Sorry Magician it's time for an upgrade. - JAM, MDA Compact, S100 General

I'm obsessed with having the latest tech and greatest and my poor Magician is beginning to feel a bit too dated. I'm looking to upgrade to a new windows mobile device within the next couple months and I'd like to get some suggestions.
Points to consider:
I don't like, want, or need a keyboard. To me that's just unnecessary bulk. I am a graffiti master. (I won't rule out devices with keyboards as long as they don't add too much bulk)
This also means I want a device as small as the magician.
I hate smartphones, so no MotoQs, BlackJacks, etc.
I need QuadBand.
I'd like a speedy device, the faster the better, battery life is unimportant cause I rarely talk on my phone and I'm never far from a charger.
Wifi would be nice but not a deal breaker.
Other than that I'll take any suggestions.

Just bought a Hermes yesterday. Feels fast enough, same form-factor as my Magician (just a little thicker), quad-band, wifi etc. Must say I like the keyboard very much, although switching between characters, numbers & symbols could've been more intuitive.
Looks like all my favorite apps work very well on the Hermes too & I expect an official WM6 by HTC to be released soon. Course one can experiment today with all the marvelous developments being presented on the various boards.
Wish you a wise moment, cause when you're not in the position of trying & buying all the new devices it's a very hard decision to make.
Cheers, M

i tryed htc 3600 for a while, its not bad... gps, wifi, better camera, same speed, but... wm5, so no memory managment...
Im back on the s100.

Related

Time to move on perhaps?

