30 replies to this topic

[MMasia]

Hi all

Just returned from a little shopping trip with a lovely new toy :-)

Seems the HTC Touch Diamond was released today in Hong Kong, the area I was in had them in most of the shops, though they were selling out fast.

First impressions are very positive, its cooooool!

Having gone from an iphone to a touch dual to this in the last 6 months it gives me room for comparison.

It is the most 'un-windows mobile' windows mobile experience I have ever had, its quick and responsive. However, don't be expecting it to be responsive like the iphone, it simply isn't (afterall this is still windows mobile, just with an overlay). But... it looks amazing, size is great and the 3d touch flo is nice and snappy. Two things I notice that are as good as the iphone are the touch keyboard, which even though the screen is smaller it really is excellent and the screen itself is so sharp, the vga display really makes this phone stunning to use. Opera is included and ready to use, the experience is great coming from netfront 3.5 on my touch dual, it's not as good at scrolling and moving as safari is, but it is the best browsing you will get on WM. Opera ocassionally twitches a little and moves the page in an odd way, but still very very good. The 7.2mbps HSDPA really does shift, the built in youtube application has videos playing almost instantly.

It's currently pulling all my contacts and settings back through dashwire but will post some more indepth thoughts on this release version as soon as I can.

And here it is:

[Ston]

Hi, I'm landing in HK tomorrow. Do you mind if I ask how much it was and where you got it from?

Regards

[MMasia]

Ston, on May 31 2008, 10:51, said:

Hi, I'm landing in HK tomorrow. Do you mind if I ask how much it was and where you got it from?

Regards

Sure, they are $5500 HKD and got it in Mongkok.

[Esko]

Yello
Would like to know if it comes with a case or not? There has been some conflictuous reports about this.

Thanks in advance, Esko

[PaulOBrien]

Sweet!

P

[awarner]

Not a bad price at all, good £80 cheaper than the UK.

[MMasia]

Esko, on May 31 2008, 21:12, said:

Yello
Would like to know if it comes with a case or not? There has been some conflictuous reports about this.

Thanks in advance, Esko

Hi

No case with it.

Just phone, cool looking charger, headset, spare stylus and some instructions.


Stu

[xzces]

Hi there, congrats on your new phone

I've read several things about the 4 hardware buttons below the screen. That they look like touch sensitive buttons but are actually just regular buttons. Can you give us some info about that?

Also great to hear about the on-screen keyboard. It was a main issue for me between getting the diamond in a week or 2 or waiting 3 more months for the Raphael. (That and the raphael's tv-out, but that's not really important with 4gb I guess)

[MMasia]

xzces, on Jun 1 2008, 01:37, said:

Hi there, congrats on your new phone

I've read several things about the 4 hardware buttons below the screen. That they look like touch sensitive buttons but are actually just regular buttons. Can you give us some info about that?

Also great to hear about the on-screen keyboard. It was a main issue for me between getting the diamond in a week or 2 or waiting 3 more months for the Raphael. (That and the raphael's tv-out, but that's not really important with 4gb I guess)

Yes, they are hardware buttons. The plate over the bottom section kinda pushes down in that area, although I agree they do look like touch sensitive buttons. It's not like any advanced technology here, just a piece of plastic that can push in four areas. If that makes sense :-)

[MMasia]

awarner (MVP), on May 31 2008, 21:45, said:

Not a bad price at all, good £80 cheaper than the UK.

And that price is kinda first day price, they are being strict on it. Expect that to be about $5400 (350 quid) in fortress (dixons like shop) and down to $4500 (290 quid) ish in the smaller specialist centres in a few weeks time, always seems to be the pattern with new release handsets here.

[bosuul]

Does it have TomTom installed on it?

[MMasia]

bosuul, on Jun 1 2008, 09:57, said:

Does it have TomTom installed on it?

No it doesn't, and it is not supplied on the cds either. They just have spb gprs monitor and a talking dictionary.

The only gps related things on it are the quick gps download assistant and some settings.

[painkill]

what is the amount of ram? 128 or 192?

[mydexterid]

Can you pls run a benchmark on the device? Like SpbBenchmark? I'm really corious about the 2d/3d capabilities of this device.

[Ovie]

Do you have the whole 4GB to use or is some of the memory taken up already?

[Phill Tucker]

It's appearence looks better than the iphone too. I get the over all impression you appreciate it better than the Iphone - is there a huge difference or is it just slightly better?

[MMasia]

painkill, on Jun 1 2008, 14:25, said:

what is the amount of ram? 128 or 192?

It has 192MB ram split 113 to programs and 82 to storage by default. Only has 41MB free in program memory with nothing extra running.

[MMasia]

mydexterid, on Jun 1 2008, 14:34, said:

Can you pls run a benchmark on the device? Like SpbBenchmark? I'm really corious about the 2d/3d capabilities of this device.

Hi,

I tried spb benchmark and it wouldn't install, just some unknown error. That could be because I don't use windows computers at home and had to extract the cab from the exe. I will try and install it at work tomorrow.

I will be testing it with some games and emulators tomorrow to see what it can and can't play.

[siksik6]

I'm warming considerable to the diamond, but I think i'm going to wait for the alleged iPhone announcement on the 9th before I vote with my wallet!

[MMasia]

Ovie, on Jun 1 2008, 14:39, said:

Do you have the whole 4GB to use or is some of the memory taken up already?

It comes with 3800 meg free in the internal storage. It is named 'internal storage' in the system in most places, but some bits still refer to it as storage card, i assume it's just an internally fitted micro sd.