HTC Touch HD gets video previewed, available for pre-order at 619 euro

18 Sep, 2008
The uber-phone of them all, the HTC Touch HD has been caught in action by a French gadget website and it seems like the reviewer is really impressed...

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  • Apple B/S Marketing
  • Sbk
  • 22 Sep 2008

Most of the loong comments below are Apple marketing B/S.

It warms my heart that some fanboys even came to the conclusion that it is GREAT
- not having flash support (we don't need that, we already have a TOUCH SCREEN)
- not having stereo wireless headset support (who needs that when we got a TOUCH SCREEN)
- or anything that bluetooth offers (useless junk like PC-CONNECTIVITY, MOBILE-CONNECTIVITY, SYNCING, tethering, keyboard - NO THANKS these are for lamerz)

LOL

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • 4TL
    • 22 Sep 2008

    Anonymous, 21 Sep 2008clearly if it wasn't being used as an external drive we wou... moreYou need to be realistic on phone usage. Phones have data processing limitations that is not as effective and efficient as that of a pc. Some phones could not even handle memory cards over 2gb, because it slows it down. Some phones stretches it a lot on paper that it can handle more, yet when you insert let's say an 8gb memory card, it only reads it as 4. And some phones, install 8gb of internal memory, yet when you've used up only half of that it salready tarts to get sluggish. How much more if you add another 32gb of external memory? LOL. That is so frustrating and unproductive. But for people like me who owns a laptop or a pc, we will not deal with that lag and that embarassment. But hey, go ahead. Use your phone as an external hard drive, lol.

    Phone web browsing is ideal for those quick browsing needs like, checking email, movie times, directions, or the need to check some information quickly online. The phone's web browser is not ideal for projects or for research because it's not as fast as pc's or laptops. But hey, if you want to use your phone for your projects and research, go ahead, lol. But don't tell me that you will be more productive than the person who uses a laptop.

    I have thousands of photos, thousands of songs, hundreds of files and plenty of videos saved in my pc. Do I need all of them on my phone? NO. But hey, if you think it's practically worth it and you have the patience in dealing with a lagging phone due to heavy memory storage, then go for it, lol.

    Don't be too literal. When people say "I worked all day" it does not really mean that they worked 24 hrs. So when I say "listen to the same song all day" do not take it literal. It only means, listening to the same song considerable times. And that happens with current hits a lot.

    I don't really use my iphone to display images saved in it to bigger displays, but I can if I wanted to, and it would look great because images saved into my iphone are taken from my Canon digital camera =) And I don't that camera phones with 8mp could even match that =)

    How arrogant of you to assume that people here do not know that touchscreens have been around for many years now. People here also knows that the iphone started a major trend on touchscreen phones.

    For a person who does everything through his phone, I'm sure you're very busy, lol. Try saving for a pc or laptop. It would give you some free time =)

    It is not my belief that the iphone was only intended for US consumers. I read it in an article (engadget I believe). Apple did not anticipate that it would gain such great appeal around the globe.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • 4TL
      • 22 Sep 2008

      Anonymous, 21 Sep 2008quite true. generic hardware will never produce greater res... moreNow you're being childish. 2mp is enough for camera phones. Camera phones are good to use as back ups. Even the ones with 8mp. If I use your child like mentality, then I can also say, then why even bother buying a digital camera when you already have a 5mp camera phone? But hey, to each his own. If you are happy with your 8mp camera phone and don't want to bother with a standalone digital camera, then that is your choice. And you are right, there are only a small portion of us people who does not compromise quality just so we can save money =)

      Oh so now you tell me that you owned an iphone? LOL. I thought you are against the iphone qualities. But you bought one? Now that's odd. Nah, if the iphone's connection is that bad, to the extent that you would have to borrow your friend's phone, I don't think it would sell millions. So save it =)

      I use my iphone indoors and outdoors and I don't have any problems hearing and understanding the person at the other end. I never had that problem with any of my phones. And when I'm at a bar where they play loud music, I do step out when I'm on a call, but then again, so does the others with non-iphone cellphones.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • tAM
        • 21 Sep 2008

