I'll go into details below, but there are some points which make you really want to use and keep the phone, but I've found that for proper business use (and by that I mean Exchange email, making/receiving phone calls and general use) that it just isn't there (yet) but I'm hoping for an update that will get it there...
I think it boils down to - if a big cheese at one of our clients asked me about this phone I'd talk them out of it - not something I'd ever suggest about a blackberry or even an iPhone - the thought of the helpdesk getting a stroppy CEO calling up at 10 on a Saturday night because he couldn't get to his important Outlook note or work out how to forward a text message to an email finishes it off for me.
However, I'll start with the things which make me want to keep it, and have it near at all times..
Things that make it an awesome device..
Browser, browser, browser....
If you haven't got it yet, I think the browser (with the touch-interface) is awesome. I guess coming from predominantly a Blackberry I've been used to a pretty basic experience, but the whole browser works like a charm - I can watch embedded Flash 10 clips, pinch-zoom/pan etc, and the excellent screen make the whole browser experience something that is a pleasure to use - and you can actually get useful things done with it - something you cant really say about the blackberry browser in my opinion.
If you haven't got it yet, I think the browser (with the touch-interface) is awesome. I guess coming from predominantly a Blackberry I've been used to a pretty basic experience, but the whole browser works like a charm - I can watch embedded Flash 10 clips, pinch-zoom/pan etc, and the excellent screen make the whole browser experience something that is a pleasure to use - and you can actually get useful things done with it - something you cant really say about the blackberry browser in my opinion.
Camera and picture browsing
The 5mp camera is a pleasure to use, takes good pictures is quick and then the general browsing with the touch interface of the shots you take is a joy. Unfortunately it starts to go a little wobbly when you want to email those pictures off the phone as I'll explain below
Things that could go both ways..
App Market
There are quite a few good apps out there already, but what appears to be a huge amount of chaff - the very open nature of the whole platform compared to the iPhone for example means that pretty much anyone can write an app and get in the marketplace with all the quality control issues that go with it.
Geek appeal...
If you want to attach a debugger to your device and see what is happening in real time then you can by installing the Andoid SDK and running the Dalvik Debug Monitor (which also allows you to take screen shots etc, as we have) - great for geeks and it will mean you could get some awesome google mashups and general tech-goodness on this platform but its not going to interest the majority of business users.
Why its not a business blackberry killer (yet)
Exchange email:
In my mind the most important part of a business phone - and in fairness to Google and the Desire some of these issues are limitations of the Exchange Active sync which it uses to talk to Exchange boxes - but with a blackberry I'm pretty much used to having all my emails, in all my folders, with all the attachments - something that just doesn't happen directly with this device.
Where's my send button?
The actual process of creating and sending an email isn't' as smooth either unfortunately - its the little things like the simple task of clicking on 'send' when you're finished - why do I have to minimise the keyboard, then partially scroll to the bottom of the screen to find the 'send' key ?
The actual process of creating and sending an email isn't' as smooth either unfortunately - its the little things like the simple task of clicking on 'send' when you're finished - why do I have to minimise the keyboard, then partially scroll to the bottom of the screen to find the 'send' key ?
Folders, folders everywhere...I use folders a lot to organise emails, prioritise and generally sort them. If you have a lot of folders then you're going to hate the way you get to them compared to the really slick auto complete search way that blackberry does it - the Desire simply lists every folder in a long list which you have to scroll all the way through to find the one you want - and if you have nested folders then you'll probably not be able to find them:
No Outlook notes or tasks
I believe this is a limitation of the Exchange Activsync - so that there isnt an over-the-air way to sync these items, but there also doesnt seem to be any wired-sync way to pull these items onto your Android/HTC device. You can go 3rd party - something like Companionlink but I had mixed success with this and stopped using it
I believe this is a limitation of the Exchange Activsync - so that there isnt an over-the-air way to sync these items, but there also doesnt seem to be any wired-sync way to pull these items onto your Android/HTC device. You can go 3rd party - something like Companionlink but I had mixed success with this and stopped using it
Why copy/paste isn't consistent or slick or even available in some places?
The hold-to-select method works a charm in the browser but isnt available across all applications in the phone. When editing email for example you have a combination hold-press, then menu then use the track-ball to select. In other palces - text message for example, I couldn't find any way to copy just a number or some text from the message - it was all or nothing
Phone number box, I only want to paste it in...
Not something I do very often, but when I do I'm usually in a hurry and it seems madness that an electronic communicaiton device doesnt allow you to paste in a number to the phone application - for example if you wanted to copy-paste from a text message or notes in a contact or an email into the phone - the automatic detection of phone numbers didnt always seeem to work for me so this was something I needed to (try and) do once in a while. Not possible - you'll need a piece of paper to write it down furst, then type it in.....
Battery
When I first got the phone the battery life was so poor I thought the unit was faulty. After a couple of full charge/discharge cycles it was up to useable levels - I'd say almost a full day of serious use, but I still feel nervous that a long call on the phone will kill it. You can at least carry a seperate battery for it, unlike the iPhone, and it does also mercifully use a generally standard now micro-USB
When I first got the phone the battery life was so poor I thought the unit was faulty. After a couple of full charge/discharge cycles it was up to useable levels - I'd say almost a full day of serious use, but I still feel nervous that a long call on the phone will kill it. You can at least carry a seperate battery for it, unlike the iPhone, and it does also mercifully use a generally standard now micro-USB
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