Device Hack Possibilities: Transplant Focus into 7" screen chassis? - Windows Phone 7 Development and Hacking

I was playing with my GF's Nook the other day and thinking about what a nice size it is for e-Reading. Now, I realize it has a higher screen resolution that WP7 doesn't support, so I wasn't thinking of going that far.
But I did get to thinking: is there a 7", 800x480 capacitive screen on the market that could be made to simply "plug in" via the same type of connector as the focus uses, and just work? In that case it wouldn't be *too* difficult to transplant the rest of the focus' guts into a bigger chassis (maybe adding a bigger battery since the extra space would be there anyway). Anybody thought about this or have some idea what one would look for?
Thanks!

So I'm guessing nobody has any idea or interest in exploring said idea?

The chances of that working are pretty darn slim. I'm not really into the hardwaret thingy, but I'm pretty sure you would need to know what interface to the display is used on both devices. They need to be the same, or you'll need to find a way to convert the signals, which means a lot of work and room for error I guess.
I would say it's possible, if you find a device with the right resolution and display interface/controller.

The display itself should work, since a display is just a display... It only receives data what to display. But dunno if the touchscreen would work out of the box, maybe different systems use different protocols in sending/receiving/processing data from the touch panel... But then again, I don't have my diploma yet

The displays must have the same controller. Or using the controller from the Focus - but don't forget, that it is AMOLED, so it might work totally different.
I don't think it is possible without too much effort. You should get some x86 tablet and run WP7 emulator on it . Or make an app for the W7 that looks like WP7.

Basically you would need to have two drivers, or make the other side compatible with existing drivers.
The screen and the touch panel.
I don't know what type of touch panel you have, but WP7 uses capacitive screens, this is a big requirement because you won't work around it easily.
The way the positioning data is transfered matters allot, because this can kill the accuracy at the least.
Next, the screen needs to know how to display the data received from your device, I assume the connector won't fit out of the box so thats the first challenge. Then you need to make sure it's receiving the correct data over the correct lines. It is not the same as plugging in a D-SUB/DVI cable.
So, if you have knowledge of some hardware modifications (electro) then you will stand a chance, otherwise you'll probably end up wasting two devices.
If you can spare both, I would say go for it. Otherwise I would think twice if I were you.

Yeah, I'm way too lazy (well, too busy with school) for all that . I was just randomly thinking about it the other day, how nice it'd be to have WP7 on a decent sized screen for an ereader, given that the Kindle app works great on the device. I guess I was hoping that there might exist, essentially, an "embiggened" version of the exact same screen, with the same connector, to simply be driven off the Focus' existing controller and hardware. Capacitive, obviously--WP7 on Resistive would lick all kinds of donkey balls, I'm sure.

Related

Still Using Harrier/Blue Angel Because You Prefer It?

