PC Pro slams Diamond Touch - Touch Diamond, MDA Compact IV General

What a great example of the media's double standards. They give the Diamond 2/6 stars and heavily criticize the battery life for not lasting through heavy use over a weekend. Their review of the iPhone 3G, a 5/6 star device, mentions that you'll need to charge the device every other day even with moderate use. So why is one product slammed and one product just barely criticized? It's like everyone is terrified to criticize the iPhone. Ridiculous.
However, on the speed of the Diamond, which is his primary complaint, I have to agree with him somewhat - even with the latest ROM update from a couple of weeks back, it's still too slow. Sometimes moving from element to element happens reasonably quickly, but there's still a delay where nothing happens at all. That might have been acceptable three years ago, but it's not acceptable today. Too often, it will stall out moving from one thing to the next. The funny thing is that even with that criticism, it's still the best Professional device I've used overall, at least one without a keyboard. On the stability front, even with no third party applications installed, I've had to soft reset it once after about a week of using it, which was a bit disappointing. Since then it's been two weeks without need for a reset, which is pretty good - although I'm spoiled by my T-Mobile Dash; I might have to reboot it once every three months at the worst.
On the looks front, the HTC Touch Diamond does very well. I took it to an AMD event in Austin a couple of weeks ago, and the "wow" factor it had when people looked at it was interesting - everyone loved it, until they started using it and guess what the first thing they said was? "Hmm - it's not very fast, is it?". That's an unfortunate reality about the state of the Touch Diamond right now - I'm really hoping that over the next few months, HTC's software engineers can optimize the Touch Diamond further and eliminate some of those delays.
Shockingly for any of you who know how I feel about most Apple products, I'm probably going to pick up an iPhone (likely a used one) so I can get more hands-on time with Apple's on-screen keyboard - I want to understand the subtleties of their approach vs. HTCs, because I can't seem to get any comfortable degree of accuracy with the Diamond's on-screen keyboard...I make error after error and I'm longing for a physical keyboard again.
Touch Diamond owners: how's your experience with the device so far? Do you agree with this review and rating of 2/6 stars?
(please note: I didn't write this..came from a pocket pc source)

I find my Diamond fast enough, loads of features in such a small device, GPS is very accurate and I find that outdoors it tends to average 9-10 sats which is brilliant, my Tytn 2 managed 7-8 outdoors.
Wi-Fi is fast and connects quickly, overall I would give this phone a 9 out of 10. The only thing that lets it down is the lack of storage, 8gb should have been the minimum, if the iPhone has 8gb and 16gb why the bloody hell did they only put 4gb in I don't know, it's not that the 8gb chips are expensive
Considering you can pick up 8gb micro sd cards for around £18, this was a really stupid decision.

PCPRO are a bunch of Iphone Fan Boys - I wouldn't take much notice of such a biased review

The on screen keyboard is rubbish. PCM keyboard is better but there is no decent VGA skin and I have now switched to cootek touchpal which is pretty good.
I still would prefer a hardware keyboard though so it looks like my hard earned cash may be going the way of a touch pro.
I think it is too slow and I have one with the old rom which was rubbish and a new one which is slightly better but still miles slower than my touch cruise.
I think touch flow 3d is way crapper than the interface on a touch cruise. Way too fiddly to select things. I also preferred more hardware buttons. The battery is rubbish.
On the plus side the screen is amazing and web browsing is pretty good now. Lots of other things can be resized e.g. fonts in emails using the scroller which is pretty neat.

stuartforrest said:
...
I think it is too slow and I have one with the old rom which was rubbish and a new one which is slightly better but still miles slower than my touch cruise.
....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm. Funny. I had the cruise and I found the Diamond (even with the eariler rom) to be faster - enough to keep and be happy with (the Cruise went back to the store for being too slow- dialing was impossible, as you needed to wait long seconds before entering the next digit). I can't use Opera. Not a positive experience. I use IE.
So this tells me it's all VERY VERY subjective.

VGA skin for PCM keyboard. Resco Keyboard is a good alternative too.
http://pocketcm.com/phorum/read.php?14,1813
Personally if you are going to use your fingers, PCM is better

Its the Mac Versus PC arguement all over again!!!!!

I saw only one, extremely true and valid review up till now, and that was at Phonearena.com.
http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/HTC-Touch-Diamond-Review-review-r_1956.html

i think the IPhone was very pushed by the press, they say to everyone "that thing is best, you need it!" bu i think there it will be soon a few people how see that the iphone is not all and it is to expensive for what it give. all these brandings, sim locks and many other is stupid. ok they ca be removed, but then the waranty is lost. but everyone who will the iphone shuld get one, i was lucky with my diamond, and with any other htc.
and about the rating on pc pro is unrealistic, i think they love realy the iphone and won't accept that are other phones are available and are as good as the iphone!

whys everyone so shocked? its like the video game industry and every other industry. they get paid and are given incentives to give good reviews (early test models, etc..)...that way everyone rushes out to buy the product..

They really need to try dutty's new ROM.. and if battery life is a problem for them, they could always go get the beefier battery. I'm happy with my Diamond - 2/6 is rediculous rating.

Related

What's the Verdict?

