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 .
title says it all really... its upgrade time and i was set on the hero,,, then they release the HD2 and now im stuck back in indecision land again..... *sigh*
main reason im still pulled toward the hero is the upcomming jump to android v2.1 eclair in the new year,,,,
Main reason im pulled toward the HD2 is its just so damn sexy... and who wouldent want that screen!
i have had quite alot of experiance with the hero... but as of yet havent even seen the HD2 in the flesh so cant compare how they operate in comparison to each other........ Is winmo 6.5 as bad as alot of the reviews make out? and does the hd2 suffer from it?
another thing is although people say the winmo market place is pretty poor atm.... after experiancing the android marketplace im feeling pretty let down by it also,,,, yeah sure theres alot of stuff... but really 90% seems a complete waste of time.... really poor stuff i cant see anyone needing.. not to mention the games are woefull.... i feel myself missing my old N95 as it had better games than the hero i would say.. ;0(
i have no idea what the games platform is like on winmo though so if anyone could offer a little insight please?
soo.. what would u go with... the hero or HD2? help me out as my pac code expires in 6 days so gotta pick sumthin sharpish.. lol
If you complain a lot and get frustrated by little nuisance that comes with new technology, then get the Hero. Otherwise, get the HD2.
the hero is old , you can't buy a 6month old phone
How can you even be considering the hero? HD2>>>>>Hero. The Hero is a great phone, but paying almost 480€ for old hardware is not something I'd like to do.
Chivalry,
Answer to your question is simple; if you want a device that is predominantly a phone then it's the Hero, if you want a device that is a focused PDA then it's the HD2.
Also, as someone said above, if you don't like hassle then again, it's the Hero but if you don't mind spending weeks on end tuning and retuning your device (sometimes just to get it to work properly) then it's the HD.
I assume price is not a factor here?
WB
i have had both ohones, i changed from the HERO to the HD2 and can say the HD2 is MUCH better!! no questions and wouldn't go back to the HERO or android.
1. The main downside of the HD2 is that he runs windows mobile : it will give your geek friends with an iphone or an androphone a reason to call you a noob.
2. However, if you can live with that, just get an HD2. The screen is amazing, and the hardware is perfect for real multi-tasking.
3. Don't trust Gizmodo or Endgaget. These people just think that saying windows mobile is crap make them look cool (see 1.). Winmo runs well, and the HTC Sense interface will make you forget it's windows.
4. Windows mobile has a huge application store : it's called the World Wide Web.
5. If you're mainly interested in games, you should get an iPhone. It's got a lot of beautiful ones. Winmo has some too, but you'll have to deal with compatibility issues. Since there's no official API for accelerometer or multitouch, really few games will use them.
6. HD2 is really bigger than Hero. You can see this as an advantage or a disadvantage.
I had a Hero and like dit a lot Then my wife got HD2 as an upgrade and found it too large. So now she likes the Hero and I prefer HD2 over hero.
Here are the limitations of Hero/Android for me:
1 - Exchange support. Lack of tasks was an issue for me. Touchdown fixed it but still not as good as winmo implementation.
2 - Out of the box ms office support is another minus for Hero.
3 - Also windows mobile devices are compatible with Napster to go, so you use their unlimited downloads service in HD2 nicely. You cannot do that on android or other OSes.
4 - Speed is a big plus for HD2.
5 - Feature complete os for HD2. Things like VPN support, connection exceptions make it a better choice for me.
6 - Application availability for windows mobile. While it does not have a good marketplace with tens of thousands of applications, the essential applications such as voip software and video players make it a better choice for me.
7 - Live services integration and myphone service from microsoft are also pluses for winmob.
HTC Sense solves most of the issues with default windows mobile interface and even for non technichal people, it allows smooth transition from android to winmob and vice versa.
I like the Hero a lot and was not thinking to go back to winmob until wm7, HD2 has changed my mind.
However, the items above are pretty much personal and depends on your work as well I suppose.
Zunzun really sums this up well.
