Database Users

arrgh... hero or HD2.. cant choose ;0(

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.

HD2(tmobile) anyone comming from android?

Hi everyone Im just wanting some opinion on the HD2. right now I have a G1 and im looking to upgrade my phone in june and Im wondering if i went to a HD2 instead of a N1 would I regret it? I have never used a newer winmo phone in my life & im only familiar with android on a smartphone.
anywho any advice,tips are all appreciated.

Hey there, I had a G1 for about a year and I love Android personally. I might still have it but I lost it so I traded up for a Touch Pro 2 which was awesome. I had WinMo before Android so I was already familiar with it but the HD2 is the best WinMo phone out and one of the best on the market to be honest.
The N1 is a great phone as well so it really boils down to what OS you prefer, WinMo takes a learning curve and there may be some things that will frustrate you but this phone more than makes up for anything lacking in WinMo. Plus it's even more open than the open source Android platform so modding and personalizing is even easier.
WinMo is not as app centric as Android or Iphone due to no central location for apps (Marketplace & Omarket notwithstanding) but there are thousands of WinMo apps spread across the net so you just have to look a little harder.
So out of Tmo's lineup the HD2 is the best choice right now but that's my opinion, I would go to a store and spend some time playing with it. Really give it a good test drive so you can see for yourself

I had a G1 and then most recently a MyTouch 3G and upgraded to the HD2 the morning it came out.
My biggest reason to upgrade aside from the obvious graphical and asthetic improvements, is the ability for it to sync up with Exchange which Android doesn't do nearly as well as Windows Mobile.
Sure the apps are a plus, but as already said, there isn't an app out there for Android that I haven't been able to find for this phone. The customization of this is endless and I don't even think the developers and folks out there who build the ROM's have even scratched the surface.

Freezey said:
Hi everyone Im just wanting some opinion on the HD2. right now I have a G1 and im looking to upgrade my phone in june and Im wondering if i went to a HD2 instead of a N1 would I regret it? I have never used a newer winmo phone in my life & im only familiar with android on a smartphone.
anywho any advice,tips are all appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first of, don't think about android if ur willing to try hd2. these are essentially two different mobile os. winmo targeted mostly business oriented people, using office mobile and such.
i still have my g1 because i like android and i switch to either one from day to day since i got my hd2. or i just carry both around. i like showing off my hd2 tho haha people go, hey what phone is that?

My only experience with smartphones was a G1 and I was nervous about making the transition as well, but I haven't had any problems. The biggest difference of course is the app market. The WM market is nothing like it, but if you're resourceful, you can find all the apps you need.

HD2 is definitely NOT an easy phone to get along with.
I've had my frustration during my first 2 weeks with the phone.
It's much harder to get used to than iPhone, G1, Blackberries I've come to across.
Now that i've pretty much tweaked this phone to exactly how I like it, everything seems too perfect. I do miss the voice recognition from google, but hey, I can easily type them on the google search on my internet tab.
If you're willing to get HD2, you should really read up on flashing with custom ROM.

Check it out in the store first for a while. Take a couple of visits and use it like you would normally use it
I also had a G1, though I did have some WM experience before. I miss the Android notifications, which are much better integrated. I miss Android gtalk, I barely use it WM now (bad integration and not good UI).
I do find myself doing more reading of websites and ebooks now, also videos. These were my goals for the HD2, so I'm happy with my decision. The bigger screen helps a lot and the physical size is barely taller than the G1 and a bit wider, but also thinner.
These forums can help out a lot if you have patience and the ability to read and follow steps.

I also have a G1 and have been considering getting the HD2... my only hesitation is that it's running WM. I had 2 prior Windows mobile phones (Wing and Touch pro) and really hated them. Just didn't really like anything about the mobile Windows. About 2 months ago I needed to get my G1 replaced and broke out my old Touch Pro to use while I waited for the replacement and forgot how much I hated Windows Mobile but to be honest the Touch Pro wasn't a great phone, lots of lag running 6.5 but still seemed halfassed finger friendly.
Windows Mobile, just like Android or Apple isn't for everyone. They all have their good point and flaws and each will appeal to different users for different reasons while being utterly unappealing to others. Go to the T-mobile store and play with the floor model... go beyond the home screen, check apps, look at the layout, setting options...etc to really get a feel of it and whether you can deal with it. I'm going to wander over myself soon to do that.
I'm excited by the future of Android and looking forward to the updates to the OS where this phone will always be stuck running WM 6.5.x.
I know WM7 will eventually be unofficially ported over to this phone but I have zero desire to use WM7.
Still... the phone is soooo nice and some third party software may make it usable for me and I can use the installment plan with it and keep my family plan together... if I could do that with the N1 I would jump at it.

