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.
Click to expand...
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 .
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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" [...]
Click to expand...
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!
Click to expand...
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.
Coming from years of Windows Mobile devices and then a few months with the Iphone 3GS, now yesterday I receive my new Galaxy S from o2.
First thing you notice is just how identical the packaging is to the iphones, how similar the look of the phone, but that's were the similarities end...
For a start you actually get a little guide booklet which is actually quite helpful, not being used to Android, fantastic something desperately needed on the Iphone an removable battery and additional memory via the 8GB card that was supplied with the phone. Then WOW, this phone even with its battery fitted is so very lightweight you hardly feel it in your pocket.
Then you turn it on, greeted with a very flashy Galaxy boot screen, I can't believe my eyes at just how perfect and vibrant the screen is, the extra size, vibrancy and pure resolution over the 3GS is quite simply amazing.
Took me a while to work out that you have to turn of USB debugging to allow access to being able to browse through a windows explorer or the downloadable Kies software, this is what I have missed using the Iphone, being in control of drag and drop music/stuff onto your device, I actually feel like I own this device.
With the restrictions of having to use Itunes which I have never really liked.
Been playing around with these widget things and installing software from the market and loving the live wallpapers...
My first GPS test this morning - very positive, read here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7563359&postcount=515
I have got a lot to learn with Android, its more like windows mobile than IOS4, yet it seems stable and quick compared to windows mobile, yet gives you more freedom than IOS4, at this time and I know its early days but I keep asking myself why I didn't move to Android sooner, hope I haven't bored you all too much...
THUDUK said:
Coming from years of Windows Mobile devices and then a few months with the Iphone 3GS, now yesterday I receive my new Galaxy S from o2.
First thing you notice is just how identical the packaging is to the iphones, how similar the look of the phone, but that's were the similarities end...
For a start you actually get a little guide booklet which is actually quite helpful, not being used to Android, fantastic something desperately needed on the Iphone an removable battery and additional memory via the 8GB card that was supplied with the phone. Then WOW, this phone even with its battery fitted is so very lightweight you hardly feel it in your pocket.
Then you turn it on, greeted with a very flashy Galaxy boot screen, I can't believe my eyes at just how perfect and vibrant the screen is, the extra size, vibrancy and pure resolution over the 3GS is quite simply amazing.
Took me a while to work out that you have to turn of USB debugging to allow access to being able to browse through a windows explorer or the downloadable Kies software, this is what I have missed using the Iphone, being in control of drag and drop music/stuff onto your device, I actually feel like I own this device.
With the restrictions of having to use Itunes which I have never really liked.
Been playing around with these widget things and installing software from the market and loving the live wallpapers...
My first GPS test this morning - very positive, read here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7563359&postcount=515
I have got a lot to learn with Android, its more like windows mobile than IOS4, yet it seems stable and quick compared to windows mobile, yet gives you more freedom than IOS4, at this time and I know its early days but I keep asking myself why I didn't move to Android sooner, hope I haven't bored you all too much...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You haven't bored me at all.
I have had exactly the same experience as you. Most people on this forum make it sound like this device is terrible, so it's nice to see someone who hasn't had any real problems and is happy with it. I was starting to think there was something wrong with my phone in that it was actually working.
probably they came from the Apple clouds, that's why.
I came from the Windows World, and this phone is simply magnificent.
It could have been better, if they didn't decide to release so many different variants and Data freqcuencies 850/1900/2100, 900/1900/2100, 850/900/1800/1900
i like the UK version so much because it's unlocked but runs only on 1900, but the Bell version has 850, but locked, and the USA 850 versions has a lot of missing stuff (buttons, front camera, etc), also Locked
but all that aside, software wise, and funtionality wise, this phone it is one tiny little beast, the Android market has more and more software by the days, and accessories are plenty, in fact i got all my accessories before the phone even arrived LOL
but definitely, being able to drag and drop stuff directly to the phone without Itune or Kies it's perfect.
i was surprised to find out the phone even have 5.1 surround sound option when you plug in the headset, it is on the manual, i was bored and started reading the manual
LOL
AllGamer said:
It could have been better, if they didn't decide to release so many different variants and Data freqcuencies 850/1900/2100, 900/1900/2100, 850/900/1800/1900
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to mention radios, currently got the WCDMA thing going on in Korea. I think it's actually a WCDMA/GMS combo, but I haven't been able to confirm.
