Signal Level on the HD better then the TP? - Touch HD General

Hi All,
I've had my Touch Pro for about for a while now and while I do love it, the screen is a bit small and it's ability to hang on to a signal (T-Mobile) was dire. So I took the plunge and got a Blackberry storm. Only had it for a few hours and it's already driving me mad.
So, I'm thinking of either sending it right back and getting an HD, or selling it and getting the HD.
My concern is whether the HD has the same poor ability to get a decent signal that the TP has. In my house I struggle to get 1 or two bars, despite trying all the radios available.
has anyone tried both and can say whether the HD is an improvement?
I loved the fact that the TP due to it's windows OS is hugely customisable and the amount of apps available is almost endless (plus the push email set up was soooo simple)
The BB has a better screen but limited apps and no real email client (apart from the BB push)
so, the HD might be the best of both worlds....IF....I can get a signal!!
thanks for any tips

Related

Network Signal Strength

Hi,
One of the really disappointing things about the Diamond was it's poor ability to to hold onto a network, especially 3G. In place where you'd get 100% full bars on a nokia, you get maybe just 60% on the Diamond.
So.. have HTC corrected this flaw on the HD? Any cell phone that has poor reception is not worth buying.
what is you experiance? is it god or bad? Will I be disappoined after spending over £500?
Thanks
Mark
I would also like to hear how the Touch HD is performing on 3G compared to the Diamond. As this is the only reason for me to get the Touch HD.
Thanks!
I may not be much help here as my last phone din't support 3G so don't know what coverage is like in my area but i have had my HD for 5 days now and have only ever had a 3G connection about twice and it was a very weak signal at that, my connection always falls back to edge which is very disappointing.
Have had mine for 5 days now and have no issue's what so ever with signal strenght, am in a 3g covered area all the time and have yet to have it drop the signal on me.
Not so good for me...
I live in a poor reception area and have tried sim cards for Orange, T-Mobile and 3 and I can confirm the HD does not seem to get a signal, my Hemes would JUST get a signal and was good enough to leave on the side in the house for the push email and phone to ring, I always had to goto the window to talk though, but the HD only works at all if I go outside.
I really like the HD, the larger screen is perfect for me having quite big fingers, I even forgive the poor shutter performance of the camera, but a phone that gets no signal in my house is very close to a deal breaker for me and am extremely unhappily considering returning for a refund.
Incidentally I used to get the same problem with my old universal but not my Blue Diamond, I tried changing radio versions on the hermes to see if I could make it better than ever but the 3 different radio roms I tried all had the same signal strength.
I contacted HTC this morning (0845 8900079) they said there was no known issue and offered no help other than for me to return the handset
I'm not a happy nerd.
As long a the reception is as good as my Touch pro I'm all good. I've herd its better than the Touch pro.. I would find it hard to believe it would be worse since it uses the same hardware..just a different radio rom. We do know the GPS reception is better than the Diamond or Touch Pro from user tests.
hmmmn
Same processor etc, but different form factor must mean differences of layout of the components within, so things like the positions of antennas must be a factor in signal quality, difficult to say that if a touch diamon/pro/hd share hardware they will all have good reception.
All I know for sure after my tests in my rubbish signal area is that the Blackstone does not perform as well as my Hermes.
I cannot confirm this. I think my Touch HD in weak signal areas performs much better than my old Hermes. Where I always had 50% signal strenght now I have 90 to 100%. Also the HSDPA is available much more than just 3G. I think signal wise this is a fine piece of engineering.
Network is working brilliantly for me.
It autoconnects to my known networks perfectly and fetches all my mail without flaw.
I also noticed that contrary to the other HTC devices people at the office own, my HD has a battery lifetime of over 4 full days with WiFi constantly conencted.
