HTC HD mini/Smart phone

[DaftApeth]

Does anyone have either of these? Would you recommend either/neither?!

Are there any websites where I can see the apps/widgets available on these phones (like I can see apple apps on i-tunes). Would quite like to see what is available before taking the plunge and spurning the i-phone )

hero apps

and this vid here is why I want one!

Hi Jack, thanks for the links.

Are the apps for Hero compatible for all the HTC handsets/phones?

ps. Glad to ear that your mil is making progress. Good news

I have no idea about compatibility tbh, I just want a hero! I would have thought most of them were though.

ps. Thanks, we are chuffed too! off to see her next weekend

Just bumping this in the hope that someone else has thoughts on these phones/apps.

I would probably be downloading more games apps/widgets than apps for me to use, so any websites with these on would be good too

If you enjoyed that video, take a look at this 45 minute video

You'll probably be bored by the bits about the advertising options (this was from the Google developers conference).

Apart from launching Android v2.2 (called Froyo, which is tied in with Flash v10.1) they were showing off some new features like using an Android phone as a wi-fi hotspot (ie sharing the mobile phone connection for other items like an iPod Touch or the new iPad (the one without a mobile contract).

Something else they showed off was selecting an application in the Android store and sending it direct to the mobile phone (from the web browser on another machine, perhaps an iPad!)

They also showed some features like sending navigation directions from a web browser showing a map off to an Android phone, and the phone switched to navigation mode with the map displayed.

Something I really loved was the ability to pull video off a home PC (ie you could use your phone to play music you have at home, without it being on your Android phone). More useful for you to do it via wi-fi indoors (so you don't run up huge data traffic figures which mobile networks might sting you for).

I'm not yet convinced about Google TV (which may be available in N America before Christmas) but it certainly looks like the same types of activity (choose an application on iPad, download it into your new Sony TV running Android) will be possible!

I'm not a great fanboy of either Apple or Google ... Apple because I don't like their stance on controlling what you are 'allowed' to use on your phone... it's like they are saying, that's still ours, and not liking Google because of their control / collection / use of data, and they way they have started to get like big, bad, Microsoft, in many ways.

I also don't particularly like Flash, but it's used on many websites, and for now, I'm willing to accept it, despite its flaws.

I just happen to think that Android mobiles, which by the way are only second to RIM {Blackberry} in the USA, is getting a significant market slice and are a serious rival for iPhone in terms of "on the move" internet devices... linking the phone with the home or office PC, over the air, is quite a clever {and obvious} facility, and they have shown what Apple will have to exceed, to be able to stand with their heads held high.

There were a few digs at Apple in the video, and while Google is far from perfect, it did look not unreasonable for a few points about iPhones to be targets for comparison...

Thankyou NG, will have a look at the link when I have time.

Do you have any opinion on the two handsets? (It seems that the HD mini has a greater capacity? hence the higher price tag from O2) Are they all fairly similar and able to use the same apps/widgets?

A stupid question....is it possible to download and use apps from i-tunes (i.e. Apple) on an android phone?

DS has just got a Hero, but from what I've seen of it so far, I still prefer my iPhone - the hero just doesn'rt seem so intuitive somehow - this is a purely subjective first impression though.

The HTC Desire is similar to the Hero and is really brilliant. Definitely on par with an iphone and many people say it is actually better...
Needless to say, I have one and have been blown away by it; you might be able to get a similar deal to the Hero on it. AFAIK, you can use the same apps on all HTC phones.

Thanks guys.

Are the Hero and Desire a similar size to the i-phone? I am hoping to get something smaller as it is the size of the i-phone that puts me off really.

The Desire is a similar size to the iphone I think...not sure about the Hero though- it might be a little smaller?

The hero's a bit smaller, I think, but it has a slightly tilted end, which actually makes it nicer to hold

I shall have to have a good look next time I am passing the shop.

Not sure O2 do a huge range of HTC phones, though.

Are you restricted to staying with O2 (signal coverage for example) ? Only asking because on the Carphone Warehouse site Orange and T-Mobile offer internet access in their plans for the HTC HD Mini but O2 doesn't (as if they want internet users to go for iPhone).

Of those phones (not looking at pricing/ other Android phones) I'd go for the HD Mini as it has FM radio and GPS and wi-fi (so at home you could use it with home wi-fi router and not be using up any data allowance from the mobile network).

If you go with O2, you'd definitely want wi-fi so you could download applications and not be paying for any bolt-on to the contract fees (if available).

Worth checking whether any Android phone you are about to use has Android v2.2 because it has the backup of user data (as well as Apps) onto memory card available as standard, along with other new features.

Would quite like to stay with O2 as we have broadband more cheaply thru them and are signed up for at least another year.

I'm leaning towards the HD mini, particularly because of the wifi capacity and the camera is better too, I think. They don't look that different in size, which is also a factor for me.

Oh dear - just checking the GSM Arena review I see the HD Mini runs Windows Mobile. Sorry, but right now I would put it on hold, until you have had it in your hands and tried to use it for real. Unfortunately I don't know whether any places would really let you do that, apart from somewhere selling phones second hand like CeX.co.uk (branches around the UK).

I had wrongly assumed it was running some version of Android but that aint so and more's the pity!

I was wanting to check the camera differences and while I saw lots I liked about the phone (3.5mm socket so ordinary headphones/ earplugs would be usable, Opera browser, Stereo FM, and so on).

... Windows Mobile was a bit of a let-down.

.. seriously, you might find you had taken a step backwards when people on Android and iPhones were comparing Apps... you may feel really left out... It would allow you to download some extras but I doubt there is anything like 5000 let alone 50,000 apps for Windows Mobile.

(Have been given a phone recently, which runs guess what Windows Mobile. Works fine for me to have Google Mail in the browser, downloading POP e-mail, and playing FiveLive via the wi-fi, so long as it is powered from USB hub, but could not get Opera Mini running, didn't like the GMail applet, and have hardly considered trying to add anything more, as it has not yet accepted there's a 2 GB mini-SD card in {else I would have filled it with music!)

Sigh.

Now I'm full of indecision.

Was looking at the i-phone again last night!

I would look out for a phone with Android v2.2 and then compare that with the 4G iPhone which should be announced at the start of the second week in June.

I think it's probably best to see what will be offered on the iPhone front (given the Gizmodo leak might mean that test model never gets seen as a new version). The one shown by Gizmodo had a 5 MP camera and looked different to previous models, apparently has a better capacity for the battery, and so on, but it's still only a leaked model, and no guarantee it will end up being sold.

Just to add there's mention here of Windows Mobile v7 which might come out in 2010 just to show Microsoft is fighting back against Android and Apple's iPhone !