iPhone 3G v HTC Diamond v Sony Experia X1

wiiksie · #1 (**permalink**) 23rd July 2008, 10:50 AM

My next phone is going to be one of these three, at the moment I'm going for the iPhone 3G as soon as they are back in stock.

Anybody got one of the 3 phones? Any comments?

iPhone 3G

HTC Diamond

Sony X1

Walk On · #2 (**permalink**) 23rd July 2008, 03:36 PM

I've got the 3G iPhone and it truly is the dog's bollocks. Providing you're in a 3G area and you have good reception with O2 the I can heartily recommend it.

That Sony is a bit of alright though... and their software is really really good. Heard nothing but good thing about it, although never actually tried it myself.

The pros for the iPhone are obvious... here are the cons that I've noticed after having it for a fortnight (ish).

Camera: No flash, no zoom, doesn't do video, only 2mp. Basically it's WANK.

Bluetooth: Doesn't really 'do' bluetooth as such. You can have it linked nicely to other devices (headsets, Macs) but you can't use b'tooth to send pics, music etc to other phones. Something worth considering when you think about how you'll transfer your contact list. Software update might fix this in the future.

Battery life is bad.

Oh.... have a look on itunes at the applications store. It's fucking fantastic and you can download and install the sublime as well as the ridiculous. Mainly for free.

Make no mistake, the iPhone is fucking excellent. Can't put it down.

wiiksie · #3 (**permalink**) 23rd July 2008, 04:40 PM

Thanks for the opinion, Walk On.

Im not that fussed about the camera, but the bluetooth thing is a bit shit (again, not something I'd use a great deal but I would have thought it was a standard feature to be able to send files + contact details).

I'm more interested in the touch interface, the GPS and 3G and also web browsing wirelessly. Seems the iPhone does all these quite well? Is there a version of TomTom for iPhone yet?

Walk On · #4 (**permalink**) 23rd July 2008, 05:08 PM

Web browsing is a delight. Really fast wirelessly (you can watch BBC iplayer programs and it won't skip a beat), and it's pretty impressive on 3G. I'm working in London and the Edge network is very outstanding.

The interface is fantastic. The touch-screen keyboard takes a bit of getting used to, but once you trust it it's really good (it replaces what you've actually typed with what it thinks you meant to type. It's usually right, and it learns when it's wrong). For general use the touchscreen is fantastic.

GPS is good but there's no sat-nav just yet. Seems to be a logical progression and it wouldn't surprise me if there's already on in the app store. You can kind of do it with googlemaps and the gps... but it's a bit slow so perhaps not good for driving about. On the plus side... if you ask it to find you and then put "pub" into the search box, it shows you your nearest drinking establishment!

Owen · #5 (**permalink**) 23rd July 2008, 05:53 PM

This being the TNF, wouldn't you be more likely to ask it to find you a Warhammer shop than a pub?

Flying Pig · #6 (**permalink**) 23rd July 2008, 10:09 PM

Wait for the Samsung i900 Omnia, known in the trade as the "iphone killer" (due out August) or try the Samsung Tocca.

hamstrung · #7 (**permalink**) 23rd July 2008, 10:36 PM

Get the middle one. Grace Fuller looks fit.

sm9 · #8 (**permalink**) 23rd July 2008, 10:43 PM

I read somewhere that Apple had deliberately done something with the hardware or software so the iPhone couldn't be used as a Sat Nav.

Walk On - can you get 3G access in Liverpool city centre? I can't even get EDGE there with my first generation iPhone.

Does the 3G really make a difference? Is web browsing with 3G similar to browsing with wireless?

Ste

Walk On · #9 (**permalink**) 24th July 2008, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by sm9

I read somewhere that Apple had deliberately done something with the hardware or software so the iPhone couldn't be used as a Sat Nav.

Walk On - can you get 3G access in Liverpool city centre? I can't even get EDGE there with my first generation iPhone.

Does the 3G really make a difference? Is web browsing with 3G similar to browsing with wireless?

Ste

I haven't heard anything about Apple fiddling so it wouldn't act a sat-nav... but it's possible. I also don't know if those other phones have it either. The iPhone software has been opened up massively though, hence the App Store, so I wouldn't imagine that sat-nav would be too hard to muster.

Having not been to Liverpool in a while I don't yet know if 3G works there. UK coverage - Services - O2 shows you O2's general coverage and Liverpool looks like it has 3G.

3G is a lot lot faster than GPRS, and the 3G network seems to have been rolled out across the country pretty much (the mobile companies paid a LOT of money to the Govt for the 3G licenses so it stands to reason that they'd make the most of it, especially as their now getting arse-raped over network charges), but we're not talking anything like broadband. Edge is similar to a 1mb broadband connection I'd say.

The Tocco is a nice piece of kit as well. If I didn't have the iPhone I think I'd have gone for the Sony though... can't really get on with Samsungs.

wiiksie · #10 (**permalink**) 24th July 2008, 11:34 AM

None of the Windows Mobile devices will kill the iPhone, as they have to run proprietary kit on top of Windows Mobile 6.1 to get the touch screen interface to work.

Check out some of the tech demos of the Windows phones, very sluggish response to fingering (oo-er) the screen. I can't be done with that, so the native interface of the iPhone is the winner for me so far.

Walk On · #11 (**permalink**) 24th July 2008, 11:48 AM

But the Sony software is currently unsoiled by the Windows Mobile poop. Although I understand that they're getting together to try and beat Apple. Or is that Nokia?!

Windows Mobile is tragic.

wiiksie · #12 (**permalink**) 24th July 2008, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Walk On

But the Sony software is currently unsoiled by the Windows Mobile poop. Although I understand that they're getting together to try and beat Apple. Or is that Nokia?!

Windows Mobile is tragic.

The Sony X1 is built on WM 6.1 mate.

Thants · #13 (**permalink**) 24th July 2008, 12:23 PM

Whats the availability of iphones in Brighton like Mr Weeks? I was hoping to get one asap.

wiiksie · #14 (**permalink**) 24th July 2008, 12:28 PM

i am a spack

wiiksie · #15 (**permalink**) 24th July 2008, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Thants

Whats the availability of iphones in Brighton like Mr Weeks? I was hoping to get one asap.

Me too Nick, but you've got two hopes down here at the mo.

However, I've got a mate who works for Deloitte in london village, he reckons there are loads available up there.

But I'm going to wait until I can get the white 16Gb model (white is the new black etc etc).

Thants · #16 (**permalink**) 24th July 2008, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by wiiksie

Me too Nick, but you've got two hopes down here at the mo.

However, I've got a mate who works for Delliote in london village, he reckons there are loads available up there.. But I'm going to wait until I can get the white 16Gb model (white is the new black etc etc).

Drat.

Originally Posted by wiiksie

Me too Nick, but you've got two hopes down here at the mo.

However, I've got a mate who works for Deloitte in london village, he reckons there are loads available up there.

But I'm going to wait until I can get the white 16Gb model (white is the new black etc etc).

I said Drat! Not sure about the white one, it'll get too mucky. Lemee know if you hear anything.