From the manual:
사용 주파수 범위 (Frequency Range):
WCDMA 1900/2100
GSM 900
DCS 1700/1800
US PCS 1900
*note, these are actually my rounding/interpretations of the ranges they list, I think it's easier to read than the exact number ranges but I might have misinterpreted 1 or 2. I can post the exact numbers if anyone is interested or can shed light.
*Edit* - Also the 2 variants on the way for U.S. CDMA and 4G. Well, they wanted to sell 10M, it's kind of good for us since we will get more XDA support and people have been successful modding the I9000 root to work for the initial US launches.
Pwew I've just ordered the Galaxy S on Friday and after looking on here at all the complaints I was getting very jittery. I'm the same as you chaps a windows fan and still love my HD2, but its time for a change so Im glad its not all doom and gloom
Thinking about I don't normally comment on something when it's all ok, only when I start getting problems so it makes sense I suppose.
rhitey said:
Pwew I've just ordered the Galaxy S on Friday and after looking on here at all the complaints I was getting very jittery. I'm the same as you chaps a windows fan and still love my HD2, but its time for a change so Im glad its not all doom and gloom
Thinking about I don't normally comment on something when it's all ok, only when I start getting problems so it makes sense I suppose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The polls here asking if people are happy typically indicate that people are happy with the devices. It seems that some people haven't tried to get new devices if they had very buggy GPS. It's still unclear if, the somewhat buggy GPS is hardware/software, but the implementation of the hardware has seemed to improve from the limited accounts I've read (I think this is the 3rd, but I don't read the "GPS Poll" thread, so that'd be where to find out for sure).
If you aren't worried about the GPS, there is little to worry about, especially when comparing to other Android devices. You might experience lag, but it depends on many factors and there are fixes available.
Today is my 2nd day im using my new Galaxy S. im very happy with it [ except the wifi seems to be a bit crappy ]
its my first time with android, i used to have HTC Artemis for many years and i enjoyed it. i never *****ed a lot at win mobile but using Android and the fast samsung seems a good relief
so far, very happy with it. i was still a HTC -fan, i wanted the HTC Desire but it was out of stock so i took the Samsung instead. Dont blame me that i pimped it totally Sense / Desire look on the phone hahah
mvenneker said:
Today is my 2nd day im using my new Galaxy S. im very happy with it [ except the wifi seems to be a bit crappy ]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are the details on the crappy wifi and what firmware are you using? I assume it's on the factory installed firmware? Look into updating, wifi complaints have gone way down to near mute levels since people have updated firmwares. This could be because they have given up on complaining, but I think when people update firmwares they typically say things like "GPS still sucks, X is still present, Y has improved."
If that doesn't fix it, you might have a malfunctioning wifi. I love my speedy 802.11n.
Ik will take al look on the firmware ane update it if possible. Tnx for the headsup.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
THUDUK said:
additional memory via the 8GB card that was supplied with the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
got a galaxy s from tesco but did not get a 8GB card with it
Same here. I came from a Touch Pro running WM6.1 and can't stop playing with the Galaxy. I already had the freedom to do what I wanted and a really good (if small) screen on the Touch Pro but the integration of everything and the open door that is the marketplace really makes Android shine over current Windows Mobile.
The hardware is excellent and I can't say I've had any issues with wifi nor gps. I'm sitting in the attic of my house at the moment and got six satellites through the roof without issue. Seems to drop wifi after a short amount of time of inactivity but I'm sure that's a power saving thing - certainly connects back up fast whenever it needs to so I'm happy. Just got the usual issue of looking for some case protection now and where to carry it - shirt pocket or on a belt pouch - don't dare to put such a lovely thing in my pocket.
Hello! I've currently got an HTC Desire and I'm not that happy with Android. I'm tired of the laggy, inconsistant and boring UI of both Sense and stock Android. I've had an iPod Touch and I've got an iPad and I'm a big fan of iOS, but I want to try something new.
I've been reading about WP7 a lot and it looks very interesting, I've also tried different WP7 phones in stores and I fell in love with the smoothness and consistant Metro UI.
The phone that I'm thinking of at the moment is the HD2, I think that it would be a good choice for me because it is able to run a various number of platforms (I like modding my phone and trying new stuff). So I've got a few questions about the phone:
The phone is almost 2 years old, is it hardware good enough to meet todays and tomorrow's requirements?
How is the screen of the HD2 compared to the Desire's (WVGA, 3,7", AMOLED)? Does multi-touch gestures work well? Is it dual-touch or does it support more than two fingers?
