• Gizmodo
  • bestmodo
  • lifehacker
  • kotaku
  • Profile logout login

#review#canhostlbsadshtml

Gizmodo

Share Cancel
   
Upload an image | Add an image URL
×

logging in
  • FAQ. Include # before tag:
  • #tips,
  • #dealzmodo,
  • #rumors,
  • #broken,
  • #iphoneapps,
  • #apple,
  • etc.

New York, 1:35 PM
Wed Nov 11
54 posts in the last 24 hours

FR | IT | DE | SP | JP | AU | BR

Gizmodo Team

Tip your editors:
tips@gizmodo.com

Editorial Director:
Brian Lam | Email | Twitter

Editor:
Jason Chen
Email | AIM | Twitter

Features Editor:
Wilson Rothman
Email | Twitter

Senior Contributing Editor:
Jesus Diaz
Email | AIM | Twitter
Mark Wilson, Reviews
Email | AIM | Twitter

Contributing Editors:
Matt Buchanan
Email | AIM | Twitter
Adam Frucci
Email | Twitter
Sean Fallon
Email | Twitter
Jack Loftus
Email | Twitter
John Herrman
Email | Twitter
Dan Nosowitz
Email
Chris Mascari
Email
Danny Allen
Email | Twitter

Columnist:
Brendan I. Koerner

Interns:
Don Nguyen
Email
Chris Jacob
Email

Comment Intern:
Nick Ellenoff | Email

Heroes and Friends

Comment Account Questions:
Comments@gizmodo.com

SUBSCRIBE TO Gizmodo RSS

New: Breaking news and daily top stories via email
9515 Subscribers
Gizmodo
  • Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.
    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Nick Nick
    11/10/09

    In reply to Droid Eris Review
    for all you folks that are curious -- the Hero has been rooted and i suspect it won't take long for the Eris as well. #droideris
     Reply
    Nick was starred Nick was unstarred
    Image of Pessimippopotamus Pessimippopotamus
    11/10/09

    In reply to Droid Eris Review

    a Corvette engine shoved inside a Saturn. you say? #droideris
     Reply
    Pessimippopotamus was starred Pessimippopotamus was unstarred
    Image of AkkiRonin AkkiRonin
    11/10/09

    In reply to Droid Eris Review
    It be nice if reviewers gave the monthly cost of a minimal plan w/ data. I'm still on the iPhone 2G plan and all the various 3G plans I've seen are major bump up. $100 up front isn't that significant over 24 months. #droideris
     Reply
    AkkiRonin was starred AkkiRonin was unstarred
    Image of Gann Gann
    11/10/09

    @AkkiRonin: I'm in the exact same situation. Dropped my 2G last week and now it can't vibrate. I'm looking for a good, all-encompassing, non-partial (hah), comparison of cheaper next-gen phones. #droideris
     Reply
    Gann was starred Gann was unstarred
    Image of Lupus_Yonderboy Lupus_Yonderboy
    11/10/09

    @AkkiRonin: Which iPhone plan are you on? I switched from the 450 minute plan for the 1st gen to a 450 "Everything Data" plan for the Sprint HTC Hero and I don't think that the pricing is too bad (if you text enough, that is - if you never use text messages, it might not be worth it). #droideris
     Reply
    AkkiRonin promoted this comment Lupus_Yonderboy was starred Lupus_Yonderboy was unstarred
    Image of AkkiRonin AkkiRonin
    09:10 AM

    @Lupus_Yonderboy: Am on the first gen plan and never exceed the 200 included SMS. My real point however was that $100 more or less on the original price has less impact than than even $10 a month plan difference. The Droid really interested me but I get the feeling the monthly cost would far exceed my ~$70 now. #droideris
     Reply
    AkkiRonin was starred AkkiRonin was unstarred
    Image of Lupus_Yonderboy Lupus_Yonderboy
    09:44 AM

    @AkkiRonin: You're absolutely correct - that's one of the reasons why I went with the Hero with Sprint, if you compare the plan pricing (450 minutes & unlimited data - even if you never send a text message, it's cheaper by $240 over a 2 year period, and Sprint will give you unlimited texts vs. VZW who gives you nothing, and bangs you for $.20 for any texts you do send, or you can choose to give them $5 more a month for 250 text messages). Plus they'll want to charge you $3 a month for Visual-Frakkin'-Voicemail, which is frankly ridiculous nowadays...

