Should I (not) buy this phone ?

[Guest csc12345678]

I was thinking of getting this phone but after reading this forum, I'm getting apprehensive about it. I read on other website, this phone was OK but from what I read here, seem like there are problems with this phone. Read one entry in this forum saying that this phone is full of problems. Can somebody tell me is this phone really that bad ? Has anyone got no complaints with this phone ? Or all problems ?

Thanks for any advice.

[Guest Mancom]

hi.

I moved for graphite from tornado 2 moths ago and I'm very very happy! I didn't get any problems with it. Signal is very strong, I don't have any reconnection problems (Vodafone in Ireland). It didn't loose any buttons. I'm listening a lot of music on it so battery problem doesn't bother me.

Other things, phone is much much faster than tornado, you can feel it in Internet Explorer browsing big pages.

Quality of outer speaker is better than in tornado, but is not so laud.

If you will have any q. just ask.

Mancom.

[Guest csc12345678]

This is very encouraging indeed. Tornado is equivalent to Dopod 577W, better than my Dopod 585.

Thanks for your offer to help. I have this problem with Dopod 585 and I wonder if the Graphite has it also..

1. If you connect the earpiece to the phone, does the phone ring only in the earpiece or on the phone as well ? What happens is that when I connect the earpiece, I cannot set the ring too loud or I go deaf. But the phone rings very soft. SO when I'm in the office if I listen to MP3 and then I take out the earpiece from my ear, I can't hear it ring.

2. The volume control does not seem to work when I've calling out or receive a call. Once I speak, I change the volume, it stays the same even though the volume bar shows changes to the volume. But this does not happen all the time, but most of the time.

3. The camera does not perform well in low light, eg evening in the gardens. Ok indoors at night but the picture is dull.

When you say that the speaker phone is not so loud. Are you able to make a call using the speakerphone:

- in a mall

- on the road in the City

- in the tube (is that what it's called in Ireland ?)

- handsfree in the car ?

Actually, I don't take much calls, I just the phone more for watching lectures encoded using DivX and listen to MP3 lectures. Many times, I use the earpiece. When I want to use the speakerphone, I attach an external speaker to the phone to listen (that's how bad my Dopod 585 speaker is).

When I saw the Graphite, I thought it would be a good phone to upgrade to as it's similar to my Dopod but with more memory (I can't run John Cody's alerts! on Dopod 585... not enough memory), faster CPU (may be able to solve problem 2), has wireless (In Singapore, we have free wireless "island wide"), etc. And it's my only hope as there isn't many Smartphone nowadays. I find the Asus P525 a little wide for my liking. SO when I read the bad comments.... sigh. Thanks for your feedback.

For the rest, I do want the problems also... so that I'm prepared to accept these problems when I buy it.

Thanks very much.

[Guest Mancom]

Hi.

Well, I read about that phone, took the risk and now no regret, I'm happy with it.

ad 1, with headphones connected phone rings as well, you can set the volume in headphones profile and set Vibrate and Ring, this will solve all your problems in that matter.

ad 2, this happend, when receiving call keyboard was locked, I think in aku 2.6.1 this is solved becouse this never happened to me with Graphite.

ad 3, in Graphite is 2MP camera, and it is not bad, you can find some reviews of it on Internet, which say camera in dark is better than on tornado. There is a flash light as well.

I never used a loudspeaker before so I can't tell you. Speakerphone is loud enaugh to hear. I use headphones to listen to music and use it to make calls, it is ok and laud.

If you will find it not laud enough for mp3 you can install Pocket Player which has an extra option to increase pre-amp. Then phone is very very laud for music.

Other thing, how many you can find 3G smartphones around??

There is no tube in Ireland, there is a undergroud but in uk ;-)

Mancom

This is very encouraging indeed. Tornado is equivalent to Dopod 577W, better than my Dopod 585.

Thanks for your offer to help. I have this problem with Dopod 585 and I wonder if the Graphite has it also..

1. If you connect the earpiece to the phone, does the phone ring only in the earpiece or on the phone as well ? What happens is that when I connect the earpiece, I cannot set the ring too loud or I go deaf. But the phone rings very soft. SO when I'm in the office if I listen to MP3 and then I take out the earpiece from my ear, I can't hear it ring.