I've had HTC/XDA's for the past 7 years, starting with the basic XDA through to the XDA2, XDA2s, XDA Exec and currently the XDA Hermes...but they just ain't that cool anymore - I used to enjoy using them, they were original and the OS was swish but now they're slow, cumbersome and just not that funky nor impressive - its a rickety old OS with nothing to get excited about.
Until Microsoft do something interesting with PocketPC I don't think I'll returning for a while, however I'd just like some opinions on the phones to which I'm considering a move to...
My likes...
- Touchscreen ideally (Nokia loses here)
- Navigation capabilities (either built in or addon)
- Good quality camera, quick to fireup/use (unlike PocketPC!!)
- Proper Keyboard (nice but not necessary)
- Ability to use POP3 email practically without hard work
Based on the majority of the above, I am considering these phones...
- Samsung F700 (beautiful looking, nice interface)
- Apple IPhone
- Nokia N95 8Gb
Have I missed anything worth considering, if so what are you recommendations?
Currently with Vodafone and have been offered the F700/N95 for free, 500 minutes, Stop the Clock (free after 3 minutes for an hour), 250 txt's for £30 p/m.
I am put off PocketPC so with the greatest of respect, don't bother replying if its an anti-anything-else style response.
Appreciate your views/opinions, particularly from anyone actually using/with experience of any of the above phones.
I had my hands on the N95 and its awesome. The iPhone is the iPhone, awesome os and navigation, but ultimately i see a bunch of chicks with them so no. Samsung looks promising but will probably be way too expensive straight off unless carrier subsidised. N95 wins, it has GPS, a snappy os, great music player, and tons of software available. Good luck in your choice!
Thanks for your reply mate, the N95 does look appealing but what about the keyboard? Is it genuinely usable on a day-to-day basis? Heard comments that its too small?
Cheers, Ash
I know the iPhone is the rage for alot of folks........but even so...Apple will try to make it grow and advance without end.
Example is the release of the developer package.........I think the iPhone, atleast with the coming introduction of then next version, would be my next choice...........for the resale if nothing else.
My little Hermes has held it's value pretty well too!
Good Luck and stay in touch.
chipsxj said:
I know the iPhone is the rage for alot of folks........but even so...Apple will try to make it grow and advance without end.
Example is the release of the developer package.........I think the iPhone, atleast with the coming introduction of then next version, would be my next choice...........for the resale if nothing else.
My little Hermes has held it's value pretty well too!
Good Luck and stay in touch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I agree with your sentiments, the IPhone 2 I believe it worth waiting for, I don't think I'd invest my pennies in the current release, its just not heavily featured enough, although the firmware upgrades are coming out thick and fast!! Its now got a GPS like technology!! Very impressive!
...but I'm not interested in making my Hermes act like something far superior, I'm just bored of its tired, slow and clunky interface - need something refreshing that allows me to enjoy using my phone, and enabling me to use it properly without having to wait for it to wakeup from standby, wait for the camera to get its act together etc!
Thanks for your comments. Anyone any experience with the Samsung? It looks smart! Has good spec too!
ashleyhall said:
Its now got a GPS like technology!! Very impressive!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you consider a "GPS like technology" - the same thing GoogleMaps does?
to be honest,
You are looking for the
"Sony Ericsson p1i"
http://www.smarthome.com/96001.html
It meets all of your specifications, except it has a suretype keyboard. It has 2 letters to a key, instead of a normal keyboard, or a normal keypad with 3 letters to a key. It's actually the best keyboard to have once one gets used to it.
Key features:
Touch screen
WiFi
Smartphone capability
Not sure on GPS/location.
awesome 3.2 megapixel camera.
I think you'll like it.
vr24 said:
What do you consider a "GPS like technology" - the same thing GoogleMaps does?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, similar in the sense that it doesn't use a traditional GPS utilising Satellites, instead it uses GSM triangulation, still its an impressive addon for a firmware update. Lets face it, when did the last Hermes firmware update (from an official provider, not cooked ROMs) enhance our functionality to that extent!!
Sirgatory said:
to be honest,
You are looking for the
"Sony Ericsson p1i"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the pointer, does look nice but I'm a little put off Sony's after seeing/playing for a while with the P900 and P910 - very large, clunky and easily broken phones with a rather unimpressive slow interface - have things improved since then?
not sure if that's the case any more but many sonyE owners complain about as poor charging connectors as htc had pre extMiniUsb
also suspct sonyE only support their own odd flashCard std.
hope the iphone2 got microSd
Rudegar said:
not sure if that's the case any more but many sonyE owners complain about as poor charging connectors as htc had pre extMiniUsb
also suspct sonyE only support their own odd flashCard std.
hope the iphone2 got microSd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just watched a video showing the SonyE's interface, looks just like the old P900, slow and not very jumpy to respond.
Think I'll keep looking, what other nice phones are out there right now?
Cheers, Ash
The only one out of your list I would consider is the iPhone.
Some people are sentimental about the devices they use, they deveop a love for it and whenever something clearly better comes out they make a whole lot of excuses defending their old device. While I've loved my Hermes very much, I'm not sentimental, I'm progressive. Within financial reason, I will go with whatever the current-day best device/platform is.
The iPhone has in no way been that, not so far. Unti l I can have EVERY little excellent WM app I use, or an equally good iealternative on the iPhone platform, the iPhone is a waste of money for me. Everything else of course is brilliant, but the No. 1 thing that turns me on phones is the abilty to have multilingual dictionaries on it, an audio recorder, an advanced metronome app (yes, musician here!), access to network mapped drives, a GOOD calendar app (iPhone's is not good enough for me, try Agenda One), ebooks and pocket bible, a scientific calendar (to some people that would be VERY useful), TCPMP (enough said), and ALL the tweaking to my heart's content.
The release of the SDK is what excites (and at the same time worries) me. I'm just wondering how Mr. "closed" and "controlling my devices" Steve Jobs is going to handle the freedom with iPhone that's about to be unleashed.
I'm also interested in what Microsoft is going to do for WM7 in reaction. Are they just going to bloat it up with vista-like "wow"-ness (thereby slowing it to a grinding halt) or are they going to actually make it a powerful platform and compete with the desktop-class iPhone platform. The browser situation STILL sucks after all these years.
And how about Google's android? Will there be a following for that, enough to bring out great apps? If so, AND if it can be employed on my Hermes, I'll stick it out to try that.
So what I love about WM6, is not actually the OS itself. I hate the OS. But all these wonderful developers have made my WM phone what it is, and outweighed its anoying slowness.
Also one single feature which would stop me from going to iPhone, is input. I LOVE TouchPal, try the free edition or professional trial, it's AMAZING. FAR superior to that horrible iPhone keyboard. And the great thing is, it's NOT complicated, only took me half-an-hour to learn. They've done some incredible innovation there. So, will Apple allow third-party developers to make their own keyboards for iPhone? +, will there be a way to sync to my outlook?
I'll wait and see...
Edit: oh yeah, there's also MicroSD. 12GB just got announced, and the SDHC spec can go up to 32GB. That's value being reinvested into my Hermes. There's all these little things that are BIG things in my daily phone experience, and they must all be ticked in the checklist before considering moving.
I know what you mean about moving on. My Wizard is barely living (no SIM card most of the time, still an OK PDA), and I really miss using a touchscreen phone now. I would have bought a Kaiser, but after seeing all of the issues it has, no way. I think the iPhone still looks good, even though Jobs wants to lock everything down...but then again, that didn't stop me here, why would it stop me now?
frenchglen said:
While I've loved my Hermes very much, I'm not sentimental, I'm progressive. Within financial reason, I will go with whatever the current-day best device/platform is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very well put, I'm fully agreeing with you on that and I am pleased that the 'Anti-Anything-Other-Than-Hermes' police haven't yet bothered to respond.
The TouchPal system looks excellent but I simply can't imagine it running at the pace that it does via the video's I've watched on my own Hermes - The IPhone I'm tempted by but not until its next reincarnation, which judging by the speed at which Apple plough up new devices, I don't think I'll be waiting long.
Another phone I'm now considering is..
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/...-crowd-preps-m4650-windows-mobile-touchphone/
...although at the moment I know very little about it.
I guess I'll keep looking!
Just to update you all - went into several stores to play with various new Mobile Phones, tried the Samsung F700 - VERY disappointed, tried the Nokia N95 - HORRIBLE piece of cheap tack. Finally, got informed of the new Vodafone 1615 (KAISER) - what a GREAT bit of kit, yes its another WM machine, the natural progression from the 1605 (Hermes) but its actually nice.
Doesn't seem any faster BUT it has lots more RAM, built in GPS (YAY no more Bluetooth GPS!) and a nice tilting screen!!
Got an amazing tariff agreed and expecting delivery of the new handset tomorrow!!!!
Will keep you updated on my progress with it!
Cheers, Ash
Just a quick comment on the N95, I've read (don't have a link to hand currently, sorry) that a lot of users are having problems with the onboard GPS. aparently the chip/antenna is situated on the back/bottom of the handset which, for obvious reasons, affects the ability to get a fix on your position...

