Hi,
I am considering to get me an Athena and I need some help and advice.
I already own:
1x Blue Angel
2x Universal
1x HP iPaq 514 Voice Messenger
1x VDA GPS (aka Toshiba G710)
I also have an Asus eeePC 701.
My SIM has an internet contract included (100 MB download/month) and I have an USB Internet adapter which I can use i.e. with my eeePC.
Having said this, you probably understand I am a nerd and I like to "collect" phones and gadgets. The reason is simple: I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't waste money on anything, so at least, I think, I can get me some nice phones from time to time. All were bargains, most I got from eBay. The reason I like smartphones is that i carry them around all the time, so I can really have a benefit of owning them. A PS3, for example, may be a nice piece of hardware, but I would not have much time at home to really make use of it.
What do I want to know?
Basically, if you guy's can use the Athena as a phone. Do you REALLY use it as your sole mobile phone, or is it too big and clumsy (specially having to use BT headphone) to make calls?
The Universal is big, but it does fit nice into my back pocket of the jeans - how do you carry the Athena around?
What are the real advantages of an Athena, compared to a Universal? The screen resolution is the same (I guess having a bigger screen, will make the RealVGA usefull - on the Universal things get far too small), the CPU speed can be the same, by overclocking the Universal (actually not overclocking, but letting it run at full speed), the GPS is nice, but can be overcome with an external one (like the one I have).
I know these are lame questions, but 250-300 Euro is still a lot of cash and I want to make sure i don't regret it.
My major concern is that the device is not usable as a phone. I hate carrying two devices with me and that is exactly the problem I have with the eeePC: it's screen is too small to replace a proper laptop and to replace the MDA Pro, I would have to carry two devices with me. That's too much.
So any feedback is appreciated, as I am wondering what would be more USEABLE on a daily basis: an eeePC 1000 (10" screen, 1.6Ghz, 160 GB HDD, battery up to 6 hours...) for around 380 Euro, or an Athena second hand at eBay for around 300 Euro.
The eeePC 1000 has the advantage of replacing a laptop, but the disadvantage of not replacing a phone.
I know, long post, but please shed some light into this.
Thanks,
vma
x7510 a great device
vma said:
What do I want to know?
Basically, if you guy's can use the Athena as a phone. Do you REALLY use it as your sole mobile phone, or is it too big and clumsy (specially having to use BT headphone) to make calls?
The Universal is big, but it does fit nice into my back pocket of the jeans - how do you carry the Athena around?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was a proud owner of a Blueangel for 4 years and loved it. I started to get tired of it a couple years ago and then I found xda-developers and discovered how to upgrade and turn my old WM2003SE device into a top notch WM6.1 device. Needless to say with all the smaller screen, slower CPU devices on the market I stayed with my trusty BA. That is until I found the x7510. My BA lives in a drawer in the bedroom now, I keep it charged so I have it if I need it, and I use my Athena exclusively for all my phone/PDA needs. I carry it in the back pocket of my blue jeans and it fits fine.
My major concern is that the device is not usable as a phone. I hate carrying two devices with me and that is exactly the problem I have with the eeePC: it's screen is too small to replace a proper laptop and to replace the MDA Pro, I would have to carry two devices with me. That's too much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not regretted my upgrade from the BA to the Athena for a second. The only reason I have not sold my BA yet is becuase I have had the Athena for less than 1 month and am keeping it as a backup. I plan to go this weekend to the local market and have a custom belt carry case made for it. I am in Kuwait and it will not cost me much at all for this. The only reason I am doing this is for the added convenience not becuase it is required.
7501 is my everyday device
If yoi look at my sig. I also own quite a few devices. Since acquiring my 7501 6 months ago, I have not used any other of my devices. I used a BT headset with all of my oyher devices anyway. The 7501 is by far the best device I have ever owned.
You can turn the volume all the way down and hold it like a regular phone, with the mic hole by your mouth. Its not perfect and not private in a quiet room, but its useable. I also hate carrying a BT headset all the time for private conversations, but my Jabra BT8010 also gives me caller ID and vibrate, "fixing" several of the major problems with the Athena all at one time. Also gives me a decent stereo headset for MP3 and radio streaming.
I've had mine a year now and will never be able to go back to a smaller phone. The screen is just so much more useable than most other pdas or phones.
Thank you for your replies.
I think I will keep it on hold, though.
I have been researching the Ameo and basically understand that the 7500 and 7501 are basically similar and feature a real Hitachi Microdrive HDD.
The 7510 has a different keyboard and a 16GB SDD Flashdisk and requires a different ROM. I believe it cannot be SIM-Unlocked either.
There seems to be a problem with the Microdrive failing and having read-errors. This is a turn-off for me, when buying from ebay, as this fault is not easy to detect and proove, but surely may be a reason to get rid of such a device at ebay... Yeah, call me a suspicious guy...
The 7510, on the other hand, lacks the joystick and I definitly require that for my ebook reading, which I love. Paginating by touching the screen all the time is not very appealing.
Then there are those who say: go for the 7501, forget about the HDD and just get a 16GB SDHC. The point is: I can get that for my Universal!