I'm testing the waters a bit to see what the HTC enthusiast community thinks of the Blue Angel and Harrier in comparison to HTC's current product line.
While the Wizard and TyTN are fine products, they clearly are not the Blue Angel's design. The display has been downsized to 2.8 inches, and the Omni's handheld use is significantly diminished.
So, please vote in the poll. We'll try to let decision makers at HTC know if you want the Blue Angel brought into the 3G era.
I think there should be a 3G Blue Angel but they should still be progress in the development of more devices similar to the Tytn as the Tytn is proving one of the most popular devices I have seen and I feel is opening up mobile computing to people who thought about getting a connected PPC but didn't like the bulk of the units which had the features to make them useful.
Personally I stick with my BA because of how large the screen is and IMO the only phone that is worth switching too is the TyTn.
I also like how much thinner it is than any of the current HTC phones with a keyboard.
Meh... just my $.02
for Me its the screen, could do without the keyboard as i never use it.
I was using a Blue Angel (Harrier) on the Verizon EVDO network. It is a terrific device. I can watch videos real time. The larger screen is also awesome and much easier on tired eyes.
I finally put my Blue Angel aside and have been using primarliy a Wizard.
Even with all the Tweaks and overclocking, the Wizard is relatively slow. However, the Wizard has been much more reliable and is a much better phone.
I'm just about ready to order a TyTN because it seems the bugs are getting worked out. I'd rather have a Blue Angle sized unit with all the new Windows Mobile Features.
It looks like all the future HTC phones are small screened. The HTC Herald looks like a verizon/sprint EVDO (possibly Rev.A) phone. Looks great but still no Blue Angel.
I'd like to have a TyTN type phone for everyday, and then an "Arch Angel" phone with a large screen to travel with. It should have a fast processor, accept Standard SD cards.
I think you almost need two devices depending what you are doing. A 3G Blue angel with the same screen or possibly a VGA one for some tasks and a Tytn for most of the time. I have a Tytn on order but I will still use my IIs a lot because of the screen.
I love my BA. I had executive, then, IIi(alpine)..now back to my BA
Its a complete device(for those who dont want GPS)
Ditto. Screen (so many new devices have such small screens). Keyboard. Large RAM memory (yes I know WM5, but persistant storage read/write is slower). Still the best device.
Although, there's always something missing (GPS/FM Radio/a huge internal memory/Some devices even have TV!/direct USB access without an adater/EDGE/3G/etc.).
Love the BA form factor
I've gone thorough half a dozen phones in the past couple months trying to find an ideal unit for me. Seems everyone these days want the cute little phones that you could swallow if you got it too close to your mouth. Whats the point ? If its just for making and receiving calls fine, but if it's meant provide visual display and input (emails and surfing) than why wouldn't you want it big bright and loud ? Within reason of course..but some of these newer phones with all the great features are too small to make them easy to use. In my case it has to be Quad band as I need the 850 for CellularOne in my area.
I had a Blackberry 7100 which was great for push mail and work stuff but not so hot for display or web stuff. I just bought and then sold a very nice Hermes (Softpoint/Jasjam) device which was probably the best phone I have seen for coverage and features. It flat out worked great. I just could not see me using that needle size stylus on the 2.8 inch screen for very long. The display was nice but just too small enjoy using for me. It might work as a heads up display, but for my main device it need to be bigger. I mean... do you really want to run GPS map apps on this while your driving ? Or shop on eBay while squinting at that little thing. It looked MUCH bigger in the Ads
I've run a Symbian based Nokia e61 (still do) and find it one of my favorites for ease of use without a touch screen. It's not a touch screen but you would never notice with the neat smart key layouts and center joystick control. The display is not huge but the layout works great for web use and the browser is very quick. The problem with this phone is it seems to have a weaker over all RF module and I constantly loose my GPRS lock when going through fades and the only way to get packet (GPRS) back is to power cycle it. Maybe it's just my phone thats bad but the dealer won't exchange it as this point and I really doubt their "repair" shop would even find the problem.
I just bought, powered up and re-boxed an Ipaq 6945/15 device. Worked good signal wise and packet data stuff/Wifi devices were good. The phone just has a overall cheap feel to it. The keyboard is a joke (compared to my e61) and the joystick and side buttons are hard to use. Would it be that much more expensive to put a rubber tip on the joystick ? The 240 x240 display was weak and grainy as well. It has about 15 minutes on it and will listed for sell at a auction site near you soon ! I am waiting for my first BA device I just purchased off the web (O2XDAiis) and hope it's what I'm looking for. The 2003se software will new for me and it will probaly go to some version of WM5 soon after I get it. I'm hoping the screen is bright and pretty and I can actually use the "touch" screen with my finger instead of digging for a matchstick while cruising at 70 miles an hour. I like heft too, it signals quality to me. I searched long and wide for a 3.5 inch display, quad band phone and found Nothing but the older BA at this point. I'd love a new device to come out with WM5, 3.5 to 4 inch display, bright screen and the latest interfaces. I'd buy one RIGHT NOW.
Guy
BA all the way...big screen..nice keyboard..
I thought I would put my .02 cents in on this topic since I had a BA for 2 years and just recently got a Cingular 8525.
I did a pro's and con's list to help me make it very clear which phone I wanted and why. I'll just share the list with you...
Pros FOR the 8525 over the BA:
- Edge speeds are about 5x faster than regular GSM (120-150kbs)
- 3G speeds are about 30x faster (800-850kbs)
- Universal USB charger
- 2mp camera is much higher quality
- Camera application is much more advanced
- Native WM5 OS. No hacking or slowdowns from non-supported upgrades
- Jog Dial (this is a big one... Can't be without it now)
- MUCH improved bluetooth reception for handsfree
- Wifi type g and b (noticeably faster)
- Free push email w/ web2mail (simply amazing, no more disappearing gmail!!!)
- Smaller form factor... nicer fit in my hand than BA
- BT headset can start VoiceCommand. No need to touch the phone anymore.
- No soft reset to make the WiFi work start up
- PTT will be supported in the future and might be nice to have.
- Multiple sounds play without garbling (ie. VoiceCommand announcement and ringtone)
- Sharper more vibrant screen (the clarity and overall quality difference is significant)
- MUCH louder speakerphone and ring volume
- I like the navigation pad a bit better than the BA and it seems much more responsive.
Cons of the 8525 compared to the BA:
- Micro SD format max's out at 2GB (at the moment)
- No standard headphone jack
- Battery drain is higher due to 3g and push email
- The main buttons are a bit cramped around the navigation pad, but you get used to it, just like anything.
On the con side... Micro SD cards (typically) come with a standard SD card enclosure so you can use it with standard flash card readers or even put them into standard SD card devices like phones or the BA even. This is a nice thing in case you want to transfer information from one device to the other. Mini SD seems to be the real loser format out of the three in my opinion.
The headphone jack isn't really an issue for me so far. Yeah it would be nice to listen to the tunes with whatever headphones I choose, but I'm thinking a dedicated music player would be better anyway since I'm already running my battery into the ground as it is, but that doesn't change that my options are certainly limited. I'm sure someone will come up with an adapter solution soon. I've already seen some, but they are still getting better.
Battery drain is a big one... Other than disabling 3g and turning off direct push... I don't see a way to save battery. I just turn the back light down as low as it can go and use vjlumosiii (handy little app) mapped to a button to get max brightness when I need it.
Overall... I have to say that the 8525 is going to be a device that I will use for the next 2 years or so with MUCH fondness. I loved my BA and after having it all tricked out was still better than many peoples phones.
That's just my opinion on these 2 devices. I like them both... but the 8525 is going to be my work horse no doubt about it.
Mark
Apple Ipod.. The next gen BA ?
http://www.apple.com/iphone/
Looks like my next BA replacement. It's everything a new BA should be if they upgrade it... Now I just need to see one on eBay and someone to provide unlocker for it ..
GapBoyT said:
Personally I stick with my BA because of how large the screen is and IMO the only phone that is worth switching too is the TyTn.
I also like how much thinner it is than any of the current HTC phones with a keyboard.
Meh... just my $.02
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah but it's only 240x320.. maybe if they released a new vga version with a good camera/ wifi g/i/e, native WM5, id be down, the BA just too big!
Gvotuc said:
http://www.apple.com/iphone/
Looks like my next BA replacement. It's everything a new BA should be if they upgrade it... Now I just need to see one on eBay and someone to provide unlocker for it ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
baaaaaad idea man.. why do you think apple is getting sued by cisco.. they don't think things through! Hence the intel macs killing the g5's in benchmarks on OSX, APPLE Should stick to software!! (And ive got cingular!)
Yup, yup.
Still using my 6600 and love it!
The screen size and the full size SD card is what kept me from going to a 6700.
i've got the BA PH20B on 02 (2yrs now) i use it alot with tomtom, i was thinking of the HTC 3300 its got built in GPS, 2.8'' TFT-LCD 240 X 320 with 65,536 colours, but only a 201mhz chip so gotta look into it more. and i found out you can get it with out the navigation software. save a few pennies there.