P3600i or Tytn 2

Hello. I've been following the Kaiser thread ever since I heard about it, and with the same anxiety of the owners of that phone i've been waiting for the miraculous drivers to appear. I'm looking forward to upgrade from a HP hx2750, to a new pda with phone. After a few research I concluded that the pdas the fit my need are the HTC p3600 (trinity), p3600i (500Mhz processor version) , the Tytn 2 Kaiser or the coming Eten X800 and the I-mate 8502 which in my option is the best off all those but I doubt it will be available sooner than April 2008.
From all those the p3600i and tytn 2 seemed more appealing. So I have to pick between the p3600i (since i'd rather have more ROM and processor speed though paying a bit more) or the kaiser, tytn 2.
I like to play videos, take pictures and once in awhile play a few games, but also have a decent scrolling and browsing speed since I'm used to the hx2750 wm6, BUT, i'm not sure if the drivers will ever be made or work properly... in other words I wouldn't like to have a crippled phone as expensive as that kaiser(not getting contract!). The p3600i looks great is not so buggy but doesn't have keyboard and this is something I always missed in the hx2750. Neither I know if the keyboard in the end is really that useful cause it looks very hard to type in...
I heard better things from htc in past times but now they don't seem to care for consumers opinion, so that's another question. I dunno if it's better to get the kaiser and wait for drivers or get something more solid. I heard new windows 6.1 will come out soon, so might be a help or push to fix problem. I prefer more the kaiser but the p3600i is impressive too...
So i'm here asking for whoever wants to share its opinion... What's the best buy p3600i or tytn2 (kaiser, tilt)?
Is htc giving up the kaiser for real?(no more drivers, no more production of that model? And does the p3600i as any issue too?
P.S:I really refer to the p3600i not the updated p3600(trinity)
Heavy s**t
My penn'orth:
The TyTyn 2 is SOOOOO heavy and bulky. although the 3MP camera is nice, the keyboard is not really that useful as it's fiddly to use and the bulky size and weight for me do not justify the tilt / keyboard.
For it's size I'd say go with the 3600i.
It may be useful in terms of getting responses - to specify which driver issue you are talking about - I'm not sure myself!
I would like to add that you should keep in mind that the P3600i is still relatively new and that if you plan to immediately flash the ROM to your favourite cooked TouchFlo variety you will be unable to do so for a while so you'll have to stick with the original stuff for now. Apart from that I would say that a big part of your decision-making considerations would be the hardware keyboard and how important having one means to you - to be honest I hardly use them. Additionally, I HATE to feel the looseness/play created by the moving parts, and I like a solid phone with only buttons - no flips, slides or twists. Another consideration is battery life - not sure exactly how they compare, but I have a feeling there is not much difference between the two (keeping in mind that the P3600i has a faster processor than the Kaiser). I am not sure how the cameras compare either, but the Kaiser should indeed produce better results, though I will say that the P3600/P3600i's photos are not that bad either. Another factor, presumably, is the cost. I am about to buy a P3600i today and it's running me USD$599 - the TyTN II is USD$750. For me it's the P3600i, but of course, the choice is yours. You have to look at all the differences between the two phones (read as many reviews as you can) and the environment you will be using the phone in and the type of usage you will demand from it to fine-tune and make the best decision for yourself.
I had to make the same decision and ended up with the p3600. For two reasons:
1st: The P3600 comes with almost the same functionality, like wifi, gps, hsdpa/umts and so on - but is cheaper and smaller. Besides that the P3600 has no performanceproblems with applications or videoplayback.
2nd: I dont do any SMS-texting, neither do I write any e-mails from the phone. So the keyboard wasnt too important to me. Since there are some nice programs for fingerfriendly onscreen keyboards, I can type small texts without any difficulty and quite fast.
You definitely get more for your money with the p3600 ... which is useless if you need to write 20 emails a day on your phone ...
The drivers issue I made reference to (Htc tytn 2) problem is the fact it has a video performance worst than earlier models, it's slow and paused when scrolling, can't play games with proper frame rates. This is blamed in the lack video drivers... the tytn 2 or kaiser thread is filled with users seeking a solution to that.
The p3600i is a beautiful device but I don't know till when the 64MB memory will be a issue, and the kaiser offers 128Mb...
I don't really mind not having a cooked rom as long as the new one isn't that bad or buggy. About the touchflo I don't know really what is and how useful is but I suppose is something like finger scrolling... don't think is useful in such small screens... ^^
My hx2750 screen is almost as big as the p3600! I compared them side by side!
Does anyone knows if any htc device will be updated to wm6.1?
Thanks for all opinions...

