Database Users

Might buy a Advantage ...... good idea ?

hi, guys, Im looking to buy a HTC Advantage but not sure if i should.
Right now i own a Hermes, the only thing bothering me is that if i will be able to use it on trains and stuff, (send emails/sms) since it doesn't have a thumb board like the hermes (the only reason i want the Advantage is bigger screen and CPU 624Mhz), im just wondering if on screen input with your fingers is possible without third party software ?

lemonkamamo said:
hi, guys, Im looking to buy a HTC Advantage but not sure if i should.
Right now i own a Hermes, the only thing bothering me is that if i will be able to use it on trains and stuff, (send emails/sms) since it doesn't have a thumb board like the hermes (the only reason i want the Advantage is bigger screen and CPU 624Mhz), im just wondering if on screen input with your fingers is possible without third party software ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't really understand why you ask this. Advantage has a keyboard, which makes it easy to type compare to Hermes. You shouldn't worry about the typing, although it's lacking a number row, the typing is still better then Hermes.

From spect (I don't have it yet) athena far better than hermes

so do you mean can i use the hardware keyboard on trains and in places where a flat surfaceis not available like in my hand? or if not is the software keyboard on the screen good ? can I type on it with my thumbs ?

lemonkamamo said:
so do you mean can i use the hardware keyboard on trains and in places where a flat surfaceis not available like in my hand? or if not is the software keyboard on the screen good ? can I type on it with my thumbs ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The on-screen keyboard is big enough for your thumb Remember the athena has 5 inch screen, so everything on it is big It covers almost the lower half of the screen.

can one of you guys please post a screen shot ? it would make it a lot easier for me to decide if i actually saw the on screen keyboard

lemonkamamo said:
can one of you guys please post a screen shot ? it would make it a lot easier for me to decide if i actually saw the on screen keyboard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
with some time and practice, you can type the hard keyboard without a flat surface easily.

wow cool sounds gooood !

Whats your ring size?
lemonkamamo said:
hi, guys, Im looking to buy a HTC Advantage but not sure if i should.
Right now i own a Hermes, the only thing bothering me is that if i will be able to use it on trains and stuff, (send emails/sms) since it doesn't have a thumb board like the hermes (the only reason i want the Advantage is bigger screen and CPU 624Mhz), im just wondering if on screen input with your fingers is possible without third party software ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi LK
Just checked your question on my Athena, I can tell you the screen keyboard is just 3" (75mm) wide and to do it on the tube with my fingers-impossible without multiple errors. BUT maybe your ring size is like a childs, then maybe you'd succeed. The good news is I tried thumb operate with hardware keyboard and--well lets say I give it the thumbs-up! s'cuse the pun. The magnetic hold is really strong so it aint gonna drop off, you can hold it upside down and shake it, still holds on. Caution don't put it on sensitive magnetic media or it could corrupt data, eg cassette tapes (remember them) hard discs, caddy, laptop etc.
But for a phone/pda your Hermes is a gr8 bit of kit, so compact and useable. I rate the athena as a pda then a phone if you get my drift. Hope you get one and enjoy, also save ur eye strain!
Cheers
Oh an after thought-dont wear steel rings with this one, ya could get locked onto it!

Isn't the keyboard detatchable and attached only by a magnet? How good is it to type while on your hands? Doesn't it increase the risk of a major floor wipe out?

cktlcmd said:
Isn't the keyboard detatchable and attached only by a magnet? How good is it to type while on your hands? Doesn't it increase the risk of a major floor wipe out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only question is what would be after one year of use? Would magnet wear off?

