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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.
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.
Basically I just want something that'll last a day and won't just die quick like my G1. I really wanted to just skip out on the data plan and just get the 20$ unlimited text plan, but for some reason Blackberries REQUIRE the data plan and the cheaper spectrum just don't look as good.
So I'm stuck with Android, and well I just don't know what to decide. I love having a keyboard, so I was looking at the My Touch 3G slide, but then I saw the HTC HD2 which is pretty big, but just looks plain awesome.
The problem here is that it doesn't have a physical keyboard and I haven't really tried the on screen text alot, is it easy to use an on screen keyboard? I have a contract with T-Mobile so they'll give me that "2 years expired" discount.
I love having alot of apps (which I don't know if the HD2 has a dedicated app store to the scope of the android market), like taking high-res pictures (though it's not a MUST), I already have an iPod so music is set, but the battery life is also very important. I don't really care about size though.
The HD2 looks very awesome, but I don't know if I should just stick with an Android.
The on screen keyboard it nice and the best keyboard you can find on a non-apple device, as for the apps, Windows Mobile is lacking in that section, BUT, if you have a look in the Android Development thread for the HD2, you can have both WinMo and Android 2.2 FroYo running on the great phone that is the HTC HD2.
EDIT: Also, I am using Android on my HD2 to reply to your post, and its greeeaaat!
Sent from my HTC HD2 running DarkStone HD2Froyo v1
Wow, really? That's awesome if it can run Android!!
If I install android, can I still install apps to the SD card and such? Is getting Android on the HD2 safe and easy?
I'm actually pretty scared, I jailbroke/routed my G1 but it took quite awhile for me to get it right.. If the HD2 can run Android nice and or near perfect I'm settling on the HD2.
mr_billionaire said:
The on screen keyboard it nice and the best keyboard you can find on a non-apple device, as for the apps, Windows Mobile is lacking in that section, BUT, if you have a look in the Android Development thread for the HD2, you can have both WinMo and Android 2.2 FroYo running on the great phone that is the HTC HD2.
EDIT: Also, I am using Android on my HD2 to reply to your post, and its greeeaaat!
Sent from my HTC HD2 running DarkStone HD2Froyo v1
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Click to collapse
I have a SERIOUS disagreement with your statement that WinMo is lacking in the apps department. There are literally HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of applications made for WinMo. Just because they are not on the Marketplace, doesn't mean that they aren't there.
^
What kind of apps?
I had alot of fun messing around with soundboards, games, camera FX's, and other stuff like translators, shazam, and weird stuff. I just like having a variety of stuff available at disposal for some weird reason >_>
Also thanks for the replies guys, really appreciate it.
ashasaur said:
I have a SERIOUS disagreement with your statement that WinMo is lacking in the apps department. There are literally HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of applications made for WinMo. Just because they are not on the Marketplace, doesn't mean that they aren't there.
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Ur right, there are hundreds of apps for WinMo, but android has thousands. and to the OP, Android runs completly off the SD card so all the apps are stored on the SD card as well as all the data and does not touch the HD2's NAND memory so you can dual boot WinMo 6.5 and Android 2.1/2.2.
It is easy to run Android on the HD2, jus put the files on the SD and run the two programs and ur set.
Sent from my HTC HD2 running DarkStone HD2Froyo v1
I dunno. The OP really sounds like he's a android fan. I've got nothing against that. Windows Mobile is not meant for all people and at time users making the change from iphone or android can find it difficult to adjust to the HD2. The keyboard for the HD2 is not great. I would recommend that you stick with an android OS phone such as the Vibrant or whatever it's called. But if you do wish to get the HD2 I've got a sticky with how to flash your phone videos, link in m sig.
This is tough, I was planning to get the phone today but I decided I wasn't ready to make the choice yet.
They have this "get 2 smart phones for the price of 1" offer which is why the My Touch 3G was a big choice for me so my little brother could get his phone updated as well, but I'd have to cancel the line (since it's for NEW customers) and re-open and change my number which seems stupid.
This is a hard choice
Vibrant vs HD2. I'm still torn between the two since they are similar except one has a bigger screen but no native android, and one has native android but doesn't have a big screen in comparison. I'll be honest here, I love free apps but I don't know if you can root the Vibrant and manually install apps (Confirm or Deny).
Still though.. I'm a bit torn >_> Arghh, why do these phones have to be so damn sexy?
I heard windows OS HD2 kind of sucked, and it was lightyears better with android. i am assuming this is true.
With that said, would you rather keep it over the vibrant? I am currently trying to make a decision soon--never owning a smartphone before, i know very little so i hope your input can help me out--among bold9780, hd2, or vibrant. dont plan on getting a data plan soon and want to keep the phone for a few yrs (so dont want a phone thats on the decline, getting replaced soon by newer project phones).
