Dual SHOCK - is this the best Windows Mobile device ever?

[Guest greenturtle]

This phone is amazing.

I have never owned a phone as powerful as this and I am just completely in love with this device.

Bluetooth A2DP on my old Wizard was so unreliable and jumpy! I could only listen to music and had to pause the track every time I received a text. With the Dual I can send text messages, fiddle with Touch-flo and a lot more without a single jump! Phenomenal.

I second that Paul. This is the best Windows Mobile Device ever.

[Guest muldered]

Has a review of the Touch Dual been put up on Modaco yet? I've seen most of the reviews elsewhere on the 'net, but would like to read one from you, Paul?

I've been on Orange for about 7 years, and after having the C500, C550 and the C600 went back to Sony Ericsson (K800) as there were no other small-ish handsets available. BIG MISTAKE :-( It's not in the same league, and whilst I love the camera side of things, this is less useful than being able to store an address correctly, or being able to have a properly working calendar etc etc. Anyway, moving to T-Mobile as soon as this comes out (Touch Plus, whatever) in January. Unlimited data...hmmm 1Gb or 30Mb...tough decision.

This phone is so good it made me register at last... :(

[Guest neilg]

Well, ho ho ho to everyone, hope Santa got you all what you wanted!

Since I am back at work, after my week and a bit with my 20 Key touch I have gone back to my Samsung SGH-i600 and unfortunately I have to confess I am just a Win Mo standard king of a chap, after 10 minutes with my old phone I just like it better. I really wish there was a nice new toy to replace my i600 but it just does everything i want! (GPS one day would be nice though!)

I guess since I started back here on Modaco with a Sendo Z100 (blast from the past) I have had various WinMo Standard (smartphone) and Win Mo Professional (PPC) devices but I am definitely not a touch screen person.... Old habits die hard so Win Mo Standard it is!

I have to say that my Touch Dual is without a doubt the best WiMo professional device I have ever used and as Paul stated earlier in this thread there is rarely any need to use the stylus, it is very well optimized for using by hand only. The HTC Homescreen and touch Flo are superb but for my personal requirements the full QWERTY of my i600 and good old Win Mo smartphone do the trick.

So, I haven't had time to take the photos and get it up on eBay yet but one 10 day old Touch Dual WWE (European) 20 Key will be up for sale in the proper section of Modaco later on this evening!

Please don't take this as a negative feedback on the Touch Dual - it really is superb, we all have our preferences and I just get on better with the Samsung at the moment, I am sure fo every one of me there is someone else for whom the Touch Dual is the perfect device!

Ok finally got around to listing this in the ebay section of this forum. Will throw in next day postage for free to registered MoDaCo Members

Edited December 28, 2007 by neilg

[Guest Tothotspur]

is the review up yet? i have sold my kaiser so i can buy one of these and i need some reassurance the 20 key is the right way to go

[Guest J273]

@Paul

After using both 20key and 16 key versions of the Dual which do yo prefer out of the 2 after having both for a little while?

Imstill undecied on which to go for. :(

Cheers

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Tough call, I like both! The a/c default thing is annoying!

P

[Guest Tothotspur]

Tough call, I like both! The a/c default thing is annoying!

P

thanks looks like the 20 key it is then

[Guest stump101]

Hi all. Hope you had a nice Christmas?

I've had the touch dual a few weeks and I'm really pleased with it. I've got a couple of issues maybe someone could help me with though.

Is there a way to stop my face/ear opening apps up whilst I’m on the phone? I've enabled the auto key lock but it doesn't work straight away. I've never had a touch screen phone before so apologies if it's obvious. I've tried searching the forum but had no luck. Maybe I just need to hold the phone differently?

I downloaded Opera mobile to give it a try. I've got a problem when I want to enter some text on a web page though. The phone keypad XT9 button is bound to the full-screen shortcut, so I can't switch to XT9 when I want to enter text. Is there a way to stop this?

Cheers.

[Guest afhstingray]

i just got an audio adaptor so i can use my headphones with it, sound quality is pretty good after messing around with the equalizer, but is there any way to get the screen to turn off while playing back music??

seems like a waste of battery life

thanks:)

[Guest StGeorge]

Hope it is as good as everyone says - mine arrives tomorrow :( it was an impulsive decision to order one but was then on the phone to O for an hour and a half which kind of took the edge off!

The way I see it, order it and give myself a week to make up my mind and if I dont like it just send it back to O! Fingers crossed!

Ed

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

I'm sure you'll love it! My wife loves hers... expect the annoying a/c XT9 input 'feature' :(

P

[Guest Doctor HRH]

Hi everyone,

I haven't posted much but I love this forum :D ! Time to let you know some initial thoughs on my Touch Dual.

Got mine at 8.30 this morning. It was weird - I was like a kid at Christmas, I woke up at 6.30 and couldn't get back to sleep cos I was too excited!