Magnetic keyboard-magnetic device
cktlcmd said:
Isn't the keyboard detatchable and attached only by a magnet? How good is it to type while on your hands? Doesn't it increase the risk of a major floor wipe out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes quite practical to type on hard kb with fingers when Athena in hand. The Keyboard is attached by the magnets only. its amazing but however u try to mis-align it, the thing zaps into the right place! only the mag holds it on, nowt else. If the mag wears out after a year I'll also trade in the alternator off my car but have to wait and see
Cheers
Oh yea,
A SOBERING THOUGHT : If the earths magnetism wears out we'll all hurtle into outer space -- yikes!!

keyboard attachment in tablet mode?

hi all...1st post i believe....
i am interested in this device with some hesitations as with most upscale pda-phones, one cannot go down to the store and play with one so until one can do that , he just makes templates and pretends!
well, i did previously have the i-mate jasjar and loved it, and especially the form factor, which still has me thinking if an htc omni is waiting around the corner...giving time to sell a bunch of advantages first, before the launch, but i digress.
the actual question is whether the keyboard attaches magnetically to the back of the device when using it in tablet mode, so it is in essence always with you and there is no need to remember where you may have put it when using in the tablet mode.
2nd question for you users is if the joystick is appropriately functional to use one handed...at least until the device weighs you down.
thanks in advance
djsell

[email protected] said:
hi all...1st post i believe....
i am interested in this device with some hesitations as with most upscale pda-phones, one cannot go down to the store and play with one so until one can do that , he just makes templates and pretends!
well, i did previously have the i-mate jasjar and loved it, and especially the form factor, which still has me thinking if an htc omni is waiting around the corner...giving time to sell a bunch of advantages first, before the launch, but i digress.
the actual question is whether the keyboard attaches magnetically to the back of the device when using it in tablet mode, so it is in essence always with you and there is no need to remember where you may have put it when using in the tablet mode.
2nd question for you users is if the joystick is appropriately functional to use one handed...at least until the device weighs you down.
thanks in advance
djsell
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On mine, the x7500/Advantage, the keyboard does magnetically attach but it's very weak and slides all over the place. I just keep my device in the case because I've learned that if the case is not protecting the device, the device gets scratched up. Since I keep it in the case, when I do use it in "tablet mode" I just bend the keyboard part of the case behind the main unit and all is well. Hope this answers your question #1. An alternative is to utilize a full screen keyboard and eliminate the use of the hardware keyboard alltogether.
I don't really use the joystick much. I use a combination of Microsoft Voice Command and when I need to browse I use the stylus.
Hope this helps bro.

I use my Dopod u1000 directly in my ocket without any protection case.
Belive me , I was owner of jasjar and HTC Advantage is the only one device so far ...

[email protected] said:
one cannot go down to the store and play with one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know where you are based but my local T-mobile store (in London) was happy for me to play with an Ameo for quite a while (presumably because they get a hefty commission). That may apply elsewhere.
[email protected] said:
well, i did previously have the i-mate jasjar and loved it, and especially the form factor, which still has me thinking if an htc omni is waiting around the corner...giving time to sell a bunch of advantages first, before the launch, but i digress.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too came from a Universal and think the Ameo's great (even more so now I have Salling Clicker!). The Omni keeps on coming and going. Without wishing to be profane - there are other options if you want to keep the Uni format (Imate Ultimate 7150, Toshiba G900 etc)
[email protected] said:
the actual question is whether the keyboard attaches magnetically to the back of the device when using it in tablet mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. I tend to leave the keyboard at home or in the case.
[email protected] said:
2nd question for you users is if the joystick is appropriately functional to use one handed...at least until the device weighs you down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is perfectly positioned for your left thumb in landscape or portrait mode. And the Ameo is not that heavy!

thanks for the responses, they are quite helpful!
responses to some responses:
i am in ann arbor , michigan, USA and t-mobile does not have it available here for "playing"......yet?!?!
i guess the answer to the kb attaching to the back of the device when using in tablet mode is that it does but slides off?, meaning it was not meant to attach or it is faulty, bc from what i see/hear about the magnet it is supposed to be quite strong.
i hesitate to wait for the i-mate ultimate bc in photos it appears "cheap" looking and have found the htc devices are of good, sound durable make, and i have had cheaper devices that are lighter but i believe the sacrifice of durability and incr weight is worth it, ie., the jasjar.
i did not know the G900 was a convertible pda-phone....i will check on it and google "salling clicker", as i have not heard of that either!
for me using the virtual kb defeats the purpose of the form factor as i love to have the device sitting on my bedside table in laptop or reverse laptop mode for viewing and the keyboard acts as the stand/cradle...i guess the advantage could NOT be used in reverse laptop mode as i think of it?!
also, for me the idea of protecting the large screen with the keyboard is a must at all times when stored away.
thanks all, the responses are making me lean toward trading up my o2 xda trion for the advantage.
i wonder if i can sneak it past my wife without her knowing!!
djsell

