Database Users

Xperia X1 to Touch HD - My thoughts and experiences

First off, this device is by far the best windows mobile device that I have used. I only considered WM devices when choosing this because I am dependent on expensive WM applications that I have bought for work.
I recently upgraded from an XDA touch cruise (Polaris) to an Xperia X1. That phone was great, really very fun to use. The screen was very sharp and the optical device made navigation excellent and kept screen touches to a minimum. I was initially disappointed with the keyboard and thought I would get used to it but I never did. I began to question whether I actually needed a hard keyboard. Also the bluetooth issue really bothered me and I really wanted more screen real estate more than any other feature. As a side note I thought the panels were a useless gimmic, I personally found them slow and without any real use.
After two weeks I got upgrade fever again and sold the X1 on ebay in order to buy a simfree Touch HD. This upgrade was effectively cost neutral and I waited patiently for my Touch HD. Here are my pros and cons
PROS
1 - The screen. It is glorious. The resolution and size are unparalled on a handheld device in this country. It is so user friendly and very sharp. Skyscape ebooks display beautifully. Viewing websites on Opera is also far superior to the X1 as despite similar resolution - the size makes all the diffence. It compares very well beside my new ipod touch (2nd gen) - the brightness on full is about 80% of the ipods brightness but it is still sufficient to render excellent contrast ratios. Where this screen smashes the ipod is in resolution - text on websites is very sharp when on full screen compared to the apples soft blurry rendering which suffers as it does not have as many pixels per inch.
2 - User friendly and it just works. Seemless connection via bluetooth activesync, connects beautifully without problem to my Parrot CK3200 car kit with full phonebook synchronisation (inc battery/signal strength bars). Mapped some of the buttons using aebplus and that increases the useability further. You quickly get used to not having a dpad and it becomes enjoyable interacting with the device without a stylus - I havent had to use mine yet.
3 - Haptic feedback is a nice touch
4 - Very fast GPS tracking when you turn on TomTom7
5 - Jetcet wireless printing is a useful bonus add on - however I cannot get it set up correctly with my ML1510 laser printer connected to an airport express.
6 - Accelerometer paired with Gyrator 2 is wonderful!
CONS -
1 - Its been said before but the lack of proper calendar implementation including tasks into TF3D is very disappointing. I currently have only one appointment on the display depsite having a full weeks schedule. If I add another appointment for today then it will display on the home screen but not tomorrow Like many others, I have missed birthdays and appointments because of this omission. I dont personally want to get rid of it and use SPB shell because it helps define the device itself! I would be willing to pay to get this properly implemented.
2 - GPS does lag by 1-2 seconds on TomTom which despite my heavy GPS use does not really affect me however if it bothers you it is worth considering. The lag is the same as the Polaris. On the X1 the lag was only 0.5-1 second
3 - I cannot map the home button or long press end key yet - I will continue to plug away at this.
So in summary the best phone and handheld device I have used. I am keeping this phone and really enjoying using it! Hope this helps people who may be unsure what they are looking for.

Thanks for the comparison The_Flyer
I was in the X1 vs. Touch HD dilemma but have since opted for the Touch HD.... it would be nice if it arrived though.
The killer point for me was the large touchscreen. I am fine using my finger and a stylus for writing so I didn't really need the hardware keyboard.

SingaporeAirlines said:
Thanks for the comparison The_Flyer
I was in the X1 vs. Touch HD dilemma but have since opted for the Touch HD.... it would be nice if it arrived though.
The killer point for me was the large touchscreen. I am fine using my finger and a stylus for writing so I didn't really need the hardware keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was wondering between the two myself, and then i asked myself do I need a hardware keyboard?
Turns out i don't need it.

I actually went into the Voda shop, with a bunch of dosh in my hand, ready to walk out with an X1.
They had a demo one, which I played with - and was reasonably impressed with.
Got ready to do the deal - quoted the Voda web site prices - "oh no, we're not allowed to match them"...
At the time I was gutted (and I certainly wasn't prepared to pay an extra £10 per month for the same deal), so wanderred across to phones4u.
Came out of there with my head swimming with options, and decided I'd best do some more research - things had obviously moved on a bit in the 3 months LOL
long story short (ish) - HD arrives tomorrow
(though it should have been today )
nice write up the_flyer

the_flyer said:
CONS -
1 - Its been said before but the lack of proper calendar implementation including tasks into TF3D is very disappointing. I currently have only one appointment on the display depsite having a full weeks schedule. If I add another appointment for today then it will display on the home screen but not tomorrow Like many others, I have missed birthdays and appointments because of this omission. I dont personally want to get rid of it and use SPB shell because it helps define the device itself! I would be willing to pay to get this properly implemented.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you had a look at Pocket Informant with its touch features. Maybe this will help. Can't say as I don't have the HD yet, but using an eten x500 at the moment.