Do you regret the X1?

I've been wanting and waiting to buy the xperia since it was released. I'm finally just about to buy it (had one ordered but the order fell through on their end, and so now have time to reconsider). I'm a programmer and very technically-minded, so I am not anticipating having any technical problems with optimizing/dealing with the phone. I'm looking for something powerful (and beautiful) that I can customize and use fully for a while.
However, I see many posts here about people regretting purchasing the xperia, mostly because of sluggish performance (and case cracks). When I go to the local Sony store to play with the display phone they have, I can definitely see that I would be very unhappy with a stock set, it's too unresponsive for me, plus the finger-friendly issues with win6.1. I know all about the different speed tweaks and touchscreen response tweaks available here for the xperia, but it's hard to get a feeling for just how well they work and how much a difference they really make.
But since I'm a regular xda reader, etc, I have hopes that some of the nice roms posted here will improve the system responsiveness, I'm especially looking at gtrab's set, mobilevu's v-lite and wild child's concept rom.
My question is: even if you continue to stick with the phone, do you actually regret getting the xperia?
I've been waiting for a long time for a real killer phone and while the xperia looks like it for me, I don't want to be disappointed even with custom roms... the hero looks like an option to me if the xperia isn't going to live up to my hopes.
thanks!
Absolutely I regret it. At the time I had just drowned a k850i, and bought another k850i to replace it. Then I saw a decent deal on an X1a, and I went for it. For the money, this phone just isn't worth it. I was happier with my SE dumb phones. I'm waiting for the Idou or whatever they're calling it now. This is after spending months waiting for the c905a...
best phone if you know how to use wm or if you are not too stupid to figure out how
some people are really dumb and should just get an Iphone though
DatDereX1 said:
best phone if you know how to use wm or if you are not to stupid to figure out how
some people are really dumb and should just get an Iphone though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely.
I never had a single doubt about it.
My question is: even if you continue to stick with the phone, do you actually regret getting the xperia?
Yes, I regret getting the Xperia X1.
I've had an XDA of one sort or another for the last 4-5 years so I'm used to WinMo and it isn't the OS that's the problem. My perception is that it is too fragile for day-to-day use. My sig says changed twice due to cracks in the casing... make that three times as of today!
It is only the fantastic ROMs from the talented chefs here at XDAdev that make it bearable. Most of the ROMs have Rhodium enhancements, and since I really like those enhancements, I'll be looking at a Rhodium next time around.
Nope because I get every dollar (even with the discount) out of my purchase. I use ALL of the features on a daily basis lol.
I do not regret buying an X1. But, buyer beware, it is not perfect out of the box.
My fun was getting it perfect for my preferences. I enjoy having the option to dig in and customize my device with various software or settings tweaks.
It is a well made device and the R3 rom which was finally released for NAM yesterday has improved my reception as well as speed and smoothness running different programs.
I have also flashed it multiple times with custom roms from the chefs here at XDA.
While the price for it was, and still is, ridiculous, I am happy with the phone overall.
I would love to see a winmo 6.5 upgrade for it in the future but realistically, I don't expect it.
I have had mine for around four months, have no cracks in the case and protect my screen with a Martin Fields protector. I use a ICE-45 OEM case.
I would recommend this phone as long as you have disposable income.
It doesn't matter what you buy, in six to twelve months something better will be available. That can be said for all high tech devices.
i do regret it, i've been using sony ericsson for 3 years and lots phones: k800> k608> M600> W880> K850 > W960 >xperia1
somehow Xperia1 is not perfect to me
- camera isnot better even than k800/k850/w960
- music player is definitely worsen/ not friendly than k850/w960- this 2 phones were amazing at its onw strengths- camera/music
- xperia speed is somehow slow/ often hang
that all i want SE to improve and put effort on X2/3 which should have combination of k850 camera/ w960 music and speed. if they do it, their phone would be perfect all aspects
If you are not too concern about the lack of response, I would say its one of the better WM phone..
If you are not too concern about phone hanging once in a while, I would say its one of the better WM phone
If you are not too concern about the music quality, I would say its still one of the better WM phone
If you are not too concern about Window Mobile OS, I would say go get the X1
Do your research on the X1 and compare features before you decide..
For me, yes, I regret it and it has such a low resell value that I am stuck with it for a while now
xperiance said:
I've been wanting and waiting to buy the xperia since it was released. I'm finally just about to buy it (had one ordered but the order fell through on their end, and so now have time to reconsider). I'm a programmer and very technically-minded, so I am not anticipating having any technical problems with optimizing/dealing with the phone. I'm looking for something powerful (and beautiful) that I can customize and use fully for a while.
However, I see many posts here about people regretting purchasing the xperia, mostly because of sluggish performance (and case cracks). When I go to the local Sony store to play with the display phone they have, I can definitely see that I would be very unhappy with a stock set, it's too unresponsive for me, plus the finger-friendly issues with win6.1. I know all about the different speed tweaks and touchscreen response tweaks available here for the xperia, but it's hard to get a feeling for just how well they work and how much a difference they really make.
But since I'm a regular xda reader, etc, I have hopes that some of the nice roms posted here will improve the system responsiveness, I'm especially looking at gtrab's set, mobilevu's v-lite and wild child's concept rom.
My question is: even if you continue to stick with the phone, do you actually regret getting the xperia?
