Touch Diamond - Good news, bad news

[mikec#IM]

Got my Diamond.

It's awesome...as long as I don't want to use the Internet via EVDO. EVDO not working.

Other than this glaring problem, everything is very nice. Screen is great and feels like a regular phone (narrower than the Touch, and it makes a difference.

It's all good...except the EVDO do not work!

ARGH!

A call to tech support...guess what...the troubleshooting guide they have is wrong. And I'm told "All Diamond tech issues go to Advanced Tech Support. They will call you back. (whenever the get to it).

So now I'm sitting here stuck. Grrr...

Also, I could not activate this online; their system would not recognize the DEC number....I had to call in to activate, which went smooth as butter and was fine. Voice work instantly.

Man, this is so frustrating.

P.S. The included holster sucks...velco! ugh...noisy and you need two hands! Dummies. The magnetic holster than cam with the Touch is much better...and guess what, the Diamond fits in it just fine, so frustration averted. Also, the all-in-one dongle us a big improvement as well. Wi-fi is quirky...works great sometimes, and then other times it pukes and won't go to sites. Soft reset required. Boo.

 

[nmoreman]

Go to XDA, they have the internet issues and solution = don't have mine yet but really hope not to have this happen.

 

[mikec#IM]

I will check out XDA...in the meantime, I've discovered that you cannot hard reset the Diamond (at least according to the instructions.)

Oh joy oh joy...off to XDA...

 

[mikec#IM]

Touch is defective. Back to Sprint.

 

[Daniel Rubino]

Looks like you're not alone...

http://www.wmexperts.com/articles/sprint_diamonds_arriving_suffe.html

 

[mikec#IM]

Looks like you're not alone...

http://www.wmexperts.com/articles/sprint_diamonds_arriving_suffe.html

FYI...that fix from wideawake did not work for me.

Two problems:

In Settings, Phone, Services Tab, there should be an Internet service (along with Roamind, TTY, etc.). It did not show in my Diamond.

The Diamond would not hard reset either.

I've had a lot of phone from Sprint - this is the first I had to return. :-(

On the plus side, the Teeter game is avery addictive, and the ambient light sensor works well for adjusting screen brightness.

640x480 video on it looked great...really sad to see it go. Who knows when I'll see my baby again.

 

[Daniel Rubino]

this didn't work for the hard reset?

http://www.hardreset.eu/htc_touch_diamond_hard_reset_soft_reset_en.html

 

[mikec#IM]

this didn't work for the hard reset?

http://www.hardreset.eu/htc_touch_diamond_hard_reset_soft_reset_en.html

Nope...would not hard reset. Very odd.

 

[wildrage]

Just so you know, the CDMA version of the Diamond requires you to hold down the Volume Down, Select (big circle), AND Power button while hitting the reset button on the back.

It took me a while to contort myself to be able to do this, but works like a charm.

I also had the EVDO issue yesterday..having this phone without EVDO is like torture. Online tech support and CS were absolutely no help. Finally, I found the posted fix, and it works like a charm!

 

[mikec#IM]

Just so you know, the CDMA version of the Diamond requires you to hold down the Volume Down, Select (big circle), AND Power button while hitting the reset button on the back.

It took me a while to contort myself to be able to do this, but works like a charm.

I also had the EVDO issue yesterday..having this phone without EVDO is like torture. Online tech support and CS were absolutely no help. Finally, I found the posted fix, and it works like a charm!

I tried the "special" hard reset as well - no go. Glad to hear it does work on a normally funciton Diamond.

 

[cardfan]

I couldn't activate it automatically. Still need to call. But had a few minutes to check it out yesterday and used wifi for web & youtube. As a former palm and current iphone owner, here's my initial thoughts.

Lack of a usable kb stinks. Screen is too small for me to ever take to it (and i won't use anything but full qwerty). I can use the iphone's because let's just say it, it's a better keyboard on a larger screen. That's the biggest hurdle and probably something the touch pro can jump over.

Screen looks sharp, no doubt. Still, the touch part isn't as smooth as the iphone but then again, the iphone's touch technology is different so i'm not sure why i would expect it. If you never used the iphone, you wouldn't know i suppose. But the screen requires more of a firm swipe or tap, or touch. Tapping things at the far left or right of the screen seemed to take some precision. Still, i guess that is not too big of a deal and not too much of a compromise for those wanting to tap and swipe and all that.

Touch flo 3d works as promised. Web is nice and seems up there with safari but didn't try nearly enough sites but there was that kb issue again having to hide the kb at times to see what i was typing.

Youtube looked great. The crap music that's preloaded played loud. Wifi worked fine. And the phone does look very nice and shiny..and prone to fingerprints.

I'll probably return it. My main goal was to see if the kb on the Diamond was usable enough without needing the pro. It's not in my case. It's a fast device though and as a new wm user, doesn't seem too complicated. Probably take a week to get used to the menus.

 

[mikec#IM]

I couldn't activate it automatically. Still need to call. But had a few minutes to check it out yesterday and used wifi for web & youtube. As a former palm and current iphone owner, here's my initial thoughts.

