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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
Hey,
Im moving on from my trusty MDA and came apon a few decently priced At&t Tilts. Ive read over the driver issues and just wanted the opinions of some current and/or previous owners.
Just so you know, I have owned a Wing, MDA and currently a Blackjack2 and had flashed/upgraded the HTCs several times. Thats why I want to come back to an HTC device.
Thanks in advance.
go for it dude
fhaines said:
Hey,
Im moving on from my trusty MDA and came apon a few decently priced At&t Tilts. Ive read over the driver issues and just wanted the opinions of some current and/or previous owners.
Just so you know, I have owned a Wing, MDA and currently a Blackjack2 and had flashed/upgraded the HTCs several times. Thats why I want to come back to an HTC device.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, I think it is a great phone.
I agree. Fully functional 3D drivers or not, this is still the most amazing phone on the market for price point. The only thing I would personally get above this phone is the touch pro....and that wont be for some time to come
I've had a tilt since oct 07. Wouldn't give it up for anything. Does it play 3d perfectly, no...but I didn't buy it to play movies & mp3 files. Does it have as quality camera as my old SE W810i? No, but with patience, it does pretty darn well. I got the tilt because it allowed me to replace a phone & PDA with one device. I use mobile office around 10-15 times a day, 20-30 text messages a day, the camera maybe once or twice a week, and it is without a doubt the best
device I've owned. it has it's quirks, but what device doesn't?
here hear, awesomest phone i have ever owned. I was looking for a phone i could replace my phone and pda with. it rocksas far as features. sure the graphics suck. but they get the job done in a pinch. weee it's the most technologicaly advanced phone that att has right now. I dont have to synch eight devices. i just got rid of my laptop. I use this for most everything. i have school comp labs for everything else. i thought about taking it back and waiting fr something better to come out. but. when the touch pro comes out it will cost 450 dollars with a new 2 year agreement. school stsrts before then anyways. HEY thanks you guysfor making this the coolest phone it can be with what is available. is there any feature that another phone has that this one does not. in america anyways. it is a business phone. it does just that. it will play most regular phone games out there. damn it doesnt play crysis at maximum detail. boo hoo. it is a freakin miracle these slow resricted devices can do what they do. having said that. im sure my opinion would be changed with a good foreign phone. hey and htc come on. what other company out there encourages hacking their phones by putting xda developers in their wiki. i have dropped this thing onto concrete hard twice and to my knowledge it hasnt phased it. oh and btw. i dont have a data plan for my phone. i am typing this on my tilt at panera bread on my hardware giant qwerty keyboard. this has taken me fifteen mins to write. do that iphone. do that old style 12 key phones. i just got the thing and i am typing fast on it. if you want a gaming phone this is not for you. if you want relatively long battery life when you surf the net using wifi get this phone. i am comparing the batt life to my sony clie which had first generation pda wifi in it. i have gone over an hour today surfing the web. i still have 20 pecent left and i started with like 60. my clie could only go for like 45 mins with a brand new battery with a slower processor. well panera bread is cosing and i should probably get home. but it isnt becase my pda ran outof juice. i have the oem batt btw. good night all. i hope this helps you in your quest fora new phone.
i have owned the tilt since Nov 2007 and it has been a excellent pocket pc/phone. what i really like about the phone is having the ability to flash the rom that chefs have to offer. it's nice to have options and incredible free applications out there offered by the programmer's.
i have been through four previous pocket pc phones and it's nice for once that there is everything packaged into one device. I use gps, wifi, watch movies, listen to mp3s, outlook/exchange, bluetooth etc.. i take the phone to the limits and it meets expectations.
despite the video driver problem, its not a big deal if you are really into eye candy.
if you have other questions, you can email me..
tvos
Nooo. Don't get it. I personally plan on selling my Tilt and shelling out some cash to get the AT&T Fuze (Touch Pro). It's much better. The retail pricing is only about $100-200 more then the Tilt's. So it'll retail for about $550/$650 w/o contract. =) This is a great deal compared to $1k. It's going to come out before year's end and AT&T data managers are currently testing the Fuze. It'll be out before 08 ends I can swear on it. It has a different color TF3D as we've seen. It has no front camera and an extra button for PTT. That's about it.