I was in the same seat as you, deciding between hero or waiting for HD2. I decided to wait for HD2 because of the sexiness and the screen mainly, and even though all the bashing of WinMo, I am not let down at all. On the other hand I like how you pretty much can change anything, which is why I always favor PC to Mac for example.
ALAS!
i am glad to see i am not not the only one stuck in this notion of indecision!
I had the Hero and when i got the HD2 couple of days ago my first reaction was "wow so similar to hero but so much better" the screen really DOES make a big difference honestly
the web browsing is sensational in a word
i agree with previous posts, the downside is winmo, but tbh HTC front end is so robust you barely notice it and it is much much finger friendly than it has ever been - once you have your basic settings sorted you will barely ever have to go back into it
although people compare the market place, i would agree with one of the guys who said that most stuff on the google marketplace is a shambles - it really is - its like Tesco Basics vs Tesco finest
Again if you want gaming get an iphone - better still get the ipod and use the HD2 wifi router option to connect to the net! this phone is very good, someone is very likely to bring Android to it and you can try that too but tbh HTC have done a very bang up job on it
Performance wise it is miles ahead of the Hero - i used to work for t-mobile so have had exposure to phones and the problems you get - for normal everyday use, i would get this phone over the Hero, simply for better user experience overall
sorry if that was more than my two cents worth!
Toss3 said:
How can you even be considering the hero? HD2>>>>>Hero. The Hero is a great phone, but paying almost 480€ for old hardware is not something I'd like to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^ This ^
Because well, the hd2/leo is one damn hawt phone, but theres bugs in it that will make you pull your hair out (well in a matter of speech ofc, but ye, random signal loss, hanging sms, bugs with sd cards etc etc)
On the bright side theres alot of smart people here, and they already solved some bugs, and HTC themselves are appearing to take notice of all hd2 problems now, more and more 'fixes' appear
i moved from htc diamond (1.7+ year) to omnia ii
i really missed XDA when i moved to omnia ii
omnia ii sold
waiting for my HD2
immyl said:
i am glad to see i am not not the only one stuck in this notion of indecision!
I had the Hero and when i got the HD2 couple of days ago my first reaction was "wow so similar to hero but so much better" the screen really DOES make a big difference honestly
the web browsing is sensational in a word
i agree with previous posts, the downside is winmo, but tbh HTC front end is so robust you barely notice it and it is much much finger friendly than it has ever been - once you have your basic settings sorted you will barely ever have to go back into it
although people compare the market place, i would agree with one of the guys who said that most stuff on the google marketplace is a shambles - it really is - its like Tesco Basics vs Tesco finest
Again if you want gaming get an iphone - better still get the ipod and use the HD2 wifi router option to connect to the net! this phone is very good, someone is very likely to bring Android to it and you can try that too but tbh HTC have done a very bang up job on it
Performance wise it is miles ahead of the Hero - i used to work for t-mobile so have had exposure to phones and the problems you get - for normal everyday use, i would get this phone over the Hero, simply for better user experience overall
sorry if that was more than my two cents worth!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why is winmo a downside? Surely it's only a downside if you care more about how pretty the UI is than how powerful/flexible/feature-rich/functional it is? And surely if you're a member of this forum that isn't true?
It is a far more sophisticated OS than any other mobile phone platform. Period.
This is TMOUSA (sorry for not being more clear)
I want to say, I love the HTC HD2 (when it worked) When I bought, at 10am EST on release day, I was in awe! The beautiful screen, all the great apps preloaded on it. I was in heaven.
But................
Here I am 2 weeks later, I'm on my 2nd HD2 (the 1st one wouldn't hold a data connection, so the tech told me to return it) and this one seems more buggy than the 1st one I had.
I want to say I know absolutely ZERO about flashing and ROMs, but I really shouldn't have to for the machine to simply work out of the box.
I again say with a heavy heart I am on my way to the Tmobile store to return it. I love the phone, just wish it would have worked properly out of the box.
Going back to my HTC TP2....maybe one day I will try the HD2 again after all the bugs are worked out.
this is not the kind of post i wanted to read about this phone. has anyone else had this kind of trouble with this handset?
