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Hello,
I'm really hesitating, any advice welcome.
I presently have a 8310 and my main uses are Exchange ActiveSync, internet browsing (long commutes) and SMS.
I would like a new 3G WiFi phone with a bigger screen, if possible faster, and GPS would be cool.
The TyTn II seems almost perfect but I hear the batteries are limited, it is not that fast & there are 3D problems. So I guess there will be a TyTn III, but when?
The Cruise seems cool, but is it easy to write small text messages?
So really the question is, TyTn II, Cruise or wait?
Thanks,
Cedric
If they could get the TyTN II Radio chip & the video preformance to work I would say TyTN II.
Or else Touch Cruise.
But the Cruise looks ugly :O
I would wait for the Touch Cruise II.
eddythepeddy said:
I would wait for the Touch Cruise II.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
Which issues do you see with the present Touch Cruise?
I would stay away from HTC products altogether. Unless customer service is not important for you and you enjoy companies treating you like s*** after you've paid their products dearly..
I exchanged 4 TyTN IIs (ATT Tilt version) before finally getting one without a problem. I almost even went back to the original TyTN (ATT 8525).
So I say wait for a new release.
ericc191 said:
I exchanged 4 TyTN IIs (ATT Tilt version) before finally getting one without a problem. I almost even went back to the original TyTN (ATT 8525).
So I say wait for a new release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tilt sucks anyway
I would go for the Cruise. Texting without a physical keyboard is not that important anymore with the invent of innovative soft keyboards (SIP's) such as the Cooket's TouchPal and the PCM keyboard.
Presently I have the TyTn II and I find myself using the slide out keyboard less and less and most of the time I am using Cootek's Touchpal for example this message.
srmz said:
I would go for the Cruise. Texting without a physical keyboard is not that important anymore with the invent of innovative soft keyboards (SIP's) such as the Cooket's TouchPal and the PCM keyboard.
Presently I have the TyTn II and I find myself using the slide out keyboard less and less and most of the time I am using Cootek's Touchpal for example this message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I posted about this yesterday as well. I am leaning towards selling my Tilt and getting the Cruise when it comes out, but it really depends on whether the touch screen is better. If it the same as the Tilt (not sensitive enough for scrolling and swiping plus prone to unintentional taps), I'll stick with the Tilt.
My post...
Touch screen features on Kaiser vs Elf/Cruise
Not that I am really disappointed with the Kaiser, but I have been wondering as of late if the Crusie might be a better fit for me. All things considered, internally the two are pretty similar with the only additional feature of the Crusie being FM radio, which I would probably use.
Externally, the Cruise goes SANS keyboard in favor of the touch screen. In keeping with the touch screen design, it has far fewer buttons over all and has a slight size advantage.
So looking at it, the package is pretty attractive, seems less prone to mechanical wear and tear and I find myself wondering if I could do without the slide out keyboard. I am pretty good with the block recognizer, and in cases where I might use a keyboard, some of the adaptations of the iPhone soft keyboard seem like they would be a decent alternative for my relatively light keyboard use.
Getting down to it though, I am a bit concerned I would be disappointed with the touch screen, and if the touch screen does not work well, I would definitely rather have the keyboard.
So my question is if anyone has some hard facts on the differences between the screen technologies. does it work like the iPhone where it responds only to touch, not to inadvertant tabs while in you pocket or in the case?
Can anyone can provide a "hands on" comparison between using the touch features on the Kasier, vs using the touch features on the Cruise. Or given that the Cruise is pertty new, is the Elf screen technology exactly the same such that trying one out would give me a good indication of how the Cruise would work?
xmoo said:
Tilt sucks anyway
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why, because you were lucky enough to pay more for your version?
anyways, i say get the tytn II now, as the anticipation and wait for it took a long time to materialize, and its replacement hasn't really leaked yet even. the kaisers and tilts i've seen and had were definitely problem-free.
Thanks for all the inputs.
Seems that the screen keyboard works good enough to replace a hardware one.
I'll have a look at the Polaris when it is available and if it's not as ugly as it looks I'll go for it.
Otherwise I'll wait for a Touch II, which I hope will have a decent processor, Wifi, 3G+, GPS and who knows perhaps a VGA screen
I'm sorry, WHAT? let's try some logical deductive reasoning... okay?
jgermuga said:
Yes, I posted about this yesterday as well. I am leaning towards selling my Tilt and getting the Cruise when it comes out, but it really depends on whether the touch screen is better. If it the same as the Tilt (not sensitive enough for scrolling and swiping plus prone to unintentional taps), I'll stick with the Tilt.
My post...
Touch screen features on Kaiser vs Elf/Cruise
Not that I am really disappointed with the Kaiser, but I have been wondering as of late if the Crusie might be a better fit for me. All things considered, internally the two are pretty similar with the only additional feature of the Crusie being FM radio, which I would probably use.
Externally, the Cruise goes SANS keyboard in favor of the touch screen. In keeping with the touch screen design, it has far fewer buttons over all and has a slight size advantage.
So looking at it, the package is pretty attractive, seems less prone to mechanical wear and tear and I find myself wondering if I could do without the slide out keyboard. I am pretty good with the block recognizer, and in cases where I might use a keyboard, some of the adaptations of the iPhone soft keyboard seem like they would be a decent alternative for my relatively light keyboard use.
Getting down to it though, I am a bit concerned I would be disappointed with the touch screen, and if the touch screen does not work well, I would definitely rather have the keyboard.
