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"FINALLY... not perfect, but good enough" on by gilliganjr
Pros: #1 - a good smartphone on the best US network.
#2 - wi-fi (a rarity for VZW)
#3 - keyboard is roomy (minor exception top row when "tilted")
#4 - I actually like WinMobile and look forward to 6.5 upgrade.
#5 - (tie) World Phone and MicroSD SlotCons: #1 - camera - seems very slow and not great quality compared to friends phones (but... it has a video mode)
#2 - doesn't come with a case or clip (avbl online only)
#3 - battery life (like most smartphones)
#4 - opera browser
#5 - learning curveSummary: I held onto my old 8130e blackberry for an extra year and a half after my 2yr contract expired waiting (impatiently) for Verizon to put out a decent smartphone. I used to carry an original iPaq on one hip and a company blackberry on the other. After reluctantly upgrading to Windows Vista (currently impatiently waiting for Win7) the old iPaq died from "device incompatibility".
So, I have suffered along with a blackberry alone and made the mistake of changing to the "smart/sure-type" 8130e (phone form factor without the full qwerty keyboard). It was fine as a phone and for the (unrivaled) BB e-mail, but I lost all of the functionality that I carried on my pocketpc (including a decent password manager). When HTC started cranking out the "Touch" phones, I began to see a glimmer at the end of my BB tunnel. Tragically, VZ kept overcharging for "low quality" versions of the HTC products. I almost converted to Sprint this summer... tempted by the Pre and the HTC TP2. But after trying the tiny keyboard on the Pre and not "really" wanting to take a chance on Sprint, I held on.
Long story short... I am SOOO happy with my TP2. Is it perfect? Um... NO WAY! But, I like the FB integration with contacts, I like the touchflo interface, the e-mail isn't BB, but it is good enough (and HTML to boot). Camera is not great, but it is better than not having one. I like the global phone capability for the rare international travel. I love that it is Wi-Fi (and apparently tetherable as a modem if needed... extra cost, I'm sure). I splurged on the VZ Nav service (haven't had a need for it yet) and the visual voicemail (still waiting on my first message).
I am not impressed with the Opera browser. While it offers fully rendered web pages, I actually find that I was able to navigate most sites faster on the limited BB browser (thanks to the scroll wheel). Hopefully the WinMo6.5 upgrade will improve the browser experience.
I find I use the stylus a lot, but I was used to that with my pocketPC. It is nice to have the stylus for "fine" selecting needs.
The manual that comes with the phone is underwhelming, but a full/real manual is available online at HTC. I found there were several "how-to's" that were missing in the "hints/tricks/FAQ" version that Verizon included in the box.
The battery life is "maybe" a day - if you manage your connectivity closely.
I was disappointed that it did not ship with a clip or holster. I am tempted by the clip available online, but was hoping to see it before buying. Unfortunately, it is ONLY available online (like the phone) currently. May see if any of the retail Sprint clips work, couldn't find any "compatible" versions at Best Buy or RadioShack. At the moment, I am using my BB holster which seems to "activate" the screen when holstered (the holster is designed to put a BB to sleep when holstered). Strangely, even when I "lock" the phone, the holster seems to not only turn the phone on, but also unlock the phone.
There are some BB settings that I miss (or haven't found yet). For instance, BB has a setting for turning the phone off and on at certain times daily (with different settings for the weekend and weekdays).
I like the integration of "weather" with the calendar, and some of the HTC animations are cool. Although I can also see them becoming boring down the road. But in terms of cool features, the animations, world phone and auto-speakerphone (when placed face down on a desk, including a mute button) are among the best.
Other small gripes, charging the phone seems slow, but it is nice to have trickle USB charging. Haven't figured out (yet) how to default file storage to the SD card (except for music). I am also still trying to figure out how to wirelessly sync using bluetooth. (this has been disabled on devices by VZ in the past, so it won't surprise me if they did it again)
I am looking forward to winmo6.5 and the MS App store. I am a long-time fan of the iliumsoft eWallet for passwords (glad to have it back!)
The keyboard is great and the virtual keyboard when in profile is decent as well.
As someone who resisted Facebook for so long, I have learned to love the FB integration with contacts. It automatically "discovers" matches with FB friends and pulls their pictures and birthdays, as well as status.
I am still in search of the right "accessories"... in particular "spare battery or larger battery/larger backplate"... stereo headset (wireless bluetooth or standard earbuds)... the clip/case (already mentioned)... and other connectivity wires (tv out).
Overall... very happy. I only paid $150.00 for the phone (thanks to a $50.00 upgrade credt on the $199.00 online price). I got to remain with the high-quality VZ network (albeit pricey plans and options). I was able to seemlessly sync my data to the new phone and start receiving e-mail. The old blackberry has been fully replaced... everything else (winmo and HTC) is a bonus. -
"A bit bummed..." on by Seashell07
Pros: Nice qwerty optional use keyboard, videos play well, I like the calendar app...
