Related
I'm pretty much looking for a long term phone, looking forward to watching movies, playing games, surfing the net, etc. I've used Xperia X1 (was great for a while, but little to no official support), the iPhone 3g (quick, way less laggier than the X1, great for mindless games to kill time)
Guess what I am asking is, is HTC HD2 worth the buck? $500 SGD (About uhm 250 Euros) for the phone (incl 2-year plan)
As you can see from my signature I've had a LOT of phones in my time, but never been very happy with one for very long.
Finally , at least for me, the HD2 will be something I'm going to own a very long time to come. It really does everything you could want in a phone/media player/comms/office/game device...all be it with a good bit of the expected modding and tweaking that comes with WinMo And if you can get it as cheap as €250 then I wouldn't think twice, go for it.
But remember my analogy for having a HD2/Leo. It's like having a child.
You have the painful labour pains of paying for it (€700 in most places). The joy of holding it for the first time (unboxing it)
Then like a child, you need to teach it how to work properly (modding and reg editing). Also like a growing child, you need to put up with it's little annoyances now and then (the odd bugs that need fixing). After that, you need to teach it to be interesting, (add apps, themes etc) Basically if you're willing to put in the work it's going to be worth every penny/cent
Thanks for the quick response! Appreciated! Yup, one thing I love about WinMo devices is the huge community(Actually the HTC Community) which allows me to pretty much customize the phone Another question, is there any major bugs/flaws that I might be concerned about? Because I've wanted this phone ever since the rumours surfaced and the hype made all the more irresistable lol
Yes, the HD2 is worth every penny!
There are a few flaws out of the box yes. Some have speaker issues, screen over/under sensitive, pinkeye camera, and a few more, all of which can be fixed with some reg edits and a few cab files. You can find all the fixes and tweaks Here.
The only as yet unfixed problem is the SMS issue. Some people (not me) who have over 200 or so SMSs (why don't people use the delete button?) notice a slow down when replying. But who uses SMS anymore in this modern age of emails, twitters, Google wave, Facebook and what not Anyways for the SMS issue I think there is a workaround until HTC come up with a patch.
jagnet said:
As you can see from my signature I've had a LOT of phones in my time, but never been very happy with one for very long.
Finally , at least for me, the HD2 will be something I'm going to own a very long time to come. It really does everything you could want in a phone/media player/comms/office/game device...all be it with a good bit of the expected modding and tweaking that comes with WinMo And if you can get it as cheap as €250 then I wouldn't think twice, go for it.
But remember my analogy for having a HD2/Leo. It's like having a child.
You have the painful labour pains of paying for it (€700 in most places). The joy of holding it for the first time (unboxing it)
Then like a child, you need to teach it how to work properly (modding and reg editing). Also like a growing child, you need to put up with it's little annoyances now and then (the odd bugs that need fixing). After that, you need to teach it to be interesting, (add apps, themes etc) Basically if you're willing to put in the work it's going to be worth every penny/cent
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
700 euros in most places??.. no way
But to stay on topic.. imagine when it is summer.. how will you carry your Leo with you?.. so I find that a better case in the package would have been absolutely no luxury!
Then you have the software flaws.. device.exe sometimes crashes the phone totally.. the htcmessage performance.. the camera... seems to me that Leo had to be released..
seems to me like a business decision.. release it now albeit with software flaws and fix them later.. it turned out to be not a bad decision
but.. if you use Leo with navigon (my preferred navigation software) then you will be in for a real treat.. the same if you use it to browse websites.. so as always it depends
on your usage..
Like Jagnet, I've owned a rather odd collection of phones in my life. I've never been keen on Smartphones as I was rather disappointed by them during my little spree of owning them during 2003/04 and was put off since. I went as far as considering "a phone is just a phone, nothing else" and swore by living in the dark ages by avoiding Smartphones (even though I was working as a promoter and technical adviser for Windows Mobile back in 2003/04 >.<).
The HD2 was something that caught my eye earlier this year and is the first phone that I've waited patiently for, it certainly was worth the wait! Apart from the odd niggles you get from the phone such as the SMS bug and the odd lag, the phone works great (lets be honest here, there are always minor niggles with any phone you get, even my Nokia 8800 Arte, retailing at £1100 at the time I got mine had awful bugs which took over 8 months to fix and there are still bugs that remain).
Much fun can be had with the HD2, the great community behind it (you are looking at it now ) and modding. I've spent endless hours customising it to meet my needs. After a few weeks of playing about with registry / system files and hard resetting, I've now got a phone that does everything I want, customed to how I like and works flawlessly...
apart from the bluetooth compatibility issues...
and the battery life incomparable to non-smartphones (however, the HD2 does very well compared to most smartphones on the market)...
and the marketplace which is in need of some love...
and having to change my handset due to a dodgy touchscreen within the first 4 days.
On the games front, you will be disappointed when comparing it to the iPhone but there are a few good games around. On the apps front, if you ignore the Windows Marketplace and Google around, there are plenty of places to buy good apps from. It's just the iPhone has a good app store that consolidates all apps into a nifty marketplace for you to browse.
Windows Mobile needs you to put the effort in ownership, but in many ways, I see it as a good thing. You get the flexibility to do what you want, on phones such as the iPhone, you are controlled to what you can or cannot do unless you "jailbreak". The iPhone is user friendly, everything is setup for you and for those looking to get a phone that does everything the minute you take it out of the box, it is a product for you. The HD2 fairs well with HTC Sense and it's a good starting point for HTC and Windows Mobile, there is still the horrid Windows Mobile 2003 look lurking in the background though.
Thanks for the replies fellas, appreciate it I am getting my HTC HD2 in a couple of hours, and I hope I won't be disappointed I'm pretty much looking forward to unboxing my 'child' (like how jagnet put it Most of all, I'm looking forward to WM7, though from what I've read it might take a while, but as long as it is worth the wait, I'm cool with it...
It really is like a new baby, because you will breast feed it every 2 hours.
Hi Ive had my HD2 for a few days and to be honest its been a difficult transition form my iphone 3GS which was very simple and easy to use but the 3gs is very basic and doesn't allow for real working integrations.
Its been buggy, very slow compared to the 3gs, the keyboad for some weird reason is of center which is a nightmare to type on compare to the 3gs.
The phone isnt as simple to use as the iphone but for some weird reason i still want it and still want to get use to its quirks.
I have another 10 days left to see if i am going to commit to an 18 month contract, just wish i new what the new iphone was going to be like when released in june.
Its like anything personal choice your will either love it, grow to love it (as hopefully i will) or hate it.
Good luck
Worth it?
If you owned an xperia then you have something to go on.
Leo is WM but with the HTC hardware & shell.
I used to own a Ducati.
My experience was, it was sensational to ride, no other bike comes close, but it had to be kept in tune and maintained. Riding it in the traffic to work would put it out of whack and it would need a nice long blat on a country road to make it right again. High performance and superlative handling made it a unique experience.
Where am I going with this?
Oh yes, performance and usability.
Clearly this is the fastest and highest performing pda phone you can get.
This, and the sense ui make it a great experience.
It is not such a good analogy as heavy usage doesn't put it out of tune so much as excessive poor quality 3rd party apps and too many untested mods.
This is partly why the though of an iphone full of crapstore junk turns my stomach, because if it could multiask, it would choke on the garbage it was running.
Sense iu means I can access what I need in a minimun of steps, but with wm6.5 underneath, I can reach down and tune it to do what I want.
Contrary to my analogy, the stock rom on Leo is pretty good, with a few fixes needed, nothing as serious as having to take it back to the store.
As a stock phone it is great, but it can be modified(tuned) to push the performance envelope and make it even more usable.
