Database Users

Buy a Touch Dimond 2 or wait.....

Hi all,
Thinking about buying the HTC touch diamond 2. The thing is I like the look of samsung omnia 2, which has better specs than the diamond, however I prefer touchflo 3D and the form factor of the diamond and it seems a safer bet, plus it has the custom roms and excellent support of these forums
Now the diamond 2 has been out a while so would you still buy one now, or would you wait? Also are they usually reliable or are they prone to bad ones?
Cheers

I'd wait, Leo just got announced
that is, if you can wait

You should definately wait some months, don't buy a D2 then get dissapointed when HTC announce yet another phone. HD2 will definately be a phone you want to buy.

The Diamond 2 came out in April. Well that was 6 months ago. In 6 months the D3 will be out and so will other phones. You will be disappointed if you buy it now and learner that in 4 months a better phone will be out. I'd say upgrade to the HD2 or get the Omnia if you want it. I'm sure there will be a cook that will get TouchFlo3D onto it. Many people have it running on their Xperias. It's all WinMo so it all works the same.

TD2 is a fine phone and if it's in your budget and like the form factor then it's definately worth considering. You could wait for the next version but then you are playing the waiting game and you could end up without.
I have had the TD2 since it came out in the UK which is only some 6 months or so ago and I will be upgrading to the HD2 which is a phone with everything I need.

Although HD2 has almost everything I want in a phone I would never buy it just because of its enormous size. All of you guys are so excited about this device but none of you have had anything that big before. It would be very uncomfortable to carry it around. HTC Pure/Diamond 2 just came out here in the US on AT&T for a very affordable price. I don't know where you're located but if you're in US I highly recomend checking this phone out.

Cheers for the comments, I agree that the touch HD2 looks like an awesome bit of kit it just seems a bit on the huge size, and where at work I need to carry a blackberry around pocket space is hard to come by!
As a side note if I would get the touch diamond 2 I would get it on a 12 month contract so it would not be a huge amount of time to wait if say a snapdragon diamond 3 came out
Please keep the comments coming

I'd wait a few weeks and see what the n900 is like in the flesh. I wstched a couple of video's of it yesterday and I was taken.
Having had nseries phones up till I got my Diamond, O just wsn't immpressed with their touchscreen efforts, I went for the Topaz. Granted, ot is the best looking, both in terms of form factor, and the gui, my homescreem looks ****ing awesome for what is essentially a phone, and i'm on stock!
Having went onto maemos site snd had a hands on look at some of the developers using it, this thing looks amazing, the browser and desktop are totally stunning. The specs for it something else too.
Although the Topaz is highly moddable, most of them are to do with the look and user funtuality, not like the things you could do with a symbian device. Look for thing on here called phonejacker or something, I could do this on my n95, over bluetooth 2years ago, by simply running a python commamd, look at kerfuffle to get working on winmo. I could also use my phone as a wii remote. It's those type of things that I don't like about my Topaz, the potential to do things woth winmo, but after appearance, the nokia was better device.
If this kind of functionality can be brought to the maemo5 platform, then it's hasty goodbye this wonderful piece of eyecandy.

Why I don't doubt what your saying I have personally never been a fan of the symbian OS. Hence why I am stickign with WinMo its not the best but it does everything you want it just sometimes takes a long while to get there!

The n900 doesn't run symnian, it's on linux based maemo5.

The Diamond 2 is a great phone, and with the WinMo 6.5 upgrade will be as good as anything on the market.
The HD2 is way too big for my taste.
You can wait, but that is a perpetual cycle because there will always be a new phone coming out in a couple of months, so when do you stop waiting and actually get a phone?

PretoriaPhil said:
The Diamond 2 is a great phone, and with the WinMo 6.5 upgrade will be as good as anything on the market.
The HD2 is way too big for my taste.
You can wait, but that is a perpetual cycle because there will always be a new phone coming out in a couple of months, so when do you stop waiting and actually get a phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Phil,
That kinda summs up where I am, the HD2 is an awesome speced phone but too big for me really, plus I have just got a 4.3" screen Archos 605 which will do a better job with video playback due to the higher colour pallet.
I think I just need to pay the money and get something, if something new comes out then a upgrade is a year away or just have to sell the TD2 and buy it sim-free worst comes worst. I know the TD2 has been out 6 month, but with the version just released in the USA I think it will most likely be sticking about for a while.

loriolus said:
Although HD2 has almost everything I want in a phone I would never buy it just because of its enormous size. All of you guys are so excited about this device but none of you have had anything that big before. It would be very uncomfortable to carry it around. HTC Pure/Diamond 2 just came out here in the US on AT&T for a very affordable price. I don't know where you're located but if you're in US I highly recomend checking this phone out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's about 2/3 the thickness of the Topaz (about as thin as a pencil)
I see they've just added it to their products list I think it looks awesome!

I'm glad that some people realize how uncomfortably big HD2 is, and people who are waiting for this device will surely realize that once they get a hold of it.

