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Hi,
I am currently using a Samsung F480 and I really have to say the difference in the touch screen experience is very much noticeable compared to my HTC Wizard (I'd probably call it Apple-esque - even though I never actually used their phone), however at the very same time I also have to admit that I am really missing the possibilities Windows Mobile offers.
So when I first read about the Touch HD it seemed it would unify all those. Well, meanwhile I found out that the touch screen technology basically remained the same so I'd really be interested to hear how you would actually rate it? Does one still have to press/push the screen or does a simply touch do it as well?
Apart from the touch screen topic I am also a bit uncertain after reading threads like this and in particular vangrieg's posting. How would you rate the overall performance?
Basically what I would be looking for would be a compact phone with a good display, easily extensible (Windows Mobile) and a nice touch screen experience (Apple) ....
i have it for a week now and i am very satisfied with it. Not one program crashed and no reboot so far. Internet browsing is fast and really usable. For the first time ever i really like to surf the net while commuting on the subway. GPS with TomTom7 is great - i locks in seconds even when in downtown surrounded by skyscrapers.
regarding the touchscreen, i find that i have to press really hard to get a reaction. at first i even was reluctant to press so hard because i thought i would break it with the stylus. but now i am glad that it does not react to simple touching because i usually carry it in the pocket of my trousers and touch the display when handling it and it should not react to simple touching in my view - and it does not.
Thanks kkrammer, so you havent noticed respectively cant confirm the lag mentioned by donbronzi and jon- in the indicated thread. I am asking in particular because vangrieg stated the used Qualcomm processor shouldnt be the fastest.
As to the touch screen, this is certainly a subjective matter but personally I really like Samsung's way to respond even to a very very light touch without having to actually press it. So you would say one actually has to press it, a light touch doesnt do it?
Touch HD finger pressure
After owning a Touch Diamond, I feel that the screen is much more responsive. I dont have to press hard at all. I really like it so far. Yes it is a bit bigger and heavier, its still thin. All my programs are working great.
Thanks wfhowell, actually I just went to a store and expectedly they didnt have an HD yet, however there was the Diamond and considering my touch tests I slowly begin to understand the Apple fanboys. Coming from the Samsung F480 I was almost unable to use it. So how much would you say was the HD improved in this area?
Maybe someone who used Apple's, the F480 and the HD could outline where he/she would see the differences.
hi drzoid
i know what you mean about the screen but thats the difference between the two different screen technologies. if you want the ability to use a stylus the phone can only detect it if you push. iphones can measure the current through your finger with a lot less screen pressure.
that said i use rhe advanced configuration tool from the diamond forum to make the screen more sensitive. not as nice as iphone but close
Its the best phone till today... awesome tough still not perfect..
Unless you still think that a phone requires a QWERTY keyboard (I haven't missed on yet on this awesome phon) I'd run to my local dealer
Is it worth paying £500 to upgrade from the diamond? I'm not sure wether to go for it or not? Is the HD just a diamond with a bigger screen? Its a lot of money to pay just for that.
marcel808 said:
hi drzoid
i know what you mean about the screen but thats the difference between the two different screen technologies. if you want the ability to use a stylus the phone can only detect it if you push. iphones can measure the current through your finger with a lot less screen pressure.
that said i use rhe advanced configuration tool from the diamond forum to make the screen more sensitive. not as nice as iphone but close
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Marcel, I know Apple's touch screen as well as - probably - the F480's measure via the skin but nonetheless I was "shocked" today when I saw what touching means in terms of the Diamond.
How "close" would you say is the sensitivity you mentioned?
Can someone who has experience with the Wizard and the HD tell if there is an actual difference in the sensitivity.
I'd love to get an HD - even if its price is currently almost prohibitive - but I am not sure whether I'd really like to go back.
mwatson said:
Is it worth paying £500 to upgrade from the diamond? I'm not sure wether to go for it or not? Is the HD just a diamond with a bigger screen? Its a lot of money to pay just for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its not worth the upgrade in my opinion.
