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hey guys. I am pretty close to buying the HD2. I will be comming from Android, and I really like the free applications...but as far as I hear, win 6.5 does not offer many free apps...mostly everything is paid... am I wrong? is there any place other than marketplace to download apps, safely?
Also, one quick question: why sould i flash a coocked rom? how does it help? i know rooting my g1 was of great help, but does HD2 matter without that?
I hope I post in the correct place, if not please move this post to the appropriate place.!
thank you.
Not the correct place to post, but just like rooting your G1 flashing roms on your HD2 provides improvements to your phone such as updates to the OS, speed, and etc. As far as "free"... there really isn't anywhere else to get them if by free you mean actually free. There are warez sites out there, but we don't condone that here, that is for you to find out on your own. I came from Android (Nexus One) and am happy here with my HD2. The choice is yours.
I'm new to WinMo, but I've found a few sites to use as app-libraries.
http://www.bestwindowsmobileapps.com
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net
http://hd2apps.blogspot.com
Not all of those are free, but a lot are. If you need a particular function, more than likely, you can find a free app for it.
Also Microsoft announced the other day they were doing some sort of expansion to the Marketplace, so it should be easier to find apps.
HD2
Hello,
I too am a ex-android user. Had G1, Mytouch, Cliq. The HD2 is far away the fastest phone I have ever used. The chefs on this site are amazing, and I for one I believe there will be a day soon when we Hd2 users will have the ability to boot into Android if we want. And you never know, Windows 7 may be in the future too. If you get the HD2, you wont be disappointed.
Good luck!
fhaines
Coming From a Iphone 2g and A t-mo G1 I will say the hd2 is a pretty big change. In some respects I miss android but I am very happy with the hd2. The screen is incredible and its so thin. I laugh when I see iphone users. As far as app a lot are pay. that can be a good or a bad thing. No one wants to develop for a platform where they wont get paid for
I still have my iPhone...my wife has a mytouch.
Other than the Apps, neither the iPhone or mytouch have anything on the HD2.
Apps are a big deal to some people though, and there aren't very many on the HD2...so that's certainly something to think about. For me, the apps got old after awhile, and I hardly ever used them any more. I made too many stupid impulse purchases on apps I used once and never opened again. Most of them are pointless.
Stupid Question
Dude, either you get it or you don't... its a dumb question bro, sorry.
I'm buying an HD2 for all the wrong reasons (same reason as I bought the Touch Pro 2), I'm getting it in the hope that it will at least be able to dual-boot android in the future, at best, have native android.
When I saw the Supersonic, I was excited except for the fact that it's a CDMA device and I like T-Mobile better than sprint. My gut tells me that there'll be a GSM version of the Supersonic, but I'm noticing an HTC trend and I think that if such a device were made in GSM, it will be made for ATT's bands and not T-Mobile's.
I'm very capable of making my own builds for the Dream (I'm running a near-perfect copy of the nexus one 2.1 on my Dream), so I know that (other than the screen size) I can make my dream offer a similar experience. I was also making my own Android builds for the Rhodium before I returned it in expectance of the HD2. I'm attracted to the idea of a dual-boot Winmo-Android, so the HD2 is looking more and more attractive but the unlocked device's been out for so long in europe that I'm pretty sure a new, better device will come out for T-Mo US soon after I get the HD2 that I'll regret having it.
Gosh, I'm torn. It's such a sexy device (were it not for the lack of a physical keyboard, it'd be perfect).
They're sold out online, so I havent been able to upgrade yet, I'm just hoping that HTC announces something new for T-Mo us that will make me want to abandon my dream finally (the hypexus one didn't cut it for me) before I'm able to upgrade.
I have a Nexus and love it! Debating on the HD2, even maybe keeping it as a secondary phone is it worth it? Or do you find yourself missing your Nexus?
