HTC's HD7 Is Very Desirable

[Brad Wasson]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.tmonews.com/2010/10/hd7-caught-on-video-will-include-dobly-mobile-sound/' target='_blank'>http://www.tmonews.com/2010/10/hd7-...y-mobile-sound/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"In addition, the tipster also provided a full spec sheet confirming a 1GHz processor, 8GB of storage, a 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, quad-band radio frequencies, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and more. More interestingly, in one of the leaked documents, there is also mention of "Dolby Mobile Sound"."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1286281345.usr110171.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>My my. Wouldn't this smartphone be a nice companion. Although the HTC HD7 has been widely leaked in these days leading up to the launch of Windows Phone 7, every time we get to see it in a new perspective it looks better and better. TmoNews certainly seems to like what they see, and I agree. Wonder if we will actually get this in North America?</p>

[Fritzly]

I fail to see how 8GB of non swappable storage is better than the 16GB swappable one in my HD2.....

[benjimen]

Needs more RAM, 8gb doesn't make sense, especially when you can't add more.

That's what happens when clowns are steering the ship :D http://goo.gl/1bfO

[efjay]

I fail to see how 8GB of non swappable storage is better than the 16GB swappable one in my HD2.....

Especially when the device amounts to nothing more than an HD2 with a different shell and OS. Far from desirable IMO.

[vangrieg]

I don't think that RAM matters really per se, especially in an OS that doesn't multitask and may be well optimized for what the device has.

8GB is indeed ridiculous though. There's no way I'll agree to such a tiny amount of non-upgradeable storage. And this is supposed to be a media- and game-centric device. Go figure. It almost appears like HTC doesn't want WP7 to succeed.

[Adan Galvan]

I really am torn on this one. One the one hand it looks really nice, on the other it's not much of an upgrade (and in some cases this is a downgrade).

Plus:
- Windows Phone 7!
- Dolby Sound ( I wonder if this is hardware)
- Wireless N

Minus:
- 8GB storage

I don't actually use very much storage, and even I can see running into that amount very quickly.

[virain]

I fail to see how 8GB of non swappable storage is better than the 16GB swappable one in my HD2.....
Isn't that a MS idea, that you have all your files stored somewhere in a cloud, and pull them out as you need it? In this case you don't need too much storage on board, as cloud virtually unlimited. As I remember that was the original concept behind WinPhone 7, but I guess it was lost somewhere during this dificult road from concept to production version :(

[benjimen]

Isn't that a MS idea, that you have all your files stored somewhere in a cloud, and pull them out as you need it?...

Even so, 8GB is nothing. While you might have a lot of stuff in the cloud, much of it as a backup to your on-board files, 16GB should be considered a bare minimum -- though even that number is moving more towards 32GB.

[Fritzly]

Isn't that a MS idea, that you have all your files stored somewhere in a cloud, and pull them out as you need it? In this case you don't need too much storage on board, as cloud virtually unlimited. As I remember that was the original concept behind WinPhone 7, but I guess it was lost somewhere during this dificult road from concept to production version :(

I do not know if this was MS idea but nevertheless it is a terrible idea. Up to a certain extent I could agree that the idea to sync devices through the so called cloud could be interersting but store all my data in the cloud? No thanks.

Besides all the carriers are ending the "Unlimited data" plans so either way MS and the carriers concoited this idea, the former to gain support for the device and latter to squeeze even more money from users and in this case they will fall together or MS just missed foreseeing the end of these plans and this would be a further example of the lack of long term strategy by the upper management.

Finally was not this also the so-called strategy for Kin?......

"Errare humanum est, sed perseverare diabolicum" (to err is human, but to persist, in the mistake, is diabolical)

[MadSci]

It's a rediculous step backwards. As mentioned, it may work, but only because the OS is so limited in it's capabilities compared to WM6.5

Clearly though, the lack of removable memory is driven by the desire for increased profits. Inadequate on board memory = $ for 'Cloud Storage' and even more $ for the bandwidth necessary to access and store it.

Obviously MS and the Carriers are hoping that the great unwashed public, not the WM cognicenti, will actually think this is a good phone, side by side with the iPhone. Good luck with that!

"Windows Mobile 7 - Using yesterday's technology today, for a better tomorrow!"

good slogan eh!

[alese]

Had a bit of hands on time with this device last week (European version).

Couple of thoughts.
- big phone, big screen (but nice though), responsive (multitouch works well)
- really thin
- nice build quality, looks really nice, feels really nice, I would say nicer than HD2
- the build in stand is a nice touch
- I don't think RAM is an issue, it runs just one APP at the time anyway
- UI on WP7 is just great, completely different, but works great in use (for most part)
- I like the minimalistic look and feel of the UI
- some hiccups (stalls) when navigating the UI, but still mostly fast and smooth
- Internet explorer works fine, has TABs, but there is no Flash support
- some strange UI decisions
For instance, to get to the phone you have to go to the home screen, select the tile for the phone and then select the dialer - if this is a phone not a PC, as Microsoft is saying, then they sure made it more difficult to use it as a phone - on my TP2 I press the phone button and I'm in the dialer.
Also the dialer doesn't have "smart dial" feature, to quickly find people from your contact list.
- I guess you will have to get used to different paradigm for using device - instead of using dialer I guess the "correct" way would be, to press the search button and do a search for the person you want to call...

About the storage - 8GB is small if you want to use your phone for multimedia and having everything "in the cloud" is not always the solution. For instance streaming multimedia from the cloud would kill the battery really quickly, and what if you don't have the connection (poor coverage) or if you are in another country (prices for data roaming are high)...
I guess this is just the first device. If WP7 devices will sell, HTC (and others) will make versions with more storage.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

- some strange UI decisions
For instance, to get to the phone you have to go to the home screen, select the tile for the phone and then select the dialer - if this is a phone not a PC, as Microsoft is saying, then they sure made it more difficult to use it as a phone - on my TP2 I press the phone button and I'm in the dialer.
Also the dialer doesn't have "smart dial" feature, to quickly find people from your contact list.
- I guess you will have to get used to different paradigm for using device - instead of using dialer I guess the "correct" way would be, to press the search button and do a search for the person you want to call...


Oh well, that's what I miss from current generation of smartphones; can we please have standard call and hang up buttons?

[efjay]

Not sure why this "cloud" storage is being mentioned everywhere, the only cloud connection for media would be if you use a Zune pass to stream music, nowhere has it been mentioned that you will be able to stream your own media files from some remote location. In fact, MS has specifically said the only way to get content onto a WP7 device is via sycing with a PC using the Zune software, so unless they are planning this as a surprise (that'll go down well) I am attributing the lack of onboard storage to OEM' s being too cheap to go with higher storage amounts (LG's E900 being the exception) rather than any push to propose cloud storage as a suitable alternative.

[Fritzly]

In fact, MS has specifically said the only way to get content onto a WP7 device is via sycing with a PC using the Zune software, so unless they are planning this as a surprise (that'll go down well).

Wait a moment, are you sure about this? And how people are supposed to sync Office documents? Zune does not, rightly I would say, include the ability to interact with Office docs.

Not that I would like the idea to sync my Office docs through the cloud anyway so even MS should have foreseen some evolution of WMDC to sync a business desktop or laptop with the device via USB. Do they expect that people traveling abroad pay ridiculous roaming fees to do it?