Database Users

How would you make the Universal II perfect ?

1. Case made of titanium alloy
2. Screen fills lid completely - 800x480
3. 1mm thinner base
4. CDMA2000 and EDGE for travelling to the US
5. HSDPA (for 3mbit 3g in europe)
6. Double, or more, battery life.
7. Intel 2700 3d accelerator
8. Compact flash slot
9. nintendo ds cartridge slot and emulator (screens side by side on 800x480) - ;->
10. Wifi g and new n standard
11. Driver and cable for ipod (to stream videos). Would not want a hard disk as (a) it drains battery, (b) I can upgrade my ipod when high capacities come out without upgrading my PDA
12. 128 or 256 mbyte program memory
13. Dual or quad core ARM cpu (circa 2020 !!)
I wouldn't change the form factor one bit. Its very comfortable for a micro-computer. As I have mentioned before, I have a small cell phone for calling, would never use this kind device as a main phone.
)
rgds

Well I get my jasjar tomorrow or thenext day, but I dont see why you wouldnt use it as a phone, theres plenty of other PDA/Phone hybrids out there that are just as large as this, and people seem to manage just fine.
In any case I guess I cannot really comment on your thread till tomorrow *fingers crossed* nevertheless, it goes without saying that some titannium wouldnt have gone astray

I think you forgot the integrated Sirf III GPS

good point. Sirf III and future galileo compatibility.

1. TV/monitor out built in
2. 4GB or more built in storage space
3. Hot swappable sim cards
4. USB hosting (give it to us dammit!)
5. better OS than WM5 (at least powered by something like VJSihaya....wheres it VJ buddy??? )
thats it for now....
cheers!
S

Why not just grab a Sony ultra portable and a PCMCIA 3G card...
*runs*

why not sony small ? - weight, cost, battery life, size and that damn memory stick thing ........

Mini OLED display on lid so one doesn't need to open it to see who's calling.

Phone & bluetooth upgraded... better operational quality & stability required there... in my opinion
but definitely USB hosting... and out-of-the-box syncing with Macs would be good Uncle Gates.. please!

Quadband GSM (including 850 MHz) and EDGE - because we'll never get UMTS over here

1) 2mm thinner
2) 2/3 the current weight (but no lighter or it will feel like a toy)
3) Put the on switch above the keyboard for easy thumb press before/after typing
4) 800x480 screen filling the lid
5) usb host
6) add ctrl an esc keys
7) loads more battery of course
8) built in gps
9) 256mb rom
10) 256mb ram
11) Make it just a touch snappier when loading big programs (PI, Tomtom etc)
12) Add a scroll wheel for navigating web pages, docs etc
13) Built in PDF reader
That should all be pretty acheivable I would say.
xerxes

colonel said:
why not sony small ? - weight, cost, battery life, size and that damn memory stick thing ........
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My Vaio is 1.25kg, 6.5 hr battery life, best screen ever, 11" screen means the device is very portable and has a SD slot!. Use it with a 3G datacard - I know its about twice the price (only!) of the universal but with 60G HDD and a proper OS its worth it!
The main things I woud want in the Universal II is:
- lower price
- screen locking to stop the screen cracking under pressure (eg when in pocket)
- improved signal strenght of the BT
- HSDPA
- larger screen (same resolution)
- soft keys for use in standard PDA
- more programmable keys on the keyboard/front of the device
- small screen on the top of the camshell
- 64MB RAM and 128MB user memory (useable)