[email protected] said:
thanks for the responses, they are quite helpful!
i guess the answer to the kb attaching to the back of the device when using in tablet mode is that it does but slides off?, meaning it was not meant to attach or it is faulty, bc from what i see/hear about the magnet it is supposed to be quite strong.
i hesitate to wait for the i-mate ultimate bc in photos it appears "cheap" looking and have found the htc devices are of good, sound durable make, and i have had cheaper devices that are lighter but i believe the sacrifice of durability and incr weight is worth it, ie., the jasjar.
i did not know the G900 was a convertible pda-phone....i will check on it and google "salling clicker", as i have not heard of that either!
for me using the virtual kb defeats the purpose of the form factor as i love to have the device sitting on my bedside table in laptop or reverse laptop mode for viewing and the keyboard acts as the stand/cradle...i guess the advantage could NOT be used in reverse laptop mode as i think of it?!
also, for me the idea of protecting the large screen with the keyboard is a must at all times when stored away.
thanks all, the responses are making me lean toward trading up my o2 xda trion for the advantage.
i wonder if i can sneak it past my wife without her knowing!!
djsell
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK - responses to some of the responses to some of the responses!
Shame there's no unit to play with. I've never understood why it is that some companies expect customers to part with large amounts of money on things like this without being able to try them first. Good luck on that.
The magnet is strong - but only on the front. I have never heard that it was supposed to be usable on the rear. That suprises me a little as suerly that would require some extra shielding??
I agree re HTC phones. I am, however, just about to send my third Universal back to be repaired.
The problem with the trion is that it didn't really add anything over the Uni.
As to protecting the screen - a good screen protector is obviously a must. I have also fitted a body shield.
Good luck
BTW - regarding sneaking it past your wife - you'll be lucky.....

apd,
thanks for the responses to the responses to.........well you know where i'm going!
i'm still caught in that "love the small compact size, but love that large vga screen even better", dilemma...until a fold out screen is reality i have to choose one over the other.
i am a doctor and like to have my device in my pocket all the time to use as my pda-medical software/internet device, camera for lesions, email, etc that is work related, but also use it for mp3 player for the commute home, gps and of course phone. i had the jasjar for about a year but the camera is abysmal and so i had a separate canon camera in the other pocket and it did weigh me down and got hot and uncomfortable in my pockets with 2 devices so i would end up leaving the jasjar on my desk and not using it for work at all!
the trions macro mode camera is quite good for up close photos for documentation and small enough to be comfortable in my pocket, but now i find i need more memory as the micro sd is full at 2 gb w/ music, photos and medical programs and photos, and i do miss the jasjars vga screen and form factor, sooooooooooooooooo, alas the advantage, it would solve the camera, space and screen problems and without the keyboard attached it might be small enough to be in the front pant pocket, but i have to try to see for certain.
i'll probably see if the omni surfaces before getting an advantage, unless i can get a good return policy to trial the advantage.
btw, i almost convinced my wife that my fujitsu 1510 was the same device as my fujitsu T4020 tablet until she heard me calling them different names!!!, i just slipped up!!
have a guiness on me!
djsell

The BBC have just put a video up on the Tech section of the news website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6711785.stm where they look at a Sony Ericsson G-sensor and also demonstrate the Advantage/Athena. I thought they would also mention the g-sensor on that, but they appear to only be interested in the deficiencies in the magnetic attraction between the keyboard and screen. Is it as bad as is shown? I guess the whole idea isn't to walk around and hold the unit by the keyboard though.
Andrew

The keyboard does not stock to the back is the unit. It would only to the front.
However, if you are like me in having discovered a far far better way of entering data, you would see the hardware keyboard as redundant and in fact much inferior method of input. I don't use the supplied keyboard even at home, let alone carry it with me.
I use TenGo software keyboard. It works in both QVGA and VGA mode, it is clever, there is virtually no learning curve, and typing is FAST with this magic.