Guess how I got this info =)
Kraize92 said:
Nooo. Don't get it. I personally plan on selling my Tilt and shelling out some cash to get the AT&T Fuze (Touch Pro). It's much better. The retail pricing is only about $100-200 more then the Tilt's. So it'll retail for about $550/$650 w/o contract. =) This is a great deal compared to $1k. It's going to come out before year's end and AT&T data managers are currently testing the Fuze. It'll be out before 08 ends I can swear on it. It has a different color TF3D as we've seen. It has no front camera and an extra button for PTT. That's about it.
Guess how I got this info =)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you don't know what your talking about...
get the tilt..... worse and try it out for 30 days.. if you don't like it, return it... this probably the best to offer... at least at&t give you this option.
tvos
tvos said:
you don't know what your talking about...
get the tilt..... worse and try it out for 30 days.. if you don't like it, return it... this probably the best to offer... at least at&t give you this option.
tvos
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rofl. I know exactly what I'm talking about
I dont want to sound negative
but your posting on a Kaiser forum and asking people who own a Tilt if they advise you to get it... haha i got a feeling your gonna get around 90% yes...
the real test is to ask some guys who have a htc touch diamond or some of the other smart phones out there what they think of the Kaiser...
oh and my answer is yes... get it... with the right tweaks and a few apps to your liking, it will be the best phone you have owned (well atleast it is the best phone i have had)
I had mine since March. Pretty good phone. A tad on the heavy side. And depends on how you like to hold it, the little corner of the USB port may dig into your pinky. The AT&T bloatware are garbage but nothing you can't fix on your own. There are enough people that like it to get a constant supply of goodies.
Knowing what I know now, would I get it again? Probably.
fhaines said:
Hey,
Im moving on from my trusty MDA and came apon a few decently priced At&t Tilts. Ive read over the driver issues and just wanted the opinions of some current and/or previous owners.
Just so you know, I have owned a Wing, MDA and currently a Blackjack2 and had flashed/upgraded the HTCs several times. Thats why I want to come back to an HTC device.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I look for speed and stability in a PPC, and I'm sorry to say that once again I have not found it in a HTC phone. I previously had the S710. Compared to that, the TYTN-II is fast as lightning. But compared to previous Sony Ericsson and Palm phones, the TYTN-II is sloppy. Admittedly it has GPS and WI-FI, which the others did not. The stability is below what I think is reasonable to expect for a smartphone in 2008. The touchscreen and buttons are occasionally unresponsive, and normal operation is often replaced by random "irregularities". I soft reset the device some 1-3 times a week, because unexpected stuff just happens: ranging from missed calls, broken activesync, unable to connect to EDGE network, software crashes, buttons not working.
Yet I hold on to it. It sports a nice set of features, and the software for it is plentyfull. The stability and performance can be improved by careful configuration (involving a lot of trial-and-error), but be prepared to spend a lot of hours on it. If you are a "point-and-shoot" type of person, who just want a phone that works out of the box, you may be disappointed with this one.
At least this is my personoal experience with the phone. Your milage may vary!
If you're prepared to put up with what can at times be an annoyingly slow user interface, then I don't see why not. The feature-set is excellent, the build quality is excellent and the tilting display shows no sign of flimsy construction. It has a nice weight to it and feels comfortable to hold and use.
But the dsmn lack of drivers *REALLY* grates at me after a while, especially when switching between portrait/landscape modes. The more time goes on, the more you notice how slow it is. There are tweaks that help, for example if you set the X button to close instead of hide apps the effect of this is minimised somewhat, but that shouldn't be necessary.
Unless you have patience for a UI with an average speed of "slow" I would go for one of HTCs other offerings which actually uses the hardware it contains, although if the custom drivers that are underway reach completion, perhaps the Kaiser will be a serious contender. So if you DO buy one, you may think of it as an investment for the future
Quality and Function comparisons
CrArc said:
. . . The feature-set is excellent, the build quality is excellent and the tilting display shows no sign of flimsy construction. It has a nice weight to it and feels comfortable to hold and use. . .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Wizard (8125) and a Kaiser (Tilt) and just got a Hermes (8525) for another family member - the Kaiser obviously has the best feature set, but the build quality of the other two is better, IMO. The 8125 is clunky looking, but solid, and the spacing of the keys makes it much easier not to miss-key. The 8525 is super-solid, has the best battery cover, and I think is the best looking.