Not sure what to make of it then, i've just done some more tinkering and still the hermess (orange M3100 running wm6.1 and latest eu radio) is getting a single bar of network on my window sill compared to a constant network searching on the blackstone, i wonder if i have a dicky blackstone, perhaps an exchange is the way to go. I'll be really pleased if thats what it is, i want to love the HD!!
lumbard said:
Not sure what to make of it then, i've just done some more tinkering and still the hermess (orange M3100 running wm6.1 and latest eu radio) is getting a single bar of network on my window sill compared to a constant network searching on the blackstone, i wonder if i have a dicky blackstone, perhaps an exchange is the way to go. I'll be really pleased if thats what it is, i want to love the HD!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd exchange it..could be a rare lemon. It may just be the performance on this particular line of Qualcom chipsets. Most have reported the signal being better than the Diamond and Touch Pro, which if thats the case is great. I have never had issues in weak signal areas of my house dropping a call with my touch pro or old tytn II.

G1 a good upgrade from HTC Kaiser?????

So that time has come where my MDA vario III, is a bit worse for wear and it's time for something new.
Is the G1 up to the standard (and then some) of the Kaiser spec.
My main uses are heavy normal phone and sms use, tomtom, a bit of wifi, and other usual pda stuff like calculator, calandar, games etc. After a ROM flash (to Sleuths) it was great and not buggy or sluggish.
The kaiser let me down on call quality, bluetooth quality (with jawbone II still no good) and the speaker & camera were a joke.
Can the G1 fill the gap that is going to be left when I put the Kaiser to rest?
well, so far the G1 is a nice phone...good call quality...bad battery...wifi works well...as does SMS and such.
there is currently no tomtom for g1 but that will probably change next month. calculator calendar and games are better than on windows mobile and the touchscreen kick's the kaiser's @$$.
i'm not sure about bluetooth quality...i'd assume it's good although there is currently no support for bluetooth file transfers.
i think speaker and camera are pretty good.
I think It's a good upgrade. I upgraded from Kaiser myself.
The screen is better both resolution- and touchwise. Android really blew me away. As I use many Google services daily It's really important for me. I find the GPS accuracy better. There is now a tilt sensor just like a currently released phone should have. Mounting the microsdcard via UMS on Ubuntu still allows you to use the phone (probably the same with Windows). The trackball is really nice.
On the bad side; battery drains quickly, there is no videocalling camera (mainly thinking about the new Googletalk webcam feature), no neckstrap attachment hole available (I've solved it in my own way) and no possibility to use the phone as a modem like my Kaiser (afaik).
Currently I'm wondering why I'm not prompted about an OTA upgrade and all custom ROM links on the WIKI are dead.
edit:
Using CFW now and i figured out how to use it as a modem.
I had a kaiser, and I loved it. I since bought a Raphael, but work have just bought me a G1 to play with and I'm in love.
So right now, I've got a Raphael and a G1, and the G1 is so much better it's embarrasing. Just waiting for the battery life and range of apps to catch up.
Hey, it's all about the track ball. I also have an iPhone 3g to play with, and I find it inferior to the G1 but superior to the Raphael (and Kaiser). Hardware kb and track ball kick iPhone into touch for my money.
The browsing experience on the G1 is superb, the best of the lot for me.
However, until all the software I use on the Raphael or equivalent is released for Android, I'm not yet ready to ditch WM and the Raphael.
Luckily for me, I have all three toys to play with, but the G1 is my absolute favourite by far.
I have had the Kaiser, am currently using the Raphael and also have a G1. Personally the G1's battery life is the biggest drawback for me and that it does not support WPA Enterprise which my school uses everywhere and I have no cell reception on campus so the phone is basically useless to me when I am at school. If these problems were solved, I would definitely choose the G1 over the others.
Thanks for the responses people - much appreciated.
It seems like the G1 will be the way to go. I was considering the raphael before the G1 came out but it seems like it's really not enough of a step up from the Kaiser.
I will never go iphone - overpriced, underspecced, and I'm not paying over a $1000 a year for the most basic (cheapest too!) package AT&T have. They do look nice and the screen was a ground breaker but everyone I know that has one has to literally charge it everyday and the limitations are too many.
I know that's probably going to be the hadrdest thing to deal with switching to the G1 - I got about 4 days to a single full charge with my Kaiser.
Thanks again!!!!
I also had a kaiser and the g1 is superior by far.... windows mobile is still buggy no matter cooked rom is installed in the phone.... the phone that can give the g1 a run for its money is the blackberry storm and nokia e71 and n97....
