Finally moved to the Touch Pro 2

[digiblur]

2 days ago I finally got moved over to the Touch Pro 2 from the Touch Pro. I had to pay the deductible for the insurance claim, but wow! what an awesome phone. It just has a nice solid feel to it. The keyboard is the best smartphone keyboard I've seen and used, hands down. The screen is even more responsive than the Touch Pro... I don't even know why they included a stylus on this huge high resolution screen. Battery life is awesome. I toyed with it off and on during work hours and I was shocked when I left work that it had 80% still on the battery. I even had the chance to use the speakerphone which I no one could believe it was a cell phone we were using.

The only possible thing I can come up with on the downside, is there's no flash. I never used it for taking pictures on my old TP, but I can tell you I used the heck out of that thing for a flashlight.

I got the phone on Wednesday..charged it up...toyed around with the stock ROM for a few minutes....pretty slick, but I missed the bells and whistle and customization of after market ROMS. Rocking with MightyMike's ROMs once again and Sense UI 2.5.

 

[TheForce]

Flash-(light)

I discovered the camera is sensitive enough it doesn't really need a flash unless I try to use it in the dark. As far as a light, there is a light mode you can put the phone in that makes the whole screen bright white and in the dark this works quite well as a flashlight replacement.

Guy at Microsoft said that Verizon is soon to release the WM6.5 and Microsoft will have 7.0 out before the end of the year. I forgot to ask about Sprint, sorry.

Sling works very well on the TP2. I was watching it for over an hour and a half today while waiting in lines to get into DEMO's at CES. Then, this evening we were comparing with Scott and his iphone had good signal inside the Rio Buffet but Verizon was none, until I got out of the building. Go figure! But he said he had trouble in the convention center with ATT ever since the Press conference Wednesday. I have been getting between 450 and 900 kbps anytime on the convention floor.

 

[digiblur]

Verizon 6.5 OEM ROM is already out. I will get the link for you in a bit. Mobile right now.

No need for a Sprint 6.5 rom...already running 6.5. I will probably go to 6.5.3 like I had on TP..fell in love with the buttons and close button on the bottom. Makes it easy to do everything quickly since every thing is right there under your thumb. Plus the stock ROMs only have TouchFlo 2.1.. I like 2.5 much better.

I havent played with doing the unlock on the radio to use US GSM networks yet.

 

[digiblur]

Here's the link to the OEM VZW Update for Touch Pro 2.

Personal Communications Devices

I still can't get ya to come over the side of custom ROMs eh? One day you will and you'll see why I hate stock so much.

 

[TheForce]

Thanks for the link, but it doesn't appear official. Anyway, I have no problem using an aftermarket ROM but so far the sample screens I saw didn't make the switch worth the effort, and, some of the bugs I read about back then gave it a clear disadvantage IMO.

One improvement I would like to see is a new BT feature that you push the button on the headset to do voice commands, dial a number, and switch on and off my audio notes to record a phone call. Right now, I record all phonecalls and while I have plenty of storage, I still go in a delete some of the recordings as not needed for reference.

I spoke to the BT people yesterday at CES and they have no such device or standard in development that uses a push to talk button like I described. What they do have is an intelligent phrase recognition voice command via BT.
eg. you could set a phrase like "cell phone, please call......." and it will distinguish between your command and general conversation and dial the call. They aren't sure when this will be out but it will require a rom upgrade plus a new BT headset. Another feature he said is in the works is a BT headset using a new power connection that connects to your laptop that allows firmware upgrade of the headset via internet.

 

[digiblur]

It is official.... a few people around the forums said the same thing. But several stated it is where they received OEM VZW ROM files from before.

The biggest clue to it being official is it will flash to stock phone that is not unlocked, so you know right there it is signed by VZW. That has also been confirmed several times. So it is an official VZW ROM.