colonel said:
1. Case made of titanium alloy
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They should do this! Would bump price up around 25%, however (more?). Would also require some careful antenna placement.
colonel said:
2. Screen fills lid completely - 800x480
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This one would require a new OS. WM5 can't handle this. Linux would work, however.
colonel said:
3. 1mm thinner base
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They will definately be able to do this in the future.. just not right now.
colonel said:
4. CDMA2000 and EDGE for travelling to the US
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Definately possible. (Very unlikely, however.. phone makers like having just one spec per phone)
colonel said:
5. HSDPA (for 3mbit 3g in europe)
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This ones a definate. Expect them to drop 3G to put it on though...
colonel said:
6. Double, or more, battery life.
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Going to need some veryyy big inovations in battery creation for this one. Companies are pouring billions into this, however, so it might happen.
colonel said:
7. Intel 2700 3d accelerator
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No thanks! One of these new nvidia 3d accelerators please.
colonel said:
8. Compact flash slot
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What for? Anything that can be done with CF is do able with SDIO. Rather just add 'better SDIO cards' into the wishlist.
colonel said:
9. nintendo ds cartridge slot and emulator (screens side by side on 800x480) - ;->
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Not a chance. Proprietry to nintendo.
colonel said:
10. Wifi g and new n standard
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Definately.. the new wifi chips are tiny and use very little power.
colonel said:
11. Driver and cable for ipod (to stream videos). Would not want a hard disk as (a) it drains battery, (b) I can upgrade my ipod when high capacities come out without upgrading my PDA
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This is entirely up to apple to create a standard cable. Nothing to do with the PDA, this one is entirely in apples court to create an iPod which is compatible with standard USB.
colonel said:
12. 128 or 256 mbyte program memory
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This one goes right with the battery one - we are going to need a MUCH better battery for this to work!
colonel said:
13. Dual or quad core ARM cpu (circa 2020 !!)
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circa 2020 sounds a bit far away...
[/quote]

jah said:
colonel said:
why not sony small ? - weight, cost, battery life, size and that damn memory stick thing ........
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Click to collapse
My Vaio is 1.25kg, 6.5 hr battery life, best screen ever, 11" screen means the device is very portable and has a SD slot!. Use it with a 3G datacard - I know its about twice the price (only!) of the universal but with 60G HDD and a proper OS its worth it!
The main things I woud want in the Universal II is:
- lower price
- screen locking to stop the screen cracking under pressure (eg when in pocket)
- improved signal strenght of the BT
- HSDPA
- larger screen (same resolution)
- soft keys for use in standard PDA
- more programmable keys on the keyboard/front of the device
- small screen on the top of the camshell
- 64MB RAM and 128MB user memory (useable)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Jah,
I like the idea of a full XP mini-portable. Perhaps origami will produce nice devices. But I still think the Universal has major advantages as I listed:
1. I don't belive the battery life of 6.5 hours (with respect). I've had a few small sony's and they never get over 2.
2. Are you talking about the tx series ? the weight is 1250g vs 285g for the universal.
3. The TX series is £1400. My xda exec was £150 with £30 a month for 200mb data (which I pay for whatever data device I have).
4. Connectivity, SMS & 3G are built in. You have to install loads of software to get running on the PC.
5. The PC has to be left on all the time, in standby it won't pick up SMS.
Are you are really going to walk around with a 1250g laptop all day with it switched on ???. You will need a very long mains cable and a contract with the top spine consultant.
I really think there is no competition to the Universal for a tiny fully connected device that can easily last out the day (with spare batteries that are very light compared to laptop batteries).
rgds

Hi RyanZa,
detailed answer. agree with you mostly there.
On the chipset however, qualcomm have it pretty much covered. As edge is the most used one in the US, the MSM6260 would do for me :-
http://www.cdmatech.com/docs_detail...tring=&chip=MSM6250&chip=MSM6260&chip=MSM6500
Note the MSM6250 is in the current universal
rgds

@colonel,
with respect my TX1 gives me 6.5hrs battery life. The new TX2 is even better. Please see this spec at the sony site: http://shop.sonystyle-europe.com/So...B&languageId=EN&s=external&ss=show&id=laptop*
In the UK the retail price of a JasJar/Qtexk9000 is around UKP600 and the TX1 can be bought for around UK1200.
I use my TX1 on the train all the time for web surfing because with 3G it is much faster then my Exec. Different requirements mean different solutions. Looking at the technology in a Vaio you can see the Universal is not good value.

Jah, we can agree to differ.
I find the 3g and wifi surfing on the xda exec (with no o2 software installed and don't use PIE) very fast. Note that o2 have voice/data 3g chips set to 128kbits. For data only chips (which are supplied with 3g cards) they are set to 384kbits (which mine is on the exec).
I picked up a small compaq laptop in new york for £500 with 1280x768, 80gb and dual layer dvd writer.
But 285 vs 1250 man .......

pretty interresting topic-
but you guys added almost everything and forgot security mesurments.
they also should add the following.
1- finger print scanner, even better retinal scanner.
2- better voice recogniition system.
3- bluetooth multiple device support.
4- a better camera with a Zeiss lens like the nokia n90
i would also love to c a normal web browser that can oppen webpages with multi frames like the WEBCT web interface.