        Anonymous, 21 Sep 2008I am being realistic. You can save music, videos, pictures... moreclearly if it wasn't being used as an external drive we wouldn't need anything past 1 or 2gb of space. but even the iphone may be looking to go 32gb on the iphone. why? because people are storing data on it. like an external drive.

        it's much like how mobile phone aren't suited to web browsing. obviously we've got a few mobile browsers on phones. why? because people are using them to browse the internet.

        you talk about productivity and the right tool. it's the right tool for the right job. obviously if you're doing something high powered (like video conversion or image manipulation) that requires the interface/peripherals then you'll use a pc. but clearly we're talking about things like storing photos, videos and music. all of which do not need the latest and greatest quad-core machines to do. it makes sense to have more memory on your mobile device when the device's capabilities and use call for it.

        and listening to the same song all day long is a stupid thing to do. that's why people came up with 'everything in moderation'.

        in terms of developing on paper i take it you don't use your mobile to display images / presentations on projectors and high definition displays (you know. the digital era and all). but hey i'd guess you'd settle for 0.5mp on the phone given it's more than enough for viewing on a 2.4-3.5" display.

        granted about this site being about english speaking people and phones.

        i also never said you thought touchscreens were introduced two years ago and am sorry if you intrepretted it that way as it wasn't my intention. i'm just warning against people perception of history glossing over certain things that have come before (like apple's newton for example).

        as for the sealed design, it's a case of form over function. i know which one i'll pick but that because i'm a little more busy with my life.

        and if you believe he iphone was not initially intended for markets outside the US (more specifically non-english markets), then i'll probably need to stop replying as i think i've i get the kind of personality i'm responding to.

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • 4TL
          • 21 Sep 2008

          Anonymous, 21 Sep 2008i believe you're the one being unrealistic with what phone'... moreI am being realistic. You can save music, videos, pictures, files, apps, contacts, etc in your phone. But realistically, your phone is not an external hard drive, and I don't think that phonemakers would even want you to use phones as external hard drives.

          It makes sense if you want more memory space on your pc, because of the amount of work that one can do on their pc's. But not on phones. You talk about productivity. You need to have the right tool to be productive. A phone is not the answer. You can be more productive using a pc than a phone.

          Some people listening to the same song over and over again are not idiots. That's normal especially with current hit songs.

          If you are not developing your photos in paper, that's more reason that you do not need a 5 or 8mp camera phone. 2mp is enough for viewing pics on 2.4 - 3.5 displays. Higher megapixels are good if you intend to blow up pictures.

          As for chinese speaking people only, I'm sure they have their own phones. This site, and products here are obviously and mainly for english speaking consumers.

          I never said that touchscreens were introduced two years ago. I know that they've been out for many years already, but was not too popular on phones. You are taking my words out of context. What I was trying to say is that the iphone was the one that started this major trend on touchscreen phones.

          The sealed back design of the iphone is Apple's prerogative as part of its sleek design. If you do not like it, do not buy it. If consumers still want to open that back of the iphone, then use a chisel or a hammer. As you said, it's now your phone, do whatever =)

          Also remember, the iphone was not initially intended outside the US. Foreign consumers are the ones demanding it =)

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • tAM
            • 21 Sep 2008

            Anonymous, 21 Sep 2008All phones, from 2mp to 8mp will never render excellent res... morequite true. generic hardware will never produce greater results than specialised hardware. but having said that wouldn't a 1.3mp be good enough? or how about 0.5mp? obviously the intended market isn't going to take photos with it so why have camera functionality at all? that would clearly be blasphemous.

            oh wait that's right. the intended market wasn't just digital photographers. they just happened to be within the target market. a fairly small portion of the market.

            it's nice that you live in an area where there's no connection issues. unfortunately for the areas i go to there are. which was always awkward when i had to ask colleague's to borrow their phones. same sim, same carrier, same network, several different phones and it works fine. yet couldn't get iphone to hook up. quite odd.

            you also seem to be mixing up sound volume and sound quality. two very different things. oh sure you can understand the person you're hearing. that is unless they're outside and it's a little breezy. or there's a bit of traffic. or music in the background. or a bit of a crowd. but i guess you don't make speaker calls.

            in the end it comes down to what and how you're using the phone.

