OT: HTC HD2 vs. iPhone

DonDaddyD

OK the time has come for me to get a new phone. An important decision as it will spend most of its time in the back pocket of my cycle jersey and therefore size is a consideration but not a deciding factor.

I was all set to get an iPhone and phoned t-mobile to find out my contract status. I did so to find out whether they'll be getting the iPhone at some point. What with merging with Orange and what not I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

Anywho. During the course of the conversation I was offered a free HTC HD2 with a tarrif that comprised: free internation calls, free internet, free 0800 and 0845 numbers and free voicemail retrieval for the same money as my current contract (£35 per month)*

Now by any stretch that's a stonkingly good deal. Stonkingly good. I mean I've had a contract or had to pay for a contract since the age of 16 and that is a stonkingly-fan-dibbly-tastic good deal. Stonking.

But it's not an iPhone, but now I'm torn. Because I want an iPhone, which I fully accept isn't as good as the HTC. The iPhone is smaller though and when the iPhone is smaller than another phone you have to question how big is it. But this tarrif may be too good to say no.

What should I do?

*They're not technically free, more included in the inclusive mins, which amounts to the same thing.

fossyant

No...to the i-phone, cos everyone has one..........I assume the HD2 runs on Android get it.....really...... if windows mobile - get the Android equivalent.

I've had a HTC Magic since May 09, and it's awesome..... Google tracks for rides (just insure it if MTB'ing) and it does the business........... well impressed with mine, and it's something different.

greg66_tri_v2.0

To corrupt a phrase, once you've had an iphone, you'll never go back.

£35 on O2 gets you more minutes than I get close to using in a month, ditto texts, plus unlimited data, plus you can hook onto a Cloud wifi site for free.

How many international calls would you make on your mobile?

The biggest downside the iphone has (at least on O2) is the prohibitive cost of data abroad. I go to Canada a bit, and unless I buy data in advance, it's £7 per meg when roaming on the local carrier. If you can find free wifi abroad, obv data ceases to be an issue.

fossyant

Sorry, just looked..it's Windows...bugger that...

Android phones...just look at them....... you are just looking at specs, but it has windows behind it...nooooooooo

NGale

Greg66 wrote:

To corrupt a phrase, once you've had an iphone, you'll never go back.

£35 on O2 gets you more minutes than I get close to using in a month, ditto texts, plus unlimited data, plus you can hook onto a Cloud wifi site for free.

How many international calls would you make on your mobile?

The biggest downside the iphone has (at least on O2) is the prohibitive cost of data abroad. I go to Canada a bit, and unless I buy data in advance, it's £7 per meg when roaming on the local carrier. If you can find free wifi abroad, obv data ceases to be an issue.

Oooooh I don't know, I have an iPhone and I'm looking to change to the Palm Pre at the end of the month when my contract is due. I'll get all the same unlimited data, minutes and texts as I have now, but I was have that damned touch screen keyboard which drives me batty everytime I try and use it.

it's likely my iPhone will go PAYG and the Pre will be my o2 contract phone.

DonDaddyD

Greg, great phrase in its original format... How long is the your iphone contract and are you guaranteed an upgrade?

Fossy, My Dad spouted the same Android operating system to me, I have no concept or yard stick to measure them. With no concept will I really be that frustrated with the Windows operating system?

He also said something about capacitive touchscreen which the HD2 has. What HTC or smart phone would you recommend?

fossyant

Windows...don't go there to compare with I-phone....

Android is slick - go and play with a few in a shop or a mate.....

I like it as it's open source, not tied in to any big corporation, (other than google) and there are loads of apps....most are free.....................

Dare to be different....................

always_tyred

You missed out the "Get a Life" option.

tlw1

everybody has got an iphone for a reason, they are fantastic!

My monthly bill went up as I lost my loyalty bonus from Orange, but it has been worth it

NGale

matthew h wrote:

everybody has got an iphone for a reason, they are fantastic!

My monthly bill went up as I lost my loyalty bonus from Orange, but it has been worth it

Yep your right, it is a great phone, but it drives me batty with the touch keyboard (I have fat thumbs!) and the fact that you cannot run more than one app at a time.

fossyant

matthew h wrote:

everybody has got an iphone for a reason, they are fantastic!

