HTC Desire Z LCD Problem Update

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I returned my Desire Z because of a very strange problem with the LCD. Well my friendly neighborhood phone shop had it replaced immediately and I have had my phone for over a week now.
Of course the very first thing I did at the phone shop was to inspect the screen closely. Actually the easiest way to check the screen is to first of all make sure that the display is off. Then take a powerful flashlight, like an LED flashlight and inspect the underlying membrane. The problem in my first phone resembled window film with bubbles under. When discussing it with the phone shop owner, we both agreed that it may have been due to an improper mating of screen layers. Anyway the good news is that the replacement unit had no such problems. However I do want to share that the underlying layer in the LCD screen had a sort of pattern on the surface as opposed to the screens of my other phones which were smooth is. The appearance is like how grainy high ISO black and white photos might look like but the important thing to me is that there are no blemishes and no visible dust particles under the screen.
This particular unit had the hinge which felt looser compared to the first one, but given the assurances of HTC that it was their intent in the first place to make the hinge relatively loose to facilitate opening and closing, I will put this matter on my "check in six months time" list.
So except for these issues, I am happy with my decision to get the Desire Z over my other choices. It is very convenient to have a hardware QWERTY keyboard to type out lengthy SMS replies and e-mails so I have absolutely no regrets. Let me say though that the observations about the Desire Z being a heavy phone are quite correct. It's even heavier than my HD2 which is a heavy phone to begin with.
Having said that, between my smart phones and my net book I am pretty much well-equipped to handle just about anything business related I might need to do technology wise, while I am on the road.

Desire Firmware Update: Some subtle changes

After tinkering with my Desire these past few days, here is what I observed. Please note that some of these changes are subjective and I have no way of verifying since I did not set an objective baseline before updating.

• The phone appears to be much snappier overall. In fact, it made me much more aware of the lag on my Samsung Galaxy S.
  
• The signal problems I mentioned earlier seem to have disappeared. However I must point out that it might have been a network problem because my HD2 was having signal problems the other day also.
  
• Having said that, I did notice that the wifi signal is exemplary. Again it puts my Galaxy S to shame.
  
• Battery life seems to have improved. Usually using mobile networks will render the phone usable for barely 1 day. I used the networks yesterday for a couple of hours, then the wifi and did a lot of talking on the phone. It's been up for 1 day and 15 hours and I still have 15% battery life.
  
• According to HTC, market received an update and I noticed what appears to be a new tab for related apps. However I did notice that it also exists on my Galaxy S so I am not sure if this was an HTC or generic Android Market update.
  

There has been some speculation that some changes were made to prepare the Desire for the Gingerbread update but this has not been confirmed. If this is true then I am looking forward to getting what should be like a totally new phone when the Gingerbread 2.3 update arrives for the Desire. After all, it should include the HTC Sense update as well.

In summary, I have observed nothing but positive objective and subjective improvements on my Desire. It remains to be my main phone despite the arrival of the Desire Z and the Galaxy S. It is no wonder that despite the presence of the Desire HD and the Iphone 4, the original Desire remains Tech Radars choice for the best phone in the world.

We at JAC Tech agree 100% with that choice.

 

Interim Update On The Desire Firmware Update

I've upgraded my Desire and here are a few preliminary observations:

• While I still recommend backing up, nothing disappeared from my phone
  
• Upgrade did not take that long, barely 2 minutes after the download
  
• It is NOT an HTC sense update
  
• It is NOT a Gingerbread update either
  
• Honestly aside from the version changes, I have not noticed anything new
  
• According to the HTC site, it's the market upgrade but I have not yet noticed anything different
  
• Speed / response appears to be the same
  

I requested HTC for a changelog and as soon as they send it to me, I'll post it here.

XMAS IS SO EARLY THIS YEAR! HTC DESIRE UPDATE JUST RELEASED!

 

It's shaping up to be a really great Christmas! First I find a Galaxy Z under my tree, then the Nexus S is announced. Then HTC releases a firmware update for the Desire!

I am currently uploading my phone so I'll report back on what I see.

The build number is 2.13.707.2

SEA users you can find it here: http://www.htc.com/sea/support.aspx

I'm hoping for an Android 2.3 update but I think it's too early for this so maybe just a new HTC Sense is good enough.