You know, Symbian 9.1 on a Universal II would really make the device fly!!

colonel said:
Hi RyanZa,
detailed answer. agree with you mostly there.
On the chipset however, qualcomm have it pretty much covered. As edge is the most used one in the US, the MSM6260 would do for me :-
http://www.cdmatech.com/docs_detail...tring=&chip=MSM6250&chip=MSM6260&chip=MSM6500
Note the MSM6250 is in the current universal
rgds
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Wow, thats one nice chip.
Any idea if its slated to be used in any upcoming phones?
jah said:
You know, Symbian 9.1 on a Universal II would really make the device fly!
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????
That is about the most uneducated thing I have heard anyone say in awhile. :lol:
Good luck getting these features working under *that* :lol: OS.

what are people moving on to?

The Universal has severed me well for several years, but I feel that there must be something newer, shiner out there.
(I basically want a new toy)
I love having a proper keyboard, the ability to open word/excel files as well as web browsing and email.
Any recommendations
Ash

I got an XDA Orbit - but still keep going back to my Exec. It may be bulky but I still love the flexibility of it.

Take a look at HTC Athena or HTC Shift, its bulky but a step up indeed.

I'm not moving on, the Uni is still the best IMHO. No other phone has a full keyboard (including number buttons), VGA screen, normal sized SD card slot, 3.5mm headphone socket, 3G, and massive extended batteries of over 5000mAH. The Athena is not counted, since you need a headset or speakerphone to use it as a "phone", which I find too inconvenient.
I will not upgrade until a phone comes out which has most if not all of the above features.

I upgraded to O2 XDA Atom Life a couple of weeks ago. I never used the keyboard of universal, so, being keyboardless on atom life does not hurts. 1gb rom is a big plus. I've stored everything on my device(including a 600mb movie too ). Its fast(624MHZ) too. Its qvga, but, at 2.8', it looks sweet. And hey, its beautiful from outside too
Overall, a happy guy. Impressed with quanta's hardware quality too.
edit: here is the review of it on my website
http://gadgetmix.com/reviews/atomlife/atomlife.htm

Kaiser - the HSDPA and GPS nearly makes up for the lack of VGA screen and full number row.
Surur

I'm upgraing to... The universal! Yep apart from going to the athena which i dont have the money for nothing compares to the Universal. Must admit the Kaiser did appeal to me but with it's GPS chip, but a 400 Mhz processor and QVGA persuaded me to that the Uni was better. Now if HTC was to put a GPS chip in the Uni? It'd be perfect and have everything.
Psi

when is the omni expected? any news?

Successor to Athena ?

Will the new Advantage come out soon ? My friend thinks that they will release a revision early next year, but I honestly think we have about a half a year left till we see anything.

SupraSkylineSTI said:
Will the new Advantage come out soon ? My friend thinks that they will release a revision early next year, but I honestly think we have about a half a year left till we see anything.
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if the universal is anything to go by it could be a few years and waiting !
The real name for the advantage is the X7500 a few months after it was released an even newer version called the X7501 came out for the US market, and this might be what your friend is thinking of ! however newer is not always better, the X7501 is identical in every way except it has LOST 1 of the 2 cameras from the X7500, gained an FM radio (which might be coming to the X7500 anyway as some reckon the hardware exists but has been disabled) and lastly is shiped with windows mobile 6 instead of 5 which is a moot point as you can now just download Win 6 and upgrade your X7500 anyway.