demagnetizing concerns

hi all,
i am quite seriously considering the 7501 here in the usa, as an upgrade from the hermes, vs the kaiser, or eventual omni.
one large concern is the poss. of the magnet demagnetizing my credit cards.
as i almost had my honeymoon ruined 12 yrs ago in italy when i bought a magnet money clip and put it in the same pocket/area as my wallet, later after my atm card would not work i realized the blunder and have not used it since.
i searched the forums and came up empty.
the question is has any of you advantage users actually had their cards or other magnetic based(hd's) devices demagnetized, and if so can you tell me how exactly it happened in terms of proximity to the cards, length of time in proximity, OR if you have not had any problems and have had the advantage next to your cards/wallet, etc.
i like to use a leather fanny pack when walking/hiking for long distances and keep my wallet, cell phone, dig camera in it together but in diff compartments sep by fabric only.
i would hate to have to think of always keeping my wallet and main device exactly 6.25346???? inches apart to prevent disaster.
secondly maybe you engineers could tell me how to protect the cards in the wallet with a shield of lead( small enough to put in a wallet, of course or other material), or something that would block the magnetization effects.
thanks in advance!!
djsell

has not happen to me.... YET

There are a couple of posts in the Athena forum from members saying that their laptop hard drives have been damaged. Not seen any mention of credit cards though.
I am careful not to get the keyboard of the Athena anywhere near my laptop or wallet, I don't want to be the first to test it...

Haven't you seen Mythbusters?
It isn't possible for any type of commercially-available magnet to wipe a credit card. They tested cards with huge electromagnets and the cards were just fine. It would take at least 1000 gauss to erase a credit card. Most likely the "demagnetized" cards people keep swearing they have are damaged by other means, like scratches on the magnetic stripe. And it wouldn't necessarily have to entirely destroy the data on the stripe; just one well-placed scratch would be enough to destroy just enough data that the reader wouldn't be able to make sense of what it's seeing.

jsp91470 said:
It isn't possible for any type of commercially-available magnet to wipe a credit card. They tested cards with huge electromagnets and the cards were just fine. It would take at least 1000 gauss to erase a credit card. Most likely the "demagnetized" cards people keep swearing they have are damaged by other means, like scratches on the magnetic stripe. And it wouldn't necessarily have to entirely destroy the data on the stripe; just one well-placed scratch would be enough to destroy just enough data that the reader wouldn't be able to make sense of what it's seeing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That said, I believe T-Mobile recommend you keep the Ameo 5cm away from credit cards.

my athena has killed 2 hard drives (both laptop) so it does that, not sure about credit cards...

i just googled "credit cards and magnets" and found serious problems people have said they've encountered with the magnet in the sidekick-3 and losing all data on credit cards, dr. license , and someone tested a card with a 1 second exposure and the card was unrecognizable!!
also the "basics" of credit card magnetic stripes, and they are actual tiny magnets!
not looking good, ...and as this thread plays out some harddrives lost...makes me wonder how the advantages own hd is not affected.
i'll have to read up on "mythbusters", and the myth of these lost hd's and card data...i would love to believe it is a myth!!
the question for me is can i keep the advantage away from my cards and hd's 100% of the time!!!...knowing me, not a chance!!
djsell

The answer is you just need to be a bit careful - don't put the unit or the keyboard on your laptop or wallet. Also, if you are wearing a jacket with your unit in one breast pocket and your wallet in the other and put the jacket down on a flat surface, take one or other out before you do!!!!!

the answer is yes to credit cards in my x7500 manual it says to keep it away from credit cards and mag stripes as it can possibly harm them.
its just a warning not a guarantee just thought id throw this in there

Hi,
I can only speak of my own experience: on two separate occasions my Athena rendered my daily parking ticket (which is made of paper with a thin magnetic stripe) completely unreadable by the automatic cashier mashine.
Once the ticket was put in my bag right on top of the Athena(bad idea...). The other time I had the ticket in my shirt pocket and the Athena in my inside coat pocket, so the two of them were only separated by a few layers of fabric...
Since these two incidents I try to keep my Athena separated from anything electronic and/or magnetic. And if someone came up with a way to remove the magnet I'd be happy to test (I don't use the keyboard anymore).
Regards,
Silviu

The whole magnet keyboard thing is a bad design IMHO. Carrying around magnets with you 24/7 can't be a good thing. I do know people use magnets for therapy.
But for everything else it can just cause a problem. They should have just done away with the keyboard all together or done it the smart way like the Universal. Swivel style.
Sure the Omni might have this design but is the Omni going to have a 5" screen. I bet not.