Thank you everyone for you help,
Just ordered my Diamond 2 ! Very excited it will be replacing my old W850i

loriolus said:
Although HD2 has almost everything I want in a phone I would never buy it just because of its enormous size. All of you guys are so excited about this device but none of you have had anything that big before. It would be very uncomfortable to carry it around. HTC Pure/Diamond 2 just came out here in the US on AT&T for a very affordable price. I don't know where you're located but if you're in US I highly recomend checking this phone out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah but the Pure is on AT&T. Most people wouldn't want to switch over for many reasons. Like they are under contract, They Have a better plan than they can get on AT&T, Their network coverage is better.
And for people like me we love unlocked phones. We travel internationally and it's great to just swap sim cards without having to call the SP to unlock the phone. It's just worth it to pay the moey. Especially when your the only one to have it an people ask what phone it is and if they can get it. And I say In 6-12 months mebe. ok I don't say that but I would.
And for me I have a $40 my faves plan with 1500 txt messages and $5.99 unlimited data plan on T-Mo. I pay about $56 after taxes and all a month. I can use every feature of the phone and it works great on edge an T-mo has nothing to say about it.
The HD2 seems big. The HD seemed big but over the summer I got to actually see one in person while in Greece and I regreted not buying it over the TD2. It was smaller and thinner than I thought and it fit comfortably in my hand. The extra money it would have cost over the TD2 though is what initially changed my mind If I new how it looked in person I woulda paid the extra money.
If the HD2 isn't much bigger I may opt for it. But I hate txting on capacitive screens. Txting is so much faster, easier, and accurate on resistive screens.
AceofSpades25 said:
It's about 2/3 the thickness of the Topaz (about as thin as a pencil)
I see they've just added it to their products list I think it looks awesome!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right.Thinner is better.
loriolus said:
I'm glad that some people realize how uncomfortably big HD2 is, and people who are waiting for this device will surely realize that once they get a hold of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually read my first response above. 3rd paragraph. If people see it in person they may change their minds as I did with the HD. I would love to see it in person first before I buy it but many people may be surprised.
Make a paper/cardboard cut out of the size and try to imagine it.

Getting the phone unlocked is super easy...don't make a big deal out of it. I would love to pay less and get tmobile but I find tmobile's reception inferrior to att. HD2 may be thinner than D2 but why are you bringing up just the thinnes? What about the height 120.5 vs 107.9? What about width 67 vs 53.1? Now that's some difference.

loriolus said:
Getting the phone unlocked is super easy...don't make a big deal out of it. I would love to pay less and get tmobile but I find tmobile's reception inferrior to att. HD2 may be thinner than D2 but why are you bringing up just the thinnes? What about the height 120.5 vs 107.9? What about width 67 vs 53.1? Now that's some difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
comparing it to the TD2 there would be a differnce. but after holding a Touch HD the hight and wiidth didnt matter much because the thinness made up for it. especially when in the pocket.
What i was saying that if the HD2 wasnt much bigger than the HD than its worth it. The original HD was iphone sized with a larger screen. The HD 2 is a little taller and wider but thinner. a few mm aint that big a difference. But before i make final judgnent like i did with the HD I'd like to see it in person.

Hd is at the maximum tolerable size I think, and I quite like the design. Looks much more modern than HD2. Few mm on a phone is very noticable.

Personally, i was gonna get a diamond 2 but... yesterday the hd2 got anounced.... so i think im gonna wait a little while longer because the specs on the hd2 are amazing

My HD2 makes me feel dirty

Hello friends. I have had my hd2 for about a month and a half now and I have not gotten close to it. My last phone purchase before the hd2 was the g1. I fell for that phone in about an hour. I felt it was at that tome the best phone I had ever had and it was nice and snappy. I had it for 2 years and had no issues ever. Then the touch screen got numbed and it decided to work on and off. I was going to run out and get a new one but I decided that I should just get a newer model. I knew it was going to be htc but the hd2 rePly stuck out foe me. Huge screen Wich felt good in my bear claw hands. And it is so sexy. Hardware is top of the line. I thought I was golden foe at least another 2 years. Yea right. I can't stand this phone. The touch input is not responsive enough to let me type at the speed I feel comfortabl at. And the web browser is not even in the same leauge as the one on the g1. I feel that I got a phone that wasn't me. I feel so bad and it hurts bad. The problem is that I bought it cash on a whim when it was sold out all over for $600.I know a bit high but what can I do. I felt it was fair I figure two years of use is less than a dollar a day for top notch hardware was ok. But this phone is not working for me. I feel bad when I say. Windows mobile killed the hd2. Htc should release some android for this. It seems that windows mobile isn't really the best for me. It may be great but I just fell for android. Now I have this horrid phone and I don't even like it. I actually just got an iPhone 2g and I like it more. And I hate the iPhone but what can I say. I found someone who will take my hd2 and give me a 16gb 3gs and a samsung behold 2. Seems pretty good. I can sll the build for a couple dollars maybe 150 ish and then sll the 3gs for around 400 maybe and then get me a nexus one or maybe I will just hold on to th cash and wait for htc to release another great android phone for tmobile. And no the mytouch slide is not htc top for tmobile I hope. Maybe I should wait till end of summer for some special and then use my renew credit. Tmobile is my only choice. Common tmoble be tops in android again please. The only affordable provider that has 3 lines unlmt talk for $99. I can't leave them