So my question is if anyone has some hard facts on the differences between the screen technologies. does it work like the iPhone where it responds only to touch, not to inadvertant tabs while in you pocket or in the case?
Can anyone can provide a "hands on" comparison between using the touch features on the Kasier, vs using the touch features on the Cruise. Or given that the Cruise is pertty new, is the Elf screen technology exactly the same such that trying one out would give me a good indication of how the Cruise would work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going let comments above stand for themselves as I present some real facts for consideration:
Tilt/kaiser/tytn II: screen sensitivity is adjustable and may be calibrated bilinearly with the apropriate software through the rom, or during field test mode.
- processor is 2x as powerful as the touch.
- 4x amount of ram & 2x the amount for rom, AND can handle larger sd cards that the elf.
ELF's digitizer is the very same as the kaiser but based on multi-point user interface, which was in final stages of delopment/testing when kaiser was released. it's predacessor (8525/hermes) had the same screen as the 8125/Wizard.
the tilt is quick both using it's own IE App or to tether s the conection for a pc or laptop.
look at the raw specks and capabilities hands down, it's not even questionable, tilt overpowers the touch period. it's a fact, plain and simple. the only purpose for the elf was htc's knee jerk response to the iphone, before they knew what horrendous disasters the iphones were going to become.
seriously, I've field tested all the PDA phones for cingular/att plus a few others including touch. touch was designed around an interface. focused on ensuring the interface thread priority superceeded all else... good for apearance, nothing else.
I have two Tilts and one Kaiser.
I have had no problems with them.
Maybe I am not as demanding as other people.
The Tilts are running Dutty's HTC Hybrid Final as is the Kaiser.
Have tried all the new ROM's but always come back to it.
Wait for a new release or, if the size / weight isn't a problem, get a HTC Universal. I think the Tilt will be only worth the price if and only if the 3D / video drivers are fixed - in no way in its present state. (Of course, if you won't want to play back movies / play games at all, this won't be an issue for you.)
Alternatively, you might want to consider getting the Nokia N95, particularly if you're into multimedia and don't necessarily need touchscreen / thumbboard - you'll love it with the new, v20 firmware. It's just lovely: lightweight, very fast, is Next Gen N-Gage compliant, has 3D hardware acceleration, has the best multimedia features (built-in, stereo speakers, built-in even UPnP support and a decent A2DP implementation - much better than that of the Tilt / Kaiser) and knows a lot "out of the box", even w/o installing third-party apps.
djblu said:
I'm going let comments above stand for themselves as I present some real facts for consideration:
Tilt/kaiser/tytn II: screen sensitivity is adjustable and may be calibrated bilinearly with the apropriate software through the rom, or during field test mode.
- processor is 2x as powerful as the touch.
- 4x amount of ram & 2x the amount for rom, AND can handle larger sd cards that the elf.
ELF's digitizer is the very same as the kaiser but based on multi-point user interface, which was in final stages of delopment/testing when kaiser was released. it's predacessor (8525/hermes) had the same screen as the 8125/Wizard.
the tilt is quick both using it's own IE App or to tether s the conection for a pc or laptop.
look at the raw specks and capabilities hands down, it's not even questionable, tilt overpowers the touch period. it's a fact, plain and simple. the only purpose for the elf was htc's knee jerk response to the iphone, before they knew what horrendous disasters the iphones were going to become.
seriously, I've field tested all the PDA phones for cingular/att plus a few others including touch. touch was designed around an interface. focused on ensuring the interface thread priority superceeded all else... good for apearance, nothing else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a good comparison of the TyTN II to the Touch, but I think he was asking about the Touch Cruise? Same CPU and memory, etc. How is typing on the touch screen for a short SMS?
My device, Axim X51V, is quite a fast one, or this is my impression about this kind of CPU's. Touchpal made me feel I was using a 200MHz OMAP.
So after a few tests in which I've seen it doesn't do much I've uninstalled it quickly. Sorry, but there are better alternatives, so I won't stick to something inferior.
If anyone needs to know, I'm currently using FTPRO, it's simply the best KB so far, you can download the CAB Attached and give it a try. More details on www.fingertouchpro.com
Ciao!
Cedricm said:
Hello,
I'm really hesitating, any advice welcome.
I presently have a 8310 and my main uses are Exchange ActiveSync, internet browsing (long commutes) and SMS.
I would like a new 3G WiFi phone with a bigger screen, if possible faster, and GPS would be cool.
The TyTn II seems almost perfect but I hear the batteries are limited, it is not that fast & there are 3D problems. So I guess there will be a TyTn III, but when?
The Cruise seems cool, but is it easy to write small text messages?
So really the question is, TyTn II, Cruise or wait?
Thanks,
Cedric
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you were getting into this a little earlier in the year i would tell you to get the tilt or htc kaiser hands down.... (same phone).
But since you are just now looking, and the HTC Diamond and HTC Touch Pro are right around the corner....I personally would recommend waiting to see what they are about. Then, watch some youtube videos, read some ACTUAL reviews from people who have the phone (not companies who review the phone). If you still want it then, buy one of those.
Many of the current devices out have issues, or flaws, that won't or SHOULDN'T exist in the upcoming series of phones. The Diamond specifically appears to have resolved most of the problems we see with our Kaiser/Tilt's.
So... my suggestion, wait it out for at least another month or so... IF you can.
Oh, and there's always the iphone 3g, and yes i'm totally 100% serious. It's a nice little gadget (even if everyone on this forum is in denial about it and hates them for some reason).