Is the Diamond a good device? Should I upgrade from my Kaiser?
Saw a review today that said it had memory leaks and frequent crashes....
upgrade upgrade upgrade...
The Diamond just keeps getting better...
upgrade and ......search/check the other 5-6 threads with the same subject or complete reviews on the subject.
sorry, but you are a senior with hundreds of posts, you are not a noobie so i do expect more.
thank you.
True - it was a quick spur of the moment post after I read the newspaper review today. I search the other threads and find some more reviews
you are so naughty
he told you off
warmkiwi99 said:
Is the Diamond a good device? Should I upgrade from my Kaiser?
Saw a review today that said it had memory leaks and frequent crashes....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U should update ASAP, the gsensor apps are gonna start rolling out (among many other cool apps and hot cooked roms)
Besides its a COOL Phone, sexyest around.
Yes mine still has a memory leak (depsite latest stock ROM) but it has never crashed or frozen on me it is so sexy makes my Kaiser look like a brick - get one!
adesonic said:
Yes mine still has a memory leak (depsite latest stock ROM) but it has never crashed or frozen on me it is so sexy makes my Kaiser look like a brick - get one!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sexy seems to be the key word....how about a sexy dumb blond?!
we try hard to educate her and hope for the best. i have to say that mine is doing great progress
If you are not in the rush, just wait for some time. Some device appear to have hardware faults, and some faults may be caused by software/or hardware (ie accelerometer one). These can be fixed in later batches. Let others be the manufacturer guinea pigs
Diamond is fantastic device, but you cant help get the feeling it was somewhat rushed to release (to be released before iPhone maybe?). Thats why I advise to wait, especially considering you have Kaiser already. Also price will drop somewhat (I doubt much hovewer, but, still).
Dont upgrade! Dont upgrade! At least not yet.
Had a Kaiser this morning; NOW I have a Diamond.
Best phone I've ever had: I even think the camera is better than the Kaiser's and the device is dinky, sexy, crisp and JUST A JOY TO USE. Coreplayer H.264 works; there's REAL video acceleration, power and slickness.
I really couldn't care less about the Touch Pro: it's TOO THICK. In this instance I take sexy over hardware Keyboard, and I don't need more than 4gb. Shame I've got an 8gb card going to waste though.
I've not missed that dreadful Kaiser hardware Keyboard one bit either.
UPGRADE YE.....if you can afford to.
Did I say I quite like this phone?!?!?
Did I say you might run into some disturbances soon Not to mention how hot the device gets. I'll take that sd card off your hands if you don't want it ^_^ I actually can't live with 4gb. I have 2 8gb cards full of music, vids, pics, apps, and assignments. I couldn't live without at least 8gb. It would bother me way too much. But that's just me.
Kraize
Ive been waiting for both devices to come to Sprint. At first I was certain I wanted the Touch Pro, but after seeing the sleek sexy appearance of the Diamond, the thicker, yet more able Touch Pro is starting to look less and less likely as the one I will get. Not sure if im willing to give up the qwerty just yet.
For much ticking I take my laptop.
Modemconnection via bluetooth PAN and HSDPA is really luxurious when traveling At speeds of 150kb/s I can work as if I were at home.
I don't need to type a lot, and SMS is perfect on screen.
I agree, once you start using GPS and Wi-Fi at the same time the Diamond could boil an an egg
After coming from a Tytn 2 which I have owned since Nov 07 I really love the Diamond, plenty of features, and in such a tiny package, amazing how much they packed into it
GPS seem a lot more sensitive compared to my Tytn 2 which averaged 6-7 sats outdoors in with clear skies, the Diamond averages 8-10.
Wi-Fi also seems to have a little better signal range and connects to my router a little faster than my Tytn 2 did.
The screen is stunning so clear and extremely bight, brilliant for web surfing and the included youtube app is really cool to.
The only disappointing thing is the 4gb of storage, I had 6gb on my Tytn 2, used to use it for the TomTom Western and central Europe map and the North America map, which totalled 4gb plus my other apps on top so have had to just stick one map on instead. HTC really should have put 8gb minimum on his phone, 8gb chips these days really are cheap as chips so there was no excuse there
If you loved the Tytn 2/Kaiser and don't mind loosing the keyboard then this is an awesome phone to go for.
I totally mind losing the keyboard. Unless! Unless someone ported WinMo to the iPhone. That would be a winner in my eyes
I haven't run into any heating problems when using GPS or WiFi :S
not noticed an overheating problems here either, and I'm finding texting and composing long passages much easier than on the kaiser despite the lack of hardware keyboard. I really don't imagine I'll miss the kaiser one bit.
mine don't get hot - slightly warm and fuzzy but not hot

HTC Diamond or N95 8GB? HELP!!