I found you have to push a fair bit harder with the stylus on the screen than with your finger. If you use your finger it responds to a very light touch in comparism and is very responsive.
Thanks, for a real-world example, how hard would one have to press to slide the tabbar on the home screen left and right. Would just placing the finger without actual pressure be enough?
hi drzoid
how sensitive is the screen on mine...not sure how best to answer.
On an iphone I hardly have to touch the screen. As soon as the skin touches, thats enough.
With the HD, if I press the screen, I have to push until the top of my finger squashes by 1mm. Does that makes sense??!
So try pushing on a hard surface so 1mm of your finger squashes...and thats an HD
marcel808 said:
On an iphone I hardly have to touch the screen. As soon as the skin touches, thats enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just like with the F480.
marcel808 said:
With the HD, if I press the screen, I have to push until the top of my finger squashes by 1mm. Does that makes sense??!
So try pushing on a hard surface so 1mm of your finger squashes...and thats an HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you Marcel, perfect explanation, even though I am not sure whether this is really close if one has to push 1mm into the screen .
Somehow my excitement gets colder, unfortunately
F480 has a capacitive screen, just like the iPhone and G1, so the HD would be worse touchy-wise (resistive screen), but according to reviews HD's screen is quite close to iPhone's sensitivity. Anyway, you can't write with the stylus on those and you can on the HD
Insaneboy said:
F480 has a capacitive screen, just like the iPhone and G1, so the HD would be worse touchy-wise (resistive screen), but according to reviews HD's screen is quite close to iPhone's sensitivity. Anyway, you can't write with the stylus on those and you can on the HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, personally I dont really need a stylus, although the magnetic of the HD makes a precious impression. Anyhow Samsung's screen is what I would really define as touch screen. It would be interesting how close it is, but the 1mm Marcel mentioned doesnt sound too close .... I guess I will have to wait until I can see the HD live.
What a shame almost
For me, the ability to use stylus is a big plus. I like the option of being able to use product such as Netfront Browser. It is a lot easier to click on links and to type quickly on keyboards as compared to using finger. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against fingers. In fact, 99% of the time I use my device with just fingers. There are times when I feel that stylus is a lot easier. I consider this to be a plus over iPhone actually. I wish iPhone can support both, because then I need not zoom in before activating a link.
I would say it's about the same as using a touchpad on a laptop if using your finger, it's pretty good
mwatson said:
Is it worth paying £500 to upgrade from the diamond? I'm not sure wether to go for it or not? Is the HD just a diamond with a bigger screen? Its a lot of money to pay just for that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have both the diamond (business phone) and, recently, the HD (personal phone). The HD is a step change in a number of ways. The larger screen, in purely size terms, makes sense of the touchflo interface. Buttons are big, and useable, and I'm rarely (if ever) pulling out the stylus. Also the software itself is faster, more developed (losts of little changes - like answering a call uses a finger gesture, rather than pressing a button - which means you are much less likely to inadvertantly answer an incoming call in your pocket. a little thing, but one of a myriad of significant little changes). The stock ROM is blisteringly fast in comparison (my diamond is the t-mobile version, and a shocker in comparison). Given that they are roughly the same hardware it shows what the diamond may become capable of. The screen is spectacular. The sensitivity (though lacking multi-touch, no biggie for me) feels just right. The battery life literally takes my breath away. I've run it for two lumps of two days, and not yet got the battery below 50%. My diamond corpses after about 24 hours.
It's the best WM device I've had by a country mile, and I've had a few. I still like my diamond, though. It's little and I can look after it much better when I'm out for a riotous night on the town. The HD is big, and until I can get a silicone case for it, it's a dropped smashed phone waiting to happen (I hate having to remove a phone from a case to use it, it massively increases the chance of accidents).