ericm115 said:
Hello friends. I have had my hd2 for about a month and a half now and I have not gotten close to it. My last phone purchase before the hd2 was the g1. I fell for that phone in about an hour. I felt it was at that tome the best phone I had ever had and it was nice and snappy. I had it for 2 years and had no issues ever. Then the touch screen got numbed and it decided to work on and off. I was going to run out and get a new one but I decided that I should just get a newer model. I knew it was going to be htc but the hd2 rePly stuck out foe me. Huge screen Wich felt good in my bear claw hands. And it is so sexy. Hardware is top of the line. I thought I was golden foe at least another 2 years. Yea right. I can't stand this phone. The touch input is not responsive enough to let me type at the speed I feel comfortabl at. And the web browser is not even in the same leauge as the one on the g1. I feel that I got a phone that wasn't me. I feel so bad and it hurts bad. The problem is that I bought it cash on a whim when it was sold out all over for $600.I know a bit high but what can I do. I felt it was fair I figure two years of use is less than a dollar a day for top notch hardware was ok. But this phone is not working for me. I feel bad when I say. Windows mobile killed the hd2. Htc should release some android for this. It seems that windows mobile isn't really the best for me. It may be great but I just fell for android. Now I have this horrid phone and I don't even like it. I actually just got an iPhone 2g and I like it more. And I hate the iPhone but what can I say. I found someone who will take my hd2 and give me a 16gb 3gs and a samsung behold 2. Seems pretty good. I can sll the build for a couple dollars maybe 150 ish and then sll the 3gs for around 400 maybe and then get me a nexus one or maybe I will just hold on to th cash and wait for htc to release another great android phone for tmobile. And no the mytouch slide is not htc top for tmobile I hope. Maybe I should wait till end of summer for some special and then use my renew credit. Tmobile is my only choice. Common tmoble be tops in android again please. The only affordable provider that has 3 lines unlmt talk for $99. I can't leave them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like Verizon is a better choice for you phone wise, and t-mobile is your choice for coverage and pricing.
Although T-mobile has some andriod phones the other carriers have the top android/droid phones other than the nexus one. Now you have to find out what one is bigger to you and then figure a solution for the other. HTC will never give this phone anroid but it might be ported by a developer. But doesn't look like any time soon.

Its called the galaxy S. I really think its coming to tmobile just wait for it.

bwest411 said:
Its called the galaxy S. I really think its coming to tmobile just wait for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
x2. if you're gonna stick with t-mobile and want to stick with a device that has premium hardware like the hd2, wait for the galaxy s to come out. 4" screen, front camera, rear camera. Super AMOLED display.
i also upgraded from a both a g1 and a mytouch to an hd2. however, i'm not on the same boat as the OP of this thread. i have grown to like win mo 6.5 more and more and have made all the necessary tweaks to make the hd2 the way i want it to run and look in terms of theme and performance.
perhaps you should try flashing a rom or find the necessary .cab files such as cookie's home tab to help you change your mind about ditching this phone.

ryan562 said:
x2. if you're gonna stick with t-mobile and want to stick with a device that has premium hardware like the hd2, wait for the galaxy s to come out. 4" screen, front camera, rear camera. Super AMOLED display.
i also upgraded from a both a g1 and a mytouch to an hd2. however, i'm not on the same boat as the OP of this thread. i have grown to like win mo 6.5 more and more and have made all the necessary tweaks to make the hd2 the way i want it to run and look in terms of theme and performance.
perhaps you should try flashing a rom or find the necessary .cab files such as cookie's home tab to help you change your mind about ditching this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. I had mixed feelings about this phone when I first got it, and felt the same way you did. I paid full price for it (because of my hatred for contracts) and felt like I had made a huge mistake and instantly wanted to buy a Nexus One so I could shelf this device. But as I got more involved with the development community and tried different ROMs and 3rd party apps, I began to love it, not only is the performance better, but it is much sexier than it was. I still plan on buying a Nexus One (fandroid ) but by no means am I going to excommunicate myself from this device.
WinMo 6.5 was like an ugly girl with a great personality. You want nothing to do with her until you get to know her
But seriously, do not give up on this phone before testing everything out with it

Thanks for the responses.
I think that i have found the main issue with my phone. I have spbshell on it and i feel restricted. I think im going to just try and make my own rom. with what suites me. I also realized that i have a phone fetish or something. In my collection i have a G1, MyTouch 3g 1.2, iPhone 2g, HTC Hero, HTC HD2, Samsung Behold 2. I have to many phones. most recent was the iPhone 2g and it is not as bad as i thought. i was thinking of getting a iPhone 4 but i cant. I need to find a way to make this hd2 work for me. I hate the battery life also. o well,i guess i could just make a small 2000mah battery pack. that would fix things.
again thanks