That said, I will keep using the Kaiser. I have also tried i-mate 8502 and HP iPaq 910c, and returned to the Kaiser. The chrome is wearing down on the buttons, and some of HTC's software design on it is annoying (e.g. fast backlight shutoff - fixable of course). In the inevitable comparison to iPhone 3G, the iPhone does some things amazingly well (threaded SMS, internet browsing) but still doesn't have a spreadsheet for crying out loud! I depend on Excel, use it constantly in eyecare clinic.
So despite its flaws, the Kaiser is the best thing for me - until Touch Pro for AT&T 3G is available - then I will get that - the 5 row keyboard and the VGA screen are the big pluses there, and you can never have too much memory.
You know I researched a lot before buying my tilt, knowing I would need to unlock and flash it to get the functionality I wanted. I could not be happier with my purchase. Things I know I can not do with an Iphone easily or at all at no additional cost include excel & word editing, connect to Citrix, RDP, tether my laptop by either USB or BT. As for the d3d drivers, while they would be nice I don't see them as mandatory since this is first a phone and a PDA not a iPod. That said, I have no issue other than bandwidth when I comes to streaming media through ORB to my TILT and playback is more than acceptable for me.
Just do it since your no stranger to flashing,
z
I cant help, but I am "slowly" getting more and more convinced not to buy a Diamond because of the apparent issues I continue to find.
First I found out about the display issue which is (also officially) said to happen only with too much pressure (what exactly is too much), although some reported them as well and stated to have taken care. Now it seems there is yet one more issue with the backlighting respectively the hardware itself.
Would you say I am exaggerating and those issues are normal ones which happen to some extent on all phones or is my upcoming impression right that the Diamond might be a true beta product - it's not that those issues are exactly minor ones?
Please let me know your true and objective (please no fanboyism in either way ) opinion.
all I can say is these forums get a lot more of
"I have a problem"
then
"my diamond is working fine and i would not change a thing"
happy users
1 never come here
2 try to help others
If you come to a forum where people are seeking help with their phone then unsuprisingly you are gonna find alot of people with phone problems they would like help with.
This is true for all devices from phones to cars, and will always give the impression that the device has many flaws. In the bigger picture far more people are happy with their diamond than reading here will have you think.
i believe that the diamond really is a great smartphone, (no fanboyism) and that it really delivers a great bunch of possibilities, especially when paired with xda developers it migth tend to be a little slow sometimes though. and sometimes even slower... but the first problem you described, ive never heard of before, and i do not believe you will experience this without trying to do it, or if you by accident throws a rock at the display (accident???) the second problem sounded like a flash of a custom rom gone wrong, which doesnt really have anything to do with the phone, but more with the person behind the phone
these 2 problems that you talk about seems like some that only happens if you doesnt take a little care of your phone, and i do not believe that these should make you worry about getting a diamond. but you might want to consider buying a diamond2 instead, since its about to get released
.
Thanks for all your responses so far, of course the argument of complainers being louder is valid, but I suppose I am particularly worried here because the two mentioned issues seem to be quite common - among the complainers at least - and seem to be rather major issues and not like a minor one such as a buggy software.
Hojlind said:
but the first problem you described, ive never heard of before, and i do not believe you will experience this without trying to do it, or if you by accident throws a rock at the display (accident???)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually I am not using rocks , but there are also quite a few in the mentioned thread who have stated to never have mistreated the display. Of course its not easy to verify this claim but I have to admit it makes me worry.
Hojlind said:
the second problem sounded like a flash of a custom rom gone wrong, which doesnt really have anything to do with the phone, but more with the person behind the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd have assumed that too, however it doesnt seem to have taken place immediately after flashing but a few days later and a few even mentioned it happened without any flashing at all.
Hojlind said:
these 2 problems that you talk about seems like some that only happens if you doesnt take a little care of your phone, and i do not believe that these should make you worry about getting a diamond. but you might want to consider buying a diamond2 instead, since its about to get released
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What attracts me particularly to the Diamond is its size. It is one of the smallest Windows Mobile phones available. The Diamond 2 is already noticeable larger and so I'd then opt for the HD right away.