My speculation rests on any successor primarily being an upgrade having WM6.1 and a SSD hard drive of greater capacity.
I would pray for better video performance as well.
Keith

My wish lists are:
- No hardware keyboard. Althernatively, have one that slides out, like the ones in Toshiba Protege G920 or Nokia N810.
- No magnet please.
- Uses SSD and at least 32GB
- Use SDHC rather than miniSDHC. SDHC seems to be always ahead in terms of moving into higher capacity.
- WM7
- Camera that takes acceptable pictures indoor. The present one does not work unless you're outdoor.
- 5 MP main camera and a VGA front camera.
- Less weight.
- Maintains 5" screen but reduce the size of the metal frame around the screen, so overall size is reduced.
- Embedded ear piece, so that use of BT headset becomes entirely optional.
- Vibration for phone
- More rounded and thinner profile.
- Infra, so that I can make it my remote control
- FM radio tuner for TMC and musics.
- Built-in TV tuner
- 800x480 resolution - Not too sure about this one, due to concern over software compatibilty issues. Otherwise, the shape would resember a handphone better.
- Faster internet browser, like the one in Nokia N810
- 802.11n for faster connection
- USB 2.0
- Latest bluetooth.
- GPS Assist, ,so that I can get signal inside buildings and tunnels.
Come on HTC, you should be able to make this.

eaglesteve said:
My wish lists are:
- No hardware keyboard. Althernatively, have one that slides out, like the ones in Toshiba Protege G920 or Nokia N810. That would be pretty cool, the keyboard on the Toshiba G920 is really nice, but I can see this adding thickness to the device
- No magnet please. I agree
- Uses SSD and at least 32GB Can you say 'Uber Expensive?
- Use SDHC rather than miniSDHC. SDHC seems to be always ahead in terms of moving into higher capacity. Deffo. I really can't see how HTC is saving that much space by using miniSDHC
- WM7 Yay!!!
- Camera that takes acceptable pictures indoor. The present one does not work unless you're outdoor. Agree 100% .. for something that's being marketed as an 'All in one device' the camer really sucks
- 5 MP main camera and a VGA front camera.
- Less weight. If possible, but considering the extra features everyone wants etc??
- Maintains 5" screen but reduce the size of the metal frame around the screen, so overall size is reduced.
- Embedded ear piece, so that use of BT headset becomes entirely optional.
- Vibration for phone You have no idea how much I miss a vibrating alert on my phone now lol
- More rounded and thinner profile. The shape of the Athen wors really well, provided you use the stock keyboard, otherwise it feels really weird to hold, so yeah, I'd agree
- Infra, so that I can make it my remote controlThis should have been in our current devices, sure, it may be old tech, but there are still so many uses for it
- FM radio tuner for TMC and musics.Aye
- Built-in TV tuner AYE!!!
- 800x480 resolution - Not too sure about this one, due to concern over software compatibilty issues. Otherwise, the shape would resember a handphone better. Provided there weren't any issues, then yes, however I'm quite happy with VGA
- Faster internet browser, like the one in Nokia N810 Yup, although I think we'll have to rely on 3rd party for this
- 802.11n for faster connection Yup
- USB 2.0 Yup, with support for a wider range of external HDDs
- Latest bluetooth. Not a big user of BT, so I cant comment
- GPS Assist, ,so that I can get signal inside buildings and tunnels. I think GPS signal on this device sucks all over, anything to improve it would be great
Come on HTC, you should be able to make this.
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Just my opinion

total agreement from me with regards to the slide out keyboard. i have seen a device for the pc that projects the display of a keyboard onto what ever you place the device onto, sort of like a laser projection, that would be sweet but your battery would die after one text message or email!!
The size has always been an issue for me, but we knew that it was a monster/powerhouse/umpc/ugly brick shaped phone when we purchased the athena/ameo!!!
as for the camera, dudes, if you have money to throw around at the advanced phones...... buy a digi cam. C'mon, its a phone! Having said all this, im gonna confuse you all by saying, i want the new htc sprint with vista/touchflo. hehehe

I mentioned this in some other thread, but, here it goes again
http://www.pocketables.net/2008/01/htc-advantage-r.html

The ATHENA wish list
Dear HTC,
1) Give us the capability to use our ATHENA WITHOUT speakerphone always ON, we want to put it close to the ear, you know BT is a technology always in BETA testing!
2) Turn the RADIO feature ON (we know it has the hardware capability)
3) FIX the REALVGA issues, give us the power to run programs at different DPI resolution, we know, REALVGA comes from you!
You, dear HTC, have lost the first place in Windows Mobile standard market, improve or die is the lesson, we love your devices, but... 9150 is coming

Nerd question about the Athena...