THE GOOGLE PHONE REBORN - NEXUS S by Samsung

Here we go again. I guess tech followers should know better by now, that in the mobile phone market it all begins with rumors and before you know it, the mythical phone suddenly has a shipping date!
So that's the story of the next iteration of the Google phone. The Google Nexus S is a reality and is shipping in UK on December 20!
Do I want one? Well let's put it this way, the Nexus S is the reason why I decided not to get a 2^nd Galaxy S.
And why not? Who wouldn't be seduced by Android 2.3, a new tech called NFC or near field communication, the 1GHZ Hummingbird processor, Super Amoled, flash for the camera etc. It's enough to make a grown geek cry…
I just got a Desire Z because I knew that even if the Nexus S was real, it would be arriving here in the 1^st quarter of 2011. This means I can't get the Nexus anytime soon.
BUT there is a reason why I am not too sad, (ok not VERY VERY VERY SAD, just VERY, VERY SAD). You see the dual core mobile phone processors will be coming VERY soon so as the old saying goes, good things come to those who wait so while I am excited at the prospect of a new Google phone, I might delay any decision UNLESS an irresistible offer comes along. Of course those who know me know how easy it is to make me an offer.
Here is the official Google Nexus S page
http://www.google.com/nexus/

HTC Desire Z LCD Problem

    

Well I took the plunge because my Desire seemed to be acting up a bit, losing signal which necessitated rebooting. So since it is my main phone, I went ahead and got a Desire Z. I selected this over the other phones because it offered the best balance between usability and battery life. I also felt that the hardware keyboard was something I could use in my business phone.

So I got it today and as is my usual practice, went over the phone with a fine toothed comb. I brought out my trusty energizer LED light to inspect the screen for dust particles under the screen. This was where I saw to my horror, at least 10 blemishes under the screen which resembled automotive tint when air bubbles were left inside.

I promptly called the store where I brought it from and informed them that I would be returning the unit and that I hoped the replacement would be checked for such a defect.

The store owner was quite accommodating and ordered the replacements. I returned the phone this evening and will be getting my replacement phone tomorrow.

This is by no means a review yet, but I have to say that I am disappointed that HTC Philippines would allow such a device to pass through their quality control. This reminds me of the incident I had with my HD2 where there was what appeared to be a small bubble under the screen which I had replaced right away too. I hope it's not an indication that they try to pass off the lower quality handsets first because they will never hear the end of it from me.

It is a bit of a hassle for me to take 2 hours of my day just to return the phone and I can understand that these things do happen but this is two out of three for HTC so I am a bit disappointed. After all, my HD2 is not yet a year old so for this to happen twice in a year is a bit too much.

Anyway, I will be looking forward to receiving a good and defect free unit tomorrow. If I get a lemon one more time, then I will proceed and lodge a complaint with the DTI.

Stay tuned.

The Nokia 5800 Gets An Upgrade AGAIN!

 

Now this is really upgrade madness. First it was my Galaxy, then my HD2 and now my trusty 5800 Xpressmusic get's an update too!

I'm pretty happy at the support this unit is getting even after 2 years!

The new software is 52.0.007 and according to Daily Mobile http://forum.dailymobile.se/index.php?topic=35526.msg420111#msg420111

The changes include upgrade in CPU performance, improvements in touch screen and wifi etc.

Will give feedback later.

Decisions Decisions......

Confusion time again...

I have just about had it trying to find a workaround for Windows Mobile 6.5s refusal to synchronize with Outlook 2010 64 bit on my Windows 7 64 bit setup. It's particularly maddening when an alien system like the Android can do it with ease.

SO I have come to the conclusion that my HD2 will have to be relegated to minor duty for my hobby related line when my second Sun Elite line goes online next month.

Why the confusion?

Because I need to choose between several phones again:

HTC Desire HD late this year or the "mythical" Samsung Nexus?





Not considering any other OS at this point. For a while I flirted with the possibility of getting an Iphone 4 but it seemed to be a demotion to me when I could go and get a Nokia N8 AND a 2nd hand Sony X10 for the same price.

Because it is an immediate requirement, I am also looking at the Desire Z, a second Desire or a Nexus One.

 


Right now I am beginning to lean towards the Nexus because it gets the Android updates first.


It would also be extremely extravagant to get another high end phone like the Desire HD. Besides I am still wary about the battery life.

I have to promise myself to lay low after this  acquisition so I can concentrate on the other stuff I need.

Thankfully an Ipad or Galaxy Tab is not on my list .... yet

Tis The Season For Upgrades ! HTC HD2 Software UPGRADE

Tis The Season For Upgrades ! HTC HD2 Software UPGRADE

I was certainly caught off guard by another pleasant surprise on the heels of my Samsung Galaxy S software update.

I decided to surf the HTC site to check on why the Desire HD was pulled from the local distros site and to see if there was a Sense update for my Desire. Imagine my surprise when I saw Software Update for the HD2 on my screen. I had to check the date to make sure it was not an archived update. Xmas is coming early to the mobile phone scene.

All we need now is a Desire HD, a Nexus 2 and a Canon EOS 7D and it would be a blissful Xmas.

Anyway I certainly cannot resist an upgrade so I downloaded it but since it was a 200mb file and it was a bit late, I decided to sleep and upgrade in the morning.