I've been waiting for a long time for a real killer phone and while the xperia looks like it for me, I don't want to be disappointed even with custom roms... the hero looks like an option to me if the xperia isn't going to live up to my hopes.
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I regret getting the Xperia...
The Primary Reasons (In Priorities Order) That I Got Xperia:
1) Optical Mouse - All of the reviewers on the internet kept referring the D-pad as an Optical Mouse. I didn't want an Optical Joystick, I wanted a Mouse. Furthermore the effing reviewers rarely mentioned that the D-pad was horrible.
2) The keyboard - Everyone raved that the keyboard was amazing, so I thought that I'd enjoyed it. But I think even the HTC Touch Pro 1 has a better keyboard. Why? We all know the front D-pad on TP1 and X1 sucks so much. But atleast Touch Pro 1 is designed for text functionality and has a keyboard D-pad which Xperia lacks. I was at first content with the lack of keyboard arrows because I expected the optical mouse and D-pad to work flawlessly. The Xperia does not have good indicators for Capitalization or blue FN keys. You have to look at the screen and it is hard to tell compared to looking and typing simultaneously on the keyboard. I always capitalize or insert symbols/numbers unexpectedly. The number keys are hid behind the text and I have never used a keyboard on a phone before so I thought it was a smart move with the Xperia. But it's just totally not effective.
Furthermore I rarely use the front D-pad in portrait mode because that is when my stylus is out, and I learned that it is most useful to use it when you are in keyboard mode, except the optical mouse is hard to use and I want keyboard-like arrow buttons.
3) I never had a depressed screen before - I learned that I would rather have scratches on my phone than have a depressed screen. I remember on a few forums that I praised the X1 for having the "usefulness" of a depressed screen, and now I apologize and join the other side of the argument.
4) I thought the screen was big. I was wrong, I've never had any phone with 3 inch screens before and I thought that 3 inch was big. This is why I do not install Touch Flo roms on this phone because Touch Flo owns on a 3.5+ inch screen, but is pointless in a <3.0 inch screen
5) I expected the front face keys to be easy to press and enjoyable. Boy was I wrong.
6) I thought the chrome was metal chrome as well. I was wrong again. It is chipping off already and the D-pad is also chipping off is glossy paint. But I have to admit it that peeling that paint off makes the D-pad looks much more high quality at the cost of losing the shininess.
7) I thought that the silver battery cover was scratch less and easy to remove from the back. It took me 3 months to perfect the art of battery cover removal.
8) The CPU is slow, but I think there is something wrong with my Xperia. I have a Samsung SCH-I760 in which Pocket Player and Core Player is twice as fast as the Xperia X1 with optimized settings.
The only thing that is preventing my from selling my Xperia is the fact that I love the gorgeous R3A Media Panel and its interface and the 3.5 mm headphone jack and the Flash LED.
xperiance said:
My question is: even if you continue to stick with the phone, do you actually regret getting the xperia?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What none of the replies are saying is that it depends quite a lot on where you live and mostly work.
Why ? Because the X1 has a truly terrible GMS signal reception in marginal areas, irrespective of which radio ROM you have installed. I've tested this side by side with an HTC P3650 and an Acer DX900, using the same SIM in each device, directly after one another. The X1 works fine in the cities, hopeless in marginal areas.
Also the 3G UMTS (internet) capability is limited to 1900/2100Mhz in the X1. If you need UMTS 850Mhz in regional areas, try for an X1a.
The original battery is underpowered and heats dangerously with continued use of GPS or wifi while on charge.
Hmmm this is a hard one to tackle.... for me I always regret some part of the phone... maybe frustrated is the work I should use instead of regret. my phone progression has been
550 motorola flip --> Motorola TAC Elite --> Motorola QWERTY messaging phone (forgot the model) --> SE P800 --> BB 7250 & SE W900 --> BB 8830 & Nokia N95 --> BB 8830 & Nokia N85 -- BB 8830 & SE X1
the X1 marked a major change in the way I used my personal phone, primarily for e-mail and messaging, so my criteria have changed a bit. Although the N95/N85 were smart phones, i still primarily used them as phones, and not integrated messaging devices. The Blackberry was always for work, and has always primarily been a messaging device so I have drawn the baseline experience from that.
To answer your question in short: No. No serious regrets.
To answer you question in detail: Yes, I have regrets but the issues can be mitigated/X1 seemed to be the best blend of trade-offs:
1) Lack of free integrated international maps. Global data roaming costs and arm and a leg. Pay as you go in some countries don't include data, so Google Maps downloading data is a bit of a concern when i'm using the GPS abroad. This was a factor when I was deciding between the X1 or N97. I spend 9 of 12 months in home territory so i can probably manage without free international maps. (Garmin, Wayfinder don't have maps for Japan or other Asian countries that I spend time in, and you have to pay for maps unlike the free Nokia Maps app)
2) Windows Mobile quirkiness. WM 6.1 is slow. Weird things happen like accounts go missing, spontaneous reboots, lock ups, crashes, when you install different things. It's not as customizable (stock), I haven't found a voice dialler/voice synth, and the menu system is not intuitive. The messaging system is more robust however, and there is great aftermarket customization (ROMS and MODS from here), etc. I think some of these shortcommings can easily be rectified by the community, but they're still annoying. COmmunity and aftermarket support maturity ended up being a huge factor for me.
3) Form factor. It is slightly thicker than my N85, but thinner than my N95, just as wide, and only 1 cm or so taller. It is comfortable in my hand and is pocketable. The N97 is not much bigger, but the BB Bold is a lot fatter. Seemed like a good compromise.
4) Battery Life. Horrid. I could get 3-4 days normal use with my N85. I use 30% of the battery on a low usage day, and 50-60% on a moderate usage day. Mind you I use the data a lot more, which does suck up more battery, but I should get more than a day's charge out of it IMO. I'm going to chalk this up to my use of data, and hope that there is a future radio/rom upgrade that is easier on battery usage.