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.
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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 ?

HD2 Issues

i think the HD2 is an amazing piece of hardware and its clearly better than any other competing product in the coming few months. i do however hate a few things about it:
1-the lack of front camera for 3G video calls. while i may not care a lot about video calls i imagine that many will be missing it.
2-i see no point of releasing a separate delayed hardware revision for US market. especially when you consider that the rest of the world version lacks the front camera just like every other US phone. the Acer F1(another 1 GHZ 3G phone) has been available for a while and it supports US 3G bands on the same hardware and it even has the front camera.
3- considering that its the best multimedia phone made by HTC, its lacking the TV-out and the FM-Radio transmitter and better camera(all of which are supported by the N97)
4- the included 512MB ROM is a joke. i know that it can be expanded with SD card. but extra flash on the device is always useful. the 1.5 year old Omnia had 8/16/24BG+microSD why cant this have it. adding 8 or 16 GB flash costs HTC almost nothing to add
5-lack of stylus: HTC patented the capacitive stylus but they didnt use it. i know the the screen is big enough to be very finger friendly. but its still windows mobile and some applications work need stylus (for example Pocket artist).
6- lack of hardware buttons (especially camera). i wish the added 2 or 3 buttons on the empty sides. WM will always make use of the hardware buttons
7-despite the very high specs, its still less than the minimum Windows mobile7 specs (which requires Tegra level graphics performance acceleration and bigger than integrated storage ) which means that it will not be
upgradeable to wm7.
8-i dont understand the 320+128MB. the dedicated 128MB for the low performing graphics chip seems pointless to me. if they are going to put all this memory there why didnt they allocate it to program memory.
9- i really love how HTC managed to make the device reasonably small considering the huge 4.3" screen. i still think that its physically too big for many people. the HD was not very pocket friendly and this one is even bigger. i wish the screen was 4.0" or even 3.8". considering their recent improved and more efficient designs, im sure HTC would have been able to even make it friendly for one hand use with a smaller screen.
10- im not too big on the new standard micro-USB connector. they should have at lest included the hard to find mini-USB to micro-USB adapter with it. everybody already has several mini-USB cables/chargers but ive never actually seen a micro USB yet.
11- they increased up the specs (and power usage i would assume) significantly from the first HD but they reduced the battery size from 1350 to 1250mah!!!. luckily the early reports are suggesting "acceptable" battery life

Only thing missing for me on the device is a decent camera. I don't mean HTC standard... I mean the best of Nokia, Samsung & Sony Ericsson. The original HD took terrible pictures and videos. I don't think there is much improvement in this area from previews and videos.
TV-Out would of been great but sadly missing.
I don't care about front camera because I hardly ever use video call.
It's probably more of a business centric device but with such a large screen it could have so easily been the ultimate work and pleasure phone.
I'm leaning towards the Nokia N900 (Linux) but still undecided.