              • y
              • ynot
              • iie
              • 21 Sep 2008

              iphone sucks...

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • 4TL
                • 21 Sep 2008

                Anonymous, 21 Sep 2008thank you. as you indicated they added in a mediocre camera... moreAll phones, from 2mp to 8mp will never render excellent results. That's the reality of today's technology on camera phones. That's why 2mp is enough, because it makes sense, most especially to iphone's intended market. Yes, my area does not have connection issues with the iphone. Just proves that it is not the iphone's problem, but the carrier's.

                I say that the iphone's volume level is good, because it's good enough for me and I don't have hearing problems. And again, as long as you can hear the other person at the other end, then you're fine. I do not know why do you need it to be so loud. Are you deaf? If I want loud sound, I listen to my Bose system at home, not my phone.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • 4TL
                  • 21 Sep 2008

                  PsiGate, 21 Sep 2008The IPhone looks nice (although you must admit that HD look... moreThe iphone has more functions that most phones out there, so how can you say that it has limited functions. Why? What technical stuff do techy guys do with their phones? Again, be realistic and honest. The iphone has so many useful apps that techy guys can take advantage of.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • tAM
                    • 21 Sep 2008

                    Anonymous, 20 Sep 2008Again, be realistic and honest. Who needs 10,000 songs in ... morei believe you're the one being unrealistic with what phone's are being used for today. if you see 'storage space' just to store music then you need to explore the capabilities of your mobile device a lot more (see: voice recognition).

                    it's like saying: who needs more than 40gb of space on their computer?, or: who needs more than 640k of memory? if we only targetted the bare essentials then progress and productivity would be quite slow. you're right that people listening to 1 song for an entire day are a bunch of idiots. but i've yet to encounter someone that does so.

                    as for photo quality i'll take a back seat as i'm not that interested in photography. i can't remember the last time i developed a photo. given the amount of digital displays available virtually everywhere i go i simply haven't bothered reproducing a digital image on a lossy physical medium. it just never occured to me.

                    i'd also like to point out that i know chinese people that don't write chinese too (some don't even speak chinese). i also know chinese people that write chinese. and speak it. regularly. exclusively. which is why you'll find there are certain phones/brands that simply have no market in china/japan/korea.

                    and while touchscreens may have become 'popular' the last 2 yrs, don't mistake that with being 'introduced' in the last 2 years. while they were quite primitive about a decade ago they were still functional. and you don't start from nothing and get where we are today without going through everything in the middle. but i guess it's just easier to gloss over all of that right?

                    the 'sealed' device argument is moot. if people want to muck around with the inside of a device then that is their choice having become the owner of the device. it's also their own fault if they are injured by, or destroy, the device by doing so.

                    just remember that there is a world outside of the US (i'm assuming you're from there)

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • tAM
                      • 21 Sep 2008

                      Anonymous, 20 Sep 2008If Apple wanted to upgrade the iphone's megapixels, they co... morethank you. as you indicated they added in a mediocre camera with video capture. also good to hear your area doesn't have any issue with the iphone. and i'd say if you stay in that area you will continue to see no issues (and i'm not talking about and 'area' being just your local state/city).

                      overall i think i see difference between your and my opinion.

                      you say the iphone's camera is "good enough" so you don't have much expectation because you compare it to other phones with cameras (being different from camera phones).

                      you say the iphone's sound is "good" because you compare it to other phones where the noise is distorted and crackly, which (in my experience anyway) i've only found on a phone that was less than $200 outright.

                      you say the iphone's call quality is "good" using the ability to hear the person at the other end of the call as your benchmark (which i see more of a connectivity thing).

                      so overall i guess i've seen (and gone) through too many high-end phones and hold devices above a certain price tag to a higher standard than you would.