5) Functionality as a messaging device. I IM, e-mail, and SMS much more than I call. probably 8-to-1. I do find myself resorting back to my BB8830 for heavy IM usage sessions, possibly because I am more familiar with it, but realistically because I'm much more used to the keyboard. Heavily considered the BB Bold for this reason alone. Maybe things will change after a month or two getting used to the X1. The N97 which I also considered had serious issues as being a robust messaging device. It seemed adequate, and may have improved with further firmware releases/development, but S60 5th Edition seemed limited in more ways somehow.
6) Recessed screen. Pain in the ass. Not a deal breaker tho since I have thin fingers and am pretty dexterous. I can understand why this would be a larger issue for other people however. Definitely a poor design choice.
7) Volume. This is a quiet device. I'll have to amplify and re-jig all my custom call tones, and what not. Annoying, but manageable.
8) Poor camera. I'm used to a really good quality 5 MP Carl Zeiss lense that was on the N85. I didn't use it much but it was a nice thing to have as a backup. I feel a bit stifled by the camera on the X1, but since I'm not really using it that much, it becomes a lower weighted criteria.
So as you can see, for me, it was not a simple choice between a BB Bold, SE X1, Nokia N97, or waiting for the new Samsung B7610, HTC Touch 2, SE X2, or some other next gen device. Lots of factors, and yes I do have regrets around a lot of them, but you do the best you can and just move on.
I've found with some tweaking the X1 usable/tolerable, and meeting 80% of my needs. Nothing will ever be perfect, and if I follow the 80/20 rule, meeting 80% of my requirements for a decent price is usually as good a deal as I can ask for.
On reflection, yes... I regret it.
I resent the implication by DatDereX1 that somehow the phone's shortcomings are down to my stupidity. If it was a simple case of software, then all of the problems would instantly be resolved by a flash of the ROM - but that isn't the case. WinMo aside, the hardware is far from perfect:
* abysmal battery life
* poor responsiveness to touch
* recessed screen
* case suceptible to cracks
* poor external speaker
* reception is poor (compared to other devices in the same location on the same network)
When you throw in the stock software, you can add to that sluggish performance and poor usability. Out-of-the-box it is quite simply a device that is well below par.
With custom ROMs the situation becomes bareable but you still can't get away from the basic hardware issues... and even with the ROMs, performance is still far from lightening quick.
Even those devoted to WinMo would surely have to conceed it is not the best implementation of the OS on a device.
i bought it after selling iphone 3g...was tired of iphone's on-screen keyboard....and the phone was jus too wide...holding it made my palms ache.
other than that..the features werent elaborate
so i bought X1...X1 is everything i wanted in a phone..but it could do with many improvements.
some problems i have with x1:
1. Panels crash sometimes..very rarely..but when they do..i have to soft reset.
2. Camera is slow.
3. panels development not as fast as expected.
4. scrolling on windows mobile sux.
5. touch response....dont know if its windows mobile or hardwares fault...but it can be improved...iphone has a very good touch response.
i bought it after selling iphone 3g...was tired of iphone's on-screen keyboard....and the phone was jus too wide...holding it made my palms ache.
other than that..the features werent elaborate
so i bought X1...X1 is everything i wanted in a phone..but it could do with many improvements.
some problems i have with x1:
1. Panels crash sometimes..very rarely..but when they do..i have to soft reset.
2. Camera is slow.
3. panels development not as fast as expected.
4. scrolling on windows mobile sux.
5. touch response....dont know if its windows mobile or hardwares fault...but it can be improved...iphone has a very good touch response.
I only regret I have no Xperia. I bought one for my wife and she uses it greatly. I have no money currently to spend on another one. I'm stuck for 5+ years with my old trusted Nokia 6230 (not even 6230i) phone if you remember the one.
I know definitely my next phone will be some PPC with WinMo. Maybe X2...
i do regret buying the x1, because now i want something more powerful with more features, eye candy and sexier...but u know what? i am still yet to find the device.
i really want to replace my x1 but i cant see anything to replace it with, will never buy the iphone unless it comes with fm radio, camera light or flash, mp3 for ringtones and multitasking abilities...so im kinda stuck with my x1, lets hope the x2 is much sexier, or else i would be buying a future htc android device with sense ui
i have two problems with the x1 so far
1. the battery loses its paint when touched often
2. the battery life is worse than my p1i ...thing is that i did more on my p1i than i do on my x1
Not at all, I love it.
All phones have their faults, hell, I sold my E90 Communicator to get one of these.
I loved that phone too, but Nokia's support of it was abysmal (it took them over a year to release a firmware fix for the Bluetooth issue that they broke with a firmware release...) and it got to the point where it was becoming a pain to use.
With all technology, there will be problems, they are coded by humans don't forget
I'd rather have 'quirks' or little niggles that can be sorted with small apps or tweaks than to have a featureless brick any day of the week.
Plus, it gives me a chance to satisfy my *need* to play with the newest toys!
I love my Xperia.
I am sick of these threads.
I don't know why so many of you say that you regret buying it (even though one of you that said they regret it also said it was the best phone available).
If you are unsure about a product read more about it. If you regret buying an Xperia (especially since you are at XDA-dev) it's your own damn fault.
Hannigan174 said:
I love my Xperia.
I am sick of these threads.
I don't know why so many of you say that you regret buying it (even though one of you that said they regret it also said it was the best phone available).
If you are unsure about a product read more about it. If you regret buying an Xperia (especially since you are at XDA-dev) it's your own damn fault.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats so true.
It is just such a tiny little effort needed to put into the x1 to make it the most powerful phone of all.
Again I must stick to my phrase:
Regretting == Not being able to handle the X1

