Database Develop

Is there a better PDA phone than this?

I've had an O2 XDAIIi version of this PDA phone since it was released, and very nice it is too. However, it's starting to get a bit tatty, but I believe this model is no longer available. My question is; what's the best replacement for it?
Basically, I'd want something that does exactly the same, but with WM5, VGA and a better camera. I don't want the bulk of a keyword, so I'm not interested in the O2 Exec.
Is there anything out there that meets this criteria? The stumbling block seems to be VGA, as not many devices seem to use this.
Anyone know of such a beast?
Lee

you may struggle there mate, least I haven't seen one yet. if you want a practically sized phone then you may have to opt for a lower-resolution screen (particularly since the exec is the only vga wm5 handset I know of) this it was exactly the choice I made when I sold my exec to get a vario II. As it happens I don't really notice the difference any more: as with any phone you have to weigh up its pros and cons.
Ask yourself what you actually use your phone for, and how important having a vga screen really is for your needs. You may end up just sticking with what you've got!
You could also look on ebay - you MAY find and xda ii in mint condition there.
The stumbling block isn't just the VGA screen either Lee - unfortunately cameras on xdas ALL suck! the 2mp camera on my vario 2 is equally as rubbish as the 1.3 mp cam on my exec, my vario 1 and my mda compact. they're just no good. I wish I could take the camera out of a sonyericsson and whack it in the case of my vario!
The day a perfect phone comes out I'm sure we'll all rush out and buy it, other than that the only alternative would be to get one of the new sonyericssons - they have better screens and the latest ones have stunning cameras....but they use (ahem) symbian.
Hope this is of some use.

you may struggle there mate, least I haven't seen one yet. if you want a practically sized phone then you may have to opt for a lower-resolution screen (particularly since the exec is the only vga wm5 handset I know of) this it was exactly the choice I made when I sold my exec to get a vario II. As it happens I don't really notice the difference any more: as with any phone you have to weigh up its pros and cons.
Ask yourself what you actually use your phone for, and how important having a vga screen really is for your needs. You may end up just sticking with what you've got!
You could also look on ebay - you MAY find and xda ii in mint condition there.
The stumbling block isn't just the VGA screen either Lee - unfortunately cameras on xdas ALL suck! the 2mp camera on my vario 2 is equally as rubbish as the 1.3 mp cam on my exec, my vario 1 and my mda compact. they're just no good. I wish I could take the camera out of a sonyericsson and whack it in the case of my vario!
The day a perfect phone comes out I'm sure we'll all rush out and buy it, other than that the only alternative would be to get one of the new sonyericssons - they have better screens and the latest ones have stunning cameras....but they use (ahem) symbian.
Hope this is of some use.

Thanks...
Thanks the the feedback, that was kinda what I expected. It seems that HTC keep bringing out new models with various permutations of features, but never all the features that you want in one machine!
VGA would be nice for web-browsing, which is very frustrating at 320x240. Oh well, jusy have to wait until someone releases that dream machine!
Lee.

just further to the previous point I made, I thought I ought to point out that I have found web browsing on the vario II to be absolutely superb - I do all of my posts on xda developers using it, its nippy, connects phenominally quick, and the scroll-wheel is an absolute joy to use. it might seem a simple thing, but it makes browsing so much more comfy - I hardly need to get the stylus out!
I'm sat on a train right now from birmingham to derby and I haven't lost my signal once - on my exec I was constantly losing signal; and despite the exec having a better screen it is far easier to flick through web pages with the varios scroller, and pages even load up quicker.
Despite its smaller screen I would HIGHLY recommend it.
(sadly the camera is still poo, so it's not all good news!)