So now I am wondering what REAL benefits I would have from an Ameo and I guess I will wait for either a superb bargain at ebay, a new one on sale at a local store (doubt that, however) or until the prices drop further at ebay (below 200 Euro).
Thangs again.
Cheers,
vma
Hi,
I have purchased an Athena these days and here is what I have to say to all those considering the move from the Universal to the Athena.
1) The Universal reached the 100 Euro mark at eBay, while the Athena (7500 version) is being sold at 200 Euro. These are the prices at ebay.de for the MDA Pro / T-Mobile Ameo versions.
2) First impression: the Athena is big. And when I say big, I mean it! I already had played with one in a store, but actually owning one is different, because only then you notice it won't fit in any of your pockets! After using it for 2 days, I picked up my Universal and found myself smiling at the "small" size of it!
3) Second impression: damn! It is a huge device... I will have to carry it in my hand if I want to take it with me. I mean, other people carry a book or a filofax. I now carry this super phone...
4) Funtionality: there is everything you can think of. You get highspeed mobile internet, WLAN, Bluetooth, all possible GSM standards, motion sensor, huge ROM/RAM memory, 8GB microdrive, GPS, ... The Universal not only lacks onboard GPS, it is struggeling with having only 64MB RAM. That is a limitation for the upcoming WM 6.5 firmware releases being cooked. And even with WM 6.1 some limitations exist. Soldering extra 64MB on my Universal is too expensive in my opinion.
5) Screen: the screen is fantastic! Compared to the Universal, though it has the same resolution, it is big enough for the eyes to take advantage of small fonts. After using the Athena, I now look at the Universal screen and I have to admit it is a little bit too small for such a resolution.
6) Keyboard: despide several online reviews stating the opposite, I do like the touch and feel of the keyboard. i would have prefered separate numeric keys, though. Also, I like the Universal's keyboard design better. Having a separate magnetic keyboard is less functional, I think.
7) Pros of the Athena:
- big screen
- speed: fast device
- speed: internet is very fast, pages load much quicker than on the Universal
- GPS: nice to have everything in one device
- memory: yeah! 128 MB RAM plus 8GB storage, plus Mini-SD slot... That rocks! And you can always use a Micro-2-Mini SD card adapter to use the cheaper and more available MicroSD cards
- overall exquisit looking noble device: if you are a hacker, you will survive a lonely day in a hotel room with this beast!
8) Cons of the Athena:
- too big to fit any pocket, specially back trouser pocket...
- keyboard is a bit odd
*** CONCLUSION ***
So, is it worth the change from the Universal?
No.
You should not want to CHANGE from the Universal to the Athena.
You SHOULD have an Athena as a second device, which you use on special days:
- boring days in the office/mother in law/waiting rooms
- meetings (this 200 Euro second hand device will kill all the attention normally spent over iPhones and similar phones at over 600 Euro)
- trips (planes, train and hotels)
Plus, it is simply a gorgeous device, which does appeal to any hacker!
Hope this helped anyone considering which phone to get...
Best way to carry the Athena: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=344605
Just buy it and try it out , it will not cost you an arm and a leg !! If you find it not suitable for whatever reasons , just sell quick it away at 30% loss , you probably bought many devices already , one more wont make you suffer that much i am sure , but many of advantage owners from day one it launched till now really do love it , some to the extremes too , so are you one of us ? , only you can answer this yourself , cheers , take care and enjoy - ok ?
Related
It looks nice - but where's the advantage?
It's smaller and it has a higher resolution camera - but it has less RAM, the CPU is no quicker than the Himalaya's and the Angel's and it's still fumbling around at 320x240!
HTC want to get off their arses and do some more R&D - they seem to have forgotten that the only way to make something desireable to the consumer is to make it better than the competitors and keep the costs low.
They seem to have done very well at it so far - but I fear they'll be overtaken by the likes of HP if they keep producing devices with same or similar specs to one another. The XDAIIs really isn't a great leap forward from the XDA2 - the only extras it has are a keyboard and WiFi, and the battery lasts a little longer. And I have to say I'm very glad that it's not been called the XDA3 - as some members of this forum suggested, it is only really an XDA2.5!
Of course, this could be a very-much-likely-to-fail attempt to secure business in other areas. Yes, the Magician is a PocketPC and a phone, but it's still bigger and more expensive than the i-pod - and has only 3.2% of the storage capacity! All the same, it's advertised as a music playing device. You can pick up a little USB MP3 player for a fraction of the price with four times the storage capacity, or an iPod for half the price with a 20Gb hard disk. In other markets, they really aught to be looking at a complete landscape solution rather than a half-baked portrait system if they hope to pick up business from those who are put off by the price & lack of connectivity of, say, the OQO 1 (www.oqo.com)
Speaking of storage - I picked up a pair of 1Gb SDIO cards on eBay for around £50 (~72€) each!
HTC actually makes the HP units and also does the Treo 600 series units. Apart from RIM, they have no competion in these devices (as most other competing units are also prduced by them).
madkat said:
It looks nice - but where's the advantage?
It's smaller and it has a higher resolution camera - but it has less RAM, the CPU is no quicker than the Himalaya's and the Angel's and it's still fumbling around at 320x240!