I noticed the HD2 pales in specs in comparison with the vibrant, so I came here for an opinion. I figure the Vibrant is more expensive so i can sell to get an HD2 if i want to in the future. Of course, the BBerry is somehow priced higher than all of them.
Feedback from real users is welcome! Thanks for your time.
Though Android on HD2 can do everything Vibrant can do (except for AMOLED display)...but for you its still recommended that you get native Android phone, since you don't have prior smartphone experience...If you take HD2, you would have to do lot of reading before arriving to the perfect android build for you. It can be intimidating for someone just starting out since its takes time to getting used to using a smartphone too...
However if you like to tinker a lot with you're gadgets and have interest in geeky side of things...then HD2 is a dream machine
Mafioso said:
Though Android on HD2 can do everything Vibrant can do (except for AMOLED display)...but for you its still recommended that you get native Android phone, since you don't have prior smartphone experience...If you take HD2, you would have to do lot of reading before arriving to the perfect android build for you. It can be intimidating for someone just starting out since its takes time to getting used to using a smartphone too...
However if you like to tinker a lot with you're gadgets and have interest in geeky side of things...then HD2 is a dream machine
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Click to collapse
thanks for the reply! appreciate it. i am fine with jailbreaking consoles such as wii or ps3, so does that experience carry over enough or is the use of smartphone completely different.
also, what would you prefer for longterm if you could not buy another phone for 3-4 years?
drcrappants said:
thanks for the reply! appreciate it. i am fine with jailbreaking consoles such as wii or ps3, so does that experience carry over enough or is the use of smartphone completely different.
also, what would you prefer for longterm if you could not buy another phone for 3-4 years?
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Click to collapse
Well if you have exp then its good...hacking hd2 is pretty much straightforward..if you're prepared to read...follow instructions..
Long Term use depends on you're priorities..I will list out pro's of both, you can decide on it..
HD2
+ Greater Community Support, more software, different types of builds available
+ Sense UI is much better than TouchWiz on Samsung. Work is started on porting Sense to Galaxy S though...but you never know how good the port is going to be..
+ WP7
+ Better look/build quality
Vibrant
+ Super AMOLED Display
+ Better GPU. GPU on HD2 is not that good..some games(based on unreal engine) are struggling on it already...
+ Better Battery Life
+ 720p video out of the box. Work is also going on HD2 for 720p video, and at some point it may get it too but I doubt if its going to better than vibrant
+ Lighter in weight if it matters..
If I were you, I would wait for Vibrant 4G on TMO if you're not going to upgrade for next 3 years and getting it on contract..Its got bigger battery compared to current one (1650 mAh vs 1500 mAh), 4G and supposedly there were some GPS probs on vibrant which seem to have sorted out on 4G one...
If you're buying off eBay or without contract..still also Vibrant gets the nod from my side, ..basically it boils down to better hardware on vibrant vs better software on HD2...I believe software you can get used too..but there is no substitute for Hardware..you're opinion may vary..
Thanks! I am getting it from a family contract, so I am not sure if they would offer me a Vibrant 4G (I'm guessing it is higher price?).
I probably won't get the data plan, at least for a year or two also, so would that nullify the benefits of waiting/getting the Vibrant 4g? When I do decide to get the data plan (if prices go down, etc, then the Vibrant would probably be outdated by then.
drcrappants said:
I noticed the HD2 pales in specs in comparison with the vibrant,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are joking right?
I've had both, HD2 and Galaxy S (EU Vibrant).
Personally I was disappointed with the Galaxy S - yes the screen is a joy to behold, but I soon grew tired of the lagginess of the Samsung mangled implementation of Android. Yes there are custom builds out there that help to address the lag, but after that I quickly grew tired of the lack of Samsung love from the dev community.
I sold my Galaxy S on ebay and quickly bought an HD2 - the phone I originally wanted, but got the Galaxy S just months before the first Android builds appeared for the HD2.
I've not looked back, it's a truly awesome phone. We now have WP7, and official CyanogenMod support.
The vibrant has a better chipset and gpu, and it's the same as the nexus s, which is the newest google developers phone, so future games and apps will probably work much better on the vibrant. If you're new to smartphones, I would recommend the vibrant. The HD2 is great and can run multiple OS's, but you have to do a lot of learning and reading to get it running well. Also, if you've never used any smartphone os, 1 will probably be enough for you. You can always sell the vibrant in the future and buy a hd2 or other phone if you find yourself too bored with the vibrant. You'll get much better battery life off the vibrant, also.
I'd have to agree with everyone else. Because it's your first smartphone I would suggest you pick up a Vibrant 4G..comes out in a month or two and has some minor tweaks over the current Vibrant.
As much as I love my HD2 it is hard to find a ROM that really works the way I want it to. There is always something not working on one ROM and working on another, so you have to try many ROMs and decide which you prefer.
