Is this phone worth it?

[boneycat]

I'm looking at possibly purchasing this phone from dell as it's the only phone that has a keyboard. At $300 and a year old, I'd like to know if this is worth it. The other threads here have been unconvincing as to this phone. Thought I'd give it one last chance.

Thanks!

 

[Wiccan Lagar]

I have one and most of the issues it WAS having have been flattened out.

I have yet to have an issue since the mango update. The keyboard is awesome and it is smoooooottthh. Good looking phone that draws attention too. Hardware is solid and the weight assures you that it is well made. I have had it for a few months and I am still in the honey mood phase.

 

[kangolslimm]

How did you get your device updated to mango!?

 

[Wiccan Lagar]

You will get a notification that the device has an update. Just plug the phone into a PC with zune on it, fire up Zune and update the software.

I actually fooled my phone into installing mango before it hit my phone. THere's a thread about how to do it. Real easy.

 

[wolf1891]

How did you get your device updated to mango!?

if you are a T-Mobile customer then your DVP can get the mango upgrade now. I believe that it's only if you have an AT+T DVP that you are stuck waiting for a while longer.

 

[boneycat]

I don't mind having my thread hi-jacked, but so far the answer seems to be "NO". Anyone else want to opine?

 

[wolf1891]

I don't mind having my thread hi-jacked, but so far the answer seems to be "NO". Anyone else want to opine?

actually I wouldn't say that the thread was hi-jacked because the issue we were discussing is one of the reasons that some people would use to justify the argument that the DVP is not worth looking at. But, as was noted by the first responder, the issues that have come up with the DVP since it was first released have been by and large all resolved with the firmware updates and, with Mango installed, the resulting phone (which is basically what you would be getting if you bought a new one today) is an excellent choice well worth considering. Sleek looks, solid feel, big screen, nice physical keyboard (if that is something that you would like to have)... the only things I would like to see on my phone are, a better camera and a bigger battery option (the stock one is not bad but, I'd be even happier with a bit more of a safety margin).

 

[jimski]

Although you seen determined to get a phone with a hard keyboard, guess I have to ask, why. Thought I would miss my Tilt2 kb, but it took about a day to get over that. And with the size of the new phone screens (4 to 4.7) the onscreen kb will be even better. Just sayin.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[boneycat]

This phone would be for my wife. She currently has an iphone and can't stand typing on it. She prefers the tactile feeling of a physical key. It's too bad this phone doesn't have a ff camera.

 

[Mike-Mike]

I am on Sprint so I got the Arrive, but if I was on AT&T I would def get the DVP, keyboard is a must have for me

 

[ethylove]

I switched from the blackberry torch to the DVP (unlocked from dell) and as soon as it arrived i got the mango notification (with ATT sim card). So far i LOVE this phone. I have the otterbox case on it (because I smashed my samsung focus) and have no regrets. I was skeptical paying 300 for a year old phone as well but i like it more than I liked the focus. It's a little big for my hands but the weight of it makes me feel reassured rather than upset that it weighs more than the focus. Hope that helps.

 

[D.A.R.Y.L.]

The phone has been pretty good to me... except the camera really really sucks.

 

[Major]

I just placed an order through Dell for a DVP, AT&T unlocked version. I was thinking of trying a Focus S or a Titan, but in the end I got this one off contract so I can get an Apollo phone on contract as soon as they become available.

 

[penetronn]

I'm looking at possibly purchasing this phone from dell as it's the only phone that has a keyboard. At $300 and a year old, I'd like to know if this is worth it. The other threads here have been unconvincing as to this phone. Thought I'd give it one last chance.

Thanks!

Had the Venue Pro for about six months on AT&T. I finally couldn't take it anymore and went back to my Focus. Here's my list of gripes:

1. Screen can't touch Samsung's Super AMOLED tech. It looked blurry and dim with unnatural colors compared to the Focus.
2. Noticeable static audible through the headphone jack at all times - almost sounded like it was getting interference from the processor.
3. Build quality good, but not great. I had two Venue Pro's actually, the first I returned because of the WiFi problem, which I'll discuss in a second. Both had slider mechanisms that wore down quickly and caused the faceplate section of the phone to list to one side or another when it was fully opened.
4. Qwerty keyboard wore out quickly. Lost the "click" feedback to several keys within a few months. "B" button also stopped working about 50% of the time. Very annoying.
5. WiFi issues that consistently locked up the phone. They were supposed to have been fixed with a software update, but I still got random lockups every once in a while when internet browsing and streaming music over WiFi.
6. Terrible camera! It's probably the worst cell phone camera I've ever used. Interior shots always came out blurry (like the phone was being shaken during the exposure) and colors were always overally saturated. Outdoor shots were better but still not good by any means. Trust me, I tried everything I could think of to improve it. No combination of settings or environment seemed to help at all. Just plain awful.
7. Apparently very little support from AT&T or Dell. I don't think AT&T has released Mango yet for the phone.

 

[Major]

I've only had it for a day, but thusfar I like it. I'm going to have to exchange it due to a faulty screen, but that's okay. That said, there are some caveats. It's heavy, especially compared to the Motorola Atrix I was using before. It's 3G only, so download speeds will suffer if you're used to "3.5G" or true 4G. It also has a slightly slower processor than what's currently possible. Lastly, it's lacking a front facing camera, if that's something you're interested in.

 

[boneycat]

I ended up going for a Focus. It's too bad because I really had high hopes for this phone. Not sure if Dell will try and produce another wp. Maybe when wp8 comes out?

 

[vtective]

Pros:

Great build quality (in general- see cons below).
Only portrait keyboard available.
The largest AMOLED screen for those who do not like Samsung's plasticy build quality. The screen out the definitely beats out the HD7S, Surround and Arrive's LCD screens in terms of quality.

Cons:

Poor quality testing. Known for sending out phones with bad radios and screen defects.
Dell customer service. If you have deal with them- try contacting the social media guys. Support via phone support is painful.
Likely no longer supported after the mango update, as evidenced by the compass issue.
Plastic chrome is susceptible to chiping pealing even after a slight drop.

I'm ultimately happy with the phone so I'd say its worth it, but the cons are obvious.

 

[techinsane011]

I bought my unlocked phone, after the mango update and so far it has been a great phone to use, obviously it is not perfect but so far so good. (old Phone N97)

 

[Duvi]

I bought my unlocked phone, after the mango update and so far it has been a great phone to use, obviously it is not perfect but so far so good. (old Phone N97)

Glad you're enjoying it. Welcome to WPC and congrats on your WP device.

 

[freestaterocker]

This phone would be for my wife. She currently has an iphone and can't stand typing on it. She prefers the tactile feeling of a physical key. It's too bad this phone doesn't have a ff camera.

I wanted the iPhone until I tried typing on it, but I LOOOOOVE the virtual keyboard on my HD7! The speed and accuracy are unparalleled, and the prediction and correction are also second to none.