Database Users

New UK HD Owner Views (from an iPhone owner :-) LONG MESSAGE

I have had my 3G iphone for about 6-7 months now, and have in that time tried several new phones, namely Nokia E71, Diamond (horrible), X1 (lasted less than 1 day!) and I also own a Trinity.
Anyway, the HD arrived via www.devicewire.co.uk in the UK (doh) on Thursday last week, and I powered it up right away. It was £522 delivered.
I think in the UK, people are better off ordering online, since you have the 7 day DSR (Distance Sellings Regs) to fall back on in the event of dislike, dead pixels etc.
With the HD, I am surprised how much I like it..........put it this way, it came Thursday, and Friday it was a case of "yes, this is good, but nothing much better than the iPhone, so I can not justify the cost, so back it goes".....read on for what happened next
I even have the return code from devicewire (very good aftersales, even when you are returning stuff!!)
I can not say the HD screen blew me away, since the screen on the iPhone is a truly, truly lovely screen anyway, and I had been using this everyday for the aforemention 6-7 months.....but, for anyone who has not been using an iPhone, the screen is gonna make you do a double take. It is clear, big, bright and the fonts look amazing.
First thing I did was switch off the ambient sensor (yes, it does have one!), and put brightness up to full, I love contrast as my eyesight is not so good these days.
Now, this is why the iPhone has been so good for me, (although I guess most of you lot here will be younger with perfect vision), I find it has good large fonts, and great contrast.
Compare this to the default text size on the Diamond, or indeed the latest Sony X1, its tiny, and yes, I do know you can altertext size, but on a small screen, it just means you get less on a sreen and have to be scrolling all the time.
The HD is just perfect for me, nice big fonts, so smooth, and perfectly usable with either a finger, (even with a glove on, something that is not possible on iPhone), or a stylus, which as it turns the HD on, is handy to have.
So, the screen is as good as the iPhone, with better resolution, and as I just read in the Slashgear review, the actual touching of the two screens is very close indeed. Even coming from several hours use of the iPhone eveyday, I do feel that I will get on with the HD screen very nicely.
But hang on, I am not keeping this am I, I already have the return code and devicewire are expecting it back......well, I doubt it now.......I had put it all away very carefully on Friday, but it sat there looking at me, and I kept reading about it on here........it was all too much, got up this morning and thought "lets take it to work, Sunday is quiet usually, I can have a play".
Well, the breakthrough for me was to turn off Touchflo and install PocketPlus, a great piece of software I have used on many devices. Oh, that and TomTom 6 running in landscape on the trip to work
As for GPS lag, it is only about 10 miles to my workplace, but there is little or no lag present in TomTom 6.
TomTom is a big deal for me, I find nothing touches it, and it is a great disapointment that there is still no TomTom (or anything else!) for the iPhone, when you recall the stories that TomTom already had it running back at the 3G launch, it must be Apple who are blocking its release.....
I think Touchflo is just too "black" for me, not sure if it will run with a brighter skin or not, but I like the way PocketPlus makes a device look, much brighter.
Now, a lot has been written about WM 6.1 being hard to use without D-Pad? The only issue (apart from games which I confess is of zero concern to me) is for selecting little drop down (roll out) menus, and that is sorted with AEBPlus http://ae.inc.ru/aebplus.php which allows you to assign the volume up and down keys to act as Arrow Up and Arrow Down, and this sorts it and works well.
I can confirm the UK HD comes with the little soft case (its quite nice actually), but a word of warning, do NOT assume all iPhone cases will work, my one, and nice Marware slip case is too tight, and the HD is a smidgen wider that the iPhone. Anyway, I like the softcase. It was also nice to get the 8gb Micro SD card. I have not installed the screen protector yet, can never really get on with those anyway.
Keyboard use on the iPhone is pretty good, and I was very doubtful that HTC could get anywhere near it, but they have basically cracked it IMV. The buttons are the same size as iPhone and easy to use. I am making less mistakes in a few hours than I do after 6 months on iPhone.
Web browsing is not in my opinion as good as the iPhone, well, let me qualify that. If you just use fingers, the iPhone wins, but if you use fingers and the stylus, I think the HD then just shades it.
One very welcome side effect of returning to WM is the multitasking, this is one massive issue for us geeks on the iPhone, combined with the lack of cut n paste, it really shows the two devices quite far apart in usability.
Email is very good on the iPhone, and if you only have the one account (gmail for example) it takes some beating for simplicity. However, the HD also does a great job, and with a little wireless keyboard (impossible on iPhone), I think it will make a good laptop replacement)
RSS is OK on the iPhone, but much easier on the HD, with the built in RSS Hub program, which downloads all feeds, including video feeds. I like to watch Cali Lewis on Geekbrief www.geekbrief.tv everyday, and you have to jailbreak the iPhone to be able to do that (yes, I do know its coming in 2.2 software, but with a limit of 10mb over cellular, which renders it useless for video podcasts, and anyway, its a pain in the arse to upgrade iPhone and then have to jailbreak each time.
We are good at making our decisions fit the case, so the iPhone user is always going to say "oh, I don't really miss cut n paste", when in fact, you quickly forget how often it is useful.
I think for me, it comes down to this, the HTC Touch HD can do everything the iPhone can do and lots more, but the the iPhone can not do several things the HD can do. Does that make sense?
I hope this view (not a review IMHO), helps some of you, and just like the chap in the other thread, please feel free to ask any specific questions about useabilty, although please don't ask me to run x test on y video, using xx program while standing in a bucket of water, as I probably can not be bothered
A couple of program I will miss if I sell the iPhone are TV Plus, a great APP which gives a 7 day EPG and more inportantly, links to Sky Plus (UK only) and lets you setup recordings.
I will also greatly miss Remote, an Apple APP which controls iTunes on my main desktop PC, although I should be getting up off my butt to change charge anyway.
So, who wants to buy an iPhone ;-)
Kev

So font size was your only problem with the Xperia? I'm trying to decide between the Xperia (had it for about 5 days now) and the HD.
BTW, my other phone is an iPhone 2G and I do like the screen.

