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Which would suit me better? htc touch hd vs iphone

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Hi, im currently waiting for the Touch HD, but the past few days have posed many questions with much criticism going on about HTC's new flagship product. This has brought up the idea again, whether i should go for the iphone. Im no fan boy and i would value anything thats factual and unbiased.
this are my most important needs for the phone off the hat, in order of importance.
1) text messaging. i need a good keypad to message and such. i know the touch hd uses a resistive and the iphone a capacitive. but bearing in mind that the resistive screen used by the touch hd is by far the best, is it really far of from the iphone? If the apple gets a score of 100%, what would the touch hd's touch screen get?
(i sorta do MMS messaging at times too)
2) web browsing, the easy of web browsing is kinda important. less the navigation but more of page viewing. this is where the 3.8" screen comes as a huge plus. i know navigation on the iphone is more user friendly, but in terms of amt of information in a scree, is the touch hd much better?
3) videos. just one question, can the touch hd watch SMOOTH and CLEAR videos with the correct codes and resolution(reasonable size please)?
4) extra stuffs. i know that WM has many 3rd party software out there, much more than the iphone. ignoring the design and such, does the boundless quantity of software provide sufficiently functionality as compared to what the app store offers?
5) the occasional picture. iphone or touch hd? in terms of speed and quality.
Edit: I do have tons of time on my hands to tweak the Touch HD to my liking and such. lol.
(Just gotta wait for it to be out in Singapore...)
Note: I dont appreciate flaming nor do i feel i deserve any :/

Look up in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=443504
1) no answer cos I dont have my HD yet
2) same as 1)
3) use Core Player v1.2.5 and it will work out of the box
4) Absolutely...Wait another month and you will find plenty of stuff exclusively for the HD. Thats xda any people in here are outstanding
Hope could at least help a little.
Ascenca

Sounds like the HD will be more up your street.
I think you'll probably get bored of the iphone interface after a while (with the HD you'll be able to customise and tailor it to your needs)
I'm waiting for my HD to be delivered within the next 2 days (fingers crossed), but according to the slashgear review, the HD has the best resistive touch screen available (almost on par with the iphone).
The touch experience is extended over to Opera so should make web browsing a doddle.
Plus you can play high res div-x videos smoothly - not sure about other formats.
Here's the review - http://www.slashgear.com/htc-touch-hd-slashgear-review-part-2-0721942/
With respect to camera quality - it'll have to be the HD as you've got a 5MP camera (i know pixel resolution isn't the only factor for measuring quality but it has to beat the iphones 2mp) plus you'll also get more options on how you want to capture images not to mention the video recording ability.
Hope that helps !

I've had both (got the first iPhone when it came out in the US and got rid of it a month later for various reasons - mainly things that it just didn't do well or at all that I really need from a phone) - but I was struck with the UI and how good it was (the capacitive touchscreen I guess basically and how polished the visuals were supporting it)
Anyway, I've never really understood this ludicrous 'fan' loyalty mentality [over EITHER brand]- it's an effing phone, it's not like a member of my close family make them or anything.........anyway....I digress....I can't answer all your questions, as one or 2 are a little technical and require more detail than I can provide I tihnk - plus I've only had the HD a few days and so I've not managed to try certain things (will try video in a sec though
1. Txt messaging .... '=IF IPHONE=100%,TOUCH_HD=97%,IMO' ;-) (seriously - it's v. good, I think so anyway)
2. Screen 'volume' browsing advantage - it tips a little in favour of the HD for obvious reasons - not much in it really though - definintion is fantastic on the HD
Jumping to 5. The HD just gets it I think - speed is about the same IIRC but the screen definition on the HD blows the iphone away (and anything else I've seen quite frankly, including the diamond, if only because it has a smaller version of the same screen and was a bit flickery on the brightness)
HTH
FWIW - I really do like the iphone...but.....it just lets itself down badly on several points for me at this stage - it may get to the point in a couple of gen's time where it becomes a contender for me again - but IF I can get ANDROID onto my HD [oh please oh please oh please....] ....I feel the bar will be set waaaaay up high - too high in fact!

so the touch HD can be said to be more "open sourced", especially with lots more apps and such out there?

Stelixus said:
so the touch HD can be said to be more "open sourced", especially with lots more apps and such out there?
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Click to collapse
Oh certainly. But not just the apps, also the ROMs, radios, unlockers, SPLs and all the other stuff the geniuses here dabble in.
One more factor to think about is the actual time and energy you want to spend on your phone. Buying the HD (or any WM phone) and participating in XDA-Devs is a dangerous recipe. Most people I see on here (myself included) don't just set up their phones and live happily ever after. It is a never-ending and frustratingly enjoyable experience trying to make the phone work exactly like you want it to.
The iphone on the other hand, just works. But probably not exactly like you want it to