Hey guys.
At the moment I've got a HTC Elf. Its an ok phone but i want to go onto a price plan with a network and get a brand new phone along with it. So im now torn between the Diamond and the N95, both great smartphones but I need help! Which one is "better"? Im not too bothered about size (within reason) its more about the features and reliability that im looking for.
Also im moving to Australia in around 12 months time with my girlfriend so preferably I would want one that will work on the networks out there and is fairly easily SIM unlocked.
Any ideas??
All comments appreciated!
Thanks!
HTC Diamond of course .I had the N95 8Gb and didn't impress me much.Look at the specs and you'll see why is better the diamond.If you wait 1 month you can buy yourself the perfect phone ,Htc Pro.
Unlocking for the Diamond is free and you can do it in your home.
i too have had an n95(not 8gb). in reality the n95 camera is better then the diamond..... but i wouldnt count diamonds camera out.... it is just as goood as the n95's 5mpx... mpx doesnt always matter
howzatcookie said:
Hey guys.
At the moment I've got a HTC Elf. Its an ok phone but i want to go onto a price plan with a network and get a brand new phone along with it. So im now torn between the Diamond and the N95, both great smartphones but I need help! Which one is "better"? Im not too bothered about size (within reason) its more about the features and reliability that im looking for.
Also im moving to Australia in around 12 months time with my girlfriend so preferably I would want one that will work on the networks out there and is fairly easily SIM unlocked.
Any ideas??
All comments appreciated!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Difficult decision: regarding photo/video quality, the N95 8GB beats the HTC Diamond EASILY, no comparison possible since the N95 8GB plays in a different league.
Then, the differences start: if you have lots of WM programs you still want to use, go for the HTC Diamond. Otherwise, the N95 8GB also allows installing third party programs, unfortunately most of these(commercial) programs are IMEI "locked", so if you exchange your N95 8GB phone with a different Symbian phone, you usually can't immediately use these programs anymore with the new device.
Video playback capability is also much better with the N95 8GB, the Diamond still has issues I'm afraid.
The decision isn't easy but if you're using the phone mainly for your enjoyment and entertainment, I guess the N95 8GB is the better choice in my opinion.
The Diamond has a better support for exchange servers, etc.
I have just switched from the N95 to the HTC Diamond and don't regret it.
Previously I used the XDAII and XDA Exec when they were released and loved the Windows Mobile experiance and big touch screens. I then switched to Nokia for a bit and tried the N73 then the N95 and I have decided I really don't like the Symbian OS and really missed the Windows Mobile software and apps.
Browsing on the HTC Diamond is a dream! The resolution of the screen means web pages look ace and easy to read. It is easy to zoom in and out with the scroll wheel and navigating the pages with a flick of a finger seems so natural.
The ONLY thing I miss about my N95 is that the Diamond doesn't have audio controls on the headset so you have to change the tracks manually on the phone. Although there is software that with the press of a button you can tell the phone to skip to the next track so I just need to get back into that again.
The only downside I have to the Diamond so far is the lack of expandable memory slot. A 4GB memory stick was enough on my N95 but with so much you can do with Windows Mobile phones it isn't enough for me on the Diamond. I will learn to live with it though.
My only other option before I got the Diamond was the Samsung I900 but although it has a bigger screen, it's lower resolution and the I900 doesn't have a scroll wheel so navigating web pages won't feel as enjoyable and easy. THe plus with the I900 though is 8GB or 16GB internal memory AND an expansion slot.
Sorry for the waffle - Final verdict for me is Diamond all the way. Especially with a community like this available.
Trem
I came from N95 8 gig to diamond. mate go fot it.
The Diamond is simply in a different league altogether.
I have them both. Use the Diamond for fun, experimenting and the N95 8GB for when I need a stable device, which can do almost everything and do itquite well. To me the 8GB is the best device, but it's a bit too large.
I am planning on getting rid of one of them within the next few weeks, but right now I am not sure which...
sbcdk said:
I have them both. Use the Diamond for fun, experimenting and the N95 8GB for when I need a stable device, which can do almost everything and do itquite well. To me the 8GB is the best device, but it's a bit too large.
I am planning on getting rid of one of them within the next few weeks, but right now I am not sure which...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I mean thats what its boiled down to for me at the moment. I love the sleekness of the Diamond and the new TouchFlo 3D stuff with the accelerometer.
However, I followed the Diamond closely ever since it was announced and to be honest I've heard such a range of comments about it and some of the bad stuff said about it gets me worried to some degree. For example I've read alot about the interface being "sluggish" and "un-responsive" and to be honest that ruins the touchscreen feature for me. Although many people say that the reason for the slow speed on some devices is because the people using them are not using them correctly.
As for the N95....I havn't really heard a bad note about it apart from the obvious complaint of its chunkiness and the fact that there isn't a cover for the camera. I also found out that the N95 does actually have a built in accelerometer that was apparently hidden by Nokia. So, to be honest my hand is slowly creeping over to the N95 at the moment for the following reasons:
- 5mp camera (that I've been told is alot more reliable and has more effects)
- 8GB of storage (probably alot more than I will use, but atleast its there if i do need it)
- Quad Band (to be honest I think you only need a Tri Band phone to work in Australia, but its likely I will be doing more travelling)
- Slide out Keypad (I dont dislike the touch keypad on my elf, but I guess I would be able to type quicker with more feedback)
- Chunk (I'll be honest, I'm a clumsy Oaf when it comes to holding anything electrical and small, and I have a bad feeling that perhaps Me and that glossy, shiny finish on the Diamond might not get on well)
- Nokia (frome experience with Nokias you can generally get signal anywhere....however I have yet to find an area where my elf doesnt have signal)
I dont want anyone to think that im casting out the idea of buying the Diamond....trust me im not!
Ahhh God this is gonna take me a while to figure out!
Thanks for your comments so far though guys! (sorry for the long reply here!)
If you want to use phone also for music/radio, then N95 is for you. Diamond as mp3 player is abysmal ( sound quality sucks really hard ), but on other tasks it is better ( except camera ).
8GB of storage really isn't too much, 4GB is too little. I don't trust one single GPS app 100% so I always keep a backup program ready (TT7 + iGO8). 2 x map of europe = most of the 4GB storage is gone. Add a bit of music and that's it.
The 8GB storage on the N95 is nice, but sloooow. Such a relief to be working on the Diamond now, it is much faster.
MP3 on the Diamond has another problem: standby time. It drains the battery almost as fast as movie playback on the N95 8GB. Listen to one hour of music and the battery is almost guaranteed to be dead before you go to bed. HTC really need to take this seriously and do some ROM tweaking to save power, just as Nokia did on the N95.
But the size of the Diamond... If they were the same size, the choice would be easy for me - dump the Diamond. But this is where the Diamond really stands out. Just slide it into your pocket and forget it. No way you can do that with a N95 8GB.
The N95 (8GB) has been on the market for 18 months or so. So many updates, so much better a device now than when it first appeared. The Diamond is still only about one month old. Much can happen during the next few months, especially when it is backed up by a site as great as this. Xda developer is as good a 'feature' as any
I totally know where your all coming from. I guess its so hard to choose between the two because they are so different.
If all the functionality and features of the N95 could be squeezed into the Diamond with TouchFlo 3D over the top, I think we'd have the perfect phone that could shove the iPhone's head up its own ass where it belongs. (no offence to anyone with an iPhone).
However this isn't the case, so I guess were stuck for the moment. I really wanted to make this decision this weekend so I can buy my phone next week, im not sure thats gonna happen now .
I shall Ponder!!
Ok guys so...I had a think about this and while doing some other shopping today I popped into my local T-Mobile shop and got myself a brand new N95 8GB on a £30 price plan.
Now I know some of you...if not all...may be slightly confused with my decision; Why go for a chunky Nokia thats been out for 18 months over a sleek, sexy, new HTC Diamond?
Well to be honest, I did alot of research (in place of Work that I really should have been doing!) and I went around and got some brief hands on use of both handsets, asked friends who have either phone and just found out as much info as I could.