Rhodium slight let down

Hi all,
Whilst the rhodium is a definate viable upgrade from the Raphael (and comes a little closer to the combined goodness of the Kaiser and Universal) it still seems to lack some essentials.
Why have HTC stuck a rubbish 3MP camera in it yet the HD and Topaz get 5MP?
No flashlight, also quite an essential highly useful piece of hardware that I use on an almost daily basis and consider to be a standard function of a decent PDA.
Amplified internal antenna for Radio, not essential but surely HTC could make this happen by now. We've had several devices capable of receiving FM yet you still have to use a hardwired headset to get signal.
I imagine it would not be too difficult to replace the camera sensor with a 5MP and take the drivers and software from the Topaz to make it functional though, however this I feel is yet another major oversight from HTC.
Flashlight, not so easy to add on to the device post production, would require case modification and voltage.............. Anybody know if the MBD is similar enough to the Raphael to actualy have the circuitry for this so that we can utilise the software controls for a FlashLight or whether it would require a seperate switch to enable such functionality.
Whilst I would realy like to upgrade to the Rhodium I feel that the camera and flashlight are major components that could swing my decision.
The Universal "was" to me the perfect PDA, it's just to bulky now and lacks the hardware integration such as GPS and FM that current devices have to make it viable for everyday use.
Do we have any serious hardware guys in the Rhodium forum yet that could answer my questions regarding the camera and flashlight as post production user upgrades.
Cheers,
(a very inactive )Beasty
I can tell you this much... my flashlight broke on my MDA and I have an app that amplifies the screen brightness all the way and turns the screen white. It works almost as well. As far as the flash for the camera goes... I have the camera set to nightmode which adjusts just as bright as if using the flash. So no biggie for me, at all...
Why exactly is a 3.2 MP camera rubbish? I don't understand this reasoning at all. 5 MP is a bigger number, but it doesn't create better pictures - only bigger ones. Pictures so big that if you're serious about taking them you need a dedicated camera to do with it. The camera on the phone is an accessory. You're not buying a camera with a phone in it.
Lack of an LED camera flash is a somewhat more realistic complaint. Although the range of such things is very short, there are enough dim light situations encountered on a day-to-day basis that it would be useful.
beast0898 said:
Hi all,
Whilst the rhodium is a definate viable upgrade from the Raphael (and comes a little closer to the combined goodness of the Kaiser and Universal) it still seems to lack some essentials.
Why have HTC stuck a rubbish 3MP camera in it yet the HD and Topaz get 5MP?
No flashlight, also quite an essential highly useful piece of hardware that I use on an almost daily basis and consider to be a standard function of a decent PDA.
Amplified internal antenna for Radio, not essential but surely HTC could make this happen by now. We've had several devices capable of receiving FM yet you still have to use a hardwired headset to get signal.
I imagine it would not be too difficult to replace the camera sensor with a 5MP and take the drivers and software from the Topaz to make it functional though, however this I feel is yet another major oversight from HTC.
Flashlight, not so easy to add on to the device post production, would require case modification and voltage.............. Anybody know if the MBD is similar enough to the Raphael to actualy have the circuitry for this so that we can utilise the software controls for a FlashLight or whether it would require a seperate switch to enable such functionality.
Whilst I would realy like to upgrade to the Rhodium I feel that the camera and flashlight are major components that could swing my decision.
The Universal "was" to me the perfect PDA, it's just to bulky now and lacks the hardware integration such as GPS and FM that current devices have to make it viable for everyday use.
Do we have any serious hardware guys in the Rhodium forum yet that could answer my questions regarding the camera and flashlight as post production user upgrades.
Cheers,
(a very inactive )Beasty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Beasty
Nice to see you around!
I´m completly agree with you.
As an Universal user (As main phone) to this date I haven´t saw a REAL decent succesor, for a moment thinked of TP2 but adding to the points you mention the smaller keyboard and the fact that processor is almost the same as in Uni I think I´ll wait a while more to upgrade.
perhaps in 2010 some good models we can see from HTC¿
Or perhaps Toshiba new models.....
Cheers to you!
I'm umming and arring. I quite fancy the Touch Pro2. It has a wonderfully large screen (3.6", 480x800) and is otherwise like my current TyTN II with a bit more hoursepower. The biggest draw is, as ever, the XDA-Developer community and the availability of accessories. However, I do understand that it could have *more*.
I had The TyTn and I loved the flashlight. It was awful for taking pictures, but great for working down the back of electrical cupboards and desks. I miss it on the TyTn II.
I don't really care about the 3.2Mp camera being a "limit". If you want more than 3Mp, you really need a decent lens. Sure, it's nice being able to take pictures while out and about without carrying another device, but if I really wanted to take a picture I would probably be carrying a proper camera. And if I did have a 5Mp camera n my phone, I'd probably wish it was 10Mp.
I also don't see the point of the FM radio. Between podcasts and choosing the music I want to play by Mp3 file, I can't see why I'd want anything else (and 5 live is on AM anyway).
And this brings me to my problem - The Acer Temp M900. Bigger screen (3.8"), 5Mp camera and a flash, although also slightly bigger (3x3x-.15mm) and heavier (by 18 grams). By headline features it is superior.
It does,however, have less memory (256 vs 512 of ROM, 128 vs 288 RAM) and runs on a Samsung 6410 @ 533Mhz, although I don't know how that compares to the Qualcomm chip in the current batch of HTC phones. I also don't know whether there are known problems with the video capabilities of the phone like there are with the Qualcomm chips (as per htcclassaction.org). In my TyTn/Hermes I had a Samsung chip running at 400Mhz and I remember watching some CSI New York on it without much of a problem. This could therefore be a good thing (or a bad thing).
