There is an interesting mix of 'stuff' on this forum at present and what seems to be a considerable amount of interest and emotion around the HD2. There are:
Threads asking for opinions on upgrades
Threads slating the device
Threads doing the basic 'work' of the forum (in my opinion) i.e. sharing information, trying to find ways of making things work, helping one another out, etc
Judging by the critical threads and by those jumping in to defend the device, there are two essentially polarised schools of thought; those who love it and those who loath it (and of course, many shades in between).
Many of those who hate the device seem to be inclined to share their dissatisfaction in the interests of providing balance for those considering a purchase, so instead of the emotion and mud slinging, how about a simple poll so that everyone can submit their own view in as dispassionate a manner as possible?
No comment!
IPhone Windows Style
I cant wait until My Pink Photo phone is warrantied so I can load a different ROM on it. This phone out of the box is so locked down on features it even hides two games. To install owner information you have to fill out your contact card not Owner information through windows because it is nonexistent without reg edit. If I didn't know how do do some Reg Editing I think I might have thrown this phone even at the $800 US Price tag. I cannot even switch the view to landscape in Excel, so now I can only see half of my spread sheets.
On the plus side the 1 GHZ processor runs all of my programs at lightning fast speeds. The screen is big enough to enjoy anything you do on this phone. The cellular radio has great reception I have not dropped a call yet.
I'm in the US, so like many of my brethren, I'm waiting for my order to be shipped.
I may have some problems with the phone, but truthfully, if not for the trailblazers and those having problems, I would be lost in most of the issues I'll run across.
Ultimately, the specs on this device make it too delicious not to love.
Positive
This is the best device I have ever owned.
I started with an XDAII, which was classic and the 2nd of it's kind, that is, a computer phone.
HTC pioneered this, making the first, the XDA.
They solved many of the power issues and other technical issues of earlier pda's and melded the mobile phone with the pocket computer.
It was instantly better than any Nokia.
I have owned many classics like O2 Mini, Atom, Polaris and HD.
Though it is a good phone without needing any major changes, I couldn't stand not being able to customise my phone at the cellular level.
But then, I have built a dozen hi performance pc's in my time and similarly would not be happy with a DELL or a Mac or anything like that. I owned a top line powermac 12 years ago that cost 22 G's but my HD2 is 10 times more powerful, has the same size storage and fits in my pocket.
There are plenty of phone-computers that cannot be customised and so there is no scope for the problems that can arise in trying to mod a phone to make it do things an ordinary phone can't.
What's not to like?
Have to say when I got mine i was sooo impressed and yes for a while it was unconditional love.
Realised the shortfalls pretty quickly but they are minor and I can live with them.
However after 3 days the phone completely died and (fingers crossed) the replacement is due this morning.
C'mon vodafone / parcelforce ... make me happy again ......
GG
Xaddict said:
HTC Touch HD
Miri Manila 2.5 Rev 13
Donated to my girl
(so she won't be mad at me for buying an HD2)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol very wise mate.
Initial Analysis...
With just over 50 responses in, the poll results, to me at least, are a more accurate reflection of end user response to the HD2, with around 70% of respondees either liking or loving the device.
Interestingly, the modal response (just) is currently 'like it, but accept that it needs tweaking'.
Around 10% of responses are ambivalent and less than 10% dislike or hate the device. This tends to back up the suspicion that the noisy negative threads reflect the minority, rather than the majority.
The balance of responses are in the 'don't have it yet, but will/won't get it', where there is little to choose between the two responses.
I'd like to believe that the poll approach gives everyone a chance to state their opinion in non-emotive terms, so for those contemplating a purchase the XDA recommendation currently seems to be 'go for it'.
I'm also of the personal opinion that a 70% early adopter approval rating isn't too bad for a bleeding edge device that will only improve with HSPL/USPL and cooked ROMs.
Nice, i like your thinking and giving objective statistics to the crowd!
I'm going to give this a gentle nudge as I'd like to be sure it captures the opinions of as many HD2 users as possible, plus there are still people asking for opinions on the phone and whether they should upgrade.
As it stands, there have been 73 responses (I think 64 of those are from people who actually own the device) and the dislikers/haters number precisely 5 of that 64, with a further 6 ambivalent.
Unless a good many HD2 owners are so appalled by the device that they won't even register their vote it seems clear that the overwealming majority are happy with the device.
Wouldn't be wonderful if that meant a bit more of a useful tone in some of the threads in this forum. At least the number of 'Kill all HTC emplyees, kill them all and slaughter their families, beat them to beath with iPhones' type threads does seem to have dropped off a bit...which is nice.
I've had my HD2 since Monday 30th November and I am very pleased with it.
I upgraded from a Touch HD and found the capacitive screen ( using the pad of my finger ) on the HD2 compared to the resistive screen ( using my fingernail ) on the Touch HD took a bit of getting used to. Once I mastered the new typing style required by the HD2 I found it very fast and accurate to use. I have not applied any fixes for the screen.
The only problem I have with this PPC is stopping myself from playing with it
In light of the threads that seem to keep being opened by those with an axe to grind against the HD2, I'm going to give this a nudge as I still feel that a nice, simple poll is the best, emotion-free way to gather opinion about the HD2.
I truly don't go big on conspiracy theories and smear campaigns but the evidence of 98 votes in the poll so far say that two users don't like their HD2 but are stuck with it and another three users hated it so much they have binned it.
Approximately 5% of HD2 users therefore seem to be accounting for an awful lot of noise, heat and light. Worse still, they are clogging up a forum that should be helping those of us that do like the device to get the most from it. I don't know about anyone else, but that's why I'm here, not to have increasingly petty arguments. There is an old proverb about a wise man arguing with a fool; very quickly it becomes difficult to tell which is which. Sound familiar?
I don't hate the iPhone - don't rate it either, nor did my wife, a convinced technophobe who is now very happily using my old HD having binned the iphone - and I don't think that people who don't like the HD2 are intrinsically bad people, but I do wish what appears to be a very small minority would have their say and jog on.
The fact that they don't and that they keep on (and on and on (and on and on and on)) making their points about the HD2 is suspicious, but maybe the poll is lying. So here's a bump - if you haven't already voted, do so now, especially the HD2 haters. Let's have some objectivity and balance instead of flame...ready? Go
This should be sticky
75% satisfaction and 10% ambivalent is better than what the iPhone scored in some surveys.
Gustopher said:
In light of the threads that seem to keep being opened by those with an axe to grind against the HD2, I'm going to give this a nudge as I still feel that a nice, simple poll is the best, emotion-free way to gather opinion about the HD2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I definitely like it. No digital device has ever wowed me so much that I didn't want to tweak it. The 'killer app' of the HD2 is in fact its tweakability (is that in the dictionary?) That's what makes it win out over the iPhone.
All of my frustrations are with the WM 6.5 operating system, and all my admiration is with HTC for virtually relegating WM to a background sub-system, where it belongs. (Don't hold your breath hoping that WM 7 is going to be a better user interface than HTSense.)
I've been trying to get a HD2 and not going anywhere. I've got two vodafone accounts (one for 14years, one for over 10) and they totally screwed me over in getting the HD2 by deliberately sending a Satio in my order instead of the HD2 thus removing me from the order list which I had got on the 15th, one day after the device was released.
They never then called me back when they got stock of course despite putting in several more orders. Even getting my PAC got me nowhere.
Sadly all vodafone reps on the phone say they love the HD2 instead of the iphone. I personally feel that vodafone are bullying people into the sub-standard iphone and especially 360 devices for profits.
What I did agree on with the vodafone reps are that:
Pros of HD2
a) Great large screen
b) still surprisingly pocketable (like TG01)
c) faster than any other device.
d) Battery DOES last longer than iphone (I got 5hours of iphone 3gS use on vodafone greece network with mild usage).
e) high-res screen.
f) will support WM7.
g) has more ROM space than many other devices.
h) You do not have to jailbreak the device and worry about apple updates bricking your device. HSPL lets you put in new cooked ROMs, you cannot even do that on an iphone.
i) Less jokey than the iphone. I dont see it as a serious device.
j) If you can cope with the technical stuff and the sheer volume of tweaks a WM6.5 device can be anything you want it to be!!!
k) it is not out of the question in the future to put android on the HD2 either.
l) Tons of useful software, not just gimmick stuff!!!
m) microsdhc can be up to 32GB now, just released in Times Square in Hong Kong. branded 16GB dirt cheap (class 6).
Cons:
a) SMS issue is worrying for a prospective user especially as the problems seem widespread on Vodafone UK.
b) Yes, pink camera issue, but i couldnt care less about it.
c) HSPL for official ROM upgrades around vodafone is almost like jailbreaking.
d) the tweaks and stuff is quite technical - and there is just so much of it!!! but of course this is also a pro!!
e) Battery quality seems variable. Some good units out there, some bad.
f) So much to tinker, so much to break!!!!
In short, the HD2 has no competitor due to the processor and the screen size and its resolution. Sure it's not 16M, but that can come with an upgrade.
It has the grunt for the future with the CPU, you have chainfire to compete with cortex+gpu, and enough ROM and RAM and you can tweak it to your heart's content!!!