Thanks - I am currently using pocket informant and it works great as a today plug in however it does not integrate within TF3D and hence the love TF3D has to be deactivated for it to work. Function v aesthetics

Nokia E90 user considering a Touch HD

Hi all,
I have a Nokia E90 and I am considering getting a Touch HD.
I really like my E90 screen, its fantastic for viewing ebooks and the internet but I am finding the email client quite awful and I fancy a change.
Things i like about the E90 - Screen, keyboard, camera (it meets my needs), internal screen is always protected, battery life,
Things i hate about the E90 - Awful email client, no spell checker, default browers is extremely slow (resolved by Opera Mini but no flashlite support).
So how much of an improvement will the Touch HD be from my E90? I have read about GPS lag issues and no support for flashlite with the default browser. The Camera is 5pm, but how will that compare to my E90 considering that the HD doesnt have a flash.
My current contract is up at the end of March so i have some time to decide.

Hey!
I had an e90 a while back when they were just out and i did love the keyboard!
I have a touch HD now and it just feels a better phone, the only problme i can see you having is giving up the keyboard. the HD's does have a decent keyboard and you can get quick quick with it with, but for really long emails 1000+ words it may be annoying, you could aloways buy a b/t keyboard if this will be an issue
The screen is very good for reading pdf's and does scale them quite well, the camera is ok, nothing spectacular, however there may be improvemnts with a new progrma so if camera isnt an issue you wont be wowed but you wont be dissapointed,
As for Flash, some roms have it installed already so that you can watch youtube vids direclty in opera and there is also flashlite avaliable to satisfy your needs
Thanks

can you view embedded videos from the BBC website with these roms?

ive just tried and it says that i dont have teh correct plugins, this may be an easy thing to solve though
Iplayer does work but you need to change a few things so thats always a plus

silly question time.....how do you lock the screen when your in touch flo? I have seen older windows mobile devices before the invention of touch flo and i could have the screen lock option on the today screen.
What about the LED notification, i believe its a very small light by the power screen, is that sufficent enough? Does the device wake up from standby when you receive a new email/sms?
Can outlook mobile read HTML emails?
Finally, what is the alarm function like? On my E90, i can set the alarm and power down the device. The phone then turns on automatically to sound the alarm.

you can pretty much lock the screen by pressing the power button on the top, then the devices doesnt do anyting till you tap the power button again,
there are popular programs like slide2unlock which gives this process a bit smoother iphoneesque look.
the LED is small but it doenst particulary bother me since i hear or feel it when a new message arrives anyway, i beleive tehre is a fix so that the device wakes up on email/message
Not sure if outlook mobile read HTML emails but i would assume so being a microsoft phone!
Yeah the alarm is teh same as the e90, you can even make it sound the alrm tone if the device is in silent mode, again there are 3rd partsy apps on here avaliabel for free which allow more customisation

excellent. Now my options are to stick with T-mobile and get the Touch Pro or move over to O2 and get the Touch HD.
Touch HD looks like the better of the two devices especially as i am going from the large E90 screen.
How does the pictures from the HD look? Im alittle worried as there is no flash.

in daylght there very nice,
sometimes in the dark the focus doenst work great, but is still ok
Its prob on par with the e90 if my memory serves me correct

sounds like the HD has all the ticks in the right place for me.
Oh, another question. The Touch HD supports HSDPA at 7.3 odd, im sure this is faster then the E90.
Is the internet on the Touch HD considerably faster then the E90?

yeah it supports HSPDA up to 7.2 mbit, so you get roughly 850k a sec actual download speeds, browisng is pretty nippy on the device, much faster than the e90 which used to take an age to start,
Opera mini is best for mobile surfing as i has quite a nice interface,
It depends weather 02 actually offer and allow you to use 7.2mbps though!

so opera mini on the HD is better then the supplied opera brower? I have mini on my E90 and it doesnt support flashlite.
Thats a good point, i will need to double check with O2 about the speeds!

I dont' know about the camera of the E90, but my wife has got an N95 and it takes WAAAY better pictures than the HD...

I've also owned the E90 before switching to the HD. The only thing I missed was:
- camera on E90 is better (better shuttertime settings)

One of the things that I didn't consider was battery life. I use push Exchange email, and my E90 (and E71) lasted me about 1.5 days. With the Touch HD I get around 18-20 hours (not even 1 day!). If I use browsing or calling a little more than what I normally do, the battery lasts me about 15 hours. Hence, please look at your usage pattern as well.
This is the only negative on an otherwise very good phone based on my utilization pattern. The other nice-to-have would be that the power button is currently too small and too flush with the phone. Either it could have been larger, or it could have been placed to come out of the phone like a button.