So I don't know, seems having a choice is almost as bad as not having one.
I dunno, this whole class action thing seems like much ado about nothing to me. I'm constantly ripping movies for my Vogue and they play flawlessly. The idea of videos stopping or skipping is unknown to me. It seems like this class action thing is inspired by people who don't quite know enough for their own good. I suspect it's less of a driver problem than a user expectation problem. I'm no whiz at this stuff, and if anyone would have issues with video, I would expect it to be me, since I don't know what I'm doing when ripping videos for the device.
Camera and flash is never an issue for me. I only use the camera once in a while and maybe use it for capturing my contact's photos. I try not to take photos in pitch dark or when there is not enough lighting, even when you have a flash, the photo is awful. Proper lighting is needed for good photos. Serious photos should be taken with a serious SR camera.
As for radio, I am don't mind using the headsets as an hardwire for the antenna, as long as it has a radio for me to listen to when I want to. The News is pretty important to me.
As comparing to the Universal, there is really no comparison, I think. Correct me if I am wrong, this is only a personal feeling. The camera is better, there are more memory, the CPU is at similar speed but the technology is different. Its like comparing a VIA C7-M ULV Processor 1.6GHz to an Intel Atom 1.33GHz. The Atom is actually faster as it is more refined. So really, speed is only a number. It really needed to be tested. But RAM and ROM does make a difference. So the more the better. I hate it when my device tells me I am running out of memory and it crashes.
In all, I think the TP2 is still a pretty good device to bet on. Of course I can think of lots of other things it could have. Like I would love it to have a Snapdragon CPU. I would love it to have HD video capturing. I would love it to have 16m colours. I would love it to have 16GB internal memory, etc...
All I like is an over-all, balanced little hand-held device and which I think this little one has... Actually... he he he... I really really wished it had a 3.5mm jack.
Hi I all,
I wasn't stating that I thought the Rhodium was rubbish.
I'm simply stating that I feel HTC are misguided with their designs.
The Rhodium does look very attractive and to be honest I probably will end up buying (purely for the larger screen, better speakers and keyboard) my Raphael is very feature packed but not very functional, the hard keyboard is far from useable and the screen real estate is rather painful after my Uni.
All I am stating is why can't HTC simply take the best of their ideas and current range and roll them all into the so-called "PRo" devices.
Sure we all have different specs that we would like to see as standard but what I fail to understand is why they have to add decent functionality to some devices and then leave it off of others.
For example, Topaz has 5mp lens, yet Rhodium only gets 3mp............. what is the purpose for using the less capable camera............ I'm sure it's no cheaper to manufacture than the 5mp.
It's good to see what others think though,
Thanks all for your points-of-view..........
@ Orb..... :- Glad to see you still floating around too Sir, I have seen you around the Uni and Raphael forums, I just don't have the time to Develop or participate much any more mate. Take care
Regards,
Beasty
What do you really think? Of course they won't release a device with everything, how should they be able to make a follow up ey?
Now they gave us the bigger screen and possibility to adjust the angle, but took the flashlight
Mr.Sir said:
What do you really think? Of course they won't release a device with everything, how should they be able to make a follow up ey?
Now they gave us the bigger screen and possibility to adjust the angle, but took the flashlight
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps that is my problem then.
At the time of release the Uni had "everything" tilt and twist display, twin cameras, twin speakers, decent sized keyboard and flashlight.
If it had built in GPS and 3.5G I would still be using it as an everyday device.
My point is they got it right at the time with the Uni, why are doing half jobs now
As far as releasing a follow up, that too is easy, updated hardware, smaller faster lighter better battery life and MORE functionality.
Cheers,
Beasty
beast0898 said:
As far as releasing a follow up, that too is easy, updated hardware, smaller faster lighter better battery life and MORE functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easy, he says. It's a snap I think you should just get ahead of the curve now and buy one of these.
cocoaju said:
Camera and flash is never an issue for me. I only use the camera once in a while and maybe use it for capturing my contact's photos. I try not to take photos in pitch dark or when there is not enough lighting, even when you have a flash, the photo is awful. Proper lighting is needed for good photos. Serious photos should be taken with a serious SR camera.
As for radio, I am don't mind using the headsets as an hardwire for the antenna, as long as it has a radio for me to listen to when I want to. The News is pretty important to me.
As comparing to the Universal, there is really no comparison, I think. Correct me if I am wrong, this is only a personal feeling. The camera is better, there are more memory, the CPU is at similar speed but the technology is different. Its like comparing a VIA C7-M ULV Processor 1.6GHz to an Intel Atom 1.33GHz. The Atom is actually faster as it is more refined. So really, speed is only a number. It really needed to be tested. But RAM and ROM does make a difference. So the more the better. I hate it when my device tells me I am running out of memory and it crashes.
In all, I think the TP2 is still a pretty good device to bet on. Of course I can think of lots of other things it could have. Like I would love it to have a Snapdragon CPU. I would love it to have HD video capturing. I would love it to have 16m colours. I would love it to have 16GB internal memory, etc...
All I like is an over-all, balanced little hand-held device and which I think this little one has... Actually... he he he... I really really wished it had a 3.5mm jack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I fully agree with you on this,
the 3.5 is the only thing I really wish it had.
But I mean it's not like they can build the perfect pocket pc,
everyone's likes/dislikes are completely different.