I say the HD2 is a WINNER - I CAN fix most of the issues or ignore them, or avoid them just like i do with my E65 every day. What I can't get on another device is the screen. I do pray that I dont get teh SMS issue though.
I just have to make sure HD2 fits in my tight pockets!!! (31" waist).
I am going to have to admit that, when I opened the box and powered on the device, I was bouncing up and down with glee. And I still was for days. I stopped bouncing when a) it started hurting and b) some minor niggles reared their heads.
1. When I adjust the volume on the music tab, with music playing, it stutters and does not show the slider. If I lock the device or use a different tab, it's fine.
2. Today, after about a week of use, the much-touted SMS not sending issue struck me. This may be to do with me not trimming my message box - but apparently HTC are working on it and in the meantime I can disable the HTC messaging app and use the basic WinMo one which is still highly functional, and everything works.
These have reduced my enjoyment level a little - I paid £475 for this device and to be fair I expect it to have, at most, very very minor issues, but I still enjoy it, I think it is a marvellous bit of kit and look forward to HTC's fixes addressing everything.
chris_ah1 said:
I've been trying to get a HD2 and not going anywhere. I've got two vodafone accounts (one for 14years, one for over 10) and they totally screwed me over in getting the HD2 by deliberately sending a Satio in my order instead of the HD2 thus removing me from the order list which I had got on the 15th, one day after the device was released.
They never then called me back when they got stock of course despite putting in several more orders. Even getting my PAC got me nowhere.
Sadly all vodafone reps on the phone say they love the HD2 instead of the iphone. I personally feel that vodafone are bullying people into the sub-standard iphone and especially 360 devices for profits.
What I did agree on with the vodafone reps are that:
Pros of HD2
a) Great large screen
b) still surprisingly pocketable (like TG01)
c) faster than any other device.
d) Battery DOES last longer than iphone (I got 5hours of iphone 3gS use on vodafone greece network with mild usage).
e) high-res screen.
f) will support WM7.
g) has more ROM space than many other devices.
h) You do not have to jailbreak the device and worry about apple updates bricking your device. HSPL lets you put in new cooked ROMs, you cannot even do that on an iphone.
i) Less jokey than the iphone. I dont see it as a serious device.
j) If you can cope with the technical stuff and the sheer volume of tweaks a WM6.5 device can be anything you want it to be!!!
k) it is not out of the question in the future to put android on the HD2 either.
l) Tons of useful software, not just gimmick stuff!!!
m) microsdhc can be up to 32GB now, just released in Times Square in Hong Kong. branded 16GB dirt cheap (class 6).
Cons:
a) SMS issue is worrying for a prospective user especially as the problems seem widespread on Vodafone UK.
b) Yes, pink camera issue, but i couldnt care less about it.
c) HSPL for official ROM upgrades around vodafone is almost like jailbreaking.
d) the tweaks and stuff is quite technical - and there is just so much of it!!! but of course this is also a pro!!
e) Battery quality seems variable. Some good units out there, some bad.
f) So much to tinker, so much to break!!!!
In short, the HD2 has no competitor due to the processor and the screen size and its resolution. Sure it's not 16M, but that can come with an upgrade.
It has the grunt for the future with the CPU, you have chainfire to compete with cortex+gpu, and enough ROM and RAM and you can tweak it to your heart's content!!!
I say the HD2 is a WINNER - I CAN fix most of the issues or ignore them, or avoid them just like i do with my E65 every day. What I can't get on another device is the screen. I do pray that I dont get teh SMS issue though.
I just have to make sure HD2 fits in my tight pockets!!! (31" waist).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just saw your comment about praying not to get the SMS issue. Apparently, keeping your message box counts low will help prevent it - but I cannot guarantee it. if it DOES strike, there are solutions in numerous threads - the one I suggest most as it worked for me is disabling HTCs messaging app and using WinMo's own.
Yep, of course not all solutions work because I personally believe that Vodafone SMS is *shiste* service.
Interesting thing is that there are two SMS issues - slow browsing and display - which you can avoid by bringing up menu and closing it.
And messages staying in the outbox is something Ive had with my E65...I merely have to tell the phone to resend them and it goes.
Just to recap solutions I've seen, but not all work for SMS sending:
a) disable htc messaging
b) change to classic view, not conversation
c) set messages to GSM only not GPRS
d) disable 3G/2G switching and stay on GSM.
e) reboot phone and take out battery.
f) get a new vodafone Sim card.
g) get the phone to re-register itself on a new tower.
h) install HTC hotfix and/or later ROMs.
For SMS delayed view:
a) switch to classic view,
b) disable htc messaging
c) get menu up on random message and cancel menu.
d) purge your SMS box.
I must note that My E65 does this automatically - it only keeps a low number of messages in memory and automatically purges old ones. It also soft-resets itself automatically every 24hours. So S60 is not so special either - all mobiles have these issues. at least my E65 SMS not sending is sporadic.
MY HD2
I got my HD2 three weeks ago & loved it when it first booted up. I have had no serious problems with it since except when I tried to update the ROM, it keeps coming up: "not suitable for this pocket pc".
Either I have done something wrong or the phone will not update I do not know. So, it ain't broke, so don't fix it is the way to go!
beegeebopper said:
I got my HD2 three weeks ago & loved it when it first booted up. I have had no serious problems with it since except when I tried to update the ROM, it keeps coming up: "not suitable for this pocket pc".
Either I have done something wrong or the phone will not update I do not know. So, it ain't broke, so don't fix it is the way to go!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're either:
- Running the ROM update on the device - you can't, you need to run it from a PC with the phone plugged in and in bootloader mode.
- Running the ROM update on a PC but the phone isn't in bootloader mode.
- Running the ROM update on a PC but the update isn't for your serial number. (Try looking at all the ROM updates on the HTC website for your area, i.e. htc.com/uk)
- Running the ROM update for a custom ROM without running HSPL first. (Check the HD2 ROM forum - http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=534)
Related
I'm pretty much looking for a long term phone, looking forward to watching movies, playing games, surfing the net, etc. I've used Xperia X1 (was great for a while, but little to no official support), the iPhone 3g (quick, way less laggier than the X1, great for mindless games to kill time)
Guess what I am asking is, is HTC HD2 worth the buck? $500 SGD (About uhm 250 Euros) for the phone (incl 2-year plan)
As you can see from my signature I've had a LOT of phones in my time, but never been very happy with one for very long.
Finally , at least for me, the HD2 will be something I'm going to own a very long time to come. It really does everything you could want in a phone/media player/comms/office/game device...all be it with a good bit of the expected modding and tweaking that comes with WinMo And if you can get it as cheap as €250 then I wouldn't think twice, go for it.
But remember my analogy for having a HD2/Leo. It's like having a child.
You have the painful labour pains of paying for it (€700 in most places). The joy of holding it for the first time (unboxing it)
Then like a child, you need to teach it how to work properly (modding and reg editing). Also like a growing child, you need to put up with it's little annoyances now and then (the odd bugs that need fixing). After that, you need to teach it to be interesting, (add apps, themes etc) Basically if you're willing to put in the work it's going to be worth every penny/cent
Thanks for the quick response! Appreciated! Yup, one thing I love about WinMo devices is the huge community(Actually the HTC Community) which allows me to pretty much customize the phone Another question, is there any major bugs/flaws that I might be concerned about? Because I've wanted this phone ever since the rumours surfaced and the hype made all the more irresistable lol
Yes, the HD2 is worth every penny!
There are a few flaws out of the box yes. Some have speaker issues, screen over/under sensitive, pinkeye camera, and a few more, all of which can be fixed with some reg edits and a few cab files. You can find all the fixes and tweaks Here.
The only as yet unfixed problem is the SMS issue. Some people (not me) who have over 200 or so SMSs (why don't people use the delete button?) notice a slow down when replying. But who uses SMS anymore in this modern age of emails, twitters, Google wave, Facebook and what not Anyways for the SMS issue I think there is a workaround until HTC come up with a patch.
jagnet said:
As you can see from my signature I've had a LOT of phones in my time, but never been very happy with one for very long.
Finally , at least for me, the HD2 will be something I'm going to own a very long time to come. It really does everything you could want in a phone/media player/comms/office/game device...all be it with a good bit of the expected modding and tweaking that comes with WinMo And if you can get it as cheap as €250 then I wouldn't think twice, go for it.
But remember my analogy for having a HD2/Leo. It's like having a child.
You have the painful labour pains of paying for it (€700 in most places). The joy of holding it for the first time (unboxing it)
Then like a child, you need to teach it how to work properly (modding and reg editing). Also like a growing child, you need to put up with it's little annoyances now and then (the odd bugs that need fixing). After that, you need to teach it to be interesting, (add apps, themes etc) Basically if you're willing to put in the work it's going to be worth every penny/cent
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
700 euros in most places??.. no way
But to stay on topic.. imagine when it is summer.. how will you carry your Leo with you?.. so I find that a better case in the package would have been absolutely no luxury!
Then you have the software flaws.. device.exe sometimes crashes the phone totally.. the htcmessage performance.. the camera... seems to me that Leo had to be released..
seems to me like a business decision.. release it now albeit with software flaws and fix them later.. it turned out to be not a bad decision
but.. if you use Leo with navigon (my preferred navigation software) then you will be in for a real treat.. the same if you use it to browse websites.. so as always it depends
on your usage..