Having owned both... (well still owning HD now and it's a keeper so yes I am slightly biased):
Stelixus said:
1) text messaging. i need a good keypad to message and such. i know the touch hd uses a resistive and the iphone a capacitive. but bearing in mind that the resistive screen used by the touch hd is by far the best, is it really far of from the iphone? If the apple gets a score of 100%, what would the touch hd's touch screen get?
(i sorta do MMS messaging at times too)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For typing, the differences between any touchscreen become much smaller as all you do is press your finger down on an area contrary to sliding and brushing and such. The HD types better in that regard as there is more keyboard options (I really dig suretype) and even on similar keyboards (qwerty) the HD utilizes the additional screen height with some additional controls.
To answer the other question: well both screens are 100% to me, maybe the HD is 98%... The differences in responsiveness are so damn small I can barely tell. Behaves a little differently though, mostly depending on UI differences, not screen differences. But the HD has a sharper, cleaner presentation and both UIs are very good, so I prefer the HD, by a small margin.
Stelixus said:
2) web browsing, the easy of web browsing is kinda important. less the navigation but more of page viewing. this is where the 3.8" screen comes as a huge plus. i know navigation on the iphone is more user friendly, but in terms of amt of information in a scree, is the touch hd much better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HD hands down. The huge screen and high sharpness are all major criteria for me, and this is mainly why I chose the HD (and why it has its name ). Navigation on the iPhone is barely more user friendly, multitouch is nice for pictures but annoying/overrated for browsing... I really prefer the doubletap.
There is not much more information on the HD screen as only the widescreen factor gets you more info, but because of the super resolution it is a lot sharper and thus you don't need to zoom in as much to get readible pages. In fact, I do global reading/site skimming without zooming in at all. Iphone won't let you do that as easily.
Stelixus said:
3) videos. just one question, can the touch hd watch SMOOTH and CLEAR videos with the correct codes and resolution(reasonable size please)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I watch DivX mostly on it, using 800MB and 1,5GB files. I use coreplayer, perfect for me... I don't do benchmarks so I can't tell you the scientific performance, but if I see razor sharp 800*480 and smooth playback movies with super fast seeking, I'm happy.
Stelixus said:
4) extra stuffs. i know that WM has many 3rd party software out there, much more than the iphone. ignoring the design and such, does the boundless quantity of software provide sufficiently functionality as compared to what the app store offers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would not let the WinMo platform cloud judgement here. The Apple App Store is huge and only getting bigger each day, it's got great developer support. Don't buy into WinMo because of applications. IPhone has got apps for anything you need, just like WinMo, biggest difference is that WinMo has 10 apps for anything you need, so you got more choice
However, WinMo is much, much MUCH more customizable. Like I said WinMo has 10 apps for each IPHone 1 app, well it's like you got 10 OS versions contrary to 1 as well... WinMo is a broad term and IPhone OS is always the same damn thing, and all these kids got the same apps on their phones
Stelixus said:
5) the occasional picture. iphone or touch hd? in terms of speed and quality.
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Click to collapse
HTC, Apple, Blackberry... Don't buy these brands for good camera, but yes, occasional picture, it's fine. You get the same quality from an IPhone and a HD, but the HD picture is much bigger (5MP contrary to 2MP), but sensor quality does not differ much.
But... Here comes WinMo again... Of course the HD camera lets you do 10 times as much as an IPhone cam, making it more suitable for the occasional picture.

larsuck said:
The iphone on the other hand, just works. But probably not exactly like you want it to
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True for the most part, well, it works ... But many software updates were required to get there Bad call reception (still an issue), locked OS features because they simply weren't ready yet, temporary freezes, lockups, horrible battery life.... It reminds us that Apple phones are made by the same mere mortals that would make any other phone

and most imporant of all, with HD you have Voice Command available. There is nothing even remotely close on Iphone i have htc x7500 and iphone. HD coming tommorow

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

HD is over-rated ?

OK at the risk of starting a flame war I want to ask for some objective feedback on the HD. I tried the HD in a shop today for about 20 minutes and I was quite disappointed. (I have a HTC tytn so I used my experience over the last 18 months with that as a reference.). My brief conclusions
(a) The screen is big with a lot of detail as everyone says but its not as bright as the iPhone, G1 or blackberry Storm. Also the blacks are a bit murky so the constrast is not as good as the iPhone, G1 or the Storm.
(b) The interface felt very "laggy" with lots of freezing. (I've subsequently found a thread here on XDA-Developers where there are many compaints of freezes for several seconds - the unit I tried in the shop belonged to the Sales guy and had been up and running in less than 1 day with nothing extra installed on it - I ended up showing the sales guy how to do some things ! ) Certainly TF3D was no way as "slick" as the iPhone or the G1. When trying to browse the web the HD I perfered the G1 when if on the HD I could see more !
(c) One of my requirements is basic operations should be possible with one hand. The lack of hardware buttons and a D-pad / trackball or scroller seems to make that difficult? For example, it was difficult to take a decent close up picture of someone as you have to press the screen which moves the HD and so causes a loss of focus. On the third attempt I gave up trying to take a decent picture.
(d) For such a big screen TF3D makes inefficient use of the screen. I was particularly disappointed with the music player. I got the impression that rather than focus on functionality HTC really wanted to make things look good.
Overall I was dissappointed. I really want to get rid of my Wm5 based Tytn but it looks like I might have to look at something else
Please convince me otherwise !
Can those of you who've had real experience (I.e. for than a couple of days - where you are in the honeymoon period) provide some feedback on the HD?

not going to convince you to change. i suggest you stick with the Tytn and you'll save yourself a lot of second guessing and heart ache. based on a-d above, the HD is not for you.

I played with the iPhone for 20 minutes and hated it... But when I tried the HD for about 20 minutes I loved it.

What the hek every now and then someone comes and start his own comparison of HD to Iphone!!!!
IPHONE for many of us is Cr***ap ...

You have already started the thread by painting such as prefect picture of iPhone. If your requirements are better met by that, just go get yourself an iPhone. Everyone person's requirements are different. For me, iPhone does not meet my need and HD does. If you want to know why, go to this thread and read every post there by myself.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=443900

No point in flaming him (I have an Hermes as well and have a lot of questions about HD vs Touch Pro for instance)
It is really interesting to read people's opinion, may it be positive or negative to help many potential users chose with all cards in hand

Stick with your TyTn .... and wait for the next year 2009 devices.
For sure HD broughr fresh blood to the WinMo device, but thats not enough.
I am pretty sure, 2009 will be very interesting for mobile device (WinMo 6.5, Tegra?)