I'm happy with my Vario 2 (Hermes) as it does 3G (which is brill ) and has a hardware keyboard (yesssssss), but compared to my Alpine the screen is a lot smaller. That's a disappointment, but I knew it was going to be smaller. The fact that it runs WM5 kinda makes up for it though, and the fact that my Alpine can't actually connect to my Alcatel Speedtouch DSL router is ridiculous! (It's not the first time that problem's happened, seems to be a real problem with either the radio hardware or the firmware... I dunno. The Hermes connects fine to everything).
As it stands, I'm gonna keep my Alpine and use it for GPS navigation (when I get a new car, thanks to the woman who drove into me and wrote my car off I don't have one at the moment), and I might just end up using it as my day-to-day PDA, especially as my Hermes at the moment refuses to ActiveSync with my PC. Windows reinstall coming this weekend, we'll see how that goes.
The camera on my Hermes is WAYYYYY better than on my Alpine though (it's not as good as on the K750i/K800i/Cybershot models by SonyEricsson, those cameras blow everything else out of the water!) but I've taken a few pics and put them on my moblog (http://moblog.christopherwoods.co.uk if you want to compare image quality, I think they're just fine considering the camera size), and combined with the 3G (and unlimited 3G / GPRS access on my T-Mobile tariff) it's great for moblogging and websurfing to kill time / procrastinate, but my Alpine is slimmer and has a larger screen... The Alpine was allllllllmost perfect, I was almost ready to keep it as my phone for another year, but there were just enough things not quite up to par with it to make me go out and get a new device.
I do love the extra hardware buttons on the Hermes, and the scroll wheel is pretty cool. Don't use it as much as I should do, the same with the soft keys - I always end up tapping the screen when I can just push the button! Force of habit, can't teach an old dog new tricks.

I think the screen size is definitely important, but from experience i would NEVER buy another phone with a VGA screen - at least not until they start making much better batteries.
The biggest killer of batteries is those big pretty screens, and if a handset is gonna cut it as a phone and a practical browsing device/organiser it needs to hold out in the power department, since we're not always next to a power point, and we haven't always got our mains adaptor with us!
I don't really notice the screen difference on my Vario II now, and the battery lasts ages.
Be nice if i could get a spare battery with a cradle on ebay though, always good to have backup, however i haven't seen one yet.

Roll on charge-via-GPRS (use the power in the radio waves and convert it into electrical energy.... mmm... batteryless devices... drool)

Kaiser/Tilt worthy upgrade?

Any Tilt or Kaiser owners plan to upgrade to the Touch Pro 2? Does it seem like it would be a significant upgrade? I'm curious to what you fellow Tilt/Kaiser owners think...

I have the Tilt and have not upgraded to the Fuze. I was waiting for the next big thing that ATT was potentially was going to bring over and it seem like this is it. I love the device's design in every aspect; looks amazing physicaly. What i don't like is that they stuck it with a 3mp camera (and removed flash!). I absolutely love the 3.6" screen. Basically, i'm pretty sure i'll be upgrading (i saved my contract upgrade and rejected the Fuze for this reason).

Yeah, I'm going to buy Touch Pro2, the reasons why, larger screen, better hardware, 5-row keyboard, looks very very cool, more finger-friendly.

iphone. if lack of a hw keyboard is not a deal breaker. After owning 2 winmo phones (currently using a tilt) and modding many other peoples iphones, i can honestly say that the iphone is superior in usability/apps/stability. after drooling for a touch diamond and then hearing my friend say its laggy after he bought it, was a real disappointment. Microsoft is really behind the curve in the mobile sector. Thinking about selling my tilt for iphone now. Might wait till winmo 7 to come out before purchasing another winmo phone. For the record i'm a pc guy and i think apple products/fans our generally pretentious and kinda douche-ie (not all though).

Not sure about the Touch Pro2. I rarely .. if ever use my keyboard. I am waiting on the HTC Topaz for ATT..... drool.

I'm probably gonna go for the TP2. 800x480 screen!
They only issue i see with the device is that they've removed the d-pad.

HTC looks like they've put every good feature into this device, from FM Radio to TV Out. It looks perfect, and although a faster processor or a DPAD wouldn't hurt. And a 6.5 upgrade sounds good as well. I am certainly getting this phone.
Dave

good thing i passed on the fuze too...The Touch pro 2 will definitely be up there on my next phone list...And this will probably be the real successor to the tytn ii...I think it also matches the specs we had a few months back on the then phantom "TILT 2" that never showed up...until now...

TP 2.... is it worth sniffing at?
Does anyone know if it'll have proper 3D and 2 D DirectX and Direct Draw drivers included? I'm not wanting a HTC customised menu so much as full native support of the built in hardware within the operating system and parts thereof such as Pocket Mediaplayer itself. I'd like to use video playback without having to slash the frame rates and/or resolution as I have to with my Kaiser (even under TCPMP).
I'm concerned to read that although it has GPS support, it doesn't appear to list what software is provided to use this in the UK/Europe. Does this mean that it could be the TP all over again with HTC refusing to acknowledge any GPS problems that may crop up? Without a tried and tested native GPS app bundled with the device, it won't be one for me.