    I also prefer Sprint as a company (weird, I know), I was with them for years before switching to AT&T for the iPhone. #droideris
     Reply
    Lupus_Yonderboy was starred Lupus_Yonderboy was unstarred
    Image of teohhanhui teohhanhui
    10:14 AM

    @AkkiRonin: What they subsidize for the upfront cost, they earn back many folds through your subscription. How is this better than an unsubsidized (and unlocked) phone? Aren't the customers on the losing end, having to pay more in the long term? #droideris
     Reply
    AkkiRonin promoted this comment teohhanhui was starred teohhanhui was unstarred
    Image of AkkiRonin AkkiRonin
    01:32 PM

    @teohhanhui: My point was not for or against subsidies, my point was reviews almost always mention the purchase cost but rarely mention the monthly cost. Without a full cost of ownership you cant make an informed choice. #droideris
     Reply
    AkkiRonin was starred AkkiRonin was unstarred
    Image of MrBlahBlah MrBlahBlah
    11/10/09

    In reply to Canon 7D Review
    I too am shocked by how good the noise levels are given the sensor #canoneos7d
     Reply
    MrBlahBlah was starred MrBlahBlah was unstarred
    Image of RainyDayInterns RainyDayInterns
    11/10/09

    In reply to HyperMac External MacBook Battery Review
    OK...we just spent a week with the MBP-100 and it is freakin' amazing!

    Never had we been able to just work and work and work...without having to look for an AC outlet!

    FirstLook/FirstUse here:
    [www.rainydaymagazine.com]

    Sincerely,
    RainyDayInterns #hypermacreview
     Reply
    RainyDayInterns was starred RainyDayInterns was unstarred
    Image of SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!! SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!!
    11/10/09

    In reply to Canon 7D Review
    OMFG, its a real CANON compared to my 500D.

    The real question here is...does it still have a jello effect? #canoneos7d
     Reply
    SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!! was starred SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!! was unstarred
    Image of Rurouni Rurouni
    11/10/09

    @SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!!: According to the reviews I read, yes... but it's less noticeable compared to 5DMK2. #canoneos7d
     Reply
    SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!! promoted this comment Rurouni was starred Rurouni was unstarred
    Image of Sir Gibler Sir Gibler
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    I'm just begging the cell phones gods that they let this phone sell horribly so that HTC has considers throwing some Android love its way. That and if AT&T would pick it up as its first Android handset. *runs to bed side, falls to knees, and prays*
     Reply
    Edited by Sir Gibler at 11/09/09 9:45 PM Sir Gibler was starred Sir Gibler was unstarred
    Image of burnblue burnblue
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    I don't understand this review. You say that HTC's replaced everything. So then is the replacement good? Where's the software review? Do you enjoy using the device? Past reviews have examined the earlier versions of TF3D, why not this?

    All that's done is to gloss over the software ("it's all HTC") without saying anything +ve or -ve about it, and the end with "It's still Windows Mobile."

    SO FREAKING WHAT? If the fact that the OS is Windows Mobile presents a problem, would it be so hard to point out what that problem is?

    Don't point to the 6.5 review, for two reasons. 1) That review was criticizing 6.5 for not being as much as it could/should be at this point, not that much of inspecting what's actually there on its own merit, but more importantly 2) Don't point to that review because you say HTC covers up everything!

    This review had very little to say, starts out in biased tone, and ends with the assumption that "it's Windows Mobile" explains everything. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    FredicvsMaximvs promoted this comment burnblue was starred burnblue was unstarred
    Image of Bokusatsu_Tenshi Bokusatsu_Tenshi
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    Ok, I usually ignore posts bad mouthing Microsoft and polishing Apple's... apples on Gizmodo.

