O2 Germany's Xda Star (Touch Dual) Reviewed

[Nurhisham Hussein]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theunwired.net/?item=review-o2-xda-star-windows-mobile-6-professional-smartphone' target='_blank'>http://www.theunwired.net/?item=rev...onal-smartphone</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Okay - let me summarize why I like the Xda star so much: It's the design (which I like more than the HTC Touch Dual design) and while the device is feature-rich, it doesn't look like a techie geek toy; it's the HTC specific TouchFLO enhancement and the overall feature-set of the device; and - except the missing WiFi - it provides everything I want from a Windows Mobile smartphone and thanks to the customization, it's easy to use - even without a stylus which I don't want to use for basic phone tasks."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/hisham-20071116-unwired_xda_star_hand_front_keyboard_small.jpg" /><br /><br />Arne appears really impressed with this device, even <i>sans</i> wifi. The Xda Star offers a slightly different design from the reference Touch Dual platform, as well as some software enhancements to TouchFlo. As the successor to the Touch (1 million units shipped to date), the Touch Dual looks like its going to be another winner. The Xda Star is available exclusively from O2 Germany from this week, at 419.99 Euros without contract, and between 29.99 Euros to 219.99 Euros with a 24 month contract.

[Frankie1]

I do not have theTouch Dual, what I do have is an “O2 XDA IIs” running the Touch Dual OS (thanks to XDA-Developers.com, I freaking love those guys).’
I guess the point I was trying to make is the OS kicks butt, in so many different ways; the photo album, the weather on the today screen, the tasks launcher, the scrolling (although I opted to use the Pocket Plus 4.01 application for it’s superior scrolling features).
But using the interface on my XDA IIs (which some people dubbed Halle Barry, because of its unique all black form factor) gives me an unrivaled experience of running it on a 3.5” screen, and having a full hardware slide out keyboard, WiFi, all while maintaining a slim form factor.
I love it, sorry of rubbing it in guys.

[jngold_me]

Until HTC gets off their rump and offers a quad band, US 3g Touch with a 400mhz or higher processor, I don't really care what else they offer.

It seems rather strange that HTC claims the original HTC Touch is a tri-band device when many people claim it works in a 850 only area. I think it's also a bunch of BS that they offer a more powerful version for the CDMA (Sprint) market.

HTC's marketing seems to be a bit off when it comes to the Touch family.