Lack of a usable kb stinks. Screen is too small for me to ever take to it (and i won't use anything but full qwerty). I can use the iphone's because let's just say it, it's a better keyboard on a larger screen. That's the biggest hurdle and probably something the touch pro can jump over.

Screen looks sharp, no doubt. Still, the touch part isn't as smooth as the iphone but then again, the iphone's touch technology is different so i'm not sure why i would expect it. If you never used the iphone, you wouldn't know i suppose. But the screen requires more of a firm swipe or tap, or touch. Tapping things at the far left or right of the screen seemed to take some precision. Still, i guess that is not too big of a deal and not too much of a compromise for those wanting to tap and swipe and all that.

Touch flo 3d works as promised. Web is nice and seems up there with safari but didn't try nearly enough sites but there was that kb issue again having to hide the kb at times to see what i was typing.

Youtube looked great. The crap music that's preloaded played loud. Wifi worked fine. And the phone does look very nice and shiny..and prone to fingerprints.

I'll probably return it. My main goal was to see if the kb on the Diamond was usable enough without needing the pro. It's not in my case. It's a fast device though and as a new wm user, doesn't seem too complicated. Probably take a week to get used to the menus.

The keyboard is more usable than the Touch and others, but I understand the point. I think if you can live with the Touch, you will really live the Diamond. If you need a hard keyboard, wait for the Pro.

I agree the touchscreen is like many resistive screens, takes more pressure than the iPhone - but that is due to the technology. I think the screen responsive is better than the regular Touch.

Video looks awesome on the Diamond.

Once thing I like about the Diamond is that is is narrower, and it makes a big difference It feels more like a phone; holding the Touch (and wider phones, including the iPhone, Blackberries, Moguls, Tilts, etc.) is that they are a bit awkward. The Diamond "feels" the right size and more natural.

 

[mikec#IM]

Okay, I got a new Diamond.

Same problem...so I did "the fix", and viola, it works great! Wish it had worked on the first one.

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=420578#post420578

I think a large percentage of phones are shipping this way, to endless frustrations. I got two in a row, so that means it's not isolated.

But now my Diamond is working tip-top. Love the screen.

 

[Insp_Gadget]

Okay, I got a new Diamond.

Same problem...so I did "the fix", and viola, it works great! Wish it had worked on the first one.

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=420578#post420578

I think a large percentage of phones are shipping this way, to endless frustrations. I got two in a row, so that means it's not isolated.

But now my Diamond is working tip-top. Love the screen.

I ran into the same thing, but I headed it off with the tech and got my MSL right away. No problem.

 

[heberman]

How's the on-screen keyboard?

I've been torn between the Diamond and the Pro. Size and weight are key factors for me, but I am concerned with being limited to a touch-screen keyboard only.

How functional is the Diamond's keyboard for you?

 

[nmoreman]

I really like the keyboard, I think its easier than my Centro. Use full and compact querty. I see no need to go Pro for size unless you are really a heavy typer, can't change, or have huge fingers. My only complaint is having the kb on screen and trying to get rid of it to see what's behind it. For that reason, you might like the Pro.
However, never having used Windows, its probably just learning the programs. I just keep swiping till something happens!!!!!!!!!!

And yes, I had to make 3 calls to Customer Service to get everything working, annoyed me but they were helpeful and got it going, took less time than reading the forums, trying to reset, of which none of these worked. Just call and save time, its sweet.

I'm returning mine, going back to Centro and waiting for HD, unless Palm puts out a full touch screen in the meantime like Blackberry. That would be sweet!!!

 

[Insp_Gadget]

I've been torn between the Diamond and the Pro. Size and weight are key factors for me, but I am concerned with being limited to a touch-screen keyboard only.

How functional is the Diamond's keyboard for you?

I love the on-screen keyboard and the various keyboard options. Coming from a Treo, that's actually quite surprising even to me, but it only took me a day to get used to it. (And I have big hands.)

 

[mikec#IM]

I've been torn between the Diamond and the Pro. Size and weight are key factors for me, but I am concerned with being limited to a touch-screen keyboard only.

How functional is the Diamond's keyboard for you?

I think it's pretty decent, considering it's not physical. The new keyboard with the ABC - T9 switch makes a big difference, and prediction is pretty good.

I do a lot of email check, some composing/sending, and some IM. The keyboard is adequate short replies (which is what I do on any mobile device, keyboard or not.)

It's about as think as I would want a device; the Pro is too thick for me.

 

[MobileBiz]

Do you ever run into problems where the keyboard covers what you need to see? I'd like to go diamond but coming from 4 yrs of Treo/Centro it's hard to imagine. I probably should wait for the Pro.

I think if Redfly had drivers for Sprint Diamond I'd buy both immediately.

 

[Insp_Gadget]

Do you ever run into problems where the keyboard covers what you need to see? I'd like to go diamond but coming from 4 yrs of Treo/Centro it's hard to imagine. I probably should wait for the Pro.

I think if Redfly had drivers for Sprint Diamond I'd buy both immediately.

Rarely, the keyboard might cover a field that you are trying to type in, but 99% of the time the screen automatically scrolls up so that the field is visible above the keyboard. It's never bothered me, but if you're concerned, wait for the Touch Pro.