I'm in the same boat.... could upgrade to the g1 next week and most likely get a reduction in rental too (customer of almost 3 years) but am stuck between this and the touch hd..... keep getting swayed both ways!!
Have to agree with Miguel though and I think he's swayed me to the g1... windows mobile is extremely buggy and slow so maybe I should jump ship now and consider coming back for Windows Mobile 7.........
i just upgrade my at&t tilt with a g1. After a couple of days i think was a good choice
the screen is amazing , the touch is another generation from the tilt .
i was missing htc connection manager but i replied it with aSetting.
the gps from the satellites not from the network is faster to fix the position than the tilt
the keyboard still good for me but the slide system on the top look kind of weak.
the only big problem is the battery , the tilt wasn't good ether but the g1 is worst.
i go to sleep with 50% and i weak-up with 20% left , maybe there is a way to close all the programs in the background ?
another is the tilting of the screen i have to say that i miss it.
and another issue is the network i don't know why the g1 lose more often the edge or 3g connection
Christian
The hardware is solid, the OS is generally better, but the software support isn't there yet. It does sport arguably the best web browser in the smartphone market right now (probably tied with iPhone), and the app support will probably pick up dramatically in January when the paid apps system goes live (of course, then you'll have to pay for stuff).
Very fun phone, but not really a productivity workhorse. I never used my WinMo phones for productivity anyway, so I don't really miss it, but the lack of decent games is kind of a bummer.

Are you happy with your HD2?

I am trying hard, coming from android but its very difficult the apps are so lacking. I do miss my google sky maps, and my real working gps. For some reasons gps on the HD2 is garbage, I dont even know if it works.
Open market is a big help on the HD2, and following a lot of tweaks, its manageable , I dont want to risk flashing it.
Any app recommends?
flash the device
resco explorer is good
zenonia is a great game for windows as is ivy the kiwi
what else? chainfire graphic acceleration
gtx5 theme
I don't do gps really at all...never have so that's an app I don't use...
tcpmp/coreplayer will help
Dutty's Task Manageris a must have.
I would post the link but I'm not allowed to since I'm a new member. You can find it in the Apps repository thread.
HD2
Hi,
I too came back to Winmo from android, and to be quite honest I miss nothing.
Yes I dont have the cool Bic concert lighter app, or the flashing cop car light app, but the phone does what its supposed to do. Its a productivity thing.
Keeps track of my work Exchange account, my other 3 email accounts. Edits Office documents on the fly, oh and has the best screen ever placed on a phone.
And the GPS works great on this phone. No you cant get the free turn by turn Google app, but for 29 bucks (its a steal) you can get Co-Pilot, which works well and doesnt require an internet connection to guide you. Try out the Co-Pilot, it works really well for me, and it now has TTS for street announcement and free live local search!
fhaines
Your GPS works fine, open google maps, hit menu, press "Use GPS", then press the small blue box which contains a small light blue dot on the bottom right side of the screen. Be sure to give the phone enough time to connect to the satellites displayed on the top right side of your screen.
I've never had a better GPS on any phone.
I like my HD2 after using it over 2 weeks.
However, I wish the standard keyboard was better. I HATE hitting the 'xt9/abc' toggle when I want to hit a or z. I also HATE accidentally hitting the show/hide icon for the keyboard and hiding the keyboard while I'm typing. I converted over to Swype due to this.
I also wish the HTC Messaging app didn't lag. I makes the phone feel slow when I'm trying use this app.
I'm coming from android too and to be honest I was thinking on cooking my Own Rom cause all of the ROMs available are not to my liking either to sloooow or crappy icons or maybe missing some tweaks and home tabs BUT! I rather Go back to my android (Had it since day 1)
I given up hope on HD2 sad I know I expected to be WWAAAAYYYY much more of a better phone.
I got the phone 2 weeks ago But I find myself using my G1 more.
so I'll prob sell it on Craigslist and get a N1 (which was my actual fir option)
You will probably endup doing the same
I like my HD2 Hardware not the operating system
Bitter sweat to say the least. I really like this phone, it has some crazy advance features over today phones but the software (WindowMobile / Sense UI) has really let me down. I did my research (as I do with all phones) so I was really excited to try something new (I have an iPhone) but it's been more headaches than joy.