My monthly bill went up as I lost my loyalty bonus from Orange, but it has been worth it

SHEEP !

artaxerxes

If the HTC has WiFi and a big choice of (useful) apps to download, then go for that as the deal they are offering sounds good.
I have an iPhone with O2 and its not great at any one thing, but it does everything reasonably well which is why I think it is fantastic overall.

tailwindhome

DonDaddyD wrote:

During the course of the conversation I was offered a free HTC HD2 with a tarrif that comprised: free internation calls, free internet, free 0800 and 0845 numbers and free voicemail retrieval for the same money as my current contract (£35 per month)*

£35 per month is a good deal ...sweet jaysus has the world gone doolally.

That's £420 a year :shock:

The free internet is hardly an incentive, presumably you have internet access at work and broadband at home, and are on the bike in between, so when would you need internet access on your phone?

Don't believe the free international calls, there has to be a catch

0800 is free anyway

0845 is low cost

I live in a cave and find music too loud and sure you can't make out the words anyway...........

spen666

Blackberry

tailwindhome

Look into the eyes, not around the eyes








couldn't find the phone celebration from this years tour

tlw1

fossyant wrote:

matthew h wrote:

everybody has got an iphone for a reason, they are fantastic!

My monthly bill went up as I lost my loyalty bonus from Orange, but it has been worth it

SHEEP !

isheep

TheStone

If you're a geek go for a HTC Android phone. If you're not go for the iPhone.

Don't touch the HTC Windows phones. I did a lot of research last month and there's no
end of bad reviews for the windows stuff (doesn't mean it won't be ok in a year or 2).

I ended up with the Hero. It's good, but quirky. Not everyone's cup of tea and it takes a
while to get it right. Pleased with my choice.

NGale

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

During the course of the conversation I was offered a free HTC HD2 with a tarrif that comprised: free internation calls, free internet, free 0800 and 0845 numbers and free voicemail retrieval for the same money as my current contract (£35 per month)*

£35 per month is a good deal ...sweet jaysus has the world gone doolally.

That's £420 a year :shock:

The free internet is hardly an incentive, presumably you have internet access at work and broadband at home, and are on the bike in between, so when would you need internet access on your phone?

Don't believe the free international calls, there has to be a catch

0800 is free anyway

0845 is low cost

I live in a cave and find music too loud and sure you can't make out the words anyway...........

0800 on mobile phones have always been chargeable, only free on landlines[/b]

tailwindhome

NGale wrote:

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

During the course of the conversation I was offered a free HTC HD2 with a tarrif that comprised: free internation calls, free internet, free 0800 and 0845 numbers and free voicemail retrieval for the same money as my current contract (£35 per month)*

£35 per month is a good deal ...sweet jaysus has the world gone doolally.

That's £420 a year :shock:

The free internet is hardly an incentive, presumably you have internet access at work and broadband at home, and are on the bike in between, so when would you need internet access on your phone?

Don't believe the free international calls, there has to be a catch

0800 is free anyway

0845 is low cost

I live in a cave and find music too loud and sure you can't make out the words anyway...........

0800 on mobile phones have always been chargeable, only free on landlines[/b]

You see

Thats why I don't understand the rest of the world.

I'd just use the landline :shock:

Whats a HTC?

And WTF is an App?

fossyant

TheStone wrote:

If you're a geek go for a HTC Android phone. If you're not go for the iPhone.

Don't touch the HTC Windows phones. I did a lot of research last month and there's no
end of bad reviews for the windows stuff (doesn't mean it won't be ok in a year or 2).

I ended up with the Hero. It's good, but quirky. Not everyone's cup of tea and it takes a
while to get it right. Pleased with my choice.

No geek...went HTC many years ago before the touch screen got really sorted....binned it and went a 'normal phone' for a bit, then HTC got sorted...............apple = weep !!!!!

oscarbudgie

You've been told

greg66_tri_v2.0

DonDaddyD wrote:

Greg, great phrase in its original format... How long is the your iphone contract and are you guaranteed an upgrade?