Like Jagnet, I've owned a rather odd collection of phones in my life. I've never been keen on Smartphones as I was rather disappointed by them during my little spree of owning them during 2003/04 and was put off since. I went as far as considering "a phone is just a phone, nothing else" and swore by living in the dark ages by avoiding Smartphones (even though I was working as a promoter and technical adviser for Windows Mobile back in 2003/04 >.<).
The HD2 was something that caught my eye earlier this year and is the first phone that I've waited patiently for, it certainly was worth the wait! Apart from the odd niggles you get from the phone such as the SMS bug and the odd lag, the phone works great (lets be honest here, there are always minor niggles with any phone you get, even my Nokia 8800 Arte, retailing at £1100 at the time I got mine had awful bugs which took over 8 months to fix and there are still bugs that remain).
Much fun can be had with the HD2, the great community behind it (you are looking at it now ) and modding. I've spent endless hours customising it to meet my needs. After a few weeks of playing about with registry / system files and hard resetting, I've now got a phone that does everything I want, customed to how I like and works flawlessly...
apart from the bluetooth compatibility issues...
and the battery life incomparable to non-smartphones (however, the HD2 does very well compared to most smartphones on the market)...
and the marketplace which is in need of some love...
and having to change my handset due to a dodgy touchscreen within the first 4 days.
On the games front, you will be disappointed when comparing it to the iPhone but there are a few good games around. On the apps front, if you ignore the Windows Marketplace and Google around, there are plenty of places to buy good apps from. It's just the iPhone has a good app store that consolidates all apps into a nifty marketplace for you to browse.
Windows Mobile needs you to put the effort in ownership, but in many ways, I see it as a good thing. You get the flexibility to do what you want, on phones such as the iPhone, you are controlled to what you can or cannot do unless you "jailbreak". The iPhone is user friendly, everything is setup for you and for those looking to get a phone that does everything the minute you take it out of the box, it is a product for you. The HD2 fairs well with HTC Sense and it's a good starting point for HTC and Windows Mobile, there is still the horrid Windows Mobile 2003 look lurking in the background though.
Thanks for the replies fellas, appreciate it I am getting my HTC HD2 in a couple of hours, and I hope I won't be disappointed I'm pretty much looking forward to unboxing my 'child' (like how jagnet put it Most of all, I'm looking forward to WM7, though from what I've read it might take a while, but as long as it is worth the wait, I'm cool with it...
It really is like a new baby, because you will breast feed it every 2 hours.
Hi Ive had my HD2 for a few days and to be honest its been a difficult transition form my iphone 3GS which was very simple and easy to use but the 3gs is very basic and doesn't allow for real working integrations.
Its been buggy, very slow compared to the 3gs, the keyboad for some weird reason is of center which is a nightmare to type on compare to the 3gs.
The phone isnt as simple to use as the iphone but for some weird reason i still want it and still want to get use to its quirks.
I have another 10 days left to see if i am going to commit to an 18 month contract, just wish i new what the new iphone was going to be like when released in june.
Its like anything personal choice your will either love it, grow to love it (as hopefully i will) or hate it.
Good luck
Worth it?
If you owned an xperia then you have something to go on.
Leo is WM but with the HTC hardware & shell.
I used to own a Ducati.
My experience was, it was sensational to ride, no other bike comes close, but it had to be kept in tune and maintained. Riding it in the traffic to work would put it out of whack and it would need a nice long blat on a country road to make it right again. High performance and superlative handling made it a unique experience.
Where am I going with this?
Oh yes, performance and usability.
Clearly this is the fastest and highest performing pda phone you can get.
This, and the sense ui make it a great experience.
It is not such a good analogy as heavy usage doesn't put it out of tune so much as excessive poor quality 3rd party apps and too many untested mods.
This is partly why the though of an iphone full of crapstore junk turns my stomach, because if it could multiask, it would choke on the garbage it was running.
Sense iu means I can access what I need in a minimun of steps, but with wm6.5 underneath, I can reach down and tune it to do what I want.
Contrary to my analogy, the stock rom on Leo is pretty good, with a few fixes needed, nothing as serious as having to take it back to the store.
As a stock phone it is great, but it can be modified(tuned) to push the performance envelope and make it even more usable.
As a Ducati rider, I found it very hard to step down to anything else, and as a Leo user I'm the same.
The promise of simplicity makes me cringe as it translates to settling for mediocrity.
Mobile phone hand held computers were pioneered by HTC.
This is the latest evolution.
I love the Leo.
@Xaddict; Well said, I just got my HD2 and I'm loving it so far, knowing this community, I am looking forward to the the custom roms/apps that will be available to everyone soon (I hope) And regarding Ducatis, love em, especially the 948
knightrider66 said:
Hi Ive had my HD2 for a few days and to be honest its been a difficult transition form my iphone 3GS which was very simple and easy to use but the 3gs is very basic and doesn't allow for real working integrations.
Its been buggy, very slow compared to the 3gs, the keyboad for some weird reason is of center which is a nightmare to type on compare to the 3gs.
The phone isnt as simple to use as the iphone but for some weird reason i still want it and still want to get use to its quirks.
I have another 10 days left to see if i am going to commit to an 18 month contract, just wish i new what the new iphone was going to be like when released in june.
Its like anything personal choice your will either love it, grow to love it (as hopefully i will) or hate it.
Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There will always be a newer, nicer phone 7 months down the line....you have to commit sometime or you will never own anything!
jagnet said:
There are a few flaws out of the box yes. Some have speaker issues, screen over/under sensitive, pinkeye camera, and a few more, all of which can be fixed with some reg edits and a few cab files. You can find all the fixes and tweaks Here.
The only as yet unfixed problem is the SMS issue. Some people (not me) who have over 200 or so SMSs (why don't people use the delete button?) notice a slow down when replying. But who uses SMS anymore in this modern age of emails, twitters, Google wave, Facebook and what not Anyways for the SMS issue I think there is a workaround until HTC come up with a patch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um, firstly there are NO current fixes for the loud call volume or call distortion problems. None whatsoever.
Neither are there any fixes for the over-sensitive keyboard. Yes there is a CAB floating around and it helps to a very small degree with text input but it also makes the screen less sensitive in EVERY app and every screen. This isn't helpful.
Secondly, SMS is still the most popular form of mobile communication....by a country mile....so to try and cover up the fact that the HD2 is severely crippled in this area is laughable!
We need some balance here folks. Yes the HD2 is fantastic for web browsing and video but it is shocking for calls and texts - the mainstay features of a mobile phone. Hopefully HTC will address these problems but it is in no way guaranteed that they will!
theredundant said:
I'm pretty much looking for a long term phone, looking forward to watching movies, playing games, surfing the net, etc. I've used Xperia X1 (was great for a while, but little to no official support), the iPhone 3g (quick, way less laggier than the X1, great for mindless games to kill time)
Guess what I am asking is, is HTC HD2 worth the buck? $500 SGD (About uhm 250 Euros) for the phone (incl 2-year plan)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, no phone is perfect. But IMO, the HD2 is THE device that comes closest to being perfect.
It has some small bugs that will get fixed soon or can be fixed manually, there's different opinions on the keyboard and call quality (some say it's the best ever, some hate it) and Windows Mobile, just like any other OS (iPhone OS, Android, Symbian...) has its flaws as well.
But compared to the problems/shortcomings of other devices, the HD2 has very little issues, great hardware, great software - the closest you can currently get to perfect, IMO.
So yes, it's worth it.
Oh, and don't take sunking101 serious. He's a troll and a whiner, spreading FUD against the HD2 since the first day he entered the forum.
definitely (but i don't have the sms problem and i can charge my phone at work)....
maati said:
Well, no phone is perfect. But IMO, the HD2 is THE device that comes closest to being perfect.
It has some small bugs that will get fixed soon or can be fixed manually, there's different opinions on the keyboard and call quality (some say it's the best ever, some hate it) and Windows Mobile, just like any other OS (iPhone OS, Android, Symbian...) has its flaws as well.
But compared to the problems/shortcomings of other devices, the HD2 has very little issues, great hardware, great software - the closest you can currently get to perfect, IMO.
So yes, it's worth it.
Oh, and don't take sunking101 serious. He's a troll and a whiner, spreading FUD against the HD2 since the first day he entered the forum.
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Click to collapse
Gosh, I actually thought you were making a sane and rational post until I got to the last sentence.
The OP is asking the pros and cons of purchasing an HD2. Therefore all pros and cons are relevant.
As for the HD2 being "the closest you can currently get to perfect" - that is your opinion. Not fact.
sunking101 said:
As for the HD2 being "the closest you can currently get to perfect" - that is your opinion. Not fact.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And so is all your whining.
On topic: yes, the HD2 is worth every sigle dime. And yes, it has some shortcomings (which phone doesn't these days with the speed they are propelled into the market). The only problem I have with the HD2 is the speaker volume which is too loud. But, I have to admit that, it got much better after upgrading to the 1.48 ROM.
Off topic: Maybe it's best not to reply anymore to the contributions member sunking101 delivers to this community. Saves a lot of time and yes/no discussions.