I remember seeing something about removing the magnet(s) here on XDA-devs. If HTC puts them in, I'm sure some intrepid XDAer has/will take them out...

I've not managed to kill any of my cards (as yet), but now the UK's moved over to Chip and Pin, the stripe barely gets used. No problems with the storecards in their either mind. I quite often carry my wallet atop the closed Ameo. I have managed to knacker one lappy hdd though with my Ameo.
One thing I have noticed is the magnet seems to be quite focused - its grab doesnt seem to emit too far from the bottom of the device. However, the keyboard seems to have far greater radiance than the gadget (from holding them both upto a CRT).

thanks for all the feedback....still undecided on the advantage, i agree that if htc simply used the universals swivel design this would have alleviated a lot of poss problems....no magnet problems, adjustable viewing angles in laptop mode, no losing the kb or keeping track of it, etc., ....well i'll wait a few wks for the poss omni...kaiser still will be with an unprotected screen.
i loved the universal but for me it was quite slow, and the camera was essentially unuseable for my purposes, and important to have in the device.
ces la vie!!
djsell

[email protected] said:
thanks for all the feedback....still undecided on the advantage, i agree that if htc simply used the universals swivel design this would have alleviated a lot of poss problems....no magnet problems, adjustable viewing angles in laptop mode, no losing the kb or keeping track of it, etc., ....well i'll wait a few wks for the poss omni...kaiser still will be with an unprotected screen.
i loved the universal but for me it was quite slow, and the camera was essentially unuseable for my purposes, and important to have in the device.
ces la vie!!
djsell
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoah there!!! Every PDA I've ever had had its drawbacks - each of which you had to find a workaround for. It is true that the magnets require a bit of careful thought but they are the issue you come up with a workaround for. There are other minor issues but generally the Ameo is fantastic - and I defy you to go back to a smaller screen once you've tried it!!!!

I have been able to kill two hotel keycards with my X7500. Another one to be wary about, since you will need to walk back aaaaalllllll the way down to reception...

silviu.h said:
Hi,
I can only speak of my own experience: on two separate occasions my Athena rendered my daily parking ticket (which is made of paper with a thin magnetic stripe) completely unreadable by the automatic cashier mashine.
Regards,
Silviu
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me to... thankfully it had my entry time printed on the ticket and so I wasn't charged a full day (it was airport parking too - very pricey).
Most of my credit/debit cards are probably already wiped by my Ameo, not sure, but I've not had a card swip done in ages since chip and pin so I suppose I'll only find out when I go to the one place that still relies on mag-stripe technology.

i agree apd,
my real objective...so i tell myself....is to find that near perfect all in one device to use for the longest poss period of time w/o having to continually switch to another phone and reload all my software and endure the new horrors of active sync, i am a physician that basically has the patience, with tech devices, that is, of a newborn baby looking for a nipple!!...I HAVE NOT MUCH, and i want everything to work fairly well and w/o side effects and time consumption.
i loved my universal ( you're right the vga screen!! ) and stuck with it for about a year, which as you know in gadget years, thats about 80 years!, but i really need a camera for my work, and its is insuff, so i had to carry a 2nd device, a dig camera which defeats the purpose.......anyway i just want to avoid the SERIOUS side effects which could be credit card dysfunction, harddrive loss, etc and certainly could live with the viewing angle, and size , since its evidently not that much larger than the universal.
we'll see...the omni proposes a 4" vga screen, 3mp camera,swivel design (minus magnets), and all the other stuff, minus the 8 gb hd, but with micro sd now coming out with 8 gd memory, thats ok.
maybe in its case i could slip in a material that would block the magnetization??!!
btw, here in the usa everything on cards seems to be magnetized still!!
djsell

