I just won a HTC Touch Diamond at the SWMUG Xmas party, and then a few days later the Samsung Omnia I had already ordered via Press Digital finally arrived

Here are my thoughts on the devices so far:

Samsung Omnia

Pros

• reasonably fast (probably will be much slower with Manilla2D*)
• plenty of memory & storage (could always use more of course)
• big screen (240x400), without device being too big - although it is reasonably long
• haptic feedback is very nice, helping to know that it has recognised your tap/movement
  
• touch pad works well for scrolling, but "flick" scrolling on screen also works
  
• motion sensing and switch to landscape is nice, and is supported by most apps
• microSD expansion, so it can (possibly**) replace my iPod
  
• two cameras: main camera is 5MP + flash light

• widgets today screen almost useless in my opinion
• today screen are ugly (i'm trialling Spb Mobile Shell instead)
• non standard connector for sync/charge/audio (** a pain to connect to car stereo)
  
• annoying cover over sync/charge connector (just waiting to break off...)
  
• no stylus dock (just a stylus on a keyring "lanyard") - what were they thinking?
  
• most SIP options take up too much screen space (designed for finger input I guess)

• has higher resolution screen (VGA 480x640) - text and icons are noticeably clearer and look very sharp
  
• TouchFlo3D is very "pretty"
• small & sleek
• clever magnetic stylus latch
• double the ram - but doesn't seem to have much more free than the omnia after boot (due to TouchFlo?)
• two cameras

• poor reception compared to my other phones (may be the radio stack version i've got)
• TouchFlo3D is a bit slow, and takes some practice
• backlight dims unpredictably - i.e not always per power settings
• turns off unpredictably - i.e not always per power settings
• SIP uses far too much screen space (again designed for finger input)
• motion sensing only supported in a few apps - e.g. Opera & photos
• "scroll wheel" only supported for zoom in a few apps - would be nice if provided scroll in others
• no microSD expansion
• no camera flash

Posted by: Kean at 04:23 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 423 words, total size 4 kb.

1 Good Post Kean,
How is the input on both devices. Is the input slowed down at all by the haptic touch on the Omnia? (a big issue with the Storm so far).

Which one do you think you will keep as you main device?

That Omnia lanyard thing is a complete joke isn't it?

Posted by: Jodie Miners at December 13, 2008 04:51 PM (0vuKk)

2 Jodie,

I haven't noticed any slowdown with the haptic feedback on the Omnia when using the SIP.  You only get it when using the Samsung SIP's though, plus the motion sensing, touch pad scrolling, and a few other apps (Opera, calculator,...).  Spb mobile doesn't use it, which is a pity.

I'll probably keep the Omnia as my main device, although I'm still torn between the two...  The screen resolution on the Diamond is beautiful!

Kean

Posted by: Kean at December 13, 2008 05:31 PM (Q4p5I)

3 If you don't want the Diamond I'd be happy to, um, "look after it" for you.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 13, 2008 07:39 PM (PiXy!)

4 Though the lack of microSD is disappointing.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 13, 2008 07:42 PM (PiXy!)

5

Great post. I have to say, since converting from a screen only (Palm and iPaq) device to the QWERTY keyboard devices, I'm less tempted to head to the new keyboardless style devices, especially without the ability to write.

So I'm thinking my next device hasn't been thought of yet, or maybe it's the Touch Pro

R42

Posted by: Rog42 at December 13, 2008 10:55 PM (OydU4)

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