Philio25 said:
I would say it's about the same as using a touchpad on a laptop if using your finger, it's pretty good
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? If I judge it from my Acer Aspire I would then actually call it decent.
I really have to find a store where you can try it out .
eaglesteve said:
For me, the ability to use stylus is a big plus. I like the option of being able to use product such as Netfront Browser. It is a lot easier to click on links and to type quickly on keyboards as compared to using finger. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against fingers. In fact, 99% of the time I use my device with just fingers. There are times when I feel that stylus is a lot easier. I consider this to be a plus over iPhone actually. I wish iPhone can support both, because then I need not zoom in before activating a link.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I can talk only for the F480 which actually has Netfront and there you can click links without zooming, even if you have aim well sometimes.
Lets say I am not against a stylus but I am for the touch experience the F480 brings .
Hi guys,
I'm curious. What is the lifespan of the HTC Touch HD's screen? I know it's a seemingly random question, but I was just wondering. I tend to keep my devices for a very long time so this would be valuable information in helping me decide if this is the phone for me.
Cheers.
Well, I have noticed that the screen is a bit scratch sensitive as the top layer is made of plastic. Screen responsiveness is mediocre and clarity and picture quality are good to very good. Overall I like the screen. =]
antrak said:
Well, I have noticed that the screen is a bit scratch sensitive as the top layer is made of plastic. Screen responsiveness is mediocre and clarity and picture quality are good to very good. Overall I like the screen. =]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Antrak,
Thanks for that input. I appreciate it. However, I was wondering about the touch screen's duration, as in, how many years before the touch screen will crap out on you. Any idea?
Also, the screen's responsiveness can be fixed by using a registry editor and looking for the responsiveness setting. I think you can hop on over to the X1 to see what the registry mod is.
Cheers.
PoisonWolf said:
Antrak,
Thanks for that input. I appreciate it. However, I was wondering about the touch screen's duration, as in, how many years before the touch screen will crap out on you. Any idea?
Also, the screen's responsiveness can be fixed by using a registry editor and looking for the responsiveness setting. I think you can hop on over to the X1 to see what the registry mod is.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem. Ah in that way. Well I think that if you take good care of your device and handle it carefully, the touch screen won't fail any sooner then other components of the device will. I still have a device that's way over it's preservation date and the screen still functions the way it's supposed too, so I don't really think you will have any trouble with that.
I did the registry settings and tweaks, I still find it mediocre though. In my mind I put it in this list -Touch HD Mediocre - Touch Diamond 2 Good - Capacitive Excellent -.
But thing is, the bigger the screen is on a resistive screen type device, the more pressure you need to give, not incredibly much but still.
antrak said:
No problem. Ah in that way. Well I think that if you take good care of your device and handle it carefully, the touch screen won't fail any sooner then other components of the device will. I still have a device that's way over it's preservation date and the screen still functions the way it's supposed too, so I don't really think you will have any trouble with that.
I did the registry settings and tweaks, I still find it mediocre though. In my mind I put it in this list -Touch HD Mediocre - Touch Diamond 2 Good - Capacitive Excellent -.
But thing is, the bigger the screen is on a resistive screen type device, the more pressure you need to give, not incredibly much but still.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Antrak,
Thank you for that input. You've given me confidence in wanting to get this phone now (I would have gotten it already, but I was scammed about 2 months ago and I had to save again)! How is the usability of the phone using fingers alone? How often would you need to use the stylus?
Cheers.
PoisonWolf said:
Antrak,
Thank you for that input. You've given me confidence in wanting to get this phone now (I would have gotten it already, but I was scammed about 2 months ago and I had to save again)! How is the usability of the phone using fingers alone? How often would you need to use the stylus?
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too bad to hear that you've been scammed!
It is a really great device, I loved it from the moment it came out of it's nice black box.