Seriously dude, check out some different ROMs, and try Cookie's Home Tab. CHT actually mods the stock Sense interface, which is likely to work much better/smoother, and with less restrictions. Most of the ROMs available get rid of all the bloatware, and add speed/stability to the device.
I was in the same situation as you... and was seriously considering returning my HD2 and picking up the N1 instead. However, after installing several tweak apps and flashing Dinik & Miri's new ROM, I'm VERY satisfied. Works smooth, looks great, and has a lot of the features that I wanted from Android.
It really pays to do your homework, and spend some time modding your device... it takes time and trial/error to figure out what works best for you, but I'm sure you can get your HD2 running as you hoped it would. Just spend some time scouring these forums, and you'll find lots of good info on how to get the most out of your device. It can be a bit overwhelming, as a lot of the info is scattered throughout different subforums, but I'm confident you can find what you're looking for.
Also, it would help to know what mods/tweaks you've done to your HD2 so far, so we make recommendations on what you can do to make you happy with it (I.E.- ROM version, .cabs installed, etc.)

I took the plunge and traded it, I got a great deal. 1 iPhone 3GS and a Nexus one with a cracked screen. Now i have repaired the nexus one. I am happy with my trade. The HD2 had power but i didn't like it, not very fun to use. The 3gs is great and the nexus one is also great. true smaller screen but the ui is much better on both the iphone and nexus one. I wish tmobile would have something lined up for next year that is better than the incredible. If not i see no reason to stay with them. my contracts up in 3 months and they don't really have anything they could offer me to stay. plus the prepaid unlimited all on tmo network for $60 looks nice.

Glad to hear it worked out for you. I honestly love the HD2 and sleep with it nightly. But everyones different and uses different features. How you liking being a Machead?

ericm115 said:
I took the plunge and traded it, I got a great deal. 1 iPhone 3GS and a Nexus one with a cracked screen. Now i have repaired the nexus one. I am happy with my trade. The HD2 had power but i didn't like it, not very fun to use. The 3gs is great and the nexus one is also great. true smaller screen but the ui is much better on both the iphone and nexus one. I wish tmobile would have something lined up for next year that is better than the incredible. If not i see no reason to stay with them. my contracts up in 3 months and they don't really have anything they could offer me to stay. plus the prepaid unlimited all on tmo network for $60 looks nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint carries the HTC EVO 4G, which is the same as an HTC HD2 except running Android, with an 8mp camera that can shoot video in 720p.
I must admit I wish I had signed for that instead, but I'm stuck for 2 years.

Evo's a great phone I just feel it came out at the wrong time. I think by Christmas it will be old news and we may see dual core's. Had it come out at the same time as the HD2 I would be liking it better.

Switched over to SGSII

I jumped from the Desire HD and I am blown away... Thanks for all the feedback about this phone cause it was worth it.

welcome to the dark side dude. Had a desire hd and this is a definite upgrade.

I've had a HD2 for over a year and a half now, and it's been like having virtually every phone on the market. It's taken this long for something to come out that's tempting me away from the HD2 (and HTC!), and it's the Galaxy S II.
Anyone here gone from Android on HD2 to this phone? I'm just curious about comparison.
Edit: Scratch that. I just ordered one

Have you flashed hacked and tweaked it yet .
jje

I made the switch from the DHD rather than going the Sensation route and I'm so glad I made this choice! After moving to the DHD from the N1, it was only really the screen size that changed, but the SGS2 is a whole new experience.
Regards.

I have. WORTH IT. you won't regret it. I'm in Canada and tested the waters by placing the S2 (yes S2) on craiglist, I could sold it for one thousand a cool 200+ profit but I enjoyed it so much I could never go back to the HD2 . Enjoy your phone, you'll love it.
johncmolyneux said:
I've had a HD2 for over a year and a half now, and it's been like having virtually every phone on the market. It's taken this long for something to come out that's tempting me away from the HD2 (and HTC!), and it's the Galaxy S II.
Anyone here gone from Android on HD2 to this phone? I'm just curious about comparison.
Edit: Scratch that. I just ordered one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

johncmolyneux said:
I've had a HD2 for over a year and a half now, and it's been like having virtually every phone on the market. It's taken this long for something to come out that's tempting me away from the HD2 (and HTC!), and it's the Galaxy S II.
Anyone here gone from Android on HD2 to this phone? I'm just curious about comparison.
Edit: Scratch that. I just ordered one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had touch hd with windows 6.5. not native to device. i part exed it for hd2 to test android. again not the native os for the phone. got the sgs2 due to an offer i couldnt refuse. had it a couple of days. so far. its fast. smooth. the screen is beautiful. they say once u go black u never go back. the blacks just blend into the phone itself. camera is much better than hd2 by a long way. video recorder and playback is better. just everything. do i miss sense. not really. i dont want everyone on facebook intergrated on my phone. touch wiz a bit iphoney but its ok. basically im very happy and i like the direction samsung are going. open bootloader. sending cm phones to hack.

[Q] [4 July] [DISC] Is there any phone as sweet as the HD2?