As a Ducati rider, I found it very hard to step down to anything else, and as a Leo user I'm the same.
The promise of simplicity makes me cringe as it translates to settling for mediocrity.
Mobile phone hand held computers were pioneered by HTC.
This is the latest evolution.
I love the Leo.
@Xaddict; Well said, I just got my HD2 and I'm loving it so far, knowing this community, I am looking forward to the the custom roms/apps that will be available to everyone soon (I hope) And regarding Ducatis, love em, especially the 948
knightrider66 said:
Hi Ive had my HD2 for a few days and to be honest its been a difficult transition form my iphone 3GS which was very simple and easy to use but the 3gs is very basic and doesn't allow for real working integrations.
Its been buggy, very slow compared to the 3gs, the keyboad for some weird reason is of center which is a nightmare to type on compare to the 3gs.
The phone isnt as simple to use as the iphone but for some weird reason i still want it and still want to get use to its quirks.
I have another 10 days left to see if i am going to commit to an 18 month contract, just wish i new what the new iphone was going to be like when released in june.
Its like anything personal choice your will either love it, grow to love it (as hopefully i will) or hate it.
Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There will always be a newer, nicer phone 7 months down the line....you have to commit sometime or you will never own anything!
jagnet said:
There are a few flaws out of the box yes. Some have speaker issues, screen over/under sensitive, pinkeye camera, and a few more, all of which can be fixed with some reg edits and a few cab files. You can find all the fixes and tweaks Here.
The only as yet unfixed problem is the SMS issue. Some people (not me) who have over 200 or so SMSs (why don't people use the delete button?) notice a slow down when replying. But who uses SMS anymore in this modern age of emails, twitters, Google wave, Facebook and what not Anyways for the SMS issue I think there is a workaround until HTC come up with a patch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um, firstly there are NO current fixes for the loud call volume or call distortion problems. None whatsoever.
Neither are there any fixes for the over-sensitive keyboard. Yes there is a CAB floating around and it helps to a very small degree with text input but it also makes the screen less sensitive in EVERY app and every screen. This isn't helpful.
Secondly, SMS is still the most popular form of mobile communication....by a country mile....so to try and cover up the fact that the HD2 is severely crippled in this area is laughable!
We need some balance here folks. Yes the HD2 is fantastic for web browsing and video but it is shocking for calls and texts - the mainstay features of a mobile phone. Hopefully HTC will address these problems but it is in no way guaranteed that they will!
theredundant said:
I'm pretty much looking for a long term phone, looking forward to watching movies, playing games, surfing the net, etc. I've used Xperia X1 (was great for a while, but little to no official support), the iPhone 3g (quick, way less laggier than the X1, great for mindless games to kill time)
Guess what I am asking is, is HTC HD2 worth the buck? $500 SGD (About uhm 250 Euros) for the phone (incl 2-year plan)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, no phone is perfect. But IMO, the HD2 is THE device that comes closest to being perfect.
It has some small bugs that will get fixed soon or can be fixed manually, there's different opinions on the keyboard and call quality (some say it's the best ever, some hate it) and Windows Mobile, just like any other OS (iPhone OS, Android, Symbian...) has its flaws as well.
But compared to the problems/shortcomings of other devices, the HD2 has very little issues, great hardware, great software - the closest you can currently get to perfect, IMO.
So yes, it's worth it.
Oh, and don't take sunking101 serious. He's a troll and a whiner, spreading FUD against the HD2 since the first day he entered the forum.
definitely (but i don't have the sms problem and i can charge my phone at work)....
maati said:
Well, no phone is perfect. But IMO, the HD2 is THE device that comes closest to being perfect.
It has some small bugs that will get fixed soon or can be fixed manually, there's different opinions on the keyboard and call quality (some say it's the best ever, some hate it) and Windows Mobile, just like any other OS (iPhone OS, Android, Symbian...) has its flaws as well.
But compared to the problems/shortcomings of other devices, the HD2 has very little issues, great hardware, great software - the closest you can currently get to perfect, IMO.
So yes, it's worth it.
Oh, and don't take sunking101 serious. He's a troll and a whiner, spreading FUD against the HD2 since the first day he entered the forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gosh, I actually thought you were making a sane and rational post until I got to the last sentence.
The OP is asking the pros and cons of purchasing an HD2. Therefore all pros and cons are relevant.
As for the HD2 being "the closest you can currently get to perfect" - that is your opinion. Not fact.
sunking101 said:
As for the HD2 being "the closest you can currently get to perfect" - that is your opinion. Not fact.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And so is all your whining.
On topic: yes, the HD2 is worth every sigle dime. And yes, it has some shortcomings (which phone doesn't these days with the speed they are propelled into the market). The only problem I have with the HD2 is the speaker volume which is too loud. But, I have to admit that, it got much better after upgrading to the 1.48 ROM.
Off topic: Maybe it's best not to reply anymore to the contributions member sunking101 delivers to this community. Saves a lot of time and yes/no discussions.
It's well worth the price .
A parting shot here
A great forum, learned a lot, some very clever and helpful people here ( and some prima donnas)..but what I found out is while using a Windows device I was spending countless hours updating Roms, making stupid pointless cosmetic changes to my HD2 (usually resulting in making UI more ugly and messy - some theme designers here seem to have been on crack when creating themes - others very good), when in reality I was craving for a good selection of valuable everyday apps that are logical and simple to use.
Enter Android...Since buying a Motorola Milestone I am now using the phone only when I need - as opposed to constantly tampering, I have downloaded all apps I need, layout looks good off the shelf - a simple wallpaper change is enough, finger friendly, good hardware and away I go.
Looking back I don't understand why I got a WM device and really don't know why you guys are sticking to this dinosaur.
Over and out.
Isn't that fun?
Making slight changes to your phone WHEN you feel like it?
If that's what you're using the Android for, why not get an iPhone?
And btw, I like dinosaurs.
What is a phone supposed to be used for - to analyse the Hadron Collider?
Haha. that's funny.
But back on topic, you say what is a phone supposed to be used for? isn't it for communicating with others? via Phone calls, SMS, MMS, e-mail, social networking sites, forums on the internet, etc?
This phone does it all well, and excel in some areas like internet.
So, what.
rickyoon.vegas said:
Isn't that fun?
Making slight changes to your phone WHEN you feel like it?
If that's what you're using the Android for, why not get an iPhone?
And btw, I like dinosaurs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
me like dinos too.
rickyoon.vegas said:
Haha. that's funny.
But back on topic, you say what is a phone supposed to be used for? isn't it for communicating with others? via Phone calls, SMS, MMS, e-mail, social networking sites, forums on the internet, etc?
This phone does it all well, and excel in some areas like internet.
So, what.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just saying, try Android you will not regret it.
This REALLY is the last post .
I had G1 when it first came out, and recently-ish had Droid Eris.
They were ok, in my opinion.
hawrai68 said:
A parting shot here
A great forum, learned a lot, some very clever and helpful people here ( and some prima donnas)..but what I found out is while using a Windows device I was spending countless hours updating Roms, making stupid pointless cosmetic changes to my HD2 (usually resulting in making UI more ugly and messy - some theme designers here seem to have been on crack when creating themes - others very good), when in reality I was craving for a good selection of valuable everyday apps that are logical and simple to use.
Enter Android...Since buying a Motorola Milestone I am now using the phone only when I need - as opposed to constantly tampering, I have downloaded all apps I need, layout looks good off the shelf - a simple wallpaper change is enough, finger friendly, good hardware and away I go.
Looking back I don't understand why I got a WM device and really don't know why you guys are sticking to this dinosaur.