I actually never use the stylus, and I have decently fat fingers. With a screen this size, I have no problems whatsoever navigating through the windows mobile 6.1 screens and I can't understand how some people actually use a stylus on this thing. For me, it's -completely- (including small 6.1 buttons) finger friendly.
agree with antrak =) it is a wonderful device =) I still use the stylus at times though, mostly for the transcriber input mode =) never recall any time where I was forced to use the stylus instead of fingers =)
figner use is quite ok.. though i agree touch HD screen is not as responsive as ..say compared to X1
leobox1 said:
figner use is quite ok.. though i agree touch HD screen is not as responsive as ..say compared to X1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
leobox,
Well, that is perfectly fine with me. Not-as-responsive-screen > Eventually-cracking-case.
May I ask where you blokes purchased your Touch HD from (US folks). Also, do you need any sort of data plan to be able to use navigation software? I ask because Im not sure if aGPS systems require that or do you only need to pay for Navigation software? I'm also going to guess that using your phone as a GPS-System will eat the battery faster than you can say "The THD is teh sheetz!" ?
Cheers.
whats ur take on the device?
is it really worth it? are u content?
I really like it. Yes its not a killer device in comparisson to some but its really functional and ticks all the boxes for me.
I'm very happy with my Snap. It is by a considerable margin the fastest WM device I have ever used and is not showing any sign of slowing down as I load it up with software. There are various different varieties around (Maple, Cedar etc) - personally I would say make sure you get one with a trackball. Whilst this takes a little getting used to, after a few days you will wonder how you ever managed with a D-pad. The keyboard is excellent and the device is very compact and pocketable - the flat full qwerty layout means it is very comfortable in a jacket or shirt pocket.
If you find the idea of an iPhone and/or large touch screen appealing then clearly the device is not for you. Personally I find the whole touch screen thing a pain - my Kaiser used to drive me nuts sometimes (despite being very extensively tweaked). The screen is obviously not that big and still QVGA, but if you are looking for a functional device on the WM platform that gets the job done this is the best device yet, IMHO.
JC6 said:
I'm very happy with my Snap. It is by a considerable margin the fastest WM device I have ever used and is not showing any sign of slowing down as I load it up with software. There are various different varieties around (Maple, Cedar etc) - personally I would say make sure you get one with a trackball. Whilst this takes a little getting used to, after a few days you will wonder how you ever managed with a D-pad. The keyboard is excellent and the device is very compact and pocketable - the flat full qwerty layout means it is very comfortable in a jacket or shirt pocket.
If you find the idea of an iPhone and/or large touch screen appealing then clearly the device is not for you. Personally I find the whole touch screen thing a pain - my Kaiser used to drive me nuts sometimes (despite being very extensively tweaked). The screen is obviously not that big and still QVGA, but if you are looking for a functional device on the WM platform that gets the job done this is the best device yet, IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank u so much for ur review!
well as far as getting a trackball, my service provider doesnt have that edition, so im stuck with a d-pad.
now as far as app wise..have u installed anything?
Very quick little device. I missthe touch screen I had but I'm getting used to it. microSD up to 16GB doesn't hurt either. Camera is very clear, good quality pic. Very simple device. Does what it's supposed to do and does it well. Since it was a free upgrade formy wife and I, it's even a sweeter deal. Kind of nice for usboth have access to email at all times. Theta huge batterymakes for very very good run time.
Love it!
I got rid of a Touch Pro and got this instead after my wife got one. (I *hated* the Touch Pro...what a slow, buggy, heated piece of crap). This little phone rocks!
I am finding clicking links which are quite small a bit hit and miss and the lighter the touch the easier it is to register a click Also registry tweaks on things like total commander are very difficult and I miss a stylus for things like this. I beleive a capacitive stylus should have been provided and left to the user to use or not. What do you think?
Nope - capacitive screens don't need styli. What they should have done is made all of the wm 6.5 menus finger friendly and maybe added a safari-type magnifying glass for clicking links in Opera.