I just updated it and here are a couple of observations:

• The update is from 1.66.707.1 to 3.14.707.3 (big jump)
  
• It's not 6.5.3, or at least my start button is still on top, not that I mind
  
• Phone is noticeably faster
  
• Phone is notably warmer too
  

I normally use Cookies Home Tab, now in version 2.0 so I will install it later. I hope that there is no incompatibility.

Just sharing the good news, so if you want to upgrade your Asian HD2, here is the link:

http://www.htc.com/sea/SupportViewNews.aspx?dl_id=1063&news_id=809

 

Froyo Update Is HERE!

FINALLY! After months of waiting, it seems that the Froyo update from Samsung has arrived for Philippine Users, most notably, Globe subscribers like myself.

I had already decided not to wait and just update my phone directly using Odin so I was checking the forums today for the best firmware to use. Then, a few minutes ago, I decided to surf a local Samsung user group and saw the announcement by a member that the update was online!

I thought it might be another false alarm but decided to fire up KIES anyway and to my surprise, it was offering to upgrade my unit.

SO I am currently upgrading my Galaxy S and I am pretty much excited to see how it will compare to the Froyo on my Desire.

I'll post my feedback on the upgrades later.

THANK YOU Samsung. I sincerely hope that the 2.3 update and the Gingerbread might happen a bit faster in the future.

Perhaps there is room in my future for a Nexus 2 J

Samsung Philippines Froyo Update – Vaporware?

 

The community of Samsung Galaxy S owners in the Philippines have been waiting for a long time for the Froyo update of their handsets.

There is a large user group of Galaxy S owners in the Philippines and most, if not all, have paid PREMIUM prices for their handsets. Yet despite this support and enthusiasm of users, they are being left out in the cold by Samsung.

This is very disappointing because it shows how little Samsung thinks about the Philippine market and it is a move that has made me rethink whether I will still get another Samsung phone in the future.

I hope that Samsung Philippines can see it fit to post an explanation to Galaxy S owners here because if they don't, I will not be surprised to see their forthcoming Galaxy Tab, fall flat on its face.

So if you have not bought a Galaxy S yet, wait a while, or better yet, buy the HTC Desire which is back in stock or spring for the HTC Desire Z. I have both the Galaxy S and the Desire and I can tell you that the Desire is a much better phone overall than the Galaxy S. And this is without taking the customer support into consideration.

Sorry Samsung, but you're shooting yourself in the foot.

Update On The Sun Twitter Team Reply To Sun Broadband 3 Mbps Concern

The Sun Cellular Twitter Team responded with the usual speed and despite the tone of this post, I am impressed with their service. However this does not hold the same for the Technical Group which appears to be unaware of the network issues.


Below is their reply to me via DM:


On Friday 12th November 2010, @suncelltweets said:
d cyberwiz Hi Sir. Thank you for patiently waiting for our reply. We really appreciate the time you took to bring up your concern. However, as checked with the Technical group, it was found out that your account is working fine in the system and no technical concern has been established so far. Coverage on the mentioned locations are within acceptable range as reflected in the remote trace conducted last night of Nov. 10. Serving site is also up, catering traffic and no noted activities.

Please be informed that 3 Mbps is the maximum allowed bandwidth for a 1399 subscription. Network bandwidth though, is a shared resource among all subscribers. As this service is mobile, the number of users varies and expected to increase during peak hours.

SBW speed is implemented for all users to have a balanced usage of the service and control policies are implemented to avoid high usage (as stated in the fair usage policy).

Your understanding regarding this matter is highly appreciated. Just let us know if you have any further concerns. Thank you.

********************************************

I ASK THE TECHNICAL GROUP, LOOK AT THE SPEEDTESTS BELOW!

Fair use??? One modem was the P649 plan , while the other was the P1,399. My complaint since nearly a year ago, was that the 649 was FASTER than the 1399, and that is still the case today.

I will be relaying this post to the Twitter team anew, to see how they would handle the matter. I hope that a more authoritative and knowledgeable technical team can take over in order to match the capabilities of their Twitter Customer Relations Team

Look the at speeds below, the first three are for the 1,399 while the last three are for the 649.

3 MBPS PLAN - P1,399

2 MBPS PLAN - P649

My New Sun Elite Plan And Kudos To The Sun Cellular Twitter Team

Regular readers of this blog are probably used to my rants about Sun Cellular and the ordeal I have been going  through with my Sun Broadband Wireless 3 MBPS Plan. It's still ongoing and I posted earlier, a link to the current status hoping that the same Twitter Team can resolve it as competently as they did with my Elite plan.

I upgraded our Plan 1000 to the Sun Elite P1,500 plan about a month ago. This was prompted by the insistence of my HTC Desire (and myself) to log on to the net in order to be constantly in touch via email, Facebook and Twitter. Regular readers might also remember that I am embarking on developing a new skill which is social media consultant, so my training is underway and a fast connection is definitely a big asset to me.