ITZAWORK said:
I want to say, I love the HTC HD2 (when it worked) When I bought, at 10am EST on release day, I was in awe! The beautiful screen, all the great apps preloaded on it. I was in heaven.
But................
Here I am 2 weeks later, I'm on my 2nd HD2 (the 1st one wouldn't hold a data connection, so the tech told me to return it) and this one seems more buggy than the 1st one I had.
I want to say I know absolutely ZERO about flashing and ROMs, but I really shouldn't have to for the machine to simply work out of the box.
I again say with a heavy heart I am on my way to the Tmobile store to return it. I love the phone, just wish it would have worked properly out of the box.
Going back to my HTC TP2....maybe one day I will try the HD2 again after all the bugs are worked out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you say buggy....how? im using the stock rom/radio i got when i bought mine, works perfectly, its only my own stupidity that breaks it
quasi_mojo said:
you say buggy....how? im using the stock rom/radio i got when i bought mine, works perfectly, its only my own stupidity that breaks it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
because he has TmoUS...not TmoUK. The OP returned his phone because of crappy TmoUS network.
Sorry to hear that.
Windows Mobile has never been known as an OS that works perfectly out of the box. This is accentuated further by all the resource hogging crap t-mobile loads on the phone before it ends up in your hands. Flashing the ROM certainly helps things run smoother IMO.
I don't think flashing ROMS is too difficult....no harder than updating the official firmware on my iPhone....Its really just a matter of downloading a few files, syncing up your phone, and running a piece of software. Done.
Jailbreaking an iPhone.....now that is a tough job.
lude219 said:
because he has TmoUS...not TmoUK. The OP returned his phone because of crappy TmoUS network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ahh! ok,
I Have had mine a week and the device,especialy loading web pages is sooo slow. My orbit2 is much faster and user friendly. I am even considering switching back to it. So much for snapdragon.
Sorry to hear about the problems you are having...
...I on the other hand am loving my TmoUS HD2. I got mine 9:00am on release day as well and have had zero problems that were not easily fixed.
(The 2nd or 3rd day...I wcould not access the internet....although I did have data...wierd, but that was fixed simply by changing the APN)
My phone is crazy quick (stock ROM and radio / cookies home tab / and a few other simple mods) and I have yet to have a single crash (my rooted android phones...G1, MT3G, and my N1 crash all the flippin time...yet they bash winmo for this).
anyhow...again im sorry...just wish you would give it a bit more time (though I understand that you probably want to make it within the 14 day return period
Stock Rom user with no problems
I don't understand what the original post is complaining about?
I use the stock rom on the HD2 and I still haven't encountered a single problem...
If you don't understand how the phone functions then you will have problems because of your own mistakes... learn about the phone before you buy it...
Unlike the iPhone.. this is not a toy for kids to play with .. you have to know what the heck you are running on the phone and what applications are open .. anyways I don't want to make this a tutorial post...
All I can say is that know the phone before buying it...mine works perfectly fine with stock rom because I manage opened applications properly...
Sorry to hear. I've had mine since release day and loving every minute of it. I have had none of the major issues that people have complained about. Even so, I flashed my ROM to Kumar's Premium 1.5 and it runs even better on it.
The ONLY thing that I know was an issue for me was the HTC/Sense messaging app. If I happen to open that to read or write a message, my phone would start lagging and eventually, freeze up. But if I stayed out of it, the phone ran like a champ. So, I've simply disabled the HTC/Sense messaging and use the Windows text messaging app instead, and so far, so good.
I'm waiting for Kumar to come out with his Titanium ROM so I can try the device without HTC/Sense at all and maybe even try out the SPB Mobile Shell on it. This phone has a TON of potential, but alas, you do have to want to tinker with it to get it to sing the song you want it to sing.
This is one of the reasons I love the HD2 with WinMo. I'm not locked into how the manfacturer or carrier wants the phone to work or look like. There are great chefs here who have really good ideas on how to make a WinMo device run.
In any case, the phone is definitely not for everyone.