Well my Hermes is getting a little old and I'm shopping for a new phone. The HD2 seems extremely awesome. I love that I could always fall back to WM6.5 if WP7 and Android don't suit me. It seems this phone is also quite common so with a little patience I should be able to find one at a price I want to pay. The only thing that I'm not crazy about it the lack of a hard keyboard. I see that there is a Toshiba K01/IS02 with a hard keyboard that also has a capacitive screen even though it shipped with WM6.5 but it seems to be a rare and undeveloped phone.
Can anyone tell me if there are any other WM6.5/WP7 phones besides the HD2?

I think no atm,

I too was not keen on no hardware keyboard but ended up getting a T-Mob HD2 because the price was right.
All I can say is typing on screen is far faster than any HTC hardware keyboard I have tried & you can use a mini hardware keyboard via BlueTooth if required.
All in all the lack of hardware keyboard was a step forward for my typing experience ...

For the criteria you are asking HD2 is the best. This is the best dual OS phone out there. And I agree with previous post that screen keyboard is way better. My prevois phone was TyTyn II but I think I like sceen keyboard more than hard keyboard. It just takes a little time to get use to typing on the screen. I am really happy with HD2 and I can not think of the better phone for now that does not cost more than 300 euro and have such features. But the choice is yours. Good luck.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium App

Wait a sec. No video out? What the dip?

evilwise said:
Wait a sec. No video out? What the dip?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed that was a big mistake from HTC ... The flagship model at the time with no video out ! between that & the selected battery capacity some HTC designers & market researchers should of been shot ...

Well I'm not sure about w7 but the HTC touch pro 2 can run Android & w6.5..(a bit laggy though & very outdated) & also has tv out I believe. It's been sometime since I've owed it so I can't remember. I text (up 2) 4000 texts each month & Im coming from the mytouch slide which has a keyboard....I have 2 say I really dont miss it. I will admit it took me a good few days b4 I could text as fast as any of my old phones that had a keyboard.
Personally I would suggest to buy a phone that has good development that way you won't be left in the dark. Going from the tp2 to the mytouch was horrible bc I had a phone that was well developed & then went 2 a phone that was slim pickins 2 mod it.
Sent from my Desire-HTC HD2 using XDA App

The Desire HD is sort of like an upgraded HD2. I hear that a lot of devs are also working on it.

I was just like the OP, really excited that I could fall back on to WM6.5 if I didn't like Android or WP7. Then I moved to Android and never looked back.
I do admit the HD2 is a beastly device, I can't think of any other device that is nearly as hackable... the HD2 runs WM6.5, WP7 and Android all basically as if those were all natively supported.
Still though, it will soon be 2 whole years since the HD2 was announced. I personally had one for 18 months before buying a Galaxy SII. The HD2 looks pretty modern on paper... 4.3" screen, Snapdragon processor... but next to a truly modern phone like the GSII the HD2 looks clearly dated.
I put WP7 on the HD2 but it's not really my cup of tea. I also tried going back to WM6.5 but after a year with Android I found it laughably slow and clunky. So I may end up selling the HD2, though it would be by far the hardest device I've ever parted with.
I don't really know what to tell the OP. The HD2 is a hell of a phone and can run the newest versions of WP7, but when you set it next to a newer, official WP7 device you will see the differences. If you don't already own an HD2 I'd advise getting a WP7 phone, maybe one with a better screen than the HD2 has got... unless you really have a need to still be running WinMo 6.5.

wildfire dipped in honey+chocolate sauce is sweet !!

Love the hd2. Got it for it's support of tzone grandfathered plans on 3g. Wm6.5 is a joke. I could not believe how amazing the phone was after removing that dead weight of an os.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

I am too trying to upgrade my HD2. I am thinking of Nexus one. It seems similar in many ways to HD2, but will have a better battery life. My plan is to: sell HD2 + $50 = Brand new Nexus one.
I was also thinking of Moto Defy...

AntonJart said:
I am too trying to upgrade my HD2. I am thinking of Nexus one. It seems similar in many ways to HD2, but will have a better battery life. My plan is to: sell HD2 + $50 = Brand new Nexus one.
I was also thinking of Moto Defy...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd recommend looking at a Nexus S... a bit plastic, but the Nexus One is long in the tooth now, in terms of hardware.

