HTC HD mini T5555 - HD Mini General

I am not sure that this is the most suitable forum to discuss my issue, but I do think that it doesn't really matter.
The HTC HD mini is indeed a new phone - BUT SHOULD GET ATTENTION AS THE OTHER SMARTPHONES.
There are no applications/games/whatever that are suitable to this small great phone.
The problem (according to my non-professional view) is the small screen.
I am sure that an easy application would addapt the screen to all WM6.5/HD2 applications.
Can someone take an action?
Please - all other HD mini users - say your thing!!!
YL

Maybe if there's enough users, sort "critical mass", then developments will fire up.

It's like the treo pros and i780s. They were quite popular when they came out. But soon, very soon, better phones came quickly. Thus for the low number of SQVGA apps and themes. It's the same for the HD mini. Why get a HD mini when you can get a HD2? The HD mini is probably going to be forgotten soon.

firetiger you are totaly wrong.
The HD2 has about the same properties as the mini. The mini is (!!) just smaller. It is the only smartphone (with touchscreen) that feets to your pocket!
Again, I am sure that there is a simple way to re-define the screen of the mini to make it work like his bigger brother.
I think bart3385 is right - like I said - HTC mini owners should rise their voice.
Or maybe HTC should work on it.....

The HD mini has an odd screen resolution (in fact it seems to be the only phone with that screen size... HVGA is a stupid res between QVGA and VGA)... This alone makes it a poor device. Every informed user should have known it was a bad product before they bought it.
I have a Samsung Omnia (WQVGA... was kind of popular in France if I got my facts right) and in the beginning I found that despite the screen being similar to regular QVGA (with just an extra 80px in height) a few apps didn't work (WVGAFIX came to the rescue later). Of course with the HD mini it's much worse... Its screen size is just a dumb move (HTC should have gone with a more standard res like VGA but once again they left the users to pay for their poor judgement).
Many (if not most) WinMo apps are designed for specific resolutions and don't dynamically scale... That's why so little apps work in your device. Seeing the ever decreasing popularity of the OS, the verge of WP7, the fact that this is the only phone with this screen res and the not so high popularity of the device I'd say there's not much hope... It's like asking for every app to be rewritten for the sake of one phone in a phasing-out OS... Sorry pal.
I don't think that a WVGAFIX approach would be as easy for this phone but it could be the best option (scaling your screen to WQVGA or QVGA...). I seriously don't believe that HTC will provide such a solution (so your only hope is once again xda)... But for the foreseeable future it seems like your limited to whatever comes in the phone and the few 3rd party apps that work.

HD mini has a better size, while maintaining a good enough screen size. And it's easier on the pocket, both physically and price-wise. It's got a very good, clean and simple physical design and back cover. The back cover material is ideal; add to it the exposed screws for an attractive industrial design. Its capacitive touch keys should last longer than the mechanical keys of HD2.
It would have been nice to give a VGA resolution to HD mini. But i guess the main point of a lower HVGA resolution is to allow the miserly 600mHz processor to keep up. For today's generation of smartphones, 600mHz is quite anemic. I'm guessing it could have a hard time if paired to higher resolutions.
For me, HVGA is not bad for this size of phone. Most apps will do fine. But I'm certainly not satisfied with the broken and severely restricted Sense UI that comes with it.
If we want restricted phones, we can easily go to Apple Store for an iPhone. The main point, or should i say, the love of sticking to WinMo is exactly its unrestricted flexibility OS. HTC missed this concept.
HTC, please fix your broken Sense. Make this phone what we all expected it to be.

So your reasoning is that the HD mini is a good phone because it's pretty and has a sensible size? I most agree with the latter (most new devices are gargantuan). Also real hw buttons is something not to be dissed. HTC phones were a lot better when they had their older circle/dpad button (at least they were a lot more functional... g-sensor and multitouch fall short as appropriate game control methods... not to mention HTC should have implemented a g-sensor d-pad emulator to increase usability of older apps).
The problem is not that the phone has a new screen size per se... It's the fact that having a non standard screen size introduces new problems and incompatibilities. As always the priorities were in the wrong place. VGA should have worked quite fine in a 600mhz cpu (older models worked fine in slower cpus).
If companies coded better they wouldn't need 1+Ghz cpus... Sense is a senseless waste of any phones resources for the sake of look n feel. By far not worth the resources it consumes. If it were a well coded C++ shell it'd be a good interface but since companies work in a cost effective manner they always prefer the easy and fast approach. That's how we end up with this sort of crapware (really a shell in Lua? that sucks even in the PSP homebrew scene!). Sensible resource usage trumps looks anyday in my book (hence why I already consider Windows Phone 7 a major fail... .NET and Silverlight... and it's not even pretty! Microsoft what the hell were you thinking!?).

My opinion is that it has good sensible size. But not necessarily good in every aspect. Like you, i have an axe to grind about the Sense UI. It's mostly broken, not thoroughly tested, not properly coded, and prioritizes eye-candy over real functionality. I'm also not happy about how HTC removed some of WM's core functions and replace them with their own broken software. HTC placed a lot of restrictions on this phone that is really pissing me off.

Hardware manuals/how to vids
Does anyone know where I can find a hardware manual or a "how to" vid on how to change the digitiser (zer for all you americans) on a HTC HD mini T5555?
I have the new parts and the tri-wing tool, just want to make sure I'm not breaking anything when going into it.
Cheers

Related

HTC Diamond2 or HTC Magic(Google2)? Help me choose, please.