While I was waiting for my phone to arrive, I had ordered a cheapo Pogo stylus "just in case". I've used it a few times when I first got the phone and started changing stuff in the registy, but got confident enough with my "finger poking" very quickly. Haven't used it in nearly 2 weeks now.
I think the HD2 is perfectly finger friendly. However, if HTC could have produced a stylus for the capacitive screen that was the same size as a normal stylus and managed to find room in the current case for a silo to hold it then I wouldn't have objected. Regardless of what the finger nazis would have you believe, you can still get more done faster with a stylus and ruling it out is as silly as ruling fingers out.
jakem said:
I think the HD2 is perfectly finger friendly. However, if HTC could have produced a stylus for the capacitive screen that was the same size as a normal stylus and managed to find room in the current case for a silo to hold it then I wouldn't have objected. Regardless of what the finger nazis would have you believe, you can still get more done faster with a stylus and ruling it out is as silly as ruling fingers out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. The transition from stylus to finger may be ok for people with slim fingers but my fingers are not slim, I have bloke hands so a stylus for me is essential for some operations like editing the registry.
The possibility of screwing something up with a large fingered prod after using that slider thing to navigate to the right registry key doesn't bear thinking about. That alone stopped me in my tracks mid regedit and made me go to the bay and buy a pogo.
Koreans and snake hipped ladyboys might find styluses obsolete but some actual men use these devices, some of us have been doing so since they were invented and some of us are over 40
HTC ought to have included a stylus, whether the user chose to use it or not.
compact_bijou said:
...
Koreans and snake hipped ladyboys might find styluses obsolete but some actual men use these devices, some of us have been doing so since they were invented and some of us are over 40
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am well over 40, neither Korean nor a ladyboy... but quite tall with quite big hands and not so small fingers...
And I got used to the touch screen after some practicing... after having some experience from Apple devices.
"Problem" is maybe that HD2 is really fast with everything. One has to get used to the sensibility of the screen and the sheer speed.
eyeofthetiger said:
Should HTC have provided a stylus with HD2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
Next question?
Im also using pogo stylus, works great and regarding registry editing on mobile i use CeRegEditor which basically connects from PC to mobile registry and on PC you can fast and easily edit it.
compact_bijou said:
I agree. The transition from stylus to finger may be ok for people with slim fingers but my fingers are not slim, I have bloke hands so a stylus for me is essential for some operations like editing the registry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Erm finger size not quite an excuse ... I've got slim fingers, true (I'm a girl), but instead I have long nails to contend with (and I mean long - they "stick out" by about half an inch) so I had to find the right angle to poke at. Agree with you that it would have been nice of them to include a stylus anyway and let the user decide.
i really need a slim stylus...i use VNC/RDP alot and with this phone it's quite impossible.
tictac0566 said:
One has to get used to the sensibility of the screen and the sheer speed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm getting there with the sensitivity of the screen vs the insensitivity of my digit (it's only been 6 hours) but I have to say that I'm delighted to have finally found a hand held device which fast enough to work my way.
I love everything about my HTC HD except for the speed. I decided to upgrade to HTC HD2 for the performance however, I'm very disappointed with HTC HD2 for the lack of stylus, as I use Fitaly keyboard heavily as my main text input. Does anybody know when the ETA for HD2 Stylus? I have been trying to use fingers, but still couldn't get accustomed to them. My productivity has been reduced tremendously with the sudden absence of stylus.
Battery life is also horrible compared to HTC HD. I could barely get through the day without recharging. Does anybody know the registry to disable the haptic vibration in MSWord and SMS to preserve battery life? I'd prefer to do this through registry than reflashing ROM.