I'm very tempted - but I think I'll have to wait until I actually can put my hands on one in a shop to decide. I fear I will find it too large and/or thick for my liking. The Tilt is thick, but small. The iphone is large to the point I feel mixed with regard to the size in the pocket/screen comfort balance, but at least is thin. The TP2 will be large AND thick. And it loses the DPAD indeed, and I use that a lot

only a few people think it would be a worthy upgrade?

What's that saying, once bitten....
timdeien1979 said:
only a few people think it would be a worthy upgrade?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If those who currently have Kaisers (or TPs for that matter) get a feeling of déjà vu with the 'finished' product and its shortcomings (video drivers, keyboard performance, GPS time to lock and any lag, important bits/features missed out etc) then yes, you are correct. HTC need to learn from its mistakes and provide a product that actually meets peoples needs fully and reliably if they want those who've already been stung by them to part with cash on a new HTC product. Many people here have already said they'll never buy another HTC product due to all the problems they've had so you get an idea of the extent of feeling about such things!

I'm planning to get the TP2
- Higher resolution big and wide screen
- Larger battery
- Faster processor
- More internal memory
- 5 row keyboard
- TV out
- USB OTG
- New TOUCH FLO 3D with larger soft menu screens
- WM 6.5 (when HTC will make it available)
I'll miss:
- D-pad
- Jog wheel
- Buttons!

Flying Kiwi said:
If those who currently have Kaisers (or TPs for that matter) get a feeling of déjà vu with the 'finished' product and its shortcomings (video drivers, keyboard performance, GPS time to lock and any lag, important bits/features missed out etc) then yes, you are correct.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or, there are people like me who are really happy with the Kaiser, and for whom it would take something really good to warrant a change. As said, I'll see the TP2 when it's there, but until then I don't plan to change at all.

If the cookers start cooking good roms and it can be unlocked ok then yes it looks lovely

Can the Diamond really be recommended?

I cant help, but I am "slowly" getting more and more convinced not to buy a Diamond because of the apparent issues I continue to find.
First I found out about the display issue which is (also officially) said to happen only with too much pressure (what exactly is too much), although some reported them as well and stated to have taken care. Now it seems there is yet one more issue with the backlighting respectively the hardware itself.
Would you say I am exaggerating and those issues are normal ones which happen to some extent on all phones or is my upcoming impression right that the Diamond might be a true beta product - it's not that those issues are exactly minor ones?
Please let me know your true and objective (please no fanboyism in either way ) opinion.

all I can say is these forums get a lot more of
"I have a problem"
then
"my diamond is working fine and i would not change a thing"
happy users
1 never come here
2 try to help others

If you come to a forum where people are seeking help with their phone then unsuprisingly you are gonna find alot of people with phone problems they would like help with.
This is true for all devices from phones to cars, and will always give the impression that the device has many flaws. In the bigger picture far more people are happy with their diamond than reading here will have you think.

i believe that the diamond really is a great smartphone, (no fanboyism) and that it really delivers a great bunch of possibilities, especially when paired with xda developers it migth tend to be a little slow sometimes though. and sometimes even slower... but the first problem you described, ive never heard of before, and i do not believe you will experience this without trying to do it, or if you by accident throws a rock at the display (accident???) the second problem sounded like a flash of a custom rom gone wrong, which doesnt really have anything to do with the phone, but more with the person behind the phone
these 2 problems that you talk about seems like some that only happens if you doesnt take a little care of your phone, and i do not believe that these should make you worry about getting a diamond. but you might want to consider buying a diamond2 instead, since its about to get released

.
Thanks for all your responses so far, of course the argument of complainers being louder is valid, but I suppose I am particularly worried here because the two mentioned issues seem to be quite common - among the complainers at least - and seem to be rather major issues and not like a minor one such as a buggy software.
Hojlind said:
but the first problem you described, ive never heard of before, and i do not believe you will experience this without trying to do it, or if you by accident throws a rock at the display (accident???)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually I am not using rocks , but there are also quite a few in the mentioned thread who have stated to never have mistreated the display. Of course its not easy to verify this claim but I have to admit it makes me worry.
Hojlind said:
the second problem sounded like a flash of a custom rom gone wrong, which doesnt really have anything to do with the phone, but more with the person behind the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd have assumed that too, however it doesnt seem to have taken place immediately after flashing but a few days later and a few even mentioned it happened without any flashing at all.
Hojlind said:
these 2 problems that you talk about seems like some that only happens if you doesnt take a little care of your phone, and i do not believe that these should make you worry about getting a diamond. but you might want to consider buying a diamond2 instead, since its about to get released
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What attracts me particularly to the Diamond is its size. It is one of the smallest Windows Mobile phones available. The Diamond 2 is already noticeable larger and so I'd then opt for the HD right away.

