My HD7 and my HTC Amaze, can't let go

[fifthGear]

I have a problem. It's seriously inconvenient, and occasionally disruptive. I carry two phones. Several times a day I swap my SIM between the phones. Both phones are large and heavy, which makes them uncomfortable to carry in my pants pocket.

I'm a WebOS vet. Phone envy gave me the itch to switch. In Sept I bought an HD7. First I was meh on WP7. Slowly I grew used to WP7 usage flow, Mango released, and Little-by-little I fell in love. ...but I still had phone envy. HTC's Amaze (Android) would soon launch. Bought it on release day (in Oct) planing to migrate my mobile life to it. Nearly two month later I still carry both phones.

Each has different strengths. Android's fun: many settings and configs to play with and fun games. The phone has an amazing camera, excellent music audio, about 40GB storage (with my 32GB microSD card) is now filled with music. OTOH disjointed user experience -- poorly designed for productivity. WP7's Productive: well integrated/unified user experience allows me to get things done quickly. OTOH few settings and configs to play with, many apps missing, some web sites I frequent don't work, and no Flash. The HD7's music audio is poor with almost constant GSM noise through headphones, limited storage, mediocre camera. I dislike having to use Zune.

I'd prefer to stop carrying the Amaze (don't want to be an Android sheep). Last couple of weeks I've been pushing how long I can go without swapping the SIM into the Amaze. However, I want my music, my Android-only apps/web sites, and Flash. Right now I feel that my only solution is to wait to see what new Windows Phone devices become available (for better audio and more storage), hope that my apps get ported and web sites open to Windows Phone. The camera isn't super important to me since I rarely use it (though better camera would be nice).

 

[Reflexx]

Do you really need to swap your SIM? Could you just use your Amaze as a touch device as opposed to a phone?

 

[fifthGear]

Usually I do, but there's not always a wifi connection available when I need access to something on my amaze that requires data (e.g. one of those web sites that only works with Android/iOS).

My Amaze is relegated more and more to being a PMP. However, I'm a HUGE fan of convergence. Why have two devices when one *should* be able to do the job.

One thing that would be a HUGE help...

On my Android phone I have a web browser called Dolphin. This browser has an extremely useful feature: one of the settings allows you to select how you want the browser to look to a web server. Options are: Android, iOS, mobile and desktop. Hence, using this browser I can view iOS only web sites. Mobile IE has a similar setting but only has two options: Mobile, desktop. It would be so useful if they (or more likely a 3rd party browser) would also offer Android and iOS as an option. Just this small feature would drastically lower my addiction to the Amaze.

Here's hoping solutions do emerge.

 

[N8ter]

Merge into family account and put a 200 MB data plan in one phone. The minutes would be shared and you can get Family Unlimited SMS.

Use Google Voice to ring or SMS both if that's what you're into.

Easier if you get a hefty corporate discount, though

I do that with my Vibrant and my HD7, but really it's a real PITA to carry around two phones that big. When I was largely stationary, it wasn't an issue. They were on the desk all teh time and I didn't have much of a life. Now that I've moved into the city and I'm out and about a lot more, it's just not something I want to do anymore - I don't know how long I can take it. I've already told everyone to stop calling or texting me on the Add-A-Line because I'm preparing myself to get rid of one of those phones. I just haven't figured out which yet.

But in the end I'll prolly end up switching carriers, anyways, cause T-Mobile's 3G speeds here are not as good as where I moved from, at least in the city where I had coverage lol

 

[fifthGear]

Merge into family account and put a 200 MB data plan in one phone. The minutes would be shared and you can get Family Unlimited SMS.

Use Google Voice to ring or SMS both if that's what you're into.

Easier if you get a hefty corporate discount, though

I do that with my Vibrant and my HD7, but really it's a real PITA to carry around two phones that big. When I was largely stationary, it wasn't an issue. They were on the desk all teh time and I didn't have much of a life. Now that I've moved into the city and I'm out and about a lot more, it's just not something I want to do anymore - I don't know how long I can take it. I've already told everyone to stop calling or texting me on the Add-A-Line because I'm preparing myself to get rid of one of those phones. I just haven't figured out which yet.

But in the end I'll prolly end up switching carriers, anyways, cause T-Mobile's 3G speeds here are not as good as where I moved from, at least in the city where I had coverage lol

This doesn't really solve my problem. I don't want to carry two phones. While add-a-line is inexpensive (isn't it like $5?), I don't want two numbers. Further, I've been in cost cutting mode so even $5 seems like I would be moving in the wrong direction.

My employer (the government) has a pay freeze in effect. I likely won't see a raise for mininum 4 years (last raise was 3 years ago, no raises the last two years). So I'm in cost cutting mode in an attempt to keep up with or beat inflation. This is the reason I switched to T-Mobile. To increase the savings, last month I entered into a $40/line family plan (the little brother of their $49/line plan they're pushing) with a friend to further reduce the cost. Plus I get a small government discount (about $10 off the total bill).

For the phones I lucked out and found an NIB (new in box) HD7 on ebay for less than $100. The Amaze was a birthday gift. So I have two amazing phones for next to nothing. However, carrying both is inconvenient.

We have T-Mo's faux-G here. It's not very fast. Plus their coverage is spotty and I hit dead zones a lot while driving. Can't really be helped. For now I have to keep the less expensive carrier as I continue to eliminate expenditures.

 

[N8ter]

On T-Mobile the second line is free. Just have to have family plan...

Can use Google Voice to have both devices ring.

Other than that your problem is common. Lots of people have a hard time making decisions on which device they prefer.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

 

[Duvi]

It's still not solving his issue of not wanting to carry two phones.... I'd go with need over want. Meaning all the features that you need, should be in the phone you choose.

I have this issue and this is why I have an iPhone for the apps, Xbox Live for the fresh new and very fluid UI, Android for the Navigation, which I have now been able to be w/o by using Telenav that I get free through Sprint on my BlackBerry 9930 which is also use for email/messaging as well as my work phone.