Homotechual said:
I have a Nexus and love it! Debating on the HD2, even maybe keeping it as a secondary phone is it worth it? Or do you find yourself missing your Nexus?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
missing it since day 1 with the HD2 keep the For at least a week and don't use you N1 and you will endup going back to it I'LL BET YOU ANYTHING!!! YOU WILL
haha LOL
had both nexus & hd2. was a tough decision. they both had their pros and cons. in the end i sold the nexus. what sold me on the hd2 was the hw. its simply a beautiful/fun phone. dont get me wrong, the nexus is awesome. i actually prefer android over wm but in the end it wasnt enough.
the one thing i still miss is all the apps from the android market. while imo alot of apps were "novelty" apps and not really useful to me, there was always an app that did what i needed it to do.
i believe the stock hd2 rom is "clunky" for lack of a better term. some of the cooked roms really make the ui fluid. right now preferring kumars
I think a lot of people went back to their N1 because of the simplicity of android and the apps and updates that are released to fix the bugs unlike for the HD2 and please no one mention cooked roms. As most people dont know how too install the ROMS....
I don't own either but played with both while trying to decide which I want. I have a G1 now and REALLY wanted a Nexus but I am on a family plan and Google has made getting the Nexus too difficult. I talked to the CSRs at TMo and even work arounds will be a giant pain because the plan we're on is a 'grandfathered' plan that isn't available anymore so as long as we don't change it we keep it.
I like the Android OS, I like knowing it will continue to be updated with new and improved releases. While most of the apps in the Market are crap there are a few I do use frequently and best of all 95% of those I use are free.
Sadly if I shelled out $500 for this phone my wife would castrate me.... as much as I want the Nexus I don't want to pay an arm, a leg and.... uhhhh... well, don't like the phone that much.
HD2 is a beautiful phone and I looked at the ROMs and would definitely flash one over the stock ROM. I had 2 WM phones and I do have fun tweaking it, setting it up only to do it all again when I flash something else but there were sooooo many things I hated about WM and I can't remember all the apps I used to use. There was one app that changed a setting and actually killed the app when I closed it rather than move it to the background where I had to go into task manager to kill it. Also have an issue knowing this is on an old and notoriously quirky kernel while only the UI has been updated. Essentially a dead OS that will receive very little in updates.... basically what we have now is pretty much it and up to the creative DEVs here to keep us going. How many more apps will be updated or created with WP7 coming out later this year and all the iphone 1.0/2.0 like features along with it?
Ultimately I think I may end up getting the HD2 and dealing with WM for a while until TMo gets a high end Android phone (Rumor about a Samsung Galaxy also going to TMo). After all the HD2 is amazing piece of hardware and I'll just have to deal with the shame of WM.
Well think it it this way how much would you save in the long run? Because any smartphone you get with a contract you have to add the 29.99 for 2 years times by 24= 700+ So i buy a phone outright and keep my Tzones save so much money in the long run. Also T-mobile Android phones boughtout right or not they do not work with Tzones you will have to switch. Nexus is the only android phone i know of that works with Tzones since its not T-mobile branded.
KidTech said:
I think a lot of people went back to their N1 because of the simplicity of android and the apps and updates that are released to fix the bugs unlike for the HD2 and please no one mention cooked roms. As most people dont know how too install the ROMS....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While it's probably true that (statistically speaking) most people do not know how to install cooked ROMs, it does make the HD2 a far better phone to use, and I consider it a critical part of the decision to purchase.
Most people who own a car do not know how to change the oil, but it still needs to be done. Most people who own a guitar do not know how to tune it, etc, etc.
it's an unfair limitation to suggest that the availability of cooked ROMs should not be factored into the decision making process, IMO.
How many people know outside of XDA what a ROM is? Seriously T-mobile should of dont more testing with this device before they sent it out with this buggy rom. I like this device a lot amazing hardware but hate the little bugs like when it jumps from E-3G and now my device freezes a lot. If i didnt buy this new from ebay i would of returned it and prob gone for the N1. And even the N1 has issues but atleast they sent out update to fix them. I wonder whats taking T-mobile so long? and since WP7 is around the corner i doubt an updates will be given if any at all..