You can't go wrong with MightyMike's ROMs...top notch quality there. He's already incorporated some of the new items from the VZW ROM I posted above. There are some new BlueTooth drivers and video drivers. Apparently people are going nuts over the new quality it brought to streaming video apps such as YouTube. I haven't flashed to it yet. I know it also contains updated radio firmware, but radio firmware is not packaged in custom ROMs, so you have to get that from the stock ROMs by flashing the Stock first then going to custom.

http://www.mightyrom.com/

 

[TheForce]

Thanks, I'll work it into my schedule after getting home.

One more thing- Did you see my report on the speed of the HD2? That 1 Ghz processor is obviously faster. Also, the screen size is larger and is active out to the edge of the surface flat, while the TP2 has that inactive area. It's very nice! But both you and I prefer that KB so it is a no go. I wonder how long these companies will continue making the KB versions? I know it significantly makes the cost and failure rate higher.

 

[StevenD]

You have Sprint, right? Can you be on a phone call and surf the web or check email at the same time? Or make a call while tethered?

Im VERY interested in switching to sprint and getting a TP2, but that would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[digiblur]

I never tried but I know none of the CDMA carriers have implemented voice over EVDO. So no...it would be just like using an AT&T phone in a non 3G area.

 

[TheForce]

I did try this on Verizon EVDO and what happens is your data connection is suspended until the call is finished. With multitasking, you can check already downloaded e-mail but not for new e-mail. AT&T has the TP2, BTW.

And for the record, Blackberry's also suspend on EVDO.

 

[pro96]

Hehe finally u get the TP2 and stopped the "I wish I had..." thing for months.. NIce

 

[StevenD]

Crap! Looks like Im staying with AT&T.

 

[digiblur]

Crap! Looks like Im staying with AT&T.

Yep stay on the GSM side if you need that feature. I wonder if the upcoming LTE and WiMax phones will support this, not that I need it, but just curious.

 

[Ronnie-]

Just curious why this is a big deal . Never needed the capability on a phone, so wondering.

 

[digiblur]

Just curious why this is a big deal . Never needed the capability on a phone, so wondering.

I also wonder the same thing.... I can't count the number of times I've heard people laugh at the AT&T commercial spouting the talk and surf thing...and most of these people are AT&T customers.

 

[TheForce]

I've had several times when a client would ask me a question I needed to look up or check a reference to.
This afternoon, my wife called me and asked me to check something that was e-mailed to me last week. I was pretty sure I hadn't dumped my e-mail files from my phone yet so I WAS able to switch to the e-mail inbox and check that mail content while maintaining the phone call. The phone IS ABLE to MULTITASK.
In the past, I may have had a time when a client would e-mail me something I needed to read. In the case of a GSM phone I could do that, but with CDMA- I would need to end the call, then my download of e-mail would update, read it, then call him back.

This feature is a limitation on CDMA but it is not an obscure feature. Give GSM credit when it's due!

 

[Ramy]

Nice Digiblur. I think I am going with the Moto Droid next though.

 

[StevenD]

Nine times out of 10, Im using the phone in my truck, through the built-in bluetooth. I regularly pick up my phone to check emails during those calls.

Also, the last time we drove to Houston, my better half had my phone tethered with my netbook the entire way. I wouldnt want to miss a call or interrupt what she is doing to make a call.

Switching to Sprint was only going to save me about $10/month. Its just not worth it.

 

[digiblur]

I could see myself doing it a few times if I was a bluetooth user. I have one in my vehicle's console, but never use it due to the hassle. Brings back a funny comment I heard one day at lunch... "I finally got a bluetooth! I love it! It is nice being able to text and talk while I am driving." I said, "Really?! Please text me when you are driving so I know to stay off the road."

 

[StevenD]

I got an AT&T Tilt2 yesterday. Its a great phone, except for one thing. The bluetooth REALLY SUCKS! It will not pair with the Uconnect in my truck or a Motorola headset. I google the problem and sure enough, they changed the BT chipset and there are all sorts of problems. Supposedly, HTC is working on a fix. Only time will tell.

Since Im not willing to give up the bluetooth built in to my truck, Im going to put the SIM back in my 8525 until they come out with the fix. Since I only paid $99 for the Tilt2, its not worth returning.