I have to say after having both phones for the last month I'm not that impressed with the Kaiser.
The lack of accelerated drivers alone is a disappointment.
Other things I don't like are:
No Infrared - I'm not sure what the justification for removing this is.. ok it may save a few pence off the cost - and maybe not many people use it.. but for those of us that do its an annoyance.
Keyboard is worse than the TyTN in every way, it feels worse and definitly doesn't work as well. It misses out more keypresses than the TyTN ever did. (I appreciate this could well be a ROM issue but i've tried a few and they all do it.)
Screen presses are ignored a LOT.. compared to the TyTN its absolutly hellish having to whack the screen sometimes for it to respond.
No light (ok it was crap for flash anyways but it was useful with VJCandela as a torch)
Autofocus isn't any better at focussing, its just slower. It's better for macro shots definitly.. and you dont have to manually twist the lever on the back of the phone.. but it certainly isnt up to sony ericsson AF camera standards.
The softkeys are absolutly stupid, if you have big fingers you press start call or end call half the time instead of the softkey purely because of the ridge that runs round the top of the softkeys from the call buttons being too high.
The internal softkeys are also now in a stupid place to make way for the blindingly bright caps lock lights that were not needed..
The phone slides the wrong way making it incompatible with cases and some accessories for the TyTN as well as frustrating to use for a TyTN user.
The stylus is crap compared to the extending one on the TyTN, and again means I cant use the spare ones id bought for the TyTN..
The extra memory and flash space are very nice.. and the GPS is fantastic.. but I'd rather have those 2 features alone bolted onto the hermes hardware..
Way to go HTC.. alienate one of the biggest markets.. I certainly wont be upgrading again in the future before I have a good look at competitors devices..
Some of your points on the touchscreen responsiveness etc are fair, but I think the design and overall build quality of the Kaiser beats the Hermes. The tilting screen is a really nice improvement, and while I can see how the change in orientation might be difficult for some Hermes owners to adjust to, I don't see how it's in any way inferior - just different. I prefer the solid stylus to an extending version too.
It's much better having all the buttons grouped together IMO - everything's within easy reach. I have (I'd say) moderate size fingers, and have no problem there.
Both camera and keyboard performance could be improved, but I think we're getting into the whole, wider driver issue there. I think the Kaiser still has the potential to be much improved, and I'm vaguely hopeful that those improvements will come.
sambartle said:
I have to say after having both phones for the last month I'm not that impressed with the Kaiser.
The lack of accelerated drivers alone is a disappointment.
Other things I don't like are:
No Infrared - I'm not sure what the justification for removing this is.. ok it may save a few pence off the cost - and maybe not many people use it.. but for those of us that do its an annoyance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its an ancient technology that has been surpassed by both bluetooth and wifi, what could you possibly need to use infrared for these days?
sambartle said:
Keyboard is worse than the TyTN in every way, it feels worse and definitly doesn't work as well. It misses out more keypresses than the TyTN ever did. (I appreciate this could well be a ROM issue but i've tried a few and they all do it.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I find the keyboard on the Kaiser, sooo much better than on the Hermes, with the Hermes I actually used the onscreen keyboard instead, it was that bad. The kaiser now has a very usable keyboard that is finally comparable with my P990i. With the only exception being the space-bar, which for some reason can press twice (left and right) which is slightly annoying.
sambartle said:
Screen presses are ignored a LOT.. compared to the TyTN its absolutly hellish having to whack the screen sometimes for it to respond.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have an issue with this at all, screen seems to be the same as it was on the Hermes, perhaps take a look at KaiserTweak, there's a setting in there I think.
sambartle said:
No light (ok it was crap for flash anyways but it was useful with VJCandela as a torch)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree with you here, a light would have been nice, but only for using it as a torch, useless for taking photos.
sambartle said:
Autofocus isn't any better at focussing, its just slower. It's better for macro shots definitly.. and you dont have to manually twist the lever on the back of the phone.. but it certainly isnt up to sony ericsson AF camera standards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't really take many pictures, and even less since the camera (due to driver issue) is so bad on the Kaiser, but I will agree, that compared to my P990i, the autofocus is poor.
The softkeys are absolutly stupid, if you have big fingers you press start call or end call half the time instead of the softkey purely because of the ridge that runs round the top of the softkeys from the call buttons being too high.
sambartle said:
The internal softkeys are also now in a stupid place to make way for the blindingly bright caps lock lights that were not needed..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the complete opposite, I always used to catch them stupid softkeys on the Hermes keyboard, so I am happy they've been moved now
sambartle said:
The phone slides the wrong way making it incompatible with cases and some accessories for the TyTN as well as frustrating to use for a TyTN user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I prefer having the d-pad on the left (even though I'm right handed), and thus have no issue with the sliding of the phone, it doesn't take long to get used to, and I don't own any accessories affected by this.
sambartle said:
The stylus is crap compared to the extending one on the TyTN, and again means I cant use the spare ones id bought for the TyTN..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FINALLY, HTC did something good, got rid of that god-damn awful stylus from the Hermes, that was the worst stylus I'd ever used. P990i and Kaiser, have much better non-extending ones.
I have to disagree with the OP.
The Kaiser is heads and tails and improvement over the Hermes.
Agreed, the keyboard is one step down in some respects, but umm...that is about it.
It is a solid device with a high end feel. The Tytn is the VW of smartphones, Kaiser is when you walked across the parking lot to the Audi dealership
sambartle said:
I have to say after having both phones for the last month I'm not that impressed with the Kaiser.