Those are very low numbers, my E90 lasted as one of the longest of all phones I've used, sometimes over 4 days.
For the HD, the battery life is far less. However, i've installed SPB PhoneSuite, which enables you to switch of connections at night and saving a lot of battery life.

I had an e90 before the hd and have to say atm its the better device,particularly out of the box.
take away the obvious selling point of the hd screen its a lot less work to enjoy the nokia.
im really enjoying the hd but the e90 was the superior device for me. battery, camera,operation and speed were all way ahead for a business phone. in fact the only drawbacks for me were the weight, no 'cool' touchscreen, and as you say, certain email restrictions.
if you're willing to put the time in I doubt you'll regret the hd but it could depend how well you can adjust without a great physical keyboard and currently a poor camera.

Guys i have some more questions regarding the Touch HD.
I really like my current alarm system on the Nokia E90. I set my alarm and then turn the phone off, the E90 then turns on by itself and sounds the alarm (which is pretty dam loud and vibration is VERY strong).
Question: What is the alarm like on the Touch HD? Will i be able to turn the device off and have it turn on by itself to sound the alarm?
Another question i have is in relation to the calendar nofication on touch flo. How many advanced calendar notifications are displayed on the first tab of touch flo? Can this be changed or altered? Also are tasks displayed?
Third and final question, my brother let me take a look at his HTC Kaiser and the camera application was just awful. It was extremely slow to refresh and it was jerking all over the place. Is this the case with the Touch HD?
Thanks,
c

The camera on the touch HD is really lame. There's no hardware button, so when you push the button on screen there's up to a 3 - 5 second delay before the picture's actually taken!! By that time the subject of the picture has far gone lol.
I've got a Touch HD and i'm thinking of going to the E90. I know the nokia is 2 years old now and it does bother me to "downgrade" but i really like the look of the e90!
Are you in the UK? Maybe we could organise a week swap or somethin?

I would go for the E 71 if I were you ,it has a good keyboard,excellent battery and is much easier to use and smaller than the E 90.I have one as a replacement for an HTC Diamond ,the battery lasts 3 times more and the hard keys do everything ....maybe in a not so cool way but they are far more practical.

Gatecra5her said:
The camera on the touch HD is really lame. There's no hardware button, so when you push the button on screen there's up to a 3 - 5 second delay before the picture's actually taken!! By that time the subject of the picture has far gone lol.
I've got a Touch HD and i'm thinking of going to the E90. I know the nokia is 2 years old now and it does bother me to "downgrade" but i really like the look of the e90!
Are you in the UK? Maybe we could organise a week swap or somethin?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait for the N97! Very E90 like but much improved and new features.
I also own a E90 and Touch HD. Touch HD felt first pretty sluggish and not so business oriented. But now with cooked rom and manilla disabled (I use Spb Mobile Shell, imho much better for business use), its a much better device than before.
I hate the text input, i think its propably 3x slower and 5x more fustrating to write emails with it. Also camera sucks and its pretty much useless inside buildings, compared to E90.
Im eagarly waiting for the N97, will propably swap my E90 to that one.

is everyone happy with touch hd?

Never & ever be the case, I guess.
I just got touch hd last week and personally I am not that happy with it.
Previously I used Axim x51v for some years for navigation with external bluetooth based gps reveiver.
#1. I miss the hard key to turn on/off the bluetooth/wifi
#2. I miss the led indicator of the wireless status
#3. for touch camera, I also miss the hard key to trigger it.
Maybe I am old fashioned. For touch screen, I should use the on screen button. But I do feel a bit inconvenient.
#4. The touch screen doesn't respond to touch. You must press with some strength. It is even worse than Axim 51v.
#5. difficult to plug in/out sd card
#6. I soft reset axim once/twice a week to get best performance. But to access soft reset button is not convenient.
#7. I miss the D-pad.
Apart from that, I got a bad pitch on the upper left screen.
My axim x51v doesn't have any bad pitch after years of heavy use.
Should I keep it or return it?

im playing with it for about 7weeks and hmm...
1. Useless
2. ye i miss it too but hm.. i wasnt look at it anyway.
3. yup its a very bad. to aim focus and shoot. but it a pda not camera.
4. no, no, no I didn't have x51 but thd screen is I think very good with response.
5. dont tell me you changeing card every 5 mins
6. this is becouse you dont need to reset it. (htc thoughts) IMO is not so hard to get to it.
7. hmm in first week I miss it too then i realise its not nessesery.
i think you can keep it one more week and then ask yourself. shoud i sell it or not.

Most of your issues are things that you should have known about before you bought it. If they bother you then why did you buy it?
As for the soft reset button being hard to access - you don't need to use the soft reset button to do a soft reset. Just press and hold the power button for a few seconds. Easy!