Well, i think its safe to say, that no matter what device comes out, their will always be something missing.. Some feature someone wanted on it that it doesnt include. Its the way of things. Personally, except for the 3.5mm jack, it pretty much does everything im going to want from it. I just got a 10mp pocket camrea so im not concerned with the built in one. Also, i thought i DID have an FM tuner in it? everything ive read says it does. Even if it doesnt tho, im not concered about it.
ajbopp said:
I dunno, this whole class action thing seems like much ado about nothing to me. I'm constantly ripping movies for my Vogue and they play flawlessly. The idea of videos stopping or skipping is unknown to me. It seems like this class action thing is inspired by people who don't quite know enough for their own good. I suspect it's less of a driver problem than a user expectation problem. I'm no whiz at this stuff, and if anyone would have issues with video, I would expect it to be me, since I don't know what I'm doing when ripping videos for the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have watched videos on my Hermes and Wizard with little problem. Similar files on my Kaiser skipped a bit. I don't think it is quite the big thing people make it out to be (it still works as a phone), but it certainly exists and I'd rather my phone did everything I wanted rather than just most things.
Lyian said:
Well, i think its safe to say, that no matter what device comes out, their will always be something missing.. Some feature someone wanted on it that it doesnt include. Its the way of things. Personally, except for the 3.5mm jack, it pretty much does everything im going to want from it. I just got a 10mp pocket camrea so im not concerned with the built in one. Also, i thought i DID have an FM tuner in it? everything ive read says it does. Even if it doesnt tho, im not concered about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 3.5mm jack is pointless IMHO. It wouldn't take a headset, so you have to pull the headphones out to answer the phone. The extUSB is not ideal, but at least you don't have to faff, plus it allows for inline controls. I was initially sceptical, but having lived with it I have been converted. I won't repeat myself, but see here.
And it just occured to me why they have gone with the 3Mp camera. If the pixel size/density is the same in both and the lens is the same size, the physical size of the CCD will be larger in the 5Mp camera, therefore requiring either a stronger lens (resulting in fish eye pictures) or the lens to be further from the CCD. This would make it impractical (or maybe uneconomical) to put a larger CCD in a phone with keyboard as it is slimmer (or at least the keyboard section is slimmer) than a non-keyboard model.
beast0898 said:
@ Orb..... :- Glad to see you still floating around too Sir, I have seen you around the Uni and Raphael forums, I just don't have the time to Develop or participate much any more mate. Take care
Regards,
Beasty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, and thank to you and Laurentius I´m now adicted to this great community
I remember the old days on Universal with you guys
Really miss you!
beast0898 said:
Perhaps that is my problem then.
At the time of release the Uni had "everything" tilt and twist display, twin cameras, twin speakers, decent sized keyboard and flashlight.
If it had built in GPS and 3.5G I would still be using it as an everyday device.
My point is they got it right at the time with the Uni, why are doing half jobs now
As far as releasing a follow up, that too is easy, updated hardware, smaller faster lighter better battery life and MORE functionality.
Cheers,
Beasty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completly agree with Beasty!!
Why in 2005 they launched a perfect device: Universal
What happened on 2008/2009??
I´m sure they noticed it´s better to make not perfect devices as everybody will change it every year, if they continue making perfect ones buisness would not be great.
But I can see now TP2 like a good but not perfect option, before thre was nothing...
Cavey.co.uk said:
The 3.5mm jack is pointless IMHO. It wouldn't take a headset, so you have to pull the headphones out to answer the phone. The extUSB is not ideal, but at least you don't have to faff, plus it allows for inline controls. I was initially sceptical, but having lived with it I have been converted. I won't repeat myself, but see here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can have a 3.5mm socket that takes a headset + 3.5 adaptor, or any 3.5mm plug in the same socket. My X1 has this.
I can see why you'd say it's pointless, as often I use the adaptor (to accept calls with my headphones in), so it could just as well be extUSB. However, it's useful to have the socket for those occasions you need it and don't have the adaptor on you.
Also, I've found 3.5mm sockets unreliable on phones. I had an HD for about 2 weeks and the 3.5mm socket broke (had to send it back for repair), and the same happened after a couple of weeks with my X1. I hope it doesn't happen again, as they took over 2 weeks to repair it!
If all 3.5mm sockets are as badly built as the X1 and HDs ones, I'd rather not have them (unless I renew my T-mobile contract that gave next day swap out replacements!).
codybear said:
I fully agree with you on this,
the 3.5 is the only thing I really wish it had.
But I mean it's not like they can build the perfect pocket pc,
everyone's likes/dislikes are completely different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, personally I'd just as soon it had no camera at all. I'm stuck paying for and carrying a hunk of tech I don't really want. But the world seems to be against me on the utility of camera phones.
DavidMc0 said:
Also, I've found 3.5mm sockets unreliable on phones. I had an HD for about 2 weeks and the 3.5mm socket broke (had to send it back for repair), and the same happened after a couple of weeks with my X1. I hope it doesn't happen again, as they took over 2 weeks to repair it!
If all 3.5mm sockets are as badly built as the X1 and HDs ones, I'd rather not have them (unless I renew my T-mobile contract that gave next day swap out replacements!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the iPhones 3.5mm socket seems to be holding up. I haven't heard any complaints about it, and as far as im aware, it accepts/uses headsets.
Never had any problems with my HD's 3.5mm socket.
beast0898 said:
Hi I all,
...I feel HTC are misguided with their designs.
The Rhodium does look very attractive...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why did they have to make it look like an an old i-phone? Isn't the design world past that now?
And why does it have to be bigger than it's predecessor without much usable difference in specification?