The only reason why Im holding on to it is in hopes WP7 or Android ROM comes soon, as of right now, I've swapped my sim back into my iPhone.
Well, I took the plunge and did what i feared the most. I added a ROM and I'm loving this phone. No more lag, freezes, bugs, or having to have 10 cabs installed.
digitallysick said:
I am trying hard, coming from android but its very difficult the apps are so lacking. I do miss my google sky maps, and my real working gps. For some reasons gps on the HD2 is garbage, I dont even know if it works.
Open market is a big help on the HD2, and following a lot of tweaks, its manageable , I dont want to risk flashing it.
Any app recommends?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
best device i've owned (and i've had about 8). just get the tweaks so customize it and add a few key apps (for me: resco explorer, resco photo viewer, iGo8 -GPS - work great for me, & core player). my device runs almost flawlessly.
without a doubt this is the best windows mobile device I have run to date everything is flawless!\
trust me when I say this
MESS WITH A CUSTOM ROM
you will love your device. its as easy and fast as a jailbreak
digitallysick said:
I am trying hard, coming from android but its very difficult the apps are so lacking. I do miss my google sky maps, and my real working gps. For some reasons gps on the HD2 is garbage, I dont even know if it works.
Open market is a big help on the HD2, and following a lot of tweaks, its manageable , I dont want to risk flashing it.
Any app recommends?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If apps are you're looking for, it'd be best to go back to Android. Apps are not the strongest draw of the HD2. App development for windows mobile is essentially dead, as developers are now focusing on WP7.
On the note of GPS, it works great for me. I use it every morning on the way to work (helps me navigate around traffice jams).
So far love the build quality as its super solid with no slop like my former TILT and Fuze. The only issue I have is with the camera design which stick out too far and is unprotected from fingerprints and scuffs. The case they provide really doesn't shield it. WISH they would have kept the same design as the Euro/Asia specd HD2 so that accessories could be interchangable. They have some really good cases for the HD2 but not the TMobile versions. Getting screen protectors that truly fit and not leave gaps seems to be a problem as well. LOVE the screen and true capacitive touch.
Software so far - only owned it a week at most and its not been used all that much is pretty fast and the screen is amazing. Wished the bluetooth caller id announce worked and had the ability to record conversations which does not work. Status and other things work fine - so maybe they'll be some fix in the future.
BIG issue is with the 3g network reception. Goes from EDGE to 3g at will. Seems to lock on 3g when return from standby or power up for a few minutes then it will jump to E. Been doing this since I got it - don't think its a design/hardware issue just requires an update in the radio. Will not return it as in more populated areas it locks on 3g and stays locked. Will see. Had AT&T before so not too familiar with TMOBILE in my area. Download speeds are only in the 800 range. ATT in great area would get around 1200.
Voice quality so far is on par or better than AT&T but the volume could be a little higher even with it set full high.
For the price I paid with a new two year contract of (99 - discount code) 75 through a 3rd party and I get the AAA activation waived and 14% off my bill I definately can't complain. Ordered the phone last Monday - received it Wenesday.
Loving my HD2 with the energy tom
stim141 said:
So far love the build quality as its super solid with no slop like my former TILT and Fuze. The only issue I have is with the camera design which stick out too far and is unprotected from fingerprints and scuffs. The case they provide really doesn't shield it. WISH they would have kept the same design as the Euro/Asia specd HD2 so that accessories could be interchangable. They have some really good cases for the HD2 but not the TMobile versions. Getting screen protectors that truly fit and not leave gaps seems to be a problem as well. LOVE the screen and true capacitive touch.
Software so far - only owned it a week at most and its not been used all that much is pretty fast and the screen is amazing. Wished the bluetooth caller id announce worked and had the ability to record conversations which does not work. Status and other things work fine - so maybe they'll be some fix in the future.