    But let me ask this one thing John, and I'll ask for something really hard here: if you completely forget HTC Touch HD2 has WinMo running under the UI how bad the software is compared to a similar Android phone or the iPhone?

    Because seriously, trolling and fanboyism apart, for someone reading this post alone, there is absolutely no real information that tells us why we should consider the software on the cellphone bad.

    Being able to replace all basic functions on a OS could be viewed as "trying to hide it", but it could also be seen as the OS being highly customizable.

    Lots of portable devices and computers uses highly customized Linux versions, and that's usually not because the manufacturer is trying to hide something... it's only trying to give it a different look to offer the users a fresh or more adequate UI to fit the hardware.

    Now, I'm guessing WinMo 6.5 is worse on benchmark, functions, bugs or whatever to justify that bias. Can't think of nothing else. And I'm really hoping there is a better reason for this review other than pure trolling. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Bokusatsu_Tenshi was starred Bokusatsu_Tenshi was unstarred
    Image of Kaiser-Machead Kaiser-Machead
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    I also harbor a strong dislike for standard Windows Mobile, but if HTC covered up Winmo's interface beyond the first few panels and managed to get it to run smoothly, I'm willing to overlook all of those things, so long as it's not dependent on the stylus in any way (do not want).

    How much of an improvement would you say HTC's retelling of WinMo is over the standard version on other phones? #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred
    Image of imTheKing imTheKing
    11/09/09

    @Kaiser-Machead: I think HTC needs to do what Motorola did and say "sorry no WinMo support, we're going with Android". #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Kaiser-Machead promoted this comment imTheKing was starred imTheKing was unstarred
    Image of Kaiser-Machead Kaiser-Machead
    11/09/09

    @imTheKing: That's possible, but I think that HTC's take on reskinning Windows Mobile looks pretty enticing. My primary complaint with prior versions of this was that it was more superficial, but it seems that HTC is dedicated to redesigning it as much as they can. If they can do it right and have the underpinnings of WM, you get the support of all of those apps, but none of what some people really did not like about the OS in the first place.

    Frankly, I'm not all that convinced that Android is really ready to take over in all respects anyway. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred
    Image of smokee smokee
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    So you get to use an amazingly slick UI most of the time, then get the flexibility and extensibility of the most mature mobile OS out there when you need it? I fail to see the drawbacks of Windows Mobile so far.

    But I guess thats because Giz writers would rather tell you it sucks over and over rather than have an actual technical discussion of the feature sets of mobile OSs. FUD over FACTS is the M.O. when it comes to these fluffy phone "reviews".

    I am starting to get the picture that Giz writers don't really understand the technical differences between the mobile OSs, so its easier to leave little things like "reasons" alone, and just regurgitate the same old FUD over and over. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    smokee was starred smokee was unstarred
    Image of imTheKing imTheKing
    11/09/09

    @smokee: If you truthfully use WinMo for more than a day and you seriously think it's not the biggest POS, then you are in a very deep denial my friend. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    imTheKing was starred imTheKing was unstarred
    Image of smokee smokee
    11/09/09

    @imTheKing: Your stunningly in-depth appraisal of the technical deficiencies have completely changed my mind on the matter! #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards promoted this comment smokee was starred smokee was unstarred
    Image of imTheKing imTheKing
    11/09/09

    @Pookiewood: Please. I just bought my first Droid. I've been a Blackberry user for years prior and I have an iPhone that I barely use, but I'm a UI designer in the mobile industry. I've worked on many WinMo phones but the real matter here is that WinMo has a bad reputation for a reason. Granted, there are people who don't use products and bash on them, but when there is a backlash on WinMo in the mobile field, that shows that it's not a small percentage of people.

    WinMo is likey the worst example of "user friendly" you could possibly list. Want proof of this? Hand a mobile user a WinMo phone and ask them to find something basic. Lets say they look to change the indicator alerts (ringtones, vibration patterns and what not). I garauntee you it will take them at least 10 time longer to find it on a WinMo phone compared to a Blackberry, iPhone, Palm Pre or even Android device.