Over and out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's called the HTC Bravo aka Desire and it too is coming to T-Mobile soon.
android is definitely better for a day to day phone. ive only had the hd2 2 days and ive already switched back to my nexus. the hd2 is a beutiful device but wm 6.5 is definitely its worst attribute.
1. you spent a lot of time updating the phone
2. you wasted your own time doing cosmetic changes
therefore
3. the HD2 is a dinosaur.
not a very cogent argument now is it.
I dont play with my phones layout, theme nor small cosmetic changes. I only update the rom from Duttys, so once every 3 weeks or so that takes 20 minutes of my time to do so.
Shoo, and go play with your motorola.
hawrai68 said:
A parting shot here
A great forum, learned a lot, some very clever and helpful people here ( and some prima donnas)..but what I found out is while using a Windows device I was spending countless hours updating Roms, making stupid pointless cosmetic changes to my HD2 (usually resulting in making UI more ugly and messy - some theme designers here seem to have been on crack when creating themes - others very good), when in reality I was craving for a good selection of valuable everyday apps that are logical and simple to use.
Enter Android...Since buying a Motorola Milestone I am now using the phone only when I need - as opposed to constantly tampering, I have downloaded all apps I need, layout looks good off the shelf - a simple wallpaper change is enough, finger friendly, good hardware and away I go.
Looking back I don't understand why I got a WM device and really don't know why you guys are sticking to this dinosaur.
Over and out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree about wasting time with WM 6.5 and with WPS 7 coming out, WM 6.5 is a dinosaur; but It's about self control.
I have a small dog, she's healthy because I don't over feed her, while I'm overweight because I can't control what I eat, but I don't wish to be her in order to be healthy, instead I try to better my self control.
So no, I prefer not to eliminate my ability to choose by getting other phone like iPhone. This is my first custom ROM and I hope to exercise my self control
hawrai68 said:
A parting shot here
A great forum, learned a lot, some very clever and helpful people here ( and some prima donnas)..but what I found out is while using a Windows device I was spending countless hours updating Roms, making stupid pointless cosmetic changes to my HD2 (usually resulting in making UI more ugly and messy - some theme designers here seem to have been on crack when creating themes - others very good), when in reality I was craving for a good selection of valuable everyday apps that are logical and simple to use.
Enter Android...Since buying a Motorola Milestone I am now using the phone only when I need - as opposed to constantly tampering, I have downloaded all apps I need, layout looks good off the shelf - a simple wallpaper change is enough, finger friendly, good hardware and away I go.
Looking back I don't understand why I got a WM device and really don't know why you guys are sticking to this dinosaur.
Over and out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm really happy with my WM 6.x device. I tweaked just few essential things and I use my phone when I need it.
Anyway, I'll test Android on my HD2 when someone will port it. That's all...
In reality, you can flash an Android device every day if you really wanted to.
In terms of our Sense/WM devices, if you go by 'official releases' or forget official, lets talk 'big jumps', you'd be flashing maybe roughly three to four times in a year. Once a quarter! (1.4x, 1.6x, 2.1x, Sense 2.5.20x)
It is our -own- choice to jump at every incremental update (OH BOY 23545 IS OUT, GOTTA GET THAT!!!) and we reap the benefits AND suffer the consequences of using this non-final code.
There are plenty of people still running 1.66, their next update? Whenever 2.10 comes out! (Or whenever their carrier decides to screw them with an interim update - think I saw a 1.72GER floating around )
So you tweaked a lot of stuff on your UI and that made you give up on it.
Ok.
My HD2 does not need intensive cosmetic tweaking to the UI. Spooky!
Maybe you're just obsessive compulsive...just saying.
Not one freeze in one month of heavy usage (meaning it runs stuff I half bake...I mean compile and execute on it) and some initial tweaks with Cookie's mod and control panel made it look peachy (btw you folks rock).
As for the process of jumping from premisses to a logic conclusion, even Android can't fix that. So good luck using it. Just don't go declaring something to be an extinct life form when all you have to go on with is: "I tweak and flash a lot". That is more telling of how much you are unable to appreciate and use something then of the intrinsic value and quality of the object you judge.
I'm actually interested in going to WM from Android.
Android doesn't support the things I want to do. Mainly video/audio codec support for most files.
got my Desire on pre order. I love the big screen of the HD2 but ive come to the conclusion that im something, of an app fan. I dont want to move back to an iPhone and Android is something I have experience with.
For me Android offers MORE potential for customization, and by customization I don't mean making the home screen look a bit different but real CORE app functionality. I'm a big texter and on Android I recall a number of SMS apps that one can REPLACE the built-in messaging client with - Chomp, SMS Popup, Handcent...to name a few. These apps offer the facility to quick reply from within any app via a popup window, and also to initiate a text message whilst in, say, Google Maps...and they all have a different look to them.
The only app I can think of that has any similarity to this on Windows Mobile is made by Vito, is ugly as sin, and offers very little other than a clunky looking popup.
This is just one facet of a number of other things I have found Windows Mobile to be deficient in since moving back to it from Android. Just simple things like Twitter clients and IM applications - even from the SAME companies - look, feel and work ten times better on Android.
The fact that the HTC Desire will be receiving support for 720p DivX and video recording sells it to me. I'm positive the younger OS will take advantage of the Snapdragon processor a lot better than WinMo, considering how much more stable the Hero was than our HD2s, despite its sluggish processor.
I'm going to be sad to leave the Windows Mobile world to a degree - I will also be sad that I have no chance of getting more than £300 for my pristine unlocked HD2 despite paying £499 only a few months ago, but fortunately my contract with T-mobile expires on the 5th of April.
The second hand price drop is a lot more severe than I've seen for most other devices and perhaps tells just how much faith people have in the devices future.
mazzarin said:
In reality, you can flash an Android device every day if you really wanted to.
In terms of our Sense/WM devices, if you go by 'official releases' or forget official, lets talk 'big jumps', you'd be flashing maybe roughly three to four times in a year. Once a quarter! (1.4x, 1.6x, 2.1x, Sense 2.5.20x)
It is our -own- choice to jump at every incremental update (OH BOY 23545 IS OUT, GOTTA GET THAT!!!) and we reap the benefits AND suffer the consequences of using this non-final code.
There are plenty of people still running 1.66, their next update? Whenever 2.10 comes out! (Or whenever their carrier decides to screw them with an interim update - think I saw a 1.72GER floating around )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree 100%. Oh, and I am one of the plenty on 1.66
I have been doing quite some tweaking on my HD2 since I got it just before XMas. Most of the times I did it just for the pleasure of playing around with the thing rather with a real usability or aesthetics objective.
When I bought the HD2 knowing that I could "get my hands dirty" was one of the (secondary) point in my decision making.
Most of us people here like to play around with our devices. The problem is if we get carried away (like with many other things in life).
And when one gets carried away - often one of the most effective solutions is quitting altogether. No shame in that (on the contrary - I believe it's a very responsible decision!!).
Those who do not get carried away, let's keep in mind that we *could* - so let us not criticize those who quit.
vince2773 said:
Agree 100%. Oh, and I am one of the plenty on 1.66
I have been doing quite some tweaking on my HD2 since I got it just before XMas. Most of the times I did it just for the pleasure of playing around with the thing rather with a real usability or aesthetics objective.
When I bought the HD2 knowing that I could "get my hands dirty" was one of the (secondary) point in my decision making.
Most of us people here like to play around with our devices. The problem is if we get carried away (like with many other things in life).
And when one gets carried away - often one of the most effective solutions is quitting altogether. No shame in that (on the contrary - I believe it's a very responsible decision!!).