I've had so many devices I can't remember how many, from pocket pc's to the diamond I've just been randomly given free, not on upgrade .. just a random gift.
First impressions - after having it for 6 hours:
Looks great, I like the candybar format, after the Vario III it's .. novel.
The screen is a vast improvement over the last generation of screens.
The camera produces usable images, the Vario III didn't. haven't tried video but the new drivers seem to be doing their job.
GPS lag has not been tested on the road but tomtom picked up a signal quickly enough.
I've not yet experienced the dropped call when answering because of the end call nonsense on the screen. If I do there is a workaround.
The Compact IV won't open a full 300mb Memory Map file, I've had to break the maps down into bite size chunks for it.
After using the vario III for a long time I've never used more than 3.5GB, despite having a 6GB card so I won't miss the lack of memory card.
I didn't use the keyboard of the other phones I used to the lack of it is welcome.
On balance, I would recommend this phone but a novice would quickly be frustrated and that's mostly down to interface quirks which you get used to after a while, and here's usually a workaround for most problems, except a duff driver.
Why the people at HTC and t-mobile don't just farm the ROM dev out to xda-dev is beyond me.
The developers here do a better job, quicker and cheaper than the bunch of talentless spods employed by the various co's who make the devices. Although, I might be being too harsh on the spods, they probably do a great job but get stymied by the suits.
Could I recommend the Diamond ? Yes.

Diamond is the best WM device I've ever used...
Mine's been bumping around in my pocket for the last 10 months, dropped a couple of times, lives in a (padded) bumbag when I'm trail riding my pushbike and generally been used rather a lot - but never abused.
In my previous job role I managed 1500 WM devices for an SME (sig...) and I can say with the absolute certainty of someone who has been there for a living that the kind of hardware failures that get reported here are almost unheard of in any WM devices that haven't been physically mistreated or had roms flashed in a hamfisted way.
Sitting down a couple of times with a touchscreen phone in the front pocket of a tight pair of trousers will always flex the device just enough for the display to fail somewhere down the line - usually long after the offender has left our employ and the device has been passed on to the next user...
Mind you I'll probably pick up a Touch Pro 2 when my contract is up for renewal...

I had one for a few months and didnt like it.
I am not remotely clued up on the technical side of things so this is very much a laymans report:
It had lots of features I liked but on the whole the phone was too much hassle and its cons outweighed its pro's. (the poor camera, the "black screen" when on the phone thing, the poor on/off button on the top, the poor lock/unlock system. But i loved the interface of the phone.
Swapped it for a LG Renoir and miss the Diamond, but they both have things the other doesnt. So I am no better off.
When will someone make the perfect phone? lol

The Diamond is excellent if you can handle it meaning you have really get into tweaking. Out of the box I would not recommend it but if you are willing improve it on your own by using the helpful programs of this forum than it's an excellent choice.

I have had several PDA phones: Sansung i700, i730, i760, HTC Mogul. Of those I loved the i760 with it's number keypad (granted it had it's issues also). Hated the Mogul (low memory issue and slow). The Diamond I consider an outstanding phone. My biggest issue is the lack of responsiveness of the screen. Takes some getting use to. I did the registry changes but didn't notice a real difference. Compared to the other PDA phones I mentioned I love the display quality, size, look, feel, and $10 internet with Sprint. Perfect phone for me. The battery life I can deal with. I have a cradle with a spare battery, a car charger and spare charger at work so I'm always prepared. By the way the battery life seems to have gotten better with the latest ROM update. I could recomend it but I always let people know of the battery issue, screen responsiveness and still having problems with time issue here in Arizona (changes by an hour every once in a while for some reason).

eurofan said:
The Diamond is excellent if you can handle it meaning you have really get into tweaking. Out of the box I would not recommend it but if you are willing improve it on your own by using the helpful programs of this forum than it's an excellent choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second that!!!
It wasn't great out of the box. But now.... I love tweaking/flashing and would recommend it to anyone.
Although, if your thinking of purchasing a diamond, personally, I would wait till the 'Touch Diamond 2' is released.