[Q] tablets

im looking for opinions, i have a G2, so say i wanted to get a tablet also, what would be the point in getting one if you have an anroid phone with HSPA+/4G ? and whats the best tablet as far as performance and feautures
Theres alot of new droid tabs hitting the market soon so i would wait for a dual core with ffc and a nice manageable size to it. Thats my .02 tho
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App
rickyiswhite said:
im looking for opinions, i have a G2, so say i wanted to get a tablet also, what would be the point in getting one if you have an anroid phone with HSPA+/4G ? and whats the best tablet as far as performance and feautures
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
personally, i dont see any point on getting a tablet, because the smartphones now are
powerfull enough to do almost anything a tablet can do, and tablets arnt powerfull enough
to run, lets a say a full linux distro with gnome or kde (or windows 7) ,and they are not any more portable than a laptop really.especially the ones with large screens like ipad or xoom. and
i dont care how good the on screen keyboards are ,i still WANT a proper keyboard (thats why i got a desire z) you can also have a look at Lenovo thinkpads they are kind of like a laptop and
tablet merge togher and you will have proper device that can run any os you wish which also
comes with multitouch screen. but they are not cheap. so to sum up i think tablets are so underpower so locked down
and arnt any more portable than a laptop and you will end up with a java machine (android) or apple ios which is even worse ,instead of a proper OS. sorry about the long post guy.
tablets make me angry
Like the guy above, I wasn't sold on the idea of tablets until recently. It depends on what you use your smartphone and home computer for. But since having a baby recently, my wife and I have found ourselves at home more than before, and wanting to be able to do things like check email or lookup things on the internet without being stuck at a desk, or having a big laptop weighing you down while sitting on the couch. We found ourselves using our smartphones a lot, such as resting on the couch while the baby was sleeping. Which works just fine. But having a tablet gives you a much larger screen, which makes for more more pleasurable experience due to a larger screen to browse websites, watch video, etc. Its also makes the touch interface for many tasks much more usable. Using a tablet as an e-reader also makes much more sense than on a phone. Its closer to the experience of reading a "real" paper book, where you see a whole page, instead of just a fraction of one (forcing you to flip to the next screen really frequently).
Some people like to tote their tablets around everywhere. That isn't me, so far. I mostly use it at home. And when I'm at home, I use it more than either my smartphone or my desktop/laptop computers (although some people have been going this route). You probably would not find a tablet a suitable replacement for a desktop/laptop computer. As mentioned, they just aren't as powerful or versatile, and a more limited software selection. A tablet does what your smartphone does, just with a bigger screen. So if you find yourself using your smartphone and frequently wishing that you had a much larger screen, then a tablet might be fore you.
The tablet I have is the HTC Flyer, since I love the build quality of HTC's products. Its a 7" screen tablet, with Gingerbread (supposedly to be updated to HOneycomb "soon"). Not dual core, but its got a snappy 1.5 GHz single core Snapdragon. Its a great device, but HTC will also coming out with a 10" tablet later this year, so that one will be worth checking out, also. The ideal size for a tablet is a topic of much debate. The common tablet sizes now are 7" and 10", with the debate being primarily about having a larger screen versus the portability of a 7". Again, it mostly comes down to personal preference, and your intended usage.
The posters above me have very valid points. I too would like a tablet simply because, as stated above, I find myself not wanting to lug around my laptop. I'm not doing anything that warrants using a laptop like writing long emails, gaming, etc. I'm mostly sitting on the couch or lying in bed playing around on XDA or reading blogs or the like. I don't need this giant thing sitting on my lap heating my junk and lowering my sperm count! I love it, but I would like something else for this purpose. That being said I would wait for at least the holiday season or next year to see what's coming out. There are some good ones on the way, but I'd like to see them either come down in price or when they do come out, seeing the current ones come down in price.
Yeah everyone makes a good point here, if it a tablet had everything like sd card slot headphone jack etc plus a hardrive(or at least a port to connect an external hard drive) so you could say burn discs or download stuff that you couldn't on your phone and connect your phone to the tablet and transfer via usb. That'd be a nice tablet
Sent From My T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
rickyiswhite said:
if it a tablet had everything like sd card slot headphone jack etc plus a hardrive(or at least a port to connect an external hard drive) so you could say burn discs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you mean a CD/DVD burner/reader, that's an optical drive, not a hard drive. Which are starting to become pretty irrelevant. With online distribution of games and movies, I hardly ever find myself using my optical drive.
oh **** hahah thats what I meant but I wasnt sure
Sent From My T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
@heybobitsme ,redpoint73
You both have valid points ,but firstly not all laptops are giant, i have a 13" laptop
which is pretty light and i use it when in front of tv as well ,and it doesnt heat up if
i am doing the tasks that you do on your tablets.I take it with me everywhere and it has a very good battery life but at the same time, i play Crysis 2 on it when i am on the train. could i do that with a tablet?
however i do get your point. what i dont like is some poeple keep saying
tablets are the way forward and you dont need a pc anymore. lets face it
none of the mobile OSs around are good . i use android on my phone because the only other
options are win7 or ios, well at least android is opensource (usually).
But yeah they are just giant phones.
I don't see how they are useful or innovative at all, but that is largely dependent upon your needs as a user, and I do realize that there are situations where a tablet might come in more handy than a phone or laptop... I just don't think those few situations warrant toting around another $500+ device.
I have a company-provided iPad, my G2, a 15" laptop and a desktop... the iPad sees use maybe once every month. there are VERY few instances, for me, where a tablet has a specific advantage over one of my other devices that warrants busting it out... for instance:
-if I'm working on my car, it's nice to have the iPad laying around with a shop manual loaded... can't do that on my G2 because it's too small and I have to scroll too often. could do it on the laptop, but the touchscreen on the iPad is pretty slick for swiping through pages and whatnot.
-it's decent for taking notes in meetings/at school IF you have an external keyboard. I still don't think touchscreens are viable replacements for physical keyboards at this point if you're going to be typing a lot. even still, I prefer using my laptop for this.
and, on a side note, completely unrelated to the function of a tablet... how much of a tool do you look like walking around with a 10" glorified smartphone? I just think it's a silly fad that will die out. I mean, come on, I don't even have a usb port on my iPad... what good does that do me?
for me to seriously consider purchasing a tablet, they would need:
-sd card reader
-full-size usb ports (at least 2); usb host [of course]
-better printing capability (I know there have been some strides made here, but it's still not seamless enough for it to be useful in a professional setting)
-a few other things would be nice, but the above are most important to me
also, a "sliding" tablet with a physical keyboard built in would be killer.
Yeah I hate when htc and such puts out really good phones with no physical keyboard....
Sent From My T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
bahmanxda said:
@heybobitsme ,redpoint73
You both have valid points ,but firstly not all laptops are giant, i have a 13" laptop
which is pretty light and i use it when in front of tv as well ,and it doesnt heat up if
i am doing the tasks that you do on your tablets.I take it with me everywhere and it has a very good battery life but at the same time, i play Crysis 2 on it when i am on the train. could i do that with a tablet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, not all laptops are giant, but they are still much bigger and heavier than tablets, especially 7" tablets. I can be laying in bed, or on the couch, and have my Flyer sitting on my chest, reading an e-book, web browsing, or whatever. But of course, that situation, if it even applies to you, may not be reason enough to buy an additional electronic device.
I don't look at the tablet as being a replacement for a desktop or laptop computer, but as an additional device. I love me some PC gaming, and I do that on my desktop PC. I have a work provided laptop also. All these different computer devices get used for different things.
As I mentioned before, it all depends on your personal preference, lifestyle, and how you use your devices. In your case, if you have a smartphone, and a smaller laptop, I can easily see how those satisfy all the situations you encounter in your life. But for those looking for a device to fill the gaps, a tablet can be just that.
redpoint73 said:
Sure, not all laptops are giant, but they are still much bigger and heavier than tablets, especially 7" tablets. I can be laying in bed, or on the couch, and have my Flyer sitting on my chest, reading an e-book, web browsing, or whatever. But of course, that situation, if it even applies to you, may not be reason enough to buy an additional electronic device.
I don't look at the tablet as being a replacement for a desktop or laptop computer, but as an additional device. I love me some PC gaming, and I do that on my desktop PC. I have a work provided laptop also. All these different computer devices get used for different things.
As I mentioned before, it all depends on your personal preference, lifestyle, and how you use your devices. In your case, if you have a smartphone, and a smaller laptop, I can easily see how those satisfy all the situations you encounter in your life. But for those looking for a device to fill the gaps, a tablet can be just that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are absolutely right, using the tablet for the things you said make sense .
but in my case it would just make me mad .because i have this habit that i always have
10-15 applications and lots of tabs open in different work spaces, even when i am not doing anything special.
and the other thing is now all this new tablets are coming out with dual-core and more rams and everyone going crazy over them ,the problem is they dont bring new functionalities because the software on them are basically the same ,they just do the same thing a little
faster and smoother. the only points that i see in tables now are some of the things the things you mentioned and all them can be done on a cheap $100 tablet ,so now what is the point of very expensive tablets with dual-core?, i still wont be able to multi task properly with android,ios,etc (HPs web os looked a bit better though) id rather use the $500-600 on upgrading my laptop or desktop.
Yeah, I can see how a tablet is probably not for you. Desktop or laptop PCs will not be replaced by tablets anytime soon. You simply can't use a tablet to do things like composing long emails or other documents, playing higher powered games, and utilizing complex software (like in my case, AutoCAD). Basically, tablets are good for web browsing and consuming media via a touch interface, and using simple apps. And that's really about it.