Doodle said:
I have been able to kill two hotel keycards with my X7500. Another one to be wary about, since you will need to walk back aaaaalllllll the way down to reception...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
me two and the first time i only had my pants and socks on went next door to borrow somthing of my work colleage, at least the receptionist found it amusing

Well I was watching Discovery Channel about a yr back. N I remember watching Myth Busters. They did a test about demagnetizing a credit card and the results were if u wanna demagnetize ur credit card...... the amount of energy required would actually destroy the card into pieces first..... I Doubt Athena has the power to do that... =D.....
Cheers

Stylus falls out the HD

At this point I've lost both the stylus that came with the HD.
I'm MAD!!!
It takes just a small push to eject the styles from the magnetic grip.
I've had it fall out removing it from the pocket of my jacket, the car holder and I don't even wan't to mention the strangle hold the supplied sleeve has on the HD.
I truly believe this design is flawed. The magnetic lock is far to weak (g-sensor protection i've read somewhere?).
I don't use the stylus with the HD, it's fine working with my finger, but now there's a gaping hole on the BOTTOM right side.
I guess if they had put the stylus on top, gravity wouldn't have been a issue!
My previous (and I can proudly say stil operational phone, the S100/ Magician, had the top insert design, and is still using the original stylus).
That's 3.5 years compared to 2 weeks.........
Am I the only one, this must be a problem for than e few?
Kenneth Tan.

I wouldn't like for it to be harder to take the stylus out, the resistance seem just right. 3 weeks, and the stylus hasn't fallen out unintentionally once.

I agree, the stylus is excelent.
hungry hippo said:
I wouldn't like for it to be harder to take the stylus out, the resistance seem just right. 3 weeks, and the stylus hasn't fallen out unintentionally once.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Just thought that I would mention that I'm using a 3-in-1 stylus from my Trinity. It's a tight fit, but not too tight if you know what I mean! The main reason I've done this is because I like to always have an ink pen with me. The bottom of the stylus sits flush with the same curve/corner as the bottom of the HD. It sticks out the side a bit more and if viewed closely you can tell it's not the original fit. I'll try to attach some pics...

Mine stylus doesn't fall out also, it's holding firmly to the phone and the magnet doesn't allow it to fall out. Even when i pull it out from the tight pouch that came with phone everything is OK.
You should consider calling your supplier to ask about that flaw your HD has...
Cheers

Yes I should also say that my original stylus never fell out, the magnet worked very well. In fact the magnet was so strong that it would even hold/attach outside the device!
The only reason that I've changed stylus is to have a pen with me.

Noony said:
Yes I should also say that my original stylus never fell out, the magnet worked very well. In fact the magnet was so strong that it would even hold/attach outside the device!
The only reason that I've changed stylus is to have a pen with me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But if every time you need a pen you will be waking up the device. Is that a good idea? Is the length of the stylus really comfortable for writing as a pen?

the stylus is magnetised or its holder is magnetised. Must be something to do with that.

eaglesteve said:
But if every time you need a pen you will be waking up the device. Is that a good idea? Is the length of the stylus really comfortable for writing as a pen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been using a stylus with a built in pen for over 8 years (various devices/stylus). You get used to the size and generally the most you ever need it for it signing something or just writing a short note or filling in a short form. Yes I would use a normal pen if available but it's just something I always liked hidden in my phone - just in case!
I personally don't mind the HD powering on when the stylus is taken out (it even bypasses the automatic lock that I've set up) because 95% of the time I am using the device and the other 5% of the time I'm glad that I've got the little pen with me.
It's all about personal preferences and what works for you...

frustin said:
the stylus is magnetised or its holder is magnetised. Must be something to do with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes they are BOTH magnetised.

Noony said:
I've been using a stylus with a built in pen for over 8 years (various devices/stylus). You get used to the size and generally the most you ever need it for it signing something or just writing a short note or filling in a short form. Yes I would use a normal pen if available but it's just something I always liked hidden in my phone - just in case!
I personally don't mind the HD powering on when the stylus is taken out (it even bypasses the automatic lock that I've set up) because 95% of the time I am using the device and the other 5% of the time I'm glad that I've got the little pen with me.
It's all about personal preferences and what works for you...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's true.