[Q] moving from HTC pure, any advice?

Hi, I am hoping to get an ATT Samsung focus for christmas (If not, I might just buy it) and I was wondering if any of you have made this journey from windows mobile 6.whatever to phone 7 and if you have any advice for me. I have done my research on the new os and I have been following it since it's announcement in February, so I know how the system works, but maybe you could tell me some details about the phone its self that I might not know. My particular concern is moving from HTC (Who usually makes very good devices and software features for them) to Samsung (who I know makes the really good phone screens).
Any advice at all would help me out!
I moved from the Pure to the Focus, so far. I'm loving my new device.. I have been a loyal HTC user since the Axim x51v.. The only thing that I miss is the navigation software, but I read that MS is going to update the bing maps with navigation.. also I miss the custom ringtones but again, something that is going to be fixed on the new update...
In a nutshell.. I'm in love with the samsung, the quality of the device is great, it feels well made and it's rock solid..
Also you could go to an Att store to check it out by yourself.. thats how I got a focus instead of a surround XD hehehe the focus is sexier XD
Yea i moved from a HTC touch Pro 2 to the samsung focus and I feel like its one of the best decisions I've ever made. WP7 is a great OS and the focus is a beautiful phone...You will be happy with your choice
I moved from the Touch Pro 2 (sister phone) and I love it as well. WP7 is so smooth and stable, I don't see myself going back to 6.x at all. Plus, we'll be seeing more features added by Microsoft over time so it will only get better. I'm sure WP7.1 will impress even more.
I was on the fence too, but I'm very happy with the Samsung Focus. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I made the same move and am loving it. Just a couple things...
Be ready to use only the internal 8gb storage for stability sake. The sd card update has not been totally flushed out yet. Even so, I am running an 8gb Kingston Class 4 with no problems whatsoever for over two weeks (fingers crossed). But I see that being addressed sooner rather than later. If you need copy and paste, you should wait until early 2011 when the first update is released. If you need you PIM data to sync only through outlook (think activesync) and not through the cloud, wait and see if the update will add this feature. Some people are very particular about this. Also, if you need to connect to hidden wireless networks you should wait for the first update. It may or may not be included.
If none of these issues affect you, you are going to love the upgrade. Having the zune integrated is just awesome. I don't miss the task manager from my Pure. I usually spent most of my time shutting down apps rather than switching amongst them. Jumping back to an app I came from is simple and exactly how I use my phone. The OS is extremely smooth and fast. I would flash custom roms onto my pure to get WM6.5 to run fast but would always run into bugs which would need to be fixed. The screen size increase is the biggest improvement in my opinion. Typing on the Pure was usually pretty frustrating since the virtual keyboard buttons were so small. The Focus screen size makes typing a breeze. If you are willing to embrace the cloud, you will find the user experience to even better. I think you will be very happy with the change.
The Samsung is very nice and given my generally poor experiences with HTC in the past, it was an easy jump for me, especially since there were 2 1/2 years of iPhone between the Focus and the last HTC thing I owned.
The hardware will probably be secondary to the system. WP7 is NOT WM 6.5. It's not based on WM 6.5 and it may never be on par with WM 6.5 as far as features. And, in my opinion, that's not a bad thing. WM 6.5 was slow, unstable, clunky, and completely unusable if you lost the stylus. WP7 is pretty bare bones at the moment but it's very fast, smooth, stable and very finger friendly, all of which I value more than a huge list of features I rarely, if ever, used. Before you hope too much, go to an AT&T or someone that sells them and check it out. Check out settings, the applications included with the phone, the browser and the marketplace and get an idea if there's enough there to make it useful to you. I've seen a number of threads here and elsewhere from former WM 6.5 owners who are fuming over the lack of things like ICS and RDP, completely missing the point that WP7 is not meant to be a replacement for WM 6.5. These things may come in the future but don't buy a phone for what it might one day do, buy it for what it does now.
I've had a long history with WM. I had the Imate Jam, then the HTC Kaiser, then the HTC Touch Pro 2 (aka tilt) and now the Samsung Focus.
hardware wise, this thing is awesome! I've compared the screen to the HTC Surround, and it's seriously mind blowing. The hardware is rock solid, the only little thing is that it creeks a tiny little bit at the bottom of the back cover, but you will barely notice it. Love having Gorilla Glass so no need for stupid screen protectors.
Software wise, WP7 is amazing...I'm really glad Microsoft released it, and I'm hoping that the tiny issues will be resolved with the January update (which is said to be HUGE!!!!, one developer was quoted as saying "They might as well have called it WP8", so they must be bringing a lot of changes.
The only real things I miss are Navigation, and Custom ring-tones...other than that, I'm very very very happy and I don't miss anything. The only other thing is the storage capacity, apparently Microsoft is working on a patch for the whole MicroSD issue, so if reliable storage is important, then go with another phone, but I'm going to take the risk, and worst come to worst, I'll cut down my music to make it fit, because I love this phone that much
wow, thx everyone for the info. I was already aware of the snappyness and awesomeness of Windows phone 7 but I am glad there are so many approvals of my device choice as well! I usually put in earphones for listening to music so I wouldn't really have much use for the HTC surround, and I don't need a phisical keyboard, so the LG quatrum was not for me.
I am very happy that I am not the only one making this jump to WP7.
(oh, and do you ever think that android will be ported to WP7. Is it possible?!)
PS, Can I make the windows phone 7 apps for free, or is that a 5 dollar fee?
As far as I know the tools to create applications are free but it'll cost $99 to access the marketplace, presumably for a year. Same as Apple & iPhone programs.