I had a g1 (rooted) and mytouch (rooted) and sold them both for an HD2
Its been a learning experience, the HD2 has its pros and cons, some of the things I like
The video recording is way better and you can pick the format, same for taking pics, the video player supports several formats at least , twitter , youtube and the basic apps are nice
Beyond that is the problems, the biggest downer for me was no turn by turn gps, and I have no idea where to find one that works (either pirate or buy it, no idea where to get one)
Also the GPS is not real gps, its AGPS only I think? meaning no gps in offline map mode if you lost data signal (correct me if im wrong)
The options on the phone are crazy, most of the good things are hidden in the registry and not turned on (clear type, other video /photo options, etc)
Opera is decent, IE is horrible, I ran it once and the fonts were huge, I just gave up on it
The market sucks, no decent apps at all, and im not sure where to find good apps, luckly on the net I was able to find skype, and it does work
I installed duttys task manger, its a life saver
So for me, really, other than the gps it mostly has the same options as the hero phones/roms
just with a lack of apps and no free turn by turn, I am still impressed by the big screen and graphics, watching transformers on it is cool and youtube is nice
I am using it unlocked with ATT , sometimes it has trouble when I am not on wifi, the apps don't reconize my connection (google maps) which is an upset, I installed the media net cab file

Prophet621 said:
I also have a G1 and have been considering getting the HD2... my only hesitation is that it's running WM. I had 2 prior Windows mobile phones (Wing and Touch pro) and really hated them. Just didn't really like anything about the mobile Windows. About 2 months ago I needed to get my G1 replaced and broke out my old Touch Pro to use while I waited for the replacement and forgot how much I hated Windows Mobile but to be honest the Touch Pro wasn't a great phone, lots of lag running 6.5 but still seemed halfassed finger friendly.
Windows Mobile, just like Android or Apple isn't for everyone. They all have their good point and flaws and each will appeal to different users for different reasons while being utterly unappealing to others. Go to the T-mobile store and play with the floor model... go beyond the home screen, check apps, look at the layout, setting options...etc to really get a feel of it and whether you can deal with it. I'm going to wander over myself soon to do that.
I'm excited by the future of Android and looking forward to the updates to the OS where this phone will always be stuck running WM 6.5.x.
I know WM7 will eventually be unofficially ported over to this phone but I have zero desire to use WM7.
Still... the phone is soooo nice and some third party software may make it usable for me and I can use the installment plan with it and keep my family plan together... if I could do that with the N1 I would jump at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the TouchPro was a great phone. I've liked all the WM phones I've had. But I also loved my Dell Axim and 2 Ipaqs before that, too. Anyways, if you couldn't stand any of your previous WM phones, I wouldn't recommend getting the HD2. It's not gonna be much different from your other WM phones if you hate using WM.

though i love the hd2's hardware... i cant go back to winmo... i'm eligible for an upgrade so i'm just going to get the hd2 for the 2yr contract price and sell it, then use that money to buy an n1 from google. so there's another alternative.