Those who do not get carried away, let's keep in mind that we *could* - so let us not criticize those who quit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is XDA DEVELOPERS FORUM, after all!!
: D
lol.
"I tweaked my phone and now it's ugly, so I got a different one"
Troll++
Well I have tried Android numerous times, and personally, I hate it. It's so ugly that it looks like some china-low budget crap. In the HD2 with it's amazing Sense, I get all that I need for everyday use in a way that I prefer - and the Sense UI is stunning beautiful.
Hi
I recently lost my Hero and have been offered (by my bank insurers) a replacement Hero or an HD2 (or other phones I'm uninterested in). I loved the Hero, although it was laggy and generally underpowered, but the whole Android thing was/is pretty damn good. I've also had a Tytn II, so I'm aware of the WinMo foibles. My other half has also given me her Hero (for the time being at least) because she just doesn't get on with it. So, what do I do from here:
1) Opt for replacement Hero and either sell it or give my gf's one back to her?
2) Take the HD2 and make it my primary phone
3) Take the HD2 and sell it so I can buy a iPhone 3GS (or upgrade early and get a 4)
Day to day, I need to be able to run the following:
Evernote
Remember the Milk
MP3
Video
RSS feeds
Solid browsing
RSS feeds
Good calender integration (with Googlemail preferably)
Good Twitter app
Good Facebook app
Separate work and personal contacts (currently all work contacts are on Exchange and all personal ones are on Googlemail - handled perfectly by Android)
Solid and reliable GPS (for both driving (if possible) and tracking my running/biking - Android has 3-4 great apps for this)
Integration with Exchange (inc tasks preferably) as well as Googlemail (inc Calendar if possible)
The Hero does the above very well, but like I say is a laggy - a Desire would be great but not really an option.
The iPhone does it all (not sure how it manages/separates contacts though) and obviously has the huge app store.
The HD2 has a luscious front end and possibly does all the above - but does it separate work stuff from personal stuff? And do you still have to dig around in the WM backend to get it to do things?
Anyway, that's generally where I'm at. What do you recommend? Would appreciate any thoughts and comments.
Thanks in advance.
SC
PS I'm in the UK and use Vodafone.
EDIT: I should add that I've checked out loads of HD2 reviews and the concensus seems to be that the front end is really quick n slick, but ultimately it's still a WinMo OS - the former looks great and certainly looks the part, but does the latter really cause "problems?"
EDIT: I've also read that the HD2 can develop lag/hanging - but I guess every phone can. Is there a fix to this? I've heard that flashing the ROM can sort this, but returning the phone to HTC seems OTT to me. What say you? Cheers
I've also heard that the XDA forum has links to various (unofficial) WM app stores - haven't really found them yet, so can anyone say whether these "additional" apps are genuinely good?
I'm gonna be honest here, bud. The hd2 probably isn't for you. It is essentially a tweakers phone. here's why:
The lushus front end you speak of is painfully slow out of the box and to get it running smoothly you need to install a couple of apps (a 3d driver patch and a program to force the cpu to run at full speed all the time).
The facebook app is ok but i would not call it excellent and that's after you install the update from MS marketplace.
Opera 9.7 is a solid browser and if you want flash have a look at skyfire or opera 10.
The GPS rocks as long you configure windows to use it properly and get the latest version of google maps. The inbuilt mp3 player sucks and sounds like a 3 year old bashing saucepans with a wooden spoon (this is coming from a partially deaf person so it's bad) there are alternatives but none of the ones i tried sounded much better until i installed SRS WOWHD 2.1 for windows mobile.
I did check to see if you could get evernote for windows mobile and you can. The reminder system is as good as outlook 2010 but you can't split your contacts into groups. Although, coz it's windows mobile exchange integration is flawless and supports ssl secured direct push (and if you have exchange 2010 and outlook 2010 you can enjoy having your text messages viewable in outlook on the pc)
For video you'll probably want to look at tcpmp or it's big brother coreplayer and WM includes the MS rss feed application.
I love the Leo but i'm an IT engineer and messing about with computer hardware and software is what i do for a living (and for fun). A lot of people find it irritating because they have a lot of problems with it, or they find the battery life is too short but from my experience it is because they are just not IT literate enough to deal with the small glitches, that 9 times out of 10, they themselves have caused.
So to summarise, if you want a quiet life, aren't interesting in tweaking or modifying your phone and want all the features on your wish list get the desire. If you want a half assed attempt at a phone, that only lets you do one thing at a time and locks you into 2 different proprietry technologies, get the iPhone and if you love tweaking and modding, want the freedom to do anything you want with your device, a massive screen and a phone so fast that, once tweaked a little, could beat the holy hell out of that windows 98 desktop you had back in the day, get a HD2
P.S. If you do get a hd2 the first thing you should do is get the office mobile 2010 update from ms because it's not included by default and is much better than OM 2007
P.P.S. Just to put my speed statement into context. The iPhone 4 which is as yet unreleased still won't be as fast as the Leo which is almost a year on the market
Going by the price of the Hero in NZ, that's a pretty good deal, no? At the very least, you could take the HD2, try it, and sell it to buy another Hero and then some, no?
I'd honestly recommend the HD2 - best phone I've ever used, and the current dev community is making new apps and mods on a daily basis. Re: listed apps, the majority are integrated in Sense UI, and the rest of the functions are fine - unsure on Remember The Milk since it's not an application I'm familiar with. Tasks/reminders?
As for the unofficial app store, check out Omarket - or just browse XDA!
EDIT: As noted above, it's a phone for those who love tweaking everything they possibly can. If you want an out-of-box experience, iphone's the way to go - Personally, I get irked every time I find something I can't change.
Thanks guys - I appreciate the lengthy replies.
Having mildly tweaked my Tytn II and Hero in the past, I'm happy to do the same with the HD2 - which I've just ordered as a replacement. I don't really want to get into rooting and custom ROMs but I've no problem digging around to a degree. I trust the developers here and generally look forward to getting the most out of this phone.
BTW, does it integrate well with Googlemail for contacts and calendaring? All my personal stuff is on there. Or do you have to use the SIM or memory and proprietary apps?
Also, do most market apps utilise the WM UI or does the HD2's skin kick in and make the experience more lush?
Thanks again
SC
Iphone 4 slower then HD2 yeah right> hahaha
Googlemail works fine mate just set it up as an outlook account and the mail will be pushed instead of searched for every hour or so, my contacts and calender entries sync fine from gmail.
and @brushednwhite check the specs
You can integrate with google as an exchange server and sync calendar/email/etc. There's a thread in the T-mobile HD2 forums about it, I use an actual Exchange account so Gmail's just sync'd as an additional email account. It's pretty versatile.
As for the UI, each application has its own. Sense UI is just a front end for HTC's applications and menu skins. There are applications that have the same look though, and you can change/replace anything in the default WinMo menus anyway - I have no problem with 6.5's look myself.
Rooting Android isn't really comparable to WinMo - you may have to disable security warnings to install unsigned apps, but the highly recommended BSB Tweaks will do that for you. Hard SPL is the closest to rooting, it basically lets you install custom ROMs and radios. I have no problem with the stock ROM myself, and it's the first time that's been the case for me - your mileage may vary.
brushednwhite said:
Iphone 4 slower then HD2 yeah right> hahaha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What a totally helpful and impartial reply!
M3PH said:
I'm gonna be honest here, bud. The hd2 probably isn't for you. It is essentially a tweakers phone. here's why:
The lushus front end you speak of is painfully slow out of the box and to get it running smoothly you need to install a couple of apps (a 3d driver patch and a program to force the cpu to run at full speed all the time).
The facebook app is ok but i would not call it excellent and that's after you install the update from MS marketplace.