So the Sun Elite Plan comes with Call and Surf, Unlimited Internet and a Suntel Landline, all in one sim! You can imagine the load it is putting on my Desire with it's wimpy battery, but such is the price of being perennially connected. In its first week alone, I turned into an avid fan of a 3 in 1 sim. There are other variants depending on your needs, you can have just any two of the services above which would leave you some consumable amount for your communication with other networks.

Anyway, after the initial euphoria had settled, I realized that the internet was running a bit slow, actually that's a gross understatement because despite a strong HSDPA connection, I was getting 260kbps in Speedtest. Definitely unacceptable. I though maybe it was the phone so I benchmarked my Sun Broadband Wireless 650 account which was loaded in a USB modem, the E160. I have always been happy with this particular plan which puts my 3 MBPS to shame, despite costing twice as much. So this modem/sim combo promptly registered speeds in the 1.10 mbps, pretty much par.

Then I tried my Elite sim and it registered a lackluster 400kbps! That was actually the highest figure I got. The rest were pretty pathetic. This development promptly ended my honeymoon with the Elite plan and I was seething over having to pay so much for slow internet service AGAIN.

Then I came upon "the official Twitter account of Sun Cellular Customer Relationship Management Team" at
http://twitter.com/suncelltweets

Figured I had nothing to lose so I send a tweet their way, sharing my disappointment and expected nothing in reply. ZMuch to my surprise, in 24 hours I received a reply asking for my Sun Elite number!

Feeling a wave of hope, I promptly sent my number to them, keeping my fingers crossed...

Then what do you know...within 24 hours again I received a direct message from them informing me that the matter was resolved and that I should now remove and reinsert my sim to rety the internet.

At this point, I have to say that I was still skeptical because of my ongoing saga with my 3 MBPS account where I was promised resolution of my problem dozens of times, only to be disappointed.

So I started up my Desire and surfed on over to Speedtest. The very first test went all the way to 1.2 mbps! The second and third were all above 1 mbps. I was surprised and my faith in Sun Cellular is experiencing a renewal.

I tweeted them right away, expressing my gratitude. Then I asked another question about upgrading our 600 line to call and surf. Within 24 hours again, I got my reply. VERY IMPRESSIVE.

So I am now on my second honeymoon with my Sun Elite. Once again , my HTC Desire is getting a massive battery workout on a daily basis. Now I feel I am getting my moneys worth and I look forward to being able to say the same thing about my 3 MBPS plan.

I will be tweeting them now with my concern, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that FINALLY after almost a year of waiting, I can finally enjoy what is supposed to be my fastest wireless internet service.

So to the Sun Cell Twitter Team, THANK YOU VERY MUCH and I hope that you will be able to maintain this extremely competent and high quality customer care.

The Sun Broadband Wireless 3 MBPS Saga - is the end near?

For almost a year now, I have been calling the Sun Customer service about the pathetic speeds of my Sun Broadband 3 Mbps Wireless Internet. I even changed the sim at my expense just to try and solve the problem.

BUT TO NO AVAIL.

I have yet to enjoy the true speed of Suns 3 MBPS because I have not even exceeded 2 MBPS. They cannot even pull the "fair use policy" on me because I have a wired 3 MBPS PLDT MyDSL at home and I only use the Sun when I am out on a client call which is extremely rare, or on weekends for my kids.

Anyway, I had a very pleasant experience with the Sun Twitter team, where my concern about my Elite plan was attended to, and resolved within 24 hours. Hence I am looking forward to getting the same quick and competent resolution from them.

I am posting below the Speedtests from today which is representative of the speeds I get from my 3 MBPS which is basically what I get from my Plan 650 SBW. So I am paying 1399 for 650 speeds, something I have been doing for nearly 1 year.

I hope that the next Speedtest I will show here, will finally symbolize the end of this saga because I am truly tired of calling and complaining, My hopes are high that the Sun Twitter Team will deliver again, so stay posted. I will update this blog with the results.

Impatiently waiting for the Galaxy S Froyo update and other thoughts

I've spent the better part of a month waiting for the Galaxy S Froyo update. Despite having installed different firmwares on my Samsung Omnia 2, I felt that I should not go out of my way to make up for the shortcomings of Samsung in posting updates.
I still like the Galaxy S, and I can't think of any phone that will takes its place as my primary phone for Globe. However, if I had to choose only one phone today, it would still be my HTC Desire. Perhaps this is why I am a bit impatient about the Galaxy Froyo update, after all, the first thing I did upon getting my Desire was to update it to Froyo 2.2.
The new date for the worldwide Froyo 2.2 update for Samsung Galaxy S is November 11 so let's wait and see what will happen then.
In the meantime, I am currently on the lookout for a new phone so I can maintain 3 primary phones covering all the networks.
I already have Sun and Globe. All I am waiting for is an appropriate phone for Smart. Right now, my inclination is to use the Galaxy S for Smart and get a new phone for Globe. I considered the Iphone 4 but unless my work requires that I get an Iphone, I would much prefer to get the Desire HD. Windows 7 is also under consideration like the HTC HD7, but I am a very happy Android user right now and unless Windows 7 proves at the very least, equal to Android, I don't see a Windows 7 phone in my future.