[Q] suggested replacement for XDA Exec

hi all
I currently have an O2 XDA Exec and I love it to bits, I'm not someone who jumps from phone to phone as soon as they come out, I usually buy something, use it until it falls apart and then look around for a good current replacement.
Now I've had my XDA for a good couple of years now and the battery is starting to fade on me, the keys are starting to wear and I'm conscious that one day it's just not going to work any more
OK I could go through the whole repair/refurbish cycle but technology has moved on apace and I reckon I've had my money's worth out of this one
It probably won't be for a while but can anyone suggest a decent next smartphone
preferably with a large screen and keyboard as I really don't like typing on a touchscreen, but with features like WiFi, bluetooth decent browser capability, business applications, decent camera - the usual bells and whistles
one thing I really would like, would be for it to be less like a phone with a computer added and more like a computer with a phone added, one thing that really irritated me was the inability to make a backup of the entire machine so I can for example make a backup, load up a different OS, try that and then restore my original if I didn't like it
so any suggestions ?
I haven't used it, but the Nokia N900 seems to fit the "more like a computer with a phone added" part best. The hardware is starting to show its age, though. It's not like it was a cutting edge device hardware-wise even when it was released anyway. Windows Phone 7 seems to be a dead end as far as the pocket computer angle goes. You could get an iPhone but they are not hacker friendly, to say the least. Watching the new Android models and picking the one you like best with a keyboard is your best bet if you find the N900 lacking.
But I'd suggest replacing the battery and waiting for a little while if the keyboard doesn't cause too many problems. The new generation of mobiles with dual core processors is right around the corner. If anything, you'll probably be able to get great deals on current gen devices.
I reckon my exec will last for a fair while yet but it is showing signs of age, I'll have a look at the N900, thanks for the suggestion
I've gone from the Universal to the Rhodium (TouchPro2). It's not cutting edge, but has been a great replacement for my old Universal with much the same form-factor - ie, good keyboard and big screen (although it's wide-VGA so slightly different size). One thing I really liked was inbuilt GPS as I always had to carry around my GPS mouse with my Universal.
thanks I'll add the rhodium to the list
I still have active my Universal and there is not any newer device who competes with our great keyboard and pivoting screen, this is so far the best kb ever made!.
Said that I went for Rhodium and used it for like a year, great device, smaller screen (I preferred my super VGA Uni screen) and keyboard but it´s a great device, now I´m on Desire Z and keyboard is a bit smaller than Rhodium but it´s damn faster than it!
Only prob is that is has only Android on it...
another rhodium vote and a desire z. thanks for that
No prob
Please let us know what you finally got.
probably won't be for a while but at least now I've an idea what to look at
Well you have some start guide with comments above!
Another very interesting upcoming device is the Motorola Atrix
http://www.slashgear.com/motorola-atrix-4g-and-laptop-dock-hands-on-demo-video-08125261/.
It seems to be a very good phone + netbook replacement.

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