HTC want to get off their arses and do some more R&D - they seem to have forgotten that the only way to make something desireable to the consumer is to make it better than the competitors and keep the costs low.
They seem to have done very well at it so far - but I fear they'll be overtaken by the likes of HP if they keep producing devices with same or similar specs to one another. The XDAIIs really isn't a great leap forward from the XDA2 - the only extras it has are a keyboard and WiFi, and the battery lasts a little longer. And I have to say I'm very glad that it's not been called the XDA3 - as some members of this forum suggested, it is only really an XDA2.5!
Of course, this could be a very-much-likely-to-fail attempt to secure business in other areas. Yes, the Magician is a PocketPC and a phone, but it's still bigger and more expensive than the i-pod - and has only 3.2% of the storage capacity! All the same, it's advertised as a music playing device. You can pick up a little USB MP3 player for a fraction of the price with four times the storage capacity, or an iPod for half the price with a 20Gb hard disk. In other markets, they really aught to be looking at a complete landscape solution rather than a half-baked portrait system if they hope to pick up business from those who are put off by the price & lack of connectivity of, say, the OQO 1 (www.oqo.com)
Speaking of storage - I picked up a pair of 1Gb SDIO cards on eBay for around £50 (~72€) each!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No bells ringing on those two points there? Basically you just stated that for a piddly 50 bucks, this thing becomes 1GB MP3 player - and that's in additon to being a full-fledged PDA and mobile phone. And still no bigger than vanilla mobile phones.
IPOD is a music player, but with this kind of range of capability of the "Magician", the IPOD reall starts to look like and old carthorse. Even where the IPD is going (displayig photos) the "Magician" can do that ith a better and bigger screen.
One could really argue that you are unduly downplaying the importance of this kind of device and this is where the market goes from here on in. I'd suspect that whatever follows the "Himalaya" will stick with this form factor and just load load on power and cababilities.
That was me posting above.. Login didn't work and it turned up as "guest".
Its JUST RIGHT
Guys
I dont know what the JAM is advertised as, but I went ahead and bought one last week and I just love it.
THe form factor is just right, the screen isnt as small as we would like to think it is - in fact I havent noticed any discomfort from the smaller screen.
Okay its not different in specs from the other devices, but this one just fits into your life unobtrusively - with the Qteks (both 1010 and 2020) as well as my first Pocket PC phone (Sagem WA3050) it was difficult to keep track of all the things you had to carry. Suddenly, life has become so much easier with the phone fitting very nicely into a belt pouch no larger than that for other mobile phones.
I am glad I made the change to the JAM, and the only cribs I have are that the build quality isnt as good as the earlier pieces - it feels really plasticky sometimes - and I wish they'd stuck to the 1010's design for the SIM card because I switch cards quite often and it is quite a chore with this new unit as the battery cover doesnt come off as easily as it did with the 2020.
And yeah, I would have preferred built-in WiFi to a 'megapixel' camera. Dump the camera, give us WiFi...
I think we're going to be seeing quite a few devices in this form factor now - EVERYONE who's seen the JAM wants one.
Cheers
Sands
madkat said:
Yes, the Magician is a PocketPC and a phone, but it's still bigger and more expensive than the i-pod - and has only 3.2% of the storage capacity! All the same, it's advertised as a music playing device. You can pick up a little USB MP3 player for a fraction of the price with four times the storage capacity, or an iPod for half the price with a 20Gb hard disk. In other markets, they really aught to be looking at a complete landscape solution rather than a half-baked portrait system if they hope to pick up business from those who are put off by the price & lack of connectivity of, say, the OQO 1 (www.oqo.com)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iPod 20 GB for 299,00 Euro the only thing it does is play music.
Why would I need 20 GB mp3 on my body?
BTW I paid 479,00 euro (without contract) for my Magician....
I think the iPod is a fashion statement just like the first iMacs.
Only those iMacs where ****ty computers and the iPod is a nice mp3 player.
(and as all Mac-thingies way to expensive)
BUT to compare the iPod to the Magician is plain silly.
I can do anything with my Magician. (even swop the accu!)
Or scan barcodes. (www.flicscanner.com)
Offcourse we all want a device the size of a matchbox with all the gadgets packed in.
I would like a 21 inch 1600 x 1200 display beamed from that matchbox on the wall
and a keyboard beamed from that same matchbox on my desk.
A 300 Terra byte disk and a zillion gigahertz proc inside!
In the mean time why don't you buy a Magician and see for yourself what it can do right now.
Why am I getting the feeling that the magician is way too expensive in Sweden? My eyes almost popped out when i read that it is 479 € in your country.
I paid 595€ which was in a cheapstore, the other one i looked in took 659€!
:/
It really is a great device though, the size made me buy it, I can have it in my jeans pocket just like any "ordinary" cellphone. The only bad thing is that I got a dead pixel and I really hope they will replace the unit because it's purple and in the middle of the screen :/
Hi!
Maybe you should buy the MDA compact (same as iMate Jam) in Germany for around 400 EUR. Even with shipping to "somewhere" in Europe it'd be cheaper. Of course you need to flash an english ROM to it - or learn german...
I really didn't know that we're sooo cheap here.