How To Trade Forex on the Samsung Galaxy S

How To Do Forex Trading on the Samsung Galaxy S
Forex trading is one of the things I find interesting. However, once a person becomes a serious trader, it's a bit hard to be away from your PC, wondering how things are going.
I for one, cannot bear not knowing what the current exchange rate is and to think, I am only trading with play money!
So I decided to install a forex trading system on my phone. First up was my Desire, and it is a big relief for me to know that rates and trading are but a few clicks away.
Here is the link to a tutorial which shows how to install forex software on the Samsung Galaxy S


 

 

 

Got The Galaxy S

 
I am now the happy owner of a Galaxy S, an early Xmas present from my beloved mother.
We went over to a Globe Business Office to apply for a Globe line.
Luckily, I had the sense to call ahead two days before, to inquire about the Galaxy, as well as the promo. In the course of my inquiry, I informed the Globe staff that we intended to get the unit on Thursday and without my explicitly stating it, I was to find out later, that a unit was actually earmarked for us.
It was also great timing that we arrived before 5:30 so there were very few people in the store. The person who attended to us was very efficient and inside of 30 minutes everything was done with the exception of the unit, which I was informed, was down to the last piece, which was unfortunately, reserved. Then the staff noticed my name on the box! It was reserved for me! That to me concluded a very serendipitous series of events and I was a very happy new Galaxy owner and Globe subscriber.
Ok, the purpose of this post was to provide first impressions so here they are:
Good Points:
The Galaxy screen is really great, for most people, this alone will seal the deal.
The phone is super light and slim. The phone weighs only as much as my Sony Ericsson K810, give or take a few grams.
Music player audio quality is very good.
Battery life is very good.

 
Bad Points:
GPS is erratic and has problems picking up signals
FM audio quality is not good, unlike the Omnia 2 which had awesome FM sound
Phone feels fragile
The package is pathetic given the fact that this is a premium phone. No case and no memory card.
No Froyo upgrade yet, but its expected on September 23

 
So, does the Galaxy dethrone the Desire?
Nope, for me, the Desire is the BEST phone right now. But the Galaxy is a close second, and for the next few months, I won't be experiencing any gadget envy at all, even if the Desire HD should land on Philippine shores.
Personally, I feel that the Galaxy is at its best as a multimedia and social media phone, the type you take on vacation. The Desire on the other hand, feels and behaves like a solid business tool, except for the battery which I hope to sort out with an extended battery later on.

 

The New Sheriff Is In Town – HTC Desire HD

 
I was waiting to see how the real thing looked like before I got my Desire. The rumors were flying fast and furious about the successor of the Desire but I needed my Android NOW so I had no choice.
Barely a week after I got my Desire, the HTC Desire HD and the Desire Z were launched in London, hot on the heels of the Nokia smartphones.

So do I regret my Desire purchase?
Not by a long shot. The HD seems to be nearly similar to my HD2 in size and form factor so its not the type of phone I can carry around in my pocket. At this point the size of the Desire is perfect for me.
Will I be getting the Desire HD sometime in the future?
You bet, but not to replace my Desire. From the looks of it, it might replace my HD2, but I was holding out for a WM7 to replace the HD2 so I don't know who's going to be replaced…
Will I still get the Galaxy ?
The answer is yes, and the Desire HD just might replace it IF, the screen of the HD is comparable and the multimedia, especially the music player is up to par.
Some might be asking, why get the Galaxy at all?
The answer is because it's a bargain for me at this point. Besides I just launched my Android site and I am about to jump into social media for work so I have no time to wait for the HD. The fact that the social media experience is supposed to be better integrated on the Galaxy is also a big factor.
Moreover, I have not even seen the Desire or the old HD2 being offered by the local telcos so it will be expensive for some time.
I have to admit that I am loving the design and ease of use of HTC more and more. This is why I will only replace my HD2 with another HTC.
Anyway here are my preliminary impressions of the Desire HD.

• The size is ok for multimedia. The 4.3 inch screen will most definitely trump the Galaxy
• The Galaxy however seems to have the better screen, but that remains to be confirmed
• In the HTC, EVERYTHING works. My Omnias GPS is driving me nuts.
• The 8 megapixel (with flash) is another big plus over the Galaxy
• The build quality will probably be like the HD2 which means rock solid and oozing of quality. Beats the Iphone any day.