[Q] Note 10.1 touchscreen bug or issue whatever it is ? help!

Its been 2 weeks since i bought this tablet. I have a problem since then which is when i use touch screen, while scroolin up and down and stop without drawin my finger, page under my finger vibrates for a few pixels. For example while im using photoshop touch and crop someting to move with my fingers , that cropped piece starts to shake . Does this exist in all devices ? If its not im gonna take the device back to store . Is it a known problem that no one mentions about ? With pen everthing is cool but when I start using my fingers its shaky like 3 4 pixels.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2619898
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2491690
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2646401
jep it's a very well known issue and pretty much everyone has it. People are pretty sure that it is a software bug that can be fixed in the next update though.
I'm going to wait until the next update hits and hope that it will be fixed, because otherwise the tablet is perfect. Otherwise I'll probably return it as well.
The capacitive touchscreen controller in these tablets attempts to provide touch coordinates that are as accurate as possible. when you place a finger on the screen, you arent touching a single point, but rather a number of points, for which the controller has to determine a center point. For capacitive screens, the calculation of this touch point can vary from one iteration of the calculation to the next as a result of subtle capacitance changes due to humidity, contact pressure, etc. if you load any of a number of test programs that output the touch coordinates, you'll see that they jump around by a few pixels.
What this means is that the driver for the touchscreen doesnt include enough deadband around the touchpoint to eliminate positional jitter. This can be corrected in the driver, but whether a software update will resolve it or not remains to be seen. If the jitter isn't acceptable, I would plan to return the tablet within your applicable return window, rather than count on a software update that may or may not address the problem. Samsung has been slow to respond to these kinds of issues, if they address them at all.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
dpersuhn said:
The capacitive touchscreen controller in these tablets attempts to provide touch coordinates that are as accurate as possible. when you place a finger on the screen, you arent touching a single point, but rather a number of points, for which the controller has to determine a center point. For capacitive screens, the calculation of this touch point can vary from one iteration of the calculation to the next as a result of subtle capacitance changes due to humidity, contact pressure, etc. if you load any of a number of test programs that output the touch coordinates, you'll see that they jump around by a few pixels.
What this means is that the driver for the touchscreen doesnt include enough deadband around the touchpoint to eliminate positional jitter. This can be corrected in the driver, but whether a software update will resolve it or not remains to be seen. If the jitter isn't acceptable, I would plan to return the tablet within your applicable return window, rather than count on a software update that may or may not address the problem. Samsung has been slow to respond to these kinds of issues, if they address them at all.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Very good point. The driver seems to try to be very accurate. One my older tablet (Acer A500) many times when using Chrome it would magnify the area where I touched as it couldn't really tell which link I had pressed. It seems with this tablet that almost never happens, almost as if the driver is trying to be as accurate as the pen. Sorry, my fingers are not that accurate! Maybe its a (incorrect) reaction to the high res of the tablet?
The driver should be averaging the touched area to get the touch point, but it should also give some kind of uncertainty so it doesn't seem unnaturally accurate (pixel width finger).
I should have tested this on the note 12 or the tab pro's at bestbuy last night...
dpersuhn said:
The capacitive touchscreen controller in these tablets attempts to provide touch coordinates that are as accurate as possible. when you place a finger on the screen, you arent touching a single point, but rather a number of points, for which the controller has to determine a center point. For capacitive screens, the calculation of this touch point can vary from one iteration of the calculation to the next as a result of subtle capacitance changes due to humidity, contact pressure, etc. if you load any of a number of test programs that output the touch coordinates, you'll see that they jump around by a few pixels.
What this means is that the driver for the touchscreen doesnt include enough deadband around the touchpoint to eliminate positional jitter. This can be corrected in the driver, but whether a software update will resolve it or not remains to be seen. If the jitter isn't acceptable, I would plan to return the tablet within your applicable return window, rather than count on a software update that may or may not address the problem. Samsung has been slow to respond to these kinds of issues, if they address them at all.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. This is exactly how it looks like. I understand that the touchscreen needs to be as accurate as possible for the pen. But a simple solution or workaround would be to have a "pen mode" for when the pen is out and a finger mode while the pen is docked in the case.
I'm sure there will be a solution for this sooner or later, especially since samsung is releasing more and more devices with wacom digitizers and stylus. And it's more or an annoyance than a deal breaker for me. There aren't any situations where it keeps me from getting my work done or anything. It's just a little annoying sometimes.
And in my experience samsung is actually quite good with fixing things these days.
Thanks for replies! I guess its the driver too. Comparing with apple , yes they dont offer to much of feature but i guess they are best at what they offer and this is the only problem with samsung. Amazing features that we come across via samsung but no perfection.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda app-developers app