On O2 (dunno about the others): 18 months when I took mine. Poor upgrade policy though. The original iphone were offered on 18 m minimum contracts. About 12m in, the iphone 3G came out. O2 let originals terminate their contracts at no charge provided they took a new 18m contract with a 3G handset - no special deal on the price though - the special deal was letting you out of your existing contract.

When the 3GS came out though, no such deal for 3G users. You could buy yourself out of your 3G contract to get a 3GS, or you could wait. I chose to wait. This was back in the day when O2 was the only iphone provider. That said the competition may not make much difference, as Apple supposedly have a big say in the contract structures.

Even with that limitation though I'd get another one.

DonDaddyD

The tech-geek in me is telling me not to go for the windows operating system, but its the only phone on T-mobile I'd consider.

It seems like the Windows system is clunky in all the areas that I'd need it to be slick i.e. the actual smartphone functions. The statndard mobile phone functions are pretty cool but if my first stab at the smartphone market is met with substandard quality I may never go back and I really just want a phone that I can live with and never desire another phone again.

Damn the HD2 had everything but the operating system.... shame.

lost_in_thought

What part of the smartphone functions do you not like?

I like windows mobile. It can do all the things apple can do, apart from the vast amount of game drivel on the iphone, which I wouldn't use anyway. It's just not as hyped.

The HTC HD2 is a good phone, somewhat on the large side, but then so is an iphone.

artaxerxes

In terms of useful functionality, I can get my work MS Exchange email pushed to my iphone, as well as synching my Exchange and Google calendars with my iphone calendar.

I can also VPN in to my work network, and it was all very easy to set up.

gabriel959

That sounds like a really good contract to be honest although after being with O2 for so long and having quality customer service I don't know if I would like to venture outside of it.

My contract is also up soon, I am not that bothered so probably going to go for the Nokia 6700.

unscarred

If you want something pretty, buy an iPhone.
If you want functionality, buy something else.

For true geek-chic, you want the Nokia N900. Without doubt the most capable phone on sale today - but you'll probably have to wait as it's only just started shipping.

mattybain

DonDaddyD wrote:

The tech-geek in me is telling me not to go for the windows operating system, but its the only phone on T-mobile I'd consider.

Damn the HD2 had everything but the operating system.... shame.

Read some reviews. although the HD2 does run on windows mobile 6.5 it has a HTC overlay on it that is supposed to make the whole experience completely un windows like and is supposed to be actually pretty good.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/25/htc-hd2-review/

bd12mz

I ended up with a 2nd hand iPhone from ebay that was supposed to be unlocked.
turned out it wasn't but the seller paid for the unlock process.

quite a good place place for phones is CeX http://www.cex.co.uk/

they have shops in most UK cities now.
the phones are graded according to condition and unlocked iPhones can be picked up there if you don't want to use ebay.

cee

artaxerxes wrote:

In terms of useful functionality, I can get my work MS Exchange email pushed to my iphone, as well as synching my Exchange and Google calendars with my iphone calendar.

I can also VPN in to my work network, and it was all very easy to set up.

We recently got our work phones upgraded and in the mix was the iphone and a number of others including htc on winmob and blackberry.

the iphone was ruled out because work email is not truly encrypted on the device. it is on both blackberry and winmob.

the iphone bumf will tell you that it is encrypted, however it does not encrypt the data using a 128bit key. it simply uses the phone puk. problem is the JailBreak application that was released so that the iphone could be used on other networks comletely bypasses this and therefor renders any encryption useless.

As an IT firm specialising in secure development and infrastructure, we could not allow our email to not be encrytped on the device (its one of our selling points to clients).

we went htc winmob in the end and it is fine. like someone else said, the iphone has lots of gimmicky apps, most of which have counterparts on winmob, although finding the right app for your device is much trickier than with the iphone.

Stuey01

The iphone just works.
It is slick, easy to use, does everything you could ever need it to and more.
There is a reason it is so popular.

A friend has the HTC Hero, he says it is ok, but quirky, and not as slick as the iphone. He will be changing to an iphone when his contract is up. Another friend had the google android phone, and he is a proper geek about this stuff, he actually bought out his contract at great expense to switch to an iphone after only a few months.

The people who rail against the iphone have never had one.

One bad thing about the iphone the keyboard is annoying. If you email a lot from your phone then think about a blackberry or a palm, something with a proper keyboard.