It's well worth the price .
Guys,
I just sent my HD2 (1.48 GER unbranded) back to Amazon for full credit.
By today I had nine cases open at HTC support:
Blutotth SAP: phone does not find mast after disconnecting from car
SMS: app crashes, SMS remain in outbox forever
Music: volume rocker erratic behavior (changes to track skip)
Bluetooth: headset looses connection after certain time
Weather App: sometimes not updating location based weather
Email: HD2 sometimes looses all mail server address entries. All emails in inbox get lost simultaneously
Facebook app: certain information not being displayed
Telephone: volume adjustment with BT headset next to impossible (turned fully up all the time)
SMS app: mobile and fixed line No's are displayed with the same icon, so you never know whether its a mobile or fixed line phone you send your message to (if it gets send.........)
Plus:
Wired headset with Music Controls: renders next to useless without volume control buttons.
The majority of all the bugs always existed at the same time, so one app crashing influenced the others (volume rocker, SMS, weather, bluetooth), Needless to say that not one of the bugs was cured by the latest ROM update. I sometimes wonder whether HTC is doing any SQA at all.
I am a businessman who travels world wide. I need a reliable phone, it is mission critical. The HD2 is a million miles away from being that.
I am a HTC beta tester since 2001 and I cannot recall how many month of my precious lifetime I have spent on making HTC units work.
I had enough. Period.
Sorry, but it had to shot this out loudly.
GZ
So, what are you moving to?
You forgot to mention the most annoying thing on earth with HD2, THE NOISY VOICE CALLS !!
Fair play mate!
I am a HTC beta tester since 2001 and I cannot recall how many month of my precious lifetime I have spent on making HTC units work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you think that gets better with another company? Definitely not.
RIM's CEO had to apologize foll all the bugs of the Storm.
Nokia's N97 has recieved bad reviews for all its software issues.
Sony Ericsson's Satio had to be pulled from the market because of huge issues.
Apple's iPhone has litte bugs but also little features
...and so on...
The only way to have less issues is to also have less features.
I guess you don't want that, as you are asking for advanced features like the Bluetooth stuff or location based weather, which are features that other phones don't even have in the first place.
You can't ask for a phone that has every feature and at the same time not accept any bugs. There is no phone like that, unfortunately.
(Sure I wish there was, but there isn't)
So what's better? Having to tweak a bit in order to get some features to work, or not having those features at all?
You decide.
If you are not satisfied, try another brand like toshiba or acer.
And if you are a "HTC beta tester", you should know it better.
Ah, the Toshiba TG01... another great example for my list.
HD2 is a multimedia device and not a proffesional phone. You won't have any of therse problems in HTC Touch Pro 2 that is designed specifically to be a proffesional phone more reliable and less flashy: keyboard, bigger battery, less bugs etc. It has smaller screen, heavier, less megapixels etc but it is a business model, HD2 is not. I need to point also that iphone is not also a bussiness phone (you can not change battery etc) and Apple accpet that. Simply choose a bussness phone if you need it for bussines, not a expensive gadget as it is in this moment HD2.
I find it extremely strange that some users are reporting the phone running stock roms as buggy to the point of being unusable, whereas for others (myself included) it's been utterly bug free. You can understand a wide variety of different bugs surfacing when you deploy desktop applications, because hardware and software combinations are almost limitless, but here that's not the case. Identical software running on an identical software/hardware platform should produce identical results.
I think others are right to say there is no such thing as a perfect device. It's about finding one which makes compromises you can live with.
I was fine until i read the part that you're a "beta tester." (notice the use of quotations?)
I laughed and proceeded to ignored your post entirely.
i experienced some of those problems, but already found fixes for most and for others their in development, like maati says, theres no 100% bug-free phone nowadays, heck, even the 3310 was bugged in some areas, and that was before all the 'hsdpa' 'gps' 'bluetooth' 'multitouch' '1ghz' stuff came along
maati said:
...So what's better? Having to tweak a bit in order to get some features to work, or not having those features at all?
You decide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Having to tweak a bit" ??? Dude, it´s one thing to "tweak a bit" and another to get this phone to do what it is supposed to!
Paying 600 Euro for a device plus doing the work that HTC´s developer are not able to do, for me it´s just not acceptable.
If everybody feels alright with that, HTC will keep on capitalizing customer until they encounter resistance.
On my job I have to do my work to get my earnings. Thats what I expect from others.
This is not HTC specific.
There is just no perfect phone. No matter how much you pay, you won't get anything that's perfect.
I gave you some examples of other phones that have/had huge issues as well, despite being very expensive.
Sure, the HD2 has some issues. But you must not forget that other phones are not better. Not one bit.
I think others are right to say there is no such thing as a perfect device. It's about finding one which makes compromises you can live with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, entirely.
Unfortunately, some people don't get that. If all people realized that truth, threads like this would not exist.
We have to accept the fact that there is no perfect phone and just buy the device that requires the least compromises. This is a personal thing. I, for example, will probably never buy an iPhone again, becasue that thing annoyed me with all its flaws. Sure, it was pretty much bug free, but the lack of critical features was inacceptable.
Did I go to an iPhone forum and shout against Apple and tell everybody that I sold my iPhone? No. Because I am smart enough to realize that there is no perfect phone and I must just buy whatever works best for me. Going to an iPhone forum in order to tell everyone how much I hated the device would not have helped anyone, and creating such threads is not good behaviour anyways.
During the past couple of years, I used several so called "smart phones", from all the "big" manufacturers (Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG) - and HTC HD2 is my first HTC product.
So far, out of the box, it was - and is - the best, compared to all the others I had. The less "tweaking", the less issues, I think. I did not have any big issues, but some small flaws. With the ROM update, quite some improvement. I think 2 or 3 ROM versions later, the device will be better than any comparable device on the market.
If a mobile phone is crucial for a business person, I think the phone should not do much more than calls and texts - to be on the safe side. As of today, maybe a Blackberry or a Palm product might meet the business needs best.
Bluecharge said:
If everybody feels alright with that, HTC will keep on capitalizing customer until they encounter resistance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn, but that line is getting old.
No bugs here, and I got one of the first batch.
But don't let me interrupt the villification of the Great Satan HTC.
Being upset about your handset not working properly? Understandable.
Marking HTC as the worst thing since the antichrist? Yeah, it's been done. To death, revived and back to death again.
They updated the ROM and brought out a fix for the camera. Horrible!
Damn, but that line is getting old.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's getting old but it's still as stupid as it was in the beginning. HTC is not evil, they're just a phone maker like all the others, and naturally, their phones have flaws, like all the others.
In fact, compared to others, if you look at the "features*advantages/flaws" ratio, HTC would probably come out on top.
During the past couple of years, I used several so called "smart phones", from all the "big" manufacturers (Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG) - and HTC HD2 is my first HTC product.
So far, out of the box, it was - and is - the best, compared to all the others I had.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I'm saying: No phone is perfect. They all have their flaws and everyone should choose what works best for him.
HTC is not worse than anyone else in the industry. In fact, with the HD2, they may even be the best, currently.
ugh another one of these threads. These issues have been mentioned a million times in as many seperate threads. There isn't much point in opening a new thread again. Least of all if you don't own the phone or just on here to complain,there isn't a lot anyone on the forum can do to help you with if you don't own one. I understand the frustration though but it should be directed to HTC.
In any case if you are looking for a good business phone from HTC I suggest the HTC Rhodium. Another one of my favorites and with a physical keyboard.
ugh another one of these threads. These issues have been mentioned a million times in as many seperate threads. There isn't much point in opening a new thread again.
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Click to collapse
Exactly. That thread doesn't help anyone, and it's redundant.
maati said:
Exactly. That thread doesn't help anyone, and it's redundant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then why do you fill it with so many postings?
Also, you did not get the point.
Its one thing to make a decision against a device, that simply does not provide the desired features, as you did with the iphone. Why did you not read its specs??? You just should have known before buying.
And, its another thing to buy a device with many features promised, but then finding many annoying bugs. Thats what I wrote about, ok?
I totally appreciate what the OP is saying about feeling like a "beta tester".
HTC are guilty of putting out stuff with some glaringly obvious bugs but dare I say, so does every other manufacturer out there.
The OP is simply expressing his dismay that once again he as a paying customer is receiving a product that needs further testing and development by the manufactuer!!
Still, it probably wont stop me from buying an HD2 soon...
A parting shot here
A great forum, learned a lot, some very clever and helpful people here ( and some prima donnas)..but what I found out is while using a Windows device I was spending countless hours updating Roms, making stupid pointless cosmetic changes to my HD2 (usually resulting in making UI more ugly and messy - some theme designers here seem to have been on crack when creating themes - others very good), when in reality I was craving for a good selection of valuable everyday apps that are logical and simple to use.
Enter Android...Since buying a Motorola Milestone I am now using the phone only when I need - as opposed to constantly tampering, I have downloaded all apps I need, layout looks good off the shelf - a simple wallpaper change is enough, finger friendly, good hardware and away I go.
Looking back I don't understand why I got a WM device and really don't know why you guys are sticking to this dinosaur.
Over and out.
Isn't that fun?
Making slight changes to your phone WHEN you feel like it?