If it were not for my need to have MS Office applications to sync with my work PC, I would have gone totally Android. For those who need to keep a task manager easily accessible to shut down applications, the memory and resource management of Android is heaven sent. 

As it stands now, here is my wish list of phones:
1. HTC Desire HD
2. Samsung Galaxy S
3. WM7 Phone, preferably HTC or Samsung
4. Nokia N8 (maybe)
Time to fill up my vision board again.

More Useful Info for the HTC Desire Owner

The "getting to know you" portion of a new phone is always a fun time where you learn all the new things that your phone is capable of. Of course, like all things new, there will be some faults and issues that will come to light, because devices, like people, are never perfect.

So here are a few links I ran into while checking out some details about my new tool:

XDA Developers Thread about HTC Flaws and Annoyances with Workarounds

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=666332

Android Headlines Article: HTC Desire Ultimate Review: Everything you could possibly want to know

http://androidheadlines.com/2010/04/htc-desire-ultimate-review-everything-you-could-possibly-want-to-know.html


This is an awesome SMS application for the Desire and other Android phones. Check it out.

It's FREE

http://www.handcent.com/index.php


Tips And Tricks for the Desire from the Geekzone NZ forum
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=97&topicid=60136

Some information for HTC Desire owners

 
In keeping with my purpose for putting up this blog, here are some useful links for HTC Desire present and future owners.

 
Top Accessories For HTC Desire
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/blog/2010/04/top-10-htc-desire-accessories/


 
The HTC Desire Section on the HTC Forums
http://www.htcforums.com/desire/


 
The HTC Desire Page on XDA Developers
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=594


 
And a secret key sequence for accessing the extended settings of the HTC Desire:
From the call screen, use the keypad to enter the following sequence:
*#*#INFO#*#*

Shopping for a new Android phone

New Phone Shopping
For work reasons I had to get an Android phone so for several days I went on a research frenzy, learning as much about Android phones and the choices available.
Now I have to admit, I went into this research with a favorite in mind, the Samsung I9000 Galaxy S. So there was a wee bit of bias and I was basically looking to add just a few more positive comments to confirm my choice so I could hightail it to the nearest Samsung shop.
But in order to give my choice a semblance of being "well-thought out", I had a short list of three choices

1. Samsung I 9000 Galaxy S
2. HTC Desire
3. Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

The specs of these phones are very close to each other. In terms of screen size, the Samsung and Sony have 4 inch screens while the HTC has a 3.7 inch screen. They all have 1 GHZ processors, the HTC and Sony are Snapdragons while the Galaxy S is a Hummingbird. 2 of them have 5 Megapixel cameras (HTC and Samsung) while the Sony has an 8 Megapixel camera. All are capacitive touchscreens. Their cash prices are within 5k of each other.
But for comparisons sake, here are best "zero interest" prices, though the period is different for the Galaxy (all prices in Philippine Pesos):

1. Samsung Galaxy S – 33,000 ( 3 months)
2. HTC Desire – 31,000 (12 months)
3. Sony X10 – 31,000 (12 months)

A disclaimer of sorts, before the purchase, I had 1 phone from each of the manufacturers being evaluated. I have an Omnia 2, HTC HD2 and a Sony Ericcson P1 ( I actually have 2 more Sony's, a K810 and a W850).
The reviews are all over the net and I will just post the links later, in the meantime here are the final pros and cons about each phone which I used to finalize my decision about which to choose.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S    

PROS:

1. The Super AMOLED screen the best, by a big margin
   
2. Hummingbird processor, coupled with graphics processor makes it theoretically faster.
   
3. HD recording (but all 3 will be equal when they are upgraded to Froyo 2.2)
   
4. Largest onboard storage (16 gb)
   
5. Long battery life
   

CONS:

1. GPS performance is mediocre at best
2. No camera flash
3. Phone is prone to pausing and delays
4. Problems synchronizing with Windows using KIES
5. Plasticky feel, build quality is not as sold
6. Quality control issues
7. 
   
   Some apprehensions about Samsung support
   
   
   

HTC DESIRE

PROS:

1. Excellent and mature interface (HTC Sense)
2. Solid build quality
3. Good track record in customer support
4. Excellent GPS performance
5. Froyo 2.2 OTA update available now
6. Fast and responsive

CONS:

1. Battery life is quite short
2. Camera is nothing to write home about
3. Small memory card (2 GB)
4. Limited memory available for applications

 
SONY XPERIA X10

PROS:

1. Best camera by a large margin
2. Scratch resistant screen
3. Good battery life
4. Good GPS performance
5. Solid build quality

CONS:

1. No FM radio
   
2. No smart dialing
   
3. No multi touch
   

After going over all of the reviews, I finally decided (with some reluctance) to get the HTC Desire. As I said earlier, I went into this exercise wanting the Galaxy S, having been salivating over it for the past 60 days or so.
However, the 2 major deal breakers for me were the crappy GPS ( my Omnia 2 has mediocre GPS too) and the build and quality control issues. When you pay 30k ++ for a phone, you expect everything to work. The E72, one of the phones on my shortlist of wanted phones, or even my E71, have much better GPS performance than the Galaxy and the build of the E series is reknowned.
So being the proud owner of a new HTC Desire, do I regret the decision?
I most definitely don't. The phone is awesome, and it feels so solid. In fact, it has replaced the Omnia 2 as my main phone. I still have the Omnia 2 but it has been demoted a bit to the less-used sim.
I only have one regret – I should have gone to the Android OS much earlier. So far, the OS has been really great, fast and stable. The programs included in the stock package are excellent and the free apps via the app store are quite competent.
There are a few areas where Android still has to play catch up, which is in the multimedia and connectivity with MS Office applications. For instance, the sound of the Omnia 2 is well ahead of the Android pack and the storage space of 16 GB for programs under Windows Mobile 6.5 is unheard of in stock Androids.
I must confess though that I have decided to get one more Android phone in the near future. And yes, it is the Samsung Galaxy S. Before you point out that I had criticized the phones value for money, let me say that the reason I will get it is because of a serendipitous sequence of events where I will give up my Sun broadband sim which has been performing dismally ever since I got it, and an irresistible offer from Globe where I can get a great data and voice package while ending up spending less.
Hopefully I will have the Galaxy S in a few weeks and once I do, I can do a real life comparison of both devices.
Lastly, I am tempted to get the X10 too, because of its great camera. That's how much I like the Android system.
But Nokia has the N8 coming up and from all indications, this is the best camera sensor ever. It packs a digicam sized sensor in a smartphone! But that is another story which I will post here in the future.
In the meantime, I am loving my HTC Desire more and more each day and won't trade it for anything else at this point.

 
Links to the reviews:
From GSM Arena
Galaxy S
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9000_galaxy_s-review-478.php

Desire
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_desire-review-468.php

Xperia X10
http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_xperia_x10-review-463.php


 

 

 

 

 

 

New E71 Software Now Available - Changelog Here

Was synchronizing my E71 when I got a pleasant surprise - I got a message that new software for my e71 is now available!

My previous version was 410.21.010 and the new version is 500.21.009.

I am upgrading right now and will be posting my initial impressions after I try it out.

Stay tuned.

Here is the changelog:

Change Log for Nokia E71:

NEW FUNCTIONALITIES:
Following baselines/functionalities have been upgraded.
•    Maps 3.03 Lite which has Free Navigation support
•    Music Player upgrade
•    Quick Office v6.2 which has Office 2007 support
•    Ovi Store upgraded to 1.6.0.18 and Download! Removed
•    Lotus Notes traveler v8.5.1 -> Localization support is present only for 10 languages.

CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS:

•    Windows Live removed from the memory card
•    Ovi Suite included in Memory card
•    CS Helps baseline upgraded to fix localization issues
•    Start Up settings baseline upgraded
•    Ovi Store Link provided in “Set Up Internet Telephony”
•    Download! removed
GENERAL
•    Portuguese Localization issues fixed
•    Functionality improvements in E-mail configuration
•    Qwerty keypad improvements

CALL HANDLING
•    Emergency call termination with RSK key corrected
•    Corrected Bluetooth link drop when an outgoing call is made in a carkit

CALENDAR/CLOCK
•    Fix for Israel written instead of Jerusalem in World Clock
•    Corrected Argentina names issue in World Clock
•    Corrected localization issues in world clock

BROWSER
•    CMCC Java application download corrected
•    Fix provided for accessing a link that has appended space characters

EMAIL
•    Fix provided for selecting desired mailbox when multiple mailboxes are configured

QWERTY KEYBOARD
•    Key mapping issues fixed

MESSAGING
•    Nokia IM chat: Localization support provided for Malay and Indonesian languages

A New Object Of My Desire - The Samsung Galaxy S

It is so hard to turn a blind eye to all these newfangled stuff coming around.

Maybe I should stop reading my RSS feeds because knowing what's on the horizon tends to create a feeling of anticipation despite trying to pretend that I don't need anything new.

Case in point is the Android invasion. I have been wanting a Android for the longest time but I am stopped in my tracks each and every time I see the memory on the phones. I wanted the HTC Desire even before it hit the Philippine shores and now that it's here, I saw the spec sheet and all my desire faded away.

The problem now is that I went to Globe Trinoma last weekend with my eldest daughter, a sort of Daddy day with her. My purpose there was to just load my Gcash account to keep my prepaid line alive but I always get the latest matrix from Smart, Globe and Sun whenever I am near their shops. Call it a sort of technological masochism.

So I get the matrix, then I also collected the brochures - yes it's like an addiction, and I make the mistake of picking up the brochure of the Samsung Galaxy S which is currently a Globe exclusive.

