This is going to be a two part article because the phone is (hopefully) arriving later today. So this is about what I’m expecting and when it arrives we’ll see if it meets expectations.
I am currently a Palm 700p user but my old phone is falling apart, apps no longer work, support sucks and it’s time to get out of the PalmOs world. I considered the iPhone but decided not to for several reasons. I like Verizon and didn’t want to go back to AT&T. I need multitasking which, from what I read, the iPhone runs one app at a time. Having played with software keyboards, I decided I wanted a real keyboard. I need tethering without having to “jailbreak” the phone. I didn’t want a phone that was “jailed” in the first place and I don’t want to do business with a company that might turn my phone into a brick if they don’t like what I’m doing with MY phone. (I buy it – it’s MINE!) And I don’t need a million apps, I need 10 apps that actually work well.
I also decided I wanted a big screen so a full screen phone with a slide-out keyboard looked like the best of both worlds. I also want a stable platform that is going to be supported, lots of apps and isn’t going away, so I went with Windows Mobile. Not as sexy as the iPhone but I always seem to come back to Windows because Windows actually works. (I’m picky about the “actually works” feature. And I don’t have to join a cult to own it.)
Customer reviews are good so my expectations are very high for this phone. I’m thinking this is a phone I’m going to be really happy with so if it doesn’t work really well then I’ll be easily disappointed. The most common complaint is that the phone is big but I actually want a big phone. I’m a beefy guy and capable of lifting an ounce more than most people. And if I had a choice, I’d rather have something that was even bigger, like a netbook, but 1/2 the size. So I’m looking at this as a portable computer as well as a phone.
Will I be happy? Later today, when I get, it we’ll see. They are sending it to me with a new phone number so I’m going to need to get them to move my old number to it so that will be the first test to see if Verizon gets that right. So – will I be happy? What do you think?
I miss my old palm. Having it around to keep up with notes and my calendar was great.
My HTC Touch Pro was the biggest piece of garbage I have ever used. It’s like HTC never even used it before the shipped it. When a call comes in, the screen wakes and if you touch anything other than “answer” it loses the call. This happens 90% of the time its in a pouch, because, if the screen touches the flap you loses the call. After connecting a call the screen goes blank and you have to wake it and call up the keyboard to do anything else. Getting voicemail requires you to wake the screen three time to get your email. Four if you use a password. The default setting in email is “reply all” to use reply you need to access a menu. NONE OF THESE CAN BE CHANGED IN PREFERENCES. Next there is Windows Immobile. If the call log gets larger than about 50 calls the phone locks up for about 6 to 10 seconds after every call. Utter garbage.
My initial impression is not good. Goiong to look at it again tomorrow.
Pedro. Absolutely everything I have said is exactly the case. If you doubt me, email Tac mobility in Vancouver and ask them why they exchanged at no cost, every HTC we have in our company for other smart phones. All with less than a year on the contracts. Perhaps other networks have different versions of the phone, but I can assure you the units being peddled by Telus is utter garbage. Oh, BTW fuck you!
Pedro, here’s Marc Perkel’s comments after a day. Sound a lot like mine.
“My conclusion – I would bet that whoever designed the interface doesn’t actually use it themselves. It looks like the designers didn’t even own cell phones. My expectations for this phone were high but I’m really disappointed. Maybe you all can point me to the right apps to make me happy.”
Tac is a dealer. Telus is the second largest network in Canada. The piece of garbage HTC Touch Pro is serviced directly through HTC who were unable to solve any of the absolutely absurd interface issues we had, so the phones were replaced by our dealer.
Agree with Canuck. The HTC Touch Pro on Telus is junk and completely unreliable. Is there a class action going on for this device on Telus?