I have N95 for 15 Months and i thought i would never change phone again till iPhone 3G came out so i decided to upgrade.
At the same time my brother just bought Touch Diamond and I have to admit that I really hate the Diamond since the first few mins of playing with it. Laggy.. Sloppy.. Jerky.. Slowly.. Whatever u called it, Diamond has it all.
But now my brother decide to get a Touch HD, hoping that it will lift up our feeling some way some how, and he is right.
He got a phone last week and i have to say.. "It is in a different league with the iPhone"
Now i have to order another one for myself. Hope it will arrive soon ^^

Sorry but you are not right
By the way - the iPhone is indeed better because of the better OS
But also the HF Screen has not such a good contrast and has moires from different view angles ...
when you work for some days with the HD the iPhone screen shows pixels.
The HD screnn with th perfect resolution is much smoother
The HTC Touchflow SW is after a long time on devices quite fast ans very good ( not as good as iPhone OS ) - the only lag is that many functions are missing and HTC does not offer updates regularly to older devices.

annoying & ridiculous...
sorry ... BUT it really IS annoying to read so many threads where people are just complaining that the HD 'doesnt meet this and that and...' - whats the use in it ?! Everyone needs different things in a device, you wouldn't want my kind of shoes or trousers or car or whatever!!
So I don't give a s*** what anybody else has to say about the HD - I tested it for MYSELF, I found it to be excellent for me, I bought it two weeks ago, I do lots of flatrate-HSDPA'ing, business use 12 hours/day, permanent exchange sncy'ing, blablabla...my HD truely rocks. Simply said: theres nothing *I* miss - if you do, buy something you like.

First of all. Thanks for the feedback so far. I'm sorry that some of you seem to be overly defensive. What I am trying to get to the bottom of is that my short experience of the HD is at odds with the many many reviews of the HD on the web.
There are endless comparsions with the iPhone but I don't recall any mentioning the screen being not as bright or that the HD has a very "laggy" interface. The point is that the reviews hold up the iphone as the benchmark and generally give the impression that the HD is close in terms of touch sensitivity and better in terms of screen. I was therefore surprised when i got my hands on a unit to not get that impression in those areas. I am aware of the fact that the Iphone can't multi-task, has no FM radio, has locked down applications, video recording problems, poor support for MS office attachments etc etc. So I'm not that interested in it - its too restricted for me!
So what I'm trying to understand is why my, albeit, short experience is different.
So the questions remains guys.
Can you load a theme or change a setting to change the way the screen looks ?
(EagleSteve - I'm just reading that 49 page thread you refered to and I note the äuthor of the thread states - "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" - So that suggests a possible fix to my concern of the screen being not as bright as I expected)
Is the lack of hardware buttons actually a problem or does the large touch screen make it a non issue in practice?
Do you have laggy behaviour ? Is there some App or setting which everyone loads to get rid of the "laggy" behaviour? For the me the real show-stopper is probably the laggy behaviour - I need to know how much of a problem it is in practice.
Thanks for the feedback

I don't know... my unit isn't laggy at all, tflo is flying, the only issue I have is about video playback. But this is going to be solved with the next CorePlayer release, I hope.

owen.cullum said:
[...]
Do you have laggy behaviour ? Is there some App or setting which everyone loads to get rid of the "laggy" behaviour? For the me the real show-stopper is probably the laggy behaviour - I need to know how much of a problem it is in practice.
Thanks for the feedback
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The laggy behaviour obviously depends on what ROM you have.
I for myself do not experience lags on my device.
EDIT: As for the themes. Giznetic has already made some. Check out this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=451731

I dont get it.
Is the lack of hardware buttons actually a problem or does the large touch screen make it a non issue in practice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U seems to like the iPhone so much but y u worry about this issue? It seems like u trying to point out that Touch HD lack of D-Pad and button so its useless.
What about iPhone? 1 lonely button is that enuff for u?
sigh..

Hi Owen,
Well I'm not a HD user, I actually have a raphael. but my experience with this device was similar to yours when I first got it. In my experience my device was very laggy to start with. I ended up downloading a ROM and the speed is beautiful, I'm sure the HD will have the same and when this device is around as long as the raphael you will have some amazing ROMs if you already don't. Although it does frustrate me that our performance issues have to be solve by personal developers (who by the way do a marvellous job). So if you are happy flashing a ROM you will certainly get to a point you are happy with in regards to performance. it may however take you some time to do so
In regards to the button aspect, which was going to be my primary focus, the raphael has a few more buttons and a scroll wheel device. Having the extra buttons is frustrating, I have only had minimal (if any) use for them and only feel like they take up room on the device. If you are happy to not have a keyboard I wouldn't be too concerned on the lack of buttons.
Cheers
TT

kids phone
there is nothing called iphone sorry buy its the kids phone, who said better os? if so why great apple went for exchnage ???gps but no application wow, 3g but u cant create 2 way video call so there is no compaison if u want to make u kids happy go for kids phone

owen.cullum said:
Please convince me otherwise !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No thanks
I bought the HD because I was sure it was the right device to answer my needs. One month after I'm still convinced it was a good choice.
But I'm even more convinced that there's just no interest in trying to convince other users that my phone is the one they need.
A consequence is the following: I'm not interested in being convinced that the HD was not good enough for me

The Touch HD has a very bright screen. Did you alter the settings, to turn off automatic backlight?
I don't find my HD laggy at all especially with the tweak that optimises the cache. Even out of the box I didn't find the HD laggy. Afterall it's only a phone and not your desktop PC...