When I got hold of the Diamond for the second time, I was still impressed. It is a fantastic device, end of! But my hand felt empty....a strange use of words but thats how I felt...I couldnt get a half decent grip on the phone either, probably because of its sexy gloss finish.
When I held the N95 8GB (also for the second time) I was overwhelmed, first by its size, and then by just how much it can do. My hand was full, but comfortably. The weight and really stable slider reassured me as I played around with the different stuff available. After playing around for about 20 minutes the sales advisor showed me the quick program menu and told me about the "blue light" at the corner of each program icon that tells you that the program was running....every program had this light (because I used everyone) I was amazed to say the least especially after owning the Elf where you only have to open internet explorer for the phone to begin twitching.
I have to admit that I miss the touch screen a little bit...just being able to physically touch the icon you want is quite satisfying, but (from my experience) slow. On the N95 I fly through different menus in seconds.
Im sorry to be a slight dissapointment to anyone who was certain that I must get the Diamond, but I decided that speed and reliability is what I really want over style and functionality.
I know you guys know your stuff and I will have no shame in reporting any problems I have with the N95 so you can all give a huge "told you so", however I really doubt that situation will ever happen, this phone does basically everything....and does it well!
Ok guys so...I had a think about this and while doing some other shopping today I popped into my local T-Mobile shop and got myself a brand new N95 8GB on a £30 price plan.
Now I know some of you...if not all...may be slightly confused with my decision; Why go for a chunky Nokia thats been out for 18 months over a sleek, sexy, new HTC Diamond?
Well to be honest, I did alot of research (in place of Work that I really should have been doing!) and I went around and got some brief hands on use of both handsets, asked friends who have either phone and just found out as much info as I could.
When I got hold of the Diamond for the second time, I was still impressed. It is a fantastic device, end of! But my hand felt empty....a strange use of words but thats how I felt...I couldnt get a half decent grip on the phone either, probably because of its sexy gloss finish.
When I held the N95 8GB (also for the second time) I was overwhelmed, first by its size, and then by just how much it can do. My hand was full, but comfortably. The weight and really stable slider reassured me as I played around with the different stuff available. After playing around for about 20 minutes the sales advisor showed me the quick program menu and told me about the "blue light" at the corner of each program icon that tells you that the program was running....every program had this light (because I used everyone) I was amazed to say the least especially after owning the Elf where you only have to open internet explorer for the phone to begin twitching.
I have to admit that I miss the touch screen a little bit...just being able to physically touch the icon you want is quite satisfying, but (from my experience) slow. On the N95 I fly through different menus in seconds.
Im sorry to be a slight dissapointment to anyone who was certain that I must get the Diamond, but I decided that speed and reliability is what I really want over style and functionality.
I know you guys know your stuff and I will have no shame in reporting any problems I have with the N95 so you can all give a huge "told you so", however I really doubt that situation will ever happen, this phone does basically everything....and does it well!
I used to own a N95 as well.
I waited for it for months and months before it got released to get it.
for a month or two I worked overtime to be able to buy it as fast as possible.
Finally I had it.
AND I LOVED IT!
I felt the same as you. TONS of stuff it could do, the camera was soooo good. etc etc.
But the reality cought up on me 6 months later and the damn speakers began to get a distorted sound. I had it in for the same problem twice within the next 6 months, and on the third time they switched it ( even though I wanted my money back ) to a new device with a fresh warranty period.
It ran like a charm.
Two months after I got it....same problem. Speakers.
So I went down and started a war against the store I bought it from cause they didn't wanna pay me back.
But I won. Got my money and ran fast to the store on the otherside of the road to buy me an Diamond. And I do NOT regret it. Remember, I LOVED my B95. But even if the camera was a bit better and it played music a TAD better I still don't regret it.
I wanna give you a tip though. If you work or run around in areas with alot of dirt in the air. Like a workshop, put the damn thing in a plastic bag that you can seal, or you will most likely experience the same thing I have.
The hole in the "filter" infron of the side speakers are just to large and that allowes the speaker ( magnet ) to draw particles towards it.
But as far as I am concerned, I will probably never get a Nokia phone again.
Ever since they started with smartphones it has gone down hill imo. Even though N95 and N95 8gig sold pretty well.
Good luck with you new phone though. And Grats.
/Akezzon
May be N95 and Daimond might come close in some features. But what makes daimond to rock is the interface. Its much better than what N95 has to provide. and Ofcourse N95 does not have touch screen. and Daimonds hardware is of cutting edge technology and specs
howzatcookie said:
Yeah, I mean thats what its boiled down to for me at the moment. I love the sleekness of the Diamond and the new TouchFlo 3D stuff with the accelerometer.
However, I followed the Diamond closely ever since it was announced and to be honest I've heard such a range of comments about it and some of the bad stuff said about it gets me worried to some degree. For example I've read alot about the interface being "sluggish" and "un-responsive" and to be honest that ruins the touchscreen feature for me. Although many people say that the reason for the slow speed on some devices is because the people using them are not using them correctly.
As for the N95....I havn't really heard a bad note about it apart from the obvious complaint of its chunkiness and the fact that there isn't a cover for the camera. I also found out that the N95 does actually have a built in accelerometer that was apparently hidden by Nokia. So, to be honest my hand is slowly creeping over to the N95 at the moment for the following reasons:
- 5mp camera (that I've been told is alot more reliable and has more effects)
- 8GB of storage (probably alot more than I will use, but atleast its there if i do need it)
- Quad Band (to be honest I think you only need a Tri Band phone to work in Australia, but its likely I will be doing more travelling)
- Slide out Keypad (I dont dislike the touch keypad on my elf, but I guess I would be able to type quicker with more feedback)
- Chunk (I'll be honest, I'm a clumsy Oaf when it comes to holding anything electrical and small, and I have a bad feeling that perhaps Me and that glossy, shiny finish on the Diamond might not get on well)
- Nokia (frome experience with Nokias you can generally get signal anywhere....however I have yet to find an area where my elf doesnt have signal)
I dont want anyone to think that im casting out the idea of buying the Diamond....trust me im not!
Ahhh God this is gonna take me a while to figure out!
Thanks for your comments so far though guys! (sorry for the long reply here!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After the latest ROM update, i find my Diamond blazing fast, not unresponsive like when i first bought it
Also the diamond is now quad band, Htc magically pulled out the 850mhz band in the phone.
In case you didnt knew, the diamond also has a Tv-out! avaible with a special cable that is soon to come
My stephfather just went from N95 to the new iphone 3g, i told him to check out the diamond touch, but he didnt even take a look at it, guess who will be laughing when he gets the iphone^^
i had it for about a day and sold it on
teemupii said:
If you want to use phone also for music/radio, then N95 is for you. Diamond as mp3 player is abysmal ( sound quality sucks really hard ), but on other tasks it is better ( except camera ).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. Also add the phone - it's, in general, better (and allows for call recording, which is, as usual, missing from the Diamond.)
That is, if you
- need a phone with call recording,
- need multimedia playback, particularly via the built-in speakers,
- CAMERA (which the Diamond really sucks at)
- need LOTS of storage (another no-go for the Diamond)
go for the N95.
(I'd advise againts the 8GB version. Get the "simple" N95 instead.)
Hi Guys,
Let me join in too. Yes, you might have guessed by now. I am also an ex-N95 user. The N95 is one of those phones that I will have a hard time forgetting. As a matter of fact, I sold my N95 to buy the Diamond. I did regret about it in the earlier days when I first got the Diamond. Common problems like system lags, bugs, hang ups, etc made me wanna sell off my Diamond buy back my N95. But flashing the Diamond to new ROMS (cooked of course), the performance of the Diamond improved 100% ! I am beginning to fall in love with my Diamond again.
Regarding howzatcookie's decision to buy the N95 8GB, I know you will regret. Not because you missed out on the Diamond. It's because you are missing out on a better phone, N96, which is due out worldwide in a couple of months time !
$
Let me give you a different point of view:
- if you want to use the device more as computer then use HTC TD, else N95

