iPhone vs. HTC Touch Diamond vs. Xperia X1... Fight!
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 29th 2008 2:07AM
posted May 29th 2008 2:07AM
Update: Er, that's not the HTC Raphael, it's their Touch Diamond.
[Via WMExperts, thanks Al]
posted May 29th 2008 2:07AM
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
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YOU'RE 18 MONTHS OLD!
I AM TOO!
...no, wait...
@ Paul Evans
How is a phone that came out last June "18 months old"? Did I slip into some bizarro world where May is actually 6 months after June?
The iPhone spec was probably fixed 18 months ago, but you're right it was released nearly 12 months ago.
However, the X1 that it is being compared to, isn't even going to be released for atleast another 3 months. So even if you take release dates only as true age of a handset then he iPhone is still 18 months older.
Also, I hear people whining about the lack of GPS and 3G on the iPhone last year being behind the times. Can someone tell me which phone from 2007 has a capacitative touchscreen, 3G and GPS? That's right, it doesn't exist. And the only examples of such phones are still in the Coming Soon section of most manufacturers websites.
Finally, it has to be faced that both the Diamond and the X1 are dead in the water. Simply put, they both are running Windows Mobile, which if my last two years experience has taught me anything, it is that Microsoft make abortions of their software platforms, really. Anyone who says they like getting their stylus out just to close a window (tiny tiny tiny close buttons) is lieing. Yes there are people who like Windows Mobile. But there also peope who don't mind watchig movies where the sound isn't synced up. This lack of "sync" feel is what gets me frustrated with even the latest HTC Touch models.
@ Hendrix
Been watching movies, listening to music, browsing the web and using a touchscreen for 2 years w/ a WinMob device. I don't see stuttering but on rare occassion.
As for needing a stylus ... it is hardly necessary, especially if you load on smartskey. I can get to any app with one hand and just a few clicks.
Finally, many WinMob devices have full qwerty keyboards. For people that rely on email for work this is a must. The iPhone is awful for writing out detailed messages on a regular basis throughout the day. I would guess that, on average, it slows down messaging by 50% at a minimum.
The fact is that the iPhone is great looking, works well for videos and music, plus it has the "cool" factor. But, it is in no way a serious replacement for a professional that needs a more business centric device.
@bjsguess
You don't "need" a more business-centric device if you are a professional. You and many other people have created a "need" based on how you choose to structure your way of doing business. I choose to run my business with just a phone that makes audio phone calls, and it works. I can spend $25K a year on having someone in my office during office hours (these days I choose only to work during office hours) and that person can do whatever I need. Big business or small business, you can make the argument that a person is cheaper than a bunch of gadgets and technology as well as its support. And with proper economic decisions, you can choose to work the way you want. But if you want gadgets because it's "cool", then you could choose to structure your business around an iPhone and its cool factor.
Don't hide behind the "need" argument, because it's just not true.
Me wan the X1.... NOW....
All three phones are fine. As far as I can see there is no "dominant" device because all of them offer equal pros and cons.
The picture of all three together, showcasing where these new generation of phones have gone is more impressive than people arguing over their brand of choice any day. I cant wait to see the photo when there are 15 different phones to show
I want the Touch Diamond.
How about a re-match when the iPhone 2nd Gen is released ?
reading the responses to an article about the iphone is like sitting in a room full of people with Turrets syndrome.
oh my gosh! why does everyone get to play w/ the X1 except me?!
I was seriously considering the Xperia but now that I see how damm thick it is, I there is no way I'm going to carry that brick around in my pocket.
Tag line should have been " Bloated Junk vs. Overpriced Ripoff vs Iphone - No contest"
5 years and thousands of dollars into Windows mobile handsets (my last 2 - a wing and a dash) down the toilet. Did an iphone on a whim and will never look back. I am far from a fan boy and gave WM every chance - including 6.1 which is not even close. I don't miss the daily resets, phone locking up in a call, 3 buttons to push to make a call, and so on. Had iphone for 4 months now and had only 1 reset - unlocked and 4 pages of programs. Try that on Winmob.
I did and it worked out great.
I also did it WITHOUT voiding my warrant. Fun stuff, huh?
Still faithful to the X1. I am willing to sacrifice on the phone's size and thickness, if I can have a Qwerty keyboard and also access Excel spreadsheets loaded with the information of the wells I'm responsible for.
That Diamond screen is so small.
yay! another pointless post. Seriously what information is supposed to be gained from this? Even if the point is to compare the phones on specs, shouldn't we be waiting for the 3G iphone to compare it? (to all people who know me: "gasp! did I just make a pro-apple comment?")
are your posts as consistently annoying as your face?
I've reset my WinMob device maybe 6 times in 2 years. Probably had the device crash during a call 2 or 3 times. Even that, not sure if that is WinMob or HTC's fault.
How does pushing the call button constitute "3 buttons" to make a call? Last check that's just one button - in fact that equals the number of buttons you are required to push on an iPhone.
Finally, I have all my programs listed on my homescreen. Everything that I need to get to is accessed through ONE push on my touchscreen. Who needs your 4 pages?
Seriously, if it took you 3 button pushes to make a phone call I question your ability to technically assess an OS.
As if your usual fanboy comments aren't bad enough, you've decided to include the most boring, meaningless quotes from films you've seen. Please stop.
- Nohone: "it froze and would not reboot"
Just restart it pressing for many seconds the two botons up and in front of the iphone
Otherwise just pay the 100$ to close the contract and sell your 3 iphones
for 100$ each. Maybe some body can unlock it and use it as an ipod
- Idlemind: "Software guys seem to have all the problems"
Yes the problems (bugs) follow some of us is a curse.
that's why we found and fix software bugs.