It depends on how you see it.. Compared to my other touchscreens telephones the Blackstone rulez!
But then the downparts..
1. Its slow and laggy
2. Its buggy and unstable but I guess and hopes that this is the windows version and that some cooked roms makes it more stable..
3. Crappy sound quality with the 3.5 headphone output
4. Got damn I will NEVER EVER have a phone without a REAL hardware keyboard!
5. Did I mention that typing on the screen SUX?
And yes I still have the default ROM, since Im running Windows 7 Beta 1 I havent been able to hax0r the phone so I can try other ROMs..

henrik.dk said:
Never & ever be the case, I guess.
I just got touch hd last week and personally I am not that happy with it.
Previously I used Axim x51v for some years for navigation with external bluetooth based gps reveiver.
#1. I miss the hard key to turn on/off the bluetooth/wifi
#2. I miss the led indicator of the wireless status
#3. for touch camera, I also miss the hard key to trigger it.
Maybe I am old fashioned. For touch screen, I should use the on screen button. But I do feel a bit inconvenient.
#4. The touch screen doesn't respond to touch. You must press with some strength. It is even worse than Axim 51v.
#5. difficult to plug in/out sd card
#6. I soft reset axim once/twice a week to get best performance. But to access soft reset button is not convenient.
#7. I miss the D-pad.
Apart from that, I got a bad pitch on the upper left screen.
My axim x51v doesn't have any bad pitch after years of heavy use.
Should I keep it or return it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too was disappointed slightly with the HD when I first bought. But I stuck with it, tweaked it and I'm now a lot happier than I was.
#1. I miss the hard key to turn on/off the bluetooth/wifi. To navigate to Comm Manager and use on/off function is very straight forward. Takes 3 buttons presses at most.
#2. I miss the led indicator of the wireless status. You can download different task bar icons, countless available if you search whoch have better wireless status indicators
#3. for touch camera, I also miss the hard key to trigger it. You can use apps like HD Tweak or AEB Plus and remap soft keys so camera is one click away
#4. The touch screen doesn't respond to touch. You must press with some strength. It is even worse than Axim 51v. Again use HD Tweak and change sensitivity of touch press
#5. difficult to plug in/out sd card. Gonna have to live with this one. Not as bad as you think compared to some other phones
#6. I soft reset axim once/twice a week to get best performance. But to access soft reset button is not convenient. Try using Touch Off. Easy app for soft reset/trun off etc
#7. I miss the D-pad. Use 3rd party apps. Can be found in Themes, Applications and Software forum
To improve performance I'd recommend reading up on the wiki for some tips. HD Tweak & Advanced Config shoould also help. Also, there our countless cooked roms out there which have been tweaked for performance. All you need to do is search!!

my X1 is better...

Thank you for all these information.
The capability to adjust touch sensitivity is really super. I will definitely try it.
Do you have any recommendation of wireless tools also?
Regarding D-pad, I really cannot image it can be implemented by 3rd applications.
But your response had made me think that I should keep it ....
Fallen Spartan said:
I too was disappointed slightly with the HD when I first bought. But I stuck with it, tweaked it and I'm now a lot happier than I was.
#1. I miss the hard key to turn on/off the bluetooth/wifi. To navigate to Comm Manager and use on/off function is very straight forward. Takes 3 buttons presses at most.
#2. I miss the led indicator of the wireless status. You can download different task bar icons, countless available if you search whoch have better wireless status indicators
#3. for touch camera, I also miss the hard key to trigger it. You can use apps like HD Tweak or AEB Plus and remap soft keys so camera is one click away
#4. The touch screen doesn't respond to touch. You must press with some strength. It is even worse than Axim 51v. Again use HD Tweak and change sensitivity of touch press
#5. difficult to plug in/out sd card. Gonna have to live with this one. Not as bad as you think compared to some other phones
#6. I soft reset axim once/twice a week to get best performance. But to access soft reset button is not convenient. Try using Touch Off. Easy app for soft reset/trun off etc
#7. I miss the D-pad. Use 3rd party apps. Can be found in Themes, Applications and Software forum
To improve performance I'd recommend reading up on the wiki for some tips. HD Tweak & Advanced Config shoould also help. Also, there our countless cooked roms out there which have been tweaked for performance. All you need to do is search!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

complain - as it worth to complain.
I really cannot live with phone+axim+gps when I go outdoors.
Moandal said:
Most of your issues are things that you should have known about before you bought it. If they bother you then why did you buy it?
As for the soft reset button being hard to access - you don't need to use the soft reset button to do a soft reset. Just press and hold the power button for a few seconds. Easy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