BIG issue is with the 3g network reception. Goes from EDGE to 3g at will. Seems to lock on 3g when return from standby or power up for a few minutes then it will jump to E. Been doing this since I got it - don't think its a design/hardware issue just requires an update in the radio. Will not return it as in more populated areas it locks on 3g and stays locked. Will see. Had AT&T before so not too familiar with TMOBILE in my area. Download speeds are only in the 800 range. ATT in great area would get around 1200.
Voice quality so far is on par or better than AT&T but the volume could be a little higher even with it set full high.
For the price I paid with a new two year contract of (99 - discount code) 75 through a 3rd party and I get the AAA activation waived and 14% off my bill I definately can't complain. Ordered the phone last Monday - received it Wenesday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're looking for a really nice case that protects the camera, check out the leather cases at noreve.com. The leather flip case is very nice and you get to choose from different leather types and colors. It's made for the euro version, but it fits my tmous hd2 fine. Protects real well, too. Dropped my hd2 on my driveway the other day... couple small scuffs on the case, but phone is fine.
I too came from android g1, I didnt realize how much i loved android when I first got the HD2, After I figured out how to operate it, took about 48 hours, figured out how to sync it with WMDC got all my contacts and email. IT FREAKIN ROCKS. I am so impressed with syncing up with outlook on my computer and to my hd2. I have pretty much found all the same type of comparable apps as android. but so i love it!
I have also flashed it with a new rom as as long as you follow the instructions step by step, and use tested radios and roms. watch youtube videos so you know what goes on with your phone during the process so you dont get freaked out.
Are You Happy-Discount?
stim141 spoke about a discount code...paying only $99.00, as well as other "deals." Where did you get that code and how do you apply it?
I'm, in LA been living on the Edge with my Advantage 7501 onTMobile. Would rather have 3G than Edge, and a slimmer device.
And what ever happened to the 4.8 inch HTC Thoth (Athena2)?
bagua
I love my HTC HD2 running energy ro and battery lasts way longer than it did with stock rom
ecyoral said:
I love my HTC HD2 running energy ro and battery lasts way longer than it did with stock rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm people I have heard people say that ROM eats batteries. Nice to see yours is lasting longer. This is my top rom to use when I get the energy to root my phone, kinda scared as of now.
BUT YES..... I love my phone even through the freezes, bad reception, and constant 3g loss of signal.

Can someone who has owned HD2 and desire post a comparison please.

As much as I love the hd2 I am now having to send the hd2 back for repair because of issues of intermittant 3g connection and wifi. If the phone comes back defective again ,I may need to considor changing and the desire is top of my list at the moment. If you own (or have used for a significant amount of time) a desire. Please can you tell me how it compares to the hd2 in he following aspects(and others).
-battery life
-screen sensitivty
-bugs/lag of operating system
-camera/video recording
-browsing experience.
Thanks
I have a HD2, stock 1.66 CHT/WWE ROM. My friend has the Desire, stock Android ROM (not sure what version), unlocked from Telstra (Australian carrier). He has charged me with setting up his phone for the first time, such as a GPS program, movie converter etc. So I got a good dose of playing around with the Desire for a couple of days.
Here is what I think about both:
Both are captive screens, and fairly responsive. But after using the HD2 for so long I can safely say every other mobile screen you will ever gaze upon will seem small (I'm looking at the Xperia X1 alongside my HD2 now and it really hits me, even though they are both 480x800).
Both phones have a few millisecond lag if say you are opening a 16GB folder, filled to the brim with movies. But apart from more intensive work like that, both are very responsive.
The optical joystick / hole / button / whatever-you-call it on the Desire is an awesome thing to have. One feature that stood out on the X1 was the optical trackpad, and the Desire continues that in a smaller form. Its one thing I don't need, but wish I had on the HD2.
There really is no way to accurately compare the battery life, as the different way each OS consumes juice and the hardware variations. But in-general, I noticed both were comparable, with the Desire exceeding the HD2 by about 3-4hours.
How did I reach that conclusion? Well I was playing with both phones side-by-side, and seeing if the features of one phone were on the other. So its NOT an accurate review, just rough.
I also had a quick playaround of the camera, and its nothing too different from the HD2. Both are on-par with what you'd expect from a PDA camera (which is not that good hah). There is one good thing about the Desire though, in that you can use the central button to take pictures. Making self-portraits so much easier as you don't have to press a particular location to trigger the camera on-screen.
