Does anyone own an HTC Phone?

[Geo]

If so, can you give me some feedback? I'm looking to purchase the HTC Touch HD, but I'm a bit weary. Mainly because HTC are almost unheard of here. Are they a big company, do they make quality products?

I'd like to know things like, the build quality, the reliability, the support (if ever needed) and if you own a touch screen device, how good the touch screen is. Also, Windows Mobile... how's that?



I've read that this particular model isn't available commercially in the U.S. so I doubt any of you will have it. If so please let me know whether or not I should buy this device.

Thanks.

[ScottyGEE]

I'm also interested. Though you must have cash to burn Geo, HTC phones are expensive. They also have high acclaim.
I would suggest you check out customer reviews on the internet, rather than here..They can give a lot of information on what reviewers seem to somehow always miss. But from what I gather, the phone does its job.
A quick google shows this:
http://www.expansys.com.au/r.aspx?i=173502&r=8677
Hopefully can be of some help. If you do buy it, let me know how it is.

[GametagAeonFlux]

I have an AT&T Tilt. The quality of it is really nice, and the touch screen is very responsive/precise. Battery life kind of sucks some times, but it's somewhat of an "old" phone by now and I really haven't ever been pressed for battery life (I charge nightly though). Windows Mobile is pretty good, I've never had any instances in which it's been slow, and as long as I'm in a 3G area, pages load quite fast on my web browser. This is the only phone they make that I personally know of, but I'd definitely say it's a quality product.

[HPDarkness]

Wait until the Touch Pro 2, which is coming out in late spring I believe. The HD is nice, but the Touch Pro has a slide out keyboard, along with a virtual keyboard.
It's very sleek looking, and is a lot faster that the previous phones. I have a friend who owns the Touch HD, and my cousin uses the Touch Pro. I've liked using the Touch Pro a lot more.

HTC makes beautiful products, and their phones are inredible pieces of technology.
The build quality of both the Touch Pro, and HD are relatively the same, very nice plastic, sturdy, and a sharp screen.
The touch screen is VERY responsive. Just as good as the iPhone, and other touch phones on the market.
If you have the correct data plan the phone is very fast with internet, I can load up a whole 3min YouTube video in around 10 seconds.
Service I hear is very helpful, and fast with shipping.

[Geo]

I'm not a big fan of the big physical keyboard. I did notice that a new Diamond and Pro were coming out (I've been researching this phone for a few weeks now) and in comparison, the touch HD is still better spec'd then the new Pro and Diamond. I like the huge screen.

And Scotty, I've read a lot of reviews on the internet, literally hundreds. I just wanted to ask here, because I know people here tend to be more honest, seeing as I 'know them' and thought if I found an owner, I could ask a few more questions.

Yes, it is really expensive. But I really, really want on. There seems to be a very active modding community in the area of this phone, especially on XDA Devs.

GTAF, have you got any apps for it, like, how hard is it to get them, and are they good?

[HPDarkness]

If you like the HD, then go for it. I just personally prefer a physical keyboard over virtual.

[-DeToX-]

The touch screen is VERY responsive. Just as good as the iPhone, and other touch phones on the market.

I hope you don't include Blackberry on that list. Most touch phones I've used aren't responsive.. They aren't touch phones.. They're push phones, where you dont just touch you screen, you push on where you were supposed to touch. So I'm not too sure what you mean.

Looks like a good phone though. The HD is a great feature. I don't know the modding capabilities, but I know they probably haven't gotten far, or they're limited to quite alot, because I was talking to someone with one yesterday, I asked them about various different things like emulators, and miscellaneous applications they didn't have. But hell maybe the guy's just unaware of them. I don't know.. I'd look into the applications more. But the HD is definitely a plus.

Good luck.

[Geo]

I'm pretty sure the blackberry has a capacitative screen, which is a touch screen, not a push screen.

[GametagAeonFlux]

GTAF, have you got any apps for it, like, how hard is it to get them, and are they good?

I downloaded Google Maps/Gmail and a Windows Live Search app. All I had to do was go to their respective web pages and click a link...but I haven't messed with any like, homebrew or whatever if that's what you meant.

[Geo]

Can you do it on the phone, or do you have to do it on the PC and sync it over?

Gah, I really want one, but I know it's not worth the ridiculous price tag.

[GametagAeonFlux]

Can you do it on the phone, or do you have to do it on the PC and sync it over?

You can do it completely on the phone. You can put files on a MicroSD card and use that for storage as well, and there's some automated-sync thing that syncs contacts with your PC if you like, keep them updated in an XML file (I can't see myself using it for any reason, but I guess it'd be cool?).

[Geo]

Ah, I'm pretty much set that I want the phone. Now I just have to consider whether I want to buy it out right, and use my existing Pay as You Go tariff, or sign up to an 18 month contract, pay a lot each month but get the phone for 'free'.

Hmm.

[-DeToX-]

I'm pretty sure the blackberry has a capacitative screen, which is a touch screen, not a push screen.

Ah. I meant an LG phone.

I used a couple of LG touch phones and it's not like the iPhone or iPod Touch where you can just lay your finger lightly on it, you actually needed to use some force.

Regardless, my point remains.

In my opinion get off the pay as you go. I used to be on that a while back, and I found it annoying as fuck, and found being on a contract alot more convenient, so long you find a contract that suites you and doesn't try eating a chunk of your wallet.

[Geo]

I'm quite happy with Pay as You Go, and have been for the past two years. I've also been on contract, but then I don't know how much I'm spending.

To get the phone for 'free' on a contract, I have to sign up to an 18 month contract, costing at least £35 a month, and with that I'd get less free texts/minutes then I do on the Pay As You Go. The total contract cost would be £900+ or I could just buy the phone outright for £400ish.

[-DeToX-]

I'm quite happy with Pay as You Go, and have been for the past two years. I've also been on contract, but then I don't know how much I'm spending.

To get the phone for 'free' on a contract, I have to sign up to an 18 month contract, costing at least £35 a month, and with that I'd get less free texts/minutes then I do on the Pay As You Go. The total contract cost would be £900+ or I could just buy the phone outright for £400ish.

If you're fine with what you have, then just go get the phone straight up.. But me personally I can't stand Pay as you go. Infact I was charged way more on it.

And if you get the phone, post your feedback on it here, I'd definitely like to hear more about this phone myself.

[Geo]

Ordered it a few hours ago. Should arrive tomorrow. Better be good.

[ZexGX]

Ordered it a few hours ago. Should arrive tomorrow. Better be good.

It should at least be nice, if not good. My HTC Hermes (Cingular/AT&T 8525) has been a very good device overall, and is quite moddable as far as gadgets go. It's only when I started modding it that things became unreliable (I think I can attribute this solely to the hacked build of Windows Mobile I loaded). But then again that's how everything is. lol. The only real issue that most HTC devices have is that as a whole they have horrible battery life. That's not to say one or two of their devices have great battery life, but from what I have seen, most of them have to be recharged at least once every two/three days max under "normal" use.

[ScottyGEE]

Zex, perhaps I'm wrong here, but I'd argue that the majority of phones now need to be charged daily. Pretty horrible really. I seem to hear it all the time. I think a new battery technology would be handy for phones ;p I'm thankful that my k800i lasts a week+

Have you got it yet GEEo?

[Geo]

Heh, I had a K800i before my... HTC TOUCH HD

It's pretty awesome. I love it.

It's nowhere near as User Friendly as the iPhone, but it feels like you have more control. Your life isn't divided into apps. There's not an app for everything, it's like a proper phone again, but with all the awesome.

I'm just having problems setting up the 3G lol

[-DeToX-]

Nice.