If that's what you're using the Android for, why not get an iPhone?
And btw, I like dinosaurs.
What is a phone supposed to be used for - to analyse the Hadron Collider?
Haha. that's funny.
But back on topic, you say what is a phone supposed to be used for? isn't it for communicating with others? via Phone calls, SMS, MMS, e-mail, social networking sites, forums on the internet, etc?
This phone does it all well, and excel in some areas like internet.
So, what.
rickyoon.vegas said:
Isn't that fun?
Making slight changes to your phone WHEN you feel like it?
If that's what you're using the Android for, why not get an iPhone?
And btw, I like dinosaurs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
me like dinos too.
rickyoon.vegas said:
Haha. that's funny.
But back on topic, you say what is a phone supposed to be used for? isn't it for communicating with others? via Phone calls, SMS, MMS, e-mail, social networking sites, forums on the internet, etc?
This phone does it all well, and excel in some areas like internet.
So, what.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just saying, try Android you will not regret it.
This REALLY is the last post .
I had G1 when it first came out, and recently-ish had Droid Eris.
They were ok, in my opinion.
hawrai68 said:
A parting shot here
A great forum, learned a lot, some very clever and helpful people here ( and some prima donnas)..but what I found out is while using a Windows device I was spending countless hours updating Roms, making stupid pointless cosmetic changes to my HD2 (usually resulting in making UI more ugly and messy - some theme designers here seem to have been on crack when creating themes - others very good), when in reality I was craving for a good selection of valuable everyday apps that are logical and simple to use.
Enter Android...Since buying a Motorola Milestone I am now using the phone only when I need - as opposed to constantly tampering, I have downloaded all apps I need, layout looks good off the shelf - a simple wallpaper change is enough, finger friendly, good hardware and away I go.
Looking back I don't understand why I got a WM device and really don't know why you guys are sticking to this dinosaur.
Over and out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's called the HTC Bravo aka Desire and it too is coming to T-Mobile soon.
android is definitely better for a day to day phone. ive only had the hd2 2 days and ive already switched back to my nexus. the hd2 is a beutiful device but wm 6.5 is definitely its worst attribute.
1. you spent a lot of time updating the phone
2. you wasted your own time doing cosmetic changes
therefore
3. the HD2 is a dinosaur.
not a very cogent argument now is it.
I dont play with my phones layout, theme nor small cosmetic changes. I only update the rom from Duttys, so once every 3 weeks or so that takes 20 minutes of my time to do so.
Shoo, and go play with your motorola.
hawrai68 said:
A parting shot here
A great forum, learned a lot, some very clever and helpful people here ( and some prima donnas)..but what I found out is while using a Windows device I was spending countless hours updating Roms, making stupid pointless cosmetic changes to my HD2 (usually resulting in making UI more ugly and messy - some theme designers here seem to have been on crack when creating themes - others very good), when in reality I was craving for a good selection of valuable everyday apps that are logical and simple to use.
Enter Android...Since buying a Motorola Milestone I am now using the phone only when I need - as opposed to constantly tampering, I have downloaded all apps I need, layout looks good off the shelf - a simple wallpaper change is enough, finger friendly, good hardware and away I go.
Looking back I don't understand why I got a WM device and really don't know why you guys are sticking to this dinosaur.
Over and out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree about wasting time with WM 6.5 and with WPS 7 coming out, WM 6.5 is a dinosaur; but It's about self control.
I have a small dog, she's healthy because I don't over feed her, while I'm overweight because I can't control what I eat, but I don't wish to be her in order to be healthy, instead I try to better my self control.
So no, I prefer not to eliminate my ability to choose by getting other phone like iPhone. This is my first custom ROM and I hope to exercise my self control
hawrai68 said:
A parting shot here
A great forum, learned a lot, some very clever and helpful people here ( and some prima donnas)..but what I found out is while using a Windows device I was spending countless hours updating Roms, making stupid pointless cosmetic changes to my HD2 (usually resulting in making UI more ugly and messy - some theme designers here seem to have been on crack when creating themes - others very good), when in reality I was craving for a good selection of valuable everyday apps that are logical and simple to use.
Enter Android...Since buying a Motorola Milestone I am now using the phone only when I need - as opposed to constantly tampering, I have downloaded all apps I need, layout looks good off the shelf - a simple wallpaper change is enough, finger friendly, good hardware and away I go.
Looking back I don't understand why I got a WM device and really don't know why you guys are sticking to this dinosaur.
Over and out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm really happy with my WM 6.x device. I tweaked just few essential things and I use my phone when I need it.
Anyway, I'll test Android on my HD2 when someone will port it. That's all...
In reality, you can flash an Android device every day if you really wanted to.
In terms of our Sense/WM devices, if you go by 'official releases' or forget official, lets talk 'big jumps', you'd be flashing maybe roughly three to four times in a year. Once a quarter! (1.4x, 1.6x, 2.1x, Sense 2.5.20x)
It is our -own- choice to jump at every incremental update (OH BOY 23545 IS OUT, GOTTA GET THAT!!!) and we reap the benefits AND suffer the consequences of using this non-final code.
There are plenty of people still running 1.66, their next update? Whenever 2.10 comes out! (Or whenever their carrier decides to screw them with an interim update - think I saw a 1.72GER floating around )
So you tweaked a lot of stuff on your UI and that made you give up on it.
Ok.
My HD2 does not need intensive cosmetic tweaking to the UI. Spooky!
Maybe you're just obsessive compulsive...just saying.
Not one freeze in one month of heavy usage (meaning it runs stuff I half bake...I mean compile and execute on it) and some initial tweaks with Cookie's mod and control panel made it look peachy (btw you folks rock).
As for the process of jumping from premisses to a logic conclusion, even Android can't fix that. So good luck using it. Just don't go declaring something to be an extinct life form when all you have to go on with is: "I tweak and flash a lot". That is more telling of how much you are unable to appreciate and use something then of the intrinsic value and quality of the object you judge.
I'm actually interested in going to WM from Android.
Android doesn't support the things I want to do. Mainly video/audio codec support for most files.
got my Desire on pre order. I love the big screen of the HD2 but ive come to the conclusion that im something, of an app fan. I dont want to move back to an iPhone and Android is something I have experience with.
For me Android offers MORE potential for customization, and by customization I don't mean making the home screen look a bit different but real CORE app functionality. I'm a big texter and on Android I recall a number of SMS apps that one can REPLACE the built-in messaging client with - Chomp, SMS Popup, Handcent...to name a few. These apps offer the facility to quick reply from within any app via a popup window, and also to initiate a text message whilst in, say, Google Maps...and they all have a different look to them.
The only app I can think of that has any similarity to this on Windows Mobile is made by Vito, is ugly as sin, and offers very little other than a clunky looking popup.
This is just one facet of a number of other things I have found Windows Mobile to be deficient in since moving back to it from Android. Just simple things like Twitter clients and IM applications - even from the SAME companies - look, feel and work ten times better on Android.
The fact that the HTC Desire will be receiving support for 720p DivX and video recording sells it to me. I'm positive the younger OS will take advantage of the Snapdragon processor a lot better than WinMo, considering how much more stable the Hero was than our HD2s, despite its sluggish processor.
I'm going to be sad to leave the Windows Mobile world to a degree - I will also be sad that I have no chance of getting more than £300 for my pristine unlocked HD2 despite paying £499 only a few months ago, but fortunately my contract with T-mobile expires on the 5th of April.
The second hand price drop is a lot more severe than I've seen for most other devices and perhaps tells just how much faith people have in the devices future.
mazzarin said:
In reality, you can flash an Android device every day if you really wanted to.
In terms of our Sense/WM devices, if you go by 'official releases' or forget official, lets talk 'big jumps', you'd be flashing maybe roughly three to four times in a year. Once a quarter! (1.4x, 1.6x, 2.1x, Sense 2.5.20x)
It is our -own- choice to jump at every incremental update (OH BOY 23545 IS OUT, GOTTA GET THAT!!!) and we reap the benefits AND suffer the consequences of using this non-final code.
There are plenty of people still running 1.66, their next update? Whenever 2.10 comes out! (Or whenever their carrier decides to screw them with an interim update - think I saw a 1.72GER floating around )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree 100%. Oh, and I am one of the plenty on 1.66
I have been doing quite some tweaking on my HD2 since I got it just before XMas. Most of the times I did it just for the pleasure of playing around with the thing rather with a real usability or aesthetics objective.
When I bought the HD2 knowing that I could "get my hands dirty" was one of the (secondary) point in my decision making.
Most of us people here like to play around with our devices. The problem is if we get carried away (like with many other things in life).
And when one gets carried away - often one of the most effective solutions is quitting altogether. No shame in that (on the contrary - I believe it's a very responsible decision!!).
Those who do not get carried away, let's keep in mind that we *could* - so let us not criticize those who quit.
vince2773 said:
Agree 100%. Oh, and I am one of the plenty on 1.66
I have been doing quite some tweaking on my HD2 since I got it just before XMas. Most of the times I did it just for the pleasure of playing around with the thing rather with a real usability or aesthetics objective.
When I bought the HD2 knowing that I could "get my hands dirty" was one of the (secondary) point in my decision making.