Greetings
plant
Is it really 400 euros? You must be kidding me!
i bought one for 459€...
EDIT: http://fonez.de/pd1101545991.htm?categoryId=27 <- 439,64€
attention, the site is in german!
Hi!
No - I'm not kidding.
The cheapest price I was able to get was 397 EUR excl. shipping (but including german VAT which is 16%).
Just check out http://www.geizhals.at/de and search for MDAcompact - the cheapest price at the moment is 426 EUR (incl. VAT, excl. shipping).
Proof: http://www.geizhals.at/deutschland/a130814.html - as you can see the first 2 shops are rated quite good.
Beware: Site is in german.
Greetings
plant
Pocket PC phone (Sagem WA3050)
sandyind said:
my first Pocket PC phone (Sagem WA3050)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I have the same device, It seems that it is build by HTC too
Any linux hack experiences on it ?
--
http://rzr.online.fr/q/xscale
Alright, Quite a while ago I dropped my MDA Pro, and it was total loss.
Luckily my insurance covers it, and I can now buy a new phone for the same price.
The problem is that there's a new phone on then block, the HTC Tytn, and I'm not sure wether I want another Universal or rather a new Tytn.
As far as I can see, the advantages for the Universal are:
Universal has bigger screen
Universal has 640x480 (while Tytn has 320x480)
Universal has normal SD cards (thus 4GB, and probably faster), Tytn has MicroSD which have only just reached 2GB. (And I've recently bought a 4GB SD card)
Universal has a larger keyboard.
Universal has a proper headphone jack, whereas Tytn needs a converter from the MiniUSB thing (that will probably let loose very easily)
And the advantages for the Tytn are:
Tytn has 2.0mp camera, while Universal only has 1.3
Tytn has Bluetooth 2
Tytn has Quad-band and all those extras (EDGE, HSPDA etc)
Tytn is (supposedly) faster
Tytn is smaller
Another problem is that all the stores currently have the HTC Tytn in stock, yet noone seems to be able to sell me a HTC Universal/QTek 9000
Anyway, I was hoping for some feedback as to which phone to buy, and possibly some differences I didn't take into account yet...
So basically, which one should I buy ?[/list]
Difficult decission. If you can wait, at the end of 2006 will arrive the Universal successor. But if you cant i prefer Universal. For me, VGA and large keyboard is critical.....
Cheers
I don't know how often you travel or the places you carry your phone to but size plays a big factor. I often find myself grabbing the HW6515 or a Wizard device over the Universal to take to places because they're more pocket friendly and are easier to use. But my biggest concern is damaging the Universal, not only is it expensive and sexy, parts and a replacement for it here in the US is scarce. 8)
The only way for me to recommend the Universal is if you also have a smaller device you can switch to when its size will be a problem. I really don't use my Qtek 9100 much now that I have the 9000, but when I need it I have it, with pretty much the same capability. If this is your only phone, I suggest getting the TyTN or Hermes (same thing).
I'm currently testing hTc Z, a variant of Hermes100 for Japanese market, and I tend to agree with those recommending Hermes. It's probably the best WM5 phone edition device you can get at the moment. TyTN is Hermes200 but it shouldn't be much different.
Having said that, the big difference is the keyboard. Not only is the size smaller, the key touch isn't as robust as Universal's and I really can't type fast as I can with Universal. I almost hate typing with Hermes.
If you don't need to type much with your device, I recommend getting Hermes. Otherwise, Universal should be better or you should wait for its successor.
My 2 cents...
I had then universal, then I sold it and I replaced it with the hermes (my current pocket pc phone).
I miss the great great great screen.... but now I download files on hsdpa network at 1.2 mbit / sec, and if an area it's not covered by umts/hsdpa I can count on edge (190 kbit /sec). Imho the Universal is tooooo slow and too bigger. It bought Hermes for its dimensions! It's just a bit longer then wizard but if you hold it in one hand (with wheel) you can do everything (except typing on keyb, you need two hands)! However I found the micro-sd a lot slow when I paste mp3s from my pc, and it lack 3.5mm jack!!!
Regarding the universal, all I can say is that it is BULKY BULKY BULKY. If you are going out, last thing you want is this phone in your pocket. I end up carrying it in my hand which actually sucks. Also, its not too fast and the battery will last you a maximum of about 7 months or so.
On the other hand, the screen is gorgeous and it looks really cool
So guess you have to weigh your priorities.
If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't have bought the Universal and would have been much happier with a smaller phone.
Cheers.
Hi all.
I have a HTC Athena for daily use and others for developing and testing (Tynt, s200, p3300 and Universal) and I ve the posibility to get a cheap kaiser. My question (not easy)is..
"...Should I replace my Athena with kaiser??"
Athena strong points against kaiser.
1) SCREEN SCREEN SCREEN
2) a better Keyboard?
Athena weak points agains kaiser
1) Worst gps
2) very bulky.
3) My headsets makes me crazy many times.
4) touchflo?
I would like to listen other thoughts about it....
Thanks¡
I actually have both but am considering selling the Athena as it proved to be just a bit too big for my daily use... I just need to be able to put it into a pocket (even if it bulges out) every once in a while - something I couldn't do with the Athena, especially not in the leather 'case'. And I'm not a big fan of the 'quick-draw-western-style' holsters for the belt...