Whoops, forgot that bit.
No, I got the X1 in the UK at Vodafone (if anyone is interested they are £500 are are not locked to Voda.....well, my one was not anyway)
The fonts were always gonna be too small for me, but I hated the keyboard, the keys barely protrude over the case, very little feedback.
But the killer and reason for return within a few hours for refund was a horribly wobbly screen, but I accept this could have been my one.
Also, given that you would have to use on screen keypad to dial people, it was too fiddly, too small. That 3" screen is very narrow you know.
Sorry.
Kev

I bet there's a program on WinMo that let's you control not only your iTunes but your whole PC. On my current 4 years old Nokia, there's System Freak, that lets you do that...

Thanks for that post KevWright.
Like VeloAudio, I'm deciding between the Touch HD and X1. I still have some niggling concerns about the Touch HD but I am assuming the X1 has the same 'problems' or 'complications' so am leaning towards the former.
Your post bolsters the case.

Great post!
Can you delve a little bit deeper into the screen responsiveness please? Just a few more sentences on how it compares to the iPhone's would be great.
Also, this is probably unbelievably subjective, but which phone do you find sexier? For instance, you are on the bus and you take out your iPhone and you take out your HD, which feels sexier?
Thanks.

kevwright said:
A couple of program I will miss if I sell the iPhone are TV Plus, a great APP which gives a 7 day EPG and more inportantly, links to Sky Plus (UK only) and lets you setup recordings.
So, who wants to buy an iPhone ;-)
Kev
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might be interested in a SlingBox, which allows you to stream and your own Sat/IPTV etc. over the web to your laptop or your WM device. It comes with software to control the IR on your video sources. I stream Bluewin IPTV and Sky to the SlingMobile software on my Trinity and intend to do the same with the HD tomorrow when it arrives. I hope it runs on the HD. I will report back later on that.

Matterhorn said:
You might be interested in a SlingBox, which allows you to stream and your own Sat/IPTV etc. over the web to your laptop or your WM device. It comes with software to control the IR on your video sources. I stream Bluewin IPTV and Sky to the SlingMobile software on my Trinity and intend to do the same with the HD tomorrow when it arrives. I hope it runs on the HD. I will report back later on that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I've read elsewhere, the Touch HD doesn't have an IR port, so you won't be able to use the IR functionality of Slingbox unless you mean the "box" itself attached to a TV?

kevwright said:
Oh, that and TomTom 6 running in landscape on the trip to work
As for GPS lag, it is only about 10 miles to my workplace, but there is little or no lag present in TomTom 6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What version did you install, and will it work in full WVGA or are their black bars on the screen?
Thanks in advance

nu_D said:
Great post!
Can you delve a little bit deeper into the screen responsiveness please? Just a few more sentences on how it compares to the iPhone's would be great.
Also, this is probably unbelievably subjective, but which phone do you find sexier? For instance, you are on the bus and you take out your iPhone and you take out your HD, which feels sexier?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it is hard to say that much more, I have them both here and am playing now. Not sure if you know the iPhone, but on 2.1 software (jailbroken), when you press the button for say SMS, there is about a 2 sec delay while it loads up, now on the HD, its about the same, but on the HD if you leave messaging running in the background (which I suspect you can do with these better memory equipped models?) it is instant, with the iPhone you always get the delay cos nothing (well except the music player) is allowed to stay in background.
OK, using book reading software, I would say they are almost equal.........maybe the iPhone is fractionally better, or it could be I am more used to it.
As to your second point, I can't help mate, for one, I only have a vague idea of what a "bus" is, and the day I find either the iPhone or the HD "sexy", that is the day I go back to my Nokia 6310 )
OK, I think they look so similar mate, there is nothing in it.
Kev

kevwright said:
But the killer and reason for return within a few hours for refund was a horribly wobbly screen, but I accept this could have been my one.
Kev
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you saying they are all wobbly or it is just yours. You going to replace it I guess?

luckyuser said:
What version did you install, and will it work in full WVGA or are their black bars on the screen?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I can not find a version number I am afraid.
It looks great in portrait, but bloody fantastic in widescreen, I have it on a manual rotate screen, and there are NO bars in any view.
Kev

exe said:
Are you saying they are all wobbly or it is just yours. You going to replace it I guess?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would have no idea beyond my one mate. It was that bad that I could never live with it.
I have replaced it....with the HD )
I will not be getting another X1, fonts were too small, and after this screen, there is no going back.
Kev

Matterhorn said:
You might be interested in a SlingBox, which allows you to stream and your own Sat/IPTV etc. over the web to your laptop or your WM device. It comes with software to control the IR on your video sources. I stream Bluewin IPTV and Sky to the SlingMobile software on my Trinity and intend to do the same with the HD tomorrow when it arrives. I hope it runs on the HD. I will report back later on that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I do have Slingbox, and have even register Slingplayer, but I just have never had good perfomance on it to be honest. I am not realy fussed about watching TV on my HD, just this little app was great to tell my Sky box to record something, mainly cos it enabled you to do it even without turning the TV and Sky box on.
I am hoping there is something for WinMo
Kev

nokia e71 vs. htc touch diamond
hi kevwright,
after a bad experience with an htc diamond (very poor battery and many ROM updates), I've decided to go for nokia e71. Now I'm considering an htc touch hd, but I'm very curios about it's battery life. how the touch hd compare to the e71 in terms of battery life and general?

in call recording
Hi alll - I have posted a separate thread on this issue, but alas, I thought i would also ask it here from those that already have an HD.
in call recording feature - anyone tried it out? some are reporting that it doesn't work...even though HTC calls it out in their specs online.
can anyone kindly shed some real world experience w/this feature on teh HD?
Thanks in advance.

Someone tell this guy how paragraphs work...