The lack of accelerated drivers alone is a disappointment.
Other things I don't like are:
No Infrared - I'm not sure what the justification for removing this is.. ok it may save a few pence off the cost - and maybe not many people use it.. but for those of us that do its an annoyance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like posted before me, it's an ancient technology. Why IR when you have bluetooth? Plus, you knew about the phone not having IR, so, technically, it's your fault for buying the device and complaining about not having an IR.
Keyboard is worse than the TyTN in every way, it feels worse and definitly doesn't work as well. It misses out more keypresses than the TyTN ever did. (I appreciate this could well be a ROM issue but i've tried a few and they all do it.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't use the built-in keyboard much so I can't comment much but the times I have used it, I have felt no difference between 8525 and Tilt.
Screen presses are ignored a LOT.. compared to the TyTN its absolutly hellish having to whack the screen sometimes for it to respond.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not have this problem at all.
No light (ok it was crap for flash anyways but it was useful with VJCandela as a torch)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never cared for it (for taking pictures or flashlight).
Autofocus isn't any better at focussing, its just slower. It's better for macro shots definitly.. and you dont have to manually twist the lever on the back of the phone.. but it certainly isnt up to sony ericsson AF camera standards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree with you there, but, then again, I have my digital camera for taking pictures.
The softkeys are absolutly stupid, if you have big fingers you press start call or end call half the time instead of the softkey purely because of the ridge that runs round the top of the softkeys from the call buttons being too high.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problems here!
The internal softkeys are also now in a stupid place to make way for the blindingly bright caps lock lights that were not needed..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am ok with the placements (better than 8525/Hermes).
The phone slides the wrong way making it incompatible with cases and some accessories for the TyTN as well as frustrating to use for a TyTN user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, you knew about the design before buying it, so, you cannot complain.
The stylus is crap compared to the extending one on the TyTN, and again means I cant use the spare ones id bought for the TyTN..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The stylus is WAYYYYYY BETTEEERRR than the telescoping one in 8525/Hermes.
The extra memory and flash space are very nice.. and the GPS is fantastic.. but I'd rather have those 2 features alone bolted onto the hermes hardware..
Way to go HTC.. alienate one of the biggest markets.. I certainly wont be upgrading again in the future before I have a good look at competitors devices..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completenutter2 said:
I prefer having the d-pad on the left (even though I'm right handed), and thus have no issue with the sliding of the phone, it doesn't take long to get used to, and I don't own any accessories affected by this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never thought about this really but now I've looked at it, the left handed D-pad when in landscape is more compatible with a gaming joypad and, as I am right handed, I dont have to shuffle the stylus around in my hand to use it!!
HTC and ergonomics...Whatever next!!
Overall I find the Kaiser an improvent on the Hermes, with a couple of notable exceptions:
-The slightly inferior keyboard (but I've adapted to it)
-The idiotic door on the mico-sd port. You need tweezers to open it. What was wrong with the spring loaded slot on the Hermes?
-The soft reset switch on the Kaiser is too close to the delicate mini USB port. It is very easy to accidentally jam the stylus into the USB port and render the phone completely worthless.
IMO the non-telescoping stylus is a HUGE improvement over the Hermes. Give it a few months and those telescoping styli become loose or end up expanding to their full length on their own for no reason. The Kaiser stylus sits nice and flush with the corner of the case, yet the 'nub' is big enough that you don't have to use tweezers or ruin your fingernails trying to dig it out of the silo.
lcohen999 said:
It is a solid device with a high end feel. The Tytn is the VW of smartphones, Kaiser is when you walked across the parking lot to the Audi dealership
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And paid more for the same car?
Sorry, I like Audi, but to me you don't get your money's worth over VW.
So I think your comparison is right on. The Tytn II, seems like it should be better, and you paid more for it, but after all is said and done, it's not really worth the extra cash.
my 8525 was free and so was my tilt so i feel the price was worth it. ha!
FWIW the Kaiser is streets ahead of the Hermes.
The Hermes was a huge leap forward from the Wizard, and the Kaiser is another leap forward again.
Of course if mine didnt scroll or actually do what I wanted when I wanted it to then I might feel differently...
jgermuga said:
And paid more for the same car?
Sorry, I like Audi, but to me you don't get your money's worth over VW.
So I think your comparison is right on. The Tytn II, seems like it should be better, and you paid more for it, but after all is said and done, it's not really worth the extra cash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A3 vs GTi
no comparison (I'm sure you can guess what I drive)
lcohen999 said:
A3 vs GTi
no comparison (I'm sure you can guess what I drive)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OH..got an A3 as my business car last trip back to the UK...Was like Sh*t off of the preverbial shovel (as we say in Yorkshire!).
Loved that week...Mmmmm!
Soz, was drooling there...
Back to my basic Murano...
Eos vs A4 Cabriolet, $7,500 less + DSG and a hard top with sunroof (no quatro option though).
Guess which I drive?
jgermuga said:
Eos vs A4 Cabriolet, $7,500 less + DSG and a hard top with sunroof (no quatro option though).
Guess which I drive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SOD OFF!! hate these people with nice cars....