Most of us people here like to play around with our devices. The problem is if we get carried away (like with many other things in life).
And when one gets carried away - often one of the most effective solutions is quitting altogether. No shame in that (on the contrary - I believe it's a very responsible decision!!).
Those who do not get carried away, let's keep in mind that we *could* - so let us not criticize those who quit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is XDA DEVELOPERS FORUM, after all!!
: D
lol.
"I tweaked my phone and now it's ugly, so I got a different one"
Troll++
Well I have tried Android numerous times, and personally, I hate it. It's so ugly that it looks like some china-low budget crap. In the HD2 with it's amazing Sense, I get all that I need for everyday use in a way that I prefer - and the Sense UI is stunning beautiful.
I'm just wondering why people make it seem like this phone is so bad from the factory. It runs MUCH faster than any other Win Mo device and I haven't seen it freeze one time. I have an Android g1 on my other line which runs about as fast as an iphone in my opinion and I've never had any problems with freezing or anything. I got the G1 because I could no longer deal with freezing and resets from Win Mo devices even though I preferred them over droid based on iphone systems. But with this HD2 I'm very pleased. It basically seems to run even faster than my G1 and is better than the Iphone in all ways as far as I'm concerned with the exception of the apps and having to pay for most of what's worth having on a Win Mo phone. And this is without having flashed any roms or adding any 3 part apps which I would usually have done to a Win Mo phone the same day I got it in the past. But the thing is I just got mines this week so maybe what ever issues that may have existed when originally released might have been eliminated by now. Or maybe data/connection issues are based on what area you're in. Sorry, just asking cause I was curious. So what do you guys think?
I think complaints about data are likely location dependent.
I got mine day 2 after launch and it was part of the first dozen the T-Mobile store had in stock. So I got mine out of the "first" batch.
(And for anyone wondering, mine has a "red" reset button.)
I came over to T-Mobile after over a year with a Sprint HTC Touch Pro and the HD2 is way better. And I like being able to use data and voice simultaneously on 3G. Overall I'm happy I made the move to T-Mobile and got the HD2.
I used the stock ROM up till a couple days ago. I did not have any real big issues with the stock ROM. It's just that ROM chefs like NRGZ28 will ALWAYS make something that's better than stock . And with NRGZ28 being a T-Mobile customer with an HD2, I knew his ROM would improve on anything that could be improved. I also used to use his ROMs when I had a CDMA Touch Pro, so I'm familiar with his work.
So with EnergyROM, I'm finding that everything does run faster, but everything was running faster than my old Touch Pro using the stock ROM . And with stock my data and WiFi speeds were "OK", but with EnergyROM I can say they've gotten way faster. The radio on mine is 2.08.50.08_2. I've never flashed a different radio and far as I know EnergyROM does not include a radio. But as usual EnergyROM did improve on something that was already great.
If there were no custom ROMs yet, I would not be complaining, because with stock things were well for me.
If mine were not working well, I guess I'd complain too, but mine works great, so I'm just enjoying.
Mine had been running just fine. The only time I had freezing issues was after I installed spb mobile shell. Other than that it's been fantastic. No freezing, no connection problems. I've used windows mobile devices before and I really don't mind it. I'm coming from a G1 and I love the screen, speed and media options on the HD2. I don't even miss android.
Read the HD2 complaints.
Then look at who is doing the complaining.
Many of your questions will be answered.
Most the people on here that have heavy complaints could actually have a fix, yet just get all pissy about how they used to have a nexus1 or iphone or droid or whatever and never had "this" issue. I'm not one of the masses so I don't just complain, I find a solution then floss my phone to the world.
Fact is, the internet is a haven of complaining. Most people in the "regular world" are using the HTC like butter and have nothing to say. But when we get our chance to shine on the forums, boy will we get on the soapbox trying to get people to not only boycott a phone, but even whole operating systems.
If your phone is a little screwy, GOOD, welcome to the techno age asshole.
I'm getting really tired of people flooding this forum with threads such as this... opinions are NOT important on this website, FACTS are what matter.
And the FACT of the matter is... frequent users of these forums do NOT want to read endless arguments and complaints from folks who are incapable of properly operating a mobile device such as the HD2!
Honestly, it seems like there must be a lot of morons in the United States who have JUST NOW discovered the quality devices that HTC has to offer...
Because, truth be told (again) I haven't experienced ONE, SINGLE, even minor problem at all with my handset. NOT ONE!
I have made countless registry tweaks, installed tons of Manila modifications, and I'm still using the STOCK ROM provided by T-Mobile USA.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS DEVICE!
Please, feel free to spread the word. Thanks.
Reignzone said:
I'm getting really tired of people flooding this forum with threads such as this... opinions are NOT important on this website, FACTS are what matter.
And the FACT of the matter is... frequent users of these forums do NOT want to read endless arguments and complaints from folks who are incapable of properly operating a mobile device such as the HD2!
Honestly, it seems like there must be a lot of morons in the United States who have JUST NOW discovered the quality devices that HTC has to offer...
Because, truth be told (again) I haven't experienced ONE, SINGLE, even minor problem at all with my handset. NOT ONE!
I have made countless registry tweaks, installed tons of Manila modifications, and I'm still using the STOCK ROM provided by T-Mobile USA.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS DEVICE!
Please, feel free to spread the word. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. This is the best, most problem free, and fastest phone I've ever owned.
But this phone has attracted more WM newbies than any other WM device in the past, so we're hearing the problems all these iphone & android users and just alltogether non-techsavvy people are having adjusting to and learning winmo. They don't understand why it isn't dumbed down (and locked down) like the iphone or android.
I think T-Mobile is advertising this phone too much as and entertainment and media phone. This phone is not for everyone. But it most definitely is the most powerful and versatile phone out now.
zarathustrax said:
Agreed. This is the best, most problem free, and fastest phone I've ever owned.
But this phone has attracted more WM newbies than any other WM device in the past, so we're hearing the problems all these iphone & android users and just alltogether non-techsavvy people are having adjusting to and learning winmo. They don't understand why it isn't dumbed down (and locked down) like the iphone or android.
I think T-Mobile is advertising this phone too much as and entertainment and media phone. This phone is not for everyone. But it most definitely is the most powerful and versatile phone out now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could NOT have "agreed" with my opinion any better than you just did here, sir.
Finally, someone to rationalize with... Jesus!
Anyway, for the record... I meant NO disrespect towards those people who legitimately are "noobs" to our community... I'm just having trouble understanding just how it is that so many people are complaining about such a masterpiece.
noobs need to get off the site
Reignzone said:
I could NOT have "agreed" with my opinion any better than you just did here, sir.
Finally, someone to rationalize with... Jesus!
Anyway, for the record... I meant NO disrespect towards those people who legitimately are "noobs" to our community... I'm just having trouble understanding just how it is that so many people are complaining about such a masterpiece.
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everyone wants a phone to be perfect yet no one has a perfect phone there is no such thing as a perfect phone or anything being perfect hd2 is great better then anyother phone ive had came from the iphone and the touch pro2 to the hd2 both the toucch pro2 and the hd2 dont have much different besides the rom and the speed and the screen. those noobs that are on this site need to know that theres no such thing as a perfect phone and if they dont like it go return it its that easy.
The reason why I runs much faster than a G1 or iPhone is because it has a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, the fastest processor right now for a mass production cell phone in the US. The iPhone 2G and 3G only run at 412MHz, and the G1 at 528MHz.
Spec vs. Spec, the HD2 blows the iPhone (and G1) out the water, everything is bigger but doesn't always mean it's better. As a previous iPhone user (still have it), I love everything about my HD2 features, it just does things my iPhone can not do and it's jailbroken and heavily modded too.
So is it that bad? No, it's not but I do believe the product was rushed. I've had lots of problems with mine, including the data connection issue. If you read some older post, some of the people from Europe are having issues still that HTC has not care to look into (phone launched last year).
I think people (those who reply so far) and others are quick to turn a blind eye or ignore when people are expressing problems. If your phone is problem free, congratulations, you are very lucky (and we envy you), but to say "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS DEVICE!" is blantant lie. There are plenty of threads with info, pics and video showing off the fustration members are going through. There are people even make .cab to fix issues that should have never made it to a production phone (IE: Text Message timestap/server time)
Also just because other people haven't step forward or posted on a forum does not mean the phone is working perfectly, you guys gotta realize not everybody has access to the internet or know how to search, register or reply on forums with issues. I have a couple of friends who have the HD2, experincing problems and are far from computer savvy. I ask them if they've heard of 'xda' or 'pocketnow' and it's just blank stares, lol. So like most people do in this case is, call T-mobile. At least T-mobile is NOW finally understanding the issues because a CSR told me today they've been getting numerous complaints and T-mobile is looking into the issue (take it for what its worth).
Look, to be honest, I also think a lot of complaints come from experienced users who are used to the state of the art Flashed ROMs, therefore, any factory ROM is below their standards...I personally hated it because I'm in love with WinMo 6.5.x...doesn't make it horrible, just my preference...though I never "complained" lol...