    @reciprocal: @jackburnt: @Incoherent: @smokee: All you have to do is search Windows Mobile articles on just about any tech website or even go pickup a mobile related magazine at B&N to understand. Just because you guys bought into some garbage doesn't mean that it all of a sudden isn't garbage. [gizmodo.com]

    [www.businessinsider.com]

    Hell, even Motorola who had basically vanished off the map has dropped support for WinMo. Do you truthfully think that the 4 or 5 of you on this blog make up the difference thats given WinMo the horrible image it has today? #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    imTheKing was starred imTheKing was unstarred
    Image of MarcusMaximus MarcusMaximus
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    After reading this, it left me confused. Most of the article was talking about the amazing hardware. Then it finally gets to the hated part(Windows Mobile) but doesn't really state any problems with it and just says that it's bad that it has it. Then the only negative is "it's still Windows Mobile", rather than any actual specific problems with the device.

    In fact it sounds like everything went perfectly smoothly in the actual implementation but the fact that it ran Windows Mobile(which has 0 effect on the actual experience) in the background was used as a negative.

    I don't care one way or the other if you don't like WinMo(I use Android myself) but at least give the reasons why it lowers the quality of the phone by stating problems experienced, areas where the UI gets killed, etc. As is, it was made to sound like the god phone that you(the author) hates for no reason whatsoever. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Hobolicious promoted this comment MarcusMaximus was starred MarcusMaximus was unstarred
    Image of imTheKing imTheKing
    11/09/09

    @MarcusMaximus: You can just search WinMo and look at the full review. Why should they rewrite it every single time they post an article? #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Hobolicious promoted this comment imTheKing was starred imTheKing was unstarred
    Image of MarcusMaximus MarcusMaximus
    11/09/09

    @imTheKing: "With Sense HTC has made a sort of meta-OS, which uses Windows Mobile 6.5 as a behind-the-scenes stagehand, which only shows its face when it absolutely needs to."

    That's why. If it has little to no effect on the actual user experience then it means absolutely nothing. I'm not asking him to say why he dislikes winmo, but how and where those facets he does dislike show themselves in this phone. If they don't, then the fact that it has winmo doesn't matter at all and it's back to sounding like it does now: This phone is amazing in every way. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    MarcusMaximus was starred MarcusMaximus was unstarred
    Image of Hobolicious Hobolicious
    11/09/09

    @imTheKing: What bothers me about this particular review is that there's no attempt to compare it to any other operating system.

    This is the first time Windows Mobile has been on hardware this advanced, and HTC has (from all accounts) done a bang-up job of making sure you don't see the underlying operating system, but it seems like the author is pissed that HTC isn't going to do an official Android port, and is taking it out on the device.

    I mean, isn't it a net WIN (pardon the pun) when the good things you have to say about the Sense UI include "surprisingly usable", "works surprisingly well" and "impressive", while the only concrete negative (besides vitriol about WinMo in general) about this handset in particular is that the Sense UI is "only marginally effective" at hiding WinMo.

    That's not a review of the software, that's just kinda lazy. At least compare the usability of the Sense UI on this hardware to something like Android 2.0 on the Droid. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Hobolicious was starred Hobolicious was unstarred
    Image of imTheKing imTheKing
    11/09/09

    @Hobolicious: So the end of the story is basically that HTC is trying to cover up WinMo as much as possible. That should explain it all no? #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    imTheKing was starred imTheKing was unstarred
    Image of Hobolicious Hobolicious
    11/09/09

    @imTheKing: Actually, no.

    The third paragraph that was added in the "Falling Out of Lust with the HD2" section addressed the bulk of my problems with the review as originally written.