I've had so many devices I can't remember how many, from pocket pc's to the diamond I've just been randomly given free, not on upgrade .. just a random gift.
First impressions - after having it for 6 hours:
Looks great, I like the candybar format, after the Vario III it's .. novel.
The screen is a vast improvement over the last generation of screens.
The camera produces usable images, the Vario III didn't. haven't tried video but the new drivers seem to be doing their job.
GPS lag has not been tested on the road but tomtom picked up a signal quickly enough.
I've not yet experienced the dropped call when answering because of the end call nonsense on the screen. If I do there is a workaround.
The Compact IV won't open a full 300mb Memory Map file, I've had to break the maps down into bite size chunks for it.
After using the vario III for a long time I've never used more than 3.5GB, despite having a 6GB card so I won't miss the lack of memory card.
I didn't use the keyboard of the other phones I used to the lack of it is welcome.
On balance, I would recommend this phone but a novice would quickly be frustrated and that's mostly down to interface quirks which you get used to after a while, and here's usually a workaround for most problems, except a duff driver.
Why the people at HTC and t-mobile don't just farm the ROM dev out to xda-dev is beyond me.
The developers here do a better job, quicker and cheaper than the bunch of talentless spods employed by the various co's who make the devices. Although, I might be being too harsh on the spods, they probably do a great job but get stymied by the suits.
Could I recommend the Diamond ? Yes.
Diamond is the best WM device I've ever used...
Mine's been bumping around in my pocket for the last 10 months, dropped a couple of times, lives in a (padded) bumbag when I'm trail riding my pushbike and generally been used rather a lot - but never abused.
In my previous job role I managed 1500 WM devices for an SME (sig...) and I can say with the absolute certainty of someone who has been there for a living that the kind of hardware failures that get reported here are almost unheard of in any WM devices that haven't been physically mistreated or had roms flashed in a hamfisted way.
Sitting down a couple of times with a touchscreen phone in the front pocket of a tight pair of trousers will always flex the device just enough for the display to fail somewhere down the line - usually long after the offender has left our employ and the device has been passed on to the next user...
Mind you I'll probably pick up a Touch Pro 2 when my contract is up for renewal...
I had one for a few months and didnt like it.
I am not remotely clued up on the technical side of things so this is very much a laymans report:
It had lots of features I liked but on the whole the phone was too much hassle and its cons outweighed its pro's. (the poor camera, the "black screen" when on the phone thing, the poor on/off button on the top, the poor lock/unlock system. But i loved the interface of the phone.
Swapped it for a LG Renoir and miss the Diamond, but they both have things the other doesnt. So I am no better off.
When will someone make the perfect phone? lol
The Diamond is excellent if you can handle it meaning you have really get into tweaking. Out of the box I would not recommend it but if you are willing improve it on your own by using the helpful programs of this forum than it's an excellent choice.
I have had several PDA phones: Sansung i700, i730, i760, HTC Mogul. Of those I loved the i760 with it's number keypad (granted it had it's issues also). Hated the Mogul (low memory issue and slow). The Diamond I consider an outstanding phone. My biggest issue is the lack of responsiveness of the screen. Takes some getting use to. I did the registry changes but didn't notice a real difference. Compared to the other PDA phones I mentioned I love the display quality, size, look, feel, and $10 internet with Sprint. Perfect phone for me. The battery life I can deal with. I have a cradle with a spare battery, a car charger and spare charger at work so I'm always prepared. By the way the battery life seems to have gotten better with the latest ROM update. I could recomend it but I always let people know of the battery issue, screen responsiveness and still having problems with time issue here in Arizona (changes by an hour every once in a while for some reason).
eurofan said:
The Diamond is excellent if you can handle it meaning you have really get into tweaking. Out of the box I would not recommend it but if you are willing improve it on your own by using the helpful programs of this forum than it's an excellent choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second that!!!
It wasn't great out of the box. But now.... I love tweaking/flashing and would recommend it to anyone.
Although, if your thinking of purchasing a diamond, personally, I would wait till the 'Touch Diamond 2' is released.
I agree with alot of the comments
Basically the HTC Diamond, or it many variants, is an excellent device (and I have had many many many devices).