Wow thanks for all the input today, Guys! I discovered a couple more things today that are going to affect my phone purchase. The first thing is that the T-Mobile branded HD2 does not support the 850 band and I am an AT&T user so not only would I not get 3G on it, but AT&T generally sends me angry emails when I use like a gig of data while "roaming" on T-Mobile's towers.
I doubt I'm going to be able to get an HD2 that does HSDPA850 at a bargain price so I checked out my upgrade options through AT&T. I am considering the following phones which I can get practically free, and here's my thoughts on each from most to least likely to be my next phone.
Samsung Focus - I've played with this phone at the store and it has the nicest looking screen by far of the three AT&T branded WP7 phones. Looks nice (except no video out). Everyone posting ITT has given me some faith in on-capacitive-screen keyboards and I must have had to work on my Hermes a million times because of the slide mechanism damaging, or more often just twisting the ribbon cable. I guess the only doubt that I have in my heart about this phone is that it's a WP7 only phone and I don't believe in WP7 largely because it's not backwards compatible with any of my WM6.5 apps. It boggles my mind that someone asked why I would want WM compatibility after I have spent nine years using it.
HTC Inspire - Seems like a pretty solid Android phone, and one of only two Android phones in the price range I want to pay (although still $50 more than the Focus). Video out only through DLNA
iPhone 3g 8gb - I think we all know everything we need to know about this animal. It's solid, spare parts are plentiful, and it's extensively developed. I just hate Apple. I don't want to have to install iTunes on my computer and so forth. Still may be my choice purely for resale value.
LG Quantum - Ditto most of the Samsung Focus opinion. Noticeably poorer screen (smaller and backlit LCD vs OLED), but does have a hardware keyboard and is the form factor I am accustomed to from the last six years with Wizard and Hermes. I guess Focus or HD2 would just feel like Wallaby in my pocket though.
Samsung Solstice II - Basically what the Quantum is to the Focus, the Solstice is to the Inspire in the Android arena. Smaller, poorer screen in exchange for a slide out keyboard. DLNA compatible though.
Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi - Seem like decent phones but a little too cute for me. Plus I have even greater misgivings about Palm's WebOS than I do about WP7.
Sony Ericcson Vivaz - I carried an Ngage for a while switching back and forth with Wallaby. There seemed to be a lot of development for Symbian back then and it was stable. Probably not the thing to discuss on this forum though..
Anyway, hopefully I'm not derailing my own thread too much or getting it off the topic of the section I posted it in but I appreciate all the replies and would love to hear what everyone thinks. Deciding which phone to get can be a real brain drain! And what's up with hardly anything having video out? My friend's Evo has a freakin' HDMI port right on it!

Buy a Galaxy Note now or wait.....and dispair

Well I have been reading about people asking the same questions for a while but my situation is a bit different.
My current device is a HD2 EU and my only 2 smartphones have been this one and the Xperia X1.
Both of them very good and I can't complaint about anything as they have served me well, well beyond what the manufacturers would like them to. This of course was only possible due to the tired-less work of all the developers here on XDA.
Well but now I have decided to sell my HD2 and I need a substitute. In 10 min the auction will end and by tomorrow I will not have a smartphone
As soon as the reviews of the Note started to show up I thought to myself that this one would be a device for me. I remember people saying that the HD2 was huge back in 2009 and today it is considered a normal sized device.
The question that concerns me is that I have am about to spend a lot of money on the Galaxy Note, right now that the Quad-Cores are coming out.
I normally buy my phones of eBay, but the price of it new with a 2 year warranty is almost the same (maybe 30 euros more expensive) than used in a very good condition.
Should I get something much worst like a the original Galaxy S of eBay and wait for the Note 2 to arrive. Or should I buy a new Note from Germany for 430 Euros?
Thank you all for your help.

I wouldn't wait for the Galaxy Note 2 because there's absolutely no rumor about it yet, so it might not get released very soon. And I would definitely not get a Galaxy S right now, because it's really outdated. Better go for a Note, S3 or even an S2.

I have a Galaxy S. I love it, but yeah it's outdated now. I am toying with the idea of a Note or waiting for a Note2 also. I am going to start doing my research now...

HD2 was a great device, when HTC was top of the game. Things have definitely changed.
I guess for your requirements (going for the best device currently) you have there options.
1. Galaxy note, the display is what makes this device, it is unbeatable.
2. HTC one x, again, I think HTC have had their day with market beating devices. I've seen a lot of reports that the new sense ui just doesn't work, ie causes fcs an awful lot. IM sure they'll update it.
3. Galaxy s 3. Personally I think it beats the HTC one x hands down.
But as a note owner, I would say that quad core just can't be utilised properly as yet, you'll see a lot of google reports saying that dual cores are actually still favoured for coping with more threads and therefore comparible performance over quad. If your looking for visuals as well as performance, the note can't be beat, I've looked at one alongside a galaxy nexus and there really isn't any comparison, you get sooo much more from the note.
That being said, nfc is pretty spectacular if it's somethings you'd use and that is the only thing I crave after.
It's without a doubt that there will be a lot of spectacular devices being released in upcoming months, probably most next gen performance handsets around September or October. It's a tough time to make a decision. All the best.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

Thank you all for your quick replies. Especially SpiderTracks (+1), I will most probably just go and order mine from Germany (so that it has the ICS update and it's a bit cheaper).
Before Note came out I was considering getting a Tablet, but then it struck me. I have a desktop PC for heavy lifting, I have a Ultra portable 11,6 Notebook with 7h of battery for portability and when I am surfing in my living room, I have a Smartphone which can also surf reasonably well when needed so if I get a tablet I will have 4 devices that do +/- the same thing and I am only one .
After this reflection I went and sold my desktop PC, as I never got to use it now that I am a father and I have no time for gaming. I also sold my HD2 (the auction just finished so I already have some €€ to help me with the Note purchase).
I am drawn to the Galaxy Note not because it has a dual core CPU, but because it promises to be a hybrid between a tablet and a smatphone. If I can brows comfortably with it, read e-books and still use all the features that HD2 has like GPS, calling, texting, etc. I will be glad with it.
I am just a bit disappointed by the S-pen reviews, as I would love to use it as my minutes taker when I have complicated meetings, but if I can not write reliably and fast on it as many reviewers say, than it has not much use to me.