KidTech said:
How many people know outside of XDA what a ROM is? Seriously T-mobile should of dont more testing with this device before they sent it out with this buggy rom. I like this device a lot amazing hardware but hate the little bugs like when it jumps from E-3G and now my device freezes a lot. If i didnt buy this new from ebay i would of returned it and prob gone for the N1. And even the N1 has issues but atleast they sent out update to fix them. I wonder whats taking T-mobile so long? and since WP7 is around the corner i doubt an updates will be given if any at all..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I am different from most people, in that when I decide to make ANY purchase over a certain amount of dollars, I'll research literally everything I can about the product for a considerable amount of time (depending on the cost) before buying it. The fact that everyone doesn't do this is partly to blame for the problems encountered by most users.
Many people go crazy and install everything they see from any source on their phone, and it acts funny... understandably so.
I'd definitely agree that HTC could and should have done a better job with some aspects of the stock ROM, but this is true of any phone manufacturer, and HTC is better than many others in this regard.
I ended up keeping the HD2 bcuz im hoping for an android rom. the hardware made me keep it. its really beautiful but android is much much better than windows mobile i miss android. I had to install a rom just to enjoy the HD2 if you don't know how to install roms i would suggest you learn if you plan on owning this phone. If not go for a nexus one.
it depends on what you want out of your phone.
you'd have to root the nexus one to save apps to sd card. while on the hd2, it already has apps 2 sd capability.
customization is actually higher on the hd2, but it takes A LOT more work. i find it much easier mod the stock android os BEFORE rooting. pick your poison.
in terms of hardware, the nexus one actually has a brighter screen due to AMOLED display while of course, the hd2 screen is a monster in terms of size vs. the n1.
if you really really are in love the android OS and want the screen size of the hd2, why not move over to sprint and get the htc EVO? almost the same hardware specs except the evo is actually better equipped with a front facing camera, hdmi input, etc..
aero_pg said:
I ended up keeping the HD2 bcuz im hoping for an android rom. the hardware made me keep it. its really beautiful but android is much much better than windows mobile i miss android. I had to install a rom just to enjoy the HD2 if you don't know how to install roms i would suggest you learn if you plan on owning this phone. If not go for a nexus one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here i'm waiting for an Android ROM, i hope its out during the summer or maybe when the EVO comes out it can speed up the process. But the hardware is amazing just wished there weren't so many issues with it..
Anyone if T-mobile or HTC release an software update or are making one?
I kept the Nexus anyway and just use it on the spare line.
I work for T-Mobile so I'm limited to T-Mobile phones, I would NEVER switch to Sprint no matter what phone they got. I use to have them and work for them and not a fan at all. I think i'm going to keep the Nexus One and wait for the Galaxy S. Thanks for the input, and yes my Nexus is rooted so flashing a HD2 shouldn't be to hard. IS there much of a difference rooting Android compared to Windows?
2 things that really turned me off about the HD2 is I heard Battery life only lasts half a day, and the Facebook app which I use A LOT doesn't give you ANY notifications. Also something I love about the Nexus is finding phone numbers I just search a company from the google search bar and it gives me numbers for that company in my location. On the HD2 you have to go to the browser and then do that unless maybe I'm mistaken?
I work for T-Mobile so I'm limited to T-Mobile phones, I would NEVER switch to Sprint no matter what phone they got. I use to have them and work for them and not a fan at all. I think i'm going to keep the Nexus One and wait for the Galaxy S. Thanks for the input, and yes my Nexus is rooted so flashing a HD2 shouldn't be to hard. IS there much of a difference rooting Android compared to Windows?
2 things that really turned me off about the HD2 is I heard Battery life only lasts half a day, and the Facebook app which I use A LOT doesn't give you ANY notifications. Also something I love about the Nexus is finding phone numbers I just search a company from the google search bar and it gives me numbers for that company in my location. On the HD2 you have to go to the browser and then do that unless maybe I'm mistaken?
Which one is better?
I'm so confused...
What is the difference?
Can i run Android 2.2 on both of them?
Cerv3r said:
Which one is better?
I'm so confused...
What is the difference?