I agree with alot of the comments
Basically the HTC Diamond, or it many variants, is an excellent device (and I have had many many many devices).
What it has going for it:
1. Size
2. Weight
3. Fantastic screen
4. Looks nice and cute/good form factor
5. Well made
Issues:
6. Battery should have been bigger - not really an issue for me as I have a charger at work and home. I tend to charge every two days unless I have been using it intensly and then top up on the day (normally I top up if on 2 bars).
7. Shipped firmwares in the UK are mostly pants!
8. No card slot. Now I want to be clear about this, if you are just installing programs and/or data the 4GB storage is absolutely fine, more then enough in fact. It also is good for a small set of videos or music. However, if you want to store large amounts of music or videos then this device is not for you!
Basically, if you upgrade the Diamond after purchase to one of the more excellent ROMs on this site, it will have a beautiful display and quick response.
Also, note that, unlike something like the HTC Touch, this is a premium device. Which means it has nice touches like the stylus is held in magnetically and also, when you pull the stylus out it automatically switches the display on.
In terms of the Diamond 2 issue, that is obviously a better device, but the price will reflect it, and the HTC Diamond is now looking very good value. Personally, I like buying phones at the end of their run, as the firmware and price are the best.
Lastly, the HTC Diamond is a bit of a cult device. Why is this important ? Because it means that the support on xda-developers is much better then the less popular devices. As the HTC Diamond's price goes down, this will just increase.
best rgds

i just seriously love my diamond..the price on ebay is going down at a rapid pace n yeah..i love it bcoz of all the tweakin u can do on it..
man oh man..on which other device can u get a "not yet working" android os as well as some iphone like stuff for unlockin, music etc..n u can just about change everything thats on the phone..
tht may be coz its my first ever windows mobile phone n i was suprised by the remote desktop..use it to play poker on facebook now!! wanna view tv for uefa cup late at night..no problemo..n the autofocus camera with a beautiful vga screen adds as the biggest pro as i snap pics of my college assignments that are readable on its vga screen
i am a little disappointed with the touch screen though..cos when in remote desktop full screen, u cannot reach to the minimize, maximize n close buttons.. though u can use another software but its the touchscreen fault as the 4 corners of the screen are difficult to tap..
but overall im very satisfied n recommend it to all

The diamond rules!!! Buy one!! Buy one now :d

I just bought one cheap,don't like the diamond 2,it has no d-pad and looks a fair bit bigger.
The screen quality (colours and contrast)from what I've seen on youtube against the likes of the HD is what made me keen on it.
I have been using O2 flames for the last 2 years,so the battery life will be something I'm used to.
Hopefully it isn't like the atom life I bought and ended up selling within a week

gerryjoson said:
I just bought one cheap,don't like the diamond 2,it has no d-pad and looks a fair bit bigger.
The screen quality (colours and contrast)from what I've seen on youtube against the likes of the HD is what made me keen on it.
I have been using O2 flames for the last 2 years,so the battery life will be something I'm used to.
Hopefully it isn't like the atom life I bought and ended up selling within a week
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good luck! the quality of the diamond is much nicer then the atom.
start off on a good foot with a good rom

had a diamond sinve day 1 of orange uk launch
once flashed........a great phone.
does everything i want and more....so its gets a 10/10 from me...
if thats worth anything to you

^^^ Fanboy...
My opinion is that the Diamond is a nice attractive phone in a good size. Having said that, there are 3 major flaws:
1. Battery life
2. Speed
3. Software
The software one is the most solvable, with the number of tweaks, ROMs and free apps available here. I've supplemented that with a large amount of commercial software in order to get the best possible experience but this is of course very expensive to do properly.

Diamond is very good phone, i think you will never regret if you will buy one.
About problem on screen and presure ( i have that problem ), i think it comes because, when need to open back for sim card or for battery. To open back we need to press screen.

Had a diamond around 9 or 10 months now, considered buying an HD or a few other wannabees but any time I consider buying a new phone I just need to look @ my diamond & I remember why it's so damn good, It's looks haven't been matched or surpassed yet & the so called newer updated htc 1's/ other makes aren't that much better IMHO in performance etc... oh yeah & their all big fat bricks !!!
I'm sticking to my precious DIAMOND for a while yet thx
Oh & BTW that htc update has finally finally fixed it's biggest/ annoying bug, my diamond hasn't skipped an mp3 track since I installed it, I think I'll keep mine forever now hehehehe...