There are many who will enjoy the HD2 those who have no need to make a phone call usinf wi/fi, those who do not mind the small battery & those who can remove core issues from the micro, it is a very nice phone but from my experience HTC pulled a fast one & I have no use for the HD2
Raadius said:
The reason why I runs much faster than a G1 or iPhone is because it has a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, the fastest processor right now for a mass production cell phone in the US. The iPhone 2G and 3G only run at 412MHz, and the G1 at 528MHz.
Spec vs. Spec, the HD2 blows the iPhone (and G1) out the water, everything is bigger but doesn't always mean it's better. As a previous iPhone user (still have it), I love everything about my HD2 features, it just does things my iPhone can not do and it's jailbroken and heavily modded too.
So is it that bad? No, it's not but I do believe the product was rushed. I've had lots of problems with mine, including the data connection issue. If you read some older post, some of the people from Europe are having issues still that HTC has not care to look into (phone launched last year).
I think people (those who reply so far) and others are quick to turn a blind eye or ignore when people are expressing problems. If your phone is problem free, congratulations, you are very lucky (and we envy you), but to say "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS DEVICE!" is blantant lie. There are plenty of threads with info, pics and video showing off the fustration members are going through. There are people even make .cab to fix issues that should have never made it to a production phone (IE: Text Message timestap/server time)
Also just because other people haven't step forward or posted on a forum does not mean the phone is working perfectly, you guys gotta realize not everybody has access to the internet or know how to search, register or reply on forums with issues. I have a couple of friends who have the HD2, experincing problems and are far from computer savvy. I ask them if they've heard of 'xda' or 'pocketnow' and it's just blank stares, lol. So like most people do in this case is, call T-mobile. At least T-mobile is NOW finally understanding the issues because a CSR told me today they've been getting numerous complaints and T-mobile is looking into the issue (take it for what its worth).
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I don't think it was rushed. The problems are no different than any other WinMo device has had in the past. But most people who are WinMo users understand this and come to this forum and together have come up with solutions. A lot of the problems have the same solutions they did on previous devices, so people who know WinMo know how to work around these.
You have to understand that WinMo was not originally designed to be a phone.... it was and is a portable stand-alone version of a windows OS... a full fledged operating system. It has had phone functionality added to it over the years. It is much more versatile and doesn't have the limits that other mobile OS's(ones that were built just to be phones) have. It is a portable computer with phone functionality. The other phone OS's are phones with some portable computing functionality.
T-Mobile is blatantly advertising this powerful, portable computer as a "media phone" and a lot of people who are not technical enough for a device this powerful are getting it expecting it to work like a media device that was designed to be an easy to use phone. That's why I can't completely blame all these newbies... they were thinking they were getting a media phone, but end up with something that's way beyond there level of technical experience. Hopefully T-Mobile will realize this once they get enough complaints and returns and maybe they will stop advertising it as such. But it will take them a while because they are making a killing off of them. But actually, I think the phone may be refined and user friendly enough for most users to get by with it good enough that they are happy with it. Otherwise, T-Mobile would be getting much more returns and complaints than I think they're getting and they would be cutting back on the advertising already. I'm sure most people aren't using the device to it's potential, but it seems most people are happy enough with it to keep and use it. The Sense UI does a pretty decent job at making the interface "phone-like" and user friendly, even though it does have some problems. Personally, I could do without the Sense UI, but that's a whole other post.
@ zarathustrax & @ Raadius: I may not be as savvy as most PC players yet I follow pocketsmart, wmpoweruser, & quite a few more & I realize how short of a time before TMO itself will unlock the HD2 & yes quite a few other ways to do the same but both your threads seem to show you have good reception with no need for UMA (wi/fi ). Now if as I'm learning, is there a way to enable wi/fi to the HD2, since my reception with TMO is terrible & regardless how long I've been following the Leo, I am sad to say I have to return the HD2 unless someone can show me a way to improve my reception. It is sad to say the only way I can find wi/fi is with a smaller screen & kb which is no use to me.
I will go to android if the snapdragon, battery, screen & reception are present.
I've grown through Palm OS into Windows, Android is to me freeware on my Windows OS PC. So again unless noted, I am sad to release my HD2.
I only had the phone for a day and got the sleep of death 4 times having to reset it...and that was without even installing anything on it. On top of that it wouldnt hold 3G and kept flipping between 3G and edge killing the battery off ridiculously fast.
zarathustrax said:
I don't think it was rushed. The problems are no different than any other WinMo device has had in the past. But most people who are WinMo users understand this and come to this forum and together have come up with solutions. A lot of the problems have the same solutions they did on previous devices, so people who know WinMo know how to work around these.
You have to understand that WinMo was not originally designed to be a phone.... it was and is a portable stand-alone version of a windows OS... a full fledged operating system. It has had phone functionality added to it over the years. It is much more versatile and doesn't have the limits that other mobile OS's(ones that were built just to be phones) have. It is a portable computer with phone functionality. The other phone OS's are phones with some portable computing functionality.
T-Mobile is blatantly advertising this powerful, portable computer as a "media phone" and a lot of people who are not technical enough for a device this powerful are getting it expecting it to work like a media device that was designed to be an easy to use phone. That's why I can't completely blame all these newbies... they were thinking they were getting a media phone, but end up with something that's way beyond there level of technical experience. Hopefully T-Mobile will realize this once they get enough complaints and returns and maybe they will stop advertising it as such. But it will take them a while because they are making a killing off of them. But actually, I think the phone may be refined and user friendly enough for most users to get by with it good enough that they are happy with it. Otherwise, T-Mobile would be getting much more returns and complaints than I think they're getting and they would be cutting back on the advertising already. I'm sure most people aren't using the device to it's potential, but it seems most people are happy enough with it to keep and use it. The Sense UI does a pretty decent job at making the interface "phone-like" and user friendly, even though it does have some problems. Personally, I could do without the Sense UI, but that's a whole other post.
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And this is one of the many reasons I switched to Android from winmo. I know people dont mind tweaking their phones and whatnot here.. but some of these things people SHOULD NOT have to do when purchasing a $500 phone. There is no reason winmo phones should STILL be having the sleep of death as long as the 6th version of winmo has been out. There is NO reason they shouldnt have implemented the timestamp/date fix into this thing BEFORE shipping it. There is NO reason the phone should be freezing on the FIRST DAY right out of the box.
I was once a major winmo fan and was pretty anti everything except it. But once I tried Android I realized that having to do all of these tweaks and flashes shouldnt be necessary just to get basic functionality.
Reignzone said:
I have made countless registry tweaks, installed tons of Manila modifications, and I'm still using the STOCK ROM provided by T-Mobile USA.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS DEVICE!
Please, feel free to spread the word. Thanks.
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Care too share your mods? and registry tweaks?
Just got an HD2, I switched from an IPHONE, I love the device. My only suggestion for those who knock it... figure out what you don't like and try to customize it or tweak it till your happy. Its a Windows device and is 10 times more versatile than an iphone. Also, the ROMS that are available out there are phenominal. Start off with one that is minimal and build away.... I recommend the MIRI ROM with cookies mod.....beautiful!!!
peace...
I don't see how anyone could claim the T-Mobile US HD2 was "rushed" when it took what seems to be forever for the device to even reach the USA to begin with. And the T-Mobile US version has 1024 NAND memory.
All I can say is that I'm happy.
But I don't think you "really" know till like 6 months out when everyone has used a device for a LONG TIME and then we all can say how great or not great it really is. Of course we'll all see something else that catches our eye by then, but longer term use tells an even truer tale. So far though, almost 30 days in and I'm happy.
And yes, custom ROMs make a good device even better.
im a total noob when it comes to win mo phones.... never complained, but i've never been one to really complain..
i just dont like the constant 3G to E switching, but thats a tmobile and location issue.. not an HD2 issue..
I LOVE my HD2!
I don't know why, but it seems since I moved to EnergyROM, that my device stays on 3G more often.
Hi folks,
in a few months I am able to extend my Vodafone Business contract and get the HD2. Currently I own a Touch Diamond and am finally VERY satisfied (after trying several ROMs for 6 months).
I still have some doubts about the HD2, I hope you can help me here:
1. Scratch-resistance of the display and the case.
I heard that the display itself is made of glass. For my diamond, I have a screen protector and a black Bugatti pouch. No scratches till now. So should I even use a pouch/screen protector, or is there no need for it? I am no big fan of those InvisibleShield solutions.
2. Availability and (especially) quality of custom ROMs.
Vodafone ROMs are made to be backed up (just in case of warranty) and then to be deleted. Any good and fast ROMs out there which basically provide an "upgraded stock experience"?
3. microSD
There is one delivered with the phone, but I could not find the size of the storage.
4. Landscape typing
Is it possible (without any greater hacks) to send SMS in landscape-mode? For the Diamond, I always use the standard portrait mode, but I once typed in landscape on an iPhone (phone itself: yuck, but the typing was great).
Thanks so far, I hope that you can help a potential HD2-owner
Regards
I use a gel case for the back, leaving the screen exposed and never had problems with scratching; nor worried about it being scratched unlike previous phones ive owned.