I have waited faithfully for a long time for Android, but now I have fallen in love with Diamond2...
I am a student, and will mostly need the phone for entertainment purposes. For my use, (mostly internet, skype, taking the occational picture, watching .avi's, mp3, old school games like nes or scummvm), which one would you pick? It's important for me the the phone is fast and responsive, and that it can edit .doc files (word, openoffice, something like that). I also would love for it to have a file-organizer (something like norton commander would have been excellent), ability to run and install files from the phone directly, and the ability to download with it (torrents, etc) and if possible, stream online content. So basically a mini-computer. Which phone do you think is best for me? I do not care about calender, email (e.i outlook) integration, or anything that has to do with planing and\or actual work, in other words
Also:
Do you belive android will get ported to the diamond 2 in the forseeable future?
So to sum up, Should I just go for the Diamond 2 or wait a month or two for the Magic (thats the earliest it will be released here in norway)?
im not an expert at this (ive had no luck with my herald), but if you check around, there are diamond android ports.
most likely, they will be on the diamond2 if they r on the 1st one.
winmo - buisiness/planning/work
android - consumor, but can do buisiness and work
(i can say this because, like i said, i had a herald, and i have the dream)
ur choice buddy ;]
just want to add my opinion. I have had 4 WinMo phones in the past, currently have the Blackstone, which im trying to get rid of. Anyways, I am a "medical" student, who really doesn't use all the features that can be found on a WinMo phone. I have played with a friends G1 and was honestly amazed at how much it just "fit" with me. I know I will probably be bashed for saying this, but phones like the android (G1) and the Iphone are really what I am interested in now. They are simplistic to use, but still can outperform your normal plain old phones. For me, if the G2 Magic doesn't wow me when it hits the U.S. shores in a couple of weeks, than I will probably purchase an Unlocked Iphone. Now, you have to base your decision on what you will use the phone for, especially if you are a student. This is my opinion, but if you are really into business type stuff where you would need all the necessities of a PC than go with the Diamond. If you want a cool, visually appealing phone that isn't as powerful as the Diamond but still gets the job done! than go with the G2.
I agree with redrazr's post above, but I would also like to add that for me a big part of going Android was to be part of something huge, right from the start. I mean, the first Android phone (the G1) has been out less than eight months and Android is already this good? That's pretty damn amazing. WinMo fanboys won't like this, but give Android eight months more and it will blow WinMo out of the water in every single aspect.
And no, WinMo 6.5 (and not even WinMo 7) will not revolutionize WinMo since they're still based on the same old crappy, sluggish platform/core. My understanding is that WinMo 8 will be the first WinMo based on a completely new and/or revamped core, and won't be out until 2013 or so.
mannyb said:
I agree with redrazr's post above, but I would also like to add that for me a big part of going Android was to be part of something huge, right from the start. I mean, the first Android phone (the G1) has been out less than eight months and Android is already this good? That's pretty damn amazing. WinMo fanboys won't like this, but give Android eight months more and it will blow WinMo out of the water in every single aspect.
And no, WinMo 6.5 (and not even WinMo 7) will not revolutionize WinMo since they're still based on the same old crappy, sluggish platform/core. My understanding is that WinMo 8 will be the first WinMo based on a completely new and/or revamped core, and won't be out until 2013 or so.
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He he, I have a D2 and I will not flame you for supporting Android (but then I am not a microsoft fanboy at all, I am typing from ubuntu right now ).
The problem with the smartphones imho is that they still are differentiated using their OS, sometimes even from the carrier customization. Their are more carier network toy than than their are your own toy, while they should be judged on their design, hardware specs and support only imho. Like a PC, where you can install any OS and applications you want, and are even expected to do so.
Thanks to xda-devellopers, HTC phones are closer to what every smartphone should be: an handheld computer with a large array of network connectivity options on which the user (you, that have paid for a device that is now your own, damnit ) can install the OS of his choice.
All that to say that Android should be installable on the TD2, and likely will be installable quite soon. Which is only the absolute minimum to be expected for an open-source OS for which google took A LOT from the opensource community to develop. Android should be installable on any device that has compatible hardware to run it, no excuses (HTC is at fault here, it should halp xda-develloper in the porting effort if not offering multiboot himself from the start, especially as all it's top-of-the-line smartphones are so close to each other hardware-wise).
So once the playfield is levelled and Android is installable on the TD2 (as it is on the HD, even if it is work in progress), I think that the TD2 and Magic should be compared from hardware and design alone. That's why I have chosen the TD2 (I like its design more, and a higher resolution screen is a big plus for me, I read a lot on my smartphone). But for other people the Magic could be better (digital compass, larger battery, more physical inputs like the trackball and additional buttons are its advantages imho)
gkai said:
So once the playfield is levelled and Android is installable on the TD2 (as it is on the HD, even if it is work in progress), I think that the TD2 and Magic should be compared from hardware and design alone. That's why I have chosen the TD2 (I like its design more, and a higher resolution screen is a big plus for me, I read a lot on my smartphone). But for other people the Magic could be better (digital compass, larger battery, more physical inputs like the trackball and additional buttons are its advantages imho)
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Could not agree more. I'd pick Android over WinMo any day of the week, but let's be honest; WinMo phones have the best hardware. The few Android phones on the market definitely can't hang in that aspect. The only thing I can't stand about WinMo hardware is the resistive touchscreen they're stuck with. WinMo does not support capacitive screens as far as I know.
im going with the magic
i dont really like the look of the diamond 2 and the magics screen is bigger..and plus its going to have a 5mp camera for the US version ..i miss android..i went from the G1 to the Touch HD to the iPhone...touch hd was the worst expierence..windows mobile was dreadful for me...iphone..i dont feel as free with it but the variety of apps is quiet appealing to me especially after you jailbreak it..and android..lacked alot in the beginning but it was awsome i just hated the fact that i have to open the damn keyboard for every little thing i needed to type and i didnt want to wait for cupcake..but magic here i come
So in the last 15 or so months I have had 8 PDA's... 6 of them were WinMo, & Honestly I love WinMo for its versatility & The touchFlo interface is freeking awesome.. But.. I am using a g1 now & The only phone I am looking at other than it is the MyTouch (magic) the day T-Mo releases it (if not sooner).. The android OS has shown me to be much much more intelligently designed & Has yet to have any major issues (I have only had to soft reset the phone 2 or 3 times in the last 2 months).. The App Store is also a huge factor as well.. With free apps that actually work & improve the value of the device.. My last phone before this was a Touch Diamond (unlocked GSM) & I loved it for that beautiful High Res screen & The fact that movies on it were Absolutely Amazing.. Not to mention the small form factor.. But on the other Hand using the Cinema App downloaded for free from the android app store My movie playback looks almost as good (ie 1080i vs 1080p ish) & on a bigger screen.. Also Much less herky jerky to start & stop...
I am super excited for the Magic to come out, but if I had my choice I Would have kept my Diamond & Used Android on it & Somehoe managed to make a MicroSDHC work on it.. That would be my absolute perfect phone.. The Diamond 2 on the other hand I Think only had 1 thing over the diamond & thats the MicroSDHC slot as the increased screen size isnt in my opinion enough to be worth the increased mass.. Its like an inbetween size from the original diamond & an HD & I Dont think thats a necessarry spot to fill..
My 1 And only complaint with the G1 is the bulk & The Magic will obviously resolve that & only a Pocket test will be able to tell if it feels as small & easy to cary/use as the Diamond was..
The port for the diamond 2 will never be complete and always behind the current release of Android.
While the Diamond 2 has a higher resolution screen than the Magic the Magic is capacitive and performs much better in direct sunlight. Android will never run as well on the Diamond 2 as the magic.
macsbac said:
The port for the diamond 2 will never be complete and always behind the current release of Android.
While the Diamond 2 has a higher resolution screen than the Magic the Magic is capacitive and performs much better in direct sunlight. Android will never run as well on the Diamond 2 as the magic.
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Capacitive vs resistive is not so simple an issue: After testing the iTouch, I was all for capacitive, partly because it is more responsive to fingers, but even more because it offer a hard glass screen, much harder and durable than soft plastic resistive screen...
However, after testing the TD2 resistive screen, I must say that reactivity is almost as good as capacitive (not as good, but it is ok for me).
Durability could still be an issue, but the screen seems harder than my previous PDA, and with screen protection + flip case this is not an issue anymore.
BUT with resistive screen I have the possibility to use the stylus, which is very nice for accurate pointing (not relly needed for android, but very usefull for WM) and freehand drawing/ handwriting recognition. this may look like a gadget, but given the number of time I use my PDA as a notepad for quick drawing (abroad, when you do not speak the local language, a picture is worth a dozen words, and a thousand innacurate gesticulations ;-) ).
Capacitive do not allow the use of a stylus (except of the fat-and-soft tip variety, which I consider as completely useless, because it offer no real accuracy improvement), and, for me, this is a significant drawback. If a capacite technology evolve to allow for a pen-like stylus with pinpoint accuracy, then it would definitely burry resistive technology. Not before, especially for asian countries where the ability to draw characters is really useful.
For the direct sunlight, I agree: TD2 is not good under direct sunlight. Barely readable with high contrast large font text, but nothing more. Older PDA were better for this, and I believe you that Magic may be better too. I would be surprised if it was great, though, besides e-ink or passive LCD (reflective technologies), no screen has ever been great under direct sunlight ;-)
And for Android not running as well on the TD2 than on the Magic, yes, but the difference should be minimal: the hardware is almost the same, and Android is opensource, so the porting, once the bootloader/HARDSpl is done, should be quite straightforward...
I have owned winmo phones, played with an icrap, and now own a g1, and I will say I'd never ever go back. Android is always improving and will never stop improving. We have a few great developers that are always making this o.s. better. If you are looking for a phone for hardware, wait till one come out with Android. Otherwise get a magic. From what it seems like from your post, you'd be happier with android and the "wow" factor.