Great post.. I allready bought Touch HD, and I have the same view as you!
Cheers!

Thanks for the insight, kev. Great post.

dragosel80 said:
hi kevwright,
after a bad experience with an htc diamond (very poor battery and many ROM updates), I've decided to go for nokia e71. Now I'm considering an htc touch hd, but I'm very curios about it's battery life. how the touch hd compare to the e71 in terms of battery life and general?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life looks like it will be quite good, but not as good as an E71 (screen is tiny!).
Had it only a day really, so I will update this in a few days.
Kev

Opinion before devorcing my beloved Touch HD

Ok guys just trying to get opinions out there. Currently using the Touch HD. Came from a Nokia device so I love the speed of symbian compared to Windows. It seems like the time has come for me to figure out if I want to keep the Touch HD or not.
Pro:
I love the big screen.
It looks sleek.
Easy to flashfirmware and tweaking performance is fun.
Con:
Incoming calls is a little laggy. Sometimes calls come in as unknown.
Phone feels a slower than ones I've used before.
No TV-Out.
*Having a keyboard would be a plus. But without it is not a Con*
I'm actually debating getting rid of the Touch HD for either the Xperia X1i/X1a so I would gain a keyboard and overall use would stay the same.
Or I thought about getting the Nokia 5800 tube, so that I gain the TV-Out feature to display gps on my indash and have the feel of symbian again.
Or ultimate would be to get the new n97 which has a large screen and keyboard.
What do you guys think? I think the biggest thing bothering me is the phone feelings a bit laggy compared to my previous nokia phones.

try keyboard in landscape mode man it works very well.
incomoingcall work well to me too.
after using it i dont wanna come back with symbyan anymore

Sorry but you knew it had no keyboard when you got it so if it is a "con" and not a "pro", why did you get it in the first place?

well then I guess I should list it as a neutral thing. I would like a full keyboard, but I'm satisfied with the compact querty at the moment. So good call tboy.

I dunno, going to the X1 isn't going to do much for you other than the physical keyboard. It sounds like love Symbian so maybe just wait for the N97.

I have both Nokia n95 an htc HD, HD is much better! 1 thing above all: HD is fully customizable, and you can improve it with new official roms or with a lot of cooked roms.......

Hello
I have the HD and the Nokia Tube.
The Nokia Tube is crap.
Slow as hell, and the worst GUI i have ever seen.

Flash a few cooked roms first... see if that makes your HD the device you always wanted...

do you recomend any?

I also own a n95 and the hd, and the nokia is no match for the hd in any aspect. Once you get used to the hd big screen and lots of features, you wonder how you could waste your money in the nokia set.
The hd is fairly fast for me, the gps works much better than the n95's. It fully customizable, the battery lasts longer, the rds radio of the hd is much better that the visual radio of the n95 (in Spain the rds system is spread all around the country while the visual radio is scarcely used), there's a lot of sotware available for the hd... in summary, i would't change it.
But each user asks for different features so...that's just my opinion.

Cheeze[iT] said:
well then I guess I should list it as a neutral thing. I would like a full keyboard, but I'm satisfied with the compact querty at the moment. So good call tboy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could try SPB Full Keyboard

Symbian UI sux the biggest time ever!!!!
There is no Symbian or Nokia I have ever tried that is nice or fast, the N96 is a piece of s..t! I stompted on the damn thing into pieces, seriously, kept freezing and the menu's are a nightmare, menu's within menus within more menus.... The "cons" you mentioned are nothing compared to any Symbian.
"TV Out" its a gimic function of Samsung and Nokia, the quality of TV Out function is way way below VHS quality making it a whole waste of time IMHO, anyway just my 2 cents in a useless topic.
Perhaps Symbian seems more suited to your needs

I went shopping for a new HTC device yesterday.
I looked at the Diamond, Touch Pro, Xperia X1, G1 and the Touch HD.
I found the Diamond's screen size to adequate, but the lack of storage card baffles me.
The Touch Pro was just to heavy but the keyboard was very useable + storage card.
The Xperia's keyboard felt better, but the weight killed it for me. The screen is also far too small to handle WVGA.
The G1's 16million colurs makes the same difference with the screen as an iPod. HTC really should move to 16M colours asap. The interface was great, but you can tell it is in its infancy. I will be watching Android keenly over the next year.
Then we have the HD :
The screen size makes a huge difference - 3.8" WVGA is the perfect size for this res (2.8" is borderline too small).
The device is the exact same size as the iPhone (I think the box matches Apple's packaging as well...) This fits nicely in the hand and feels very light.
The screen size also helps with finger inputs, even on the standard keyboard!
The device is fast. I found no lag running through the programs, even while leaving 10 open. The 512Mb RAM certainly helps there.
A hardware keyboard for me is a con. When I moved to one (XDA Mini S), I found it strange to get used, but percivered, when I moved back to an onscreen keyboard, I certainly did not miss the physical kb.
After playing with all 5 devices, I have payed up for the HD.
It'll be delivered on Tuesday.

MrAce87 said:
do you recomend any?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
davideuck, believe me!

Thanks for input guys,
I do like the ability to flash new roms as I am trying to keep up with Laurentius26 and the L26 roms. It seems the V7 seems to be pretty responsive. As far as the tube VS touch HD Speed comparison, thanks for the info.
On the TV-Out feature, I would only use it to display GPS on my indash so I can easily get around by getting a decent car mount I guess. I've been keeping up with that thead and haven't found one I liked yet.
Bringing up the point that symbian isn't as customizable friendly I guess it would advantage me to stay with the touch so that I can always flash different roms and see which I like better. And between the Xperia and the Touch HD, thats going to be a hard button keyboard VS big screen.
Now to go read up on some more interesting apps/games to install. Thanks again guys! Keep the input coming if you like! I appreciate it.