Screen looks nice enough in my opinion. I can't convince you that it isn't over rated as after having one for a few weeks I feel it is nothing special.
For the people that say there is no point complaining, this is true if you don't own one I suppose. Although if a person did buy one because of the hype and it doesn't live up to it then I think they have every right to say why they feel they don't like it. I spent 500 quid on mine and I should be able to criticise things about it I don't like at that point.
If a person is happy with his device that's great but others that don't share that feeling are entitled to their views too.

Like I said, each has his own need and preference, so I can only summarise for you who iphone is not worthy of comparison to hd from my viewpoint only.
1. I like the hd screen and not iphone screen: because HD screen has the right level of sensitivity and supports stylus. Stylus is a critical requirements not only it is more user friendly to me, but also because it supports hand writing. Screen brightness of HD is completely adequate under bright sunlight.
2. I need availability of tomtom or similar software. Iphone does not have an acceptable navigation software.
3 I need desktop class word, spreadsheet, and presentation editing software, which iphone doesn't have.
4.I need better software keyboard than that iphone offer and winmo platform offers that.
5.I cannot live with iphone's battery design because I'd been stuck without battery. I do not want the bulk of a mobile charger.
6. the breath and depth of software in iphone is still not there yet.
7. I prefer HD's bigger screen.
8. I like having more buttons in HD rather than just one in iphone.
9. I like being able to customise. You don't like black? No problem. Use something like spb mobile shell, or change the skin and background of tf3d.
10.I like to have lots of choices when come to firmware or ROM. You don't have that with iphone. The ability to improve is very limited.
11.I like FM radio, I like cut and paste, I like all the little things which HD can do and iphone can't.
I like the build quality of iphone. I like it's browser. I like it's smoothness in displaying web pages more than Opera mobile. I like its multimedia capability.
I almost got an iphone.
For me, iphone is a very sexy women, and the temptation to marry her is great. But if I want someone who can manage the household, bring up the kids well, wise with finance, and kind to people, HD is the plain Jane whom can deliver.

X1i -> HD2. Addvice please...

Sorry if i posted at the wrong section
Hi guys... i saw and view the specification and it seems that HD2 is a beauty...
thats why i need comment of HD2 pros and cons.
Because trading-in X1 to HD2 still required me to pay additional SGD600 (W/out trade-in is SGD740, And its brand new). its quite a huge sum for me...
So i am here seeking HD2 user's comment about this phone before i purchase it.
I appreciate any comment related to this topic.
Thanks
P.s. If possible, hope those HD2 user mind telling me why you would want to purchase this phone. Also your feeling/thought.
Thanks again.

Oh the HD2 is brilliant.
Some would see Windows Mobile as a let down, I'd disagree. It's an easy platform to develop for, should you come across an application you can't find. The HD2's huge screen with huge resolution is brilliant for... well everything. It's hardware means you get top-performance from whatever you do. HTCs Sense UI is also just a god-send, the best mobile interface I've come across.
Anything that's 'just not right' about it will have no doubt been 'fixed' by somebody here on XDA.

oh... Does it reocrd "HD" video?
Htc.com didn't says anything about it... ;(

It's maximum recording resolution is 640x480.

RJackson said:
It's maximum recording resolution is 640x480.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2 question to ask... Hope you know the answer
640x480 is HD2 screen resolution? surprised. X1 was 480x800... LOL. anyway, it doesn't matter.
Do you know the Fps for recording video?
and:
Mind telling me the maximum screen ratio aspect. is there 16:9? or just 4:3?
thanks sorry if i ask too much question...

xxdoggyxx said:
Sorry if i posted at the wrong section
Hi guys... i saw and view the specification and it seems that HD2 is a beauty...
thats why i need comment of HD2 pros and cons.
Because trading-in X1 to HD2 still required me to pay additional SGD600 (W/out trade-in is SGD740, And its brand new). its quite a huge sum for me...
So i am here seeking HD2 user's comment about this phone before i purchase it.
I appreciate any comment related to this topic.
Thanks
P.s. If possible, hope those HD2 user mind telling me why you would want to purchase this phone. Also your feeling/thought.
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi xxDoggyxx,
As a previous X1 owner, I did have reservations about going from a seemingly small device with a hardware keyboard to a big screened touch only device.
I can safely say, I am more than happy with the upgrade! The X1 was a good phone (had its build faults, etc) but the fluidness and ease of use, coupled with the bigger screen makes it worthwhile.
Pros:
- Bigger easier to read screen (even though I have great eyesight, sometimes I did find myself straining to see the X1 details)
- On-screen keyboard (this was a potential no-go for me) it took me less than a week to get used to it from a hardware keyboard (I had one on my last 3 handsets). The haptic feedback seems to really help, but that is an opinion based comment!
- Fluid menus - The SenseUI has actually made me take a step back from SPB's Shell (had the X1 SPB panel) and for most users, it is pretty much there. (There are a few bugs, but it is a complex system)
- Reception - phone reception has been almost double the strength of my X1 in most of the situations I've tested (one of which is my girlfriend's house, which acts like a Faradays Cage to most phones!)
- Facebook/YouTube/Twitter integration - I never really used Twitter that much, nor uploaded any photos to Facebook, but now I actually have decent programs to do it with, its changed my usage pattern totally.
- iPhone comparison - My X1 never really interested my 'iPhone fanboi' mates (I loved it) but a lot of them seem to be jealous now!
- Sat-Nav - I used my X1 all the time as a Sat-Nav device, but with the much bigger screen, the HD2 is a much superior device in this instance.
- Rave reviews - I read the best part of 20 reviews before I upgraded, and most of them only mentioned one or two bad points (pink tinge in camera - solved with update, and windows being the OS - its an opinion whether you like it or not)
Bad points:
- The bigger screen - it may be too big for some, sometimes I've noticed I need to shuffle it around my hand to get to some places, when using it with a single hand. I must admit, watch a few DVD 'rips' on it and the screen is forgiven!
- Little niggles - like not being able to send images via bluetooth (via the Album) - taking a while to be able to type a text reply if you have a lot in your inbox (this is understandable as there is a lot to it!)
- Cost - but there again, when has the bleeding edge of mobile handsets even been cheap?
- Hardware issues - You may come across lots of people complaining on this forum about hardware quality, but then how many people have posted saying it is a fantastic device? Most people only 'pipe up' to complain, not to compliment. I for one are one of the latter.

