Got an email today asking how things are going with the Saga.
I am still using it along with the Touch Pro. This month has been so busy for me at work that both of these phones have gotten a helluva workout from me.
Battery Life
A few weeks ago, I though about posting about crappy battery life for both of these devices. I did some thinking and realized that I am using these way more than I ever have. I surf much more because of my RSS feeds and also because of Opera making the surfing experience better. I receive 10 times the email I did when I first started using winmo devices. I tether way more. Facebook and Twitter texts...don't even ask me to count how many of those I do in a day. I do tend to surf more with the Saga and I owe that to the mouse and a better version of Opera on board. So perhaps a better complaint would be that the battery capacities have not kept up with my increased usage.
Durability
Saga wins hands down. I have dropped each device at least 10 times. Not a scratch on the Saga, all due to the the rubber coating. Samsung build quality has always won hands down for me. The Touch Pro's shiny exterior makes it much more prone to scratches and fingerprints whereas on the Saga the only finger prints will be on the screen.
Random wakeups
I know that Saga owners have made adjustments to backlight settings to eliminate random wakeups. While I don't doubt there was a wakeup issue, I noticed it myself, but there is something else to say about this.
With the wintry/fall/almostsummer weather Ohio has had the last two months, I have been carrying my devices in a variety of ways. Jeans pocket, dress pants pocket, holster, coat pocket, front gadget pocket on a Columbia Sportswear coat. I can tell you with 99% certainty that my random wakeups are directly related to how I am carrying my device and what I am doing that day. Folks are very quick to blame their device when they really need to take a look at how they are carrying it and what activities they are doing. When I am carrying my device in my jeans pocket I can press the on button that is flush on the top of the Saga, by bending over or moving around a lot. The front pocket of my Columbia coat eliminated all my wakeup problems, but I can't wear that all the time so you either use the native keylock, S2U2, or something like that, or live with it.
The Winner?
For some reason I have only food analogies for these two devices (I must be hungry?). The not so attractive meat and potatoes work horse is the Saga. The sexy, sizzling fajita that the waitress walks around the restaurant for everyone to hear and salivate over, but doesn't quite fill you up and leaves you wanting more is the Touch Pro.
Showing posts with label Touch Pro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Touch Pro. Show all posts
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Working with the Touch Pro
Well the SPL unlocker finally got released for the Touch Pro. Last night I loaded four different ROM's til I got one I liked. Scrosler's ROM is getting my TP to be quicker especially with TF3D loaded. I tell ya what though, I miss the optical mouse on the Saga, but at least I don't have the urge to throw this TP against a wall or sell it on ebay. Soon I am sure they will have GPS unlocked.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Email bag
A few readers have been emailing me questions. This one is pretty good so I am posting it. My replies are in italics. Feel free to email me any question you like, (gadgets, my work, my life) and I will post them here if I want to, sans your name if you request.
I originally found your youtube video review of the Samsung Saga, one of the first video reviews! (very helpful). This led me to your Blog, also very informative. Searching around the internet, I realized you are also at "pdaphonehome.com". I posted a question about pics "taken with the Saga", (no responses). I'm wondering about the images from the camera phone look like? I was hoping (if you had some time), you could email me some full-sized pics taken from the Saga? I would greatly appreciate this. (I know it won't be great, but my xv6700 1.3mp camera sucks).
I did email some pics, all the pics lately have been sent by MMS from my Saga. They were downsized automatically to be sent, but still look good on the blog. The short MMS video clips for some reason show up on the blog with the audio messed up. They are not that way on my phone or computer. I have no explanation for this.
Unfortunately, my local VZW stores do not plan on stocking the Saga, so I can't hold/touch one. I was hoping you could provide some feedback/suggestion about some questions?:
It seems the the touch-screen on the Saga is a hard glass/plastic, or some kind of hard plastic... (like the XV6900 or Omnia)?
(to clarify: the xv6700, Samsung i760, Treo 700wx, all have "soft screens", by my definition) Is it a hard screen or a soft screen?
The Saga has a hard screen, not a soft one. It is more responsive than the i760 was. I don’t know what type of screen the omnia has.
I'm trying to decide between the Saga and Omnia. Currently, have a XV6700.
