Android 2.1

[thelordharry]

Anyone own a cell/mobile with Android 2.1 on? I'm about to take the plunge and buy a HTC Desire and really like the look of it but wondered if any of you guys had opinions on the subject?

1) I have and will never own an Apple product, especially an iphone (you want me to pay £300 upfront and then £40 a month thereafter? Good luck)

2) It's replacing an aged HTC Tytn2 that's on it's last legs. I've had enough of Windows CE devices and want to try something new

3) Toyed with the idea of a Blackberry but have gotten use to a touchscreen interface. I also think that RIM are waaaay behind in the all important apps market too.

My only one major concern is that I do prefer a physical qwerty keyboard. How do you get on with the onscreen, virtual keyboard?

[Nickswitz]

So basically your only worry is the keyboard. It is an onscreen keyboard, it's decently sized, all HTC's are built to fit people, and should rotate to a larger one. I don't know if the desire has an update to 2.2, but if it does I would higly suggest getting it, it adds a ton of neat little features

[thelordharry]

Thanks Nick. Yeah, I think this one comes with 2.1 so I'm hoping it can be upgraded to Froyo. Android is very new to me so I don't know what it's all about yet but I'm a big fan of the Google brand and I really think that give it a few years, it will rival and possibly one day overtake Apple in the Smartphone OS stakes.

I understand the battery is appalling of the Desire but I think that can be said of most smartphones these days. It's a real shame battery technology can't keep up with digital technology...

[Reliant121]

Harry, I have a Desire!

For starters they now have Android 2.2, unless your going to vodaphone which are delaying things. This makes the software WAY faster.

battery life may concern but every android phone (and most modern smartphones) need charging once a day anyway. If i turn off wifi and mobile data I can get two days out of her.

The on screen is every bit as sensitive as iPhone keyboards and thats a good thing. predictive is generally intelligent. The portrait qwerty is a tad small, but you can have a normal alpha-numeric keyboard should you want. It's pretty much the same as the TyTN2 just since it has a capacitive screen instead of a resistive (electro-magnetism vs. dual layer physical feedback) it's more sensitive.

Web browser is brilliant. Music and video is a pain, especially putting things in a playlist, you'll need a program like MediaMonkey. HTC are doing a sync that can sync to itunes but it will likely take a bazillion years to come out.

The only thing is, it's wise to export your outlook contacts to google. If you're gonna switch to android, having contacts on your google account makes things way more convenient. syncing with outlook DOES work but its easier going via google mail.

Thats the only thing you need. To access the market, and some internet features, you HAVE to have a googlemail account.

but I've found it every bit the contemporary of an iPhone. It's not quite as appealing but the screen makes up for it.

[Mikey]

Harry, I have a Desire!

I've got tons. In fact, I don't think the Kennedys have enough bandwidth to recount them all.

[Sonic Glitch]

Harry, I have a Desire!

I've got tons. In fact, I don't think the Kennedys have enough bandwidth to recount them all.

[thelordharry]

Harry, I have a Desire!

I've got tons. In fact, I don't think the Kennedys have enough bandwidth to recount them all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1VgcxE9Lpw

[thelordharry]

Harry, I have a Desire!

For starters they now have Android 2.2, unless your going to vodaphone which are delaying things. This makes the software WAY faster.

battery life may concern but every android phone (and most modern smartphones) need charging once a day anyway. If i turn off wifi and mobile data I can get two days out of her.

The on screen is every bit as sensitive as iPhone keyboards and thats a good thing. predictive is generally intelligent. The portrait qwerty is a tad small, but you can have a normal alpha-numeric keyboard should you want. It's pretty much the same as the TyTN2 just since it has a capacitive screen instead of a resistive (electro-magnetism vs. dual layer physical feedback) it's more sensitive.

Web browser is brilliant. Music and video is a pain, especially putting things in a playlist, you'll need a program like MediaMonkey. HTC are doing a sync that can sync to itunes but it will likely take a bazillion years to come out.

The only thing is, it's wise to export your outlook contacts to google. If you're gonna switch to android, having contacts on your google account makes things way more convenient. syncing with outlook DOES work but its easier going via google mail.

Thats the only thing you need. To access the market, and some internet features, you HAVE to have a googlemail account.

but I've found it every bit the contemporary of an iPhone. It's not quite as appealing but the screen makes up for it.

Hey, thanks for all that Kieran!

