05-09-2008, 03:12 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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HTC Touch Diamond Briefing With HTC Chief Innovation Officer Horace Luke
Horace Luke used to work for Microsoft's Windows Mobile team before moving to HTC, and I have great admiration for him - he's a man with great vision for how mobile devices should work, and every time I was in the room when he was presenting I felt inspired. After he left Microsoft and went to HTC I knew he was going to do some impressive things - and this video is proof of that.
We've been discussing the Touch Diamond, and while I'd love to ask Horace in person why they didn't put a memory card slot or a 3.5mm headphone jack in it, I can't deny the cool little features like being able to ignore a call by simply flipping over the phone onto it's front when it's ringing. Sometimes innovation comes in small, subtle ways, and it seems like the Touch Diamond has some serious innovation packed under the hood. I can't imagine how crisp the screen must be having a 2.8" VGA screen, but I'm also curious to see how usable the Windows Mobile UI is at that resolution. I'm heading to a Mobius event in Seattle next week, and I'll be getting some hands-on time with the HTC Diamond.
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05-09-2008, 04:04 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 193
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I did not know Diamond had these cute features, remove stylus and note application starts and flip the phone, it is muted. I say that is cool! What will happen when it is in the pocket, and you bend down, the Diamond flips in the pocket (from face up to face down) a theoretical possibility?
I am happy that new features besides VGA (small screen :-<) are added.
Good progress.
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05-09-2008, 04:34 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by palur
What will happen when it is in the pocket, and you bend down, the Diamond flips in the pocket (from face up to face down) a theoretical possibility?
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I guess that might be possible, if:
1) You had a phone call going on while the Diamond was in your pocket (using a Bluetooth headset perhaps)
2) You bend down past the point of 45 degrees...tying your shoe perhaps?
So...maybe it could happen. 
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05-09-2008, 05:26 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,768
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If the device truly does come with 3D acceleration for video as well, I can see things such as the touch screen, accelerameter, vibration, etc to be a great platform for gaming. I was pessimistic about the innovation from HTC, but I see them still making strides. While this may not be the device I want (lack of memory storage expansion, keyboard, etc) having this technology within HTC will mean it will probably appear in other devices as well.
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Jonathan (JonnoB)
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." -Edmund Burke
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05-09-2008, 05:32 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
I can't imagine how crisp the screen must be having a 2.8" VGA screen, but I'm also curious to see how usable the Windows Mobile UI is at that resolution.
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Insanely crisp.
I have a couple of devices with 2.8" VGA displays and they're absolutely stunning to look at. I know there's a vocal crowd out there who argue that any display less than 3" or 3.5" is hardly usable, but I do consider 2.8" VGA displays very usable and they certainly have a future.
My only rant - and this is more beef with Windows Mobile than display resolutions and sizes per se - is that Tahoma (8pt) is simply the wrong system font to use on Professional devices with VGA displays. Segoe, which is used on Standard devices, would be a far better alternative. Anyway, rant over. 
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05-09-2008, 06:00 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonnoB
If the device truly does come with 3D acceleration for video as well, I can see things such as the touch screen, accelerameter, vibration, etc to be a great platform for gaming.
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Agreed, although a great gaming platform doesn't just stop at the hardware. You'd also need the support of game developers to produce compelling titles for the platform. Windows Mobile doesn't have that support, and I can't see the Diamond persuading developers anytime soon. This device is just one small fish in the big ocean that is Windows Mobile, which makes the target market for accelerometer- and touch-driven 3D games incredibly tiny.
Apple's touch platform has the edge, because it's composed of either the iPhone or the iPod touch, and both are capable of delivering a consistent gaming experience to its users. The target market is huge here, which has resulted in EA and Sega pledging to release major titles in the second half of this year and beyond.
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05-09-2008, 06:46 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
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I guess for most people, 4GB of storage is enough. I also assume having only internal storage reduces power usage, so they can put in a smaller battery, keeping the Diamond thin and light. However, it would be great to get rid of my mp3 player (32GB Creative Zen, with a 16GB SD card). If the Diamond came with an SD slot and a real headphone jack, I would probably get it, even without a keyboard (I have an AT&T 8525). In my car, I have a powered cradle for the 8525. If the phone is in the cradle, I can't even attach the headphone adapter.  It would be the same for the Diamond. I have a separate cradle for the Zen and patch it into the auxilliary input on the car stereo.
I think I'll wait for the Xperia X1. It has a headphone jack and a keyboard. I think microSDHC tops out at 8GB now, but who knows how big they will get? Seeing how this has worked in the past, they'll probably come out with a 32GB card, but the Xperia won't be capable of supporting it.
Last edited by jgrnt1; 05-09-2008 at 06:49 PM..
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05-09-2008, 08:03 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 113
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So subjective
We all have our wish list phone. I got spoiled using a Dell Axim X50 with 3.7 inch vga screen. I'd love to see the Diamond come with a larger screen. I have been so used to havng an S.D. slot that not havng it would be a challenge. If I could turn my Axim into a phone I would keep it.
So my next phone and PPC replacement must be a convergence device that will be a media player, Pocket PC that can do the same or better from my Axim, plus being a phone.... now that is what I am lookng for. The Diamond is clearly a great product, but as I get older I'd rather not go to a smaller screen than what I already have.
But, if the phone is not good quality, then all the other benefits seem to fall short! I have not heard good things about HTC products as phones.
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"This is nothing like anything we have yet to experience." - Bob & Ray
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05-09-2008, 10:22 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 32
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HTC Diamond - flimflam gizmo for GenZ
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
... why they didn't put a memory card slot or a 3.5mm headphone jack in it, I can't deny the cool little features like being able to ignore a call by simply flipping over the phone onto it's front when it's ringing. and I'll be getting some hands-on time with the HTC Diamond.
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"Phone flipping" is flimflam for GenZ. I just press the red button to stop an unwanted call ... what do you do ?
No microSD slot, no quad-band GSM, no tri-band UMTS.
These are the real issues and so far have no answers at all, not even an acknowledgement of the issues. Without the slot, flexibility is lost; the crippled GSM and UMTS bands severely limit the device geographically.
These issues need to be put directly to HTC with the expectation of direct answers.
Any answer is likely to be a marketing euphemism about competing with the iPhoney. GenZ is definitely winning the superficiality race.
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05-09-2008, 10:22 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 143
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Quote:
Originally Posted by azhiker
We all have our wish list phone. I got spoiled using a Dell Axim X50 with 3.7 inch vga screen.
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yes, i got spoiled with VGA on Dell Axim x50, that y i never go back to QVGA junk!
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