I like the keyboard on the Saga, the optical-mouse also looks very useful (nice and big). But, overall dimensions, it also seems kind of large (long, a little wide). I usually wear my phones on my belt, using a plastic-holster. Not sure if it will look funny with a long phone clipped to my waist? Also, not sure about the blue color, but that's minor. (of course, that brick called the XV6700 is pretty large)
The Saga is the biggest device I have used, and I have small hands. (You know what they say about small hands........Small Gloves!!). The optical mouse is what really allows me to use a phone this big so I can keep my hand down near the bottom of the phone. I really don’t use the touchscreen at all. If a Q had a optical mouse, I would have used one of those, I hate scrolling with a d-pad. I just cant say enough about the optical mouse, it allows me to click on very small links in a webpage and know exactly what I am pressing everywhere else. The scrollbars on pdaphones are basically unusable for my fingers and now I use them all the time, which I think makes up for the lack of Touchflo that you see on HTC devices.
Since I don’t have an Omnia, the only non-keyboard phone I have used is the Touch (6900) so I will base my comparison to a non-keyboard phone using it. I will also compare the Saga to the Touch Pro as a sliding keyboard phone.
I really like the front keyboard layout versus the slider keyboard as my thumbs don’t have to reach so far to the center of the keyboard. I also type faster and am more willing to type longer emails with the Saga versus the Touch (6900) which has no keyboard. Although using T9 on the Touch was nice for quick texting one-handed, I could not type two-thumbed with the Touch. The Touch Pro keyboard is laid out very poorly and I just don’t like using it. I really want to like it but it has sat on my desk and I have had no inkling or motivation to re-activate it. If you had longer thumbs then perhaps a sliding keyboard is better.
In comparison, the Omnia looks pretty slick, has that accelerometer, a really nice camera (5mp, autofocus etc). Also, since there is also a GSM version of this phone, there will probably more accessories, programs (programs that use the accelerometer feature) and tweaks/hacks (GPS!!!). But, negatives: optical mouse is small, the lack of a physical keyboard. Also, it has very few buttons, in general.
I noticed that you mentioned the autofocus on the omnia. I personally am not a big fan of autofocus on a phone. I usually want to take a quick picture. The Touch Pro has autofocus and adds way too much time to the process. For what I do, the 2mp camera works fine. It does convert pics to pdf using scanr.com pretty good.
I know that the Omnia looks slicker and surely must be smaller, but I think the Saga is one of the most functional phones I have used since the Treo.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for all the information, reviews, pics/video (extended battery looks nice) that you have provided about the Saga. If you are too busy to respond or email sample pictures, I understand.
Thanks,
No problem.
I originally found your youtube video review of the Samsung Saga, one of the first video reviews! (very helpful). This led me to your Blog, also very informative. Searching around the internet, I realized you are also at "pdaphonehome.com". I posted a question about pics "taken with the Saga", (no responses). I'm wondering about the images from the camera phone look like? I was hoping (if you had some time), you could email me some full-sized pics taken from the Saga? I would greatly appreciate this. (I know it won't be great, but my xv6700 1.3mp camera sucks).
I did email some pics, all the pics lately have been sent by MMS from my Saga. They were downsized automatically to be sent, but still look good on the blog. The short MMS video clips for some reason show up on the blog with the audio messed up. They are not that way on my phone or computer. I have no explanation for this.
Unfortunately, my local VZW stores do not plan on stocking the Saga, so I can't hold/touch one. I was hoping you could provide some feedback/suggestion about some questions?:
It seems the the touch-screen on the Saga is a hard glass/plastic, or some kind of hard plastic... (like the XV6900 or Omnia)?
(to clarify: the xv6700, Samsung i760, Treo 700wx, all have "soft screens", by my definition) Is it a hard screen or a soft screen?
The Saga has a hard screen, not a soft one. It is more responsive than the i760 was. I don’t know what type of screen the omnia has.
I'm trying to decide between the Saga and Omnia. Currently, have a XV6700.
I like the keyboard on the Saga, the optical-mouse also looks very useful (nice and big). But, overall dimensions, it also seems kind of large (long, a little wide). I usually wear my phones on my belt, using a plastic-holster. Not sure if it will look funny with a long phone clipped to my waist? Also, not sure about the blue color, but that's minor. (of course, that brick called the XV6700 is pretty large)
The Saga is the biggest device I have used, and I have small hands. (You know what they say about small hands........Small Gloves!!). The optical mouse is what really allows me to use a phone this big so I can keep my hand down near the bottom of the phone. I really don’t use the touchscreen at all. If a Q had a optical mouse, I would have used one of those, I hate scrolling with a d-pad. I just cant say enough about the optical mouse, it allows me to click on very small links in a webpage and know exactly what I am pressing everywhere else. The scrollbars on pdaphones are basically unusable for my fingers and now I use them all the time, which I think makes up for the lack of Touchflo that you see on HTC devices.
Since I don’t have an Omnia, the only non-keyboard phone I have used is the Touch (6900) so I will base my comparison to a non-keyboard phone using it. I will also compare the Saga to the Touch Pro as a sliding keyboard phone.