Can i run Android 2.2 on both of them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are a slightly different shape, and the TMOUS HD2 has a 1 gig internal ROM, where as the International T8585 only has 512 Mbs. It also has 576Mbs of RAM without having to HSPL and flash a new ROM to enable it.
There is also an Aussie HD2, I can't remember the number of it without Googling, that's got a different frequency range for their 3G & HSDPA, but retains the same International T8585 shape. (*edit* It's a Telstra HD2 T9193)
And yes, they all run Android.
So which one do you suggest? They both operate the same way, meaning adding android?
Cerv3r said:
So which one do you suggest? They both operate the same way, meaning adding android?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if you live in Australia get the Telstra one, if you live in North America get the T-Mobile one and if you live anywhere else in the world get an International T858. They are all essentially the same phone, they will all run Android exactly the same as one another.
thank you very much
where do you think i can get a T-Mobile one really cheap?
My co worker is selling his to me for $300, the back cover is messed up though..
Cerv3r said:
thank you very much
where do you think i can get a T-Mobile one really cheap?
My co worker is selling his to me for $300, the back cover is messed up though..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Being English I wouldn't have a clue. You can pick up new backcovers for ~$30 though I believe.
If you are buying the HD2 solely to run Andoid I would look at getting a HTC phone designed to run that OS. As far as I am aware Android on the HD2 still, eats battery life like it's going out of fashion. I don't run Android on my phone, I think it's a gimmick, so I don't keep much of an eye on the progression of it, it may well be better now. But I still doubt you could make a full day on one charge.
What do you suggest then? I love android.. I've used windows mobile and i didnt like it very much...
So the battery sucks with android on it?
I need a phone with the same specs..
Cerv3r said:
What do you suggest then? I love android.. I've used windows mobile and i didnt like it very much...
So the battery sucks with android on it?
I need a phone with the same specs..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your decision comes down to where you live...
In the US you can pickup the EVO on sprint or Incredible/DroidX on verizon (only phones w/ specs @ or near HD2's)
If you still want an HD2 you can run Android so-so at this point. I live in the US and have the Telstra T9193 from AUS, because it works here on at&t 3G, TMOUS not really an option for me. I am running Froyo (2.2) at the moment off and on between WinMo. Android on HD2 is a work in progress, everyday it gets better, but no 100% guarantee that it will ever be perfect, because HTC built the HD2 to run WinMo, not Android.
thats correct that they built it to run windows mobile...
the evo is the same exact phone but different os..
i have t mobile...
do you think windows is better than android? if so, explain please, i might as well switch to windows mobile
Cerv3r said:
do you think windows is better than android? if so, explain please, i might as well switch to windows mobile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most people here will say yes, but it's a dead OS. There are no new apps coming out for it as Windows 7 is being shipped in the coming months. So you can't expect the iPhone/Android app market for WM it's very limited.
If I was you I'd not get the HD2, I'd go for an EVO or a Nexus One or something of the sort, as it's clearly what you are after.
I'm getting pretty much the same battery life with Android (Matt 1. 5 w/latest zimage & kernel, full RAM etc.) as I do with WinMo. It's pretty much fully functional now, and it keeps getting better.
That said, I still love WinMo. It's a very different experience with Android. Some things work better, some things less so, and ultimately I prefer having the choice to being stuck with one or the other. It'd be untrue if I said I'd bought my HD2 without hoping that an Android port would be on the horizon, and the same for WP7. It's a real testament to the skill and dedication of the many devs involved that its gotten this far.
I don't know if I'd recommend the HD2 to people who just want to run Android. The Desire HD is on the way, and it's basically the Desire with the HD2's screen. The HD2 is more of a best of both worlds device, but if you've never used WinMo extensively.. I recommend it, yet I don't know if it's necessarily the same audience Android has.
Still, I'd not settle for anything less at this stage - it can only keep getting better, and if you (like me) enjoy modding each and every aspect of your smartphone, there is nothing better out there right now (Maybe the N900, HD2 has better hardware though).
As for the model, doesn't matter - just check up on the 3G bands and buy the cheapest and most useful one for you.