Just some thoughts for your annoyances! (I currently own an Omnia too)
THE GRIZZ said:
1-the lack of front camera for 3G video calls. while i may not care a lot about video calls i imagine that many will be missing it.
3G has been around for a while with a front video camera, but I can truly say that I don't know a single person that actually uses it. It's a gimmick IMO.
2-i see no point of releasing a separate delayed hardware revision for US market. especially when you consider that the rest of the world version lacks the front camera just like every other US phone. the Acer F1(another 1 GHZ 3G phone) has been available for a while and it supports US 3G bands on the same hardware and it even has the front camera.
I don't see the point either - bit silly if you ask me.
3- considering that its the best multimedia phone made by HTC, its lacking the TV-out and the FM-Radio transmitter and better camera(all of which are supported by the N97)
FM what? It still bedazzles me that people listen to FM radio these days. Surely most people have unlimited internet now and like I just use internet radio. More stations! As for the TV-out, again, I don't see the point really. Personally I use my netbook/laptop/pc for plugging into a tv since they can play HD. I supposed it would be nice if you want to show off photos to friends but then we all have facebook these days anyway For me, not a sore exclusion.
4- the included 512MB ROM is a joke. i know that it can be expanded with SD card. but extra flash on the device is always useful. the 1.5 year old Omnia had 8/16/24BG+microSD why cant this have it. adding 8 or 16 GB flash costs HTC almost nothing to add
I love the additional 8GB of the Omnia, but I guess they have to keep costs down somewhere. I have a 16GB micro SD, but when are 24/32 going to be available? Anyone know?
5-lack of stylus: HTC patented the capacitive stylus but they didnt use it. i know the the screen is big enough to be very finger friendly. but its still windows mobile and some applications work need stylus (for example Pocket artist).
I think you can still use a stylus but you have to set it up to do so (I saw it in another post on here).
6- lack of hardware buttons (especially camera). i wish the added 2 or 3 buttons on the empty sides. WM will always make use of the hardware buttons
There is no excuse for extra buttons down the side, although it makes it a bit more sleek I guess. But it's not like it doesn't take photos, it's just a useablitly thing.
7-despite the very high specs, its still less than the minimum Windows mobile7 specs (which requires Tegra level graphics performance acceleration) which means that it will not be
upgradeable to wm7.
I'm not sure that's right is it? In that original Leo thread in the main board, wasn't it confirmed that it will be upgradable? I think it's remains a bit of an unknown at the moment. That said, will wm7 be complete in 12 months? Given M$'s history of keeping to their planned dates, I doubt it. I think cookers will make it happen anyway and if not, in 12 months it will be upgrade time. Did someone say HD3?!
8-i dont understand the 320+128MB. the dedicated 128MB for the low performing graphics chip seems pointless to me. if they are going to put all this memory there why didnt they allocate it to program memory.
This one I have no idea about. Maybe they have something clever up their sleeves?
9- i really love how HTC managed to make the device reasonably small considering the huge 4.3" screen. i still think that its physically too big for many people. the HD was not very pocket friendly and this one is even bigger. i wish the screen was 4.0" or even 3.8". considering their recent improved and more efficient designs, im sure HTC would have been able to even make it friendly for one hand use with a smaller screen.
Well lets look at the iPhone. It's a huge seller. The HD2 is only a couple of mm's wider and taller so I don't see anyone is going to see it as an issue when they put it in their hands.
10- im not too big on the micro-USB connector. they should have at lest included the hard to find mini-USB adapter with it. everybody already has several mini-USB cables/chargers but ive never actually seen a micro USB yet.
I totally disagree here. It's the new universal format. You won't have seen many yet because devices are JUST beginning to emerge with it (ie Omnia 2). Already it's working because Samsung usually have their own proprietary connector so to see them go universal is a fantastic step in the right direction. It would be blind of HTC not to follow. So yes, bin those old Mini-USB
11- they increased up the specs (and power usage i would assume) significantly from the first HD but they reduced the battery size from 1350 to 1250mah!!!. luckily the early reports are suggesting "acceptable" battery life
I really hope it can last at least one full day of decent usage without the requirement of a charge. Surely they wouldn't make this wonderful device then shoot themselves in the foot??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyway some good points there!

7-despite the very high specs, its still less than the minimum Windows mobile7 specs (which requires Tegra level graphics performance acceleration) which means that it will not be
upgradeable to wm7
I'm not sure that's right is it? In that original Leo thread in the main board, wasn't it confirmed that it will be upgradable? I think it's remains a bit of an unknown at the moment. That said, will wm7 be complete in 12 months? Given M$'s history of keeping to their planned dates, I doubt it. I think cookers will make it happen anyway and if not, in 12 months it will be upgrade time. Did someone say HD3?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is very likely WM7 will be out by mid to late next year. WM8 is already being discussed as I understand it and WM6 and 6.5 have been universally panned (and quite rightly).
So if you purchase the HD2 assuming it will be out of date in less than 10 months then all well but I suspect many will not be happy (including me). I don't mind spending extra bucks now to avoid doubling my investment by having to purchase two devices in the space of 10 months!
Do you have the link to the original "in the original Leo thread in the main board, wasn't it confirmed that it will be upgradable? "

add this to the list:
1. lack of full-fledged graphics drivers (3D)
2. lack of d-pad; or trackball like blackberrys

