into this.
Thanks,
vma
x7510 a great device
vma said:
What do I want to know?
Basically, if you guy's can use the Athena as a phone. Do you REALLY use it as your sole mobile phone, or is it too big and clumsy (specially having to use BT headphone) to make calls?
The Universal is big, but it does fit nice into my back pocket of the jeans - how do you carry the Athena around?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was a proud owner of a Blueangel for 4 years and loved it. I started to get tired of it a couple years ago and then I found xda-developers and discovered how to upgrade and turn my old WM2003SE device into a top notch WM6.1 device. Needless to say with all the smaller screen, slower CPU devices on the market I stayed with my trusty BA. That is until I found the x7510. My BA lives in a drawer in the bedroom now, I keep it charged so I have it if I need it, and I use my Athena exclusively for all my phone/PDA needs. I carry it in the back pocket of my blue jeans and it fits fine.
My major concern is that the device is not usable as a phone. I hate carrying two devices with me and that is exactly the problem I have with the eeePC: it's screen is too small to replace a proper laptop and to replace the MDA Pro, I would have to carry two devices with me. That's too much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not regretted my upgrade from the BA to the Athena for a second. The only reason I have not sold my BA yet is becuase I have had the Athena for less than 1 month and am keeping it as a backup. I plan to go this weekend to the local market and have a custom belt carry case made for it. I am in Kuwait and it will not cost me much at all for this. The only reason I am doing this is for the added convenience not becuase it is required.
7501 is my everyday device
If yoi look at my sig. I also own quite a few devices. Since acquiring my 7501 6 months ago, I have not used any other of my devices. I used a BT headset with all of my oyher devices anyway. The 7501 is by far the best device I have ever owned.
You can turn the volume all the way down and hold it like a regular phone, with the mic hole by your mouth. Its not perfect and not private in a quiet room, but its useable. I also hate carrying a BT headset all the time for private conversations, but my Jabra BT8010 also gives me caller ID and vibrate, "fixing" several of the major problems with the Athena all at one time. Also gives me a decent stereo headset for MP3 and radio streaming.
I've had mine a year now and will never be able to go back to a smaller phone. The screen is just so much more useable than most other pdas or phones.
Thank you for your replies.
I think I will keep it on hold, though.
I have been researching the Ameo and basically understand that the 7500 and 7501 are basically similar and feature a real Hitachi Microdrive HDD.
The 7510 has a different keyboard and a 16GB SDD Flashdisk and requires a different ROM. I believe it cannot be SIM-Unlocked either.
There seems to be a problem with the Microdrive failing and having read-errors. This is a turn-off for me, when buying from ebay, as this fault is not easy to detect and proove, but surely may be a reason to get rid of such a device at ebay... Yeah, call me a suspicious guy...
The 7510, on the other hand, lacks the joystick and I definitly require that for my ebook reading, which I love. Paginating by touching the screen all the time is not very appealing.
Then there are those who say: go for the 7501, forget about the HDD and just get a 16GB SDHC. The point is: I can get that for my Universal!
So now I am wondering what REAL benefits I would have from an Ameo and I guess I will wait for either a superb bargain at ebay, a new one on sale at a local store (doubt that, however) or until the prices drop further at ebay (below 200 Euro).
Thangs again.
Cheers,
vma
Hi,
I have purchased an Athena these days and here is what I have to say to all those considering the move from the Universal to the Athena.
1) The Universal reached the 100 Euro mark at eBay, while the Athena (7500 version) is being sold at 200 Euro. These are the prices at ebay.de for the MDA Pro / T-Mobile Ameo versions.
2) First impression: the Athena is big. And when I say big, I mean it! I already had played with one in a store, but actually owning one is different, because only then you notice it won't fit in any of your pockets! After using it for 2 days, I picked up my Universal and found myself smiling at the "small" size of it!
3) Second impression: damn! It is a huge device... I will have to carry it in my hand if I want to take it with me. I mean, other people carry a book or a filofax. I now carry this super phone...
4) Funtionality: there is everything you can think of. You get highspeed mobile internet, WLAN, Bluetooth, all possible GSM standards, motion sensor, huge ROM/RAM memory, 8GB microdrive, GPS, ... The Universal not only lacks onboard GPS, it is struggeling with having only 64MB RAM. That is a limitation for the upcoming WM 6.5 firmware releases being cooked. And even with WM 6.1 some limitations exist. Soldering extra 64MB on my Universal is too expensive in my opinion.
5) Screen: the screen is fantastic! Compared to the Universal, though it has the same resolution, it is big enough for the eyes to take advantage of small fonts. After using the Athena, I now look at the Universal screen and I have to admit it is a little bit too small for such a resolution.
6) Keyboard: despide several online reviews stating the opposite, I do like the touch and feel of the keyboard. i would have prefered separate numeric keys, though. Also, I like the Universal's keyboard design better. Having a separate magnetic keyboard is less functional, I think.
7) Pros of the Athena:
- big screen
- speed: fast device
- speed: internet is very fast, pages load much quicker than on the Universal
- GPS: nice to have everything in one device
- memory: yeah! 128 MB RAM plus 8GB storage, plus Mini-SD slot... That rocks! And you can always use a Micro-2-Mini SD card adapter to use the cheaper and more available MicroSD cards
- overall exquisit looking noble device: if you are a hacker, you will survive a lonely day in a hotel room with this beast!
8) Cons of the Athena:
- too big to fit any pocket, specially back trouser pocket...
- keyboard is a bit odd
*** CONCLUSION ***
So, is it worth the change from the Universal?
No.
You should not want to CHANGE from the Universal to the Athena.
You SHOULD have an Athena as a second device, which you use on special days:
- boring days in the office/mother in law/waiting rooms
- meetings (this 200 Euro second hand device will kill all the attention normally spent over iPhones and similar phones at over 600 Euro)
- trips (planes, train and hotels)
Plus, it is simply a gorgeous device, which does appeal to any hacker!
Hope this helped anyone considering which phone to get...
Best way to carry the Athena: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=344605
Just buy it and try it out , it will not cost you an arm and a leg !! If you find it not suitable for whatever reasons , just sell quick it away at 30% loss , you probably bought many devices already , one more wont make you suffer that much i am sure , but many of advantage owners from day one it launched till now really do love it , some to the extremes too , so are you one of us ? , only you can answer this yourself , cheers , take care and enjoy - ok ?