Had N1 with Tmobile and now HD2 with T mobile...Same signal issues. 3g then all of a sudden HSPA then Edge. I thought with GSM you could use 3g service while on phone. Haven't been able to do that on either phone.. I like HD2 because i can watch Divx. I like N1 because of navigation and all the apps that are available. The internet is faster on N1 then HD2. Plus you have apps that cater towards different websites so much easier. But then again you don't get a 4.3 inch screen. All in all if i didn't have t mobile as a carrier i think i would enjoy both phones.
Edit - Oh and i have to soft boot the HD2 quite often. "I ran all Rom's" Apps just like to freeze HD2

HD2
Hello all,
My last 3 phones were Android powered. G1, Mytouch and Cliq.
Even rooted, with custom roms non were anywhere near as fast or have the multimedia power of the HD2. I have yet to flash a custom rom, cause the stock rom on the HD2 is quite good the way it is.
I have to agree, that the HD2 is a "grown ups" phone. It does what it does well, with no problems or freezing straight out of the box
fhaines

I have 2 rooted G1's and had an N1 for a couple of months. I sold my N1 (it was a TMobile band phone) and was going to buy the ATT version N1 but I thought I would try the HD2 first. I'm just setting it up and slowly getting it how want it so I can't give a comparison to the N1 yet. I suspect I will go back to the N1, I love the Google navigation and voice search on the N1.

You will miss apps from Android Market, and customized home screens. Other than that, it's a nice upgrade.

digitallysick said:
Beyond that is the problems, the biggest downer for me was no turn by turn gps, and I have no idea where to find one that works (either pirate or buy it, no idea where to get one)
Also the GPS is not real gps, its AGPS only I think? meaning no gps in offline map mode if you lost data signal (correct me if im wrong)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TMobile US version includes TeleNav free trial ($10/mo after that). But I suggest CoPilot. It's $30 one time fee. Better than Google Nav because the maps are on your SD card and as long as you can find a GPS satellite it doesn't matter if you have data. And it's just a standard Nav system. If you have a car dock it's no different than any other Nav device. Which is nice.
The GPS is one of the most accurate I have ever used. You can turn on and off AGPS (Settings...Other...AGPS). I find i works fine with it on. BUT in Google Maps you have to hit MENU and choose Enable GPS or it is just using cell tower triangulation and it is WAYYY off.

I just got and HD2 this past Monday and I am coming from a G1. The HD2 is very disorganized compared to the G1 IMHO. my G1 was rooted, had Custom Rom, themed (I did some of the theming to my phone), fast and reliable. As for the person who said the WinMo is a grown up's phone you juts are not using the G1 correctly and the G1 does do exchange EXCELLENTLY!!. I could use my G1 to manage my home network and Web server while on the road, seems pretty safisticated to me. I don't have that ability with the HD2, that I am aware of at this point. The HD2 has a nice screen but it is only doing a 16K color depth so there is no real HD but the video is still better than the G1. I am having issues at this moment with data not working over WiFi, For example I could connect to the WiFi on the G1 and still get my Exchange email push out as it arrived to my phone and get my Gmail. With the HD2 I cannot get gmail but I get exchange email, hmm.... Siound fishy. Apps that require data some work on wifi and others don't but everything works on edge and/or 3G and/or HSPA.
I will be going back to the Android OS, picking up the Samsung Galaxy S or TMO Branded Samsung Vibrant when it is released July 21st
[EDIT] I did root and custom rom the HD2 that seems to help performance some a little

I have an N1 and an hd2 prior phone was a G1 both android phones rooted and hd2 stock HD good for buisness a differnent animal all together I use the hd2 duing the week and my N1 on the weekend. Hell of a learning curve.

like many others, i also came from a g1. had the hd2 for about 2 weeks. its a great phone. but it is not an Android. there are a lot if free apps. but you're gonna spend a lot of time searching for them, especially if you want free ones. thered no refunds once you purchase. but it is faster, the screen is beautiful, just takes a while to get use to. but i do wish tmo when with the Evo... i would go for the n1 if i could afford it. no family plan upgrade. plus you get cyanogen. that guy is awesome!

Windows mobile takes a while to learn and set up the way you want, but once you do it is a lot more capable and versatile than android. I've used WinMo since 2003, and android since 2008, so I know both very well... I much prefer WinMo right now, but like I said, I've used it for 7 years. It is much more like a full computer os. You have to understand, too, that WinMo was designed originally as a PocketPC OS, and phone capabilities have been worked in since. Android was designed as a phone OS to begin with. Also, Android is still new and is actively developed, so in a couple years I'm sure it's capabilities will catch-up and surpass WinMo.... but for now WinMo is much more versatile, just not as user-friendly. It's not for the average phone user. I wouldn't suggest it to any new users at this point... especially ones used to android or iphone os.