Is Spotify available for WP7 yet?
Are any key features missing in the WP7 port for HD2 (such as camera, headphone jack or WiFi not working?)?
What other platforms than Android, WM 6.5 and WP7 does the HD2 run? I saw that there are sections for Ubuntu and MeeGo here at XDA, are those platforms stable enough for daily use? How well does Android run?
Should I buy a used one or a new one?
How is the battery life?
What are your opinions? Would you buy a HD2 today? Opinions and recommendations about other phones are welcome as well!
Thanks in advance
1. I'd say yes. It might get a little more outdated when two core or even quad core processors roll out. One the other hand, there is no operating system that could use more power than HD2 has.
2. Screen is the weakest part of HD2, AMOLED technology is a lot better in terms of picture quality as well as power saving. I'd say it is just OK.
3. No idea.
4. No idea.
5. HD2 can currently run WM6.5, WP7 and Android - all stable and all working. Meego and Ubuntu are rather proof of concepts and not useful for daily use.
6. Now this is up to you. If you're short of money, go for used one. If you can afford a new one, get a new one.
7. Depends how much you use the phone, what operating system you're running etc. I managed to get about 4 days of standby(stock battery!) on Android with automatic internet connection and mail syncing every 30 minutes and 3G off. I consider it pretty good for a smartphone.
However, the most important thing about this phone is the number of supporters here at XDA. There are hundreds of ROMs to choose from, you can try a new one every day And well, I do not think there are many phones that can multiboot two systems(there are some that can handle different systems, but each change requires reflash).
I am a person who can afford any phone any time. If someone told me that there is a HD2 with amoled screen, quad core cpu and 4 gigs of ram and (it still can multiboot) for $2000, I'd buy it right away. Back to reality - in my opinion there is no better phone out there.
Well, it's hardware is now pretty old compared to most of the phones out there. But it still works I haven't seen any place where I'd be like oh crap I wish I had another phone this is just too slow.. Never.
Screen = Big Let Down. You won't be all that happy with the screen rest assured
Multi-touch works well but not so well in WP7. I believe it is dual touch.
Spotify is available on WP7 last I checked it will take you a spotify wp7 google search.
Meego, Ubuntu not for daily use development has as far as I remember become extremely slow.
Key feature missing in WP7 for HD2 is camera gives green tint when used with flash. And imo camera quality is never as good with android or wp7 than with WM6.5 for hd2.
Take a used one from craigslist. Should be good enough.
Battery life not as good due to the aforementioned screen and 1250 mAh battery.
But, I still personally love my HD2 and won't part with it till the development from this community stops and I honestly believe WP7 would surely work perfect on the HD2 in the near future. Peace
Thanks for the responses! The only thing that makes me doubt atm is the screen.. Really love the blacks on the Desire's AMOLED display, but I guess that I'll get used to the HD2's display.
Anyone done the jump from AMOLED/S-LCD/S-AMOLED to LCD?
Kinda.. My bro has a Galaxy S another has a S2 a friend has Sensation.. So seen many pretty nice screens must admit my hd2 looks pretty sad in front of those displays.. But, when I show them Android CM7, Sense, WP7 and all.. They all say please tell us how to do it
Go get an hd2 it will be the best thing that ever happened to you cell phone wise
I won't make another topic for the same question, so I just reply to this one. I hope it won't call as digging up...
After XDA threads answering 90% of my questions, I still have one:
I will be able to afford an HD2 in March-April 2012. That said, I don't want to end up thinking "Gosh, why did I buy it?" after 3-4 months; is this phone still able to survive another year of support here, at XDA? I don't have enough cash to buy another $400 phone after half a year, so it is quite important.
Thanks in advance.
Schocker1 said:
I won't make another topic for the same question, so I just reply to this one. I hope it won't call as digging up...
After XDA threads answering 90% of my questions, I still have one:
I will be able to afford an HD2 in March-April 2012. That said, I don't want to end up thinking "Gosh, why did I buy it?" after 3-4 months; is this phone still able to survive another year of support here, at XDA? I don't have enough cash to buy another $400 phone after half a year, so it is quite important.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to be honest, it is a guess at this time. i mean in 6 months from now, there might be some new amazing things on the market. i would just come back and check in 5 months or so. and nicely done, not starting a new thread!
If i were u i wont even think of getting this phone.