Yeah, I gotta say though even out of the box to a total winmo noob this stock rom is very solid. I haven't even bothered to flash yet, just did some registry tweaks that sped up sense a bit, really no problems crashing/freezing and that is with 9k contacts and many games added. A LOT probably comes down to tmo service if changing carriers to get the phone for some people. In my area, though, tmo is slightly better than att and cheaper.
Mine rocks!
I have had my HD2 for about a week now and everyday I LOVE IT MORE! Seriously I was coming from a Wing so I guess I had a little experience with winmo phones. I am using it straight out of the box with a few games added. A lot of music and a few movies. Only thing I have done to it was cookies home tab + editor and a reset app. Best phone I have ever seen thus far! Obviously there are things that you need to get used to...but for me its worth the effort!
np231 said:
I don't understand what the original post is complaining about?
I use the stock rom on the HD2 and I still haven't encountered a single problem...
If you don't understand how the phone functions then you will have problems because of your own mistakes... learn about the phone before you buy it...
Unlike the iPhone.. this is not a toy for kids to play with .. you have to know what the heck you are running on the phone and what applications are open .. anyways I don't want to make this a tutorial post...
All I can say is that know the phone before buying it...mine works perfectly fine with stock rom because I manage opened applications properly...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No offense bro, but dont talk to me like Im a child. This has nothing to do with me trying to "play games with a toy" (even though TMoUSA does market the thing as "entertainment on the go"). When the damn thing doesn't come out of sleep mode without pushing the button 30 times, there is a problem, when I have to slide to unlock back and forth, back and forth for long periods of time before it will unlock, there is a problem, when the HTC Sense refuses to load mins after restarting, there is a problem. I am very aware of of what is open and how to close them (on a mind numbing constant basis mind you). I don't see how you can arrogantly assume this is all in human error and not the machine's. Please explain to me how I am supposed to be "aware" of what I'm doing, when the damn thing barely turns on?
I came on here to express that I was upset that I was forced to return the phone, not to be talked to like I was an idiot...I apologize that we all cant be so high in your IQ group that we actually need something we pay a lot of money for to work properly (without having to worry about putting it in direct sunlight and feeding it after midnight)
I am ecstatic for you that you have not experienced any problems with your device, I wish I was that lucky. All I am saying, is that I wanted to love the phone...but... it simply wouldn't work (TWICE). I did not install any 3rd party apps, I did not alter anything in any way, I always killed the tasks almost immediately after finishing with them (the proper way with the task manager).
So is this my human error? Please tell me oh great one...since I obviously do not have your intellect.
I can't stand people like np231. I had to return mine also, the phone lags and going to MUSIC caused it to freeze, scrolling through the album arts is not as smooth as on the iPhone. This is supposedly the 'entaintainment' device that Tmo claims and it can't do the simple things right.
I returned mine also. I bought it on day 1 and used it for almost 2 weeks. The biggest factors for me were the lack of a physical keyboard, terrible battery life and the total abandonment of 6.5 by MS and developers. I also hated the capacitance screen. I went back to my TMO TP2. While at the store I used my upgrade and bought my daughter a Cliq XT.
The HD2 has a beautiful screen but the screen was not big enough for me to type with reasonable speed and accuracy compared to the TP2 keyboard. It was also very susceptible to pocket dialing. When HTC comes out with an android with a decent keyboard I will probably try that.
wiggindude said:
I can't stand people like np231. I had to return mine also, the phone lags and going to MUSIC caused it to freeze, scrolling through the album arts is not as smooth as on the iPhone. This is supposedly the 'entaintainment' device that Tmo claims and it can't do the simple things right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
guy did come out and sounded like an ......
sorry to hear that you are having trouble with your phone. i was considering one but i would like to us at&t. t-mobile is cheaper than the telstra and tempting to buy. i have a sony xperia x1a on a at&t prepaid and it works great and i think they have the best prepaid, data plan. i rarely ever get any calls and so this is my be solution for me.
Think twice about your decision.