Should I get the HD2?

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.

So now you've tried it, how many of you are considering jumping ship?

I originally started my love affair with Windows Mobile in my early teens when I received a Compaq Ipaq for which I had no real need for at the time. I then progressed to an Artemis (XDA Orbit), later a Touch Cruise (XDA Orbit 2) and finally last year a Rhodium (Touch Pro 2). While aware of Android's rise, and almost purchasing a Hero at the time I bought my Rhodium, I stuck to what I knew best.
At the time I believed my choice to have been the correct one. While the Hero looked pretty cool, I couldn't leave behind WM. I thought the TouchFlo 3D/Sense was beautiful (weather animations!), if only skin deep, and apps such as Coreplayer and FPSCE reinforced my belief that WM was still a relevant OS.
That was until I started playing around with the XDAndroid Port.
It was then I saw the potential of Android. The highly customisable interface, social network/google account integration, the awesome apps on the market and the speed of the webkit based browser! Everytime I returned to Windows Mobile I felt underwhelmed. I was never a fan of the iPhone however understood it had changed the game in regards to smartphones. Android was the best of both worlds, open source with a great community, fully touch UI with a growing appstore gaining support from major brands/developers.
While the Rhodium port was gathering pace, it was suffering from power management issues, backlight/wifi problems and most importantly, no sound. I knew from experience with the Touch Cruise that the progress was going to be slow but how long before a fully working port was available was anyones guess (Still not there!). It was then that I decided my days with Windows Mobile were coming to an end. Google had recently released the Nexus One which for me was perfect and after a few weeks of deliberating I made the jump and have never looked back.
Now I was always a vociferous defender of Windows Mobile but from the moment I got my first real taste of Android, I saw it for what it was. It hadn't really changed since that Compaq Ipaq and was so out of date it almost smelt off! I still have a soft spot for it, hence my lurking around the old boards seeing how you're all getting on. Since I heard about the breakthrough regarding the HD2 Android Port i've been looking on with great interest. It's fun reading through the threads and seeing people going through the same process that I did only a few months before.
Now I've seen a few posts where people have already stated that they are now seriously considering selling their HD2 and moving on to a "real" Android phone. My question is, how many more of you are there? Have any other people had the same change of heart now they have seen the possiblities?
Regards.

From the title of this article, I thought you meant the iphone 4!!
WM still does it for me - a mobile office, not a silly teenager's tweeting toy, it's still good, and I will use my remaining WM 6.x gadgets as long as they hold out.
When that happens which is probably in a year's time, I'll see what the market looks like, right now, it looks like it will mean a move to Android, but you never know WP7 might come through.
You never know, the iphone 4 may turn out to be a good phone.
rjstep3

I probably will. I like stability and if Android can stop my soft resets I'll be happy. Plus, I miss the apps. Even though it's infuriating to download the most popular task manager in the market place and to discover it has ads. Then you download the next one down and it also has ads.

I may be a little blind but Im sitting on the fence as Im sure many others are-
At the moment I have an unlocked HD2 for AT&T. This present me the following options:
1. Hold onto it for its beautiful screen, sexy home page, and accept the clunky deeper interface that is wm6.5 (Not trying to bash, its just not meant for finger friendly, and im also one of the users who suffers from slow texting issues and quick battery drains. Yes, ive tried the roms. Moving on.) The fact that I follow the Android for HD2 thread religiously shows that I am in the Android fan corner for HD2. This fact alone is one huge reason for staying power. Android on HD2 would extend the life of the HD2 dramatically. Meanwhile, WM6.5's screens past the homepage arent going to be getting any prettier.
2. Sell my HD2 Buy a Samsung Captivate since its AT&T's first true Android Smartphone and is getting rave reviews. Use my phone upgrade to get an Iphone4 for cheap, turn right around and sell it for 600 bucks (Yes, two have just sold in Phoenix for this much as well as on eBay). Be happy with my new Android phone and some extra spending cash for apps
3. Hold onto my HD2 until WP7 arrives and determine if I will use my upgrade for a new WP. If WP7 turns out to not be my cup of tea (But come on, XBOX Live and Zune integration? Im pretty much sold on that alone ) with any of the phones offered, then I shall resort to either option 1 or 2 above. I am still a huge fan of Windows Mobile, and I realize WP7 will be more akin to Apple in terms of closed source, but WP7 is what Windows needed to do. They needed to redo the deeper menus and make WM more finger friendly. Its the right step and I just hope they nail it.
Either way, Ive got my choices and am still completely on the fence. I just played around with the Captivate today and its quite an amazing and speedy phone. Not nearly as sexy as the HD2, but the functionality out of the box just felt great.
Im sure many of you are on the same fence as me and I wish you all the best in making your choice.