    Now I know WHY the Sense UI doesn't particularly cut the mustard. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Hobolicious was starred Hobolicious was unstarred
    Image of jimtravis jimtravis
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    When is Gizmodo going to have a WM fan (or at least someone who is not hostile to WM) write a review of a WM product. As Ballmer recently stated in an interview, WM is the base OS, and the vendors differentiate their products from the competition with a unique UI. Choice is a nice thing. Touch Flow 3D, Sense, Samsung all have nice UI's, which give consumers a choice, and the optional 3rd party SPB Shell is excellent as well.

    I appreciate differing opinions, and respect if a person prefers iPhone, Android, Symbian, RIM etc. Not everyone is so enamored with multi-touch. For some, the ability to have the device do what you want is more important. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    jimtravis was starred jimtravis was unstarred
    Image of Incoherent Incoherent
    11/09/09

    @jimtravis: It doesn't take a brain scientist to realize the bias in this review....

    I've been selling phones for over 2 years. I have had all my fair share of OS (Black Jack 2 WinMo, iPhone, G1/Mytouch Android, and currently a Blackberry 8900).

    To say any one of those phones, or their OS's are bad is ridiculous, they all have much appeal and function. And I prefer each one in a paticular setting...right now the 8900 does all that I need in a way I need it to, and if I were given a choice of getting a new 9700 or a Droid, I would get the 9700 cause the Droid fails to meet my needs.

    Reviews of a phone OS should be given on what it does, not a bunch of non-specific references to the OS, and then a huge long rant containing a hidden bias towards one OS that apparently the reviewer thinks appeals to everyone... #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards promoted this comment Incoherent was starred Incoherent was unstarred
    Image of MarcusMaximus MarcusMaximus
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    Lovin the time. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Nick promoted this comment MarcusMaximus was starred MarcusMaximus was unstarred
    Image of Nick Nick
    11/09/09

    @MarcusMaximus: didn't even notice that. good eye. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Nick was starred Nick was unstarred
    Image of maxentropy maxentropy
    11/09/09

    @Nick: Fill me in, what's the significance of 1:37? #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    maxentropy was starred maxentropy was unstarred
    Image of NyC88Rican NyC88Rican
    11/09/09

    @maxentropy: 13:37 is just gamer speak for LEET. L33t, 1337.

    And leet or "Elite" just means, really really good. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    NyC88Rican was starred NyC88Rican was unstarred
    Image of Jux Jux
    11/09/09

    @NyC88Rican: Man, having to spell it out really takes a bit of the joy out of it. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Nick promoted this comment Jux was starred Jux was unstarred
    Image of Nick Nick
    11/09/09

    @Jux: and that is why i gave up on reading. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    Nick was starred Nick was unstarred
    Image of maxentropy maxentropy
    11/10/09

    @NyC88Rican: Thanks, I remember that from my CS days. Since I've been in the real world working, haven't had to use 1337 in a while... appreciate the brushup ;) #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    maxentropy was starred maxentropy was unstarred
    Image of not_a_virus.exe.vbs not_a_virus.exe.vbs
    11/09/09

    In reply to HTC Touch HD2 Review: A Tragedy
    I've been wondering this as well, since Sense runs so good why not just replace the whole Windows experience? HTC has the manpower to bang out their own OS, or just use Android as an underpinning. #htctouchhd2review
     Reply
    not_a_virus.exe.vbs was starred not_a_virus.exe.vbs was unstarred
    Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

Login

Enter your username and password.

Please enter a username.
Please enter your password.
logging in
Login via Facebook | Sign Up | Forgot Password?

Reset Password

Please enter your email address to have your password reset.

Please enter your email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
requesting password reset

Register

Registering will give you a user profile and the ability to add other users as friends. To become a commenter, however, you need to audition.

Want to know more? Consult the Comment FAQ and legal terms.

Please enter a username.
Please enter a password.
Please confirm your password.
Passwords are not identical.
Please enter a valid email address.
registration sent, waiting for reply

Submit Your Comment

You don't need to login to comment. Just enter your email address below.

See how your address will be displayed in the Comment FAQ.

Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
logging in

Login with your Facebook or Gizmodo account.

Sign up here.



  • Archives
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Legal
  • Help
  • Report a Bug
  • FAQ
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.