Still worth investing in an X1?

First off, I guess its obvious a lot of the users who browse this board would recommend the X1. My hope is that I can get some honest opinions on whether or not you guys would still invest in a X1 if you didn't have it currently.
I'm in Canada and I'm looking for a phone from my local retailer (in this case Rogers). Since I'm not just buying any unlocked phone, I don't have that many options. Its the X1, HTC Diamond of iPhone. iPhone's functions are great but I just dislike the look very much. The X1 is looking good in both appearance and cost for me.
I'm also a bit intimidated about all the customization for the X1. It's great that there are so many options but I don't know where to start. If someone can point me off in the right direction (in terms of what to install, what are must have ROMs / apps) that would be great. Especially all this WM6.1/6.5/6.5.1 I hear buzzing around.
Any help would be great appreciated.

the x1 is cool and all but its 1 year old now. You can find better phones out there. Are you interested in the updated x2? its the same just bigger screen and an accelerometer. Are you going to be at&t only? If not you should check out the Droid phone for verizon

if you can get it really cheap then go for it or get the tp2 for the bigger screen. both are pretty much one year old tech but will hold their own with the new current phones being offered.

I'm from the igloos up North so the Canadian providers are mainly Rogers and Telus and I'm with Rogers.
Seems to me that we usually get the shortest end of the stick; by the time I can pick a phone up from my local store it seems to be outdated and at the moment it seems to be my only choice. This is my first smart phone so I'm finally getting some data and I don't want to spend a whole lot.
Regardless, the X2 does look pretty awesome and I'm definitely interested. However, I don't know when or if Rogers will offer it. Is there any conformation on information like so? I think the X2 was released in Europe a few weeks ago if my research proves correct.

grantran said:
First off, I guess its obvious a lot of the users who browse this board would recommend the X1. My hope is that I can get some honest opinions on whether or not you guys would still invest in a X1 if you didn't have it currently.
I'm in Canada and I'm looking for a phone from my local retailer (in this case Rogers). Since I'm not just buying any unlocked phone, I don't have that many options. Its the X1, HTC Diamond of iPhone. iPhone's functions are great but I just dislike the look very much. The X1 is looking good in both appearance and cost for me.
I'm also a bit intimidated about all the customization for the X1. It's great that there are so many options but I don't know where to start. If someone can point me off in the right direction (in terms of what to install, what are must have ROMs / apps) that would be great. Especially all this WM6.1/6.5/6.5.1 I hear buzzing around.
Any help would be great appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love my X1, but it has old software by default. If you are into ROM flashing that isn't a problem, but if you aren't, you'll likely be happier with a Touch Pro 2.
How much are they selling it for? If it is at the same price of the iPhone 3GS, then get the iPhone, sell it as new on ebay and have enough money to buy 2 X1s.

before You'll get one read sticky about cracking. this device have a serious issue with plastic elements of housing cracking and chipping without any real reason. don't let any fool convince You, that it's a problem of only some units. most units are/will be affected. x2 however might be better, as it was built by foxconn, rather than htc.

if you can get new one less than 300$ then go for it

hi im new to all smartphones in general (live in poland and we have third world providers here )
got dilema since my contract is soon to be expired and got proposals for cheap but long contract extension (kinda normal here) phones.
Ill write what i can get :
-omnia
-xperia x1
-htc touch dual
-htc magic
-htc diamond
here is my dilema - x1 or magic
x1 comes with 4 gig sd (magic with nothing)
x1 is kinda older but when i look at hardware of lets say x2 its almost identical hence i hope for updates for x1
for magic speaks android (but new droid phones will have 1gig procesors wich worries me about its updates)
please speak from expirience.
Ill not use internet heavely (costs in orange network are radiculous) more like for IM's besides i can download apps via pc - ill be into flashing roms and stuff since i love to customize my phones.
so please be honest and no i cant afford any other phone since it would mean around 500$ and im poor bastard
cheers

If those are your options the xperia is by far the best! Okay the Omnia might not be a bad option, but I wouldn't consider the rest as in the same category.
EDIT: Magic would actually be a better choice in my opinion than Omnia, but I am still more favorable to WinMo... For now. If you don't have an affinity to Windows Mobile then the Magic might be a good choice. I prefer X1 for high res screen too. Makes for awesome Web browsing.

based on the choices you have, the x1 seems to be the better option. The new roms here make the x1 a much much better phone than out of the box so dont worry about it's initial performance once you get it. I mean after flashing a good rom, it's like having a new fone again...
Also, the x1 seems to be the only one with the keyboard amongst your other choices and for me that's a huge advantage!! I guess i'm just not made for full touch screen usage, i make too many errors typing...the next advantage would be the wvga resolution, awesome for watching movies (of course those formatted for wvga, there's a tool here to format)...