Ya in 6 months from not there will be more new stuff out there. So talking of the current market i think compared to other newer phones the HD2 is really good. 4.3 inch display, capability to rum multiple OS's. And it's blazing fast in wp7 and android
BUT...
Just google the number of HD2 users suffering with the same fault it has. I'm a victim of the same and i feel like dashing this crap on the floor. I'm sick and tired of this. Even after performing a mtty still it restarts.
So..
Either u have to be really like others to get a good phone without any faults or you too will be suffering like the rest of the HD2 owners. WHY TAKING THAT CHANCE? IF I WERE YOU I WOULD NOT EVEN IF IT CAN RUN 1000 OS's..
I am really happy with my HD2 & it has been faultless for me on my personal setup WM6.5.x, but if you are likely to be going Android you are better looking at newer devices that are native Android.
Most hardware failures & bugs are on those users running Multi OSs or Nand Droid/W7 .
Thinking of Buying an HD2?
Thinking of Buying an HD2?
Read here,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1284389
and here,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1271507
Those of you suffering WP7 restarts/freeze etc, get yourselves a new SD Card. There's plenty of data on this in the WP7 forum.
Thanks for answering, it really means a lot to me.
Ok, time to explain my history (which is a long and complicated one):
I am 15 years old, so I just have to rely on my parents' money. I got my first mobile when I was... 9? Something like that. I remember, how everyone in the school was excited by color screens! And l was proud of having a camera, even though the quality of the photos was pretty bad. But, hey, it was a camera! In the mobile!
In 2007 I got my first "smartphone". It was Nokia 6120 classic with Symbian. But I was scared about losing the warranty, so I didn't do much with it (that is, I didn't "hack" the Symbian, which is still nothing compared to modding Android). Still, I was happy with it for 2 years.
But then comes 2009 and "touchscreen time". God, how the prices of those phones dropped then! I bought a Samsung Corby. Yeah, it was a downgrade from Symbian, but at least I was able to get used to the touchscreen. I sold it in March 2011 for an acceptable price.
And here comes the "smartphone age". I bought my Galaxy Spica in July 2011. I know, probably You haven't heard of this phone, but in Poland and Russia it is quite popular. I bought it simply because of the mods - right now it is considered "The slowest phone ever" on some Polish Android forum, but, guess what? I am happy with it. It is running CM6 right now and is currently lying on my left, charging happily.
If I'm happy - why should I replace it? Well, first of all, the battery got klilled. One day I can go through 8 lessons and the phone will still be at 100%, and next day, without even touching it - bam, drops to 52%. I know, replace the battery and so on, and so on. But it really sometimes makes me mad when I have to do a "battery reset" for the third time, because it won't unlock...
I remember how I was scared before the first root of my Spica... And it went great, start to finish! Everything goes great when You follow the guides, that's what I learned in the past few months. No phone can be compared to HD2 when it comes to modding (at least IMHO), and it gives you the "WOW" factor among your friends, hehe! Nothing better then coming to a group of people showing off their 199$ Android phone and showing them the HD2's dual-boot!
What really made me excited about the HD2 is not only a modders paradise it offers, but also the wonderful support here. Heck, the HD2 Android board has more posts than most other phones section added up! And more, and more posts are coming up everyday. I would really like to have, like, 4 smartphones in my house - Android, iPhone, WP7 and probably another Android... But I just don't have the money for it. (*blames his country for its poor wages*) I do not demand every new version of Android or WP7 being ported to HD2 (because it's just too much), but I'd be happy with, let's say, one-two next major versions of Android and the next major version of WP7.
In one sentence: I definitely enjoy modding everything, I love the big choice of ROMs available here and I just hope the development doesn't stop on Mango and Gingerbread - if it's so: HD2, here I come!
If You really read the whole story (written in a very poor English - sorry, I'm a native Polish speaker), then congrats, and I hope You will be able to answer my question: Will HD2 as a multi-OS phone satisfy my needs, which are not connected to display or dual-core, but tot the software only? And sorry for the chaotic post, I shouldn't have replied in the midnight. ^^
Get one. I broke mine and am currently looking for another HD2. I could go get the new GSII but I don't really want it.
stepthehen said:
Thinking of Buying an HD2?
Read here,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1284389
and here,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1271507
Those of you suffering WP7 restarts/freeze etc, get yourselves a new SD Card. There's plenty of data on this in the WP7 forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, that is enough for me, I am going for it... After I get the money of course.
BTW: @stepthehen: I've read the second story before and that's why I asked - if this phone has gone through two years and can mean so much for people...