What it has going for it:
1. Size
2. Weight
3. Fantastic screen
4. Looks nice and cute/good form factor
5. Well made
Issues:
6. Battery should have been bigger - not really an issue for me as I have a charger at work and home. I tend to charge every two days unless I have been using it intensly and then top up on the day (normally I top up if on 2 bars).
7. Shipped firmwares in the UK are mostly pants!
8. No card slot. Now I want to be clear about this, if you are just installing programs and/or data the 4GB storage is absolutely fine, more then enough in fact. It also is good for a small set of videos or music. However, if you want to store large amounts of music or videos then this device is not for you!
Basically, if you upgrade the Diamond after purchase to one of the more excellent ROMs on this site, it will have a beautiful display and quick response.
Also, note that, unlike something like the HTC Touch, this is a premium device. Which means it has nice touches like the stylus is held in magnetically and also, when you pull the stylus out it automatically switches the display on.
In terms of the Diamond 2 issue, that is obviously a better device, but the price will reflect it, and the HTC Diamond is now looking very good value. Personally, I like buying phones at the end of their run, as the firmware and price are the best.
Lastly, the HTC Diamond is a bit of a cult device. Why is this important ? Because it means that the support on xda-developers is much better then the less popular devices. As the HTC Diamond's price goes down, this will just increase.
best rgds
i just seriously love my diamond..the price on ebay is going down at a rapid pace n yeah..i love it bcoz of all the tweakin u can do on it..
man oh man..on which other device can u get a "not yet working" android os as well as some iphone like stuff for unlockin, music etc..n u can just about change everything thats on the phone..
tht may be coz its my first ever windows mobile phone n i was suprised by the remote desktop..use it to play poker on facebook now!! wanna view tv for uefa cup late at night..no problemo..n the autofocus camera with a beautiful vga screen adds as the biggest pro as i snap pics of my college assignments that are readable on its vga screen
i am a little disappointed with the touch screen though..cos when in remote desktop full screen, u cannot reach to the minimize, maximize n close buttons.. though u can use another software but its the touchscreen fault as the 4 corners of the screen are difficult to tap..
but overall im very satisfied n recommend it to all
The diamond rules!!! Buy one!! Buy one now :d
I just bought one cheap,don't like the diamond 2,it has no d-pad and looks a fair bit bigger.
The screen quality (colours and contrast)from what I've seen on youtube against the likes of the HD is what made me keen on it.
I have been using O2 flames for the last 2 years,so the battery life will be something I'm used to.
Hopefully it isn't like the atom life I bought and ended up selling within a week
gerryjoson said:
I just bought one cheap,don't like the diamond 2,it has no d-pad and looks a fair bit bigger.
The screen quality (colours and contrast)from what I've seen on youtube against the likes of the HD is what made me keen on it.
I have been using O2 flames for the last 2 years,so the battery life will be something I'm used to.
Hopefully it isn't like the atom life I bought and ended up selling within a week
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good luck! the quality of the diamond is much nicer then the atom.
start off on a good foot with a good rom
had a diamond sinve day 1 of orange uk launch
once flashed........a great phone.
does everything i want and more....so its gets a 10/10 from me...
if thats worth anything to you
^^^ Fanboy...
My opinion is that the Diamond is a nice attractive phone in a good size. Having said that, there are 3 major flaws:
1. Battery life
2. Speed
3. Software
The software one is the most solvable, with the number of tweaks, ROMs and free apps available here. I've supplemented that with a large amount of commercial software in order to get the best possible experience but this is of course very expensive to do properly.
Diamond is very good phone, i think you will never regret if you will buy one.
About problem on screen and presure ( i have that problem ), i think it comes because, when need to open back for sim card or for battery. To open back we need to press screen.
Had a diamond around 9 or 10 months now, considered buying an HD or a few other wannabees but any time I consider buying a new phone I just need to look @ my diamond & I remember why it's so damn good, It's looks haven't been matched or surpassed yet & the so called newer updated htc 1's/ other makes aren't that much better IMHO in performance etc... oh yeah & their all big fat bricks !!!
I'm sticking to my precious DIAMOND for a while yet thx
Oh & BTW that htc update has finally finally fixed it's biggest/ annoying bug, my diamond hasn't skipped an mp3 track since I installed it, I think I'll keep mine forever now hehehehe...