I believe it will be a 2GB microSD
Rotate the phone and it will allow typing in SMS screen natively.
in all honesty since you are "very happy" with your diamond, and still gave a few months to run, I'd wait and see what is around closer to the time. the hd2 is great, but its not a day to day phone, its a tinkeres delight, but as a phone its more like a work in progress. (it auto phoned my boss last friday just because I pulled the earphone jack out, it doesn't mute the fm radio when you get texts so you miss them, reception stability in standby is hit and miss..... )
if you want a great grownups toy, do it, if you want a phone, stock with what you are happy with for now.i
samsamuel said:
in all honesty since you are "very happy" with your diamond, and still gave a few months to run, I'd wait and see what is around closer to the time. the hd2 is great, but its not a day to day phone, its a tinkeres delight, but as a phone its more like a work in progress. (it auto phoned my boss last friday just because I pulled the earphone jack out, it doesn't mute the fm radio when you get texts so you miss them, reception stability in standby is hit and miss..... )
if you want a great grownups toy, do it, if you want a phone, stock with what you are happy with for now.i
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Agree with above!
great now you guys are giving me buyers remorse...i have bought one, being shipped to me now...all I plan on doing is putting a stock ROM on there and go from there....
samsamuel said:
in all honesty since you are "very happy" with your diamond, and still gave a few months to run, I'd wait and see what is around closer to the time. the hd2 is great, but its not a day to day phone, its a tinkeres delight, but as a phone its more like a work in progress. (it auto phoned my boss last friday just because I pulled the earphone jack out, it doesn't mute the fm radio when you get texts so you miss them, reception stability in standby is hit and miss..... )
if you want a great grownups toy, do it, if you want a phone, stock with what you are happy with for now.i
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While this is true, I'm also pretty certain that HTC will not be pumping out anymore Windows Mobile devices of this caliber. Their next HD2-like successor will be running Windows Phone 7 and not Windows Mobile. This is how they'll get people to pick up the newer OS in the future.
So if you like Windows Mobile for Windows Mobile and want to stick with this OS, I think the HD2 will remain in the limelight for quite some time.
hofo_mofo said:
great now you guys are giving me buyers remorse...i have bought one, being shipped to me now...all I plan on doing is putting a stock ROM on there and go from there....
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lol, you'll love it, dont worry
PoisonWolf said:
While this is true, I'm also pretty certain that HTC will not be pumping out anymore Windows Mobile devices of this caliber. Their next HD2-like successor will be running Windows Phone 7 and not Windows Mobile. This is how they'll get people to pick up the newer OS in the future.
So if you like Windows Mobile for Windows Mobile and want to stick with this OS, I think the HD2 will remain in the limelight for quite some time.
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very true, the tyraosaurus rex of the 6.x line, hehe
i have now had my HD2 since it got released.. and i agree with the above. It's a great toy but not a very stable user experience i have tried every single ROM out there and still not exited about this phone:...
i have just ordered the desire wich i find to be a much better phone, but with a smaller screen im afraid
when htc evo comes to Europa i will change phone again
i have been a long time windows mobile user, but im done with that now.. i have owned almost 30 phones and have even had an iphone 3g. my favorite OS i must say is android... user experience, stability, and productivity wise, android wins in my book..
in some way i hate to say it cause windows mobile has served me good for a lot of years!
Well, thanks for all the replies!
I won't buy it right away but will do so in the next 2-3 months.
But then it has to be very reliable for the next two years, since I will be traveling a lot (Europe and USA)
For the time being, I will have a look at other phones as well.
I have the US Tmo version and I am going to return it tomorrow if they still let me (not sure if I am still within the remorse period), I tried really hard to fall in love with winmo again (was an avid Tilt user) but it just doesn't cut it for me anymore
I have a 1.66 WWE Stock ROM and 2.10 radio and I'm not having any problems at all. I don't get why people always say HD2 is unstable. The only problems I'm encountering is what to do next because my HD2 is already running perfectly.
Zuzler said:
Hi folks,
in a few months I am able to extend my Vodafone Business contract and get the HD2. Currently I own a Touch Diamond and am finally VERY satisfied (after trying several ROMs for 6 months).
I still have some doubts about the HD2, I hope you can help me here:
1. Scratch-resistance of the display and the case.
I heard that the display itself is made of glass. For my diamond, I have a screen protector and a black Bugatti pouch. No scratches till now. So should I even use a pouch/screen protector, or is there no need for it? I am no big fan of those InvisibleShield solutions.
2. Availability and (especially) quality of custom ROMs.
Vodafone ROMs are made to be backed up (just in case of warranty) and then to be deleted. Any good and fast ROMs out there which basically provide an "upgraded stock experience"?
3. microSD
There is one delivered with the phone, but I could not find the size of the storage.
4. Landscape typing
Is it possible (without any greater hacks) to send SMS in landscape-mode? For the Diamond, I always use the standard portrait mode, but I once typed in landscape on an iPhone (phone itself: yuck, but the typing was great).
Thanks so far, I hope that you can help a potential HD2-owner
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree with some of the things people are saying in this thread. Way too many people are attracted to the Hd2 because of the massive display, only to be disappointed because "it doesn't work" <-- Laughing at iphone users if you know what I mean.
Unless you are ready to handle a WinMo device, don't get the HD2. It requires too much tinkering in order to make it personally "YOURS" - and I'm not talking about personalization via pages upon pages of square iconic apps. *AHEM.
Regarding your questions:
1) I've used a vikuiti screen protector and have absolutely zero regrets. I am super picky when it comes to protecting my HD2 (going thru so many SP) so I hope you understand how much I crown this screen protector. Search my threads. I made a huge review about it.
2) Custom ROMS are always available- All the time. I use CleanEX mainly because gavin is an awesome and very active cook. He does a lot of the background stuff for CleanEX and when he release a ROM, ****, its awesome.
You should try it beta ROM, code named "AWESOMENESS" (all in caps)
3) Im using a 16GB class 6. Nothing but pure pleasure and speed when loading music or documents or games from the SD card. I had a 16Gb class 4. I noticed no difference in terms of speed.
4) typing in general, in sense UI can sometimes be laggy. Like you press an "A" and it does appear until a very split second later. But those laddyness are random. There have been lots of tweaks here and there to improve them. I never bothered, but they exist. I can live with the laggyness but I use SWYPE which has NO laggyness for me at all. =P
The problems I encountered were due to 3rd party software I installed or registry edits I made. After hard resetting phone and carefully choosing (and listing) the apps I install there are no major bugs to report.
Using only stock ROM so far, didn't find the need to risk a custom ROM yet.
lemonspeakers said:
[...]only to be disappointed because "it doesn't work" [...] Unless you are ready to handle a WinMo device, don't get the HD2. It requires too much tinkering in order to make it personally "YOURS" [...]
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Click to collapse
That was the most useful post, thanks!
Well, basically it is the same as with the Diamond in the beginning: Requires some time to fiddle out all the settings, but then works like a charm. I have the Diamond for one and a half years now and it works perfectly. I even UC'ed mine to have the old data on it faster after flashing new ROMS.
People who complain that "it does't work" should get an iPhone imho, since everything works out of the box there.
I considered getting a phone with Android or a propietary solution (e.g. Nokia), but there is hardly anything to configure (and my beloved TomTom won't run). Will try getting my hands on the HD2 in the next weeks, to get a real opinion about it.
Thanks again!
Excuse me since I will give my point of view withot reading the entire thread.
I myself had HTC Diamond before I used an Iphone for over 3 years,the experiance between the two phones(Diamond vs HD2)is from sky to earth (I sold back the Diamond after using it for couple of days),if you have the time to customize it a bit,not necessarily ROM changing,Im on stock 1.6xx,I say you can easily fall in love with it,I pretty much can do anything with it, within my interest.Most of the problem comes after installing not so much tested 3rd party applications.
BTW I use it as my daily device and I had no such problems as mentioned in some of the posts above,may be just a new WM user beginners Luck!!
hagba, it was the same when the Diamod came out: New apps striving to be tested. Bugs everywhere. Good coders everywhere, too. So the bugs vanished after a few months.
And as I said, I will wait a few months until I get the phone, so I hope the most crucial bugs will be gone until then.
Thanks for sharing your opinion!
mines got the 1.66 rom and 2.07 radio direct from HTC......very stable.
I've had many winmo phones (mda compact/m600/kaiser/xperia x1) but the HD2 is the daddy!
Get one and you'll find it does everything your diamond will do......just faster and better!
Zuzler said:
hagba, it was the same when the Diamod came out: New apps striving to be tested. Bugs everywhere. Good coders everywhere, too. So the bugs vanished after a few months.
And as I said, I will wait a few months until I get the phone, so I hope the most crucial bugs will be gone until then.
Thanks for sharing your opinion!
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Click to collapse
I dont mean just software-wise but more hardwarewise too,so much differance between resistive and capacitive as well as the size of the screens, however prepare your self for a pleasent surprise if you ever decide to get the HD2,more so that you are familiar with the WM and its modding process.
I have had my HD2 for 4 months now. I use it everyday for business. works flawlessly, and I'm a heavy user. lots of phonecalls, emails etc. use it as a wireless router or bluetooth PAN when I'm away on business. I have never once had the phone crash. I'm still running stock 1.66 ROM. I would definitely recommend this phone.
No crash sounds good - oh lord, what have I lost data on the Diamond based on buggy ROMs
But I will have to switch ROMs at least away from the stock one, Vodafone always has to have something special there.