My first post here at xda, so forgive me while i get used to it ;-)
the touch hd is quite impressive as allrounder. i'm more than a little jealous of the screen compared to my own omnia.
but omnia is till my personal choise of today; huge internal memore (i currently use 16 gig + 16 gig sdhc) although it's 3.5mm jack is indirect, if does come as adapter in the sales box. it is a bit fatter than the hd though but not too much- 12.5mm. and it has the tv out u mentioned. anyway it is to my taste right now.
if u have the patience for future model i found some interresting ones here:
http://www.gsmarena.com/the_8_megapixel_samsung_i8910_records_hd_video_ready_to_roll-news-776.php
it seems the next generation of omnia. though rumor has it that it'll be running symbian instaid of wm... and by now i have gotten stuck on wm and its flexibillity. i'm not sure that i can go back. still if u look at its specks they doo make my mouth water- heh he.
http://www.gsmarena.com/toshiba_unleashes_the_tg01__the_ubersmartphone_to_rule_them_all-news-768.php
this one is a pure wm platform wich seems to leave even hd trailiang in the dust. but remember that with a screen as big as 4.1 inches u may need to resow your pockets in all shirts and pants. still size matters when using gui's and you hd is already a good example there.
none of them packs a built-in thumpboard though. for that u may need to to go n97, touch pro, xperia, HTC dream or G1. i've no experience with android yet. but as for wm's i hear experia is annoyingly slow, and if u already have trouble with the speed of the HD u may need to stay far away from this one. all of them packs better screenresolutions than omnia, but the benefits of higher resolution without bigger screen on these devices is argueable. on 3.2 inches i don't miss the extra pixels on windows mobile.
a good thing might be if others told about their experiences with various models. my dad for one would never trade in his HD for my omnia. but if i had to buy a new one today i'd still choose it over the others out there.
needs and tastes differ.

a little off toppic- sorry.
does anyone know if if it possible to mod s60-5th the same way as SPB and PointUI does it for wm? my only experience with it is n93 wich i kept as my primary for one and a half years. never thought of costumizing it though. and i've fallen in love with it on wm.

Cheeze,
I have the same problem.
X1 will have the same problem in terms of the lag.
keyboards are good, but you dont need them as much, you need to get use to the touch screen... give it more time...
If you want something just as good as the HD with no Lag, go iphone, but then you drop alot of good things with the HD.
i did at first contemplate selling off the HD and going in for the iphone, but i have used the iphone, and liked it for the whole 2 months i had it before i went to a smaller phone... and then to the HD...
the iphone was basic to what i needed it for, the hd works perfectly...
let me tell you, after 3 months, you will be fine with the hd, but the lag will increase... especially in calls... and if you are like me.. with an ever increaseing phone book addess list.. it doesnt help... due to work, my phone book is now at 500+, and that was after cutting it down due to the financial crises...
in all likelyhood i will go back to the iphone depending on what the next update is in July.. then in august will truely decide....

I to went from the HD to the iphone. I do miss the big screen and badass resolution but after a few weeks and jail breaking i dont even think about the hd or windows mobile for that matter.

Im currently looking to move from my Nokia E90 to The HD. I have never used a HD before so i cannot comment on it, but the Symbian email system is awful which is one of the reasons that im looking to move away from Symbian.
I have looked at the 5800 but it will be a "downgrade" from my E90. Also the N97 does look good but it only has 3 rows with the numbers intergrated into the top "qwerty" row.
That totally puts me off it

Thinking of getting an HD, is it worth it?

I've been looking over and coveting the HD for quite a while now and wanted to get some input from those of you with time using the device. Is it worth it? I've read tons of reviews and watched a million videos of the device and really, I am in love with it. I just don't know if I can justify the $700+ pricetag and the fact that I am in the US and can't get 3G (Not to mention the fact that 3G doesn't exist in my community yet).
I also saw the Toshiba TG01 and I think that phone is amazing. Although the guy that does the reviews for it has some nasty fingernails.
I want the HD now, but with HTC projected to release some 1Ghz processor phones later this year I am thinking about holding out for one of those.
I am currently using a Mitac Mio A701 which has been good to me for the past 2 years, but I need an upgrade badly...
Any input you guys could give me would be Very much appreciated!
-LZ

lordzelo said:
I've been looking over and coveting the HD for quite a while now and wanted to get some input from those of you with time using the device. Is it worth it? I've read tons of reviews and watched a million videos of the device and really, I am in love with it. I just don't know if I can justify the $700+ pricetag and the fact that I am in the US and can't get 3G (Not to mention the fact that 3G doesn't exist in my community yet).
I also saw the Toshiba TG01 and I think that phone is amazing. Although the guy that does the reviews for it has some nasty fingernails.
I want the HD now, but with HTC projected to release some 1Ghz processor phones later this year I am thinking about holding out for one of those.
I am currently using a Mitac Mio A701 which has been good to me for the past 2 years, but I need an upgrade badly...
Any input you guys could give me would be Very much appreciated!
-LZ
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Given the fact that you don't have 3G in your area I would strongly consider the HD. However since you seem like the type of guy/girl that doesn't buy a lot of PPC / PDAs it wouldn't be a bad idea to wait and see what is officially launched by HTC this year.
I personally like the HD. The huge draw back for me is the lack of 3G in the US. I'm in a strong HSDPA area and it was very hard to give up 3G. The screen size is well worth it though. The size difference between the Touch Pro (Raphael) is quite signifigant in my opinion. It's also nice to have everything bigger when you have big hands and big fingers. Lot easier to select what you want without having to pull out the stylus.
The screen is also very responsive for me. I also like the fact that HTC put a 3.5mm standard headphone jack on the HD. I use the headphones from my Zune on the HD and it works perfect.