I already sync my desktop at work (Office 2003) to Google using third party calendar and contacts sycns so I imagine this will pull through nicely to the phone.
I ordered it yesterday but just got an email telling me they're out of stock and won't have any for another two or three weeks. With T-Mobile (the network I'm moving to) planning the Froyo update 'for sometime in September' I'm hoping that it will ship with 2.2 instead of me having to update it myself.

I really did think about waiting until HTC bring out an Android with a slide out qwerty (ala Touchpro2) but really need a replacement soon so can't wait. I'm a little nervous about making the switch but think I'm jumping ship to the future of mobile technology rather than being too scared to move away from the convenience of the Windows Desktop/WinMo seamless syncing but none of the emerging technology seen on the likes of Apple and Android handsets...

[Reliant121]

HTC have got a keyboard version of the Desire lurking around "in the wild" which is based on the T-Mobile G2. I got the Froyo upgrade already since my phone was bought sim free after my contract (which was originally on a Nokia N97 mini). But the onscreen keyboard is still superb.

i think the thing that will be very different coming from a HTC skinned winmo (which i have owned, I had a TouchPro 2 for a short while) is the smoothness. Theirs no application or OS conflicts, the Touchflo on winmo phones constantly conflicted with WinOS so it was a big jumble of confusion. Android with HTC sense is...seemless. and since you are a tweeter, HTC Peep will suit your needs perfectly! (or Touiteur, excellent free app from the market).


There are a couple of application recommendations. I would replace the messaging application (text I mean) with either Handcent SMS or ChompSMS. They simply offer a much neater interface, and have infinitely customisable elements to them. You might also try either the Dolphin HD Browser or the Opera browser for android, but I prefer the Chrome Mini that comes with the phone.

[thelordharry]

HTC have got a keyboard version of the Desire lurking around "in the wild" which is based on the T-Mobile G2. I got the Froyo upgrade already since my phone was bought sim free after my contract (which was originally on a Nokia N97 mini). But the onscreen keyboard is still superb.

i think the thing that will be very different coming from a HTC skinned winmo (which i have owned, I had a TouchPro 2 for a short while) is the smoothness. Theirs no application or OS conflicts, the Touchflo on winmo phones constantly conflicted with WinOS so it was a big jumble of confusion. Android with HTC sense is...seemless. and since you are a tweeter, HTC Peep will suit your needs perfectly! (or Touiteur, excellent free app from the market).


There are a couple of application recommendations. I would replace the messaging application (text I mean) with either Handcent SMS or ChompSMS. They simply offer a much neater interface, and have infinitely customisable elements to them. You might also try either the Dolphin HD Browser or the Opera browser for android, but I prefer the Chrome Mini that comes with the phone.

Hmmmmm:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/t-m ... g-we-know/

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/35300/h ... 2-desire-z


Man! It looks like it might be going live fairly soon!!! Thanks for the heads up.

Oh what to do. I could still cancel but there's no guarantee when it's going to be released.

[Reliant121]

looking at that slide mechanism, I would steer clear personally.

If you really want a keyboard phone with android, you're really looking at the Motorola MILESTONE. surprisingly, it's a bloody good phone and its built like a frigging brick. it's stock android though so you might want to play with OS settings (downloading keyboards, launcherPRO for the interface, that sorta thing).

Otherwise, stick with the Desire. Samsung are doing a Galaxy with a keyboard but samsung touchwiz 3.0 is seriously laggy.

[thelordharry]

Thanks for you help though A few hours ago it was cut and dried but now, I'm seriously thinking about cancelling the order and waiting to see what happens on this mythical date of Sept 15th.....I can wait until then. It's going to be a minimum of an 18 month contract so I want to make the right choice.

Damn you, you qwerty tease!!!

[Reliant121]

If you like, I can do a textual or video review of the Desire for you? I'll go in depth on the specs, software and that sort of thing.

[thelordharry]

If you like, I can do a textual or video review of the Desire for you? I'll go in depth on the specs, software and that sort of thing.

That's very kind of you to offer. However, I wouldn't want to put you to all that trouble and to be honest, I've have recently overdosed on YouTube reviews of the phone so have a fairly good idea of what it's all about...

[Reliant121]

I'm only doing schoolwork. Hardly taxing

Not a problem though. when you get phone of choice, I'll give a few suggested apps and computer programs for it. Plenty to choose from.