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???)
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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...

New X1: Keep it or trade for Iphone?

So I just signed a 3 yr contract with Rogers and they are sending me an X1 in the mail. I'm having second thoughts about X1, after hearing about all the problems about it. I might send it back when it arrives and grab an Iphone 3G for the same price under the 15 day grace period. I've had a jailbroken Ipod touch for a while now, and I'm really impressed at what I can do with it and all the incredibly useful apps that you can get. i might add that I'm generally an Apple hater, but I loved this product. I initially got it for personal/car music, but it has been great as an organizer, surfing web, video, games, etc.
I thought the X1 looked like it would be an Iphone killer. It had better battery life, better camera, higher network speed, and simply looks better. The crumbling housings, and keyboard failures are HUGE turn-offs for me. I don't mind a couple of aesthetic cracks after prolonged usage, as long as it doesn't affect the functionality of the device, and if the keyboard problems aren't major.
If I do trade it for an Iphone 3G, I could jailbreak it. I could then get rid of the Ipod touch and ultimately have a good all in one device with it. I worry about the battery life because of this though. Also, the Iphone has the great "Navigon" GPS app.
So what I'm asking is:
1. are there any counter measures you X1 owners take to make it last for a very long time? (i.e. keyboard, housing)
2. would you guys have preferred a jailbroken Iphone over an X1? (can anybody comment on the battery life of the Iphone compared to the X1?)
3. how would you guys compare both devices' features, app availability, and just sheer lasting quality? (it seems like SE is cutting off support for the X1)
Overall, I love the X1's form factor, look and feel, specs, but I need this phone to last. The Iphone on the other hand, has an abundance of useful apps, smooth operation, reliability, customization, and continued software updates, but I heard some things about bad battery life, and I really hate that signature "Apple Iphone" look.
I'm sorry for the super long post, but this is an important choice I need to make, so any insight would be appreciated.
1. the cracking issues are mostly aesthetic, and internal ones at that. They don't impair functionality (unless the crack is in the stylus slot or something). You usually don't even see them unless you remove the battery cover. speaking of which, the battery cover's paint peels of easily, but they're cheap enough to replace, or you can easily refinish or repaint it. My X1 is now black and candy apple red (inspired by the Satio). Looks really, really, really great.
the keyboard wears out after about 6 months or so. All you need to do is clean it (from the inside, which can be a hassle if you don't want to) and it's good as new
the flex cable, though, is a more serious problem. if it wears out, you absolutely need to replace it or you won't be able to use landscape mode
2. Given the above, I still prefer the X1 over the iPhone. Better apps (75% of apple apps are "fart" apps), better screen, multitasking, stylus support, Flash, battery life, customizable look (manila, SPB, pointui), XDA support, etc. However, since you're used to your iTouch, you won't need to learn a whole new OS.
3. I plan to use the X1 for a year more or so. I get enough support here at xda-devs such that my phone has yet to be connected to SEUS at all (my old k850 would get SEUS once a month). I'm using WM "6.6" (6.5.3) while the newest phone that you buy right now only comes with 6.5.
4. I agree. I also don't like the iphone for the main reason that everyone wants one just to "look cool"
If you're into customizing/tinkering, get a WM phone. If you just want a phone out of the box with minimal fuss, get the iphone. And if you decide to go the WM route, I suggest you take the iphone, sell it, then get an HD2. the X1 has depreciated so much that it's only worth $200
I got my X1 earlier today. I haven't activated it with my sim yet, but I've been playing around with it all day. I really do love the look and feel of the unit overall, and the keyboard is great. It's a 09W44 batch and has a black plastic frame under battery cover instead of grey. It also has the "new design" frame; did I get a good unit?
I can see myself using the keyboard a lot for text, so I don't want it to fail. I really want to like this phone, but keyboard and flex cable failures sounds ridiculous for such an expensive phone. Are these occurrences uncommon, or are they inevitably going to happen to all units?
The iPhone's on screen keyboard works great, and I can't see of that ever failing. So what can I do with the X1 that makes it better than a jailbroken iPhone? The iphone has a lot of useful apps such as one for traffic in my city, and a public transit schedule; does windows mobile have good apps that can do this too? Also the ipod music player transitions between tracks a lot smoother than the X1. Battery life on the X1 has been great so far.
I really do want to keep the X1, and if I do, I might get a nice case to protect it. I've been using Sony Ericsson phones for years until my last one broke and was forced to use an old moto razr (which is VERY durable phone compared to my last SE). I might just go ahead and risk keeping the X1 and fix whatever happens down the road. Is this what most of you guys are doing as well? Is it worth doing this over getting and iPhone?
Rydock said:
I got my X1 earlier today. I haven't activated it with my sim yet, but I've been playing around with it all day. I really do love the look and feel of the unit overall, and the keyboard is great. It's a 09W44 batch and has a black plastic frame under battery cover instead of grey. It also has the "new design" frame; did I get a good unit?
I can see myself using the keyboard a lot for text, so I don't want it to fail. I really want to like this phone, but keyboard and flex cable failures sounds ridiculous for such an expensive phone. Are these occurrences uncommon, or are they inevitably going to happen to all units?
The iPhone's on screen keyboard works great, and I can't see of that ever failing. So what can I do with the X1 that makes it better than a jailbroken iPhone? The iphone has a lot of useful apps such as one for traffic in my city, and a public transit schedule; does windows mobile have good apps that can do this too? Also the ipod music player transitions between tracks a lot smoother than the X1. Battery life on the X1 has been great so far.
I really do want to keep the X1, and if I do, I might get a nice case to protect it. I've been using Sony Ericsson phones for years until my last one broke and was forced to use an old moto razr (which is VERY durable phone compared to my last SE). I might just go ahead and risk keeping the X1 and fix whatever happens down the road. Is this what most of you guys are doing as well? Is it worth doing this over getting and iPhone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as much as i don't like the iphone - it would be the better choice. and harveydent's idea is good: get the iphone, sell it and buy a hd2!
apart from the hardware-issues already mentioned, with the x1 you get outdated specs and no more software-support by SE. (no firmware-update, no upgrade to winmo 6.5.x) they let this phone die end of march 2009 (last firmware) to protect and sell the x2. (you don't get the new x2-panels officially for example)
apart from officially running winmo 6.1 and the (in my opinion) useless panels the firmware is the major problem: it still has performance-problems. (meaning slow graphics drivers etc...) this is not really fixable with custom-roms. there's room for some tweaking (a lot, actually), but if the foundation isn't right...
sure, you can flash the newest winmo-leaks with the newest sense 2.5 (i know i do). but be prepared for a steep learning curve and lot of frustrating bug-fixing. (more often: wait for the cook to fix it with a new rom-version) there's always something not working, one bug get's fixed, another shows it's ugly head. and the endless flashing and hardreseting...