Will you upgrade to HD2?

Ive unsucessfully used the search function to found somethread like this
As a community we are here of Blackstone users, im curious whether will upgrade to HD2?
Actually im satisfied with the HD as i can do everything i need, especially with the ROMs we found here. But i think its question of time that ROM-makers migrate do Leo, isnt it?
MNilson said:
Ive unsucessfully used the search function to found somethread like this
As a community we are here of Blackstone users, im curious whether will upgrade to HD2?
Actually im satisfied with the HD as i can do everything i need, especially with the ROMs we found here. But i think its question of time that ROM-makers migrate do Leo, isnt it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I added a 4th option to your poll. Hope you don't mind
ill skip it for winmo 7
Fallen Spartan said:
I added a 4th option to your poll. Hope you don't mind
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just what the poll needed thanks!! I voted the 4th..
no for me...
more todo with the HD being a work phone. not sure when im due for a replacement but as most places int he current climate - we aint replacing much kit unless it's essential.
HD does me perfect really. does everything i need it to.... although it could be a bit quicker!
i love winmo..which is coming to extreme soon
ofcourse yes
i would like to upgrade
i read opinion out here .. for me I made a query aswell if i could upgrade it or not like what iphone 2g did with 3g 100£ and upgrade option..
for me what i think is htc touch hd is great but two things missing on it...
i.e Responsive ness (really important for being quicker "as someone mentioned up" about htc touch hd not being quicker)
second is multitouch gives lots time saving on internet browsing what i learnt using iphone....
solution on htc touch hd2
multitouch and responsive ness as it uses sensitive (capacitive) screen which is in detailed mentioned on general forum aswell.
of course i am winmo lover as i hate toy type of things and the hype iphone has got.. (yet considering the usability and ease of use it has provided for general users,) i believe our htc touch hd is real tool.
in the end i would love to upgrade if there is anything like upgrade option....... as i still have my 8 months left on contract.
I'd love to, but it's too expensive to consider. I never spent so much in a mobile before as with the HD, and it must last another year at least to be worth the spent.
In most cases if there is something REALLY new on the market, it's a bit like a beta version.
See the first Iphone without 3g, touch hd with rarely supported screensize and the little bit too slow processor, or the first directx 10 cards with to slow performance for this technology, ...
Products with big "improvements" are mostly a little bit beta, so i think it's good to wait and look what's in the future
greets
/skip /skip
Fallen Spartan said:
I added a 4th option to your poll. Hope you don't mind
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely not hehe. I knew that i was missing something. Cheers
Picked 4th one .
Hoping when the winmo7 version comes out, it'll have:
* the front face videocalling camera again (i like how it gives me the option to make videocalls and portrait pics with my gf and mates by giving a preview)
* maybe an even narrower, thinner, shorter body (same 4.3in screen)
* over 1350mah battery size
* that stylus they patented
others I'd like to see:
* Not necessary, but front-touch buttons like the HD. Unless they implement hardware buttons alot better than the HD2 (imo the layout and shape looks ugly)
* oled-amoled screen
My initial reaction to leak specs and pictures was:
No....not enough improvements for me to consider
When 6.5 Leo ROMs came out I was like:
Upgrade? I can have WM 6.5 on my HD!
After reading more reviews and videos:
I’m considering.....
Now:
Is it a question? Of course, yes!
Can't wait for delivery.
It is too big IMHO.HD is perfect sized.
But the capacitive screen and the Snapdragon are so attractive...
It's a hard choice
The faster CPU, multitouch (FINALLY) and the bigger screen make me find it worth the upgrade.
As for WM6.5 on the HD, ok, it works, but the HD is still, as it always was, underpowered for such a big display.
Only under the best and freshest of circumstances does it run smooth.
The new gen CPU should change this considerably.
And get ready, my supplier states HD2 to be deliverable on the 6th!
ASK768 said:
ill skip it for winmo 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
will have to 2nd that.
Have chosen Option 4.
More CPU Power is good but it is too big now (Not a problem though) and the removal of the front cam and stylus is really bad.
Better camera software is needed and flash should be better.
just to post a quote from msmobiles
Edward J. R. said:
HTC made it: thanks to their big investment in research and development, they are the first to release Windows Mobile phone with multitouch. But there is one big problem:
... namely, unlike Samsung, that is providing SDK for Samsung Windows Mobile phones to take advantage of accelerometer, compass, etc, HTC is not providing such SDK at all, what is a big problem in case of HTC HD2, as one of our readers have noticed:
* Whatever remains of the Windows Mobile community is going bonkers over the HTC HD2 and its hacked-in multi-touch support. Why in the world does this matter if third-party apps won't be able to use it? I'm sure we'll see community API efforts on XDA-Devs, just like for past HTC controls (circular controller, zoom bar, accelerometer, etc.), but that's not going to extend very far beyond XDA.
Obviously what's needed is first-party support from MS, but given that WM development on MS' part has been in a coma for several years, the next line is the OEM, and HTC's support would be quite useful to build a collection of third-party apps that actually make some use of the device.
People talk about matching the iPhone-- sure, the HD2's hardware is impressive, but given its likely software state, it'll be miles away from the iPhone in actual usefulness. Why care about a digital compass, accelerometer, or multi-touch that won't work in any third-party apps?
Conclusion: since HTC HD2 is extremely expensive, maybe users should wait for Windows Mobile 7 phones where third party developers will be able to take advantage of multitouch and compass? Or maybe HTC should wake up and provide SDK for their Windows Mobile phones at last?
Note: according to leaked specifications of Windows Mobile 7, HTC HD2 will not (!) be upgradeable to Windows Mobile 7.[/QUOTE)
Maybe yes, we should wait.
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i'm really thinking about it, but i think i will wait for the next device announcement.
i guess it will have a smaller screen (capacitive also, maybe 3.8?) with snapdragon 1ghz processor and QWERTY keyboard.
that's what i need
Yes - the Touch HD's poor processor is annoying me everyday. It can't even handle predictive text when sending an SMS in a timely fashion.
It was great at the time, but it's now time for the HD2.
i would skip because i already spent a fortune on hd so it should atleast last another year...
but the snapdragon and capacitive touchscreen really makes you drool
Thought about upgrading, but then it's a really expensive phone that only corrects the HD shortcoming (power, speed, camera, capacitive...)
I will wait for the next generation of devices, and an OLED screen before I upgrade. The next question for me will be to decide between Android v2.0 (it's now only starting to become a real alternative to winmo if the Exchange support is done correctly), and Windows Mobile 7.0
Frankly at the minute, from what I see of WinMo 7, I am not impressed at all...

concerns...