Posted from my HD2 via XDA app.
Would WM7 be ported to HD2?
Im selling my Motorola Cliq for 250$ and i just got someone who wants it
Cerv3r said:
thats correct that they built it to run windows mobile...
the evo is the same exact phone but different os..
i have t mobile...
do you think windows is better than android? if so, explain please, i might as well switch to windows mobile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EVO and HD2 have similar specs, but unfortunately there's a lot more different than similar, or we would have had android running better and faster than we do now.
Personally I love WinMo 6.5.x, you can do so much w/ it with the great Chefs around here. The reason I am playing w/ android so much is because when my HD2 dies or I just decided to move on I may make the jump to android, because as much as I love WinMo (6.5.x) the new WindowPhone7 that's coming to replace the WinMo OS blows in my opinion.
M$ had decided to turn the WinMo into a locked, neutered, iphone copy-cat to cash in on peoples desire to not have to think and still use a "smartphone". I like the idea of standardizing hardware requirement so all manufactures produce quality phones so every manufacturer spits out the same good experience, but the OS is lacking.......... I wish M$ had decided to continue to develop WinMo 6.5.x parallel to WP7 (business/tech-savvy & then media-player driven WP7 for the others)
/rant over
The call is yours, but FYI WinMo 6.5 support and app development is pretty much over since everyone (app/product designers) focusing on WP7. Like I said earlier android, to me, seems to be the future of smartphones, could be wrong, but I am not impressed with the new WP7 that's coming out.
Personally I would research WP7 to see if you like it, hate it or can live with it, because that's M$ new direction. Android has so many options it's not even funny. Motorola is a big time player in the android OS market now along w/ HTC. If I had the choice I would get an EVO from sprint, but sprint is only so-so (data) coverage around where I live.
Also since you are TMO you can still find a Nexus One, I know its a slightly smaller screen, but bad ass phone and similar specs. A lot HD2 builds are based on the NO.
Sorry I can't just tell you what phone to get, since it is such a personal choice, I only hope I was able to get you some info to think on as you make your decision. Good luck.
Wow everyone here is very helpful! I wish there was a "Thank You" button
If i do sell my Cliq in less than 2 weeks, I will get the HD2 to experiment with it.
I rooted my Cliq to add Android 2.1, as you can see, I love changing roms to experience different tastes...
It seems like the HD2 has a lot of roms, I think it would be perfect for me.
I can't buy a Nexus One because I don't have $500 to buy a phone like that
Cerv3r said:
If i do sell my Cliq in less than 2 weeks, I will get the HD2 to experiment with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aye it's worth a go, if worse comes to worse and you don't like it, you can always sell it on again.
I love WM 6.5.x, I love the programs and the UI. I hope you'll get on with it and dual booting with Android as well.
TMOUS vs International HD2
http://pocketnow.com/thought/t-mobile-hd2-vs-htc-hd2-comparison
This is the difference between the TMOUS HD2 and the international one
I live in egypt and i went for the TMOUS, as it's better and alot cheaper
the only issues are : being branded and the boot up animation for T mobile
i got it worth $ 450 brand new and unlocked with code
i love this phone really, but really wish to try out android, but i don't like fooling around with the original software, i prefer the stock rom, in my opinion the best stability
Cerv3r said:
Would WM7 be ported to HD2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's safe to say no.
If you want to run android full-time, I'd get a native android phone. If your using t-mobile, I would go with the samsung galaxy s... (i think it's called something else at t-mobile)... It has as fast of processor as HD2, but it also has a dedicated gpu, so it will be much quicker with apps and games... and it run android natively. It will probably cost about the same as getting the HD2 from t-mobile... probably 150-200 with contract... maybe cheaper.
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
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
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
As noted in the title.
I plan on buying a HD2 for the sole purpose of Android only. Besides cosmetic issues, what should I look for? Are there any software updates or flashing that has resulted in a point of no return (ie preventing one from flashing Android)? Let me know!
Get a T-Mobile US HD2, they have more ROM memory than the Europeans. Way better for running Android on.