My contract runs out in Oct for my HD2 and I'll probably switch. Thats unless Navionics release their seachart app on Windows Mobile. if they do I'll just change to a sim only deal.

I bought the HD2 a few days ago on ebay. So far I've really enjoyed HTC sense and some other features
but the one thing I don't think I can live with is the crappy email program that comes with the phone. I absolutely hate it.
Generally speaking, I was impressed with winmo and found myself liking it despite all the negative reviews.
But I think I might switch over to the iphone.. plenty of apps, works pretty well with gmail... Otherwise I'll get some other android phone with HTC sense since thats really is a big thing for me. that and the led flash
I'm going on a 3 week trip to Europe... I guess I'll check out how far along the ports have come and then make my final decision then.

I disagree ... I was playing with Verizon's Droid X which is coming out soon - practically HD2 with Android (like EVO) and I'll tell you what: Android is one choppy OS - transitions wise iPhone wins all the way - I have HD2 and I am happy with it... it simply has better transitions then Android and what that means to the end user is most of the phone... If there is customization but the choppy one - no one will stick with it... And if 1GHz is not enough to make it smooth - I do not know then what is needed to make it smooth...

Great feedback guys! Just want to make it clear that in no way am I bashing the HD2 or WinMo, I just want to gather how many people who are using the Android port are now considering making a permanent switch. Obviously if a stable daily use ROM becomes available you won't have that problem (and I may even consider switching to HD2!!), but I succumbed to my impatience once I found myself using the unstable port more than my native WinMo OS.
Thanks for the response.

Android on HD2 isn't stable yet and won't be for a while.
I already had an Android phone before the HD2. I'm not really into the 'apps' scene or into social networking apps or games on my phone, so there isn't really much in Android for me. The google apps were better and it didn't slow down on txt messages.. but that's about it.
Android wouldn't play many video formats.. not sure if it could access my file server.. the pdf reader was poor quality.. the browser would forget all my tabs when memory ran low (probably not an issue on HD2..).. apps still crashed..
Despite WM's lack of polish in the UI and other things, I think I still like WM more. I'll probably still use WM more even if I install Android.

Just got 3 hd2's for the family. Wanted the highest spec'd winmo phone to give wp7 a chance. I haven't been that impressed with Android, apps still crash and with cht and max sense, I don't see what an android phone can do that my hd2 can't. Would never switch to at&t.

already made my choice and win mo and the hd2 won
why?...
i had a desire and hd2 for a week to trial both and although the desire was impressive i found the hd2 to be better for what i used a "phone" for...
video - more options (xvud, avi's etc) and better quality on hd2
camera - clearer and more detailed
apps - yes the android market has lots of apps but like iphone most of them are crap!, the only thing id use that winmo doesnt have is layar. winmo still has fpsece and a few more pieces of software thats unique (loving Meteor at the minute)
i also took the gamble that we'd have a decent working android port at some point anyway, are we likely to get some porting winmo on an android device? lol - not likely, so i figured that with the hd2 id got the best of both worlds and therefore more choice...
seriously, go back 2 years and you wouldnt have had the choice of different OS's on the same device. its a good job theres so many clever people in this community, they've really made a difference!