Johev said:
Thank you all for your quick replies. Especially SpiderTracks (+1), I will most probably just go and order mine from Germany (so that it has the ICS update and it's a bit cheaper).
Before Note came out I was considering getting a Tablet, but then it struck me. I have a desktop PC for heavy lifting, I have a Ultra portable 11,6 Notebook with 7h of battery for portability and when I am surfing in my living room, I have a Smartphone which can also surf reasonably well when needed so if I get a tablet I will have 4 devices that do +/- the same thing and I am only one .
After this reflection I went and sold my desktop PC as I never got to use it now that I am a father and I have not much time for gaming and I also sold my HD2 (the auction just finished so I already have some €€ help for the Note purchase).
I am drawn to Note not because it has a dual core CPU, but because it premisses to be a hybrid between a tablet and a smatphone. If I can brows comfortably with it, read e-books and still use all the features that HD2 has like GPS I will be glad with it.
I am just a bit disappointed by the S-pen reviews, as I would love to use it as my minutes taker when I have complicated meetings, but if I can not write reliably and fast on it as many reviewers say, than it has not much use to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All this and more, took my HOX back after 3 days, combination of **** battery life and just general poor performance.
Have had my Note for 24 hours or so now and have to say im glad I paid the extra to get it.
Am slightly disappointed by the writing with the S Pen, though i'm sure that Samsung being Samsung wont let rest as it is, no doubt they will be some ROM work upcoming which will let you take advantage of this tool.
I have had a couple of strange looks in the office though while using it today, including at one point someone asking me if I had an iPad to my ear!!!

Johev said:
I am drawn to Note not because it has a dual core CPU, but because it promises to be a hybrid between a tablet and a smatphone. If I can brows comfortably with it, read e-books and still use all the features that HD2 has like GPS I will be glad with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was thinking so when I was bought my notes (I will have pocket Tablet ) ... I do not like android but there is nothing similar on the market (Apple is too expensive)
The truth is that I am disappointed with the Note. I think I was wrong because not bought a tablet (the phone is still a phone). I think I'll wait a little ... to wait WP8 ... and then I'll sell it.
greeting

Johev said:
Thank you all for your quick replies. Especially SpiderTracks (+1), I will most probably just go and order mine from Germany (so that it has the ICS update and it's a bit cheaper).
[...]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
German Notes dont come with ICS pre installed. SO you will have to kies Download or OTA the update - dont know if that works from india.
Also the official ICS update has LPY kernel and is therefore a risk of bricking your device.
For me, a simple factory reset from the settings menu bricked my Note.
I got my replacement today and installed the newest cm9 nightly without any problems. Thats also the only ICS rom wihtout the risky LPY kernel.
If i where you, i wouldn't buy from germany to get official ICS. Just buy where you can get it cheap.
By the way: i think you can write quite reliable with the S-pen. I was a bit disappointed too, as i thought the pressure sensitivity would be more noteable. But after installing sketchbook pro and ICS thats no issue anymore.
The samsung apps do quite e good job for quick memos. For long meeting memos you might want to get a fullscreen app with more specific features as the screen is not on the big side for writing.

Johev said:
Well I have been reading about people asking the same questions for a while but my situation is a bit different.
My current device is a HD2 EU and my only 2 smartphones have been this one and the Xperia X1.
Both of them very good and I can't complaint about anything as they have served me well, well beyond what the manufacturers would like them to. This of course was only possible due to the tired-less work of all the developers here on XDA.
Well but now I have decided to sell my HD2 and I need a substitute. In 10 min the auction will end and by tomorrow I will not have a smartphone
As soon as the reviews of the Note started to show up I thought to myself that this one would be a device for me. I remember people saying that the HD2 was huge back in 2009 and today it is considered a normal sized device.
The question that concerns me is that I have am about to spend a lot of money on the Galaxy Note, right now that the Quad-Cores are coming out.
I normally buy my phones of eBay, but the price of it new with a 2 year warranty is almost the same (maybe 30 euros more expensive) than used in a very good condition.
Should I get something much worst like a the original Galaxy S of eBay and wait for the Note 2 to arrive. Or should I buy a new Note from Germany for 430 Euros?
Thank you all for your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i will suggest u really sincerely! Note is a really great device! it is an awesome piece of technology and i definitely would recommend this phone to everyone! but the fact is it is not everyday thing that u go for such an expensive phone. everyone knows the fact that samsung is UGLY at software updates! it does provide next to no support to its phones! i know many of you would be thinking this to be wrong and i should let u all know that would be just for the sake of commenting not the reality! this is the reality that samsung does not provide DESERVING support to its phones!
lets come to the topic! i would recommend u personally and sincerely that u should wait for either S3 or even the Next Galaxy Nexus phone! YES its about to come! it will be equipped with even more better GPU! the Mali-T604. u might also look for the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet! go for the Note if you have LOADS of money!!!