i came from X1 I LOVE THE HD

I bought mine in Dec 08, and so far ive been real disappointed.
* constant lag
* battery sucks
* non standard USB port
* Flaky paint work
but the biggest critism is the lack of structured apps compared to the iphone and android phones. I'll gladly pay for apps that are easy to download and install, hell even nokia have their own store.
Seems to me HTC just rushed through these phones without thinking of after sales products.
Ive always disliked Apple but im seriously going to have a look at the new iphone this summer....anyone wanna buy my HD

henrik.dk said:
Thank you for all these information.
The capability to adjust touch sensitivity is really super. I will definitely try it.
Do you have any recommendation of wireless tools also?
Regarding D-pad, I really cannot image it can be implemented by 3rd applications.
But your response had made me think that I should keep it ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to themes, Applications and software and type in D-Pad and see whats going on. They're is currently threads on this where some have acheived a simple D-pad and others are still trying to implement more advanced ones. Also search under mortscript and a game pad similar to the nintendo gameboy has been created for your gaming needs.
For every fault which the HD has, someone in this excellent community has either fixed it or is trying to fix it. You just have to know where to search mate.
Only things which can't be fixed are hardware ones like increasing camera quality or flashlight. Otherwise, happy searching!!

sthapa said:
......but the biggest critism is the lack of structured apps compared to the iphone and android phones. I'll gladly pay for apps that are easy to download and install, hell even nokia have their own store.
Seems to me HTC just rushed through these phones without thinking of after sales products.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iphone approve every game which appears on their device. Because the HD is WM they cannot approve every game as anyone can basically create games for windows. This is the main reason my HTC do not provide one web site for all apps & games.
Typical websites for apps and games would be:
www.handango.com
www.pocketgear.com
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/?en

henrik.dk said:
Do you have any recommendation of wireless tools also?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could try these 2 amongst others

but spartan, why do HTC need permission to sell games/app that run on WM ?

Sometimes people just complain for the sake of complaining
sthapa said:
I bought mine in Dec 08, and so far ive been real disappointed.
* constant lag
* battery sucks
* non standard USB port
* Flaky paint work
but the biggest critism is the lack of structured apps compared to the iphone and android phones. I'll gladly pay for apps that are easy to download and install, hell even nokia have their own store.
Seems to me HTC just rushed through these phones without thinking of after sales products.
Ive always disliked Apple but im seriously going to have a look at the new iphone this summer....anyone wanna buy my HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Constant lag? Mine is as fast as I need, and that's quick.
Battery sucks? I have no problem going a full day using virtually everything, and talking a few hours on the phone. After that, I recharge it through my USB port and up-date everything via ActiveSync. Perfect!
Non-standard USB port? Oh, please. The standard USB port fits perfectly. I use a standard USB port to connect my computer to the HD.
Flaky paint work? I haven't had a single flake of paint since I bought it four months ago. Perhaps you have a bad batch.
Don't paint every HD with the same brush. Your complaints are irrelevant to me because they simply are not true when you apply them to my HD.
Peter

sthapa said:
but spartan, why do HTC need permission to sell games/app that run on WM ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you may need to re-read his post

sthapa said:
but spartan, why do HTC need permission to sell games/app that run on WM ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think what spartan was referring to is the fact that the iphone is locked (unless you JB it) They control what you can and can't have whereas WM you are free to have anything you like.
There are millions of apps/games/etc for WM phones so all you need do is search on forums like this and on the net to get what you want. HTC don't need get any permission because ultimately they don't control the phone. It's up to you to install what you want. HTC are in the business of providing phones not the 3rd party programs you run on them.
As regards the thread: I'm very happy with my HD. I'm not a camera user so this aspect of the phone has never bothered me, I just look at it as an extremely handy extra feature.
Soft reset - just install a program as has been said
SD card - Not needed to swap the 8Gb card as yet and can't see any real instances where I'd be constantly needing to swap it with any frequency.
Dpad - never used it on my trinity so not missed it on the HD
Battery life is amazing - I have watched all 3 Pirates of the Caribbean films on 1 charged battery (that was one hell of a long day waiting round for people i can tell you!)
After about 2 months of constant (reasonably heavy) use there are no visible marks or scratches on the phone and people are constantly amazed at it's looks.
So all in all I'm happy but perhaps I'm less fussy than most people here.

The phone Rulez. Period
Sure, a D-pad would be nice and it would be even better if you could attach the car battery to it (consumes like a bloody ($*T%(#$*^). Yes, for a plain phone it is both big-ish and a bit heavy
Nonetheless a) It is not merely a phone b) Rulez (see above)
If you want to compare crappy WM devices, just have a try at LG KS20

@sthapa - Think both dao & Aaronc1978 answered you query efficiently

I tried the hd tweak and the sensitivity adjustment is just for touchflo
but not for the touch screen itself. I used phatpad a lot for note taking in axim. But for HD touch, it is almost imposssible to draw a continuous line
since the strengh required to press the stylus is way too bigger.
Anyone tried to use phatpad in HD?
Fallen Spartan said:
Go to themes, Applications and software and type in D-Pad and see whats going on. They're is currently threads on this where some have acheived a simple D-pad and others are still trying to implement more advanced ones. Also search under mortscript and a game pad similar to the nintendo gameboy has been created for your gaming needs.
For every fault which the HD has, someone in this excellent community has either fixed it or is trying to fix it. You just have to know where to search mate.
Only things which can't be fixed are hardware ones like increasing camera quality or flashlight. Otherwise, happy searching!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Am I the only one who isn't getting along with touch screen typing?