Hi, mobilephones direct have fluffed my order and so it doesnt look like it is going to turn up any time soon. Since I place my order I have seen a lot of concerns raised about this handset, oddly I had these concerns prior but i had been convinced these were no longer an issue. Firstly 3d performance doesnt look like it is going to be great and a few people are having issues with small menus on the screen. Where video performance is very good due to lack of driver support it isnt as good as the Acer F1 and maybe the TG01.
My question is, should I be reconsidering this phone being that the F1 is much cheaper to buy and on monthly contract. Does anyone have an opinions on the F1 or TGo1 that will swap me again?
When it's your soul and happiness at stake, I doubt people jump in and try and talk you in having a HD2 still.
It's your "call" not ours.
ok, dont try to convince, just give me the facts.
the main difference is properply the capacitive screen on hd2 vs resistive on the other two devices.
ostendk said:
the main difference is properply the capacitive screen on hd2 vs resistive on the other two devices.
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Click to collapse
Well, that, plus the extra memory on the HD2 (448MB vs 256), the larger screen size, and of course the whole Sense UI, which includes HTC-skinned versions of many of the standard OS utilities - the F1 just runs plain WM 6.5. Oh, and I don't think it has a compass.
Of course, the HD2's single biggest advantage over the F1 is the fact that it's supported by this website.
Shasarak said:
Well, that, plus the extra memory on the HD2 (448MB vs 256), the larger screen size, and of course the whole Sense UI, which includes HTC-skinned versions of many of the standard OS utilities - the F1 just runs plain WM 6.5. Oh, and I don't think it has a compass.
Of course, the HD2's single biggest advantage over the F1 is the fact that it's supported by this website.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+100 on the support
and everything else actually.
I have similar hesitation and I have tempted a lot for Acer neoTouch. On paper it really looks as perfect device – optimal size, powerful CPU, resistive screen (yes I’m still not sure if capacitive screen is advantage for Windows Mobile), enough memory, GPS and decent battery life. But just before went for neoTouch I have very bad experience with other Acer's phone– E101 and I was totally disappointed from build quality and mostly with Acer technical support. The device had an obviously hardware issue with the screen and Acer simply refused it. It was terrible experience and I don’t want to hear for Acer’s smartphones anymore.
Speaking for Toshiba TG01, I’ve read a lot of complaints for many hardware and software issues. Also I think it is hugely overpriced, since it cost almost as HTC HD2. Maybe it’s true that TG01 has better 3D performance, but I do not think this could pay all other flaws. Moreover, a WM device hardly is a right platform for 3D games at all, so this HTC’s flaw is not a real pain in my opinion.
In conclusion, the HTC HD2 has its flaws (as every other device in the market) but doubtlessly it is the best WM phone for now. And the support of this forum is a huge advantage that cannot be easily ignored. Most probably I’ll go for it very soon
martoto said:
I have similar hesitation and I have tempted a lot for Acer neoTouch. On paper it really looks as perfect device – optimal size, powerful CPU, resistive screen (yes I’m still not sure if capacitive screen is advantage for Windows Mobile), enough memory, GPS and decent battery life. But just before went for neoTouch I have very bad experience with other Acer's phone– E101 and I was totally disappointed from build quality and mostly with Acer technical support. The device had an obviously hardware issue with the screen and Acer simply refused it. It was terrible experience and I don’t want to hear for Acer’s smartphones anymore.
Speaking for Toshiba TG01, I’ve read a lot of complaints for many hardware and software issues. Also I think it is hugely overpriced, since it cost almost as HTC HD2. Maybe it’s true that TG01 has better 3D performance, but I do not think this could pay all other flaws. Moreover, a WM device hardly is a right platform for 3D games at all, so this HTC’s flaw is not a real pain in my opinion.
In conclusion, the HTC HD2 has its flaws (as every other device in the market) but doubtlessly it is the best WM phone for now. And the support of this forum is a huge advantage that cannot be easily ignored. Most probably I’ll go for it very soon
Click to expand...
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Thanks this is exactly what I was after, however there have been a lot of new problems posted now so I am going to cancel my order for now and continue with my HD, I have just found a fantastic cooked from called magnificent 4.1, its the best I've tried and I have tried about 30 roms in the last few months.
I had the TG01 for a couple of weeks and sold it meanwhile; also was considering the F1.
The TG01 is a great device and was first on the market with the Snapdragon, and I loved web and e-Mail on it and how thin it is.
Still the voice quality (calls) is simply not good enough for me for business use. Additionally, the battery is not only weak, but also unpredictable (the % thing did never work, although it seems to be solved now). Also I got connection problems on Bluetooth in both of my cars.
The reason I always get back to HTC is quality. Reception, bluetooth stability, USB connect (in my cars) is always fine - I had all the major HTC devices in the last years.
I was also tempted by the F1 but did not order after reading couple of experiences that the device is great and even faster than the HD2, but again lacks the professional phone qualities (speaker not loud enough, reception). Also I got used to the HTC sense thing...
At moment my portfolio is a TouchPro, a Snap (fantastic device and my favourite whenever I don't need excessive web access) as well as a Palm Pre. The last one is the sexiest device around, I love the interface and especially the Touchstone charges. This is my "weekend" device where I usually use more web accesss. The battery life by the way is incredibly bad.
But whenever I go on a business trip I get back to one of the HTCs.