Firstly in reponse to afhstingray. just press the power off key, the screen turns off but the music player carries on.

On that note, I found that the included earphones are impressive - totally unexpected - so you can get a really nice bassy sound from them and the volume wheel on the wire gives you complete control of the level. You can adjust it in tiny in/decrements in an analogue stylee to the exact volume you want. I like that a lot.

SCARY AND WORRYING - I have to say one thing - I've noticed that the top left of the screen on 2 occasions in the last 2 hours (which is all I've had it) has shown a weird flickering as though there's something wrong with the pixels. I'll keep an eye on it, of course, and let you know how it goes.

It's definitely a nice device - beautiful form factor and impressively small. The touch FLO thing is great.

A few negatives, I'm sorry B) :

1. I'm quite disappointed that in Internet Explorer they still haven't added the functionality of multiple tabs within the same window. Is there an alternative browser I can install which offers this?

2. I don't think there's an auto-redial function on the phone. If the number you're calling is busy, there doesn't seem to be an option to make the ohone automatically keep trying. This has been standard on Nokias since the 3310 I think and my last phone, the P990i definitely had it. I used it a lot. Shame. Unless anyone knows of a third party app that would add this functionality?

3. The camera's nice and crisp on still pictures (i.e. where the object is not moving) BUT I tried for ages to get a good shot of my 2 year-old daughter. Absolutely no chance. The tiniest head movement and the picture came out blurred.

Well, so far I'm of mixed opinion, but please don't think I'm being negative, cos I'm not. I just had such hugely high expectations for this bad boy that I'm prone to being a bit disappointed if it lacks in some areas. After all this topic is about whether or not the Dual is the best Windows Mobile device ever. After using the Orange SPV M1000 and M2000, well frankly there's no comparison really - this is much better. BUT it's still not perfect.

I'll post an update soon for anyone who's interested.

So Ed, you couldn't wait then, eh?? :D

Feel free to ask me any questions, I'll do my best to help anyone. Of course most of the stuff has been covered nicely by Paul and all the others who've posted on here but you never know. Sometimes it's nice get different opinions I spose.

Anyway I'll stop waffling. :(

Cheers,

Harvey

I'm sure you'll love it! My wife loves hers... expect the annoying a/c XT9 input 'feature' :D

P

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

1. I'm quite disappointed that in Internet Explorer they still haven't added the functionality of multiple tabs within the same window. Is there an alternative browser I can install which offers this?

Use Opera Mini, Opera Mobile or one of the many add ons to IE (not free sadly?) that add tab functionality (e.g. MultiIE?)

2. I don't think there's an auto-redial function on the phone. If the number you're calling is busy, there doesn't seem to be an option to make the ohone automatically keep trying. This has been standard on Nokias since the 3310 I think and my last phone, the P990i definitely had it. I used it a lot. Shame. Unless anyone knows of a third party app that would add this functionality?

Never been available on WinMo... would be a nice add on. Shouldn't be THAT hard to write in fact for a keen developer? :(

3. The camera's nice and crisp on still pictures (i.e. where the object is not moving) BUT I tried for ages to get a good shot of my 2 year-old daughter. Absolutely no chance. The tiniest head movement and the picture came out blurred.

Low light is the cameraphone's nemesis - go somewhere brighter and it'll work fine :D 2 year olds also move a lot, as do 4 year olds like mine :D

P

[Guest cerij]

Well, ho ho ho to everyone, hope Santa got you all what you wanted!

Since I am back at work, after my week and a bit with my 20 Key touch I have gone back to my Samsung SGH-i600 and unfortunately I have to confess I am just a Win Mo standard king of a chap, after 10 minutes with my old phone I just like it better. I really wish there was a nice new toy to replace my i600 but it just does everything i want! (GPS one day would be nice though!)

I guess since I started back here on Modaco with a Sendo Z100 (blast from the past) I have had various WinMo Standard (smartphone) and Win Mo Professional (PPC) devices but I am definitely not a touch screen person.... Old habits die hard so Win Mo Standard it is!

I have to say that my Touch Dual is without a doubt the best WiMo professional device I have ever used and as Paul stated earlier in this thread there is rarely any need to use the stylus, it is very well optimized for using by hand only. The HTC Homescreen and touch Flo are superb but for my personal requirements the full QWERTY of my i600 and good old Win Mo smartphone do the trick.

So, I haven't had time to take the photos and get it up on eBay yet but one 10 day old Touch Dual WWE (European) 20 Key will be up for sale in the proper section of Modaco later on this evening!

Please don't take this as a negative feedback on the Touch Dual - it really is superb, we all have our preferences and I just get on better with the Samsung at the moment, I am sure fo every one of me there is someone else for whom the Touch Dual is the perfect device!