OOps..anyone think we have gone off topic a bit here...
sambartle said:
No Infrared - I'm not sure what the justification for removing this is.. ok it may save a few pence off the cost - and maybe not many people use it.. but for those of us that do its an annoyance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally I love the Kaiser (as I'm sure some know from a certain thread!) and I have no way to compare it to the Hermes. But I do have to agree on the IR thing. It was great for quick file transfers and Activesync. OK so I have now spent a day fiddling with the Kaiser and got my laptop and it working just as well over bluetooth but it was still nice as a backup incase the USB ever failed as you can't establish a new partnership over bluetooth, only IR / USB. Another thing I did use IR for was as a remote shutter release for my camera. Bit of hacking and it saved me UK£25 on buying the proper remote. So there are still applications for IR.
Also the camera flash(light). I came from the HTC Universal which had these things too.
Overall, I knew what the Kaiser had, what it didn't and made my choice with that info so I can't complain, just agreeeing with the OP on a couple of points that I can relate too.
Oh, and I drive a Vauxhall (GM) car, never bought into buying a badge! (though you could buy a Skoda, it's the same car, just a lower purchase price!)
Steve-C said:
Generally I love the Kaiser (as I'm sure some know from a certain thread!) and I have no way to compare it to the Hermes. But I do have to agree on the IR thing. It was great for quick file transfers and Activesync. OK so I have now spent a day fiddling with the Kaiser and got my laptop and it working just as well over bluetooth but it was still nice as a backup incase the USB ever failed as you can't establish a new partnership over bluetooth, only IR / USB. Another thing I did use IR for was as a remote shutter release for my camera. Bit of hacking and it saved me UK£25 on buying the proper remote. So there are still applications for IR.
Also the camera flash(light). I came from the HTC Universal which had these things too.
Overall, I knew what the Kaiser had, what it didn't and made my choice with that info so I can't complain, just agreeeing with the OP on a couple of points that I can relate too.
Oh, and I drive a Vauxhall (GM) car, never bought into buying a badge! (though you could buy a Skoda, it's the same car, just a lower purchase price!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree with all your points on the Kaiser Steve, as to be honest, I TOO miss the IR for its compatibility to Vcard transfer to people with older phones.
A Skoda???
Audi A4 £23k, VW Passat £19k, Skoda Octavia £14k. Same floorpan, engine, errr everything really. Is a badge really worth £9,000?! (And the Skoda comes with a flappy paddle gearbox as standard...) Off topic...nah!
IMO the d-pad is muuuuch better than the tytn's. the only thing i was missing when i've started using Kaiser was the comm-manager button,
but with Hbutton it's no big deal to map another key to Comm-Manager.
I never liked the Email and Internet button at the top...now i'm quiet happy with all buttons in one place...
No need for flashlight...never used, and if i ever use, plamp would be enough bright i think.
And the Keyboard feels much better with the fingers...just love it...
my car: opel omega..... no further comment...
My biggest form factor nit compared to the 8125 is that the stylis needs to be retrieved from the left side while the keyboard is open, which makes it difficult to pull out if you are right handed as your left hand is in the way. On the 8125, it was in the upper right hand corner while the keyboard was out and pulling the stylis was very handy. Not sure how the 8525 was set up, but I think it was the same as the 8125, right?
Besides that, the 8125 had stereo speakers, which I sometimes used for music but really made the most difference when on a speaker phone call. And the normal 2.5" headphone jack was a plus. Why HTC does not include a USB adapter (which csot more to ship than the purchase price) is beyond me. It's like someone said, "Hey, let come up with a proprietary headphone jack so that no one can use a third party headset without buying an adapter, which we don't even sell???
Do they think they are Apple or sumthin?
I knew that would be a controversial post..
I actually agree that the D-Pad on the left is better... However.. the phones crap for playing games anyways.. and once they had ruined it on the hermes i'd have preferred it to stay how it was as I was used to it and my accessories would have worked.
I'm now wondering if the reason my screen is so poor compared to the hermes is something to do with the screen protector then if no one else sees it as a problem, I used a custom crystal-clear harder more plastic one on the hermes.. on the kaiser I used the one supplied with the phone (the crappy rubbery plastic one supplied in the box - im not sure if it comes with all tytn2's or if Orange add it), maybe that is in some way affecting the screen?
The stylus I might get used too.. but at the moment I definitely prefer the thicker one from the tytn and never had any problems with it coming loose (though I lost a few from putting them down and walking off)
Infrared is useful for all kinds of things.. I can use it to talk to older phones, older laptops for a modem connection, servers for a terminal.. all sorts of stuff. Its almost essential. I didn't actually know until the first time I tried to use it that it wasn't there!! Its a shocking ommission in my eyes.
Its like removing the dvd drive from every pc and saying yes dvd's are old you should all burn and use hddvd or bluray now.
The build quality is better, or feels it.. but I think time will tell how robust the hinge is, it certainly doesn't look as strong as the hermes fixing..
A simple enough poll.
Are you going to upgrade from your Kaiser to the Sony X1?
Personally I love my Kaiser, it is by far the best phone I've ever had. My only problem is the screen resolution.... Now bring along the Sony Xperia X1 and have it pretty much functionally the same as the kaiser and the larger screen resolution and you have an awesome phone.
What right now could beat the X1, the TyTN III, but it's not anounced and unlikley to be this year.
So personally I can't wait for the X1.
Definitely not, though my kaiser is not perfect, i dont think a X1 would be. i've been using Sony's laptop, cell phones, mp3,etc in the past, but everytime there are some unacceptable designs fault like easily broken buttons and leakage on machine body. They just put their efforts on design, without testing carefully the components!
it would be better to ask this question when the device is in the wild and people have had a change to review it,
it could be a lemon for all we know
andaroo said:
it would be better to ask this question when the device is in the wild and people have had a change to review it,
it could be a lemon for all we know
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Click to collapse
That's true, but and a real but, if it is pretty much the same as the Kaiser, with the higher resolution, slighly faster processor and graphics drivers (which I doubt really HTC want to fix for the kaiser) then this will be a killer phone.