Why I am happy with my Xperia

After having read one too many "I hate my Xperia and wish I had an iPhone" thread I thought I'd make a thread for people to remember why they bought an Xperia.
Does it have it's issues? Absolutely, but it makes up for it (for me at least) in many other ways.
I originally bought the Xperia X1a because it was the ONLY 3G capable WVGA device available for AT&T bands (850Mhz and 1900Mhz). It has a nice feeling keyboard, it has a beautiful display, and it has a very nice hand-feel. Even when I pick it up now it just feels so good in the hand. In fact I haven't had one that felt so good to hold since my old SE W810i. I had the Hermes and Kaiser and both were clunky and unenjoyable to hold.
The Xperia keyboard has a very pleasant keyboard. Its clicks are well defined and the arc slider's spring assist makes it a real joy to slide out. Also my battery life has been superb. Even running 24/7 Push E-mail and a separate IMAP account I still get over 48 hours of power.
Also it came with SPB Mobile Shell for FREE. SPB is, arguably the best Windows Mobile Shell available and it was a sheer joy to use, and while the default SE Panels were rather unimpressive I love that I can switch from Titanium/Sense, to SPB, to PointUI, as well as the absolutely gorgeous Growing Panel with just two presses.
While the processor is unimpressive it has been consistently able to run AVC Video at WVGA resolutions (some ROMs worked better than others, actually).
Sony also added a pretty good Xt9 SIP keyboard (I prefer TouchPal anyway) and with custom ROMS bringing Titanium and Sense to my Xperia I wonder why I would get anything else.
Pros:
1) Very High Res screen (More than double the lowly iPhone)
2) Latest UIs (I got SPB MS 3 from Korean site )
3) Great hand-feel
4) Great 3G performance (if you are on U.S. AT&T Xperia X1a is the best, for now)
5) Long Battery life
For those of you who might say I am glossing over some of the downsides, well sure, but this is a why I am HAPPY with my Xperia thread. (I have found most of the complaints to either be largely due to user error, or what I would call "making mountains out of molehills", but that's just my opinion).
Anyone else feel like their much maligned X1 has been getting unfair treatment feel free to offer some positive feedback for the device that, hopefully, we all still love.
P.S. - I got this idea from flamingsamurai
I am loving this phone right now.
*Opera mini feels as fast as my LEO and 3gs.
*The ability to use panels is a good point too.
*HTC Kaiser and TP2 were nice but chunky phones for me (bricks).
*The screen is just about as wide as the iphones and the device is much smaller.
*The hardware keys come in really handy. The optical sensor is good for menus.
*The keyboard is nice with good width for keys.
*Its a beautifully constructed metallic device.
* I am using vakleryire firestorm leo with htc sense activated in the home menu and it feels like a compact leo.
*No accelerometer but I use left softkey remapped to rotate screen.
* Android and Ubuntu are in deep progress as far as I can see (3 OS in one!).
Many more too.
Swap with 1ghz, increased ram/rom and the 0.2 inch for the screen and you have one of the best devices out there!
I like my X1 because it actually 'feels' like a communication device rather than an MP3 player with a call function. I honestly think the iphone looks and feels really dopey. I also have to agree that it feels great in the hands too. The way the keyboard springs open is just incredibly badass. The weight and the metal fascia just feel so classy. The panels are fun to change up every now and then, and I think it's just cool to have windows on such a tiny device. I thought my itouch felt like I had a little computer on me at all times, but the X1 is even more so. I feel a lot more organized on the X1 than I think I would with an iphone.
I had a hard time choosing between the X1 and iphone, but in the end, I couldn't justify paying the same price for a device (3G) with far less inferior hardware specs than the X1 just because of what it is. I generally hate apple products and didn't want to give in to their supremacy by getting and iphone. Sure apple's touchscreen is awesome, but I didn't feel I needed it for a phone; that's where my itouch comes in.
I found that apple's accelerometer annoying sometimes when I'm using it in weird angles, i.e. lying down in bed. I think I'm just glad to know that my X1 would be vastly superior in outer space than an iphone. You know, space-proof, just in case.
In the end I'm glad I made my decision to get the X1 and keep my itouch for my apple needs, rather than combining everything into one device. I'll use my itouch for video, music, and games; my X1 strictly for communication and productivity.
I actually love my X1 and think that it was the best phone I could get. After learning about the potential physical short comings, I'm going to do my best to baby this phone to make it live forever. If she dies, I'll revive her.
Sony eirccson is a pretty cool guy. eh is better than teh ifone and doesn't afraid of anything...
A message to the OP; when did you purchase your X1? Was it brand new. refurbished, or used?
Anyways, if the device was increased to the scale of having a 3.5 inch screen, I would definitely have kept my device.
Absolutely agree with everything said, especially about the X1 being space proof =D
Also people complain about WM, and I have no problem with it, its perfectly logical, and if you use a rom which you like, then it runs fine. Someday you'll be able to jump ship to android. Anyways I'll always love it, its fun to fiddle around with, rather than be a boring symbian phone, where you have no control.
And wheres the fun in having a phone everyone has?
Great thread Hannigan