Haven't really used the Camcorder app, but i'll see what I can find out.
There's 3 resolutions you can record at, VGA (640x480) being the max. They all seem to be 4:3.
Can't find any information on the FPS.

TO: RP-X1.
What does it means by: :"watch a few DVD 'rips' on it and the screen is forgiven!"
sorry, my english... And: "unable to sent picture via bluetooth in the album". i understand that there is a application called album, which view your picture easily. But, i still can bluetooth songs and picture at file explorer right?
TO: RJackson.
With my knowledge of camera... LOL ... The HD2 is not "HD" it does not record "HD" video 4:3 is very very very small. if you view on a 42" LCD tv, you cannot see anything unless you stretch it. UNLESS... ... it is 4:3 @ 720fps [check with me again]
RP-X1 and RJackson, Anyway. thanks for the information... HD2 not "HD". a bit disappointed....

xxdoggyxx said:
TO: RP-X1.
What does it means by: :"watch a few DVD 'rips' on it and the screen is forgiven!"
sorry, my english... And: "unable to sent picture via bluetooth in the album". i understand that there is a application called album, which view your picture easily. But, i still can bluetooth songs and picture at file explorer right?
RP-X1 and RJackson, Anyway. thanks for the information... HD2 not "HD". a bit disappointed....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, sorry!
DVD 'rips' are copies of DVD recordings so I can watch them on the HD2. The quality of the screen and hardware make it a pleasure to watch films on it.
Yes, you can send images and audio files via bluetooth in the File Explorer. The Album program is great for looking at pictures and videos, but they seem to have missed the bluetooth sending option out.
Unfortunately, I do agree with the HD2 not being 'HD', but there are many technical issues with HD imagery. The HD2 has a much higher resolution than most other mobile devices, so I can see where HTC have made the HD connection.

actually, not to say that HD2 "sux", but the fact that the screen is really "small". the specification says that the screen is 4.3" (WOW) but it is only 480x680? Seriously, i am very very shocked. X1 screen is smaller yet higher resolution...
If you still had the xperia at hand, mind trying one simple thing to do.
Get the same video, place it at your xperia and HD2. view both at once. does xperia looks clearer? do not compare their ratio aspect. Thanks

xxdoggyxx said:
actually, not to say that HD2 "sux", but the fact that the screen is really "small". the specification says that the screen is 4.3" (WOW) but it is only 480x680? Seriously, i am very very shocked. X1 screen is smaller yet higher resolution...
If you still had the xperia at hand, mind trying one simple thing to do.
Get the same video, place it at your xperia and HD2. view both at once. does xperia looks clearer? do not compare their ratio aspect. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are the same resolution, 800 x 480.
The bigger screen makes things a lot easier to navigate (no need for stylus) and you don't need to struggle to watch things on it (some videos I played on the X1 were hard to watch, especially dark ones).
I can't deny there will be a 'quality' difference as the pixels will be bigger, but you don't notice the images going 'blocky' when viewing on an HD2, well I don't anyway.
I find it easier and more comfortable to watch videos on the HD2, for others they may prefer a smaller screen.

No, you don't understand.
The screen is 800x480, de facto it is the maximum for WinMo, as on your Xperia.
But the video recording is 640x480.
The screen is beautiful and huge, so don't worry about that part.

rp-x1 said:
Hi xxDoggyxx,
As a previous X1 owner, I did have reservations about going from a seemingly small device with a hardware keyboard to a big screened touch only device.
I can safely say, I am more than happy with the upgrade! The X1 was a good phone (had its build faults, etc) but the fluidness and ease of use, coupled with the bigger screen makes it worthwhile.
Pros:
- Bigger easier to read screen (even though I have great eyesight, sometimes I did find myself straining to see the X1 details)
- On-screen keyboard (this was a potential no-go for me) it took me less than a week to get used to it from a hardware keyboard (I had one on my last 3 handsets). The haptic feedback seems to really help, but that is an opinion based comment!
- Fluid menus - The SenseUI has actually made me take a step back from SPB's Shell (had the X1 SPB panel) and for most users, it is pretty much there. (There are a few bugs, but it is a complex system)
- Reception - phone reception has been almost double the strength of my X1 in most of the situations I've tested (one of which is my girlfriend's house, which acts like a Faradays Cage to most phones!)
- Facebook/YouTube/Twitter integration - I never really used Twitter that much, nor uploaded any photos to Facebook, but now I actually have decent programs to do it with, its changed my usage pattern totally.
- iPhone comparison - My X1 never really interested my 'iPhone fanboi' mates (I loved it) but a lot of them seem to be jealous now!
- Sat-Nav - I used my X1 all the time as a Sat-Nav device, but with the much bigger screen, the HD2 is a much superior device in this instance.
- Rave reviews - I read the best part of 20 reviews before I upgraded, and most of them only mentioned one or two bad points (pink tinge in camera - solved with update, and windows being the OS - its an opinion whether you like it or not)
Bad points:
- The bigger screen - it may be too big for some, sometimes I've noticed I need to shuffle it around my hand to get to some places, when using it with a single hand. I must admit, watch a few DVD 'rips' on it and the screen is forgiven!
- Little niggles - like not being able to send images via bluetooth (via the Album) - taking a while to be able to type a text reply if you have a lot in your inbox (this is understandable as there is a lot to it!)
- Cost - but there again, when has the bleeding edge of mobile handsets even been cheap?
- Hardware issues - You may come across lots of people complaining on this forum about hardware quality, but then how many people have posted saying it is a fantastic device? Most people only 'pipe up' to complain, not to compliment. I for one are one of the latter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best response imho... I also moved from the X1 to the HD2 and just dont regret it at all... I agree with all the things said by Rp-X1 above, but would also point out that the lack of a hardware keyboard was my biggest worry as I do a lot of typing on my phone and after almost a week I am so used to the HD2 on screen keyboard (using touchpal so I can also type in Chinese) its just awesome... HD2 is better than the X1 in nearly all respects I can think of at the moment... with more playing I expect it to only get better...