- Wiigee: "yeah. because any other smartphone can't play music... or have a full web browser... yeah, the iphone did that first!"
Yeah you are right, I was a litle unhappy because
my iphone taked like 25 seconds to draw a complex web page (over EDGE)
compared to my laptop it was slow, but comparing to another cellphones
at least it showed the page correctly (2007-Jul)
Also is ACID2 complaint :)
With other smartphone you will need to install Opera to be able to see corectly web pages.
What i didn't like is that is locked to ITunes, no simple transfer files,
no bluetooth transfer files, locking with AT&T
The iPhone is a great bit of kit but it really doesn't compare to either the X1 or Diamond. Data speed alone, both products kick the iPhones butt by about 7 mb/s. Stick a Diamond on Vodafone and watch it burn!!! Also, the Diamond has a full VGA screen, proper GPS and you can actually share your music, in whatever format you want. Which kind of makes the iPhone just a glorified iTouch with a crummy phone added on.
Just to really make my point, the threaed sms on the Diamond can be cut, copied and pasted into new messages...oh and bluetooth works properly too.
I'd rather have the bread in this sandwich.
Who/what is a fanboy?
If I have a volvo and when the occassion arise, I tell my friends how much I like my car, does that quality me as a fanboy?
Grow up already mates!
Great post. I've been wondering which to get the 2nd gen iphone or the xperia. My third option was the newest Blackberry but whatever. Thanks for this.
Ok all this was was a picture comparison...
What's got me torn is the fact that I think I like the Xperia in everything but two parts, the memory space for music, and the web browser. Does anyone know if the Xperia will browse like the iPhone? After using a friend's Safari on that thing I could never willingly get a phone that just has Mobile IE.
Do we have any indication what carriers will have these phones?
Also, I'm personally interested in the Xperia 1, but it seemes to me that the main reason the Touch Diamond is going to be successful is they took MSFT's crappy interface (or an interface designed for a stylus), and designed their own (for using one's finger). With that in mind, and the fact that there doesn't seem to be a stylus (yes!) on the Xperia 1, how is a touch screen going to work sucessfully?
This phones will never match razr record breaking sales. 23 million!!!
I think ill end up getting the Diamond or the Raphael. I really dont want a big brick sized phone as a phone anymore, and I like what HTC's version of the Opera Browser with the Youtube player plugin looks like so far.
Hey... I got rid of my iphone for a Nokia N95-4 8GB about 4 months ago... due to the superior camera, 3/3.5G speed, and third party apps. The ONLY two things I miss are visual voicemail and a qwerty keyboard. However, I have not regretted my decision for a millisecond. In fact, I like that I can text with one hand while driving and not looking at my keypad... so maybe the qwerty keyboard is over-rated after all...
The iphone certainly did MANY things so much better than any other smart phone ever did... but it was far from perfect. The only way the 3G iphone version will survive the onslaught of awesome new smartphones on the horizon is to have a minimum 5mp camera, full speed 3.5G, and more third party app support. You can't believe the things i can do with my N95 8GB.
In the end... the consumer wins with all this competition, bravo!
The N95? Who wants a 21mm thick brick in their pocket. No thanks
Not calling BS on the Nohone part and i'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn't try to use installer.app or unlock it. That being said, if you didn't abuse the phone either, i.e. treat it without the same care you'd treat a very expensive laptop then it can be assumed that the problem was due to lack of care. If that is not the case then it is possible you just got a few phones from a bad batch. I've had my iPhone since day one when it debuted last year and I have yet to have a single problem with it. I use it every day, charge it every night, I don't drop it or expose it to any kind of moisture(rain, condensation, sweat, etc.), I don't jostle it around(jogging or other forms of working out) but I do use it for its intended purposes(phone, internet/email/messaging, ipod).
Don't go to the Genius Bar for any help. Before I bought my mac laptop I had talked to them and decided they were a bunch of idiots. Also each new iPhone you buy comes with 1 year of AppleCare(warranty). They can CLAIM that you tried to unlock it or did something else to it but unless they can prove that(very easy to prove you didn't if you didn't in fact do it) then they can't deny your warranty unless they want to face a lawsuit over it. So here are the 3 plausible scenarios either A: you tried to unlock it and you shot yourself in the foot by taking it to them, B: you made this story up either for attention, or perhaps because you're angry that you can't really afford an iPhone so you don't have one and this upsets you, or C: it did in fact happen to you and you just have the worst luck ever as well as not being willing to stand up for your rights and put Apple in their place when they try to rip you off and charge you for phones that have warranties on them.
it's unfair to compare iphone to the others with it handicaps....
now...consider this:
iphone 3G VS htc touch pro VS SE experia X1
iphone 3G:
pros: slim, safari, price
cons: no QUERTY, limited 3rd party software, no fm radio
htc touch pro:
pros: superb interface (despite winmob, u can operate with touch UI), opera browser, 5 row QWERTY
cons: lack of cool look, heviest, batt life
SE experia X1:
pros: conectivity (true world phone), high res screen, cool look
cons: lack accelerometer, dumb interface (u definitely need the stylus for winmob), QWERTY (lack the feel as reported in BGR), slow UI
ofcourse everthing is not the final results yet.....but......something to think about....for now.....
now, your turn......for comments
ummmm, we're talking about the diamond not the raphael/pro