HTC patent for Capacitive screen stylus....

Found this interesting item on pocketnow.com Htc seem to be working on a stylus for capacitive screens. Should be interesting
http://pocketnow.com/tech-news/htc-brings-stylus-accuracy-to-capacitive-touchscreen-in-new-patent

old news.....

Question is if some support must not be built in the device. There is no public working prototype, and no one said it could work with existing displays. So don't hope too much ..

Old news alright, I was hoping this device would ship with the stylus, now hoping its available to purchase separately at some stage (SCUMMVM benefits from this, as do a few other things, not needed at all for usual use of the handset).

NZtechfreak said:
Old news alright, I was hoping this device would ship with the stylus, now hoping its available to purchase separately at some stage (SCUMMVM benefits from this, as do a few other things, not needed at all for usual use of the handset).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where are you planning to stick the stylus in?
There is no hole in the HD2 so it's useless..

Xeon said:
where are you planning to stick the stylus in?
There is no hole in the HD2 so it's useless..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ah ok, if your phone doesnt have a hole for the stylus, your keyring, pens, wallet and similar, you can't carry one with you.

I've been waiting for it ever since i first read about it..
come on..

You can already get a stylus for a capacitive screen, the HTC one might be nicer - who knows. Some have inbuilt pens etc.

The HTC one is much nicer, it looks like an ordinary stylus with a pointy tip. The existing ones have big fat heads, which kinda defeats the purpose of having a stylus in the first place...

NZtechfreak said:
defeats the purpose of having a stylus in the first place...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
absolutely!!!!!!!! what's the point? :S gimme the pointy ones

NZtechfreak said:
The HTC one is much nicer, it looks like an ordinary stylus with a pointy tip. The existing ones have big fat heads, which kinda defeats the purpose of having a stylus in the first place...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, I like the HTC version the best, however, until they come out you really only have two options...
1. Get over having a stylus (not realistic for some)
2. Buy the current versions and at least have a working solution until the HTC ones area available.

I'm in the camp that don't need a stylus, I'd just like to have one for the occasional use, so I'm happy to wait until HTC release theirs (or someone else comes up with a palatable alternative).

Nighthawk said:
I agree, I like the HTC version the best, however, until they come out you really only have two options...
1. Get over having a stylus (not realistic for some)
2. Buy the current versions and at least have a working solution until the HTC ones area available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3. Don't buy an HD2 in the first place. It's not the law that you have to.

I ordered a Pogo stylus with a soft tip and big head only for use when I go out with gloves... I would love a pointy tip one though so that I can run through some WM app's menus a lot easier.... I suspect the little scroll bars that pop up during some app settings changes are going to be hard to do without one

*** Controversial statements warning ***
If a capacitive screen designed for finger-only use was a good idea, there would be no market for a capacitive stylus.
If the HTC stylus works well and is affordable, I have to wonder why it's not already on the market

Nighthawk said:
You can already get a stylus for a capacitive screen, the HTC one might be nicer - who knows. Some have inbuilt pens etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed x2! have you seen the ones on eBay? the tips are as big as your finger tip!!

mr_Ray said:
3. Don't buy an HD2 in the first place. It's not the law that you have to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From a work perspective it is.

eskasi said:
I ordered a Pogo stylus with a soft tip and big head only for use when I go out with gloves...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, will that work? I'd assumed that a capacitive stylus works by establishing an electrical connection between the screen and your skin. If so then it won't work unless your skin is in direct contact with the stylus - so even a conductive stylus won't work if you're wearing gloves.

According to the report, the stylus will replace the electrical connection with the skin with some sort of magnet. If it was that easy...
I wonder if it would work if one were to dissect off a square centimetre of skin and glue it to the tip of one of the old fashined styluses...?

Cmon guys,
i have both HD and HD2 and i used the stylus on HD for less 5% of the time (never for writing). Now with HD2 i don`t even think to stylus.
I have over 100Kg so my hands were not very slim