Cons: Who designed the backlight on/off button to be EXACTLY where my fingers rest when typing an email/txt? Impossible to keep locked w/o a password, internet is pathetically slow, battery life lasts all of a few hours, little to no apps (yet). :(
Summary: I paid extra to get this phone early, seriously... I could not have been more excited to trade in my blackberry. What a let down it has been! The touch screen is fine, the phone is of a decent weight but there are some serious flaws that I'm surprised people aren't mentioning. Perhaps it's just because I have small hands, but when I open the qwerty keyboard to type a message my left index finger holding the phone in place constantly bumps the backlight on/off button. I have to stop, turn it back on and figure out where I was. The internet is slow (that could just be verizon) but in comparison to my old blackberry curve it takes forever to load. Lastly, I cannot (comfortably) put my phone in my pocket, bag, etc. because it will unlock. I had an iphone in the past, and it didn't seem to have this issue. I have to use a password (which is fine) but can be frustrating when I'm in a hurry. Sorry for all of the ranting, I'm just bummed I spent the extra cash for this phone. The phone *wants* to be great, but it has some serious flaws in my perspective.
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"FINALLY!! - A REALLY decent Windows Mobile Device" on by 000599311201
Pros: SO many have already been written, you can read them anywhere.
Personally I REALLY appreciate the generic mini USB port; it appears proprietary but is actually not.
I Love the feel of the touchscreen (BB Storm's is a DISASTER!) & keyboard is great.Cons: - Camera: Would have liked flash, sp-mirror & hard shutter button; picture delay is terrible, but quality can be very good
- Opera browser only allows 3 tabs (it's true; makes it impossible to accomplish anything via internet) Try Skyfire instead.Summary: I'm admittedly very picky about my phones...I've tried quite a few of Verizon's/AT&T's Windows mobile devices over the past several years, and there always seemed to be SOMEthing that made the phones intolerable (constant crashes, slowness, random shutting off, poor sound quality, slide phones that would slide too easily & disconnect calls, no wired jack, etc. etc.) This one, I'm happy to say FINALLY comes through on ALMOST everything!
CALL SOUND: I've read some reviews of people saying that the call quality is poor -- Mine is actually great (and I'm picky) so I'm not sure what that's about. I really like that you can place the phone face down and the speaker automatically engages... My callers say they hear great sound, and so do I.
TOUCHSCREEN: Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!! gentle touch, highly responsive with lots of feedback as to what you actually touched -- sound, visual confirmation, AND tiny vibration on each key. Can't ask for more on this one!
KEYBOARD: A good workable keyboard, but I wish it gave a little more crisp feedback when pressing buttons. Also one petty-ish complaint: In my opinion, it would be so much more convenient if they'd switched the "FN" button with the "CAPS Shift" button. Logically the buttons are correct, but for actual use, speed/intuitiveness/convenience of typing, they are misplaced.
BROWSER: The Opera browser almost became my "SOMEthing" that made me return the phone... trying to research products on a website, I'd click to 3 different items and the browser would return a "You have reached the maximum number of tabs" message. Verizon verified it as a browser limitation, so I then downloaded Skyfire which seems to have resolved the problem. Skyfire viewing isn't as pretty (i.e., not as clear) but it isn't horrible and works well--also allows you to dial a phone number directly from a web listing which only BlackBerry currently allows.
LOCK UPS: I've had the phone for 3 weeks and NOT ONE reset required! (It IS STILL Windows though, so although I haven't HAD to do so, I do preemptively turn it off/on every 4-5 days just to help it out.)
CAMERA: Not very pleased with this camera. Picture quality appears to potentially be good, but some are really bad, (could be settings?) and there's no flash. The delay is REALLY problematic. Camera sound is awful -- which can be turned off, (thank heaven!) but if you're trying to take self-portrait shots of you and your friends, you won't be able to tell when/if you've properly pressed the on-screen "shutter" spot versus when the camera actually takes the picture. It's annoying and cumbersome. No mirror spot on the back to help you on self-portraits either.
All in all, excellent unit... Benefits greatly from Handango downloads to change the Windows Mobile calendar/task/notifications functioning (and the SPB shell makes it look awesome!!) -
"Perfect Smartphone, not so great as an actual phone." on by peteaxp
Pros: HW Keyboard, Huge Sensitive Screen, Push Web pages, Touch FLO, Verizon didn't nerf this phone like the previous model I guess they learned their lesson. Very fast internet over WiFi and 3G, Its quick, its snappy and it will organize your life!
Cons: Sad truth is the smart-phone doesn't well do well as a phone. Although I hear everything perfectly over the phone, callers have stated that they can't hear me too well mostly when laying down. The commercial, "Can you hear me now?" comes to mind.
Summary: Even with the shortcomings as an actual phone the two or so weeks that I have owned the phone has got me saying, this is the best phone ever. This isn't the first windows mobile phone that I have owned and Win-mobile has been improving with each new release. For 13 years prior to 2 years ago I was an AT&T user and have had some of their win-mobile phones. I always stayed away from Iphones cause I found them more gimmicky than useful. When switching to Verizon because of and ex-gf whom I was getting costly phone bills with I found that their selection of smart-phones to be well just rather pathetic. This phone was a welcome addition to their lineup. A free upgrade to 6.5 before year's end just sweetens the deal.