it's only for the past two weeks that for the very first time i have a rom where really everything works and which is running at great speed. but: i own this phone since march 3rd, 2009!
sure, i know a lot now about winmo 6.x, i can edit "light stuff" in manila-files, i have completely customized this phone to my likings. but apart from selling it i didn't really have a choice.
to think i'd have to start fresh now, with all these different winmo-branches and manila-builds out there - i wouldn't do it, knowing what i know now.
get the iphone and stay with it. or sell it for the hd2, it will get all 6.5.x-updates and maybe even an update to winmo 7.
The iPhone has more functionality these days due to its app store and accessories. Whether its making work related databases, or doing offline reading of the NY Times or most big periodicals, the iPhone can or can do it better than WM.
Just to drill into the 2 examples I used: I developed database software for medical research, and did so exclusively using WM. The software side of WM is terrible thesedays! The most recent database applications for WinMo are seriosly old, and developed when WM5 was around. On the other hand, database applications are new, easy to use, and much cheaper.
Example 2. You want to read the NY Times on your airplane ride? Have fun with RSS, and only picking up 2-3 lines of articles before you need online access. The nice thing about the iPhone is the major support for it from every company, so you just download the NY Times app, and all content for the past few days or however long you specifiy is available for free.
Yes, these are specific examples, but they should shed light on the current situation. The flip arguement whcih I'm sure will be expanded upon is mainly agaisnt iPhone lack of customisation, lack of standards support for thigs like bluetooth stacks, microSD, homescreen widgets, and being locke down by Apple.
Its up to you to figure out what's most important. Altough, if I were on Rogers, I would wait for the X10, which should have the best of both worlds...
i just got an x1 from rogers as well, and i too was concerned with the flex cable and keyboard problem but i decided to keep it anyway. One thing i did notice was that the flex cable seems to be reinforced now, not 100% sure though. Ive seen many pictures of the flex cable and its supposed to be yellowy orange. I used a flashlight to peek under the screen and its exactly that, except 90% of it is covered with a grey vinyl looking tape. Dont feel like taking it apart to make sure though.
I am selling my X1a right now. I got the iPhone 3GS last weekend
What a sigh of relief... speaker sounds great, no chance for cable issues, no possibility of phantom cracks, lots of apps, don't have to make 5 clicks just to turn my Bluetooth on/off, fast and lots of storage space. Best of all, I won't have to deal with incompetent SE support reps!
dorkster007 said:
I am selling my X1a right now. I got the iPhone 3GS last weekend
What a sigh of relief... speaker sounds great, no chance for cable issues, no possibility of phantom cracks, lots of apps, don't have to make 5 clicks just to turn my Bluetooth on/off, fast and lots of storage space. Best of all, I won't have to deal with incompetent SE support reps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speakers are terrible on both devices, no cable issues, the Xperia X1 has lots of storage space too.
Rydock said:
I can see myself using the keyboard a lot for text, so I don't want it to fail. I really want to like this phone, but keyboard and flex cable failures sounds ridiculous for such an expensive phone. Are these occurrences uncommon, or are they inevitably going to happen to all units?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about the flex cable but I'm facing problems with the keyboard (and so are a lot of people from other forums I've been to as well). Got it repaired before the warranty expired but once again it's giving problems, such that I have no confidence in getting a X2. As much as I like having a keyboard, I might just go for a phone without a keyboard next, and the X10 and iPhone are two possibilities. So personally, I wouldn't recommend keeping the X1.
Thanks for all the great replies guys. Everybody (on here and IRL) is pretty much telling me to get the iPhone. One friend told me to just swallow my pride and get the iPhone because of its huge support base. After playing with the X1 some more, I found I really love this unit. It feels solid in my hands, but there are WAY too many reports of it's durability for me to trust it. It would be the best device, IMO, if it weren't for these problems.
I almost decided that I was going to keep the X1 for strictly phone, text, email, GPS, and mobile web purposes. And since I already have an iPod touch, I could use it for music, movies, and apple apps. I'd just be missing out on the GPS and 'away-from-wifi' web browsing, but the X1 does these just as well, right? Again, this gives me more to carry, but what I gain is a better multimedia player on the iPod, and better hardware on the X1 (camera, 3.5G phone, keyboard). I also won't be wasting battery listening to music on my phone. Almost the best of both worlds.
BUT after reading more replies, I just find it hard to justify having two devices when I could get everything I need on one simple unit (the iPhone). And the fact that they are both the same price, but you get way less hardware specs on the 3G. I'm now completely on the fence about this.
PsychoAssasin said:
One thing i did notice was that the flex cable seems to be reinforced now, not 100% sure though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can anybody confirm this? This would be great news!
Also, I found the speaker on the X1 sounded clearer, but the iPhone speaker was louder but lacked clarity.
X1 over iPhone
Well - that new design which is being delivered for a couple of month now does have a stronger keyboard-cable. We did order 4 devices for my employees a couple of weeks back and they all have the new design and the new cable. So if you have the new design, I would not worry about durability.
Since X2 has been announced the x1 has really dropped in price so it was a cheap pick up. Here in Germany the iPhone is much higher in price and only comes with ridigulous bundles.
I had my casing replaced (slight cracks) after almost two years of hard work every day and the keyboard-cable has been replaced also (warranty). I did not have any functunality issues up til now - the crack was just optical, but they replaced the casing anyway. Thanks SE.
Support personal from SE is not worth a call - but that is what XDA is for
Apple does have cool looking stuff (my wife got an iphone as a gift and is cursing because she misses the keyboard), but for my day to day work (Appointments, contacts, gathering data in Word or Excel...) I always would prefer WiMo up til now. Taking a look at the app-store does not make me jealous - most of it is unneccesary or just a waste of time.
So I stay with my X1 for now and wait for the next generation WiMo phones with WiMo7 or iPhone 4 - both should arrive end of 2010 or start of 2011.
Every step in between is covered by XDA
Rydock said:
3. how would you guys compare both devices' features, app availability, and just sheer lasting quality? (it seems like SE is cutting off support for the X1)
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't know if this will help but I wrote the following 10 months ago. At that time, I had both units, Iphone and X1A. Sorry for my english.
POST 1: some of the main X1 pro and cons
I have the american version (X1A) for 3 months now. This is my first WM phone and I am very picky with technology.
I wanted that phone so bad that I spent a lot of time and money to get it.
I really like that phone for all the reasons mentionned above and more. What I couldn’t find when browsing the reviews was a comprehensive list of the cons of this model. Here are my points:
1- Camera:
Not good enough: too slow to load, too slow to take a picture, requires favorable ambiant light condition to take a sharp picture.
Video acquisition is undersampled making your video files not very smooth.