I've had the Kaiser only for a very few days and have found a few bugs, but they are not deal-breaking for me... and I'm enjoying the form-factor...
Functionality-wise I think they are very similar... apart from the VGA-resolution screen on the Athena.
Thanks Marcoma.
Apart of form-factor, do you appreciate more improvements in kaiser not present in athena (speed, phone speed, battery live, etc, etc).?
I think I would miss the vga screen too much
Dani
Well - the speed does seem a bit faster, but then again it is only driving a 320 x 240 resolution... I am able to watch movies again which is really nice (have to use an adapter for the headphones though since it doesn't have that nice 3.5" plug like the Athena) and I benchmark around 145 - 170% in Coreplayer.
Remember the actual CPU is slower than the Athena (520 - 620MHz if I remember correctly).
I don't find the phone a lot faster, but I didn't use the phone itself that often... the battery lasts about as long as I got out of the Athena... depending on the usage 1 - 2 days. if you watch movies, use GPS etc. it's a day - no more
What is very nice is the application that comes bundles where one just takes a picture of a business-card and it OCR's the picture and puts it right into contact - pretty darn accurate and way cool (and for me actually useful).
Overall, i feel it's like the Athena, just in a smaller package...
I had a HTC Advantage X7500. I returned that to mobileplanet for a full refund $1100. Now I own a HTC Kaiser TyTN II $750. I would call Kaiser the best available in its size group.
I disliked a few things in the HTC Advantage X7500. High Price, Battery not highly upgradable, Size, Weight, Portability,
When HTC Advantage X7500 prices drop I will go back for it. I love the fact that you can upgrade its microdrive and it supports miniSDHC. HTC Athena is a good device for modding.
I have seen a lot of people who are in the Kaiser community who are no more in the Athena community.
danielherrero said:
Hi all.
I have a HTC Athena for daily use and others for developing and testing (Tynt, s200, p3300 and Universal) and I ve the posibility to get a cheap kaiser. My question (not easy)is..
"...Should I replace my Athena with kaiser??"
Athena strong points against kaiser.
1) SCREEN SCREEN SCREEN
2) a better Keyboard?
Athena weak points agains kaiser
1) Worst gps
2) very bulky.
3) My headsets makes me crazy many times.
4) touchflo?
I would like to listen other thoughts about it....
Thanks¡
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not used a kaiser but..
Worst GPS? Why?
touchflo?
better keyboard? not tried kaiser but prefer Universals.
Well, finally got a kaiser.
1) Screen is qvga, logically
2) GPS is much much better.
3) Fits in my pocket.
4) Keyboard is good but Athena's one is better.
5) I can forget my headset if not necesary
....
I am happy with It but I wouldnt pay 650€ for a kaiser if I already ve an Athena....
danielherrero said:
Thanks Marcoma.
Apart of form-factor, do you appreciate more improvements in kaiser not present in athena (speed, phone speed, battery live, etc, etc).?
I think I would miss the vga screen too much
Dani
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
speed? The Athena has clearly the faster processor and running the same OS (assuming WM6) why should Kaister be faster?
Im in a similar boat, T-mobile upgrade is due, using a hermes, considering the Athena, but feel the Kasier is what I need. I really love reading all the athena stuff, and feel its a great device but on a daily basis ill just go crazy. Found an old diary which is about the same dimensions of the Athena, and kept carrying it everywhere to imagine what it would be like using the athena. Anyways I am gonna pop into a T-mobile shop and see what deals are available on both and then decide. Its more like Loving this hot babe, but knowing you cant live with her... LoL..
if you are more of a talker then a smaller phone is for you
personally i am much more of a internet browser, video streamer etc so the Athena blows away anything for me at the moment.
Its more like a mini laptop that can make phone calls than a true phone which suits me just fine but is not for everyone
Spacecat I echo your point. I'm also more an internet browsing person, although I also watch movies a lot with its big screen. So for me the big screen, although bigger size, is the biggest advantage of Athena. I don't care about hardware keyboard as Tengo is working so well for me, especially on big screen.
After using real VGA at 128 dpi, I just can't imagine using QVGA. Its simply no longer acceptable anymore. A small VGA screen does not go well with realVGA even at 128 dpi( this is assuming that you do come across a smaller VGA enabled device)
Bottom line: BIG VGA screen is the single most important consideration for me. It's not the storage space or keyboard, especially when you can get 8GB microSDHC card.
Thank you spacecat and eaglesteve, for your inputs, I am gonna think this one out a bit more, but it always feels very re-assuring to hear first hand experiences.
I am a 8525 user and i will upgrade soon
but i'm not sure with one i'll choose
I have read lots of reviews of the athena,one thing I haven't found, is it possible to use it as a phone ( speak with it, with out a speaker phone or a bluetooth)
just placing it against my head and speak
and no vibration ... ? how do you get your mail or sms during a meeting ?
is it possible to put it in your pocket ... for exemple in a pocket of a jacket coat or a jeans ?
thank you
The phone works out of the box as a 'speaker phone'. If you plug in a pair of earphones you get privacy for the incoming side of the conversation and the mike will still work. This makes it similar to a regular phone. If you have a 3.5 plug headset that will work also as will bluetooth headsets.