I really like the front keyboard layout versus the slider keyboard as my thumbs don’t have to reach so far to the center of the keyboard. I also type faster and am more willing to type longer emails with the Saga versus the Touch (6900) which has no keyboard. Although using T9 on the Touch was nice for quick texting one-handed, I could not type two-thumbed with the Touch. The Touch Pro keyboard is laid out very poorly and I just don’t like using it. I really want to like it but it has sat on my desk and I have had no inkling or motivation to re-activate it. If you had longer thumbs then perhaps a sliding keyboard is better.
In comparison, the Omnia looks pretty slick, has that accelerometer, a really nice camera (5mp, autofocus etc). Also, since there is also a GSM version of this phone, there will probably more accessories, programs (programs that use the accelerometer feature) and tweaks/hacks (GPS!!!). But, negatives: optical mouse is small, the lack of a physical keyboard. Also, it has very few buttons, in general.
I noticed that you mentioned the autofocus on the omnia. I personally am not a big fan of autofocus on a phone. I usually want to take a quick picture. The Touch Pro has autofocus and adds way too much time to the process. For what I do, the 2mp camera works fine. It does convert pics to pdf using scanr.com pretty good.
I know that the Omnia looks slicker and surely must be smaller, but I think the Saga is one of the most functional phones I have used since the Treo.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for all the information, reviews, pics/video (extended battery looks nice) that you have provided about the Saga. If you are too busy to respond or email sample pictures, I understand.
Thanks,
No problem.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Gadget ramblings
Samsung Saga (aka the New Treo)
I absolutely love this device. The optical mouse is the SHIZNIT! You really need to try it out to see how great it is. I only use the stylus for soft resets and really I went the whole day without using the touchscreen at all. If the Q or other non-touchscreen devices had an optical mouse, it would make the smartphone OS so much more easier to use. Surfing with Opera and using the mouse to click on very small links instead of trying to hit it with my thumb or digging out the stylus is awesome.
Three complaints
1. Wish it was same length and width as a Treo.
2. Automatic Fn key lock in address field on text and MMS messages.
3. Some folks have random wake ups occur. I have twice I think, but sometimes I hit buttons when I get it out of my pocket, so I couldn't confirm that.
Touch Pro
I had a Sprint TP bought on ebay Sunday night. Monday afternoon I get an email from the seller along with a refund and some crap reason he deciced not to sell it anymore. I have taken that as a sign that I don't need to try tweaking another device with the upcoming holiday activities going on. I will not be getting a Sprint TP. At least not this month. I will however, be keeping the vzw TP. I am sure an unlocker will be coming out for it which will allow custom ROM's and I will keep working with it and the beta Redfly drivers.
Pay-it-forward gadget giveaway
Seriously folks, I have mentioned this once before. If you or someone you know (student, unorganized person, etc.) needs a winmo device and can not afford one, needs a backup, needs something til their contract is up, whatever, I am spreading the cheer, as only a gadget lover can. These devices need a good home for someone who has a verizon line. I want to help someone out. I would like to do this directly, but if you know of a charity that would accept devices like this please let me know. I have two pn-820 smartphones, a Treo 700wx, and a nokia 770 internet tablet. I have been extremely blessed this year and want to give back. I will trust that if you ask for one of these that your intentions are good, someone is watching you. He knows if you've been bad or good, and it's not Santa. Yeah maybe I am a bit nuts, but.....well yeah I am a bit nuts.
I absolutely love this device. The optical mouse is the SHIZNIT! You really need to try it out to see how great it is. I only use the stylus for soft resets and really I went the whole day without using the touchscreen at all. If the Q or other non-touchscreen devices had an optical mouse, it would make the smartphone OS so much more easier to use. Surfing with Opera and using the mouse to click on very small links instead of trying to hit it with my thumb or digging out the stylus is awesome.
Three complaints
1. Wish it was same length and width as a Treo.
2. Automatic Fn key lock in address field on text and MMS messages.
3. Some folks have random wake ups occur. I have twice I think, but sometimes I hit buttons when I get it out of my pocket, so I couldn't confirm that.
Touch Pro
I had a Sprint TP bought on ebay Sunday night. Monday afternoon I get an email from the seller along with a refund and some crap reason he deciced not to sell it anymore. I have taken that as a sign that I don't need to try tweaking another device with the upcoming holiday activities going on. I will not be getting a Sprint TP. At least not this month. I will however, be keeping the vzw TP. I am sure an unlocker will be coming out for it which will allow custom ROM's and I will keep working with it and the beta Redfly drivers.