skilty said:
seriously, go back 2 years and you wouldnt have had the choice of different OS's on the same device. its a good job theres so many clever people in this community, they've really made a difference!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too true. Whilst I really like my HD2 and most of its features suit what I do, WiMo (in my opinion) is now over looked when it comes to new apps. I already mentioned the Navionics seacharts app that i really want and having decided to try Skype, I go to the site to find thats dropped for WiMO. I can't wait for fully functioning dual boot WiMo/Android on my HD2. That would be phone heaven

skilty said:
already made my choice and win mo and the hd2 won
why?...
i had a desire and hd2 for a week to trial both and although the desire was impressive i found the hd2 to be better for what i used a "phone" for...
video - more options (xvud, avi's etc) and better quality on hd2
camera - clearer and more detailed
apps - yes the android market has lots of apps but like iphone most of them are crap!, the only thing id use that winmo doesnt have is layar. winmo still has fpsece and a few more pieces of software thats unique (loving Meteor at the minute)
i also took the gamble that we'd have a decent working android port at some point anyway, are we likely to get some porting winmo on an android device? lol - not likely, so i figured that with the hd2 id got the best of both worlds and therefore more choice...
seriously, go back 2 years and you wouldnt have had the choice of different OS's on the same device. its a good job theres so many clever people in this community, they've really made a difference!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Noticed a few posts regarding the video playback options so thought i'd inform you all that Android now has just as many, if not more playback options than WinMo. That was the biggest single issue for me when I made the switch. I used TCMP and Coreplayer for years. Being a Usenet/Newsgroup subscriber, I download all of my content in xvid/x264 and being able to simply drag the files across to my phone rather than convert to .mp4 was a killer feature for me. I somehow JUST mangaged to get by converting the odd film or two for long train/coach journeys!
Luckily in the past month or so, a new media player has arrived called RockPlayer, which is the first legitimate xvid/wmv/x264/mkv/mov/asf etc. player on Android. The performance is great and the UI clean and simple. It may lack the deeper options of Coreplayer, however I only ever found myself playing with the rendering options etc. when I encountered laggy playback, albeit on less powerful devices than the HD2.
Anyway, video playback should no longer be a worry for anyone considering Android. However, if like me you are outside the US, there is no Android screen as large as the HD2 (No Evo 4G ) and for that reason, I look back at you guys with envy!!
Thanks again for the great response, it's great to see the range of opinions on the matter!
Regards.

Never gonna give it up never gonna let it down ! Win 6.5 HD 2

naaaah... I'll stick to hd2. I am just a winmo man I guess... maaaan... I love this device. who needs all those fart apps? the ONLY two apps I might miss are Plants vs Zombies and Rebirth (gotta love dat synth music ).
other then that - leo... a true king of the smartphones. lol

I can't wait for a flashable android rom for the hd2. tbh, i'm just bored with minmo now and everyone seems to be making apps for iphone or android these days.

The android port for the hd2 is what made me want to go back to android. So the other day I picked up the samsung vibrant lol. I still love my hd2 though still keeping it
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Maybe im just different but why not have both? I am a tech guy who likes all platforms. I own 4 symbian phones, 2 winmo phones, and for games I own a ipod touch. I thought about android many times and was always waiting for the hardware to catch up and there are finally phones running android that have the specs I would like but they all went with cdma versions. So I will see what comes out in the future for a top spec gsm android. Another thing is I dont ever buy phones on contract and firmly believe that the carrier and phone you use should have nothing to do with each other. I bought my HD2 because I wanted a new winmo phone and there is no denying that the HD2 is the top choice for winmo. Remember no one phone will fill all your needs and manufactures do that for a reason, so you buy more phones... but this is where the consumer gets confused and think if they want new features they need a new phone, just have both! In the end though I will most likely stay away from android and go with a meego device for my linux phone kicks, as I am questioning why google feels the need to be around me 24 hours a day, in my search engine, in my web browser, in my computer OS, in my TV, in my phone? Call me old school but thats to much for me to give one company all my info, I like to keep it deverse among many companies so no one company knows everything about me. Again, maybe im just different?