Ok finally got around to listing this in the ebay section of this forum. Will throw in next day postage for free to registered MoDaCo Members

Well, I could echo everything said - I too have an i600, and although the Touch Dual is a great device, it just doesn't hit the mark for me in terms of usability - I'm a very practical mobile user, I like to have the quickest and easiest way of making calls and sending messages. Having to use a mixture of fingertips, buttons and stylus just doesn't do it for me. So, look out for another Touch Dual in the For Sale section in due course...

[Guest StGeorge]

So Ed, you couldn't wait then, eh?? :(

Just couldnt resist it - couldnt justify the cost of an OEM 20 key - got an okay-ish deal from O for data so dont feel as though I have been stiched up too much, not as good as last year but better than nothing!

It is still a bit soon to make a definitive decision as to whether it is the best device ever but atm I am getting used to it - all synced up and ready to go, so if I can just get this work-lark out of the way then I will have a proper play! Just need to get the home screen looking like the HTC demos not Orange and I will be half way there!

As for tabbed browsing, couple of options I think - although I am sure someone who knows what they are talking about will correct me..... I think Opera supports tabbed browsing and there are various plugins for IE to add the feature!

Cheers

Ed

[Guest Doctor HRH]

Cool. Just setting mine up now for syncage.

Does anyone know how to stop it from charging the battery each time you plug it in to sync?

It's a criminally heinous waste of valuable charge cycles!

Cheers,

HRH

Just couldnt resist it - couldnt justify the cost of an OEM 20 key - got an okay-ish deal from O for data so dont feel as though I have been stiched up too much, not as good as last year but better than nothing!

It is still a bit soon to make a definitive decision as to whether it is the best device ever but atm I am getting used to it - all synced up and ready to go, so if I can just get this work-lark out of the way then I will have a proper play! Just need to get the home screen looking like the HTC demos not Orange and I will be half way there!

As for tabbed browsing, couple of options I think - although I am sure someone who knows what they are talking about will correct me..... I think Opera supports tabbed browsing and there are various plugins for IE to add the feature!

Cheers

Ed

[Guest StGeorge]

Cool. Just setting mine up now for syncage.

Does anyone know how to stop it from charging the battery each time you plug it in to sync?

It's a criminally heinous waste of valuable charge cycles!

Sync over bluetooth ;-) although perhaps not the answer you were looking for!

E

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

IIRC on the Dual there is an option in the 'Power' dialogue?

P

[Guest Doctor HRH]

Yep, it's in the Advanced tab.

Just needed to untick, "When device is turned on, do not charge the battery when connected to the PC."

This forum lark is ace. Questions answered almost immediately!! :(

Thanks Paul (and Ed)

H

IIRC on the Dual there is an option in the 'Power' dialogue?

P

[Guest Doctor HRH]

It's me again!

Just looking at the TouchFLO settings.

There's only one option - "Enable sound when finger scrolling and panning".

Forgive me if it's been talked about already but what sort of sound is it supposed to make and when?

I can't hear anything - and of course before you ask - Yes the volume is on max and works otherwise

Any ideas?

Cheers,

HRH

Edited January 3, 2008 by Doctor HRH

[Guest Disco Stu]

It's a clicking sound, like a ratchet or something similar.

Normally I'd find it annoying but it's rather cool when scrolling down my RSS feeds, I think.

[Guest nuttyphilt]

It's a clicking sound, like a ratchet or something similar.

Normally I'd find it annoying but it's rather cool when scrolling down my RSS feeds, I think.

I find it very annoying - first thing I did was switch it off!

[Guest Doctor HRH]

I find it very annoying - first thing I did was switch it off!

OK thanks. So you don't hear it when you're spinning the cube round etc in what some might controversially call "iPhone mode" ?

[Guest Doctor HRH]

Hi again,

Another issue I'm having is that I can't see how much 3G/GPRS data I've used.

I've searched the forum and googled it but either I'm being thick or there's no way of checking your data usage on the Touch Dual.

Please tell me it's the former :(

I'm also pretty confused by the way the symbol seems to switch randomly between 3G and H when I browse. And why does a timer start running?? I'm scared I'll get a huge bill next month! :D

Cheers,

H

[Guest neilg]

Hi again,

Another issue I'm having is that I can't see how much 3G/GPRS data I've used.

I've searched the forum and googled it but either I'm being thick or there's no way of checking your data usage on the Touch Dual.

Please tell me it's the former :(

I'm also pretty confused by the way the symbol seems to switch randomly between 3G and H when I browse. And why does a timer start running?? I'm scared I'll get a huge bill next month! :D

Cheers,

H

Hi H, if you look at the CDs that came with the touch dual there is a GPRS monitor software on there that give you data usage - you need to connect the phone to the PC via active sync andf then just install - I can't remember the name off it offhand, think it was Spbp monitor or somthing like that.