iPhone v HTC HD2 - Is the HD2 an iPhone killer?
- By Chief Editor
- Published 16 Jan 2010
Chief Editor
Experienced IT professional and frequent blogger with a special interest in technology, the internet, photography and motoring.
Almost every touchscreen phone launched these days has the same question asked of it - Is it an iPhone killer? So this same question was asked of the HD2 from HTC.
There's no doubt that the iPhone has changed the mobile phone market forever.
People are no longer satisfied at having a phone in their pocket, the phone has to have a large touchscreen, fast internet access, plenty of storage for all your photos and videos, and probably most important of all - expandable through the installion of 3rd party software or "apps".
In over 2 years of iPhone use (from the original 2G iPhone through to the iPhone 3GS) I have heard the question "is it an iPhone killer" aimed at all sorts of new phone releases, but every time the answer has been a resounding NO!
But can the HTC HD2 finally topple the Apple iPhone from its firm grip on the title of the best mobile phone in the world?
As an Apple user for years (Macbook laptops, iPods and of course the iPhone) I have grown to love the way all of the devices work together without any fuss, lengthy configuration or endless internet searches for help with solutions to problems. You may have guessed by now that this blog is going to be very Apple oriented - sorry Windows users (or users of Linux, Android etc.)
Plug the iPhone into the Apple laptop and iTunes launches and synchronises all of my contacts, calendar entries, photos, videos, podcasts etc, etc. The first time I did this it was such a relief.
Why a relief?
Anyone who has hooked up a Windows Mobile based phone to a Windows PC (XP, Vista or Windows 7) using ActiveSync in XP or the replacement software shipped with Vista and Windows 7) and then held their breath whilst crossing their fingers in the hope that phone and computer talk to each othe
r will know what I mean.
One particular client has had countless Windows based laptops and Windows mobile phones. Some link together and work trouble free, others just refuse to recognise each other causing hours of Google searching for other poor souls who have encountered the same soul destroying problem.
If his company wasn't completely reliant on Windows computers and software the I would have switched him to the delights of OSX and iPhones by now. But if I had done that I wouldn't have been able to feel the sense of achievement after spending hours linking and syncing a Windows laptop and a Windows Mobile phone (cue the new sarcasm character or SarcMark launched and trademarked recently by a US firm).
Anyway, back to the iPhone versus the HTC HD2.
One of the first things you notice about the HD2 is the beautiful screen. Bigger that the iPhone screen, it actually makes Apple's iPhone screen look quite small without making the HD2 feel too big in the hand.
The second obvious difference is the row of 4 buttons along the bottom of the HD2. One of the many things I loke about the iPhone is the way that you can operate the single button without even thinking about it. Operation of the 4 buttons on the HD2 (with one actually having 2 functions, the "Windows" button and the "back" function) would probably become second nature with a little use though.
On the back of the HD2 you will find the lens for a 5 megapixel camera protruding out from the case and just asking to be knocked, scratched and generally abused. Next to the lens are two, very bright, lights used to illuminate low light situations.
I didn't get the same feeling of awe when I first picked up the HD2 that I did when first planting the iPhone in my sweaty palm, but then the HD2 isn't the leap away from current technology that the iPhone was when it was released.
More soon.....
There's no doubt that the iPhone has changed the mobile phone market forever.
People are no longer satisfied at having a phone in their pocket, the phone has to have a large touchscreen, fast internet access, plenty of storage for all your photos and videos, and probably most important of all - expandable through the installion of 3rd party software or "apps".
In over 2 years of iPhone use (from the original 2G iPhone through to the iPhone 3GS) I have heard the question "is it an iPhone killer" aimed at all sorts of new phone releases, but every time the answer has been a resounding NO!
But can the HTC HD2 finally topple the Apple iPhone from its firm grip on the title of the best mobile phone in the world?
As an Apple user for years (Macbook laptops, iPods and of course the iPhone) I have grown to love the way all of the devices work together without any fuss, lengthy configuration or endless internet searches for help with solutions to problems. You may have guessed by now that this blog is going to be very Apple oriented - sorry Windows users (or users of Linux, Android etc.)
Plug the iPhone into the Apple laptop and iTunes launches and synchronises all of my contacts, calendar entries, photos, videos, podcasts etc, etc. The first time I did this it was such a relief.
Why a relief?
Anyone who has hooked up a Windows Mobile based phone to a Windows PC (XP, Vista or Windows 7) using ActiveSync in XP or the replacement software shipped with Vista and Windows 7) and then held their breath whilst crossing their fingers in the hope that phone and computer talk to each othe
One particular client has had countless Windows based laptops and Windows mobile phones. Some link together and work trouble free, others just refuse to recognise each other causing hours of Google searching for other poor souls who have encountered the same soul destroying problem.
If his company wasn't completely reliant on Windows computers and software the I would have switched him to the delights of OSX and iPhones by now. But if I had done that I wouldn't have been able to feel the sense of achievement after spending hours linking and syncing a Windows laptop and a Windows Mobile phone (cue the new sarcasm character or SarcMark launched and trademarked recently by a US firm).
Anyway, back to the iPhone versus the HTC HD2.
One of the first things you notice about the HD2 is the beautiful screen. Bigger that the iPhone screen, it actually makes Apple's iPhone screen look quite small without making the HD2 feel too big in the hand.
The second obvious difference is the row of 4 buttons along the bottom of the HD2. One of the many things I loke about the iPhone is the way that you can operate the single button without even thinking about it. Operation of the 4 buttons on the HD2 (with one actually having 2 functions, the "Windows" button and the "back" function) would probably become second nature with a little use though.
On the back of the HD2 you will find the lens for a 5 megapixel camera protruding out from the case and just asking to be knocked, scratched and generally abused. Next to the lens are two, very bright, lights used to illuminate low light situations.
I didn't get the same feeling of awe when I first picked up the HD2 that I did when first planting the iPhone in my sweaty palm, but then the HD2 isn't the leap away from current technology that the iPhone was when it was released.
More soon.....