AllTheWay said:
Given the fact that you don't have 3G in your area I would strongly consider the HD. However since you seem like the type of guy/girl that doesn't buy a lot of PPC / PDAs it wouldn't be a bad idea to wait and see what is officially launched by HTC this year.
I personally like the HD. The huge draw back for me is the lack of 3G in the US. I'm in a strong HSDPA area and it was very hard to give up 3G. The screen size is well worth it though. The size difference between the Touch Pro (Raphael) is quite signifigant in my opinion. It's also nice to have everything bigger when you have big hands and big fingers. Lot easier to select what you want without having to pull out the stylus.
The screen is also very responsive for me. I also like the fact that HTC put a 3.5mm standard headphone jack on the HD. I use the headphones from my Zune on the HD and it works perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One thing I didn't mention is I work for a university and they have wireless over the entire campus so that would be nice as a kind of replacement for 3G since a lot of my time is spent there. The screen size is something that really has attracted me. I tried using the iPhone for a day and only made it about 3 hours before I decided it was awful. Windows Mobile is my home, so the HD fit into the category of having a screen I was very attracted to. The 3.5mm audio jack is awesome too... I forgot about that.
Thanks for the input, I appreciate it!!!

I think Htc Touch HD is fit your most requirement.
of course Toshiba TG01 and Htc 1Ghz processor phone must be better. but the price will not be the same.
you'll never get a perfect machine because the perfect one is the next.
HD is a perfect phone for me, the size;the screen;the battery and the running speed..everything makes good performance.
I like it and I think I will not change it within 2 years.

just keep in mind that the major drawbacks of the hd are the slow and flash-less camera, the lack of good and working hardware-accelerated graphics drivers and the occasional stutters every now and then when you play music...
if those are not big issues for you, go for it

I recently upgraded from an Omnia to an HD and I'm so pleased! The camera on the HD is not nearly as good it seems but everything else about it is great.
Put it this way I've always been pleased with other smartphones/winmo phones I've owned, but I'm delighted with this.
The HD is to Phones as Casey Ryebeck is to cooking.

Three major points to take a decision :
- need or not windows mobile
- need or not a keyboard
- need or not a 3.5"+ size screen
If the answer is I want a pdaphone under winmo with a big size screen, and I do not need a keyboard, you will love the HD.
My previous love was a XDA Flame who was the only one in this category, during roughly 18 months.
Moreover, I have had a lot of pda or pdaphone under winmo from 3.5, and I cant tell that this one is most finished of all. HTC has made a good job.
And last but not least, even if HTC has made a good job, you can continue to have support of the XDA Devs to get even better rom.

crashDebug said:
just keep in mind that the major drawbacks of the hd are the slow and flash-less camera, the lack of good and working hardware-accelerated graphics drivers and the occasional stutters every now and then when you play music...
if those are not big issues for you, go for it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They're software issues as far as I know... so in time I expect they'll be solved.
I think the HD is an amazing device. Of course there will be one out in the near future that will have a little more functionality. But I can't see many things that are necessary that the HD isn't capable of doing or emulating.

crashDebug said:
just keep in mind that the major drawbacks of the hd are the slow and flash-less camera, the lack of good and working hardware-accelerated graphics drivers and the occasional stutters every now and then when you play music...
if those are not big issues for you, go for it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got my Touch HD yesterday. Wasn't sure if I wanted it because I love 3d speeds, but went with it anyways. I really, really, like this phone, way better than my ATT Tilt. It seems faster as just about everything, but internet, but browsing the web is not too much slower. For Youtube and stuff you just have to wait longer for the stream to start or use an Open WIFI.
What really makes me like this phone (so far), is the large screen and fast responce (most of the time).
However I have found a few problems, 1st I could not get it to talk to my PC. Tried on my laptop and worked. I had to un-install the Windows Mobile Device Center off my PC, then re-install from the inclosed CD. Worked perfect after that. Another problem isn't really the deviced fault, it is some programs I have from my old WM dont work well or at all on it. I also miss the real keyboard, but getting used to the touch only one (so over time will like it better).
The camera isn't that slow, at least on mine. It is better then the one the Tilt has all around. I have had no problems taking pictures with it so far, seems to work pretty fast for a device that has to focus before taking that is that small. Sure a real digital camera is faster, but they also are meant for taking pics only.

Anyone upgraded to HD2/Leo from HD/Blackstone?

I currently have a touch HD/Blackstone and I love it to bits, but the prospect of having a capacitive multitouch screen and much faster responses when navigating round the phone/opening/running apps etc is starting to tempt me very strongly to the HD2/Leo.
Have any of you Leo owners upgraded from the Blackstone? If so, please can you let me know your thoughts on whether it was a good move, what the pros & cons are etc, and whether the new phone really is super fast and slick like the reviews I've read say it is.
If I get one I'd probably want to be running SPB shell on it, which from looking through here I assume it works, but will most apps for the blackstone also work on the Leo?
I know there's no stylus with the Leo for instance, but for fiddly stuff does the screen accept the use of a fingernail for 'precision' (ish!) stuff like checkboxes & small menus, or does it have to be skin contact or a real capacitive stylus etc?
Regardless of whether you upgraded from a Blackstone, are you very pleased with the way the phone works in terms of performance and 'slickness'?
Last questions are - what's the video performance like on the Leo, ie does it have all the problems the HD has in terms of poor out of the box performance with video playback?
And is the bluetooth stuff still hardcoded for the HTC music player (like the blackstone), or would I be able to properly use my sony bluetooth headset to control the likes of coreplayer?
Sorry for all the questions - I really want to upgrade to the Leo, but it will cost me a lot and I don't want to make a mistake.
Many thanks for any useful replies!
Jim

After having the Touch HD for 2 month I really loved it. Everything was running as I wanted it to be ... But then HTC announced the HD2 and I decided to switch to it after watching lots of videos in youtube an other sites. I would do it again ...
I don't have any problems using the OS without a stylus. In fact I wasn't using the stylus or my fingernails on my Touch HD either. I only needed to adapt to the higher screen responsiveness, but that was it.
HD2 pros compared to the Touch HD:
+ MUCH higher build quality. The Touch HD always felt somehow cheap, except it actually wasn't ...
+ Everything is just faster. I wasn't too thrilled with TouchFLO 3D on the Touch HD, as it slowed down the device too much. No problems on the HD2, although the new version of TouchFLO 3D (Sense ...) grew in so many aspects and is now pretty well integrated into the OS.
+ The bigger screen. Didn't thing its a big deal, but the screen-difference between the two devices is astonishing. Its much more fun to use multimediacontent on the HD2.
+ Pinch to Zoom.