Thank you in advance,
If you had done some reading before buying your phone you would come to realise that the HD2 uses a capacitive screen, whereas your HD uses a resistive screen. The difference is that the capacitive screen works by the ability of your fingers to conduct electricity. As far as I've understood, it also to some degree identifies the "area" that is pressed on the screen, why a really small stylus, even if conducting electricity, wouldn't work. There are however styluses specially made for capacitive screens, but they are quite bigger than the traditional styluses. If you're still interested in one of these do some searching for stylus for capacitive screens.
Regarding your concerns about the battery life, see the following threads for tweaks & tips which can help you:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=583638
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=589305
umiss said:
If you had done some reading before buying your phone you would come to realise that the HD2 uses a capacitive screen, whereas your HD uses a resistive screen. The difference is that the capacitive screen works by the ability of your fingers to conduct electricity. As far as I've understood, it also to some degree identifies the "area" that is pressed on the screen, why a really small stylus, even if conducting electricity, wouldn't work. There are however styluses specially made for capacitive screens, but they are quite bigger than the traditional styluses. If you're still interested in one of these do some searching for stylus for capacitive screens.
Regarding your concerns about the battery life, see the following threads for tweaks & tips which can help you:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=583638
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=589305
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A sales person from Funan IT, Singapore, confidently told me that she was very sure that her HTC HD2 edition could accomodate regular stylus, and I stupidly believed her. I guess, never trust a sales person. It was an impulsive buying while I was in Singapore.
jlingo said:
A sales person from Funan IT, Singapore, confidently told me that she was very sure that her HTC HD2 edition could accomodate regular stylus, and I stupidly believed her. I guess, never trust a sales person. It was an impulsive buying while I was in Singapore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I apologize on that sales person's behalf, even though I do not know her at all. But then again, I've come to trust my own research or the internet than to believe a salesperson.
I've talked with you on Mobinauts. =)
jlingo said:
A sales person from Funan IT, Singapore, confidently told me that she was very sure that her HTC HD2 edition could accomodate regular stylus, and I stupidly believed her. I guess, never trust a sales person. It was an impulsive buying while I was in Singapore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That really sucks. One would think that a salesperson at least wouldn't bullcrap in situations regarding compatibility at least, but then again most of the salespersons usually do not know more about the hardware I'm about to buy than I already do after some research on the net. I hope you can get some refund on your stylus at least maybe..
@lyk13: Are you Rivaldo?
Anyway thank you for the advice on how to disable haptic feedback:
[quote name='rivaldo' date='29 December 2009 - 06:50 PM' timestamp='1262087429' post='826737']
at HTC Sense, slide to Settings, choose Personalize, select Vibrate and disable tactile feedback from there ..
[/quote]
@jlingo
Well.. don't ever trust any sales persons .. They often don't know the full specification very well.. Read the specification from internet first before buying any phone
BTW, you can buy a bluetooth keyboard to use with HD2
jlingo said:
I love everything about my HTC HD except for the speed. I decided to upgrade to HTC HD2 for the performance however, I'm very disappointed with HTC HD2 for the lack of stylus, as I use Fitaly keyboard heavily as my main text input.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Install swype, it's far faster than fitaly once you get used to it. There is a cab floating around on xda somewhere.
I just swapped back to HTC HD1.
It's already been a few weeks and I still find the Capacitive Screen to be a hinderance in productivity.
I typed alot slower with many errors using HTC HD2 finger keyboard as opposed to 60words/minute with Fitaly.
The second problem I was having with Capacitive screen was the new Office(Word, Excel, SMS) WinMo 6.5. I couldn't just select/highlight any words directly. Instead I had to touch the screen and wait for a second or two before highlighting(until [T] sign appeared) then you would have to wait for another second or two before you could actually copy and paste. Worst yet, selecting was like a fight in a jungle, as my finger often selected inaccurately compared to the stylus, meaning I had to redo the long selection process again.
This ineffective slow down has finally gotten to my nerve, until oneday I had to borrow my colleagues notes after the meeting. I used to be able to keep up easily typing with fitaly during the meeting.
I may be ended up losing my job due to the lack of productivity with HD2.