Opera 9.7 is a solid browser and if you want flash have a look at skyfire or opera 10.
The GPS rocks as long you configure windows to use it properly and get the latest version of google maps. The inbuilt mp3 player sucks and sounds like a 3 year old bashing saucepans with a wooden spoon (this is coming from a partially deaf person so it's bad) there are alternatives but none of the ones i tried sounded much better until i installed SRS WOWHD 2.1 for windows mobile.
I did check to see if you could get evernote for windows mobile and you can. The reminder system is as good as outlook 2010 but you can't split your contacts into groups. Although, coz it's windows mobile exchange integration is flawless and supports ssl secured direct push (and if you have exchange 2010 and outlook 2010 you can enjoy having your text messages viewable in outlook on the pc)
For video you'll probably want to look at tcpmp or it's big brother coreplayer and WM includes the MS rss feed application.
I love the Leo but i'm an IT engineer and messing about with computer hardware and software is what i do for a living (and for fun). A lot of people find it irritating because they have a lot of problems with it, or they find the battery life is too short but from my experience it is because they are just not IT literate enough to deal with the small glitches, that 9 times out of 10, they themselves have caused.
So to summarise, if you want a quiet life, aren't interesting in tweaking or modifying your phone and want all the features on your wish list get the desire. If you want a half assed attempt at a phone, that only lets you do one thing at a time and locks you into 2 different proprietry technologies, get the iPhone and if you love tweaking and modding, want the freedom to do anything you want with your device, a massive screen and a phone so fast that, once tweaked a little, could beat the holy hell out of that windows 98 desktop you had back in the day, get a HD2
P.S. If you do get a hd2 the first thing you should do is get the office mobile 2010 update from ms because it's not included by default and is much better than OM 2007
P.P.S. Just to put my speed statement into context. The iPhone 4 which is as yet unreleased still won't be as fast as the Leo which is almost a year on the market
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@M3PH, what program(s) did you use to crank up the CPU speed on the HD2? Been looking for one but could do with some advice on what programs/tweaks to use
Thanks
why not keep your gf's phone and buy her something else to use?
sam29792 said:
@M3PH, what program(s) did you use to crank up the CPU speed on the HD2? Been looking for one but could do with some advice on what programs/tweaks to use
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The programe you are looking for is LeoCpuSpeed v3.
brushednwhite said:
Iphone 4 slower then HD2 yeah right> hahaha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's certainly no faster.
I'd be inclined to agree with M3PH's summary of the HD2. Given the choice now I'd go for an Android based OS. Not to say I don't love my HD2 and WM 6.5.x. But it does seem dated in comparison. How about getting the more expensive phone, selling and getting an unlocked say, Desire?
Spacechimp said:
.....EDIT: I should add that I've checked out loads of HD2 reviews and the concensus seems to be that the front end is really quick n slick, but ultimately it's still a WinMo OS - the former looks great and certainly looks the part, but does the latter really cause "problems?"
EDIT: I've also read that the HD2 can develop lag/hanging - but I guess every phone can. Is there a fix to this? I've heard that flashing the ROM can sort this, but returning the phone to HTC seems OTT to me. What say you? Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally i love WM. The lag/hanging you speak of was there for me from the moment i turned the phone on for the first time and it is caused by the that lovely UI (sense). The way to solve it is to increase the filsesystem cache, use LCS to remove the autoscaling on the CPU and then set the clock speed to the maximum. I then went off and installed chainfire's 3D driver patch and tweaked the screen BPP. There are some other performance tweaks that i did but there is a thread full of them (BSB tweaks has most of them).
The sms app has major performance issues but there are newer versions available on the forum that you can install. Version 2015 seems to be the best.
I've i had the choice again i would still buy the Leo over anything else but i do recommend it to people thinking of getting one, that aren't nessecarily that patient, with words of caution.
Anyway, i'm off to burn a few litres of nitro fuel and annoy the neighbours with my poorly silenced r/c car (it's a big boys toy )
M3PH said:
Personally i love WM. The lag/hanging you speak of was there for me from the moment i turned the phone on for the first time and it is caused by the that lovely UI (sense). The way to solve it is to increase the filsesystem cache, use LCS to remove the autoscaling on the CPU and then set the clock speed to the maximum. I then went off and installed chainfire's 3D driver patch and tweaked the screen BPP. There are some other performance tweaks that i did but there is a thread full of them (BSB tweaks has most of them).
The sms app has major performance issues but there are newer versions available on the forum that you can install. Version 2015 seems to be the best.
I've i had the choice again i would still buy the Leo over anything else but i do recommend it to people thinking of getting one, that aren't nessecarily that patient, with words of caution.
Anyway, i'm off to burn a few litres of nitro fuel and annoy the neighbours with my poorly silenced r/c car (it's a big boys toy )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to let you know of a different experience...
I've never experience the lag spoken of and have never needed to set my HD2 to run it's CPU at full all the time.. (i understand thats what the CPU speed tweak does but may be wrong)
Likewise my SMS app never lags... (depends how many sms's you keep i guess)
I have installed a custom ROM (its really easy my 3 yr old could manage it) and have never looked back.
More stability, extra features and generally faster than the stock ROM.
The unofficially app stores are available. (o-market is the common one) and coupled with the windows app store means you can get nearly anything.. not to mention all the other apps that are available on XDA!!
It's a great phone and you can spend your time tweaking it or just use it.. mine's fast and stable with it's custom ROM.. no need to tweak it further.....
crispy514 said:
Just to let you know of a different experience...
I've never experience the lag spoken of and have never needed to set my HD2 to run it's CPU at full all the time.. (i understand thats what the CPU speed tweak does but may be wrong)
Likewise my SMS app never lags... (depends how many sms's you keep i guess)
I have installed a custom ROM (its really easy my 3 yr old could manage it) and have never looked back.
More stability, extra features and generally faster than the stock ROM.
The unofficially app stores are available. (o-market is the common one) and coupled with the windows app store means you can get nearly anything.. not to mention all the other apps that are available on XDA!!
It's a great phone and you can spend your time tweaking it or just use it.. mine's fast and stable with it's custom ROM.. no need to tweak it further.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree with the custom rom bit and the lag disappeared on the stock rom once i had tweaked a lil (the one that really help is a tweak to allow manila/sense more memory to use) i will always have sms lag has i have over 5000 messages in my database and the most popular contact has a little over half of that to herself .
M3PH said:
I totally agree with the custom rom bit and the lag disappeared on the stock rom once i had tweaked a lil (the one that really help is a tweak to allow manila/sense more memory to use) i will always have sms lag has i have over 5000 messages in my database and the most popular contact has a little over half of that to herself .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I'd have sms lag with that many texts!!
Thanks all.
I'll see how it performs when it arrives and use the CPU tweak etc if necessary.
It looks like a very capable phone out of the box, so I guess I won't be wanting to customise too much - but the odd performance/functionality tweak may well be on the menu.
Cheers
SC
Get a HTC Desire. A Hero with HD2 power!!
Online it is cheaper than the HD2, so you could sell the HD2 & buy a Desire.
Spacechimp said:
It looks like a very capable phone out of the box, so I guess I won't be wanting to customise too much - but the odd performance/functionality tweak may well be on the menu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, don't fool yourself, I give you a month tops before the allure of flashing a decent custom ROM sucks you in!
Kalavere said:
Haha, don't fool yourself, I give you a month tops before the allure of flashing a decent custom ROM sucks you in!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's why I said "I guess" ... I don't want to go as deep as playing with custom ROMs but you never know ...
omar302 said:
Get a HTC Desire. A Hero with HD2 power!!