I doubt this device would ever get in a jeans pocket unless you have a large cargo pocket on the outside of the leg. I have been using such pairs of pants and it is satisfactory but I think a pouch attached to your belt is the best way to go.
Brad
I do hold it against my face.
ariaguest said:
and no vibration ... ? how do you get your mail or sms during a meeting ?
thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not an issue for me. I simply go to sound setting and change the announcement for new sms and mail to a soft beep. I can always hear it but others don't really notice it. Or if they do, no one has said anything. You can do the same for incoming call before going into a meeting, just change the ringtone to a soft beep.
I do use the phone without bluetooth and hold it against my face. Does'nt bother me a bit. However,when using voip, I use a wired headset otherwise there will be echo at the other end as the other guy's voice coming out of the speaker feed into the microphone.
I use a diy belt pouch to carry it around without keyboard,and it's not big at all.
I also prefare X7500, althogh have just ordered Keiser fir m wife. The screen is most important. When in the car there is no comparison to any other device. I use it hardly as a phone, but also as data/info storage, mailing, internert and as access pont for my laptop, when on the move.
I always use my Jabra stereo headset and keep it on a belt. This way I do not have to bother to get it out when the call rings. People usualy do not know wheather I am on the pohone or am talking to them. This is the only problem. Jabra aso works great when on voip.
same doubts. I'm on the 3 pieces bandwagon. A tablet (IBM X60) which is the main office, a very slim/small/cheap cell (LG KG320) and a WM hardware. Until few days ago I use a HTC TyTN and went to HKG looking for an Athena. Find only the old Dopod version and get disapointed with the white looking and price. So, got a Kaiser. Very good machine, no questions. BUT, when I want to work light the Kaiser is not enough to show products to a client. The screen is just to small for a more professional use. On the other hand is too expensive and bulky for a constant use as a cell (which I carry even for jogging). I think that if you choose the 3 pieces approach for a mobile work the Athena is probably the best. I had a look on the UMPCs and find many nice and even well priced. Problem? Vista. Who wants a mobile hardware with slow boot and all the problems Vista related (plus anemic processors) and a battery that does not last a full work day? I will try to get an Athena from USA where the prices are more reasonable.
Hi,
I already have a Qtek 9090 (3 years old, used during 2 years) and a MDA Pro (1 year in my possesion - purchased used at ebay).
I like to use my birthday to get myself new devices and because I like my MDA Pro / Universal so much, I am considering getting myself another one as a backup.
While I liked my Qtek 9090 very much, the truth is that I am in love with the VGA display and never want to go back to 320x200 resolution.
Now the question: I can get a Universal at ebay for less than 200 Euro. A Athena costs about twice as much. Still I was wondering if it is worth it: should I get a Athena instead of a second Universal?
Why I like my Universal so much:
- WM6
- great VGA screen
- fast processor
- 4GB SD card
- fit's in my back pocket of my trousers
- voice command, which works with my car kit
- keyboard
Why I have doubts regarding the Athena:
- screen is bigger but same resolution (should be 800x600...)
- device is huge - will it fit in my trouser's pocket?
- isn't it strange to have a phone which has to be used with a bluetooth headset (cable is out of the question for me)
- can it be mounted in the car, so I can make use of the GPS?
I would appreciate your feedback, as I am not convinced. On one hand, I would like to have a different HTC device for my (small) collection, on the other hand, the Universal is cheaper and seems to be more practical.
Cheers,
vma
Why get another Universal? I loved mine but prefer my Athena. The screen is much biger and better and using a Brodit mount in the car with CoPilot7 makes most dedicate GPS devices look pathetic.
it fits in my pocket - but I have big pockets. The lack of vibrate is a biut annoying but the big screen and massive storage (my 8Gb drive is suplimented by a 4Gb card) make it ideal for me. You also get HSDPA which you don't with the Universal - but it eats battery life.
I still have my universal but it is kept in a drawer. The Athena is not for everyone but with WM6 / 6.1 is a fantastic device - does everything the Universal does but bigger and better.
Your choice.
PS Happy Birthday
vma said:
Why I have doubts regarding the Athena:
- screen is bigger but same resolution (should be 800x600...)
- device is huge - will it fit in my trouser's pocket?
- isn't it strange to have a phone which has to be used with a bluetooth headset (cable is out of the question for me)
- can it be mounted in the car, so I can make use of the GPS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I recently switched to the Universal and also thought long about getting the Athena...
Full VGA resolution on the Universal sometimes was annoying for me. Using the Uni in PDA mode needs much concentration and is limited in speed, because you just can't hit some buttons precisely while walking.
So to me the bigger display would be a plus, but only you know, whether this is true for you or not.
The size of the Athena is just a bit too big for some applications. The Uni also fits in my rear trousers' pockets but the Athena definitely wouldn't. I'd be willing to accept that, if the screen would be bigger and had a higher resolution, but as it is the Athena is just too big or too small.