As for the browsing experience I don't know, we didn't view any websites with the Desire, but I'd imagine it would be simillar. But from my experience I can't seem to get it connect to a Wi-Fi network, but this Desire and even my other friend's HTC Legend. But that's probably just me as I've yet to own an Android phone.
One thing that is important to me though, is the ability to connect the phone to the internet through your computer. Apparently you can't do that with Android systems? I spent about 2hours trying to mimic a phone>computer>activesync>internet connection on the Desire, only to be told by a quick Google search that its not possible. That killed me abit inside.
Unlike Windows Mobile, there is no default File Explorer on Android. I had to download and install one. What the hell Google?
Anyway not the best guide, and there is definately more playing around to do, but thats just a quick summary for someone who has had the chance to play around with the HD2 and Desire side-by-side.

Thinking about getting an Xperia Play... any reason not to?

I'm on verizon and I have an upgrade available next tuesday and am looking at using it as soon as possible(totally frustrated with old phone.) Originally, I was thinking I would like the Droid Bionic, and since its release date is so close to my upgrade date, it seemed like that would be the route to go. However, I recently started doing some research on where I could find the best prices for a phone, and found the discounts on Amazon to be excellent! At this point, I can't imagine the Bionic costing anything less than $300, maybe 250 on amazon, but the Xperia Play is being offered for FREE!! The $300 price tag is a little hard to stomach, and I'm thinking if I get the play now, I can wait for the 2nd generation of LTE devices without the battery concerns.
I'll admit that I hadn't really considered the device before because I didn't think I'd be much of a gamer on a cell phone. I play games now, but they are mostly like angry birds, words with friends, robo defense, and other simple games without a real need of a dedicated controller. The phone being free, however, compelled me to do a bit more research.
Now, after reading nearly every review and watching nearly every video on the play, I am seeing more and more things I like about the device. I even went to the verizon retail store and played around with one (and some of the other contenders) for awhile. There are a few things I like about the Play, and some others that are of a little concern, and I was hoping that some of these questions could be answered by someone who has used the device for a period of time.
Some Good points:
I really like the feel of the phone, it feels different and "unique" even when closed compared to the endless range of black slabs out there. Being a guy who doesn't need to cram the phone into a pair of skinny jeans, I don't find it too bulky to handle.
Is this comfortable for everyday usage, though? Does the phone feel solid in the hands without all the security devices on it like in the store? Are the buttons workable? I wouldn't say I have exceptionally large hands, but they aren't small either, will I find it awkward to press those small front buttons or the unlock/power button?
Seeing a vanilla build of gingerbread was very, very nice. It reminded me of handling the nexus S and how impressed I was when I first saw it after using HTC Sense for nearly 2 years. Is there any real functionality lost because of this? Also: Since It is a vanilla build, I would assume OTA upgrades may be easier to obtain(sort of like the original droid) Does anyone know of Sony's plans to continue support for this (Maybe up through ICS)? I have been stuck with 2.1 for what seems like forever, and don't want this to be a problem in 2 years when I'm trying to download an app that isn't supported in older versions of Android. I'm not opposed to rooting, but I think that manufacturer support says something about what a company thinks of its products.
OMG THE SCREEN!!! I don't know about anyone else, but to my eyes, that is just about the best looking screen I have ever seen, even compared side to side to the qHD display on the Droid X2 I prefered the display on the Play hands-down. However, I am wondering if the front coating is durable. I don't think I would want to put a screen protector between my eyes and that gorgeous LCD.
In general:
Is the phone responsive for everyday tasks? (Gmail, Calender, Texting, Phone Calls, Internet Browsing, Music playback, Youtube, Facebook, Maps, Weather, News Widgets (such as pulse)) I use these all daily quite frequently and it can sometimes take up to 30 seconds just to open up my messaging app after receiving a notification of a new message. I doubt any more modern phone could be this bad, but any hint of slowdown now could be a bad omen of what is to come. I'm not too concerned with multitasking except for maybe loading a webpage while I switch over to messaging to answer a text, or for running an update service for weather notifications in the background.
