Hi i was wondering if it was worh upgrading from the XDA II tothe Univerasl, i know about the size, screen res, wifi, 3g and all that, what i am REALLY interested in the its multimedia performance.
Whats it like with the latest version of TCPMP/Coreplayer?
whats it like playing emulatos (Masteralls Pocketsnes, Picodrive, Finalburn and Ldchen and Schtruck's FpseCE) using the GAPI tweak?
(All the above compared to the XDA 2)
Also does it have an 8 way d-pad for games?
Thanks in advance!
The universal has serious gaming issues so feel free to ignore the above questions.
I like the universal... but...
I recently upgraded from the Alpine to the Universal (Orange branded SPV M5000) and from what I have experienced so far, I have to say that it was really worth the upgrade for me personally. However, I primarily use it for business purposes. I have tried emulators on the universal and so far I'm not terribly impressed. They do work, as it was with the case of an old Sega Master System emulator, but they are not best suited to the universal's screen (from what I have experienced). There isn't as much flexibility with the d-pad either, when compared to the XDA IIi. However, I did download a copy of Nine Hole Golf 1.0 today and it works wonderfully (its free on Microsoft's site and certainly passes the time!). If anyone intends on using it for occasional light gaming, I think it is worth the upgrade - but if you're a serious gamer you might want to look elsewhere. Hope this helps even a little.
Related
Am thinking of trading my Universal for someone's Wizard. Was wondering what you guys think of that.
Thoughts?
Offers?
Thanks!
Cyb
Do it and dont look back.
Main reason? EDGE compatibility. Especially as your in the US.
Only thing the Uni has that I want over and above the Wizard is VGA. But I can live with the tiny QVGA screen on the Wizard. The VGA screen is the main reason the Uni is so sluggish anyway, as it uses the processor as its video controller instead of a seperate VGA chip.
Cya
Stot
I suggest you check the Pocket PC forum on HowardForums.com first. Quite a few people are extremely unhappy with their Wizards, while owners of Universals seem rather happy.
You are stupid...
change a ferrari into a bmw (normal version)
Responses!
bohr2005 said:
You are stupid...
change a ferrari into a bmw (normal version)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well I'm definately getting opinions! keep 'em coming...
Cyb
Ferarri - BMW.. Not entirely true.
The Universal on its face is a good device. But once you start using it it has its annoyances that can outweigh the VGA screen, the only great thing it has going for it. It has a faster CPU but its impacted by the fact that the CPU is drawing 4 times the screen real estate which slows it down a LOT.
Ram/Rom is the same
Both have a QWERTY K/B
Both have Bluetooth
Both have 1.3MP camera.
Also be aware that in the US there is no 3G WCDMA network, there is 3G EDGE rolling out tho, so the Wiz can go 3G out here.
Oh and the Wiz has Wifi b and g and will be upgradeable via rom to e and i too. Universal is b only.
IMO the Universal is a little too fragile also. Not sure about the Wiz as i havent got it yet but its on its way and I had a play with it. its seemed to be more sturdy.
So. Its more like comparing a Ferarri towing a caravan, looks great fairly slick and fast engine bogged down, to a Caterham 7. Looks great, bit smaller, less powerfull engine, fairly robust, No caravan.
Cya
Stot
i had a Wizard for a couple of weeks. to be honest i loved it but i found the screen too small for easy reading of mail, spreadsheets, internet browsing etc. As a phone it is definitely preferable to the Universal BUT, from my humble point of view, the Universal is the best all rounder i've ever used - it's awesome. Also, once you've tweaked the Universal it's realy fast AND reliable and it does mean that for short journey's abroad i don't need to take my laptop. oh yeah, the Wizard uses mini SD which means you are limited to a 1GB storage card and if you like music, video etc that just ain't enough!
Mikey Mike
i had a Wizard for a couple of weeks. to be honest i loved it but i found the screen too small for easy reading of mail, spreadsheets, internet browsing etc. As a phone it is definitely preferable to the Universal BUT, from my humble point of view, the Universal is the best all rounder i've ever used - it's awesome. Also, once you've tweaked the Universal it's realy fast AND reliable and it does mean that for short journey's abroad i don't need to take my laptop. oh yeah, the Wizard uses mini SD which means you are limited to a 1GB storage card and if you like music, video etc that just ain't enough!