Online it is cheaper than the HD2, so you could sell the HD2 & buy a Desire.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had the Hero for nearly a year and in a way fancy a change, even though the Desire is a very sorted device. Besides, the missus is kind of giving me her Hero because she doesn't get on with it - so I'll stick 2.1 on that if and when it finally arrives.
Im thinking of getting a Epic 4g when they are released but Im very hesitant on this because what I have read about Samsung devices being "locked down". First off I prefer AOSP over touch wiz or sense, and I hoping to see this possible on theses devices someday. From what I have seen this may come down to a driver issue as they are encrypted by Samsung. I also want to use Wifi Tether too. Id like anyone who knows about theses devices to shed some light on this and help me make a decision. I dont understand why manufactures feel they need to put crap onto of Android when is more usable with out it. I just wish Samsung they just gave us the option of either roms.
WhiteWidows said:
Im thinking of getting a Epic 4g when they are released but Im very hesitant on this because what I have read about Samsung devices being "locked down". First off I prefer AOSP over touch wiz or sense, and I hoping to see this possible on theses devices someday. From what I have seen this may come down to a driver issue as they are encrypted by Samsung. I also want to use Wifi Tether too. Id like anyone who knows about theses devices to shed some light on this and help me make a decision. I dont understand why manufactures feel they need to put crap onto of Android when is more usable with out it. I just wish Samsung they just gave us the option of either roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you must be mistaken there mate
http://www.careace.net/2010/06/07/samsung-releases-open-source-code-for-galaxy-s/
this was one of the biggest reasons i chose the galaxy S over the droid X and ordered it yesterday ... it appears to me that the hackmmunity will grow quite big with the galaxy s series
edit:
in contrast to: http://www.mydroidworld.com/forums/content/612-bad-news-droid-x-lovers-droid-x-lockdown.html
jodue said:
you must be mistaken there mate
http://www.careace.net/2010/06/07/samsung-releases-open-source-code-for-galaxy-s/
this was one of the biggest reasons i chose the galaxy S over the droid X and ordered it yesterday ... it appears to me that the hackmmunity will grow quite big with the galaxy s series
edit:
in contrast to: http://www.mydroidworld.com/forums/content/612-bad-news-droid-x-lovers-droid-x-lockdown.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This contradicts what I read elsewhere for the better Ill see if I can locate where I read this at, If this is the case why is there no custom roms besides Cyanogenmod? Where is a AOSP roms at? Or is the device just that new nothing is out yet? If this is true Ill be getting the Epic over the Evo
Wifi tether comes with the device, and I have to say I haven't had any problems with its use so far
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
While trying this and putting my N1 aside, I'm surprised how much I'm missing FroYo
Any devs that would care to comment on the possibility of a FroYo port for the SGS?
jodue said:
you must be mistaken there mate
http://www.careace.net/2010/06/07/samsung-releases-open-source-code-for-galaxy-s/
this was one of the biggest reasons i chose the galaxy S over the droid X and ordered it yesterday ... it appears to me that the hackmmunity will grow quite big with the galaxy s series
edit:
in contrast to: http://www.mydroidworld.com/forums/content/612-bad-news-droid-x-lovers-droid-x-lockdown.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sincere advise dont get samsung GS you will be hugely dissappointed. Cancel order if you can or hopefully you will have 14 days return policy.
riz157 said:
sincere advise dont get samsung GS you will be hugely dissappointed. Cancel order if you can or hopefully you will have 14 days return policy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What nonsense
I'm a little confused about the situation with ROMs myself, coming from the Windows Mobile world. If the entire source to the build of Android on the Galaxy S is available, surely it's possible to change anything, theoretically? It also seems that the bootloader has no or negligible security as to what it can flash.
On the other hand, I've seen claims that it would be impossible to get Froyo or any future Android updates if Samsung don't release them first (I know they've committed to Froyo). Unless the driver model changes dramatically in Froyo, which I doubt since then new drivers would be required for every phone, why would it be any more difficult to port newer versions of Android to the Galaxy S than any other phone?
riz157 said:
sincere advise dont get samsung GS you will be hugely dissappointed. Cancel order if you can or hopefully you will have 14 days return policy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why do you say this? I purchased mine today and so far am very satisfied with
the phone.
Just testing xda app.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
jodue said:
you must be mistaken there mate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it's just that there are different components and layers which can be considered open or "locked down", and you both use different ones.
The bootloader for the samsung galaxy is not locked.
But there is an argument by the XDA forum member psychoace that some of the drivers for the galaxy S were not open sourced, and that in earlier android devices from samsung this made it very hard to create ROMs which are not based on Samsung's own ROMs.
As far as I know, this argument from psychoace was never countered, and so I see no reason not to believe it. (I did not look over the sources myself yet).
So can someone port new versions of Android over to the Galaxy S after Samsung has abandoned the device? I really don't know, but I wouldn't count on it, until someone who has experience with making custom ROMs says it is realistic.
The reason I state this is because other then the graphics, video playback, camera there is not much to shout about this device. The lagging is awful, it can't cope with multi tasking compared to say aswell the desire. The issue with the keyboard lagging. Internet crashing for no apparent reason. It seems as the samy gs cant handle the goodies packed into this device. No trackball, flash or led which is very useful.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
riz157 said:
The reason I state this is because other then the graphics, video playback, camera there is not much to shout about this device. The lagging is awful, it can't cope with multi tasking compared to say aswell the desire. The issue with the keyboard lagging. Internet crashing for no apparent reason. It seems as the samy gs cant handle the goodies packed into this device. No trackball, flash or led which is very useful.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as far as i understand it, the lagging issues are just because of the touchwiz and especially the samsung-widgets. removing the widgets and replacing the luncher with luncher-pro/adw will be the first thing i do when i have the device in my hands. on the other side: the hardware of the galaxy s is very good in my opinion!
@bookwormat:
i think you are wrong! i have read in some forums that samsung has released the drivers for 2.1 together with all other code! in fact i am just pulling the code (including the full kernel) from the samsung open source center (http://opensource.samsung.com/). it's huge, 148MB ... when it's finished i will give it a look an confirm what's in there and what not.
You might just want to take into consideration the fact that the Nexus and Desire had some problems as well right after launch.
The nexus took some time ( a couple of months) to set things straight, the Desire- A couple of weeks only. But it's understandable, since it's 95% identical to the nexus, so HTC probably knew what is going to be problematic.
Also, you're taking things to major extremes. You make it sound like the device is catastrophically slow to the level of being unuseable, and crashes every 2 minutes.
Reality, well, is different. The longest lag i had personally is 1.5 seconds when loading asphalt 5. Every other lag when opening an app- less than half a second.
I'd also like you to refrain from stating one personal problem as a bug in the device, you are the only known member in this forum that is having trouble with the keyboard.
A little search in MoDaCo forums reveals that some users are reporting slight problems with the keyboard, but it's limited to Firmware JG01 only.
It's sad that instead of taking a moment to see if you can solve these problems or helping others find a solution, you preffer to bash the device in every occasion.
For some reason Riz is really down on his SGS and to such an extent that it seems he's got a grudge against the device. Sell it or trade it in if it really makes you that unhappy.
For me it's really an awesome phone that comes with some minor annoyances that seem entirely caused by the fact that it's brand new. So far it appears that Samsung is putting a lot of effort in maturing the software and I expect the issues to be solved within a matter of weeks. In all reality it would take about 10 minutes to setup a new phone and have it operate well without even upgrading any firmware. A simple switch to launcherpro followed by a root with update.zip and then installing autokiller (i use strict profile) will solve 99% of the lag problems.
Battery life is very good after the first initial cycles.
GPS doesn't work right you may all ***** about that.