2- Battery Life:
I usually disconnect the charge in the morning. I use the phone every day. I’d say average of 200 Mb of data per day, 30 minutes of voice per day, 15 minutes of gaming. At this rate, my battery drops dead at 6 PM. I should lower my data usage but this is why I’ve purchased the phone, I don’t want to minimize the data consumption accordingly to the specs of the phone.
Edit: same thing with the Iphone, actually same thing with any phone I know
3-WVGA screen:
By far the best screen ever, but too few applications supporting this resolution so far. This is actually frustrating because most of my apps runs VGA on 2 third of the screen, leaving one third blank. Ugly.
4- Speaker phone quality:
Mono… Sound quality is poor. I’ve compared side by side with the N95, it’s night and day. You'll also find an app to crank up the volume if you need it.
Everything else besides that is great. It is the best phone I have ever seen and I do not regret it. It is really fast, the keyboard is great, perfect for e-mails, internet browsing (Skyfire browser supports flash!!!), media handling and playing. Resistive touch screen is better than capacitive touch screen (you have to install a couple of apps first that give you feedback when you touch the screen and that minimize the pressure you have to put on the screen).
I have looked for this phone for months, I’ll be glad to share my experience to anyone who has questions about it.
POST 2: Iphone VS X1
It’s a difficult comparison. The two phones are very different because of the operating system. You can’t really compare them. The X1 is definitely orientated for business use and computer nerds that like tweaking their phones. The Iphone is orientated toward users that likes having a finished well working product
It is like comparing a PC and a gaming console. The gaming console will always have better game versions but you will be able to do more stuffs with the PC besides gaming.
To summarize:
Iphone apps and responsiveness is faster. Which makes it more comfortable
Iphone screen is larger, more convenient for movies and watching pictures.
X1 has a better resolution allowing it much sharper screen details.
But the Iphone OS is limited. As always with Apple, the product is a black box. Even if you jailbreak it, there is too many frustrating issues. The copy paste was one of these frustrating examples (fixed in 3.0).
I think all Iphones users experienced this frustration at least one time. There is something we’d like the Iphone to do but it can not because of limitation on the OS. Like GPS navigating, Skype, copy paste, TV streaming, custom ring tones, customs background etc etc… We have to wait Apple to fix them and that’s the big difference with Windows Mobile. Windows Mobile users will have these frustrations sorted out by themselves. There will be always a way to fix this and that , thanks to XDA-developper .Users will download the right patch or the right application. Finding it and installing it might be a nightmare for some users. Can be fun for others. But it will never be as easy as the Iphone app store.
Finally, I prefer my X1 because I am using it for business. I couldn’t do that with the Iphone.I like the X1 behaving like my PC. I have all my sales products/ customer databases / pricelist and Presentations on my X1.
Because it is Windows Mobile, I am browsing the files as I do on my PC and I like that. I instantly answer customers and attach brochures or documents along with my e-mails. I don’t use my laptop as I used to.
These are things I couldn’t do with the Iphone.
I would go back with the Iphone if Iphone would have a keyboard and Windows Mobile on it. But that will not happen so I am staying with my X1. It freezes sometimes, I have to reinstall some apps, I have to constantly monitor what goes in and where to optimize its speed. That sounds microsoft ****? Well it is, and I am so used to it that I feel good with it. Because it offers me endless possibilities to tweak it.
Cheers
Yann
I ♥ my X1.
It's so flexible to my needs i just can't live without it.
no idea about if its reinforced
but after i sent mine in for warrenty repair, i decided to put a bit of tape on mine to reinforce it anyway! i only did this because i was changing my housing as well. (nothing wrong with it, not a single crack after a year, i just scratched it up when i dropped it on the floor xD
I love my X1, and XDA keeps it updated, who cares about Sony Ericsson Updates.
I say keep the X1, and use your iPod too!
@RacloOne I agree a 100% what you say, Although Alot of your problems you mentioned with the X1 have easy software [email protected] I've had my X1i(My first WM phone ever) sense October 2009 and have never regretted the decision . This is my personnel opinion of the Iphone, I respect the gaming of the I-phone and how smooth the UI is but other than that it's a over hyped fashion statement. Majority the apps are useless and another way Apple can drain money out of you something they do best, The way they lock down/ Limit their OS is restarted. I find it silly to buy an I-phone when your Ipod touch is the same thing except it doesn't make calls. I'm was coming from the Rokr E6(A linux based phone/my first touchscreen phone ever) and people warned me about how bad WM is Bla Bla Bla, But I went ahead and bought it anyway because once I learned the ins and outs of WM like I did with Linux I would be able to have the phone live up to it's potential and it has. I'm not going to lie when I first got my phone it froze alot but that was because of the the sh!tty 6.1 after I got rid of 6.1 all that has stopped, As for the scratches I have dropped my phone a couple of times so I obviously expect scratches lol. Reading this thread is the First I heard of this Flex cable issue but looking at it seems mine is reinforced so idk but no problems at all up to now. Honestly bro I say keep your X1 because it's worth it and if you do I would personally help you with any issue because most likely a new user like yourself would have similar questions/ issues like me when I first started off.
Here is my summary of my major problems with the X1 and the fixes. You can see that for me, the only big problems that can not be fixed are the sluggishness and the camera.
1. Finger unfriendliness --> SPB Mobile Shell 3.5 + WM 6.5.5 (great combo)
2. Screen sensitivity --> X1 SoftTouch tweak
3. Small messed up screen area and messed up LED --> Repaired by SE
4. Keyboard letter repeat problem --> Repaired by SE
5. Sluggishness --> Tried all tweaks (slightly helpful), tried overclocking (great, but unstable), but still takes too long to accomplish certain tasks
5. Blurry indoor photos --> Set to sports mode + LED on but pictures too dim
Overall I'm very happy with the X1, but wish the X2 could have nailed all those problems. Oh well, waiting a year or two...
Thanks to you guys, I've decided on keeping the X1. The fact that I can come to XDA for support, potentially stronger unit, and that I have the iPod touch to feed my apple needs. I'm just glad to hear that some of you have owned the X1s for a long time and still working.
Viper139 said:
I had my casing replaced (slight cracks) after almost two years of hard work every day and the keyboard-cable has been replaced also (warranty). I did not have any functunality issues up til now - the crack was just optical, but they replaced the casing anyway. Thanks SE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you get a warantee repair after two years? Or was that only for the keyboard cable?
Thanks to everybody who replied and help me make my decision and also for the iPhone comparison and the list of fixes.
Viper89 said:
Honestly bro I say keep your X1 because it's worth it and if you do I would personally help you with any issue because most likely a new user like yourself would have similar questions/ issues like me when I first started off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll keep that in mind, thanks! I think I'm going to enjoy my stay here.
@Rydock I'm glad to hear your decision, Ya just Pm any time I'm always glad to help.
Same here. Enjoy!
Welcome to WinMo, and have fun obsessively tweaking and flashing your phone!