I just got my X1 last week, unlocked for $300 AUD, and after flashing a few roms its easy to find a happy place. I think its a pretty sweet device, and it can still fight it out with the newer phones.
Of the rest I've had a go at the Omnia, magic and also a touch HD, although the touch HD is pretty much the same except with no keyboard etc. I don't really like the Omnia's screen, so I would go for the Magic, the cloud concept seems pretty appealing, and its pretty slick.

sorry double post

ok so here is essential question :
Do i NEED to unlock x1 to be able to flash it etc?
Coz im long time orange user and dont plant to change it any time soon so its not nessesary for me.
as for android it has an app that blocks gprs and stuff is there simmilar thing for x1?
as for all these choices i only considered magic (for android) and experia for overall keyboard and screen that makes me horny also the camera soft on SE is allways better.
Tbh its like rollercoaster lol 1 day i want x1 more next day want magic lol
besides 1 more important thing is for it to be able to withstand 3 year contract

No you don't need to unlock it from a network to flash it, as far as I know.
I actually think, IMO, Magic has the better still camera, but I've never tried them both in same conditions. Video on X1 is much better though, even more so if you get a X1i. Also camera without a dedicated button (the Magic is missing one) can be a bit irritating.
As for apps, I think you can be covered for anything.
X1 is getting old, so 3 years might be a stretch, how much would you pay for the phone through a plan? Might be better to just buy it outright?
Also, X1 has the 3.5mm jack, and the usb port is in much better position for typing. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the Magic has a non-mini-b port, and I have loads of those laying around, so more convenient

well you see the thing is i would get it for a 1pln lol (about 1/3 of a usd ) just becose im long withthem and its a long plan. i have no cash at all
with magic it would be the same.
so You see my point its the first time in history lol when they allow me to have PDA like phone and i dont want to get stuck on something that will be tottal crap in 1 year

FYI, the Sony XPeria X1 is only $99 from Rogers on a 3 year term. This is a fantastic price, since it was $299 on a 3 year term last week. I'm thinking of getting the X1 now, especially since I've heard that the Motorola Droid won't be coming to Rogers.

reassor said:
well you see the thing is i would get it for a 1pln lol (about 1/3 of a usd ) just becose im long withthem and its a long plan. i have no cash at all
with magic it would be the same.
so You see my point its the first time in history lol when they allow me to have PDA like phone and i dont want to get stuck on something that will be tottal crap in 1 year
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The X1 is a much higher end looking device, and will at least look good for quite a long time . The Magic on the other hand already looks old. OS wise, Android is ahead of MS in terms of GUI.
With all that being said, if you have a lot of time on your hands to tinke you'll like the X1, it is like a mini computer. The magic imo has less upgrade-ability due to its low ROM size. Eitherway, you'll likely be happy as this is your first smartphone and you have nothing to compare it too.

Lots of good info in this thread. I've almost exclusively used Symbian/S60/UIQ up until this point and have been thinking of getting a nice and relatively cheap WinMo device to get me up to speed in the WinMo world and help me tide over until the X10 hits the scene in 2 months.
There are a couple of <6 month old X1s available around where I live for a shade over US$200. Do you think that's the correct price to pay? Frankly, I'm surprised at the amount of depreciation over the past 12 months. Other phones that used to cost about $800 (TouchHD etc) have held on to their value while the X1's has just plummeted.
Anyways, the X1s that I played with were in pristine condition but I'm concerned about the cracks problem. What do you reckon would be a good approximation for a baseline production date from where the cracks problem was resolved? I tried searching through the sticky thread on the problem but couldn't really find anything specific since most people haven't posted the production dates of their X1s.

