As you can probably guess, I love gadgets. So while Canadian telecom companies like to lock you into 3 year cellular phone contracts, I usually find myself getting tired of the device I have after about a year. So much to my delight, I decided to geta new HTC Diamond (after a great deal of hassle) from Rogers (my phone provider).
I was upgrading from the HTC Touch — and in many ways the Diamond is just a (very) upgraded HTC Diamond. There are quite a few improvements in Windows Mobile 6.1 as well (the Touch had 6.0), as well as some great new features on the Diamond that the Touch didn’t have (GPS is a nice touch, as is 4 gigs of internal storage, a much better browser etc.).
I always end up loading a bunch of games and DVD movie backups onto my phone to play or watch during those mandatory down-time moments (waiting at the doctor’s office, taking the bus, those kinds of things), and as I was loading up a copy of an old version of SimCity, I realized that this was the same version of the game that I once played on the PC about 10 years ago.
While the interface had been slightly adapted for Windows Mobile, the game was exactly the same as it had been on the PC (and yes, 10 years later, sending rioters through the streets of your SimCity is still just as fun). The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my mobile phone now did everything that my PC did 10 years ago, and a whole lot more (global positioning, Google Maps, taking photos, touch screen, to name just a few). Pretty amazing really.
Even while I had the HTC Touch, I still never really felt as if the interface and features could be defined as ‘mobile computing’. While I could send email, play some games, watch movies, listen to music and do a bunch of other things, the whole experience just felt clunky and awkward.
The Diamond just feels, well, different. The only persistent issue is with Microsoft Office applications — it’s still pretty tough to type out and format a document in Word in Windows Mobile. Maybe if I had the HTC Touch Pro (just a Diamond with a keyboard really), this would be easier?
I’m hoping Rogers will eventually include an extremely cutting edge Windows Mobile phone in its line-up like the HTC Max 4G — yes, I’m a big fan of HTC products, and no, they’re not paying me to promote their stuff. Rogers (as is the rest of the world), is still pretty focused on the iPhone however, so I don’t think Windows Mobile products are at the top of their list. But HTC, if you feel like sending me a 4G to try out, I’m all ears. 
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February 6th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Hey Luke, I have been using HTC Diamond for 6 months. I was very excited at the beginning. It is myb-day gift from Dad and it isn’t cheap in HK standard : nice design (both hardware & software), touch screen, all the things you can do from/with your phone…etc. but after awhile I found it is actually not too user-friendly. I wonder if it is just MY phone though or even just ME being not high-tech at all. The response of each touch can be very slow. It is quite difficult to control the rolling screen. Have you tried to add a location in Weather? I always accidentaly add a location instead of keep rolling up/down to select the location I really want. There was one time I tired in my whole boat-ride just add one city. very frustrating. Things happen in Music as well. I already deleted the songs from the storage but somehow, the song titles still appear in the Library. Also sometimes I tried to switch on my phone but iot got stuck when it is loading Windows Mobile, like a computer got frozen and I need to hard-boot it. In this case, I have to take out the battery.
I can go on and on about it. Perhaps you can tell me what goes wrong with my phone or me?!
huumm…I guess your message is not really about HTC product but mobile computing!
February 6th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Hi Eva, and thanks for your comment. I have heard that other people have had similar problems with the Diamond, most of which I believe are resolved through a firmware upgrade. But also, I’m sorry to hear you’ve had so many problems with your birthday gift!
While flashing the firmware on your phone is not the easiest thing in the world to do, it usually does help to alleviate some of these issues (if it was purchased in Hong Kong, you’ll need that version of the firmware in order to upgrade it).
I would also suggest that if you’re not comfortable flashing the firmware yourself, perhaps you could find a reseller who could upgrade the firmware to the latest version for you. You can check your current firmware version by going to ‘Start -> Settings -> System -> Device Information’.
February 7th, 2009 at 2:39 am
Hey, I do not own a diamond, but i am currently using the HTC Touch. This was a shift from Sony Ericsson to HTC, and I have not regretted it one bit. However, HTC seems to have a lotta problems with its software and tend to hang a lot.Wondre f Diamond has similar issues?
February 8th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
thanks Luke, I’ll take it to my service provider see what they can do with the firmware.
and Vibe.to, to me Diamond hang a lot when I try to switch on the phone.
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Ah Sim City. If they could make a really good remake of Sim City 2000 and put it on mobile phone, I would go out and buy it if my phone supported it.
I define mobile computing as anything that can go online and receive email and basically replace a desktop. My phone is too old and if it went online, it would be very slow. If I were to upgrade right now, I would get a smartphone in the US with Windows Mobile and some sort of touch screen.
Lucas- I assume you are getting a better price in Canada than you would in the US. Cell phone plans are expensive here. Data rates are through the roof without a plan that includes it.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:26 am
Interesting thought that the PC’s of yesterday could be likened to the HTC type devices of today. I guess that’s progress for you!
I do not own an HTC or similar product (more’s the pity) but have had the chance to use them through work and they are truly mobile devices but I think “mobile computing” is more of a generic/unbrella term used describe equipment you can use anywhere and (perhaps controversially) not necessarily connected to a network.
I sell a range of solutions (www.mytex.co.uk) which I term as mobile devices and they can be connected to a network via wi-fi or 3G (as with all laptops and netbooks) but also have use when used off-line for printing, customer demonstrations and order documentation etc.