I had a lot of the same problems you are experiencing. Thanks to the brains in these forums I have pimped the heck out of my HD2 and my release day excitement has returned. If you want to know how to flash the rom / hack the phone, drop me a line. I can give you the straight forward dumbed down version. I may even write a noob's FAQ that's a little less intimidating than the jumbly ones in here. It's really much easier than it seems. All the posts in these forums can tend to be a bit overwhelming. I am a former iPhone 3g user. I learned how to unlock and jailbreak my phone. That was a chore!! This is much easier. Its no different than owning a Windows PC. Out of the box there is a bunch of crap the company pre-installs on your computer. You just have to learn how to tweak a bit. Don't be intimidated by the brains in here. They are really quite helpful. Now, If we can just figure out how to get Adobe Flash 10 to work on our phones. That would be sweet.
-JZ
too bad you had such issues. the Hardware on this phone does make it the best on the market. while it's true that things should work perfectly out of the box, life isn't always as it should be.
it's understandable to be frustrated when you pay this amount of $$$ for a phone, but with some research & time you can completely customize this phone like none other.
phinphan said:
I returned mine also. I bought it on day 1 and used it for almost 2 weeks. The biggest factors for me were the lack of a physical keyboard, terrible battery life and the total abandonment of 6.5 by MS and developers. I also hated the capacitance screen. I went back to my TMO TP2. While at the store I used my upgrade and bought my daughter a Cliq XT.
The HD2 has a beautiful screen but the screen was not big enough for me to type with reasonable speed and accuracy compared to the TP2 keyboard. It was also very susceptible to pocket dialing. When HTC comes out with an android with a decent keyboard I will probably try that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's exactly the only problem that I had with my bro's Tmobile HD2. The touch screen keyboard is even worst than the iPhone because of my small fingers and hands. Even worst, the battery is so small, and the OS needs to be developed more than what it is now.
All of this agreed aside from the capacitive screen.
P.S. I think the keyboard sucks not because the screen is small but because you don't have a good physical keyboard like the Touch Pro2.
I tride my friends iphone. The keyboard works just as good as his. It is different for the layout, so maybe that is why you dont like it.
And for those that blame WM for everything. It ain't because of that. If it was, I would have all the issues he has and I don't. Most of the problems I have is either something I didn't know about the new software, or something I added.
Battery life is on par with phones like this. Another friend ownes a Android One. Battery last about a day or so. My old Touch Pro lasted just as long.
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.
hi, first post here....
I've recently bought an HD2 sim free from a mate who had it as an unwanted upgrade from t-mobile... To cut a long story short it started not botting up so it went to the menders.
Now my question, if the menders come back saying its not worth mending is it worth getting another HD2 on contract ? or would I be in for the same trouble with crashes possibilty of not always working ?
the contract would either be O2, 3 or orange
cheers
chris
Flip a coin.........thats how I make important decisions..........
Seriously though, I would suggest getting one but then Im incredibly biased because I love mine, its never given me any problems......(except ones Ive caused myself from too much tweaking)
However....... a number of people do seem dissatisfied with the HD2 for numerous reasons.... a short while reading through xda will help you make the decision.....
Some say wm 6.5 is a dying os..... I think thats a matter of opinion.....
I think this device has a lot of life left in it and will easily keep me happy until my next upgrade in just under a year, by then I think it might be time to jump ship to android...
Its basically just a case of deciding what you want and whether the HD2 can deliver that...... your in the right place though.....
Happy reading.......
I can't fault the HD2, I loved the screen, browsing web pages and pdf's are soooo easy.
Myself I don't have a prob with wm6.5 aslong as that isn't the source of the crashes etc but I really do like SENSE so would like to keep that, either on wm or android.
I've never found it to big like alot of other people i've spoken too who've since gone to apple.
Do you know if it was a few batches that had freezing issues, certain operators or just how people used them. I just spose it was too experimental for htc on a wm o/s...
another app that i have found very useful at work is the wifi router (which o2 won't let you do if you have an iphone)
chris
I think there must be bad batches of hd2's however I dont think that's cause for concern, if you get a new one it will be under warranty anyway.....
the choice of custom roms and sense mods available mean you'll never get tired of tweaking the thing.....
If you liked the one you had before then Id definitely recommend another........
also android is coming on leaps and bounds for the hd 2 so you've got the best of both worlds (if you like that sort of thing)