Can we have another option please? Something along the lines of:
No, I'm not touching another device made by HTC, no matter who they're working with.
I like to try new gadget. So, for me, definitely I'm going to upgrade to Sony Xperia X1. If it's not going to be that good, I'll be back to my Tytn II.
It's really too soon to say, it looks good from this distance, but until there are real world reports on performance etc it's not possible to judge. I'd like it to be a killer device that I could upgrade to with confidence, but my previous experience of both SE and HTC tells me to wait.
It's still possible that this phone will only be a minor improvement on the Kaiser, and the Kaiser itself may still be improved in the meantime (through the work going on here, if not at HTC).
If I didn't have the Kaiser I would buy the X1 no doubt about that - but for my use there just isn't enough new stuff under the cover to make me go away from the Kaiser...
Oh yes please!!!!!
I will definitely check it out closer to launching but from what I have seen up to now I don't see any reason that I would not take it. I use to be a SE fan before I got into ppc's. I was looking for OS freedom, that is why I started with WM devices. I liked my Wizard and after almost 2 weeks can't find fault with my new Kaiser. Deep down I'm still a SE fan though.
Can't wait for launch date :
Not sure...I really like the larger screen and the buttons on the X1 as they are spaced out.
It also seems to be lighter/thinner which would be a plus.
But hopefully when the release WM7.0, it will make the Kaiser UI much more friendly and interactive.
None of this is confirmed and this is just a mockup, but it looks really sharp: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Windows-Mobile-7-0-Preview-or-Simple-Mockup-75751.shtml
For the most part though I really like my Kaiser
vip3r69 said:
I will definitely check it out closer to launching but from what I have seen up to now I don't see any reason that I would not take it. I use to be a SE fan before I got into ppc's. I was looking for OS freedom, that is why I started with WM devices. I liked my Wizard and after almost 2 weeks can't find fault with my new Kaiser. Deep down I'm still a SE fan though.
Can't wait for launch date :
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I heard that the actual release date will be in 2009 Feb
You all know that this is Sony Ericsson right?? I will get it when I have the money and the time
Also no that was a typo.
its made by HTC
apparently
belon_cfy said:
I heard that the actual release date will be in 2009 Feb
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Click to collapse
SE have confirmed that was just a mistake on their website, the release date stands at H2 - meaning anytime between July and December this year.
i just went on the sony website and watched their commercial. Its the crappiest commercial to advertise the phone. Its 6 seconds of the phone in action, and the rest is flying paper airplane.
I cant decide whether I want it or not. if it has all the things kaiser does, then yeah, but otherwise most likely not.
In theory it has all that the Kaiser has, plus a higher resolution screen. The really killer difference though is the size and weight - it really is a LOT smaller, and a lot more pocketable, while still retaining that full qwerty etc.
Boinng said:
In theory it has all that the Kaiser has, plus a higher resolution screen. The really killer difference though is the size and weight - it really is a LOT smaller, and a lot more pocketable, while still retaining that full qwerty etc.
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The most important feature is the keyboard. Sure that's why we all have the Kaiser right...
Size is important, but too small and you can't type. You'd end up with a Treo/ Blackberry/ Samsung type keypad and I can't stand those buttons, way too small.
In saying that though, the thickness is really important, it would be great if it was a lot thinner, but again if you go too thin you get into that area that samsung have been pushing. Have you tried out their D900 phone, just way too thin, pain in the a*s to press those keys.
Also weight. Kaiser is definatly the heaviest phone i've used, but I don't find it that bad. I thought it was going to be way to heavy, my old eTen m600 a lot lighter, but really I don't mind it at all.
A bit lighter, a bit smaller, a lot thinner, with the bigger screen, the better keyboard layout and we have a winner.
I can't wait to see the phones out in 2010!
As a long standing HTC user I have been happy with the MDA Vario III overall but the display problems and poor quality camera (slow screen refresh etc) have been a BIG disapointment. The poor response from HTC has been even worse and what appears to be a complete lack of customer service has really
put me off them!
I am certainly looking forward to checking out the XPERIA X1 in the flesh..
Sony have generally delivered a good solid handset in the past and the battery life and camera are often excellent too. As long as they get the whole package to come together and the initial feedback is good I will consider letting my Vario III go.
The only issue for me will be that I am currently only 5 months into a contract with T-Mobile so I will need to get a SIM free or go for a second contract. Oh the price we pay for technological advances!
Zippyioa
Rather than listen to the hype, I'd need to see it and test drive it.
It's gotta be head and shoulders above what the Kaiser has to offer, because I'm not the type of guy to upgrade just to have the latest.
Good thing my last HTC device was a Blue Angel and not a Wizard or Hermes, or I'd still be using it
personally i dont really care HOW much of an upgrade it is from TytnII to X1...of course it'd be nice if all the problems of the tytnii be fixed in the x1 but i just like to try new phones...so i will try out the x1...if i dont like it..worst case is go back to the tytnii...so no lost
I have a Touch HD now and I'm thinking about moving to an Xperia. I really like how the X1 looks but I haven't played around with it so I'm not familiar with the software. The things I really like about the Touch HD are the calendar/tasks access from the home screen, and the weather feature. Do you all think I'd like the X1, would it be a good phone to switch to? Or what about waiting for the X2, from what I've seen it looks basically the same.