Get the measures off the net and wrap something around your Uni until it is as big as the Athena, then shove it up your.. err... pocket
It is strange to have a phone you have to use with a BTHS. But if you watch yourself in the mirror with the Uni, you'll also realize how funny you look with such a brick at your ear. I tend to see this feature of the Uni as a backup, in case my BT800 runs out of juice, gets stolen or whatevercouldhappen.
Most certainly yes! There surely is some device available, that can take it.
I was very close to buy the Athena, but at the end the size mattered. For half the price it got all the features I wanted and kept the option of leaving the house ready to work without any bag or case.
If you don't mind the size and the price, what's keeping you with the Uni?
If it is the vibration, get the right headset.
Thanks for the replies.
I was in a store today and they had an Athena in display: it is substantially bigger than the Universal.
What's even worse is that a used one costs twice as much as a used Universal. I think I will be getting myself another Universal as a backup device, which I can flash at will...
The Athena will have to wait for next year - hopefully it will be available cheaper then.
Cheers,
vma
The Uni is a great device, not sure if I'd buy a second one tho. If the Athena is not for you why not try something different? Maybe a kaiser?
Good luck with whatever you decide.
The key difference is the 5 inches VGA screen which allows you to use RealVGA meaningfully in 96dpi. No other devices would have this capability. This allows you to surf internet with unmatcheable pleasure, same goes for excel spreadsheet, etc, etc.
This is the key difference. Do you want to see more?
Don't get me wrong: I would prefer to have an Athena instead of a second Universal. But the price for a used one is still to high, specially considering that I won't get that much difference. I simply am going to wait another year to see if the price drops to an acceptable level.
What's makeing me consider a second Universal now is that I am afraid that my current one could get broken (can't live without it) and the fact that I would like to try more firmwares. Having only one means that I am under time pressure to get everything working again, before the next working day...
Still, I'd love to have an Athena!
Cheers,
vma
i considered getting a universal again as they're so cheap! Hsdpa is no concern for me as there is no difference between rendering times with hsdpa over standard 3g since opera and i.e can only render to a certain speed anyway. The only time hsdpa is handy is for internet sharing, but as stated it milks the battery VERY badly. The screen is bigger on the athena but the same resolution - so no extra screen real-estate compared to the universal, just bigger icons. I like the fact that you can use the universal against your ear properly, and that the screen is protected. I also think the keyboard is a hell of a lot better than the athena's. The athena does have an 8gb drive, but an sd card is fine for me, and i'd sooner use a sirf 3 external gps than an internal one, though internal ones are handy for on the go. I don't think the athena is worth twice as much as a universal, though the screen is very nice.and big. It is pocketable so long as you don't attach the keyboard though
I had a universal for a while then I got an s620 because of the whole size issue. However, I just couldn't stand not having a touch screen.
I gotta say, the bigger you go, the crappier they get as a phone. The smaller you go, the crappier the functions get. I love my advantage, but I don't use it as my primary phone.
If you ask me, both the universal and advantage are huge phones. The universal makes a better phone while the advantage is a far better pda...well...it's kinda big for that too.
One thing I hate is compromising. In your situation, you're going to compromise something if you go either way. You already have a universal and know what it's good for. Why not try the advantage. If you don't like it just sell it.
I have a universal, athena, and kasier and many others. The universal is a great device, clear nice screen and a great keyboard. My issue with the universal as that as I live in the US, i could not use its 3g data. So I bought an Athena. The universal is a much better phone than the athena, but the screen and data usage is so much better on the athena.
The best pda for a phone I have used so far is the kasier, has same memory and ram as the athena (twice that of the universal and hermes). But the athena just can't be beat for data/pim usage and surfing the web on a pda.
But the universal has the best keyboard i have used on a pda. I wish the athena had a keyboard as good as the universal.
I carry my Athena in my jeans jacket, trench coat and other jackets, no problem ( just the device not the keyboard which I don't use anyway), yea the device is big but has not been an issue for my at all, but the screen is great for GPS and you can mount it in the car and whenever I use public transport it is great for e books or just browsing.
Bluethooth headset is a must, I used to carry a in ear device but I wasnt happy about it, now I carry a pendant type and you wouldn't know its there, luckily i didnt have problems with entangled wires.
I f you worry about cost, then yes the UNI can be bought at reasonable price, if it is size or other functionality perhaps a Portege, but I am very happy with Athena so far.
I plan on purchasing a brand new 7501. I know a new model came out 7510. I already read the differences between the two and currently leaning towards the 7501, because it is cheaper. I don't see the point of paying 500 dollars more just for added memory and a new OS.
As of now, I can only find Amazon.com selling brand new 7501 for 850 dollars.
Now for my questions:
I know it's a year old, isn't too much to pay 850 for it? If any of you guys know a cheaper store, don't hesitate. Let me know.
I know it comes with WM5 OS, does it have a WM6 official OS?
I read up that radio 1.57.00 is the best, which ROM version is the best?
What is the highest capacity micro SD card does it support?
I have not tried ebay yet, to be honest, I am hesitant to buy expensive stuff off ebay.
Any input is appreciated.
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hi there! i see your uni has reached its shelf life... same as mine, I think Im ready to retire it. Im also thinking of getting the athena (dopodu1000) and you're right, the 7510 isnt worth the extra price.