Hi all,
I've been using my HD2 for a new days now and, it goes without saying, it's a fantastic device.
However, there are 2 issues that are making me consider the possibility of a downgrade (everything below that 1ghz snapdragon has gotta be a downgrade!)
1. Battery life
2. Touch typing
Now, 1 goes without saying. I've just today flashed with another radio so hopefully after a bit of trial and error this should sort itself out. So let's write this issue off.
But 2, the typing on the touch screen. I come from using a Hermes (though I used a Ubiquio 501 with front facing qwerty for a few weeks in between as a stop-gap to broken Hermes) which is obviously a full Qwerty slide phone.
I was told my various people that I could type as fast on the Leo as the Hermes which I just can't agree with. Though I can perhaps type as fast, I am constantly making errors which is getting infuriating. Though XT9 obviously helps a lot, when various characters aren't getting detected it becomes a real problem constantly backspacing to fix errors. Attempting to hold a text convo on Skype last night was a nightmare!
Errors on the Hermes were few and far between as you really 'felt' the Qwerty keyboard.
I've never owned another touch-only phone so my only experience is with this HD2. I can't imagine what it'd be like on smaller touch-only devices.
I have rather big hands / thumbs which perhaps doesn't help.
I'm going to stick at it and see whether it starts to be more natural over the next few days, but I just feel so uncomfortable using the touch keyboard right now.
I'm probably opening myself for a grilling from the small hands crew, but this is my opinion based on a few days use, coming from a Qwerty slide phone.
Are there any mods or advice people would recommend for getting used to touch typing?

try using Swype keyboard. It makes typing a lot easier and error-free. Plus, if you make any mistakes, there's a nice correction button to fix it.

For #1, it takes a few days after flashing a ROM (maybe even a radio) before the phone 'settles in' and takes on a reasonable battery profile.
For #2, some have said it can take up to two weeks to get used to the typing! I used to make a lot of errors but now I find myself not really thinking about it - just works magically.

i thought i was going to have issues also until i switched to the xt9. i was used to using the full physical keyboard on my touch pro and therefore didnt like the idea of having sugestive text input, but i have since been using the xt9 with great results. sometimes it gets it wrong, but generally it is correct. stick with it and see how you go. after all, does it really matter if it takes a little longer to send a text message.

Yep, weird thing is that by using the Swype keyboard, I got better at using the ordinary keyboard.
When I first started, I was way faster at using swype with one hand than I was at using the keyboard 2 handed, because I kept making mistakes.
However, now when I try it, I still make a few mistakes using the 2-handed keyboard but I'm slightly faster than I am with swype (only very slightly). And when I make a big mistake I'm a lot slower.
Overall, swype is really good for normal texting, and unbeatable when you're moving and texting at the same time (in my opinion). It learns when you type in a new word or name manually, so that next time you can just swype it.

The HD2 keypad like any other WM phone is extremely slow compared to a phone with physical buttons. i am still trying to find a good keypad that is as responsive (even when settings are set to max) that can type as fast as i can on a phone keypad without delay. The biggest issue i have is the WM default keypad, the buttons are not as big / spaced out as say the iphone and i am still trying to find a good keypad to use.
the swype keypad is good but any custom non dictionary words or double letter words can take some getting use to

From my other post:
"I would say that the best typing tweak is to calibrate the screen the way you naturally using it.
So, if your finger touches the screen under some angle while you type, calibrate that. (think of a cross as a letter and touch it under the same angle).
If you type with two hands, calibrate the left side with the left hand and vice-versa.)"
As reported back, this significantly improves typing experience in some cases.

I was struggling to text, had been since the start, despite installing the sensitivity fix, and calibrating using thumbs in landscape. It also annoyed me that the keyboard would slow to a crawl when something was updating in the background.
I've just moved over to Finger Keyboard and it is SO much better. Still not 100%, but I put that down to me adjusting to a new keyboard.