Hmm. It seems like you like HTC's software (touchflo etc.) Therefore you will have to live with custom roms. I mean you almost find the same software for Xperia as you used for your HD. But...to be honest...you have to have your hands on it before you decide to switch..
They're pretty similar phones, so it'll be more of a step sideways, than a step forward. The X2 has some improvements, but nothing that would stop me from buying the X1 over it (except TV out, but no biggie). Everything you have on the HD can almost certainly be on the X1, so its really just the looks and keyboard.
As you know X1 looks awesome, but keyboard may disappoint, although its perfectly fine once your used to it.
Personally I don't think theres enough of a difference to switch.
Camera on SE is much better too....
How is the software on the X1, does it have the features I mentioned, is it easy to use, how do you all like it?
Also, the X1 is definitely thicker than the HD, do you think it feels too big in your pocket or is it fine?
rpimps said:
How is the software on the X1, does it have the features I mentioned, is it easy to use, how do you all like it?
Also, the X1 is definitely thicker than the HD, do you think it feels too big in your pocket or is it fine?
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Firstly, X1 seems like a small device to me.
Looks like it's kinda thick on paper, but finally - its REALLY COMPACT.
I'm always surprised it almost seems like a normal phone in the pocket and I love this fact! It's like a bonus here....
As for your software questions: many many users here just installed HTC TF3D on their devices so the functionality would be the same in this case as HTC HD - you have the same thing on X1.
But if you want to use SonyEricsson solutions: their SE panels allow you
to customize WHAT is on screen in more ways than HTC, so you can display tasks events or calendar ones on the homescreen - or not. You can also set on the homescreen the applications icons or attribute any application to one of the two hardkeys. So absolutely plenty of options here.
As for weather - it's better on HTC but SE also gives you selected city/cities weather and current temp. displayed on homescreen.
For any detailed weather I use SPB Weather anyways....
Hope this is helpful!
One little thing that might be an irritant to an HD user is that the screen is recessed. Not a deal-breaker for me, but many users have expressed disappointment at this.
It makes using a software keyboard a bit hard when you want to hit q or p.
And well, after using the Xperia for quite some time, the recessed screen only irritates when hitting q or p, and that's only when I'm trying to type without visual aid, so the recessed screen is pretty much a non-issue, just a bitxh to clean.
Edit : TBH I feel like trying a Touch HD myself - HD2 is way too expensive (and huge) and N900 is not available in SG - and the reception of the Xperia is balls in my house. Hairy monkey balls preserved in 9000+ year old vinegar, what with it keep losing signal whenever I touch it. Outside - no issue. But I spend most of my time inside, so...
doministry said:
Firstly, X1 seems like a small device to me.
Looks like it's kinda thick on paper, but finally - its REALLY COMPACT.
I'm always surprised it almost seems like a normal phone in the pocket and I love this fact! It's like a bonus here....
As for your software questions: many many users here just installed HTC TF3D on their devices so the functionality would be the same in this case as HTC HD - you have the same thing on X1.
But if you want to use SonyEricsson solutions: their SE panels allow you
to customize WHAT is on screen in more ways than HTC, so you can display tasks events or calendar ones on the homescreen - or not. You can also set on the homescreen the applications icons or attribute any application to one of the two hardkeys. So absolutely plenty of options here.
As for weather - it's better on HTC but SE also gives you selected city/cities weather and current temp. displayed on homescreen.
For any detailed weather I use SPB Weather anyways....
Hope this is helpful!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for all that info, it sounds like I'll like the SE interface and even if I don't I'd just be able to install TF3D anyway.
Hannigan174 said:
One little thing that might be an irritant to an HD user is that the screen is recessed. Not a deal-breaker for me, but many users have expressed disappointment at this.
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How big a deal is the recessed screen? Do you get used to it after a few days or is it constantly annoying you?
rpimps said:
How big a deal is the recessed screen? Do you get used to it after a few days or is it constantly annoying you?
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This is constantly annoying me, because i don't like the hardware keyboard (too small). It's a pain to use scroll bars or touch anything in the edges without the stylus.
But i suggest you to try it out somewhere.
locomarco said:
This is constantly annoying me, because i don't like the hardware keyboard (too small). It's a pain to use scroll bars or touch anything in the edges without the stylus.
But i suggest you to try it out somewhere.
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I'm trying to find a local store that has it but haven't had any luck so far.
rpimps said:
Thanks for all that info, it sounds like I'll like the SE interface and even if I don't I'd just be able to install TF3D anyway.
How big a deal is the recessed screen? Do you get used to it after a few days or is it constantly annoying you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a problem for me at all. Even me hitting corners with fingers (X button and Start Menu) is fine, but depending on how you hold phone, and size of fingers or thumb it may be an issue. If you can, a few minutes in-hand should let you know if it will be an issue.
Again, not an issue for me, but give it a feel before you commit to an Xperia
Just before you sell your HD an Buy an X1 ,think about it...
I have an X1 Silver,9 Months old...now i have to send it back for Warranty issues
6 Cracks on the Cover (some are really annoying..)and a broken MIC told me....NEVER BUY ME AGAIN
And I Obey...
don´t sell your HD for an Xperia,it IS really a nice Phone,ok....but on comparison on the Problem you´ll get it is not worthy!
had a hd before my x1 now. With the stuff i do, the x1 is more usefull for me.
like a lots of and fast sms, msn.
good luck
Mobile of Sorrow said:
Just before you sell your HD an Buy an X1 ,think about it...