Looking forward to the other athena owners to give inputs to you... as it will help me as well. I suppose the only uni replacement is the Athena hmm?
Good luck
I've had my Athena for ages now and I love the size of the screen and it's power, it's a great device - especially with AP4 ROM, but coming from the Uni you will be disappointed with the keyboard - the one on the uni is great.
Someone here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=391485 is advertising one already pimped up if you're interested - caveat emptor and all that.
The 7501 is a great unit for what I got it for which is to use it for mobile internet access, the large screen is clear and easy to read. The keyboard is ....well to cut it short crap, I tend to get the Caps Lock mode for no reason and it is annoying when you find you have typed a couple of lines without noticing!
I use an external keyboard these days, but leave the inbuilt one attached to offer some additional protection while the device is in the case, I purchased a Piel Frama case in green for my unit as I didn't like the case it was supplied with. Sme users have found this aftermarket case a poor fit, mine seems very well made and I am happy with it.
Overall the device is decent, although heavy internet usage using the 3G connection speed which is fast in use hammers the battery, after a couple of hours use you will be looking for somewhere to plug in a charger.
I used the Uni for quite a while and the Athena seemed to be the next logical step, but it is a large device and you should really try and find one in a shop before purchase to see if you like the size and weight of the unit. It will fit in a pocket, but you need large pockets, the only other accessory I purchased was the 4 in 1 cable for the unit to add the capability of USB connectivity and composite video output - Mike
cuteangelika said:
hi there! i see your uni has reached its shelf life... same as mine, I think Im ready to retire it. Im also thinking of getting the athena (dopodu1000) and you're right, the 7510 isnt worth the extra price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not to mention the loss of buttons... :C ... actually, I was really holding back for 4 months now. I wanted to know more about its successor before deciding myself, but I can't convince myself to shell out 500 dollars more just for the extra 8 GB and a slightly improved keyboard layout. Now if they improved the processor speed to 700, then maybe they might hook me up for the 7510.
Confucious said:
I've had my Athena for ages now and I love the size of the screen and it's power, it's a great device - especially with AP4 ROM, but coming from the Uni you will be disappointed with the keyboard - the one on the uni is great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The size of the screen and power as you mentioned are the best things I like about it too.
Is the AP4 an offial OS? Is it WM5 or WM6?
mikealder said:
I used the Uni for quite a while and the Athena seemed to be the next logical step, but it is a large device and you should really try and find one in a shop before purchase to see if you like the size and weight of the unit. It will fit in a pocket, but you need large pockets, the only other accessory I purchased was the 4 in 1 cable for the unit to add the capability of USB connectivity and composite video output - Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The size does not bother me, coming from an O2 Exec with extended battery, the weight of the Athena might be lighter in comparison.
I plan to use an external BT keyboard and BT mouse, which brand are you using?
I will probably purchase the highest micro SD available too, do you know if it supports SDHC micro SD cards?
I plan to buy a BT headset too. I read the LG HBM-500 with OLED Display and Vibra works well with it.
I might invest on the HTC 4 in one dongle for presentation purposes too.
===
I just read the differences between 7500, 7501, 7510 : http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx?id=474
Does this mean the 7501 has no second camera even though it has WM6? Thus no video conferencing capability?
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AP is the Athena Project, AP 4.0 is the latest cooked ROM based on the 7510 ROM and is WM6.1 - not official but you'll be waiting a long tome for WM6.1 to be released on the 7500!
The 7501 has no camera as it was intended for the US market where there is no video calling so the front camera was dropped to save costs or so I believe.
The Athena is about the same weight as an O2 Exec with extended battery (subjectively - I just held one in each hand and they feel the same) but the Athena is quite a bit bigger - hence the gorgeous 5" screen
got mine 7501 after almost a year looking, searching, waiting for the new one. the loss of hardware acess to functions was the main point to stay with the 7501 instead of the new one. the additional memory and improved keyboard (how much?, it will keep being an emergency keyboard!). it's big but very handy due to have everything big on screen, easy to track a message, to hit the right place on the screen, just very handy. I'm using on the original leather cover without the magnetic keyboard to save some volume. for small text input the large letters the softkeyboard pull out on the big screen is reasonable enough. for serious work a cheap and thin USB keyboard connected by the 4x1 cable is perfect. there are no other machine like this to fit in between a cell and a laptop. try one and you will find out. i had several others before, last one the Kaiser but the advantage is really a heavy contender for anyone interested in having a powerhorse at pocket.
I know i'll get flamed on this but
I've done extensive research and reading on x750x series and im sold, im sold to the point i bought one and it comes in tomorrow, its x7501 already unlocked. i've scoured this website, i've read up on all that i can, i know all the procedures all i now need to know is what order do i do them in, the radio 1.57 first then the unlocker? is that right, and do i need to use the athenawrapper at all?
is it two steps or three or four, radio unlocker wrapper
or radio wrapper then unlocker or
just radio and unlocker
or radio, unlocker, wrapper, updater?
just need to know what order, thanks again
i know i'll get flamed on read/search. and i have and im sorry, i just need a reply as to the order.
thank you
and thank you to all those who put the time and effort in for this product, i heard something about android and if all goes well id love to donate to that.
ps as you can see this is my second post