1) Front Camera - most people don't use them so not a big deal
2) Buy the Acer if you like it (have fun)
3) it has got an FM Radio onboard I believe
4) Memory could be better but its got an SD card so just by a 16gb card.
5) The point is you don't need a stylus - am I missing something. If you wannt a Stylus get an Omnia 2
6) The camera button could have been useful - but nobody knows if one of the front buttons cannot be used. Shall we wait till its been reviewed fully before we slag it off.
7) Its been clearly stated that the specs do not say "Tegra" only. Thats just not true. Makes me laugh that a phone with great 3d potential and dedicated memory like the HD2 is being slagged off for no reason.
8) The screen size is the best part of the phone - it can be used to watch video, surf the net, etc. So it has to be big to fit the screen - not an issue.
9) Micro-USB!! - You mean the defacto standard now.
10) Nobody knows about battery life yet so lets hold fire.
Why are you interested in the phone if non of its main selling points you like?

because despite its "limitations" its still a lot better than the rest now.
take a chill pill dude and try to tone-down the fanboiasm. our nitpicking will make it very easy for HTC to make the HD3 a better device. also by highlighting them so early in its life, it will make easy easy for its users to deal with its potential issues

Teneka_Khan said:
1) Front Camera - most people don't use them so not a big deal
2) Buy the Acer if you like it (have fun)
3) it has got an FM Radio onboard I believe
4) Memory could be better but its got an SD card so just by a 16gb card.
5) The point is you don't need a stylus - am I missing something. If you wannt a Stylus get an Omnia 2
6) The camera button could have been useful - but nobody knows if one of the front buttons cannot be used. Shall we wait till its been reviewed fully before we slag it off.
7) Its been clearly stated that the specs do not say "Tegra" only. Thats just not true. Makes me laugh that a phone with great 3d potential and dedicated memory like the HD2 is being slagged off for no reason.
8) The screen size is the best part of the phone - it can be used to watch video, surf the net, etc. So it has to be big to fit the screen - not an issue.
9) Micro-USB!! - You mean the defacto standard now.
10) Nobody knows about battery life yet so lets hold fire.
Why are you interested in the phone if non of its main selling points you like?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haved discovered that it does support WM7http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=7528 states
(QCOM 8k, Nvidia “Tegra” AP15/16* and TI 3430 all meet spec)
Qualcomm 8k = Snapdragon's QSD8xxx-series chips = Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 (which is in the Leo).. so the processor should meet WM7 chassis 1 requirement.
To answer the FM radio question - the answer is YES
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_hd2-2957.php
I agree with the comments above. There is no such thing as a perfect device but you have got to congratulate HTC on the HD2 being one of the closest to it.

alecs said:
I haved discovered that it does support WM7http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=7528 states
(QCOM 8k, Nvidia “Tegra” AP15/16* and TI 3430 all meet spec)
Qualcomm 8k = Snapdragon's QSD8xxx-series chips = Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 (which is in the Leo).. so the processor should meet WM7 chassis 1 requirement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The processor does, but the Chassis 1 spec also specifies at least 1GB of flash (and at least 512mb fast flash).
The HD2 only comes with 512mb internal memory.

Sc4Freak said:
The processor does, but the Chassis 1 spec also specifies at least 1GB of flash (and at least 512mb fast flash).
The HD2 only comes with 512mb internal memory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By 1GB of flash I believe that means available storage i.e. an SD card
Memory: 256MB+ DRAM, 1G+ Flash (at least 512MB fast flash – 5MB/s unbuffered read @4K block size)
I am not sure what fast flash means but these are minumum specs and doesn't mean the device can't run WM7, it may just lag in certain spots though somehow I doubt this thing will lag even on WM7

Is the specified 65k for the screen a hardware or software limitation? I know Windows Mobile 6.5 only supports 65k effective colors, but when WM 7 launches would the device be able to display more colors?

Toss3 said:
Is the specified 65k for the screen a hardware or software limitation? I know Windows Mobile 6.5 only supports 65k effective colors, but when WM 7 launches would the device be able to display more colors?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sure it does . they dont make "65K color display" !

Most mobile phone LCD screens are 262K colours (18-bit). (This includes many of the displays used on phones that are advertised as supporting 24-bit colour.)

manuelcalavera said:
sure it does . they dont make "65K color display" !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But does anyone know the actual maximum bit-depth of the display?