xxdoggyxx said:
2 question to ask... Hope you know the answer
640x480 is HD2 screen resolution? surprised. X1 was 480x800... LOL. anyway, it doesn't matter.
Do you know the Fps for recording video?
and:
Mind telling me the maximum screen ratio aspect. is there 16:9? or just 4:3?
thanks sorry if i ask too much question...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no hd2 resolution is 480 x 800 not 640x480 and here is it"s full specifications in this link
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_hd2-2957.php

I switched from an X1 to a Touch HD to an HD2 ...
The X1 was a nice device, but the rather small screen (compared to the other 2 devices) and rather slow performance was the reason to switch to the Touch HD. I have to say it was a very good decision. The whole usability changes with the bigger screen - although it wasn't much faster ... But than the HD2 was announced and I sold my Touch HD. And what can I say: With the HD2 I finally got the perfect device. It feels like a whole device, not tinkered like the X1 or Touch HD - BUT you still have the ability to customize it like X1 or Touch HD. The whole TouchFLO (Sense/Manila - w/e you want to cal it) makes much more sense with the HD2 and the nice speed and stability.
However, there are some downside too ... My HD2 has dust under the screen, other users experience problems with their touchscreen responsiveness and so on ... check the forum for those problems.

I can only agree to all the pros already mentioned about the HD2 vs. Xperia X1.
The HD2 outperforms the Xperia X1 by all meanings.
The only thing you might miss is the hardware keyboard.
However, for me personally, the full power of HD2 was only unleashed thanks
to the Custom ROMs which you can get here in the forum. They complete the
device to a degree which one would love to see out of the box.
Thanks to the community here, I was already able to upgrade my Xperia X1
with the HTC Manila user interface; upgrading to the HD2 was a kind of the
logical next step for me. I don´t regret that purchase for any second.
Whenever I grab my still existing Xperia X1 (or any other device, for that
matter) to compare, I can see and feel a difference like day and night.
At the end of the day, it is always an individual decision to purchase anything.
It is always a mandatory step to touch and feel the product(s) of your choice
at a dealer - whatever other users say may not apply to you.

Thanks for all the comment... Perhaps I will get HD2 by next week. Already sold my x1 Lol.
Btw, whats in the box of HD2? I don't want to get scam by the shop. Thanks

also moved from X1 to HD2..
no disappointment at all!!
great device.. btw.. I still got my X1.. when I use it again my X1 feels soooo slow

xxdoggyxx said:
640x480 is HD2 screen resolution? surprised. X1 was 480x800... LOL. anyway, it doesn't matter.
Do you know the Fps for recording video?
and:
Mind telling me the maximum screen ratio aspect. is there 16:9? or just 4:3?
thanks sorry if i ask too much question...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
x1 display is 800x480
hd2 display is 800x480
x1 can record 640x480 , 640x400(wide) and smaller
hd2 can record 640x480 , and other smaller 4:3 sizes

thanks for the answers. I'm currently also considering a switch from the x1 to the hd2.
Did you (or could you pls) try out if the headphones with the integrated microphone also work on the hd2?
Thanks!

Leo - To buy or not to buy - what you guys think?

OK - so aside from bias/ability to afford/shipping/tax/price or other logistical factor - can we have a show of hands as to who has already bought a HD2 and has something to say - particularly what about the device makes you happy, what makes you sad?
Let's try keep it away from supplier/delivery issues or local network/band/signal issues - just pure usability/hardware/software.
Personally after trying one out in a store last week I finally received the experience I feel you want when moving to a PDA from a smart phone. What does our community think after using it for a while?

noofny said:
OK - so aside from bias/ability to afford/shipping/tax/price or other logistical factor - can we have a show of hands as to who has already bought a HD2 and has something to say - particularly what about the device makes you happy, what makes you sad?
Let's try keep it away from supplier/delivery issues or local network/band/signal issues - just pure usability/hardware/software.
Personally after trying one out in a store last week I finally received the experience I feel you want when moving to a PDA from a smart phone. What does our community think after using it for a while?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
too subjective a question....for every person on here that says get it, there will be one that says don't get it.
the final decision must be yours....nobody here can make your decision for you. Make a list of the important things for you in a phone, then find the phone that matches those needs the best.
for example, I think the iphone has a much nicer interface, more apps, better screen (touch interface, not size or clarity), but for me it just doesn't handle business functions very well and that made me choose the HD2 since this was my primary need.
if you do the same process you might find the ideal phone for you