I'm sure I would be happy with the new HTC's, or even the iphone 4 (the thought of buying into apple's nasty attitude does make me cringe a bit) but I would still choose the SGS again providing they fix the gps.
Perhaps I'm being over critical but there are serious flaws with this device, there is no denying this.
GPS not working - there doesn't seem to be a solution, can't use copilot or googlemaps.
Lagging/freezing - changed to launcher pro not as bad but still occurs.
I hope the boys at samy are working hard to find fixes for these problems. If there are solutions then please guide me to them.
Don't get me wrong this device has potential and there alot of good features but due to issues mentioned above it just ruins the users experience.
I paid good money for this device not so that I could put it down but to use it. I'm just stating my experience for the benefit of others who maybe considering to buy this device.
If there are solutions wonderful p
dakine said:
For some reason Riz is really down on his SGS and to such an extent that it seems he's got a grudge against the device. Sell it or trade it in if it really makes you that unhappy.
In all reality it would take about 10 minutes to setup a new phone and have it operate well without even upgrading any firmware. A simple switch to launcherpro followed by a root with update.zip and then installing autokiller (i use strict profile) will solve 99% of the lag problems.
Okay - could you please give me link to guide on rooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really dont uderstand all this gps not working talk.I use co pilot a lot and its extremely accurate and keeps lock in all weathers.Googe maps works indoors to within a house or so and out side gets me within 15 feet or so.I did have gps issues initially until I flashed firmware and factory reset.My i8910 hd had better gps but that was an exeptional phone for gps
Okay - could you please give me link to guide on rooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download the update.zip file from this thread.
Or direct link here
Copy the file to the internal storage card of the phone using Kies or whatever method you like.
Disconnect the usb cable
Turn off the phone
Press and hold these buttons at the same time: volume up+home+power, keep them pressed until you see the samsung logo.
Use volume rocker to navigate to update.zip and then press home to select.
Phone will reboot and you are now rooted with superuser.
The whole process takes less than 5 minutes.
I'm not responsible for anything
I like the phone but there are problems
1.keyboard has dup presses... solved with HTC keyboard. Also l key in portrait mode doesn't always work.
2. Gps lock not as good or reliable as my I 8910
3. StallING.. fix fixed it the only program that has a lag to load is sygic.
4. Image resizing not working well in gallery and web.
5. Still doesn't always switch back to 3g from edge. Jg1 is better than previous.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
First off, I'd like to thank everyone on XDA trying to make modifications to the Atrix. You all have done an exceptional job.
I've owned an Atrix since Early March, upgrading from an iPhone 3G. When I got it, I was very excited at the new possibilities Android gave me for customizing my phone, increasing performance, etc. By the way, this upgrade is a huge step up from my iPhone 3G in terms of performance.
But.
It seems like Android as a whole doesn't really feel like the smartphone experience I hoped for. Sure, I have a laptop dock, it runs most Linux programs compiled for ARM, people are impressed. But the user interface on the phone, the errant bugs on stock builds (I'm using Alien, so no exactly stock, but it also has its downsides), and the apps on the Android Market just don't feel as nice as iOS or Windows Phone 7 (those are the only two mobile OSes I've used). It probably has a lot to do with the large manufacturer control over software instead of Google, the lack of a lot of hardware acceleration in most applications and the user interface (for now, I know!), and overall lack of programming aptitude of some Android developers (There are some damn good apps on Android compared to Apple's Appstore too, but I'm going to have to give this trophy to iOS, and inherently Objective-C).
Granted, I haven't tried CM7 or MIUI largely due to me needing webtop mode for classes (has anyone tried porting that to CM7 yet?). Yes, Ice Cream Sandwich will probably be a hell of a lot better than pretty much any OS out there right now.
I'm very tired right now so this may be long-winded, but in my opinion, it seems like Google and Android phone manufacturers are behind the game right now. Performance can get abysmal if you're on stock, but if you've unlocked your bootloader and installed a fresh ROM, the experience can get a little wacked.
Thoughts? Comments? Rebuttals? I'm all for it.
paravorheim said:
First off, I'd like to thank everyone on XDA trying to make modifications to the Atrix. You all have done an exceptional job.
I've owned an Atrix since Early March, upgrading from an iPhone 3G. When I got it, I was very excited at the new possibilities Android gave me for customizing my phone, increasing performance, etc. By the way, this upgrade is a huge step up from my iPhone 3G in terms of performance.
But.
It seems like Android as a whole doesn't really feel like the smartphone experience I hoped for. Sure, I have a laptop dock, it runs most Linux programs compiled for ARM, people are impressed. But the user interface on the phone, the errant bugs on stock builds (I'm using Alien, so no exactly stock, but it also has its downsides), and the apps on the Android Market just don't feel as nice as iOS or Windows Phone 7 (those are the only two mobile OSes I've used). It probably has a lot to do with the large manufacturer control over software instead of Google, the lack of a lot of hardware acceleration in most applications and the user interface (for now, I know!), and overall lack of programming aptitude of some Android developers (There are some damn good apps on Android compared to Apple's Appstore too, but I'm going to have to give this trophy to iOS, and inherently Objective-C).
Granted, I haven't tried CM7 or MIUI largely due to me needing webtop mode for classes (has anyone tried porting that to CM7 yet?). Yes, Ice Cream Sandwich will probably be a hell of a lot better than pretty much any OS out there right now.
I'm very tired right now so this may be long-winded, but in my opinion, it seems like Google and Android phone manufacturers are behind the game right now. Performance can get abysmal if you're on stock, but if you've unlocked your bootloader and installed a fresh ROM, the experience can get a little wacked.
Thoughts? Comments? Rebuttals? I'm all for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As much as I respect ur opinion. What bugs and what app problems are u facing?
Because I had the Alien Rom for more than a month and it was smooth as butter and very responsive.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
paravorheim said:
In my opinion, it seems like Google and Android phone manufacturers are behind the game right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my thoughts exactly. After going through 5 different Android phones in the last year and then using to iOS when I bought an iPad, it really changed my opinion on Android.
I think Android is a little rough around the edges and could definitely use some improvement.
Personally, I'm jumping ship for the next iPhone. *waits for angry posts*
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
TheBassman369 said:
This is my thoughts exactly. After going through 5 different Android phones in the last year and then using to iOS when I bought an iPad, it really changed my opinion on Android.
I think Android is a little rough around the edges and could definitely use some improvement.
Personally, I'm jumping ship for the next iPhone. *waits for angry posts*
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I seriously don't like about u iOS lovers. U talk in all the vague terms. Gives a perception that u don't know what u r talking about. Will u ever mention exactly what r ur problems with Android ? A healthy insight would be great. And why not post on xda if u r facing some problems or glitches.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
I don't know. I use android for my personal use. I almost make a living off iPhones.
I'll say one thing
the majority of the dev scene for Apple REVOLVES around jailbreaking and unlocking [and trickles down into free apps] that's pretty much it, yes, there's a lot of homebrew and a lot of work done with apple, but the real hard work goes into unlocking
the majority of the dev scene for Android revolves around improving the core use of the OS and also fixing or tweaking the way hardware is used [such as unlocking frequency bands, fm radio, camera resolutions, battery tweaks, processor or GPU OC/UV, etc]
that should tell you what it comes down to.
Im excited for cm7... but I need webtop!!! So torn. I know the devs are working on a port because cm7 requires stock functionality (webtop and fingerprint scanner) to get official status
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I think my Atrix out of the box is great compared to my Captivate I had...so..it might have something to do with the early builds and how you have your phone set up...that's giving you problems
Mac
I would like to understand why so many people say they "need" webtop, and why so many cannot live without it on this phone. Somebody please answer this. I am pretty sure everyone lived perfectly fine before the Atrix came along, so why the sudden requirement for school and work to "need" webtop?