My first reaction when I read the specs was THIS IS IT! My Android phone has arrived.

Why is this the case? Well my problem with the other Androids had to do with the small onboard memory. This Samsung I9000 Galaxy S has 2GB ROM, 512 RAM and 8 or 16 GB Storage in the phone. Not unlike my Omnia I8000 which is 16 GB of pure bliss.

Some other great features of the Galaxy is the screen which is 4 inches worth of SUPER AMOLED. Granting, it is a bit less than my HD2 which has 4.3 inches of screen real estate but that's a bit more than the I800 at 3.7 inches.

Fast forward to today. In an attempt to make my vision board work overtime, I downloaded many photos of the phone and read all the reviews.

GREAT! One review states that this is probably the BEST PHONE IN THE WORLD!!! How can I resist??

Come August 2, the exclusivity of Globe will end, which means that my friendly neighborhood cellphone store will put it online at outrageous prices. If I can resist it for a few weeks (which is easy because I have no money to buy it anyway) the price will go down by about 20%. I can't wait....

Footnote: My only worries about the Android has to do with proper syncing with Office 2010 in a way that will not screw up the data on my Windows Mobile phones. Thankfully, the HTC HD3 is on the horizon and is one of the incoming Windows 7 smart phones. With all these new phones, the Iphone 4 is going to get a run for its money.

Some links:

GSM Arena Galaxy S Page

Mobile Phones UK Review Of the Galaxy

GSM Arena HD3 Rumors Page

The Sun Broadband Wireless Speed Of The Day

Gave Sun a couple of days to do something but to no avail.

Here is the SBW Scorching Speed Of The Day

SBW Sun Broadband Wireless Mounting User Complaints

Digitel and Sun have apparently been turning a deaf ear to the growing multitudes of people complaining about their service. They have lost so many subscribers already and they still have not pulled their ads, nor fixed their problems.

Read all about the user complaints here:

Sun Broadband Wireless Users Thread on TipidPC


THE SCORCHING SPEEDS OF THE 3 MBPS SBW SUN BROADBAND WIRELESS

PLEASE SHARE YOUR COMPLAINTS, EXPERIENCES AND COMMENTS ABOUT SBW SUN BROADBAND WIRELESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

I'll send the forum links to SUN to see if they can do the decent thing and act on our complaints once and for all.

SBW Sun Broadband Wireless - The Punishment Continues

I haven't written in a while about SBW or Sun Broadband Wireless, but that's not because there was no problem, but because I was happily using my 2 MBPS PLDT that I hardly used my SBW.

The times that I used it though, were sobering reminders of how bad their service was, a fact that I remember with anger, whenever I pay their 1899 bill every month. I have a 3mbps plan and they are giving me speeds that are SLOWER THAN DIAL UP!

So from this point onwards, I will keep on posting my speedtest everyday, until I either get the speeds I am paying 1899 for (3 MBPS) or Sun refunds my money which I have been paying for over a year.

One last point, this is really maddening because I do a lot of business with Sun, paying 6 thousand pesos monthly to them. I can take the occasional bad connections with SUN but the SUN Broadband Wireless is something I cannot take and it makes me feel that I am being cheated every month. How much is my internet worth??

0.19 MBPS for 1399??

I'm Back! The Power Of A Vision Board

The Secret Website

I'm back after an extended absence. Been working nearly 16 hours a day over the past 10 months or so to get things going on the finance side. Thankfully things are a lot better now.

In connection with my humble success, I want to share with everyone here the power of the vision board.

I'm sure many of you have heard of "The Secret". To me it was a nice movie and book which showed techniques like visualization and vision boards to make things happen. I was impressed enough to try and make a vision folder on my PC. This was were I put all the things I wanted from tech stuff to cars. I would visit this folder every so often, add some pictures and remove others as my dreams changed.


Then in a series of events straight out of the Celestine Prophecy (which states that nothing happens by chance, that everything happens for a reason), I got a new client for my writing gigs and we got to emailing back and forth about vision boards.

Imagine my surprise when she mentioned that she had not only met one of the people in THE SECRET movie, but she was able to attend a party at the very house he had pointed out in the movie. At that moment, I realized that life had just let me in on seeing THE SECRET in action!

So I promptly checked out my vision folder and  to my surprise, I got nearly 80% of all the things in my folder. And mind you a lot of these items were just stuff I dreamed of having. It included an Omnia 2, an HTC HD2, a six core processor (instead of a Core i7) and a lot more. I am still waiting for my Expedition, Nissan Skyline Crossover, Skyline R35 and Ducati... hey the book said dream big.

There was actually a list where I put some items I wanted that were actually not things you buy but things you receive and on that point, I received nearly 100% of what I asked for.

The basic principle of The Secret was to ask and you shall receive and believe me, it works.


Check out the movie and read the book.