Is it easy to type on compared to other phones in the 4 inch class? Does the shape or design of the phone impede this in any way? It was kind of hard to tell in the store due to the security devices in place.
With the usage described above (checking email, facebook, news, weather, etc. approximately once per hour, with about 30-45 minutes of phone calls, 20-30 texts, and less than an hour of gaming a day) would it be reasonable to expect this phone to last all day on a single charge? I currently have a large extended battery for my phone and it would be nice to not have that extra bulk. If this isn't reasonable, are there extended batteries/covers available for the play?
Is the lack of internal storage a problem, or is it possible to install apps to sd? (and is the speed acceptable if done so)
Any general bugs/glitches that should be known before deciding on this phone?
Anything that the phone might be a little zippier at if it had a dual core processor (besides more graphically intense games)?
How is the call quality/ability to hold a signal? This has been stated in a few reviews, but I am hoping the that issue has been fixed as of now (specifically the phone reverting to 1x in an EVDO area) I am in the city so signal strength shouldn't be an issue, but the ability to hold 3G definitely is.
How is the camera? I'm not looking for an SLR replacement, just something that will take snapshots where you can tell what something is without excessive noise/blotchiness. Is the front camera as horrible as they say? No one seems to post examples of pictures taken with that. Also, there is some confusion as to the HD recording capabilities of the phone. From what I have gathered, it is possible, but there are several steps involved. What are these steps?
Any possibility of Netflix support in the future?
In general, are you owners happy with your decision, and is it one you would repeat if you had to do it today (given the advantage of the Play being at least $130 cheaper than my next consideration, the Droid X2)
Sorry this post has been kind of long winded, I think I have addressed most of my concerns about the device in question that have not been answered by reviews from months ago (possibly prior to some software bug fixes)
Thank you in advance for your help!
The phone feels pretty solid for everyday use, and the curves make it easy to hold in a pocket.
If your worrying about a screen protector, SURPRISE. Theres already one on there.
I've never had any problems with the apps for everyday use. They open quickly, and pulse works quite well.
Some people find battery an issue, I dont. In between trains I do about 2 hours of gaming, check email every 2 hours, post Twitter updates, and still have half a charge by the end of the day.
The camera isent as great as other phones, but it works.
For Netflix support, you can find the .apk someone on the XDA site, and it works perfectly.
Get it if your into gaming on the touchpad.... Otherwise I don't see why you should.
For a phone that has nearly the same specs as the galaxy s, it runs a lot smoother. There are no lag issues, it has ran everything I've thrown at it smoothly.
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
I m using the PLAY too, and I found my HD2 with android runs a bit smoother.
the SE software is improving thou, it has been 2 updates, and the speed actually increase after each update.
Only get it if you want to have a game pad or the NAVIGATION pad (up down left right)
i love using the play with navigation pad.
I cant find any other current android phone with navigation pad other than the play.
Deoxlar said:
Get it if your into gaming on the touchpad.... Otherwise I don't see why you should.
For a phone that has nearly the same specs as the galaxy s, it runs a lot smoother. There are no lag issues, it has ran everything I've thrown at it smoothly.
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
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I'd say it's worth it.
The only real thing that might keep people from taking it seriously is the fact that it's not a dual-core phone. When you actually see it's performance though, you notice immediately and forever after that it's silky smooth even on a single-core.
It's replaced damn near everything I use; and, most importantly: manages to be great at gaming without being mediocre at anything else.
I'm definitely interested in gaming on the gaming pad, as I can say pretty definitively that the reason I don't play too many games on my phone is because the controls are cumbersome or feel like the games are "dumbed down" to be able to be played with lackluster controls.
I have seen the performance a good single core phone can have (including that of the Play), but am kind of wondering, is it a little too late in the game to even be considering anything other than a dual core phone (I'm having this same delemia over possibly going with the Droid charge) I skimped a little on my first android phone, and because of my experience with that, I am scared that something I get that isn't top of the line now will be utter crap in 18 months - 2 years time.
The combination of acceptable (or great, according to some) performance, the game pad, and the price (in that order) make this appealing.