I had a HD for nearly a year now and loved it - yes, TF3D ran slowly but it also was more "form than function" and I stopped using it in favour of simple SPB Diary with multiple tabs.
Now having a HD2 for over a month I do love the high speed and slick operation and I even stick with TF3D (or HTC Sense, whatever it's called).
But, there are apps from HD that don't run well on the screen as they expect the precision of a stylus. One example is SPB Finance that I used to record all my expenditures on an almost daily business. This just does not work with a big fat finger !
But, but others work great - CoPilot works really nicely. I tried Route66 on the HD2 as this was a fully legal working purchase on the HD but on the new HD2 it's not good. Nice surprise is the new CoPilot works really well and super fast. Even indoors near a window I can get enough satellites for a 3D fix and moving next to the window gets 7 or 8 sats. HD never achieved that.
My build quality on the HD was fine. On the HD2 you get a real solid feel from the metal battery cover where you naturally hold the device.
HD2 is super quick but the capacitive screen is a weakness. However, this is because most applications have not yet caught up. Many exist that are great with fingers like Resco explorer but others expect a stylus and are hard to use.
As a year long HD user I doubt very much that I won't move back after having got the HD2. My old HD is sitting in a box and I have not been tempted to get it out !

Thanks for the replies guys - I like what I hear!
I think the only thing that might delay me upgrading to an HD2 is the difference in value between selling HD and buying HD2 but we'll see....
Can you clarify a couple of things I'm still not sure about though?
Dave - you said you can't use certain apps from the HD because of the capacitive screen as you don't have a stylus with it (and can't use a normal one I believe), but is it possible to use these apps with a finger nail if you really need to?
I know it might be awkward or not very practical, but I want to know whether it's actually possible at all, ie if the screen will physically work like that, or if it's literally impossible to do?
Secondly (don't get me wrong here) whilst I don't want an iphone, is the responsiveness of the HD2 screen the same kind of thing? Local shops here don't have one I can try so I have to go by what others tell me, and I'd like it to work as smooth as the iphone screen, ie no actual pressure etc.
I know it's capacitive so it should be like that but I don't know if there are differences aside from that to how the screen responds. Hope that makes sense!
Last question - I believe the screen is glass on it? Is it toughened in any way? Presume the fact that it's glass will mean that it's much harder to scratch than the HD screen and also means a clearer, brighter display by not having a resistive layer?
Thanks for the replies - I appreciate the info!

I'll try again but I don't think finger nails work ...

I upgraded from the Blackstone and for me, it was definitely worth it.
First thing you notice is the amazing speed if the device. I just saw that I had TomTom (among a couple of other programs) running in the background for several days and I didn't even notice it.
The HD2 is really insanely fast. I sometimes take my old Blackstone in order to try new WM builds, but its slowness makes me sick after some minutes of using it.
Next big thing, for me, is the camera. The light sensitivity has been greatly improved and the flash works stunningly good for an LED flash.
It takes really great pictures for a smartphone, much much better than the HD, finally I have a phone that lets me capture the important moments
(btw. the 'red tint bug' is present but not noticeable on most pictures)
Third thing is the screen. It''s capacitive, that means you can NOT use your fingernail, and no stylus. But I really like the sensitivity, it's much more comfortable to use. And it feels a lot better, it's not the 'cheap' feel of the resistive panel's plastic layers anymore.
And this brings me to the fourth and last point: Build quality. I've never ever seen such a high build quality and high quality materials on a phone. It looks and feels just amazing, even the iPhone feels like a cheap toy in comparison.
Video playback is of course a lot better and it plays high quality video without stuttering.

Well actualy you can use stylus without problems, you just have to buy a special one (whitch buy the way also works on the iPhone)
http://cgi.ebay.com/2x-DAGi-Stylus-...wItemQQptZPDA_Accessories?hash=item414b467e4a
Like they other says there are applications who can be a bit of a hassel with using with the finger...
But I suspect you would love it... I could newer go back to my HD after being used to the buitiful racer the HD2 is, and i absolutely love the screen to.

Hi,
I've spent 1 week with the HD2 after a year on the HD. Mobile Shell 3.5 on both.
The main difference is speed. HD2 is soooo much faster. Didn't notice the HD was particularly slow whilst I was using it, but going back to it now is PAINFUL.
I struggled a bit initially with the capacitive screen, found it a bit hit and miss. In particular I found the HTC keyboard a nightmare, way too sensitive. Installing the .cab that decreases screen sensitivity has improved things greatly, and installing Spb Keyboard has also helped. It's improving with practice, there are still times when I do something and it doesn't register, but overall I'm starting to like it. There's a definite knack to it: much lighter touch, smoother motions. So there's a learning curve here + a need to tweak. And I'm sure the experience will continue to improve as third party software is adapted for it.
Mobile Shell has a few minor compatability issues but nothing to worry about (screen brightness control doesn't work, voicemail indicator widget doesn't work, a few other minor things). Spb are generally good at updating for significant new hardware releases, same thing happened with the HD when it was first released and they fixed everything quickly. I tried the Sense interface for a day or two to see if I could get used to it, it IS very pretty. But went back to Mobile Shell, I find it much more functional.
The HD2 build quality is excellent vs good for HD. And the additional screen size is a significant plus too. I was initially worried it would be a step too far in terms of the overall size of the device, but no. As soon as I laid eyes on the actual device + picked it up I knew it wouldn't be a problem.
Browsing in Opera is fantastic. Fast and the big screen helps. Still not comparable to a desktop browsing experience but very usable and way better than the HD due to the speed.
Overall it's a big step forward from the HD and highly recommended. Like I said, I find going back to the HD to dig out a few files I need to be surprisingly painful...