I have an X1 Silver,9 Months old...now i have to send it back for Warranty issues
6 Cracks on the Cover (some are really annoying..)and a broken MIC told me....NEVER BUY ME AGAIN
And I Obey...
don´t sell your HD for an Xperia,it IS really a nice Phone,ok....but on comparison on the Problem you´ll get it is not worthy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean "6 cracks on the cover and a broken mic"? Like you dropped the phone and cracked it or what?
Cracks are usually a manufacturing defect, a well known one to the X1. It usually occurs in the battery compartment, and stylus holder. It doesn't do any real damage to the phone or affect use of it whatsoever, but its just a bit disappointing to have. Long thread about it here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=447211
In fact, although SE will usually just repair the cracks under warranty, and my phone had a bit of crack, I didn't bother sending it in until another issue popped up. SE in Australia are pretty good btw, they sent a courier to pick the phone up, waiting on it to be sent back, its been 3 days.
Not sure about the broken mic though.
If your buying X1 used, its viable to try it out before you sell HD and if you don't like it, just sell it again.
Hey guys,
This is my first serious thread, so please hit me over the head with a frying pan if I did anything wrong. I won't take it personally. I tried to search the forums for an answer to this question but I couldn't find a thread about it, so here goes...
I'm sorta looking at the Droid 3 as a replacement for my Milestone. I've also looked at the Desire Z, but I'd really like to have a dedicated number row, which is one reason I'm not too keen on the Desire Z. So the Droid 3 looks pretty good to me right now, but it depends on how the keyboard feels.
My question is basically, has anyone who's owned a Droid or a Milestone (or any of the other phys-key phones) bought one of these, and can they tell me how the keyboard feels in comparison? Since I'd have to import it, I can't really go out to the store and try it for myself, which is what I'd normally do. Preferably I'd like to hear if the keys feel like they are just one plastic sheet, or actual different buttons. That's my main complaint with the Milestone, that all the buttons feel like they're connected and just cut out.
(Note: I don't want to start an argument about physical keyboards vs. virtual keyboards. I can't live without my QWERTY! )
Had an OG Droid with the bubbling keyboard issue. So in my experience this is much, much better. Keys feel great, perfect size, etc.
Sent from my DROID3 using xda premium
I had an OG droid since day 1... 3 days ago I picked up a D3 and I have to tell you, the absolute best part about the phone is how exceptional the keyboard is. The Keyboard is the #1 reason I picked up the D3, I just cant stand using a touchscreen to type.
The phone has it's flaws, but I couldn't be happier having such an excellent keyboard. Totally worth it man.
i have 3 milestones, each with a slightly different physical keyboard (one completely flat, on slightly raised, and one really raised), and a couple of my mates have desire z's. i havent played with a d2/ milestone 2, but what i can say is that the d3's keyboard is infinitely better than any of my milestones, and better than the desire z's... the buttons on the d3 are much much easier to press than the ones on the milestone
it took me a while to get used to the d3 cause if the slightly larger size, but after a week or 2 i'm back to being able to type without looking, and i'm probably a little faster than i was with my milestone.
Thanks guys, that sounds reassuring! It sure looks like a good device too. I might hold off until some ROMs start showing up and development becomes fired up (Cyanogenmod is so lovely on my Milestone, I don't know if I could go back to stock), but it's definitely at the top of my to-get list with comments like that.
And yeah, I tried the Desire Z briefly with a friend and it was ok, but I didn't like the hinge (maybe it was my friend's set that was bad, but it didn't snap, so it would get stuck halfway, and if you held it upside down, it would just sort of hang there and get in the way of the keyboard)... And the number row is a big deal for me, too!
The keyboard feels like each key is an independent button. Sort of like the newer 'Chiclet' style keyboards on laptops and netbooks. Honestly, it is the best physical smartphone keyboard I have ever used.
The keyboard is the reason I got the Droid 3 over the Bionic.
D3 definitely feels like the keyboard has seperated keys, extremely nice to use in hand
I'm pretty sure this verdict will all depend on what phone you're coming from. I had a Touch Pro2 and that keyboard was amazing, arguable the best available to date. After having the D3 activated and under use for about 6 hours i'm not as impressed as I would have liked. One thing that is really bugging me is the sliding mechanism...I did see on all the reviews that they mentioned there was no spring in it but I really underestimated how hard it would be to open the keyboard, especially with the thin styling (not much to push against). I always find myself pushing slowly until i hear the 'click,' because i don't want to damage it but need to slide it all the way to reveal all the keys. Also the buttons are a little smaller than the TP2 so this will be a learning curve for me...it took me about a month to get used to a Blackberry I had as a temp phone so I'm hoping I'll get accustomed to this one just as quickly if not faster.
I'm almost positive in the end it will be more than satisfying. Just sort of a downgrade for me.
Easily the best physical keyboard I've ever used. The keys have a nice layout, perfect spacing and size, and the click is just right.
GoogleAndroid said:
Easily the best physical keyboard I've ever used. The keys have a nice layout, perfect spacing and size, and the click is just right.
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Click to collapse
Like (almost) everyone says . . . they keyboard is exceptional. I thought the Atrix4g was well made, but this D3 takes the cake. It's hard for me to believe I once thought that HTCs were well-made phones. Moto has come a long way in build quality since my squeaky, uncomfortable-to-do anything with Timeport!