                        • P
                        • PsiGate
                        • xZs
                        • 21 Sep 2008

                        The IPhone looks nice (although you must admit that HD looks classy) but I dont think its limited function will entertain a techy guy. I agree the IPhone is more like a toy compared to a WinMo phone. I want the HD but its too expensive and I will kill myself if I lose it hahahah

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • 4TL
                          • 20 Sep 2008

                          Anonymous, 20 Sep 2008in terms of having enough space, i take it you don't own an... moreAgain, be realistic and honest. Who needs 10,000 songs in their mp3 player? How many songs can you listen to in a day? Most of the time people song over and over again in a day because they like the song song so much (for now). How about the other 9,999 songs stored in your mp3 player?

                          The photo quality results are simply from my own experience in owning several camera phones in the past (N95, viewty). Try getting them developed and see the results for yourself and tell me that it is the same as a digital camera's results.

                          I don't really see peole using handwriting recognition, so please. One of my best friend is chinese and he never uses that feature. And hello, touchscreens only became popular if the last 2 yrs, that was never an issue before with non-touchscreen phones, so again, please. N95 does not have handwriting recognition, so does that mean that chinese and japanese speaking people cannot use it?

                          To give way to a better, solid design. Iphone has to seal the device. It would also deter wannabes in damaging and experimenting with the phone hardware. There's really no need to remove the battery unless it's dead.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • 4TL
                            • 20 Sep 2008

                            Anonymous, 20 Sep 2008and when iphone's camera is updated, one of it's strengths ... moreIf Apple wanted to upgrade the iphone's megapixels, they could've done it already. Same with video capture. But they didn't because it is not necessary for their intended market (class of consumers who own digital cameras).

                            Connectivity issues are usually with the carrier, not with the phones. I never had out of the ordinary connection problems with my iphone in my area.

                            The iphone produces good photos. It's good enough for a phone. The iphone never claimed to be an exceptional camera phone, for they know that with any phones, the camera quality will not be that great even with 8mp. Sound levels of the iphone is good. It is not distorted like some phones who sets their volume levels too high for the hardware to handle that it becomes distorted. Call quality of the iphone is also good. I never had a problem hearing the other person on the other end.

                              • a
                              • arash
                              • TuI
                              • 20 Sep 2008

                              its better than iphone,just for 1thing:its winmo

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • tAM
                                • 20 Sep 2008

                                Anonymous, 19 Sep 2008Here's my reply to your points. HTC Touch HD APPLE IPHON... morein terms of having enough space, i take it you don't own an ipod? otherwise you'd know that even on the much smaller capacity ones people were using them for external storage. so why carry a small-medium capacity storage device when it's already built into your phone?

                                as for the 5MP camera i'm still trying to hunt down where you saw results of it since i was unaware they had a 5MP unit on another phone. would appreciate a link tot he result you saw if you can.

                                for handwriting, it might not be useful for you when you speak english. but writing in chinese and japanese i find it very handy when it can pick up the characters fairly easily.

                                i find a replacable battery a must. but then again i'm out and about a fair bit and not sitting in front of a computer next to my phone's charger for more than 4-8 hours a day.

                                no comment on stand by times as all companies lie about it

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • tAM
                                  • 20 Sep 2008

                                  Anonymous, 19 Sep 2008You are missing my point. Apple is actually moving forward... moreand when iphone's camera is updated, one of it's strengths will be it's camera that's first rate right?

                                  and when iphone's connectivity options are updated, one of it's strengths will be it's connectivity that's first rate right?

                                  and when iphone can take video properly, one of it's strengths will be it's video capabilities that's first rate right?


                                  you say phones trying to do everything with mediocre results are bad. yet the iphone produces mediocre images from it's camera, plays back mediocre sound, has mediocre connectivity, and has mediocre call quality. yet somehow the iphone is better than others with much better camera, sound, connectivity, and call quality.