OP reporting back, and wow - Swype. Definitely one of those applications you think 'nice idea, but I doubt in practice it works the way it describes' - but how wrong is that? What an absolutely fantastic input method. Though I don't use it exclusively for sending text messages and when quickness isn't an issue, it's become my default method for typing IM's, most email and perhaps 70% of other stuff.
It took a little getting used to, but once you've got a bit of practice, typed a few of your more common words in (plenty of them being 4 letters after getting so frustrated typing on my HD2 ) it's a breeze. I love the fact I it recognises lifts from the screen as spaces, meaning you rarely have to use the space bar manually. 90% of the time it correctly predicts what you've swyped, 5% it almost gets it and presents it in the finger friendly list, and the other 5% you're typing something that isn't in the dictionary (do it once - it learns it)
Recommended to everyone to have on their HD2, whether they really want to use it or not. There's always going to be a time when you need 1 hand for something else, at least, particularly if you meet a girl who can take advantage of your HD2's brilliant display when sending pics.
Now I've just this minute recalibrated my touch screen (never even thought of doing that), let's see how the regular keyboard works. And to the person above - you're absolutely right, the use of Swype has improved my regular typing too.
I sure as hell miss a hardware keyboard but I'm getting used to these new input methods and am sure I'll stick with them.
Many thanks to all for the help.
MOD EDIT - Warez info/link removed. Warez is not permitted on XDA

FYI, if you have the new T-Mo HD2, like me, the screen cal is hidden. My keyboard required me to type up and to the left on every touch. Recalibration fixed that. To unhide:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ControlPanel\Pen
Change from '1' to '0'

Hi guys
I used to have alot of problems at first with the diamond 2 as it is also a full touchscreen keyboard.However, on the HD2,i have now got used to it especially when i use the xt9 feature. Ok, some abbreviations or short texts(your=ur, this=dis etc) can be a bit of an issue,but overall the experience is good. Now i have trouble using the diamond 2 keyboard compared to the HD2 as the diamond 2 is a resistive touch screen.....have to make more of an effort to type something.

Thinking about upgrading from the Touch Pro 2 to HD2 - Some input!?

Hiya,
I've had my trusty Touch Pro 2 (GSM version) for some time now, I'm thinking about upgrading to the HD2. I would like some input before taking the leap! The main reason I want to upgrade is due to the lag/slowness of the HTC Touch Pro 2, this is preventing me from using the phone to its fullest, disabling a lot of functions etc just so I can try and optimize speed.
Has anyone here upgrade from one to the other, If so, How significant are the performance gains?? I'm overclocking the TP2 CPU to 710mhz, but it still seems quite slow, is the HD2 worth the upgrade from this perspective? Also - how significant is the extra ram??
My other problem is the lack of physical keyboard, the last four phones I have owned have all had physical keyboards, this Touch Pro 2 keyboard is the best by far, for anyone going from a physical keyboard to the HD2, what's your experience? does the 4.3" screen compensate for lack of a physical keyboard?
Please note: Phone will be used mainly for business purposes, i.e. emails, internet, organizer, stock quotes etc. I only very occasionally used the music player.
Thanks for any help

went from the TP2 to the HD2 about a month or two ago. The bigger screen rocks. Once you spend a little time with the capacitive display on the HD2, you'll hate having to touch the TP2s screen.
You will forever miss the physical keyboard. Not a day goes by where I'm typing out a text where I ****ing hate the damn onscreen keyboard. The arrow placement as well as the T9/ABC keys are just too damn inconvenient. I'd take the extra bulkiness anyday to get the TP2s physical keyboard on here.
I never upgraded my TP2 to 6.5 because I always read that it ate way too much memory. You won't have that issue on the HD2. It's super speedy. The onlly thing you'll experience any lag on is HTCs reworked messaging app. Luckily that can be disabled.
My only other gripe about the HD2 is that with Manila 2.5 HTC took out the battery usage statistics on the Power settings page. Other than that, take the plunge. The HD2 is a phenominal phone. Once you start using the glorious capacitive 4.3" screen, the only thing you'll miss from the TP2 is the keyboard.

so you think overall (despite the lack of keyboard) it is worth upgrading from TP2 to HD2??

join us, join us.
No really, do join us. This is one of the few true superphones out this year, and will still be relevant for at least a year.
I had a TP2 before the HD2. The HD2 is so slim compared to it. You won't notice the difference in your pocket though, it will take up slightly more room b/c of it's screen. I have to say though, that 4.3" screen really is space efficient. Screen quality-meh, just a tad better than the TP2. Comfort...TP2 feels more confortable hands down, whether its in your hand, held next to your ear, or in your pocket. Keyboard? Gosh, let's just say that if you are a very very high texter, keep your tp2, or better yet downgrade to a messaging phone..those are faster anyways. Otherwise, for occasional users, Swype makes the keyboard actually bearable. In terms of speed, HD2 blows the TP2 away. It doesn't really run stuff faster, but it is more capable of running stuff. (No freezing, soft resets, low memory, etc) But that's a major gripe of WM phones prior to the HD2. So if thats your biggest gripe, I would even more urge you to upgrade. Not to mention, you can grab one for a song these days.
Here's the thing, I know you are unsure, as you expressed in post #3. Your post asking for confirmation shows you feel the #2 post is mixed. Well let me make this clear: My post OVERWHELMINGLY tells you to upgrade.
Cheers!