I wouldn't call the phone cracking by itself user error. It's true, the phone does have good points, but it doesn't get the basics down.
If I have to keep the phone in a safe vault for it to not crack, what use is it?
I like the optical sensor and having the ability to choose between the optical sensor and physical clicks for directional input. However, I hate the feel of the keyboard.
Finally a thread where people actually enjoy the phone
What I like about the X1:
The Professional look and feel of the phone
Screen size and HD Res.
Modding capabilities and Hacks and the Different UI's you can put on it.
Camera front and Back and video recording
Optical mouse pad
Keyboard
Speed of phone, yes thats right I said Speed.
Wifi
GPS
HD games/PS1, sigh....... I miss Call of Duty 2 but I just couldn't go back to Sh!ty 6.1
And most of all The fact that their very little people that have heard of or seen this phone where i live. Actually I'm the only that owns one I don't know anybody with this phone in Auburn,NY .
@Rydock I'm glad to see your enjoying your X1 so far.
I'm still getting use to my X2 (just got it this week) but over all the more I get use to it the more I love it.
Single greatest reason why I love my X2 is .... Keyboard! =) (I hate typing on my ipod touch, nor do my fingers allow for a smooth scroll on the screen).
My only hope is the 2 up and coming firmwares fixes the little minor issues I have.
poetryrocksalot said:
A message to the OP; when did you purchase your X1? Was it brand new. refurbished, or used?
Anyways, if the device was increased to the scale of having a 3.5 inch screen, I would definitely have kept my device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought mine new on eBay from an Australian retailer selling a Telstra NextG model (it comes unlocked). Only U.S. sources I could find had significantly higher prices for the X1a. I received it in February or so I think? About 1 year old.
Why do you ask about age and status? I presume you had one and are on U.S. AT&T. Were you curious since it is so rare in U.S.?
P.S. - I would prefer a bigger, flush screen. Then again it is still the largest screened phone I have ever had. And for me the physical keyboard is a huge benefit (Had Hermes and Kaiser before so I like them side sliders).
My X1 is still my favourite phone, the modding capabilities are what does it for me.
I like the fact it's my phone, I've customised it to how I want it to work, I can't do that to any other phone I've owned.
The screen is great, it runs smoothly, i can get push email from multiple accounts no problem, I sync my contacts and calendar, vide oplayback is generally good, ther are a few files that is has problems with, but that's pretty rare.
Sound quality is great, shame abut the speaker, but I generally have it on silent and use a bluetooth headset or headphones.
It looks great, the build is solid, it's been dropped countless times now, ther are a few dents, cracks and scratches, but I expect that after the battering it's had over the last months!
I love having a QWERTY, but I wish it was more friendly for single hand use.
I've found myself using titanium over any panels, and things like the wifi router abilities, even torrents, mean i can do anything I want on it.
The X2 with a 1GHz processor would probably be my ideal phone! Just wish that looked more like the X1.
I'm happy to see that there are at least a few of us who are more than satisfied with the Xperia
It's always good to hear some positivity for a change. Thanks for the input, to all of you.
It's been a year since I last used my Xperia regularly. I would like to use it more, because I really enjoy the QWERTY keyboard (it has four rows and a dedicated @ button, etc) and it's a very versatile device. There are some great ROMs out for it now as well: Sense 2.5, Windows Mobile 6.5.3, X2 and what not.
But what keeps me from going back to it is the Xperia's tiny screen, in combination with the high resolution. WVGA is mainly used on 4, 3.7 and 3.5 inch displays, and not on merely 3 inches. In fact, is there even another 3" WVGA device in the world? It looks great, sure, but everything is so petite that it hurts my eyes
I think such a small display also puts a lid on the overall user experience. If the Xperia had a 3.5" display, or even 3.2", I would have used it *a lot* more. Because as pointed out in this thread, it does have plenty of strengths.
Hi all,
in fact I just BOUGHT an X1 afresh!
I'm using an HTC Touch HD with customized ROM as my primary device, and still think that's the best setup for me. The only things that bugged me were the width and the absolute lack of any tactile experience.
So I shopped around ...
In fact I actually ordered a Motorola Milestone: I wanted to see if I liked Android, the reviews are enthusiastic, and it has a hardware keyboard.
Guess what: I sent it back the day it was delivered. (but that's another story)
And so I went back to Windows Mobile.
My new X1 (and in fact it is brand new) has everything that I was looking for. It sits well in your hand, and I mean as a phone it feels just right. I'm quite happy with the keyboard, and I love the rich feel of the slider. And finally: Hardware buttons hooray!
Other than that it's got pretty much everything my Touch HD has, minus the G-sensor (and I can live with that).
So I use the HD for business (because it's lightweight and discreet to carry in a jacket) and for navigation (big screen!) and the X1 for leisure. Btw, the media panel is just amazing in terms of audio output!
All in all I've fully returned to WM thanks to the X1, and I don't see myself migrating to Android, WebOS, iPhone or Symbian any time soon. Windows Phone 7 Series (or whatever it's called) is downright scary in its restrictions, so I'm glad that 6.x will still be around for power users like us.
Bliss.
N.