Multimedia/Internet:
Push Internet is beautiful. I am really happy that Verizon didn't make the same mistake with their previous Touch Pro and left the device for the most part as spec while adding their cdma services on there. The device remains as quick and responsive as the designers at HTC made it to out to be. The internet services are just about equal to my brother's sprint Palm Pre's in speed, but I did find that the youtube application seemed grainer on my device when compared to my brother's Pre but that might be because of scaling to the larger screen. Saved Video however looks superb on this device with good audio presence and range. Saved Pictures also look clear and crisp on the device and the zoom function is pretty snappy. Music sounds well like music :) Not equivalent to bose systems but yea, its a phone so don't expect too much. I do appreciate how they added a 3.5mm jack with the phone as its a welcome addition for many people like myself who jog and this lets me leave a separate device at home. Truth be told though I really haven't played with the music player too too much and just kinda leave it on shuffle when it want it to play. The phone also multitasks rather well and I have often had a lot of applications open.
The phone as a phone:
OK, well it does everything else really well so you'd expect it to excel in this department. I so wish it were true. Audio coming in is really clear and crisp, but more often than not I find myself covering my mic with either my hand or my cheek. When the other party can hear you I often get told that I sound really muffled. When standing and making calls I am clearly heard, but when sitting about 95% of my conversation is uninterrupted. If I am laying down, however, that number plummets to around 50%, so I have learned that I can no longer be laying down while on the phone. I have only experienced 2 dropped calls and usually don't have 4 bars of service, its been around 1-2 bars constantly but I figure that's probably because of the area in which I live about 15 min from NYC [insert sarcasm here].
Overall experience:
If you are on Verizon you will enjoy the wireless to wireless features as free minutes this day and age are a good thing and everyone and their mother is on the Verizon network. The pricing of their smartphone plans is a little expensive and well the lowered cost of the phone will not save you money when compared to other carriers if you add plans into the equation. But If you need to be connected to the entire world and need a single device to do so, I would highly recommend this device as its got the speed and functionality to keep you up to date at the speed of life. -
"He aint heavy, its my smartphone" on by Ronster88
Pros: Great business phone, World roaming capibility, google map dwnload, qwerty keyboard roomie, great screen picture, quick handwriting notes. 3G and wi-fi, create your own ringtone with mp3 trimmer, auto speaker phone
Cons: Weight is as much as my old Treo 700, battery life short if you have all the background function on (bluetooth,wi-fi), No way to adjust the touch screen sensitivity, no dedicated camera button or flash, slow picture snap time, download app pricey
Summary: I consider this phone and the Droid. While the Droid has google turn-by turn and cheaper download apps, the world phone capability and roomie qwerty keyboard made a difference. I just cant do an all touch screen msg or t9. I am fairly procificent with technology as I use to work in the wireless space and dot.com
I figured out that you can download google map mobile to the phone and it will give you gps location (but no turn by turn) and facebook mobile for free. On board memory is not vary big so I bought a 8GB card and I can hold enough music, pictures and video.
I dont download many apps/games but when I looked at the handango apps you could get I found them pretty pricey. DONT BUY RINGTONES or an ringtone app because the phone is preloaded with a MP3 trimmer. Select any song in your library and you can cut and save it as a ringtone. I made ringtones for my best 10 friends.
Some of the touch screen buttons (especially the text msg and contact side bar a-z) are very small and I end up hitting the wrong button. I guess that why it has a pen stylus. Scrolling through contacts can be done by touch scrolling but I wish you could adjust the sensitivity or make it select contact with a double tap, as I keep selecting the wrong contact while scrolling. Hopefuly I will get use to the sensitivity.
The windows OS is still not my favorite as sometimes it not very intuative and I end up searching for things that I know are there but cant remember where it was. More of a Microsoft issue and not HTC.
Couple COOL features: When you are on the phone and pull out the stylus it BRINGS UP A HANDWRITING NOTE to write done quick note. Only down side is trying to find that note after you hang up. Sure I will figure it out after a couple more times.
If you download the mobile google map program a locate option comes up in the contact info. The phone automatically knows your location ( great if your directionally challenged, bad if you are running from the law ). If you entered a home of work address for a contact you can instantly map directions to any of the location (home or work).
Documentation for the phone and all it features is very light (PDF manual) and I feel does not explain all the phone capabilty. Copy the PDF to your phone for ref.
The camera is a fixed lens that cannot zoom and has no flash. Still takes great pictures but only has a soft button. For some reason it takes about 2 sec for it to take the picture after you push the button. So you end up with motion blur and missing the picture if you are trying to be spontaneous with your pictures.
You have your choice of 3g or setting up local wi-fi. Speed is reasonable for a mobile device but I do find having the wi-fi setting on drains the battery a lot faster.
BOTTOM LINE- Best Verizon smart phone if you dont mind the weight. I like having all my 1500 contacts on me and a full qwerty keyboard. Lots of bells and whistle and even some I dont know how to use yet. As a phone it primary function! it pretty good with clear sound and people say they can hear me pretty good. I had a few instance of the phone not picking up correctly while I was running another app but overall a VERY GOOD PHONE.
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