Do you regret buying your phone?

I bought mine on May last year, and boy was it a mistake. I can't believe I bought ANOTHER Windows Mobile phone, while it is a dying OS...
Too bad I didn't wait for the HTC Desire...
So yeah, Microsoft screwed me with their crappy OS.
Don't regret
I didn't regret the choice I had made. I will love Touch Diamond2 forever.
我作了这个选择并不后悔。我会永远爱我的钻石2代。
yup, i regret it. BUT I can't cry over spilled milk. i make the best of what i have and with enough tweaking and playing around with it, even a Topaz can be...half decent. my ONLY complaint? it's slightly slow. faster than stock roms...but slow in comparison to the nexus one or the desire. oh well, ill enjoy it for another year maybe and then try and get an Android device (Droid 3 then?)
cheers.
Sometimes I regret getting the TD2 especially when entering Text Messages which is unbareable slow and the occassional unresponses to Powering-on.
BTW sent an e-mail last week to HTC about said problems and they came back with "Try a hard reset" - Not at all impressed by HTC.
how do you end up questioning yourself something like that?
do not want to be involved into an endless discussion but I could not help myself not to reply with my thoughts: why is willing anybody to throu on a forum ideas like a dying OS and comparing 2 completely different devices? if you look ofr a shoulder to cry, go out and play with the friends! if you look for some oppinions do not by the judge! to not throuw sentances in vain!
by the moment you plan to change your device the "desire" will be a brik, so your choice made one year ago can prove to be perfect!
for not being misunderstood, I am not in favor or against topaz but this thrad is not bringing anything good to the forum, but only in time, make the search or other maintenance of the forum working slow. posts as love my device also do not help! maybe a betetr idea, si to open a new thread named: why will you choose topaz and why not, and there place pertinent reasons for complaints!
personally, I will never buy a device significantly bigger than topaz! I had diamnond 1 and now, because of useless hardware buttons on that model and because of bigger resolution and available memory I moved to topaz (pure). I will always prefer the dying OS as you named instead of banging my had on the wall finding a reliable navi for Android (of course, depend on the date of posing and the maps you need). the rest, like slow response, I can live with it! I mostly use the device for remote desktop and few calls and messaging. browsing for market information or just info is aslo a must and working pretty well!
hope I have made my point clear!
cheers!
I only regret not buying the touch pro2, and besides the lack of keyboard, I'm pretty happy with it.
No regrets here. It will hold me over for some time until the next "latest and greatest" device is released. It does everything I need it to do.
Granted, if I was stuck on the stock ROM, I probbaly would be sorely disappointed.
I really like the device. It's sad, that Microsoft doesn't fill up the marketplace. They seem to wait for their 7. My girlfriend just bought a Desire and I think I will stay with HTC but change to Android. She already has a lot of apps I miss on my phone.
I will use the diamond another 12 month from now, so Microsoft has a chance to convince me of Windows Phone 7. Else Android is my alternative.
at firts i regreted i had bought a TD2 not waited 3months and bought a HD2, but then i just didn't care.
now i regret i bought 2x4gb microSD cards 1 for my htc 1 for my (nokia)n81, because now i fixed audio problems and i hate carrying 2 phones around all the time(1 for music,1 for gps and web surfing and a few cool apps).
so i'm guesing tomorrow i'll regret i tried to make a sorta RC/3.5mm connector out of my htc headset
the lousy build is definitely a neg point for me
i have sweaty palms and the paintwork is all ruined
still prefer the old original diamond
managed to keep it in pristine condition despite being a yr old
wm platform is really slow though; getting online etc...
got a iphone for web surfing and email purposes instead
the only reason i'm retaining a wmm phone is for the intelligent call function(that is extremely important due to work and call volume) not available on other mobile platforms; correct me if i'm wrong...
I got an HTC Pure as a "complimentary" upgrade from AT&T, after my Incite got bit by the Netfront "trialware" fiasco. I am quite pleased with the Pure. It's screen is fantastic. I had to laugh when my buddy handed my phone to his wife to play with and then said, "she had a bad experience with her first touch screen phone. It had one of 'those' resistive screens." I think the only thing I don't like is the lack of a standard (3.5) headphone jack. It's also hard because a lot of new software is being targeted for the HD2 with it's faster processor. The larger screen would also be nice, but it's not any better resolution, and it would be (slightly) less pocketable. So, all in all I'm pleased with my device, and am very leary of WM7.
I like my PURE, and (fingers crossed) have not had to Hard Reset since I got it. WimMo6.5 has been stable, device has been basically flawless. I replaced two Tilts with this device. I am back on "shipped" ROM, just work around bloatware and load everything on my microSD card. I was concerned about not having the slideout key board, but am doing just fine without it.
I dont like lack of 3,5mm jack, flash, poooooor battery life, sluggish operation, WinMo abnormalities, direct sunlight readability... (nice form factor, resolution, gps performance, good camera...but in my case barely usable device)
Regarding move to E52/E72
Of course you regret it. In a year the technoligy is better and the new devices are better to. But for me it was the best device on that moment.
Overhere in Holland you just don't buy a phone. You sign a contract for a year or two and usually you'll get the phone for free. Now these day you have to pay up to €100 cause the devices are getting more expensive like a iPhone.
So waiting is not a option or you will lose your phone number. Or worse you forget to stop your contract in time, the phone company will extend your contract for another year or two.
Plus
Good service from HTC, they respond in your own language and really trying to help you. Just say you've done a couple of hard resets, they will sort it out for you. They've also kicked Vodafone Holland for me so that I can update my weather at location again.
Stock ROM's are working well
Nice design of the device
XDA-forum that brings me a lot of new futures. Just think about S2U2, CHT, TD2 tools. And I'm not even talking about flashing to costum ROM's
Multi tasking but that's also the minus. Everything is running on the back. Use CleanRAM
A 5mp camera
Min
Sluggish
Low battery life
WM is not that stable
My usb cable is crap, I can see the wires sticking out after 6 months of usage.
I hate my TD2 soooo much... Bought it on a 24 month contract in June last year, and within a month I was sick of the slowness and the plasticky design.
A few months later the camera stopped working completely and so HTC had to replace pretty much everything (as stated on the slip they provided).
Since then the digitizer has cracked on numerous occasions, with just a few minor impacts. I have been forced to buy and fit my own replacements since I have a good year left with this phone!
So, yes, I regret buying this handset more than any other I have ever owned.
As for Windows Mobile... What a crock of ****. A bare and dysfunctional 'app store', a slow and awkward interface and even with Sense over the top it still feels horrible.
I like HTC as a company, but the fact that within a few months they have discontinued and forgotten about your handset is not nice. If we could have got Android fully working on the TD2 it might have been bareable!
There is literally nothing about my TD2 which I like (battery life and soft keyboard are also rubbish); the initial selling points for me (design, screen, processor) have all been massively superceded.
Some of you may disagree with the points I've made, but the original post was asking for opinions and so these are mine!
I can use just about any ol' device for a phone. What I like about the Pure (and the two other WM devices I've owned) is that it's become a hobby of sorts. I like to flash it and rearrange it and play with different apps. At least until the recent court ruling that makes unlocking legal, I've always felt sorry for the poor folks who use an iPhone (my wife and daughter included) because they're just no fun. I feel like a slave to Steve Jobs when I pick one up. They're just so rigid and unlovable.
Oh, one thing I particularly like about WM is the ability to tether. I wouldn't own a phone that couldn't do that.
My Opinion
Imho, I think the topaz/pure was a great purchase for me. I ran out the day AT&T had them and got one because I was somewhat fed up with the tediousness of my raphael/fuze. Apart from a few minor issues, I think it's a great device... the 5 megapixel camera can be a halfways decent substitute to my normal cybershot when it has to, and the screen is indeed large and bright. The unfortunate part about it is that for the most part, you can't use it for serious video playing without downconverting almost anything you put on there. But that's what everyone's got their ipods for, right? XDXD
I don't regret getting it, and I am still satisfied with it, but if I was stuck with stock ROM, and did not re customize it from time to time, I am pretty sure that I would regret. It is wonderful phone and in my opinion the still best looking. That said I am switching soon to Desire.
I went thru a lot of HTC devices over the years and I did not regret a singly buy!
Of course after 1/2 year there are newer better faster devices out, but I was never disappointed by any HTC device I bought.
The only device I regret to buy was an Acer Dual Sim device that was cranky, slow, and did not work in Japan.
I dont regret getting any phone due to the research and testing before I buy them. One thing I can say is txting on resistive screens is painfull at best with my sausage fingers! saying that I had issues with my Hero aswell! the only one i didnt mind typing txt on was the iPhone!!

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