Mikey Mike
The Wizard has a keyboard.....all right.....BUT, it doesnt have a separate row for numbers (0-9). It shares it with the qwert... keys, and that's simply bad!
IMHO, i think this is a handicap, and is a bad limitation for a device which claims to have a native hw based keyboard...
S
ferrari and BMW?
Think not you are giving the wizard too much credit.
Main problems with the wizard: Too small, it is a stuck up mda compact.
The processor is downright slow.
You are living in the US so yeah, edge is the only option for the 3g network.
Still I think you should not just throw it away and get the wizard.
Furthermore if you do change it is a waste of your money, as the wizard is much cheaper then the universal.
Offcourse there are problems with the universal... what did you expect.
The universal uses vga, which is not supported yet. It uses wm5 too which is not highly compatible with known programs either.
I suggest you wait a while before you do something I am sure you will regret sooner or later.
Thanks!
I want to thank you guys for your responses... I have decided to keep my universal and just continue to use my Sierra Wireless VOQ as a back up when the Uni is TOO MUCH
Now... let's begin with a new ROM...
Thanks again...
Cyb
Im down with the trade!!
I would check your exec they are just as cheap. I dropped my orange variant and the case split open. I am unbiased as I have both and actually vga is supported nativly since wm 2003. So it is not a new thing manuafactures choose not to implement screens.
Wizard thogh a tad slower gets the job done, remeber the tortoise and the bunny. Besides have you actually looked at the benchmarks for the exec they are not that inspiring.
I guess I am British in that sense I am used to waiting, like British transport you will be waiting but it will get yo there though.
battery life
however the wizard is like a moped sipping vegetable oil compared with the universal like a mustang on premium gas when it comes to battery life...
I have an XDA exec, and it seems like a bit of an outcast. It's supposedly a top-of-the-range VGA pda with fast CPU, but it's quite slow. I have tried a few games on it, and they didn't work (Everquest), stuttered (Myst) or were in the wrong orientation/resolution.
When can we expect it to actually be useful for something? Surely after six months there should be some software out for it?
It ain't
a gaming pda!
it depends what you bought it for really...
More & more Pocket PC models are becoming available each month...
Jasjars are more into bussiness work IMHO. If you need gaming PDA you might be more interested in Dells with graphic accelerators.
I am considering purchasing the Atom as a replacement for my much-loved XDA2. However, several reviews and user comments in other forums have indicated that the Atom suffers from:
1) Poor quality construction- Cheesy plastic case
2) Buggy/Slow WM5 OS
3) Poor camera
What about the experience here? Do you all agree with the comments above? Would you recommend Atom as a replacement for the XDA2, or another device? Thanks
Someone has already asked this question, see my response.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=50054&highlight=
and
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=49399&highlight=
Bad Buzz Responses
Thanks, Experimenter for your post, but no one has addressed the issues I raised except to say that they love the device. Many more reviews say exactly the opposite....... my favorite "looks good, works bad". Can the users in this forum polear give me some advice on this? Thanks
Here's my 2cents opinion
Hi Pharmer,
Well let me address the issues u raised :
1) Poor quality construction- Cheesy plastic case
2) Buggy/Slow WM5 OS
3) Poor camera
Its hard to answer your questions simply because it can be quite subjective.
Best is for u to walk into a shop and handle one yourself, then you can decide on 1) ... try out the camera and decide on 3)
Some ppl complain that the black makes fingerprint smudges obvious ... but really, my peeve, which applies to almost all PDA phones, is when u hold it to your ear to make calls you'll get a greasy touch screen.
I use a casing to protect the screen.
As for your point #2 I've not had problems after the ROM upgrades ... then again, just like a PC, it really depends on what you install into the handheld. Lots of times its the quality of the additional software u install, or if u install and uninstall lots of stuff to try em out.
Software I currently use :
TCPMP to watch movies and listen to MP3 using STEREO bluetooth
HICALC calculator
Resco Explorer and Registry Editor
Pocket Informant
O2 Plus
Not had any problems using my Atom with all these loaded. In fact, I'm extremely pleased with my Atom right now.
As for the camera, yes it has been pretty poor (by my standards for a 2MP) but seems to have improved with each ROM upgrade. Seems to take pretty decent pictures now. I have found you get best results outdoors on a bright day and indoors don't do as well.
well end of the day I can only say that if you are looking for perfection then it'll be a long wait ... every device will have its flaws ...