2. The volume control does not seem to work when I've calling out or receive a call. Once I speak, I change the volume, it stays the same even though the volume bar shows changes to the volume. But this does not happen all the time, but most of the time.

3. The camera does not perform well in low light, eg evening in the gardens. Ok indoors at night but the picture is dull.

When you say that the speaker phone is not so loud. Are you able to make a call using the speakerphone:

- in a mall

- on the road in the City

- in the tube (is that what it's called in Ireland ?)

- handsfree in the car ?

Actually, I don't take much calls, I just the phone more for watching lectures encoded using DivX and listen to MP3 lectures. Many times, I use the earpiece. When I want to use the speakerphone, I attach an external speaker to the phone to listen (that's how bad my Dopod 585 speaker is).

When I saw the Graphite, I thought it would be a good phone to upgrade to as it's similar to my Dopod but with more memory (I can't run John Cody's alerts! on Dopod 585... not enough memory), faster CPU (may be able to solve problem 2), has wireless (In Singapore, we have free wireless "island wide"), etc. And it's my only hope as there isn't many Smartphone nowadays. I find the Asus P525 a little wide for my liking. SO when I read the bad comments.... sigh. Thanks for your feedback.

For the rest, I do want the problems also... so that I'm prepared to accept these problems when I buy it.

Thanks very much.

[Guest csc12345678]

I want to thank you first before I forget.

ad 1, with headphones connected phone rings as well, you can set the volume in headphones profile and set Vibrate and Ring, this will solve all your problems in that matter.

But does it ring on the phone as well ? In my office, I don't want to keep unplugging in and taking the earpiece out. I need to move around in the office, not very far away that I need to bring my phone with me. So I like to hear the phone ring when somebody calls me.

If you will find it not laud enough for mp3 you can install Pocket Player which has an extra option to increase pre-amp. Then phone is very very laud for music.

I use TCPMP on my 585. When I try to boost the volume by increasing the pre-amp, the sound cracks. I think it's a physical limitation of the speaker. But I do think it's a Dopod problem (or the specs they gave to HTC for manufacturing the phone is no good). My friend has a O2 II and he says the speaker phone is loud. So I hope this Graphite is good also. Manufactured by Asus.

There is no tube in Ireland, there is a undergroud but in uk ;-)

Yes.. undergroud in UK. I've been there ;-)

[Guest Mancom]

Hi.

Sorry, I was very busy.

I made an experiment, I pluged in headphones, left phone on table and I ring it from my other phone. Phone was ringing as well, maybe not to laud but I have ring volume set up to "3" in headphones profile. You could set it to "Laud" and it should be ok for you.

Well, about the speaker in Asus, it has a lot of spare power I would say. I use Pocket Player with pre-amp increase +2 and in this state, speaker shows what it can!! It`s a clear, good sound with a bit of bass and treble. For me it sounds great with no cracking.

Hope, you will find it ok and you will be happy with it :)

Mancom

I want to thank you first before I forget.

But does it ring on the phone as well ? In my office, I don't want to keep unplugging in and taking the earpiece out. I need to move around in the office, not very far away that I need to bring my phone with me. So I like to hear the phone ring when somebody calls me.

I use TCPMP on my 585. When I try to boost the volume by increasing the pre-amp, the sound cracks. I think it's a physical limitation of the speaker. But I do think it's a Dopod problem (or the specs they gave to HTC for manufacturing the phone is no good). My friend has a O2 II and he says the speaker phone is loud. So I hope this Graphite is good also. Manufactured by Asus.

Yes.. undergroud in UK. I've been there ;-)

[Guest csc12345678]

Thanks for the reply and the experiment. Appreciated.

Hi.

Sorry, I was very busy.

I made an experiment, I pluged in headphones, left phone on table and I ring it from my other phone. Phone was ringing as well, maybe not to laud but I have ring volume set up to "3" in headphones profile. You could set it to "Laud" and it should be ok for you.

Well, about the speaker in Asus, it has a lot of spare power I would say. I use Pocket Player with pre-amp increase +2 and in this state, speaker shows what it can!! It`s a clear, good sound with a bit of bass and treble. For me it sounds great with no cracking.

Hope, you will find it ok and you will be happy with it :)

Mancom