It is a great phone & if the price is right then still a trenendous bit of kit.
The flip side : if you are not likely to want WM6.5.x or multi-boot & are paying high end price then it is not the best option.
Mister B said:
It is a great phone & if the price is right then still a trenendous bit of kit.
The flip side : if you are not likely to want WM6.5.x or multi-boot & are paying high end price then it is not the best option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My mum says it is quite expensive, but, hey! Many phones nowadays have similar, if not worse, specs, but they are being sold with a higher price tag, simply because "they're new".
And I do want the multi-boot and I do want to play with OSes. Actually it's my #1 reason. ^^
After 15 months with my HD2 (99% positive), I have decided to move on. I knew it would come at some time, but I had not expected to move until next year. When AT&T (my carrier since 1992) came out with two Android, LTE-capable phones with better screens, faster processors, etc., I decided it was time to give up on Windows Mobile 6 and try Android. I know a lot of you have already swapped out WM for Android on the HD2, but I stayed with WM because I had a lot of apps that I still used from my old PDA days. Also, the HD2 on AT&T was slow because I could get only Edge/2G speeds. So, it was time to go.
However, my HD2 will remain in use at least for a while. I am not sure yet I can find good Android apps as replacements for some of my WM apps. It still works with WiFi. I have a good PDA now.
Thanks for all the advice I found here. It's been a good experience. Now, I will be over at the HTC Vivid forum.
Good luck to all.
Out of curiosity, what apps do you miss?
Sent from my DL Desire v4.32.44.12 using XDA App
Good luck to you my friend
hd2 is brilliant phone . Good luck with your new device!
smeddy said:
Out of curiosity, what apps do you miss?
Sent from my DL Desire v4.32.44.12 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a genealogy program that is very good. I have not yet found an Android genealogy program that matches it, although I will be testing some. I have a number of books purchased for now obsolete readers (MS Reader, eReader) that I don't want to re-purchase from B&N or Amazon. I use Laridian's PocketBible, but the developer is working on an Android version. I like mapping programs that don't require me to have wireless access all the time. I've got to find Andrioid replacements for a couple of good topo map programs.
I suspect I will find replacements for the programs I use the most, but it will take time. It's an adjustment going to Android after 6-7 years of Windows Mobile programs on PDAs and the HD2.
jealous...i'm stuck with mine til feb.
being a broke (bills are more important than buying a $600 phone every 4 weeks) smartphone owner has caused my unfortunate union to go 2 full years with the most irritating experience 87% of the time.
yeah, sd droid...but becomes useless (on my phone) after a few days. fc is bs!
nand? i have a 2 year w/insurance, not gonna risk it thanks.
I still have a fave5 plan, w/5gb, and unlimited talk/text for the same price as the new 2gb plans w/1000 min talk unlimited text, so month to month is out
as much as i avoided the bubblegum feel of droid and defend wm, this is where i pour gas on the leo and send it to hell.
well, in feb. that is.
pos [email protected] dog phone...
anyway, congrats on bailing the once hoppin' leo forums!
Good luck and have fun and always a broad bandwith with your new device
Thanks Bruce, for what its worth I keep WM installed purely for TomTom, but as I've not opened it in six months, I'm thinking of NANDing it. To the other guy who posted negatively about SD builds, search the SD forum for "motorman evo black blue remix". Its an oldy but a goody. I used it for 8 months with barely ever an FC or a restart (in fact my phone would be on for weeks before I even bothered the restart it manually). I've recently changed to a "Desire Z" build, which is less stable but gives me landscape sense. Anyway, try that first ROM for a few months, I believe it won't disappoint
Sent from my DL Desire v4.32.44.12 using XDA App
smeddy said:
Thanks Bruce, for what its worth I keep WM installed purely for TomTom, but as I've not opened it in six months, I'm thinking of NANDing it. To the other guy who posted negatively about SD builds, search the SD forum for "motorman evo black blue remix". Its an oldy but a goody. I used it for 8 months with barely ever an FC or a restart
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you, i will try it!
i LOVE how my leo behaves w/sd droid (EVERYTHING WORKS SMOOOOOTHLY!!!) so when they go buggy i get overly cranky.
goodness, is wm 6.5 that AWFUL that everything else works flawlessly when 6.5 chokes on the best phone ever made?!?
i am eyeballing the amaze...no early adopting for me, not after this!
Whoops I said motorman, and I meant motoman.
Anyway link here :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=847631
What you decided to move to?