I made my purchasing decision based on :
1. Decided on Atom's slower wireless 'B' instead of other devices which had faster 'G' as I don't expect to be doin major surfing on a tiny device ... just needed the connectivity for email and occasional browsing if a PC is not available. What is important is at least WPA support which the Atom has. Even the 'B' is faster than my broadband access and I transfer files via active sync or using a card reader so wireless speed not an issue there.
2. Selected the Atom because of the STEREO bluetooth which allows me to watch movies and listen to MP3 in full stereo ... This feature has not been available on most other devices until recently I think.
3. Sleek and small size. Not too clunky, but some ppl prefer a keyboard for SMS so I suppose it may not be for everyone.
Atom Qualities
Hi, Experimenter- Thanks for your reply. As to why I don't just go look at one in a store, you might be interested to know that the US carriers generally do not carry these phones. As far as I am aware, no US carrier has the Atom. In the US, we usually purchase them unseen (except for pictures) from websites. Even T-Mobile US doesn't carry the phones the T-Mobile in Europe carries. As for any carrier-based service- for the phone, forget it.
Anyway, sorry for the rant, but that's why we depend on people like yourself to give honest opinions before we buy. The pictures of the Atom look pretty good, but the majority of the revierws have been bad suggesting that perhaps this is a phone that needs some improvement. My second choice is the 128mb Jam(charcoal). Looks like a similar phone to the Atom but with WM2003se instead of WM5. All the reviews on WM5 indicate that this os needs a little improvement too.
Finally, your comment that none of these phones are perfect is true and I'm certainly not looking for perfection. My MDA2 is still pretty good and perhaps its not time yet to upgrade.
atom's camera
hi experimenter i would like to inquire about the atom's camera in the latest official rom.. how many seconds does it take the atom to load the cam? and how long does it take to save pics shot? thanks dude.
about the overall performance, would you give a rough percentage of its increased speed performance compared to the previous rom (it's ok if it's your opinion). thank you very much
Re: Atom Qualities
Hi
Giving my 3 copper coins worth on ATOM too, since I am a user since last December 2005. I've been carrying other larger and powerful XDA devices before this, so I think the ATOM has it's hits and misses. IMHO, the usual benchmark on buying an ATOM is based on 2 very important criteria:
(a) Are you a COOL GADGET person?
(b) Are you tech-savvy and able to tinkle a bit on the the WM2005 registry?
I am not sure about the specs of the alternate JAM devices you have mentioned, but I reckon the hardware specs should be similar to ATOM except for the cover design and the OS.
WM2003SE is in the market longer, and there are better support of software. But that will means that it is possible for ATOM to downgrade to WM2003SE as well?
Very few pple however, will do that. WM2005 is here to stay, but as with everything M$, gave every1 more time to tweak the bugs.
FYI - Anyone considering upgrading to Hermes
I have been using a universal for the last 18months and have now sold it and upgraded to the HTC Hermes.
The universal served me very well and the only thing I miss is the larger screen and VGA resolution and standard 3.5mm jack - however - I don't miss the bulk.
The hermes is everything the universal is minus the VGA.
My default Rom on the universal was Helmi's v1.3 which was AKU 3.5 and was a very very stable/solid rom.
I later installed PDAVIET 2.04 pro (Crossbow/WM6) which was a little temperamental but solid never the less.
I have installed XDA Live 0.20 which is a Crossbow rom on the hermes and it is very fast, I mean very very fast in comparison to the the universal.
In actual fact the hermes feels like an overclocked blue angel. (Normal operation, responsiveness, games etc)
Before I had the universal I had a blue angel that I used to regularly overclock to 530mhz (XCPUSCHALAR) and I can tell you that the herms feels very close to this.
I actually wonder what the hermes is capable of if overclocked slightly - As I don't have any figures (Pocket Hackmaster performance Index, SPB benchmark, etc) I can only speculate - but I'm looking forward to investigating this further.
Incidently the hermes has the Imageon gpu that was present in the blue angel so it runs films in TCPMP with hardware acceleration something the universal lacks.
Now I'm not sure whether the Universal had slow ram, or it being a VGA device slowed it down or what but I do know that the hermes is orders of magnitude more responsive in every day operation than the universal was...
Wireless connects at 54mbs on the hermes instead of the 11mbs maximum thoroughput the universal supports even with the 802.11g hack.