I got mine on Sunday just gone, was an upgrade from a Diamond. I loved my diamond, but as soon as I had setup my HD2 with contacts and apps etc I was loving this even more. Each time I use it I find something new, like facebook linking, then seeing in a contact card all communications with that person.
I'm yet to use the footprints, but look forward to trying it out.
The main thing for me was the screen size, I always had problems with the tiny diamond screen, but this is so crisp, easier to use and much easier to keyboard with.
Also the damn speed of the device is amazing, so fast, the OS loads so quick. I soft resetted it and put it down to expect a few minutes wait like on the diamond, but was rebooted so quick!
The one thing I would love to see is a facebook tab, like the twitter tab, shame they didn't implement that!
The specs that come with this phone are truely awesome, and that was the overall selling point for me, as I knew how good HTC phones were I just had to have something with the specs that this phone comes with.

twisted-pixel - good point about the subjectiveness. I suppose what I'm fishing for here are peoples post-usage horror/love stories - moreso with regard to hardware and usability. It's a nice big screen but it's also a nice big slab of tech - how do you find the size, whats the battery life like, do you notice anything bad about the capacitive screen, how often (if ever) do you feel the need for a stylus and say 'doh', does the headphone port become dodgy after use - or the micro usb port? I suppose because of this community we all have flexibility and solutions around software, so I meant to make this more hardware related I guess.

noofny said:
twisted-pixel - good point about the subjectiveness. I suppose what I'm fishing for here are peoples post-usage horror/love stories - moreso with regard to hardware and usability. It's a nice big screen but it's also a nice big slab of tech - how do you find the size, whats the battery life like, do you notice anything bad about the capacitive screen, how often (if ever) do you feel the need for a stylus and say 'doh', does the headphone port become dodgy after use - or the micro usb port? I suppose because of this community we all have flexibility and solutions around software, so I meant to make this more hardware related I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I admit to loving the phone...with one exception...the sensitivity of the screen is a complete disaster for me. it's very difficult to type on, someones it responds to the slightest touch, other times it doesn't. accuracy is also an issue (that was to be expected on a screen with high resolution I suppose)
and yes, I've tried all the tweaks going before anyone suggests it (currently running v3.3 of the tweak with sensitivity on)
I think if I had come straight from my HD then I would have been impressed, but I come from an iphone where the screen was a delight to use.
however, the rest of the phone makes up for that small failing.

noofny said:
twisted-pixel - good point about the subjectiveness. I suppose what I'm fishing for here are peoples post-usage horror/love stories - moreso with regard to hardware and usability. It's a nice big screen but it's also a nice big slab of tech - how do you find the size, whats the battery life like, do you notice anything bad about the capacitive screen, how often (if ever) do you feel the need for a stylus and say 'doh', does the headphone port become dodgy after use - or the micro usb port? I suppose because of this community we all have flexibility and solutions around software, so I meant to make this more hardware related I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, you will find more people venting than praising any device on this forum, as people only seek help when they have problems.
I must admit, I personally think it is the best device I have ever used.
For a quick overview from me (in comparison to the X1, but most comments are applicable):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=5667230&postcount=6

I stumbled on this video on youtube;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-3Bi-Eg2gQ
...and love his brutal (albeit bias and sometimes naive) honesty, it helps you make a decision because it's not a rant. So far you guys are proving some intelligent feedback also - so thank you and let's keep it coming!

I got the HD2 the day it was available in my country (one of the first in europe) and despite all the fixes and xda-dev recommendations i couldn't have it for more then 1 weekend. I sold it on monday morning.
I hated typing (i did try the keyboard cab which should lower the sensitivity), loading sms with some exchanged texts already (loading was awful for such powerful device), visibility outside was horrible, battery,..
Maybe my rant will be understanded better if i mention i'm a blackberry user that likes to try out new "hot phones" (no matter which brand or type of usage).
I've also tried the Nexus One and would say i liked it a tiny bit better then HD2, but still couldn't have it for more then a week.
So, why am i writing this.. After MWC last week, i've kind of wanted to give HD2 another shot. For the following reasons..
I've came across some nice taskbar buttons (which make it look so much better..), I saw there is a fix for sms loading time, i guess i could always install a different keyboard,.. and most imortantly i got a very nice (cheap) offer for a brand new HD2. Yesterday i even ordered a nice case (didn't like the one that comes in the box) and a screenprotector (which might reduce the fingerprints, which i hated so much and a visibility outside,.. hope i'm not too optimistic).
If i somehow manage to be happy with HD2, i might even go for the exnteded battery. And i'm kind of feeling the hype for WinMo7 rom for this device.. Don't know if it will be any better or worse, i just know there is some excitement about it
Hope my rant / "long mess" didn't bore you too much

+1 to buy with eyes closed.

OK, this will be quick because I'm supposed to be doing something else right now but anyway...
I've just sent my HD2 back because of a problem with the microphone so if anyone should be telling you to think of other alternatives - it should be me.
But I can't because I love the phone. It's fast, responsive, it's got most of the features that you could ever want (minus USB host), the screen is gorgeous and the interface is pretty damn usable.
It's not perfect however... Customising it is more trouble than it should be. There is a slight pink hue in the middle of the camera when the contrast and saturation are turned up high enough to make the colours look half lifelike and when the screen is completely white, at certain angles you can see the grid dots that make the screen's matrix.
So to resume, if you don't mind spending some time on it and you're not completely obsessive about things being absolutely perfect (I am and I can still get to sleep at night) then you should be very happy with an HD2.