If you came from the iPhone, you certainly did not have webtop before.
TheBassman369 said:
This is my thoughts exactly. After going through 5 different Android phones in the last year and then using to iOS when I bought an iPad, it really changed my opinion on Android.
I think Android is a little rough around the edges and could definitely use some improvement.
Personally, I'm jumping ship for the next iPhone. *waits for angry posts*
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This really isn't geared at you per say, but to anyone in the market for either an iPhone vs Android I'd say wait till the fall when you can compare iP5 against ICS.
If ICS is all that, then a lot of Atrix users will be "very happy" to put it mildly (and so will their wallets)...
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Here's what it breaks down into.
Do you love modding your phone, choosing where, when, and how things are done on your operating system, being able to have full control over your processes / cpu usage / bandwith consumption? Do you like personal freedoms and choices? Get a phone with an Android operating system.
Do you love....Apple? Get an iphone.
For me, its same as windows Desktops and Laptops comapared to Macs or linux.
When you buy a Dell/HP laptop, you get a ton of crapware. that slows the machine down to a limit that the upgrade seems worthless in some case.
To make it all right, you have format and have a clean vanila install. (at least thats what I do).
On Mac, you get things that are good and apple certified. So, you get a good performing machine from the very first boot.
Our android phones are same as windows laptops/desktops from Dell/HP. CM7 is the clean vanila install for android. and i jumped for the first CM7 prebeta that was available!
I was talking to my brother the other day. He was trying to decide which phone OS to go for his next phone. My basic description went like this:
Apple, will take you by the hand ... and bring you to your destination (smart phone nervana). If you see something along your path, apple will ignore it ... and keep on going.
WP7 (never used it, but from what I can gather) will take you by the hand, and guide you to your destination. If you see something interesting along your path, you can stop, but WP7 will constantly nag you to keep on moving in their direction.
Android, will tell you which direction your destination is in, and say ... good luck.
bbb90104 said:
I was talking to my brother the other day. He was trying to decide which phone OS to go for his next phone. My basic description went like this:
Apple, will take you by the hand ... and bring you to your destination (smart phone nervana). If you see something along your path, apple will ignore it ... and keep on going.
WP7 (never used it, but from what I can gather) will take you by the hand, and guide you to your destination. If you see something interesting along your path, you can stop, but WP7 will constantly nag you to keep on moving in their direction.
Android, will tell you which direction your destination is in, and say ... good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THIS IS AWESOME!!!!! I'm stealing it!
bbb90104 said:
I was talking to my brother the other day. He was trying to decide which phone OS to go for his next phone. My basic description went like this:
Apple, will take you by the hand ... and bring you to your destination (smart phone nervana). If you see something along your path, apple will ignore it ... and keep on going.
WP7 (never used it, but from what I can gather) will take you by the hand, and guide you to your destination. If you see something interesting along your path, you can stop, but WP7 will constantly nag you to keep on moving in their direction.
Android, will tell you which direction your destination is in, and say ... good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amazing description. LOL !
anupash said:
As much as I respect ur opinion. What bugs and what app problems are u facing?
Because I had the Alien Rom for more than a month and it was smooth as butter and very responsive.
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I've been getting random reboots every couple of days. Whenever the phone stats up again out tells me that there is no sim card so I have to reboot again.
Sometimes the screen will be unresponsive, and a reboot is required. Then I get the no Sim card problem again so I have to reboot a second time.
Pandora doesn't like to be kept in memory very well, which may be am issue of me just needing to reinstall the app.
I'm sure there's more, and definitely many worse problems on my iPhone 3G.
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againareku said:
I don't know. I use android for my personal use. I almost make a living off iPhones.
I'll say one thing
the majority of the dev scene for Apple REVOLVES around jailbreaking and unlocking [and trickles down into free apps] that's pretty much it, yes, there's a lot of homebrew and a lot of work done with apple, but the real hard work goes into unlocking
the majority of the dev scene for Android revolves around improving the core use of the OS and also fixing or tweaking the way hardware is used [such as unlocking frequency bands, fm radio, camera resolutions, battery tweaks, processor or GPU OC/UV, etc]
that should tell you what it comes down to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is precisely why I bought an Android phone instead of an iPhone this time around. Because honestly performance was my main issue with my iPhone.
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paravorheim said:
I've been getting random reboots every couple of days. Whenever the phone stats up again out tells me that there is no sim card so I have to reboot again.
Sometimes the screen will be unresponsive, and a reboot is required. Then I get the no Sim card problem again so I have to reboot a second time.
Pandora doesn't like to be kept in memory very well, which may be am issue of me just needing to reinstall the app.
I'm sure there's more, and definitely many worse problems on my iPhone 3G.
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Hmmm... sorry but you SHOULDN"T be having these problems.
In regards to random reboots issue - are you overclocked? do you use launcherpro?
In regards to sim card absent issue - how old is your sim card? this could also be a phone issue, you should be eligible for a replacement in that case.
Touchscreen unresponsive issue - again, you shouldn't be having this issue. Which rom do you use? Do you have a screen protector? In what specific usage cases does it freeze?
I have nothing like this problems at all.
CaelanT said:
I would like to understand why so many people say they "need" webtop, and why so many cannot live without it on this phone. Somebody please answer this. I am pretty sure everyone lived perfectly fine before the Atrix came along, so why the sudden requirement for school and work to "need" webtop?
If you came from the iPhone, you certainly did not have webtop before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right, I didn't have webtop before when I owned an iPhone. I also had a laptop given to me by my school then too.
Now that i've had to return that, I bought the laptop dock specifically for note taking and remote desktop into my computer in my room for using programs required for engineering (Matlab, Eclipse, Mathematica, etc.)
I could have bought a NetBook for a little more money, and had much better performance, but I thought the cool factor of your phone powering a laptop and all the work being done to better
webtop would be worth more. (especially now with the source out )
I think my op suggested I was frustrated to the point where I would sell the phone. No, I still love it. But I thought I'd express my feelings about some of its shortcomings.
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xploited said:
Hmmm... sorry but you SHOULDN"T be having these problems.
In regards to random reboots issue - are you overclocked? do you use launcherpro?
In regards to sim card absent issue - how old is your sim card? this could also be a phone issue, you should be eligible for a replacement in that case.
Touchscreen unresponsive issue - again, you shouldn't be having this issue. Which rom do you use? Do you have a screen protector? In what specific usage cases does it freeze?
I have nothing like this problems at all.
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Click to collapse
More than likely all I need is a new rom flash, with a newer or stock kernel. I'm not overclocked, and I use adw launcher ex.
My Sim card came with my phone when I got it, so is about 6 months old. I may just ask them for a new one whenever I go home to see if that fixes the problem.
I believe that the touchscreen being unresponsive could be due to overheat issues, because every time it happens I think it gets fairly toasty. Or maybe when my phone vibrated in my pocket when someone calls me, and I press the power button to mute it. I do indeed have a screen protector on though; do you think that's why it would become unresponsive?
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paravorheim said:
I think my op suggested I was frustrated to the point where I would sell the phone. No, I still love it. But I thought I'd express my feelings about some of its shortcomings.
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Well... to address your frustrations now...
I only managed to conclude that your homescreen lags, right?
Well, on Android you can always find alternatives for everythings. When it comes to homescreens, you are spoiled for choice - ADW, Stock launcher, GO Launcher, launcherpro, even Touchwiz launcher are all available for Atrix.
I assure you that you will find at least one that you like visually and which doesn't lag.