-HD2 Android-
huggs said:
Get a T-Mobile US HD2, they have more ROM memory than the Europeans. Way better for running Android on.
-HD2 Android-
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thanks for the tip. since i live in the US, this shouldn't be a problem at all
If you're only going to use it for android, why buy an hd2 then? It certainly isn't better than any 1ghz android device out there, and some of the bugs (if you expereince any), may stifle you.
You might as well buy an android phone instead since it runs better with prolly less problems, excluding the samsung galaxy s series. (N.B. an android phone will prolly only run better after you've rooted it, tweaked, and maybe flashed a custom rom)
Anyways, other than getting a tmous hd2, that's about it I guess. Everything is reversible, from going back to android, to winmo, to WP7. You just have to read, and be able to know your device.
its likely cheaper to purchase a hd2 rather than a smartphone with android pre-loaded, since many people have had frustrations with windows mobile as the stock OS (that was me when I first got the phone) and are willing to get rid of it for fairly cheap.
1-2 months after the phone came out, craigslist was full of ads of people trying to sell their hd2. at first, i regretted not selling mine the day it came out (could've gotten $400+ for it), but now that I have gingerbread on it, it performs a lot better, except for the GPS, which is completely non-functional, but I'm hoping that will get fixed soon. if GPS is an important function on your phone, I'd suggest sticking to winmo for the time being.
andrewz182 said:
its likely cheaper to purchase a hd2 rather than a smartphone with android pre-loaded, since many people have had frustrations with windows mobile as the stock OS (that was me when I first got the phone) and are willing to get rid of it for fairly cheap.
1-2 months after the phone came out, craigslist was full of ads of people trying to sell their hd2. at first, i regretted not selling mine the day it came out (could've gotten $400+ for it), but now that I have gingerbread on it, it performs a lot better, except for the GPS, which is completely non-functional, but I'm hoping that will get fixed soon. if GPS is an important function on your phone, I'd suggest sticking to winmo for the time being.
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Click to collapse
That's just you, man. 90% of us have gps working fine.
I say if you can get a deal on it go for it (in my area, 150 is what I consider a deal). If the cost difference between this and, say, a mytouch 4g is less than a hundred or sitting at a hundred, just go for the mytouch. I broke my first hd2 a couple months ago, and I was about to pull the trigger on a mytouch, when someone popped up with a hd2 for 180. I negotiated him down to 140 and that was that.
Just my opinion though. They're both outstanding phones
Edit: sorry, that was off topic. Any software the hd2 comes with (stock, modded, whatever) can be flashed over very easily. I have had experience with some hd2s not working correctly. They get slow, laggy, start force closing, etc when running android, but this isn't something you can "look out for". Just have to find out I guess.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Kailkti said:
If you're only going to use it for android, why buy an hd2 then? It certainly isn't better than any 1ghz android device out there, and some of the bugs (if you expereince any), may stifle you.
You might as well buy an android phone instead since it runs better with prolly less problems, excluding the samsung galaxy s series. (N.B. an android phone will prolly only run better after you've rooted it, tweaked, and maybe flashed a custom rom)
Anyways, other than getting a tmous hd2, that's about it I guess. Everything is reversible, from going back to android, to winmo, to WP7. You just have to read, and be able to know your device.
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Click to collapse
Hi there. Yes, you bring up a very good question. The reason why is because I am a T-mobile user with a very old, grandfathered $3 unlimited data plan. However, this data plan only works for certain phones, HD2 being one of them. The Nexus One works with the data plan as well, but I sold it after getting tired of its multi-touch issues.
Kailkti said:
Anyways, other than getting a tmous hd2, that's about it I guess. Everything is reversible, from going back to android, to winmo, to WP7. You just have to read, and be able to know your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. So there are no radio flashes that will send you over to dead man's land?
If you have HSPL installed on your device, no flashing will kill your device.
nexus14 said:
Thank you. So there are no radio flashes that will send you over to dead man's land?
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Click to collapse
If you just know how to read and follow instructions, there in way you can't get things working.