The GRIZZ said:
3- considering that its the best multimedia phone made by HTC, its lacking the TV-out and the FM-Radio transmitter and better camera(all of which are supported by the N97)
FM what? It still bedazzles me that people listen to FM radio these days. Surely most people have unlimited internet now and like I just use internet radio. More stations! As for the TV-out, again, I don't see the point really. Personally I use my netbook/laptop/pc for plugging into a tv since they can play HD. I supposed it would be nice if you want to show off photos to friends but then we all have facebook these days anyway For me, not a sore exclusion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude theres a difference between FM Receiver and FM Transmitter. A FM Transmitter is important for those who own a car. The FM Transmitter can be used to transmit Music at a certain frequency which can be tuned to in the car using the Cars FM Radio!
The HD2 already has a FM Receiver. It might also support FM Transmission capabilities but that depends on which chip its using.
Video Out is certainly a welcome addon. Showing off Photos on a LCD is way better than telling them to login to Facebook! I for one will surely miss the TV Out.
Inspite of that, I consider these two features to be of very less importance when compared to the other feature set. This is the THE KILLER phone everyone was waiting for!

Prefer Touch HD over HD2
I agree with Grizzly on almost every point he's been making so far. Before I catch the flames too I shall start with a story...
My HP iPAQ was stolen from a payphone booth within one minute where I forgot it at an airport a year ago. This was my first real PDA and I was extraordinarily disappointed. I had racked up a lot of apps on it and and had even made the home screen sexy and easy to use with a few mods. Going from interfacing my custom cycles with the PCR machine (lab work) to playing old favourites like SimCity 2000 in lectures was great!
The next thing I obviously wanted was a PDA PHONE, so I didn't have to use a payphone booth again... so I got the Touch HD when it just came out in Oz from Telstra (who still sell it for $1500 - 215% markup). And it was absolutely perfect. Did everything, well supported by the community, and using it as a phone and an organizer that synced with outlook it worked a charm. Then last month getting a taxi back from the pub, I was left at a busway because the taxi driver who was fresh from India could not find my home as it wasn't on the GPS. Calling another taxi I got mugged for it while I was using it, snatched it from my hand. So now I was faced with having to get a new phone.
I have bought a Touch HD again. You see, the HD2 as fantastic as it is, is half way between being a traditional WM phone and an Android phone. Without the use of a stylus, how can you hand write down meeting notes? How can I use all my legacy games and applications? What's the point of having something a little zippier when the new manilla (which is a bit too busy) is going to be hacked onto the Touch HD anyway and it doesn't have the Tegra for true gaming pwnage or audiophile quality audio or a true camera replacement camera? Also the lack of 3G camera ticks me off too. I can't video call my parents in NZ which although is horrendously expensive, I enjoy doing on birthdays and so on - on special occasions we're often away from our computers.
What I am going to do is stick with my tried and tested HD and see if the HD2 has any advantage over the Dragon before I upgrade. Or even other non-HTC devices (god forbid) should they provide Audio/Graphics advantages. Because really the point of this thing is to replace the need to carry around other devices. Otherwise just get something that is only a phone, right?

I just found this vid, shows the games on it and well there is only 1 teeter! How could they cut solitaire and bubble breaker! What am i gonna waste time with now...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntZQ0iXzyvc&feature=player_embedded
Its @ about 2:45

THE GRIZZ said:
our nitpicking will make it very easy for HTC to make the HD3 a better device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very much so. HTC an enormous international company dedicated to producing a whole range of phones and mobile devices needs listen to random forum posters who can't even get their facts straight.
I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you for helping make the HD3 into the perfect device, derailing HTC's initial plans of improving the phone by removing the screen entirely and replacing it with a bar of soap. Your factual inaccuracies are making the mobile world a better place.

Since there is no dedicated off/on hardware ringer switch, is there a way to silence the phone while it is locked?

the volume rocker is normally used for something like that
mr_Ray said:
Very much so. HTC an enormous international company dedicated to producing a whole range of phones and mobile devices needs listen to random forum posters who can't even get their facts straight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please spare us your fan-boyish drivel. What I mentioned in the OP are all valid concerns