Pay-it-forward gadget giveaway
Seriously folks, I have mentioned this once before. If you or someone you know (student, unorganized person, etc.) needs a winmo device and can not afford one, needs a backup, needs something til their contract is up, whatever, I am spreading the cheer, as only a gadget lover can. These devices need a good home for someone who has a verizon line. I want to help someone out. I would like to do this directly, but if you know of a charity that would accept devices like this please let me know. I have two pn-820 smartphones, a Treo 700wx, and a nokia 770 internet tablet. I have been extremely blessed this year and want to give back. I will trust that if you ask for one of these that your intentions are good, someone is watching you. He knows if you've been bad or good, and it's not Santa. Yeah maybe I am a bit nuts, but.....well yeah I am a bit nuts.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Function vs. Form - Sizzle vs. Stability
It was not the best few days to talk about the Touch Pro. I really haven't had time to give you a good review for those of you who haven't had a chance to see it yet. I have however been using it alot, mainly because I could not switch back to the Saga without a call in to vzw. Evidently with the Saga being a world phone I can't switch ESN's online. It has taken a lot of time and work that normal people would not do to get the Touch Pro working close to what I want.
HTC and their devices amaze me. Maybe they shouldn't amaze me, perhaps I am a minority. HTC devices look great but their functionality out of the box and build quality is always lackluster. Everyone I have used, 6700, SMT5800, Touch and Touch Pro all have had this problem for me. Samsung makes a better quality device and the 'right out of the box' experience is way better in my opinion but they lack the sizzle of HTC hence why you see little published about the Saga lately or last year when the i760 came out. The Omnia is getting a good amount of press. It appears to be a step in a new direction compared to the function over form win mo devices that Samsung has made before (730, 760, 770).
Well I still plan on getting a Sprint Touch Pro and returning the VZW model. I will have both for a day to do some side by side comparison for you. I like having two devices because I do treat them rough. The Omnia isn't going to be an option for me because I want a real keyboard.
So this week get ready for some Touch Pro madness!! My plan is to have the Sprint model this week and post the step by step on porting to Verizon.
HTC and their devices amaze me. Maybe they shouldn't amaze me, perhaps I am a minority. HTC devices look great but their functionality out of the box and build quality is always lackluster. Everyone I have used, 6700, SMT5800, Touch and Touch Pro all have had this problem for me. Samsung makes a better quality device and the 'right out of the box' experience is way better in my opinion but they lack the sizzle of HTC hence why you see little published about the Saga lately or last year when the i760 came out. The Omnia is getting a good amount of press. It appears to be a step in a new direction compared to the function over form win mo devices that Samsung has made before (730, 760, 770).
Well I still plan on getting a Sprint Touch Pro and returning the VZW model. I will have both for a day to do some side by side comparison for you. I like having two devices because I do treat them rough. The Omnia isn't going to be an option for me because I want a real keyboard.
So this week get ready for some Touch Pro madness!! My plan is to have the Sprint model this week and post the step by step on porting to Verizon.
Friday, November 28, 2008
My Touch Pro is going back Monday
Found this post from the amazing mrailing. If he can port a Sprint TP over to Verizon then I know it's safe to do.
Sorry but with the holidays I haven't wrote much about the Touch Pro but I am switching ESN's back to the Saga today and mailing this piece of crap back Monday. I will look for a Sprint Touch Pro next week. The keyboard is laid out better and it has more memory and I get a phone with unlocked GPS. My plan is to unload all of the rest of my phones and stick with the saga and the Sprint Touch Pro.
Wondering what else I have? Two pantech pn-820's, a treo 700wx, and a nokia 770. I am in a pay-it-forward mood this year. If you have need for one of these devices, send me an email.
Sorry but with the holidays I haven't wrote much about the Touch Pro but I am switching ESN's back to the Saga today and mailing this piece of crap back Monday. I will look for a Sprint Touch Pro next week. The keyboard is laid out better and it has more memory and I get a phone with unlocked GPS. My plan is to unload all of the rest of my phones and stick with the saga and the Sprint Touch Pro.
Wondering what else I have? Two pantech pn-820's, a treo 700wx, and a nokia 770. I am in a pay-it-forward mood this year. If you have need for one of these devices, send me an email.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Touch Pro tweaks
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=42730
If your touch pro slider turns one when the slider moves even a 1/4 inch you need the hack in the thread that keeps the TP in standby when the slider is open. Only the on/off button will turn it on then.
Battery and performance hacks
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=41770
If your touch pro slider turns one when the slider moves even a 1/4 inch you need the hack in the thread that keeps the TP in standby when the slider is open. Only the on/off button will turn it on then.
Battery and performance hacks
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=41770
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