And the Hermes also supports HSDPA (1.8mbs theoretical - if your network provider supports it). Admittedly this was a deal breaker for me as umts is cool but connecting at 1.8mbs to the internet whilst on the road is edging very close to nirvana LOL!
Now while I will miss browsing servers at 640x480 using ts client in WM6 (WM5 tsc was atrocious BTW - LOL!) I feel the hermes features and performance more than make up for it. Plus I recently purchased a Sony u50 (1st generation umpc circa 2004) which has a 800x600 5 inch screen and the u50 allows me to TS into server using the hermes as a modem (Bluetooth or serial comms)
Last but not least I need to mention the hermes 2MP camera - OMDs - LOL.
It is head and shoulders above any HTC Camera I've ever experienced and I have seen them all...
SPV to wallaby to alpine to blueangel to universal I've had them all and this camera is the 1st USEABLE camera in terms of how responsive the camera app is, the picture quality and the overall experience!
Granted it's no replacement for my Canon SLR BUT (BIG BUT) it's definitely useable and supports typical camera functions such as self timer, darkness controls etc.
All other HTC devices had a fairly decent camera app but a piss poor camera sensor that only operated remotely correctly with good light. The pics I get with the hermes are of comparable quality to recent nokia and sony phones.
Hope this information is of use to anyone considering moving from the Universal to a hermes.
haha funny enough I was looking at the hermes last night.
My contract has run out, im in the UK and o2 are no longer doing free gprs so I need to jump ship as its damn expensive! Three are offering unlimited (1gig) a month for £5 so that's my main option plus they have a HSDPA network. But the downside is they don't offer the hermes so i'd have to get it seperatly I want a hermes
Thanks for the review, I want a hermes more now
Thanks
Stu
actually, just a thought... with WM6 PIE has the option to view in VGA mode, this makes website VERY easy to view as if they were on a desktop pretty much which makes browsing actually possible on these devices. Is that function still available on the hermes ?
thanks
Stu
IE VGA
Hi Stu,
No that feature is not available in WM6 IE for the hermes as it is a qvga device (320x240)
Just checked the menu options in IE and noticed that option was missing whereas it was there in WM6 IE on the universal.
Cheers
q
stualpha said:
haha funny enough I was looking at the hermes last night.
My contract has run out, im in the UK and o2 are no longer doing free gprs so I need to jump ship as its damn expensive! Three are offering unlimited (1gig) a month for £5 so that's my main option plus they have a HSDPA network. But the downside is they don't offer the hermes so i'd have to get it seperatly I want a hermes
Thanks for the review, I want a hermes more now
Thanks
Stu
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
O2 are just about to bring out a new XDA which is similar looking to the Hermes but appears to have a faster processor. It is apparently out on 26 March.
ooo in that case I may hang around to see what it's like.
But saying that the data is a huge issue data costs on o2 are huge plus i'm a student so we can whine more lol
thanks guys
Stu
also :: do you know which device it is ? I presume specs are already out possibly ? or pics ?
thanks
stualpha said:
ooo in that case I may hang around to see what it's like.
But saying that the data is a huge issue data costs on o2 are huge plus i'm a student so we can whine more lol
thanks guys
Stu
also :: do you know which device it is ? I presume specs are already out possibly ? or pics ?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an Asustek apparently. Just Google O2 Zinc and you'll find it.
http://www.msmobilenews.com/content/view/1730/1/
think i'll hold out for this puppy!! looks sweet, shame about the vga though
stualpha said:
http://www.msmobilenews.com/content/view/1730/1/
think i'll hold out for this puppy!! looks sweet, shame about the vga though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or you might like to hold out for the I-mate Ultimate 7150 - more ROM, more RAM, faster processor, VGA .....
not made my mind up about the design of the new ultimate series, dont know what it is, they look at a little funny :? will have to see it in flesh.
This is what I hate about these things, its always add a little bit of extra time on and wait for the next device
The very mention of microSD in these devices is enough for me to overlook them and appreciate my Universal even more - despite the superior performance of the new devices over the Universal. Since the Universal is VGA, has a stable performance, and uses SD Cards - I am pleased with it.
Only when SDHC readers start becoming more mainstream in PDA Phones will I start considering a successor to the Universal.
I'm thinking of replacing my cingular 8525 with a 7501, but I'm worried about a few things. Can someone that has one help me out?