Now I've seen a few posts where people have already stated that they are now seriously considering selling their HD2 and moving on to a "real" Android phone. My question is, how many more of you are there? Have any other people had the same change of heart now they have seen the possiblities?
Regards.[/QUOTE]
Having owned the Iphone2 I returned to HD2 because in my opinion Apple delivers outdated technoloy, tries to control even media content and the information value of the Apple "Today" screen is exactly zero.
A great toy for "in"-people. After two days your tired of the fancy applications and start using apps which make sense. All of these you can get for WM. Since I have not used Android I wouldn`t dare to comment. But looking at pictures of the GUI it seems to be not very different from the HTC-Sense GUI.
All in all I see no need to think about anything else than HD 2 ! I´m afraid that WM 7 will rather be a step back in the direction of Apple. Lets hope for high value software development for WM 6.5.XXXXX

I´ll keep my HD2 for another generation, I´d say. I´m perfectly fine with this
brilliant device. The apps, mods and tweaks for Manila/Sense are what I would
miss, Android does not come with that much office related stuff I use and need.
In a year or so, we´ll see an updated iPhone 5 (or whatever they´ll call it),
we´ll know more about WP7, and HTC will have HD3 and other nice devices for us.
I´ll never again buy Samsung, their products are never really close to 100%,
they just make too many half-finished products at mediocre quality.
Motorola? Nokia? SE? No way. Therefore, no options for me.

Why HD2 will be my ultimate phone

I have gone and done it, just bought a HD2 and it arrives tomorrow...
Selling my Samsung Galaxy S and returning to my old faithful Windows mobile, responses I have had from some, state I must be mad its old dying platform.
But I for one still prefer my old Touch HD over the bloomin horrid Iphone and now Android, which I simply don't like, reminds me of Mobile shell and I never really liked the messy widget type layout with that either, don't get me wrong here the galaxy s is a superb phone, in fact is quite ballistic and that screen is amazing....BUT I miss my old Memory map navigation sync with my desktop, my collins bird guide and pocketbirds.
I very much miss the ease of sync with my outlook and the simplistic way everything is compatible with my office docs, I have become so used to windows mobile for so many years I don't think I am compatible with anything else just yet, but at least I gave them a go...
Hopefully the HD2 will be as good as my old HD was and more...

looks like You know what You are talking about, so all I can say is that You'll be more than happy. I know it because I am...
hd2 is the best winmo phone ever. period. snapdragon is the answer to most of problems from the past, plus sense interface makes it pleasant and useable.
my advice - stick to most recent stock rom, just tweak it as You used to with previous wm devices. I did that... rock solid, fast, no crashes nor freezes.
I am keeping my hd2 even if I'll buy something new in the future. for now there is no better choice for winmo users... and unfortunately there will never be.
a real leo...

bronx said:
looks like You know what You are talking about, so all I can say is that You'll be more than happy. I know it because I am...
hd2 is the best winmo phone ever. period. snapdragon is the answer to most of problems from the past, plus sense interface makes it pleasant and useable.
my advice - stick to most recent stock rom, just tweak it as You used to with previous wm devices. I did that... rock solid, fast, no crashes nor freezes.
I am keeping my hd2 even if I'll buy something new in the future. for now there is no better choice for winmo users... and unfortunately there will never be.
a real leo...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sounds like a declaration of love to your leo
but you are absolutely right. its the fackin best winmo device.

Glad to see someone still spreading the love for windows mobile. I have defended WM on my Leo to many Iphone and Android fanboys who are too dumb to use WM properly.
I'll admit I have been playing with Android lately but I will never remove it if the option to flash android becomes available. I wind up back in WM much of the time.

agreed, tis a fantastic piece of kit. i've always sold on my earlier phones but as the above poster stated, this one is staying. you will love it mate !!!

naaah... I wouldn't call it love. see... it is just a tool. I understand however it's capabilities and raw power.
back in the past, I was torn between hd2 and nokia n900. well... I went for HUGE capacitive screen and snapdragon. after placing an order some doubts appeared, but... when I've unpacked the box and held it for a very first time I knew instantly I made the right choice.
now after about eight months, numerous tweaks and apps installed, despite few scratches on the housing it is still my gadget of choice. tried android (same thoughts as op, too much spb ms to me...) and iphone. well... I am waiting for android 3 and wp7, but I just may keep leo for quite a long time... we shall see...