Hi,
My contract is up so I now have the chance to upgrade my phone (I am also probably goig to move to Vodafone), but am not sure what to get.
The main things I like about the Kaiser are:
Email - although would love to be able to active sync with more than one account, but I guess that is a windows thing.
GPS - I use Google Maps and Memory Map a lot
Keyboard - it's nice to have a half decent keyboard to use. I prefer the Kaiser layout to one of the balckberry ones.
WiFi - although if I can get a decent 3G deal it would be less of an issue
I would like to have something with a better camera.
I don't actually mind going a little bigger if it provides a bigger screen - I used to have a universal so am used to a slightly bigger phone. I use it a lot in the car for satnav so a bigger screen helps here.
It would also be handy if I had a phone that would run a decent VoIP package over 3G when I am away from work so that I can pickup office calls.
So what would you suggest as an upgrade over the Kaiser?
I recently asked a similiar question.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=512979
I cannot find a phone from at&t that I like as much or more than the tilt. So I am just going to wait and see what comes out. I too would like a better camera and gps is a must. I thought of the iphone but now that at&t has killed access to the slingbox and the iphone doesnt allow tethering, I am staying away from it.
Let me know if you find anything.
Jim
Looking at the HTC website I quite like the HTC Touch Pro 2, but it doesn't seem to be out yet.
As a TP user I am very disappointed in its descendant. It is way too big and has lost the straight lines that made the TP/Diamond/Diamond2 beautiful. It looks a bit like a soap
Having had a Universal beforehand I don't think that the size should matter to me too much. Moving from the Kaiser the bigger screen will and a better keyboard would be a bonus.
Hi there...
"Offically" the Fuze is supposed to be the replacement for the Tilt.. But I personally am not a fan of it... The next one I want to get is the Touch Pro2 .. I saw someone else posted about it, and it is out now.. The only problem is the price is high.. but it should come down... It has everything the tilt has, but newer & better.. Stylewise, it looks more like the tilt.. It has the rounded cordners and very simmilar shape.. It also has the tilting screen... I did not realize how much I used that feature until I had to do without it for a while... The keyboard is nice... 5 row... and from what I seen is just about perfect... higher res screen...
If I could afford it, I would have this one already
Video Link below
http://video.google.com/videosearch...sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=7&ct=title#
Teej53214 said:
Hi there...
"Offically" the Fuze is supposed to be the replacement for the Tilt.. But I personally am not a fan of it... The next one I want to get is the Touch Pro2 .. I saw someone else posted about it, and it is out now.. The only problem is the price is high.. but it should come down... It has everything the tilt has, but newer & better.. Stylewise, it looks more like the tilt.. It has the rounded cordners and very simmilar shape.. It also has the tilting screen... I did not realize how much I used that feature until I had to do without it for a while... The keyboard is nice... 5 row... and from what I seen is just about perfect... higher res screen...
If I could afford it, I would have this one already
Video Link below
http://video.google.com/videosearch...sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=7&ct=title#
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. I had the Fuze and returned it. I am waiting for the Touch Pro2.
Try the Samsong Epix
I got a free replacement of my Tilt after only having it for 8 months. In that time I have had to swap it out !5! times and kept getting replacements that would work for only a month or so. I was offered any phone I wanted and I chose the Samsong Epix.
I seriously looked at the Fuse but I read too many complaints about it on this and many other forums.
These are the reasons I chose the Epix-
1. The Epix has ALL of the features that the Tilt has except the tilting keyboard. The screen is a bit smaller 320x320 -3/4 inch top to bottom but I am not missing that.
2. The Epix is the same overall size, half as thick and weighs 2oz less.
3. The Epix is WM 6.1 phone on the format of the Blackberies with a very usable keyboard at the bottom.
4. The Epix has a 1.8 amphour battery that will last three days using bluetooth, gps, and internet, and heavy phone calls.
5. The Epix has a Thumb Mouse that is just wonderful. I never have to use a stylus any more.
6. On the Epix I can easily adjust the volume of BT, speaker, ring and handset very loud as I don't hear well.
I am not here to bash the Tilt, I just got fed up with it crapping out every five to six weeks. My one year warranty will be up in a couple of months and AT&T told me that if the Tilt fails after that, I will have to pay full price for replacements.[no way in hell!!]
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!!