NeoGreendawg said:
There is a slight pink hue in the middle of the camera when the contrast and saturation are turned up high enough to make the colours look half lifelike and when the screen is completely white, at certain angles you can see the grid dots that make the screen's matrix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The pink hue is solved with an update from HTC (here)
The dots are also visible on an iPhone, its down to the technology, not the device alone.

rp-x1 said:
The pink hue is solved with an update from HTC (here)
The dots are also visible on an iPhone, its down to the technology, not the device alone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I'm sorry but the HTC hotfix did slightly improve the issue but it certainly didn't resolve it in my case. I love the phone believe me but I somehow doubt that anyone who isn't employed by HTC or affected by Daltonism could honestly claim that it has completely solved the issue.
Edit : Not trying to be rude or make out that it's a deal-breaker but I know that as a potential buyer I'd want to know about it.

I've had the HD2 for three weeks and use it every day. I also end up resetting it every day. I've come from a Nokia N96 and before that the N73, so I'm comparing it to the N96. I am very pleased with the speed of the phone and how operations take way less than a second to perform, instead of several seconds a la N96.
The phone itself is a bit too big. Perhaps a 4 inch screen would have been enough. Even though I have big hands, it's just too big to walk around and hold the phone with one hand. I'm scared of dropping it. The headphone port's on the bottom of the phone - it causes the cable to tangle up around the phone when in a pocket.
I have found plenty of bugs in the stock O2 1.43 firmware and know how to deal with the main ones.
I didn't realise the phone had an FM tuner until I found it after a few days on the Start menu - I used the N96 FM tuner almost every day. Unfortunately the tuner on the HD2 is really poor. It is unable to obtain a good quality signal. Sound dips out. There's an awful lot of interference in places where the N96 would have relayed a good quality signal. In places where the N96 got a poor signal, the HD2 has static. BBC Radio 1 has the most powerful signal in my area, yet the HD2 fails to get consistent reception. There's just too much interference and I often just shut the radio off. A huge let down; I wonder if it's hardware or software at fault.
The N96 music player was very well featured, but incredibly (pathetically) slow. In contrast, the HTC Music app has no such delays, is very fast but somewhat basic in comparison. A lot of cool N96 features are missing; there's no way to call up the keyboard to locate tracks, track details can't be edited, tracks can't be deleted, backing out of an album takes you to the top of the album list and not to where you were. There's no hardware buttons to change tracks when the phone's in a pocket (a swipe up/down on the lock screen to change tracks would be nice). Volume control has too few stages so is either too loud or too quiet; volume within the Music tab has more stages but doesn't always work (error in Services.exe). General audio quality is rather poor - even the iPod classic 5G sounds better! Occasional unexplained sound dips and audio which lacks in bass and treble. The oddest thing is the shuffle feature tends to replay swathes of tracks that have already been played.
Video playback is very impressive because of the screen size. Can't fathom why the Windows Mobile OS cannot play WMV. Get quite a few dropped frames and put that down to the poor quality 1.43 ROM and perhaps not-fully-developed decoders. Video viewing in general is very nice, although an afterthought within HTC Sense, as the video playback has essentially just been tacked on to HTC's photo viewing app.
I do like the phone, it is good enough to stop me wanting to go back to my last phone. I'd get one, but the HD2's not quite the tech lover's wet dream that some of the big review sites make it out to be. Having bought it from the O2 network, I'll seriously doubt I'll ever be able to officially upgrade the firmware (HTC isn't even listed on their software upgrade pages), so I'll have to learn alternative methods one of these days to see if I can iron out some of the bugs!

Wish they would just whack a snapdragon and capacitive screen in a HD and re-release it....think that would satisfy a lotta folks. Cheers all for your input, it's really helping me to set realistic expectations.

I was contemplating on whether I should buy a Nexus One instead of the HD2, but I decided to go for the HD2 instead because it was cheaper, had a nice screen resolution, specifications don't differ much between both devices, and i'm looking forward to the Windows 7 release on the HD2

i am currently contemplating to switch from HD to HD2....is it worth it?

Buy it!
I come from the HD. The HD2 is what the HD should have been from the first instance.
Fantastic:
- speed (and I am using a stock French Orange ROM based on 1.43!)
- screen
- usability
As far as precision is concerned: I need a phone to check and type (even long) emails, and read documents. XT9 works just great, but even in ABC mode in landscape the accuracy is pretty good (and I type fast!).
If you need to play around with programs using stylus-based input, yes, then it gets really annoying (try to edit your registry in Total Commander and you'll get crazy).
In summary: if you want to tweak it like crazy all the time or intensively use older programs with small menus, then consider buying an alternative with a resistive screen and a stylus. But if you actually want to USE your phone with the standard applications, just buy it and you'll get the best of the market today imo!

to buy or not
i have it for a month after the trinity.
sorry but it hasnot voice call
no handwriting recognition
battery ends quickley
no video call
no .chm file reader
all of these were on the trinity.
so i am sorry buing it

Mastoid said:
I was contemplating on whether I should buy a Nexus One instead of the HD2, but I decided to go for the HD2 instead because it was cheaper, had a nice screen resolution, specifications don't differ much between both devices, and i'm looking forward to the Windows 7 release on the HD2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope you do realize that there may eventually never be a WP7 release for the HD2?

rottttman said:
i have it for a month after the trinity.
sorry but it hasnot voice call
no handwriting recognition
battery ends quickley
no video call
no .chm file reader
all of these were on the trinity.
so i am sorry buing it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U'd better search for infos about the phone after buying it