Cret said:
Secondly (don't get me wrong here) whilst I don't want an iphone, is the responsiveness of the HD2 screen the same kind of thing? Local shops here don't have one I can try so I have to go by what others tell me, and I'd like it to work as smooth as the iphone screen, ie no actual pressure etc.
I know it's capacitive so it should be like that but I don't know if there are differences aside from that to how the screen responds. Hope that makes sense!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tested the HD2 besides both, an 3G and 3GS, and really couldn't find any real difference in the screens responsiveness. You don't have to do any pressure on the HD2's screen ... I have to say, that I had a problem with the high sensitivity at first, but when playing around with an Nokia N900 last week, I noticed how fast I adapted to the capacitive screen of the HD2. The N900's screen was a pain in the ass (although its actually quite good for a resistive screen), because slight fingerswipes and tips didn't to anything ...
When browsing the forums you will notice, that most ppl here have/had a problem with the keyboard of the HD2. Besides the bugreporting here (I don't have any of these problems), I imagine that most of the problems with the keyboard just come from the unfamiliar sensitivity. By lifting the fingers a little higher when typing, I managed to type pretty accurate.
I don't have a Touch HD to compare side by side, but had the possibility to compare the HD2 to an iPhone 3G ... the 3G was very slow compared to the HD2 ... So wouldn't really go back to a last-gen phone ...

Had a Touch HD for a year until i bought my HD2 last month.
I Had Dutty's Leo rom running since he started releasing those, so I felt completely at home with my HD2 when i had it in my hand. (For those not knowing : Leo rom for Touch HD is just that. Winmo 6.5 running HTC Sense, just like the HD2)
A few things felt wonderfully different tho :
Screen is beautifull. The glas type used is almost impossible to scratch. I have my phone in my pocket unprotected. Even accedently slipped my keys in with it a few times. Not a mark on it! What is this screen made of ? Diamond ??
Speed. Wow! This phone is fast. I ran the weather demo simultaniously, side by side with the Touch HD. And the difference makes the Touch HD look like a joke. (it's not, but compared, its sloooow)
Pinch zoom. OMG now i know why Iphone has been the king of mobile browsing. HAS been! HD2 is now the new king! Opera + capacitive screen with multi touch AND a 1 ghz processor ? It is a match made in heaven. Mobile browsing is EASY and fun now. Thank god i have an internet sub on my simcard...
Camera. Remember how a big hazzel it was to take a pic with Touch HD ? I mean, the moment is GONE, before the camera is ready to take the picture!
With HD2 and a shortcut on the Sense start screen , it takes around 1 second(!!) from press on camera icon till your ready to take the picture!. The flash LED (Which can blind a man btw) makes it possible to shoot in the dark, FINALLY!
Well those things was EXACTLY why I upgraded, and I have not been dissapointed.
Some had a huge problem with the sensitive screen. Not me, I adapted quickly, and the keyboard I was used to from leo rom on the Touch HD, so i guess it's a matter of taste, or fat fingers .
Also
There are a LOT of the tweaks and programs for Dutty's leo rom that works great with the HD2, like BG4all etc.

rd2000 said:
The flash LED (Which can blind a man btw)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep, fortgot to mention the LEDs. I love them. Not to take pictures, but for everydays things. Really missed a LED on the Touch HD.

I got my HD2 a week ago, and I'm loving it, other than the rather short battery life (may be a temporary issue, some people do not have this issue).
It's definitely faster than the HD. Going through the Windows folder in File Explorer takes 2 seconds, rather than 6-8 seconds on the HD. Going through tabs in TouchFlo 3D (Sense) is fast, and tab contents are displayed lightning fast.
TomTom works great on the HD2, haven't tried CoPilot because they do not have maps that I could purchase for my region yet (which is funny, since I can download the map while trialling the software). TomTom is rather smooth on the HD2, the position cursor does not jerk forward when moving. With valid QuickGPS data, getting a GPS fix is faster than on the HD.
The speaker is a little worse than the HD in my opinion, although it's somewhat louder than the HD.
Moving from Resistive (HD) to the Capacitive screen in the HD2 may take some time to get used to it. Drawing/scribbling notes can be hard, so is selecting the directory/folder you want to go to in File Explorer. Maybe it's me, I have large fingers.
Reception compared to the HD, Nokia N82, N95 8GB.
The 3G network I'm on is rather bad in my room.
Nokia N82 and N95 8GB - 4 of 7 bars (estimated equivalent on the HD2 would be 3 of 4 bars)
HTC Touch HD - 1 of 4 bars
HTC Touch HD2 - 3 of 4 bars, sometimes full signal.
The signal bars on the HD2 tend to fluctuate at times, while holding the phone in landscape mode and browsing the internet, the signal may drop to no bars, disconnect from the network, then come back on with 1 or 2 bars.
Camera is great. Autofocus seems to be 'continuous', focusing when the camera is moved or after a few seconds. Shutter lag is much shorter than on the HD, but taking moving subjects may still result in a blurr (cranking up the ISO setting doesn't help much). Sharper than on the HD, and the automatic white balance is definitely better than on the HD under certain lighting conditions. LED Flash works OK for objects further than 30cm most of the time, using it for close ups may sometimes result in a bright, white mess.
I'm using the 1.43 ROM, so some of these issues may be fixed in the updated ROM. There are some issues in TouchFlo/Sense, but they are easily corrected by taking a trip down the Tips & Tricks Post in the Leo Forum.

tbela
I'd used Blackstone for some monthes, and overall I was satisfied. (I'd used Xanny Grid Leo rom)
I've a Leo for a week, and now I'm not simply satisfied but I'm happy with it. The speed, the huge screen and the build quality are fantastic. It's very rear, when I have to fight with small old-fashioned windows controls, but with some patience and practice it is also manageable. Nail-touching definitely doesn't work. Althogh, you can buy capacitive-compatible stylus on ebay.
Only disadvantage for me: fring doesn't work, but I hope it will be fixed soon. Temporarily I use Nimbuzz for chatting.
Overall I can highly recommend the upgrade. If you can do, DO IT!