If you go with an HD2 I would recommend Cope SD Gingerbread 2.3.2 ROM in the Development section of this site. Just about everything works flawlessy except the LED notifications.
Having had all of the following phones since January of last year (Yes, I'm a Craigslist serial phone trader - i get bored easily!), I figured I'd chime in...
1) Motorola Cliq (Not the best phone, great call quality, got me hooked on Android!)
2) Nexus One (Got it when they first were released)
3) HD2 (when they first came out)
4) Nexus One (traded HD2 for it - hated WinMo 6.5)
5) Vibrant (Annoyed me with the GPS issues)
6) MyTouch4G (Simply hated the MySenseUI on it)
7) G2 (Great phone but the hinge made it feel like it was going to last maybe only 2-3 months)
8) Vibrant (Came back to it after I saw a friend's with a great TeamWhiskey ROM and no GPS problems)
9) HD2 (current phone - came back to HD2 after the "NAND Revolution!" - LOVE the big screen!)
With some of the custom ROMs out there right now (I can strongly recommend TeamWhiskey's ROMs!), I'd say go with the Vibrant if the screen size difference doesn't make any difference to you.
The way I use my phone and with the ROMs I am running on the HD2 I can say that battery life is just about even.
Other than the screen size, what's the plus of the HD2? I'd say the versatility. There are so many ROMs out there for it that persons have ported from other phones to it that it's hard to get too bored. I've flashed almost every day on the HD2 simply because I get bored, but this is the longest I've kept a phone to date - with NO intentions of changing anytime soon. If you love to fiddle with stuff, the HD2 is a great phone. If you want to get a phone and just run with it as is, not sure where to point you. If you want to root and not constantly change things out, go the Vibrant route (or Vibrant 4G).
I have both phones and even with Team Whiskey's ROMS for the Vibrant, its always running with half of the memory the HD2 is running. This might be an unfair comparison since I'm running Gingerbread on the HD2 and Froyo on the Vibrant.
One thing I do miss and I haven't figured out if there's a work around with the HD2 is the missing dedicated search button.
pphi said:
One thing I do miss and I haven't figured out if there's a work around with the HD2 is the missing dedicated search button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try long-pressing on the phone key Works for me! (Far left key)
Yes i would rather a vibrant over my hd2 right now. Reasons being:
Currently i'm bored of my hd2, as I have found nothing else to do with it in my power, having flashed mutiple android/winmo roms and tried out WP7.
The multitouch problems urk me and my gaming.
The vibrant has 16 gb of storage which i would love to store my music in along with my 16 gb card.
That super amoled screen tempts me.
However, even with all those reasons, there is one big reason as to why I would keep my HD2, and that is, I love my HD2, it's the first real smartphone i've ever had, and thankfully, it's given me one hell of a ride and still has potential for more.
If, & only if, you like to tinker & tweak your gadgets, get the HD2. It's the first smartphone I've ever owned or toyed with & I love it! Before this I was using the old, barely could text pay as you go phone. Now I love this phone & have learned so much. So if you enjoy these things, you'll love the HD2.
If not go with the alternative.
No doubt about it with me, I love my HD2. My view is the HD2 makes the world's best Android phone. You can always use it as a different Android phone whenever you get tired of the one you're currently using, no need to buy new hardware. It's also my belief the XDA Android devs make ROMs that work better than actual Android phones.
Now the only thing I can think of better than an HD2 with Android is an HD7 with Android.
I recently traded (along with receiving a few bucks) my vibrant for the HD2, and really have not looked back. The versatility of the HD2 is unparalleled. Dual booting Android and WP7 (depending on my mood) is fantastic. Team Whiskey are a bunch of fantastic people and develop some really great roms (my wife has a Vibrant so I still get to play with it), but I've found greater support here and the HD2 solves all the issues I've had with Vibrant. Battery life imo is superior to the Vibrant, the GPS signal issues that I had with the Vibrant are non existent on the HD2, it seems to be faster and more stable, not to mention the build quality... the HD2 seems to be a lot sturdier, plus if you like the Sense UI, the HD2 is the way to go. They're both great phones and the difference is marginal, but again imo, the scales tip slightly towards the HD2
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
If you're a tinkerer and okay with not having a smooth perfect phone all the time, go for the HD2. I can tell you since my cousin has a Vibrant, that it is garbage. All plastic build, dirt-poor Samsung support (No Froyo yet and Honeycomb is around the corner!?), GPS problems, un-amazing battery life, and little community support make it a terrible choice for anyone who knows that XDA exists...