Sony Tablet S or P coming this month
I just got mine yesterday and I definately recommend getting one.
Feels solid, awesome games and its gonna get better soon as Playstation are soon to announce PSP games for the Xperia Play.
GO GET IT!!!
ps3taker said:
Sony Tablet S or P coming this month
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But these are tablets, is there any chance of a device with a form factor similar to the play coming anytime soon?
I got the xperia play around a month ago maybe 3 weeks ago. The phone is very solid its super fast i have not had any slow down with the phone to this date so dont worry about the core cpu's yet.
The phone is awesome, its amazing for gaming and if your still not into that its still an awesome phone i would say its the best single core phone you can buy.
The only thing i am disappointed about with the phone is the **** wi-fi radio it has terrible signal, it keeps me connected most of the time but around my house i usually only have 2 bars but with my brother's iphone and my old android phone i would be having 3 - 4 bars.
clewis said:
I got the xperia play around a month ago maybe 3 weeks ago. The phone is very solid its super fast i have not had any slow down with the phone to this date so dont worry about the core cpu's yet.
The phone is awesome, its amazing for gaming and if your still not into that its still an awesome phone i would say its the best single core phone you can buy.
The only thing i am disappointed about with the phone is the **** wi-fi radio it has terrible signal, it keeps me connected most of the time but around my house i usually only have 2 bars but with my brother's iphone and my old android phone i would be having 3 - 4 bars.
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Yeah i have the same issue, Galaxy S II has full reception and my Xperia only gets around 2-3 bars although it does keep reception. Thinking Sony might update the modem driver with the next update *fingers crossed*
Yea, the wifi is definitely weaker then most devices. I went out to buy a netgear range booster router and it fixed my problem though.... I can't believe how good netgear routers are...
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.
the only reason i can think to make you buy the phone is the gaming pad. that is all. you will never get a better gaming experience on any other latest phone like Galaxy X II or Droid. i mean never
its a gaming phone and target for gamer. i strongly suggest you look for other phone if you not into gaming. i just dont want you to regret it when you bought it.
regarding the wifi, the signal reception is working great if i point the device to the router directly
just my opinion..
Like other have said, if you game on your phone get it. If not, get something else. All the rest is just waving your hands.
It is a solid android phone with a game pad. Nothing more, nothing less. If you never slide your game pad out, why carry it around? If you do slide it out, supported games (including emulators) are a completely different experience to every other phone. I cringe thinking about what Minecraft would be like if I had my thumbs all over the screen.
before i go rambling about my previous phones, all i can say is:
GO FOR IT
putting that aside, i was previously using a hd2 running android via the sd. i also had a htc desire issued by the office. i was content with both phones until the office decided to get rid of the desire. apparently, marketing was able to strike up a good deal with the network provider and thus issued us a bunch of iphone 4s. with the desire gone, i was thus left with my hd2 to run android. the problem was, i wanted a purely dedicated android device given that i would most likely never visit windows again. don't get me wrong, the hd2 is fantastic as it's reputed to be the most versatile (and hackable) phone. i've been reading up on the xperia arc as it has nice reviews. however, i was attracted to the xperia play even more because of in my opinion it's taken the lead in the "swiss army" fight amongst phones. i'm not a true gamer but i have enjoyed playing ps1 back in the days. with that, the play allows me to revisit those days and once again play with my fav games.
secondly, the phone itself is fantastic overall. the interface is fluid, i've experienced no hangs or freezes (not counting the psx game that doesn't run with fpse). battery is awesome and i really love the loudness of the media player. this was one of my gripes when i was still using my hd2: the volume needed to step up a notch or 2. i got myself the white xperia play and people in the office are really loving it.
i've already rooted my unit. as i have home and contents insurance i'm not worried about damaging my play. but say i did run into a situation which results in my phone being bricked/damaged/etc. i would most likely get my insurance company to replace it with the same. unless i find the other phones such as the evo or sensation coming up with a gamepad AND something else that the xperia play doesn't have, i'm definitely sticking to this phone for quite a long time.
Actually, if you are not into gaming.... After you get the phone and see the games available... You will be!
Sent from my XPlay using XDA App.

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