Thanks very much for all the replies guys. The fact that most of you have written wuite a bit tells me you're very enthusiastic about the phone!
I want one for sure now. The only thing is the cost - I can't renew my contract and there are very few Leos on Ebay and around £500, but only maybe £250 sale proceeds from my HD, so it's quite a hit to take.
If I can get a few quid together to help ease the difference then I'll definitely get one.
Thanks for the comments

Same here, had the HD for about a year and liked it in many respects, the HD2 is a much nicer experience though and if you can afford it at some point I highly recommend to get it.

Well I've made my mind up to get one for sure. The only question really is when.
I'll have to buy an unlocked one on Ebay I think and there are very few on there at the moment because the phone is so new. This is obviously therefore keeping the prices really high.
I'm dying to say 'sod it' and get the credit card out but I know I ought to wait a month or two to see if they get a bit cheaper once more are being sold.
I've read reviews on it and most things I see say that this is basically the best piece of hardware on the market in terms of phones, but that it's "let down/ruined" etc by having winmo on it. I like winmo and have used it for years, so for me, that's a plus!
Having said that, I'd kill to see/have winmo7!

Yep. Those reviews are nonsense.
Powerful hardware like this needs a powerful OS, and WinMo really is by far the most powerful OS you can get.
It doesn't ruin anything. It's the perfect OS for a phone like this.
WinMo bashing is a current trend that you can't do anything against when sites like Gizmodo or Engadget spread the FUD. It's really sad.
I wouldn't want any other OS on the HD2.

maati said:
I wouldn't want any other OS on the HD2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Overall I agree, But Android 2.0 would be very interesting

Well I'm sure I'll be quite happy since it's exactly what I'm used to.
Last phones I've had have been Touch HD, Omnia, XDA Orbit etc - loved them all.
Can't WAIT to get the HD2 though. Especially now I've bought one this afternoon.

Cret said:
Well I'm sure I'll be quite happy since it's exactly what I'm used to.
Last phones I've had have been Touch HD, Omnia, XDA Orbit etc - loved them all.
Can't WAIT to get the HD2 though. Especially now I've bought one this afternoon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Congrats to get this lovely phone. I'd wager you will like it .

Touch HD -v- Touch HD2

I have a THD and I use it for my work and as a telephone, I do not listen to music on it and the only games I play on it are Solitare and Pocket Bridge. I purchased a THD2 because of the larger screen (hoping to avoid puting on my reading glasses!) I returned the TH2 after 1 days use and here are my reasons:
1. The screen was bigger but I still have to put on my glasses.
2. It was faster but only £10 faster and not £476.00 faster!
3. It was a little bit better than the THD but only £10 better and not £476.00 better!
4. It did not come with a stylus, I had to use my fingers "a la iPhone".
5. Because it had no stylus data entry was imprecise (remember I use this for work, not as a plaything)
My opinion is if you have an THD it is not worth upgrading to an THD2, you might as well wait intill it becomes obsolete/worn out before changing.
Sam

Thank you for that )
I'll stay with HTC HD at least till WinMo 7 will be released )))

Of coure is not wise to upgrade from HD to HD2 if your 400 E HD is working fine, why pay another 450 E and try to sell the HD for half of price.
But, the diffrence is more than 10 pounds as you say.
HD2 - best materials I have seen yet and absolutely gorgeos. it's called sexiest phone ever
- video recording 400 E better than HD
- capacitive screen, not stylus but much more responding to comands. and before stylus were you used to use such a small thing to type ? it's just a matter of days or weeks to get used to finger input(which by the way is the future)
- 1 GHz processor, maybe not the best rom yet but wait for xda chefs to cook something nice
and that small lisy only because I put my hands for some half an hour on one and after that I found my HD to small...........
Oh and by the way, I put my reading glasses even for this 17 inch monitor I use now.

chevic said:
- video recording 400 E better than HD
- capacitive screen, not stylus but much more responding to comands. and before stylus were you used to use such a small thing to type ? it's just a matter of days or weeks to get used to finger input(which by the way is the future)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I've seen in videos recorded with the HD2, it's nothing to be boasting about, and is barely better than the poor HD effort.You would buy something like an Omnia II if you want half decent video recording.
Yup, capacitive and giant finger UI's are the future, less overall usefulness and versatility also, it's a future I personally have zero interest in.
I think it's pretty weird that people find thing's like phones "sexy", but, whatever blows ya hair back I suppose

gerryjoson said:
From what I've seen in videos recorded with the HD2, it's nothing to be boasting about, and is barely better than the poor HD effort.You would buy something like an Omnia II if you want half decent video recording.
Yup, capacitive and giant finger UI's are the future, less overall usefulness and versatility also, it's a future I personally have zero interest in.
I think it's pretty weird that people find thing's like phones "sexy", but, whatever blows ya hair back I suppose
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My HD in video mode when turning around give me sea sickness.
Well basicly sexy is a naked woman or man. But as we are twisted animals we need some help to ignite our fantasy.
Regarding interest, 20 years ago I would not find usefull a device that would contact me 24/7 whereever. At that time people were finding there way without igo, tom tom, etc, were talking and sharing emotions face to face rather than messenger, facebook, tweeter, etc, were loving sport outdoors rather than playng games on pc or small display devices and shuld I go on ? When you see nowdays teenagers whatching a movie on a 3.2 inch display, typing a message with the speed of light on a small phisical or virtual keyboard, sharing photos on facebook and so on you think they're from out of space. But you love to have the toy they have. Or at least I do.......