hands down, lack of keyboard is worth everything else that you gain with the hd2.
going back is now simply unthinkable (particularly because of the screen and snapdragon)

Well... I'm not a particularly HEAVY texter. However, I do need to occasionally edit documents on the run/write emails. You are correct, my biggest gripe at the moment is with the whole speed thing. I want to be able to use HTC sense as it was designed without having to turn everything off to conserve CPU power/memory. I also feel restricted as I don't really install any 3rd party apps due to fear of 'cluttering'.
In saying that, the TP2 has been very trusty, other than the speed and ram issues, the keyboard has been nothing short of flawless and the stability has been impressive (coming from an Xperia with the infamous SOD issue, this TP2 has been in a league of its own).
I guess another issue which bothered me is the screen rotation time for the keyboard to switch things into landscape, that was quite an annoyance on the run.
I do keep a blackberry bold as a backup phone, so I guess if I really missing a physical keyboard that much, I can give it a whirl. So yeah.. I have gone ahead with my purchase, hopefully won't regret it! Now... time for the 'extras' - docks and such!

if it wasn't clear in my first post.... UPGRADE!!!!
seriously! though you'll miss the keyboard, the phone is still a whole new beast that you'll fall in love with. Hell, just watch a movie on the 4.3" screen & you'll be sold.
If you lived in Phoenix, AZ I'd say come & have a look at mine for an hour to help nudge over to the HD2 crowd.

I changed my phone 2 weeks ago from TP2 to HD2.
My main thing was also the keyboard. But when you rotate the HD2 you get the same keyboard, only on screen... But it works great.
I love the speed, love the big screen, dont miss my physical keyboard.
Just do it......

Touch Pro2 is a good phone. HD2 is a great phone.
My previous 2 phones both had hardware keyboards and I wondered how I would manage without when I got my HD2. It did take some getting used to and if I'm honest I can type faster on a hardware keyboard than on a touch screen. My typing speed is improving all the time though. If you cant get along with the standard SIP, Swype is uncanny in its ability to correctly guess the words you want.
My friend got a Touch Pro2 as a free upgrade and was happy until he tried my HD2. His TP2 went straight on to ebay and he now has a HD2 and is delighted.
I don't want to sound too evangelical but go for the HD2 it really is as good as everyone on here says it is.

I left the TP2 for the HD2 a couple of months ago. Wow, so much better. If you type a lot though you'll miss the keyboard. I just ordered a Mini Bluetooth keyboard that I'm hoping will make the HD2 the best of both worlds!

I forgot to mention, I really mis MS voice Command on BT. Doesn't work on the HD2. Cyberon works fine, once you add the fix here on XDA...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=593529&highlight=voice&page=5 See post #47.
Makes the HD2 finally work with BT and a Voice command app!

Nakel said:
I forgot to mention, I really mis MS voice Command on BT. Doesn't work on the HD2. Cyberon works fine, once you add the fix here on XDA...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=593529&highlight=voice&page=5 See post #47.
Makes the HD2 finally work with BT and a Voice command app!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MS Voice Command v1.6.23562 works fine via bluetooth on my TMOUS HD2 with Miri & DINIK's v19 ROM.
As far as the TP2 and HD2 go, I still use both daily. The TP2 for work, due to it's keyboard, and the HD2 for personal use. IMHO, the combination of screen size, increased CPU speed, double the RAM, quadruple the ROM, along with the ability to run a well functioning Android 2.2 build, all make the HD2 the obvious winner over the TP2.
Best to all,
R

rhacy said:
MS Voice Command v1.6.23562 works fine via bluetooth on my TMOUS HD2 with Miri & DINIK's v19 ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No kidding?! Thanks, I'll try that setup! I've looked all over, this is the first I've found an HD2 working with MSVC over a BT headset. It really takes the command and verifies over the headset?

Nakel said:
No kidding?! Thanks, I'll try that setup! I've looked all over, this is the first I've found an HD2 working with MSVC over a BT headset. It really takes the command and verifies over the headset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, MSVC works exactly as it does with my TP2 via BT. I use it with the Jabra BT3030 & BT8010 headsets, as well as the Motorola S705.
If you would like, I can attach it. It installs with an installation error, but works as intended.
Best to all,
R

Thanks! No need for the attachment, I have the cab for that version. I sincerely apreciate the offer though. I'll be trying that version soon!

If you want the most awesome Windows Mobile 6.5 device, go for it!
If you just want an awesome device, I'd pick something else.