That phone isn't worth the silicon inside it.
i recently sold my vibrant and brought an hd2 . I like the way i can use alot of different os on it. I loveed my vibrant but i dont miss it cause i dont see a real drop off from it other the internal memory and screen which is not that big to me. I currently running wp7 cause i actaully like it and running around on sd. So unless microsoft does sumthing to ruin wp7 for the hd2 which i doubt then im pretty pleased with my sell of the vibrant for the hd2. Although i did kinda like that touchwiz. Is there a way to get that running on an hd2. I had the launcher but is possible to do anything other than just the launcher?
reds28heem said:
i recently sold my vibrant and brought an hd2 . I like the way i can use alot of different os on it. I loveed my vibrant but i dont miss it cause i dont see a real drop off from it other the internal memory and screen which is not that big to me. I currently running wp7 cause i actaully like it and running around on sd. So unless microsoft does sumthing to ruin wp7 for the hd2 which i doubt then im pretty pleased with my sell of the vibrant for the hd2. Although i did kinda like that touchwiz. Is there a way to get that running on an hd2. I had the launcher but is possible to do anything other than just the launcher?
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Click to collapse
If you liked TouchWiz you'll LOVE Miui... check out the HD2 Android forums. Not near a computer or I'd post a link, sorry.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Hi there, xda people!
I need some help with my decision. I'm looking for a smartphone with a big screen, Wi-Fi, 3G, good camera and a nice design. both of them are ok for my needs and the price doesn't matter. So wonder if you guys, the experts can tell me what the benefits of WP7 are and those of Android. And also: Xperia X10 in Black or in White
What also matters is the compatibility with a Mac and if the device is upgradeable easily and without hacking it.
Wp7 doesn't have many apps at all, and is pretty bland IMO.
It isn't very Customizeable, and for me would be boring only having one homescreen.
You could put android on the hd7 though, so it doesn't have to be a wp7 vs. Android debate
I have an X10i and my wife has the HD7, feel to ask away.
Just a few quick points...
In regards to hardware...
The HD7 feels *much* slimmer but I think it's kind of awkward. I think the curvature of the X10 makes holding the phone nicer. The HD7's curvature is all wrong.
The camera is much nicer on the X10 but a shame that there's no led flash.
The screens are about the same (obviously, HD7 is larger) but I prefer mine as the resolution is higher. But if you're going to use netflix, the HD7 is nice.
The HD7 has a far better touch digitizer.
Software...
You're going to get more Android bias by posting here. If you want to compare stock vs stock, the HD7 is better. No lag, no stutters, no random freezes for 5 seconds (also, not any room for customizing besides the order of your tiles). A lot of common apps I use on my X10, I've begun seeing on the wp7 app marketplace. If you can live without some apps then you would probably be ok for now. WP7 marketplace is nowhere near the size of Android's, but there's a lot less crap software to wade through too.
But with the X10 getting 2.3, I *hope* it changes (and the HD7 getting Mango in the fall). And if you decide to run a different rom, well, then it gets into a whole different scope of discussion.
Upgrade...
As far as upgrading any of those phone on a mac... You can't with the X10. MS has software to do it for the HD7. To upgrade the X10 on a mac you would need to use bootcamp... i'm not sure if there's a flash tool program to load roms for the X10 on the mac (maybe someone who works with macs can chime in here).
u've never thought about the Xperia Arc?
@ totalundone
Thanks for the insight. Does your
wife use alot of google services? Im interested in gmail, reader and gcal
Sent from my X10a using XDA App
I had used HD2 from HTC for a while, and I honestly have to say I don't like WM much, the OS is slow and freeze sometimes.
I switched to HTC Aria (AT&T) few months ago and everything is great!, Android is much better with free apps and the ease to customize anything you like.
I upgraded to X10 today, and still looking for some ways to unlock it, my cell is AT&T.
chiewable said:
@ totalundone
Thanks for the insight. Does your
wife use alot of google services? Im interested in gmail, reader and gcal
Sent from my X10a using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Of those, I know she uses gmail. WP7 works perfectly with it. I'll check it out later - see how the search works with it (and labels, etc).
She doesn't use google reader but I think there are a couple apps that work with it.
I know she uses a calendar service on her phone but i'm not sure if it's google's or live's calendar. I'll check it out this afternoon but I think it works pretty good with google's calendar. From what I read, if you put something in on wp7, it sets it as an invite and not event. There's a setting on the web based google calendar to display invites.
There is a google maps app that someone made. It works ok, it shows traffic and all the basic stuff. Unfortunately no real navigation option yet.
eizonuts, I'm guessing the OP is on T-Mobile USA. The HD7 and X10i both work on TMO's AWS spectrum.
It's really hard to recommend one over the other not knowing what the OP is looking for software-wise in a phone. Not to mention that the X10 receiving 2.3 in the next month is huge (well, hopefully).
Thanks for the insight.
Im asking because I'm eligable for a hardware upgrade soon and I'm trying to swap my x10 for a win7 handset for a extended trial run.
Once I pick a platform I'll use my upgrade on a top end handset for that os
Sent from my X10a using XDA App