I'm concerned that lots of apps designed for other devices won't run. Especially ones that are setup for the rectangular qvga screen. Is that an issue?
I run lots of apps and just want to be sure that they will work. I also install a lot of games to pass idle time when i travel. Anyone had any issue with games?
Is there any use for the front camera with cingular/AT&T?
How good is the built in GPS? I'm used to using a bluetooth gps with my 8525 and Tom Tom 5. That has a sirfstar 3 chipset and works really well.
angelis said:
I'm concerned that lots of apps designed for other devices won't run. Especially ones that are setup for the rectangular qvga screen. Is that an issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most current WM5/6 apps support the Advantage's display. There may be some apps that haven't been updated (in years) for WM5/6 that might not be compatible, but everything I have works on my X7501 now.
I run lots of apps and just want to be sure that they will work. I also install a lot of games to pass idle time when i travel. Anyone had any issue with games?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've only had an issue with one game - Absolutist's Bubble Shooter. But that's been fixed with the latest v1.19 version.
Is there any use for the front camera with cingular/AT&T?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not right now, and not sure if there'll ever be.
How good is the built in GPS? I'm used to using a bluetooth gps with my 8525 and Tom Tom 5. That has a sirfstar 3 chipset and works really well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GPS is good, but can take a few minutes to get a lock after a soft-reset.
The 7501 does not have the front camera. Only the back 3 mp camera. The 7500 is the model with the front camera as well, but as noted in various places, there is apparently no VOIP video calling in the US to make use of it anyway.
I've just spent two days loading tons of software on my new 7501, both old and new, and have had no problems with even some of my ancient stuff. It'll probably depend on what specifically you've got, however.
On the App side, most common apps are updated to WM5/6 and look good on the 640x480 (480x640) screen.
Games is another story. All the games I have on my device work great but probably 75% of the games aren't made for VGA and look grainy. Just make sure it is VGA Native "Full Screen".
As sad as it is there are more QVGA devices out there then VGA. Thankfully the apps are in VGA and look beautifully bright and vibrant.
FWIW -- I had a TyTN and then a Cingular 8525 when I purchased my Advantage x7500. I purchased it out of curiosity, never expecting I'd end up using such a large device (compared to the Hermes). Fell in love with it and just sold both my TyTN and my Cing 8525 -- the Advantage is my baby now!
I've had no probs at all with any of the apps I used on my Hermes devices. As others have pointed out, nearly all WM5/WM6 software is now updated to handle either QVGA or VGA.... although, to be completely accurate, the Advantage screen is not true VGA but interpolated VGA so the sizes of icons, fonts and some displays tend to be large and need to be adjusted to a size that suits the user. That's why some games probably don't display well with this device, although all the games I use are OK.
Rambler358 said:
I've only had an issue with one game - Absolutist's Bubble Shooter. But that's been fixed with the latest v1.19 version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was also thinking of purchasing a 750x hence reading this thread. However, a quick question off-topic (not meant to hijack the thread):
Where did you get the Bubble Shooter V1.19 (I presume it's Bubble Shooter Mobile for PocketPC?). I have a registered copy but it's V1 and the absolutist site only has V1 also as I periodically check (copyright message only goes to 2004 ).
Grateful for a lead on this one - noticed a small performance degrade since my Glofiish X500 and would love to upgrade to the latest version.
Regards,
Gary.
I have my Hermes as a backup (in case I bricked x7500)since I do need a device for e-mail. However, I must say with the amount of software I have on the X7500 and the performance, it is night and day compare to the Hermes. I could not do half of the stuff I am doing now because I was running out of memory and storage on the Hermes. Multitasking is a breeze....
gxprice said:
Where did you get the Bubble Shooter V1.19 (I presume it's Bubble Shooter Mobile for PocketPC?). I have a registered copy but it's V1 and the absolutist site only has V1 also as I periodically check (copyright message only goes to 2004 ).
Grateful for a lead on this one - noticed a small performance degrade since my Glofiish X500 and would love to upgrade to the latest version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here:
http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=15804
Usually you can get this stuff at marine or automotive supply stores.
Rambler358 said:
Here:
http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=15804
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much indeed Rambler358
Don't know why they don't put these things on their own site though....
Still, I'm now updated (and I didn't even need to re-key my registration details,
Gary.