I got my hd2 from craigslist for 200 but was only used less than a week. Got everything including receipt. Same for my daughter but was an older buy so I got it for 150.
Sent from my HD2 Droid HD using XDA App
Oh btw, the HD2's multi touch isn't perfect either. Whether or not the HD2 has support. hardware wise, for more than two fingers is irrelevant right now, as android on the HD2, WP7, and winmo, only enables us to use two fingers.
With WP7, multi touch is horrible. With android two fingers max, but the fingers mustn't be, i think, vertically or was it horizontally aligned with one another, one of them, I can't remember which. Pinching and zooming works fine, even with that problem, however in gaming, you'll notice it, and it may irk you.
With winmo i'm not sure, as I haven't actually played around with winmo much other than flash custom roms for the sake of flashing cuz I'm addicted to it.
jose makalolot said:
If you just know how to read and follow instructions, there in way you can't get things working.
I got my hd2 from craigslist for 200 but was only used less than a week. Got everything including receipt. Same for my daughter but was an older buy so I got it for 150.
Sent from my HD2 Droid HD using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Okay, good to know.
Prices are similar where I live, 200-250. I am sure I can get down to 150 since there's 15+ new posts/day
Kailkti said:
Oh btw, the HD2's multi touch isn't perfect either. Whether or not the HD2 has support. hardware wise, for more than two fingers is irrelevant right now, as android on the HD2, WP7, and winmo, only enables us to use two fingers.
With WP7, multi touch is horrible. With android two fingers max, but the fingers mustn't be, i think, vertically or was it horizontally aligned with one another, one of them, I can't remember which. Pinching and zooming works fine, even with that problem, however in gaming, you'll notice it, and it may irk you.
With winmo i'm not sure, as I haven't actually played around with winmo much other than flash custom roms for the sake of flashing cuz I'm addicted to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info. I have already researched on this topic and if you go back to my old posts, you'll see that HD2 multi-touch with Android is better than the Nexus One multi-touch. Gaming is not an issue since I don't plan on gaming on my device.
nexus14 said:
As noted in the title.
I plan on buying a HD2 for the sole purpose of Android only. Besides cosmetic issues, what should I look for? Are there any software updates or flashing that has resulted in a point of no return (ie preventing one from flashing Android)? Let me know!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was only briefly touched on, but the importance of a Tmobile unit is critical for more reasons than just the amount of available RAM. The hardware which defines the radio frequency (specifically, data) differs. For example, I'm running an Australian (Telstra) T9193 on AT&T because the 3G band is the same, so I get HSDPA speeds on a device that was never intended to be used on this network. Though a Tmobile unit would work for voice on my network, I'd be SOL for data.
So, since you've said in a prior post you're a Tmobile customer, be certain the model you're getting is a Tmobile unit, which I believe is a T8585, if I'm not mistaken. Even though you COULD flash Android to a unit with less RAM (as I'm doing with mine), you'd risk not having it work for data if you get the wrong model.
Can't speak to how many times one can flash, but I'm up to dozens of times with various WM and Android ROMs and radio combinations with no ill effects. Well, none I'm aware of, anyway.
BillTheCat said:
This was only briefly touched on, but the importance of a Tmobile unit is critical for more reasons than just the amount of available RAM. The hardware which defines the radio frequency (specifically, data) differs. For example, I'm running an Australian (Telstra) T9193 on AT&T because the 3G band is the same, so I get HSDPA speeds on a device that was never intended to be used on this network. Though a Tmobile unit would work for voice on my network, I'd be SOL for data.
So, since you've said in a prior post you're a Tmobile customer, be certain the model you're getting is a Tmobile unit, which I believe is a T8585, if I'm not mistaken. Even though you COULD flash Android to a unit with less RAM (as I'm doing with mine), you'd risk not having it work for data if you get the wrong model.
Can't speak to how many times one can flash, but I'm up to dozens of times with various WM and Android ROMs and radio combinations with no ill effects. Well, none I'm aware of, anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Is there a way to "fake" the model #? I doubt the people I meet are going to be this shady since most of the people I talked to still have it on Windows Mobile 6.5