Just to tell you, the X10 is an android phone

I'd forget the X1... sure you might get an 09 batch with no case cracking issues but another common problem is that the keyboard gets sticky and soon your space bar becomes very unresponsive.
Better of getting a full touch screen phone.
X1 for me was one big bad purchase and yes I do flash the latest ROMS.

Thinking of Buying a Xperia X1 what do you guys think of it?

Thinking of Buying a Xperia X1 what do you guys think of it? In terms of build quality and durability as well as everything else.

TheParadox said:
Thinking of Buying a Xperia X1 what do you guys think of it? In terms of build quality and durability as well as everything else.
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Its good, but had i been in ur place, i wud reconsider X1 for X2..X2 is better actually..but u take the pic..

The X2 does look good...but the X1 is a fantastic machine. Plus the price now is a lot cheaper than when first launched. The only problem I can foresee is trying to find a new one...I could be wrong of course

hofo_mofo said:
The X2 does look good...but the X1 is a fantastic machine. Plus the price now is a lot cheaper than when first launched. The only problem I can foresee is trying to find a new one...I could be wrong of course
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You can buy one here in Poland.

If I were in your shoes i wouldnt bother. Im on my 4th Xperia in 13 months!
I cannot comment on the X2 but personally would wait for the X10 or choose the new nokia.
My own opinion
To give advice i would suggest to stay away from SE until they get their act together.

If i'd buy a phone today, it'd be the HD2... sure no hardware QWERTY, but with that 4.3" screen you get one hell of a on screen keyboard.. =)
Other than that it's so much more powerful and has more features..

I've had my Xperia X1 since February, and the only problem I've had with it was the slight wearing out of most-used keys on the keyboard. And even that was replaced when I sent it in to SE Repair.
If you want an Xperia, and you'd rather go with a device that has a lot of support and is much, much cheaper, I'd say the X1 is a good idea for you. I plan on selling my black X1i (lightly used, I figure 300ish isn't bad) and getting the X2a when it comes out, for US 3G support, because I absolutely love the new keyboard and design. Plus I just like keeping up on mobile phones

well, since you've asked about build quality and durability - stay away! i own this phone 11 months and it's been in repair for 2 months and 1 week...
you can read in this forum about it:
- hw-keyb deteriorates over time (buttons either don't work or act like pressed 3 times)
- cracks in case
- battery cover (black) scratches very easy
- buttons under the screen lose their shiny finish through usage
- in my case a part of the touch-monitors most upper layer faded (no scratch!)
- monitor cable inside also seems prown to be faulty
also it doesn't get any software-updates anymore. "final" firmware dates from march 2009. and there are still bugs left, especially in performance (lag when playing it's own videos...) i've read somewhere that the new x2-panels don't work on x1 officially. x1-panels are too few to make good use of them.
and if you want to use custom roms (with manila) or the goodies from x2 be prepared for a neverending story of flashing, bug-fixing and waiting for new releases by the cooks. cooking yourself is even more time-consuming.
at the moment stay away from SE. and if you don't want to spend the money for something like a hd2, i'd recommend an htc touch pro 2. same hardware as x1, but a better software-foundation than the x1. plus manila and official update to winmo 6.5.

Well, buy it if you like it.
My Xperia works since Dec 2008 and it's the best SE phone I ever had.
The crack appeared when device hit the floor hard.
So for me build quality is good.
As for HTC TPro 2 - well, as for "software foundation" there's no difference between this and X1.
Some people love TF3D, some - like me - don't and I just love panels.
In reverse HTC has ****ty hardware buttons while SE gives you all the options.
So in the end it's all about subtle differences.
For me the whole X1 concept works.

caliban is saying everything you´ll need to know..
nice phone,crappy quality
some Plastic will kill your Fun ,believe me
-a lot of problems....
save a little bit more of money and buy a touch pro 2....
oh...and forget to buy some other SE Devices...big company,big quality problems at the moment,dood !

If I were in your shoes I'd get the LG Expo or HD2. Caliban is accurate above but I actually think the X1 is a very good device - after tweaking my only big complaint is the sluggishness - it just can't be fixed. Pretty soon all software will be designed for Snapdragon or faster processors, so I would jump on that bandwagon.

hofo_mofo said:
The X2 does look good...but the X1 is a fantastic machine. Plus the price now is a lot cheaper than when first launched. The only problem I can foresee is trying to find a new one...I could be wrong of course
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Do not get it. Just don't. It's a phone that comes to be luxurious and high-end. But it ages it quickly.