                                  the only area i'd give props to the iphone is that it's interface is modertely pretty and fairly easy to use. but getting it to do anything in the real world, i'd reach for a proper all in 1 phone.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • abF
                                    • 19 Sep 2008

                                    Paul, 19 Sep 2008 The HTC HD is better than the Apple iPhone in so many way... moreHere's my reply to your points.

                                    HTC Touch HD APPLE IPHONE 3G
                                    1. Shorter 115mm 115.5 - not a big difference
                                    2. Thinner 12mm 12.3mm - not a big difference
                                    3. Bigger Screen 3.8” 3.5” - not a big difference
                                    4. Better res. 480 x 800 320 x 480 - HTC wins on this one, although iphone's hvga is still very good as well.
                                    5. Bigger memory up to 32 GB 8 or 16GB - 8 or 16gb is more than enough to most people. This is a phone, not an external memory drive.
                                    6. Better Camera 5MP 2MP - iphone's processor produces better results. HTC's results turn out yellowish.
                                    7. Handwriting Recognition Yes No - not so much useful when you already have a keyboard. Also, the iphone does have handwriting recognition apps.
                                    8. Stylus Yes No - the iphone does not need a stylus and that's better.
                                    9. Bluetooth A2DP Support Yes No - not necessary feature and is still quite limited and sometimes has incompatibility issues.
                                    10. Stereo FM Radio with RDS Yes No - iphone has better radio than fm. It has Pandora, AOL and more radio apps.
                                    11. Replaceable Battery Yes No - not important, the iphone's battery would last you 4 to 5 years without any problems.
                                    12. Better Stand by 450h 300h - this is not accurate. sometimes it's less that what it is on paper.
                                    13. Multy Carriers Yes No - not the iphone's problem.

                                    Now here are major, not minor, problems that I can already see with the HTC HD.

                                    1. Screen would scratch easily.
                                    2. Poor legibility under sunlight.
                                    3. Sluggish UI
                                    4. Unresponsive UI
                                    5. Erratic UI behavior (just like the Diamond)
                                    6. Cannot recharge battery when connected to USB
                                    7. No maintained app store
                                    8. No maintained music and video store
                                    9. Web browser not as fast as the iphone
                                    10. Battery will drain faster than the iphone due to its bigger VGA HD screen.
                                    11. Once you get halfway full on memory, it even slows down more. Not with the iphone.

                                    As you can see, the downside of this phone is more major than the iphone's.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • abF
                                      • 19 Sep 2008

                                      Paul, 19 Sep 2008 The HTC HD is better than the Apple iPhone in so many way... moreTo Paul. Even before this HTC HD, there are already other phones that looked better on paper compared to the iphone. Yet, the iphone still prevails. UI and OS performance is still more important.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • jJe
                                        • 19 Sep 2008

                                        Waqas, 19 Sep 2008u completely want to go from next gen fones to previous one... moreYou are missing my point. Apple is actually moving forward in incorporating features that really matters. A great OS is everything, if you want a great performance from a phone. The iphone's main strengths are its phone, ipod, web browser and 3rd party apps. And they are all first rate. What I mean by that is, I don't need an ipod because the ipod in the iphone is just as great. I don't need to open my laptop to browse the web quickly because the iphone has a wonderful web browser that is not frustrating to use. On top of that, I have an array of helpful apps that are very handy and useful when I need something like games, movies, directions, restaurants, unit converters, dictionary, wikipedia, radio, stocks, etc. And again, they are all delivered in high quality. And it's self-explanatory that you only take your laptop with you if you're working on a project, because if web browsing is all you need, the iphone has that covered in high quality. As for the camera, even if I have an 8mp camera phone, I would still have in my bag my very portable Canon digital camera as my primary camera. Why? Because photo processors in camera phones are just not in the same level with digital cameras, meaning, a 2mp camera on a phone is actually enough. What good is a phone that does everything but produces mediocre results?