An Urgent Question About the Awesome HD MINI's Screen

Hi everybody..
I have been considering buying this wonderful device but during my looking into the specifications I noticed this new strange resolution 320x480 HVGA which is the first time for me to come across this type of screen!
My question is, after your experience with this device, have you encountered any problems which are due to this specific type of screen? either on the level of program compatibility, which is most important, or any other problems?
The device is just the hit for me but this screen thing is holding my hand
Thank you in advance..
Yes, of course, some applications do not run, especially alternative keyboards such SlideIT.
Nevertheless most of them work just fine.
If you use specific legacy application, post a question on this forum to know if it works or if there are some alternative ones.
For example, I used in the past TomTom Collins French english dictionnary. This worked well on Diamond, but no way on HD mini. I had to change to slovoed that work fine, even if I like less the UI.
Thank you for your reply..
It's good news that MOST of the applications have no problem running on this device
Ok - of course there are many applications I want to make sure of before buying but some are essential and some are not so I'll ask about some programs that are of importance to me:
1) iGo for navigation
2) Navigon
3) Mobipocket Reader << this is the most important program in my Diamond right now so it has to work properly
No answer!
Have some patience!
iGO8- there are 2 threads on this, and there are ways to get it to work
Navigon: No idea
Mobipocket: No problem at all here- one of my most used programs!
Thank you NeilM
Well, so far so good, but need to make sure of other programs which I might mention here to make sure they work..
I just don't get it, why would HTC use such a screen? Is there any specialty that I should know about? Why not just use a WVGA or at least a normal VGA if that'll cost them much
Pardon me for my ignorance I have my history with PPCs but lately I wasn't up-to-date with the new ones
I think it is market economics. A number of Android devices also use HVGA so the same basic screen can be used across a range of phones.
Also WVGA and HVGA are both widescreen format which suits current usage patterns of video etc.
A less power hungry screen is a definite advantage in a smaller device. I don' t find the display any less usable than my HD2 in normal use, though I did need to use a registry editor to enable Cleartype, without which text is very poor; for some reason O2 have disabled the control panel for this.
NeilM said:
I think it is market economics
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The rule says: NEVER produce a perfect device << well, maybe it's not a disadvantage to have this screen but temporarily with the compatibility issues, it's really annoying!
Ok, I want to ask you as a user of HD MINI, how do you find the screen in terms of clarity, brightness, accuracy? How do you compare it with the Diamond's << I love that screen - I mean I understand the MINI is 3.2 inch whereas the Diamond is 2.8 inch so does this H in HVGA has a noticeable effect on the screen compared to its size?
Thank you for the information
As a previous Diamond user I have to say for me the HD Mini is much better. Obviously it is capacitive/multi touch which makes it very different in use, but the extra size makes a big difference.
OK, maybe icons and graphics are a little less definitive at the edges but it doesn't affect everyday use.
Personally I think VGA on a very small screen is pointless as text can be too small to read and web pages are very small, so HVGA is an improvement.
It seems that will be the new trend on Windows phone 7 and ohter phones (android, Iphone).
HVGA for small and WVGA for big screens. It is effectively strange, because it is even not the same aspect ratio.
NeilM,
Of course it's better if you look at it this way; capactive/multi-touch screen, but if you look at the other side which is the definition, you'll find that:
HD MINI: 480x320 + bigger screen = less picture quality
Diamond: 480x640 + smaller screen = more picture quality
Theoretically, I prefer having smaller screen with better definition rather than bigger one with worse definition, but I wouldn't base my decision now without testing it in reality - maybe I'll like it!
And as you said before that you use mobipocket, you need bigger screen and you'll sacrifice the quality for that, but, me, the cleartype matters alot to me
Honestly, I see a screen with the size 3.2 inch as the best typical size for me, but, more importantly, it should have a suitable definition too
Again, H in HVGA stands for what?! I don't think it's for "high"
moscard
I don't think so - unless they want to go back!
I mean why not use a normal VGA, for example, for a device they think it should be a revolution in phone market?!
I might be missing something here, but is there a problem in using VGA with capactive/multi-touch screens?
Why use less resolution while you should use more!
I hate these companies!
Thank you both
- H : I suppose is for Half 320 instead on 640
- I used Diamond for two years, and I prefer HD mini screen, the smaller resolution is not really an issue, but the bigger screen is really more confortable. In addition it runs a lot faster and all the things are more reactive, especitially for phone functions. The sound is better as well.
- Just a remark vs Diamond, HD mini do not have front camera anymore. For me is not an issue but it could be.
Bright Neon said:
moscard
I don't think so - unless they want to go back!
I mean why not use a normal VGA, for example, for a device they think it should be a revolution in phone market?!
I might be missing something here, but is there a problem in using VGA with capactive/multi-touch screens?
Why use less resolution while you should use more!
I hate these companies!
Thank you both
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope you're right, but most of companies are trying to standardise anything... screen resolution as well. What I do not understand, is why they choose two resolution with diferent aspect ratio. With same aspect ratio it would be simpler to disign software apps.
Yes- HVGA is Half VGA, ie 480*320
The aspect ratio of VGA and QVGA is 4:3, which is the standard 'square screen' ratio
WVGA and HVGA are 15:9 and 15:10 respectively which are near enough both the standard widescreen resolution.
There is no doubt that both increasing the screen size and decreasing the resolution should have an adverse effect on overall resolution, but my experience of the HD Mini is thta this is mitigated by the better overall quality of the screen, regardless of resolution.
Maybe if I were 20 years younger with perfect eyesight, I might have a different view!
The effect on device responsiveness using a lower resolution is marked though: 600MHz running HVGA is much faster than 524MHz running VGA ! Going back to the Diamond makes it feel so sluggish and unresponsive compared to the HD Mini and HD2.
Not happy with the HTC HD Mini
Just a quick feedback since I am playing around with a HTC HD Mini for a while now. Its my Girlfriends and has a broken screen so I get the chance play around until I replaced the screen. My personal experience is that this device is "horrible". Bad quality screen (I used it also before it had a broken screen ), compatibility is very limited (Custom stuff like XDA Mods not as much bought Apps) further more the Touch sensitve buttons are horrible to accidentaly hit them. Maybe I am just spoiled with the HD2 but I feel there are allot of trade-off's for the smaller form factor. But the worst thing all the nice XDA stuff will probaly never support this resolution since its preaty much the only device with it. (Windows Mobile atleast) Tried Cookie and MaxSense Mod on the HTC Mini without luck. Resolution problems.
PS: Anyone ever found disassembly instructions for the HTC HD Mini? I can find it for any other phone but not the HD Mini. There were just not enough sold to pros. I guess a good phone for Woman and iPhone users.
Encountered very few problems with this resolution. Especially for the newer free apps. Problems arises only in some old apps which either support only QVGA or VGA. But most certainly, you won't want to install such old apps in this shiny new colorful gadget.
For me, the Sense improvements to the UI, and WinMo 6.5.3's own improvements have eliminated my dependent on many of the old apps. I ended up installing less apps. Mostly new one i found reading thru the forums here.
Most of the only old apps i had to carry over from my old WinMo 6.1 are the dictionaries and translators. One of my favorite translators, HNHSoft Eng-Chn Dict, works poorly with HVGA resolution. Nevertheless, still usable. Fortunately, another from my old collection, WM-DICT 2.0, which worked poorly in 6.1 QVGA, turns out to be a great performer in 6.5.3 HVGA. So in reality, i lose one and win one, makes like i didn't lose anything at all.
I'd agree on the compatibility- almost all programs I've tried work fine. The only exceptions are TouchPal keyboard and 1-2 Remote.
1-2 Remote was poor on the HD2 as well as it's designed for QVGA and the skins are not optimised for other resolutions.
WM6.5.3 in its native form here, plus the current version of HTC Sense is a lot more stable than the native WM6.5 on the HD2 and any of the custom ROMs.
If you correctly tweak the screen (enabling Cleartype) it is very good indeed- can't understand the comment about it being poor- maybe it was faulty from the start if it failed later?
Having come from both a Diamond and HD2 I'm very satisfied with the HD Mini though I do find the screen 'touch' accuracy including the 'touch' buttons to need some getting used to. Switching the 'Touch Input' to 'Compact QUERTY' makes typing very much easier with XT9 turned on

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