Note all the way.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA

I want to thank you all for your precious advice. I am considering it all along with my research, but I can't justify spending 380 euros on a phone that is not the Galaxy NOTE. For example the Nexus S is the same price as the German NOTE and the Galaxy SII is about -50 euros cheaper than the NOTE so I cannot justify getting them.
The HTC ONE X is about 100 euros more expensive (650 euros), and so far the reviews have not been great. It is not much smaller than the NOTE without its' flexibility and battery life.
So let’s hope that I get a good one without many bugs, nevertheless I have a 2 year guarantee which I intend to use if something is wrong.
shorty66 said:
German Notes dont come with ICS pre installed. SO you will have to kies Download or OTA the update - dont know if that works from india.
Also the official ICS update has LPY kernel and is therefore a risk of bricking your device.
For me, a simple factory reset from the settings menu bricked my Note.
I got my replacement today and installed the newest cm9 nightly without any problems. Thats also the only ICS rom wihtout the risky LPY kernel.
If i where you, i wouldn't buy from germany to get official ICS. Just buy where you can get it cheap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the information. Could you please elaborate a bit on it? I understand that it does not come with ICS pre-installed and that I would need to do the update myself, which is not a problem as it is an official one. This is the first time that I read that a phone can be bricked by flashing official updates without a powecut (which can be solved by a laptop) or the USB cord getting disconnected in the middle of the flashing process.
Do all the German G.NOTEs come with this bug or not? The difference in price from buying one in Belgium is about 50-100 euros cheaper to get it from Germany that is why I was considering it. As the ROM is multilingual, and I never use the manual anyway the only prerequisite is being unlocked which they are.
So if you could explain that a bit I would greatly appreciate it.
aami.aami said:
lets come to the topic! i would recommend u personally and sincerely that u should wait for either S3 or even the Next Galaxy Nexus phone! YES its about to come! it will be equipped with even more better GPU! the Mali-T604. u might also look for the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet! go for the Note if you have LOADS of money!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don’t have loads of money, that is why I am approaching this purchase very cautiously, but as I explained in the beginning of this reply from the economic point of view it looks like a smart choice when compared to the rest.
All of my smartphones were bought second hand from eBay but in very good conditions, nevertheless the price of a G.Note on ebay that is in good condition is so close to the price of a new one from a reliable shop and a 2 year guarantee that I just can’t justify getting it anywhere else.
Let’s hope I won’t regret it in 2 or 3 months

The note has bottomed out over 200 pounds over here in UK since release, I think it's fantastic value.
Seriously, once you experience the screen, coupled with performance, you won't want anything smaller, it's awesome! All the best
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

SpyderTracks said:
The note has bottomed out over 200 pounds over here in UK since release, I think it's fantastic value.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do we live in the same UK? I've nosing around and the cheapest used (fairly mint condition) was 310 quid on gumtree. Care to share more info on cheap Note(s)?
thanks

200 quid, must be dodgy, nothing cheaper than 300 gt, 350 eb, probably in Dave the raves pucker deals r us its 200 spondulies
Sent from a galaxy note far far away

The next best phone is always around the corner
Buy now and enjoy now lol
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

baz77 said:
The next best phone is always around the corner
Buy now and enjoy now lol
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true!
Sent from my GT-N7000

My Note experience
I would like to share my Note experience.
I am using it now for about 2 months and I am really really very happy with it!
The Note is absolutely a unique phone, with its huge and wonderful display and its amazing S-pen.
It took me some time, but now I find myself using more the pen than the finger!
I am also starting again to write with my hand! that's so cool! It was already forgotten - just typing and typing... but now I can write!
So, when I want to send a more personal email, I do it on hand-write! It feels so natural - and there is no one that doesn't wonder about it!
And this experience ONLY the Note can offer!
It surely is not a phone for every one, because it is big! But I am big and have big hands and pockets, so for me is ok.
The decision is yours, but I would warmly recommend you to get your Note as soon as possible!
Regarding bricks, don't worry - just avoid doing factory reset or full wipes, and that's it! This forum is full of safe guides - so just follow them.
My Note I upgraded to ICS using Odin with stock FW (LPY) to avoid waranty void. So far I can say that the ICS upgrade gave the Note an even better experience, including the Premium apps for the S-pen.
The Note 2 will be probably announced just in October, so it means at least 6 months wait and, of course, higher prices too, especially now that the Note prices droped a lot, making it an incredible bargain for a premium phone it is!
Go for it!!!

cmick30 said:
Do we live in the same UK? I've nosing around and the cheapest used (fairly mint condition) was 310 quid on gumtree. Care to share more info on cheap Note(s)?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got mine for 600 smackers in november, i meant its come down 200 since then... God i wish it was 200
please hit thanks if i helped

I have just buy today a Note. So, you know my recomendation
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA

cacharreo said:
I have just buy today a Note. So, you know my recomendation
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got mine since 2 days!