Question On display camera.

Can anyone explain how this is a feature? I mean it doesn't bother me. But the more I think about it . The less it feels like a feature. And more it feels like something fishy. I don't know enough about stuff to understand access to data under a proprietary feature. But at the bare minimum I've never thought you know what this phone needs is that small crappy front facing camera to be in the display . I think I prefer it not there at all since the phone opens the back camera is sufficient for both. End of the day I believe this will be my last samsung. I hate the front screen and inside screen is cool and impressive but still kinda annoying. In my mind these devices should come with all the quirks ironed out. I still enjoy my note 3 rooted as much if not more. And the note 20 ultra was a solid device but wasn't a big upgrade from my 10+. Bare minimum samsung not including accessories is just lame. I would have probably made the closed screen slightly larger for easier use on the go and then the use on the inside screen for less often use in casual settings.
Just my thoughts a month in and was curious to hear others thoughts. I know it's probably and amazing device for someone who doesn't upgrade frequently but as someone who does it was probably the device that has ended my desire for new and cool over tested and true. .
Anyone stumble across any lesser known features or functions that aren't well known?
Customization wise:
I use wavelet and my bose in car sounds amazing.
And have good lock/nice lock until hex is functional again.
Ad block
and system ui tuner that doesn't seem to be adding much
and I tried to see if I could use adb and 3c but it doesn't seem to improve much or increase any functional use but I just had it long ago and thought I'd see if it was useful
The latest update has improved my mobile service in rural areas near by sprint on tmobile experience
I haven't debloated because honestly the device probably wouldn't improve much with less and I'm kinda waiting to understand what all is needed until my account is fully tmobile. I assume nothing they have changes much but since it can't currently be unlocked on tmobile side I'm curious to how it's locked since it's not supposed to be sprint sim compatible. But still has the sprint unlock uicdd on device hidden with tmobile unlock visible. I also hope someone comes out with a case that has a tiny bluetooth keyboard , I think that would be kinda cool.
Ok
I know that for everyone, no device is perfect. As much as I LOVE this Fold 3, it's not perfect, but it's about as close as a mobile device has come for me. Then again, I know that I am also an edge-case as I use my Fold 3 in a way that most others do not. I use it as a Mobile Office. I call it my 3-pocket-laptop (look on YT for a video titled 4 pocket laptop to see what I am getting at).
I have a foldable BT KB with Trackpad, folding Tablet Stand and a 20kMah battery pack I take along and I can literally work from anywhere I have signal. I even made a portable, battery powered monitor (from an old Laptop and some parts I had to order (controller and the like)) I made that I can stuff in a backpack and have an even better experience when on the go. I no longer need to carry my work laptop with me with this setup.
So yeah, I get why it may not work for you, but for me, I love it.
Talderon said:
I have a foldable BT KB with Trackpad, folding Tablet Stand and a 20kMah battery pack I take along and I can literally work from anywhere I have signal. I even made a portable, battery powered monitor (from an old Laptop and some parts I had to order (controller and the like)) I made that I can stuff in a backpack and have an even better experience when on the go. I no longer need to carry my work laptop with me with this setup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pics please! I've seen the Mr Mobile video you're referring to, that was a fantastic idea!
Talderon said:
I know that for everyone, no device is perfect. As much as I LOVE this Fold 3, it's not perfect, but it's about as close as a mobile device has come for me. Then again, I know that I am also an edge-case as I use my Fold 3 in a way that most others do not. I use it as a Mobile Office. I call it my 3-pocket-laptop (look on YT for a video titled 4 pocket laptop to see what I am getting at).
I have a foldable BT KB with Trackpad, folding Tablet Stand and a 20kMah battery pack I take along and I can literally work from anywhere I have signal. I even made a portable, battery powered monitor (from an old Laptop and some parts I had to order (controller and the like)) I made that I can stuff in a backpack and have an even better experience when on the go. I no longer need to carry my work laptop with me with this setup.
So yeah, I get why it may not work for you, but for me, I love it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw that video and thought it was completely awesome what he did with the Z Fold3 and turning it into a complete desktop solution and even his Microsoft only co-worker was impressed with it.
vinokirk said:
Pics please! I've seen the Mr Mobile video you're referring to, that was a fantastic idea!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll get some pics up soon. I am redesigning the "monitor" case now and want to have an all-in-one unit to show off.
truckerdewd said:
I saw that video and thought it was completely awesome what he did with the Z Fold3 and turning it into a complete desktop solution and even his Microsoft only co-worker was impressed with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I am former MSFT myself and several people there want me to try the same thing with a Duo 2 (which they are sending me) and do a comparison. This will be fun!

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