MyTouch vs iPhone - your opinions please

[Sombeech]

So I need a new phone. Price is a big factor, and I'm currently with T-mobile.

I know iPhone has a ton of free apps, and that's definitely a plus, but I hear MyTouch has a lot too. iPhone will definitely have more, but I really don't think I'm going to use the "What color is my booger" app too often, I just want the basic goods.

Does MyTouch have a decent amount of free apps?

I want the 3G network which is available on both.

I know you can Jailbreak the iPhone, but if you don't buy it with an AT&T contract, you're paying more.

I'm reading a lot of reviews that the MyTouch is very good, and I know there are some IPWN loyalists here, so what do you think?


http://technologizer.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/ioniphone.jpg

[Sombeech]

One more thing, I see the MyTouch has the tracking ball .... I'm not too much of a fan of that. Does it still have the touch screen though? I think I read that it does.

If so, why would it have the ball?

[Sombeech]

an article here, more for my research, as I'll be visiting this thread often in the next month or so...

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/08/09/how-i-learned-to-quit-the-iphone-and-love-google-voice/

[DiscGo]

If you can swing it, I have the HTC Touch Pro. I love it. My phone can do so many amazing things! There are certainly a lot of cool apps for the iPhone and I like that Apple only has a couple of phones and they upgrade all the firmware (unlike most companies which make a phone and what should be the firmware upgrade becomes the new version of the phone).

Anyway, good luck to you.

[Sombeech]

If you can swing it, I have the HTC Touch Pro. I love it. My phone can do so many amazing things!

OK, so how is the HTC different from the myTouch? And what's the price?

[Ride On]

just avoid anything with a damn apple symbol on it and you will avoid all problems in life

[DiscGo]

HTC Touch Pro has Windows Mobile. Mytouch has a form of Android (or at least a google OS I believe). My buddy bought a HTC Touch Pro for $150 used.


The truth is there are things that I dislike about my phone, but I have a custom ROM on my phone that I LOVE! With my phone I get free tethering, I can use my phone as a wireless modem (to give internet to 3 or 4 computers around me), GPS, it has actual "Remote Desktop" so I can RDP onto servers from wherever I am, etc, etc, etc.

My view is this: Apple makes a great phone with a ton of free app easily accessible. You have to do more searching with the windows mobile phones because you don't have the same app store setup but there are a LOT of capabilities. Apple is also a total status symbol. It is funny to me that my brother will brag about what his iPhone can do that my phone does better. The main difference as far as I am concerned is that he does have some cooler Apps that I have but my phone has cooler capabilities than his has.


If it were me and I were paying for the phone. It would be the cheapest phone in the world that gets me coverage. But if you want a good phone for IT professionals then I recommend the HTC Touch Pro.

[Sombeech]

HTC Touch Pro has Windows Mobile. Mytouch has a form of Android (or at least a google OS I believe). My buddy bought a HTC Touch Pro for $150 used.

OK, I see. I was thinking the HTC was a version of the myTouch...

The wireless modem capability is something I'm DEFINITELY looking for too.

I don't mind looking for apps the "non standard" way, just as long as I can get tools that I want to use. I really don't care about games much. I do love the idea of remote desktop too.

So let's talk models of HTC. What are they, what's the latest... I'm guessing this phone is supported by multiple carriers?

[Sombeech]

looking at the htc pro 2.... $349. ouch.

And I'm trying not to get a phone with moving parts. Moving parts seem to wear out fast with me, and the manufacturers do not like to warranty them for some reason.

[DiscGo]

HTC is a manufacturer. Most people haven't heard of them because they only really make high end phones.

The truth is that my phone is capable of some awesome things, but sometimes kind of frustrates me with simple things. My free phone I got from AT&T is easier to make calls and check my voicemail, etc. than my work phone but my work phone (HTC) does some really cool things that the average phone cannot.

[Sombeech]

And do you have the HTC Touch Pro - not the Touch Pro 2? Does the small screen bug you? And I'm guessing that's not a touch screen, right?

[Sombeech]

Wait... I'm thinking the HTC regular version of Touch Pro is resembling the Blackberry with the track ball. I may be wrong though.

I'd like a larger touch screen if that's the case.

And I could deal with the moving parts to get to the keyboard.... if there was the option to have the touch screen keyboard on the main screen also. I just hate the idea of flipping that front piece back, I can see it snapping.

[R]

I'd look into getting the new PeaPhone...

http://www.wayneschulz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/tin-can-string1.jpg

Not as many features, but the price is right.

[James_B_Wads2000]

I havn't had the chance to use a MyTouch. I have had an iPhone since January. It is so easy to run that my 3yo knows how to tuen it on and play with the Apps. Finally got picture texting this month, tethering is susposed to come soon.


James

[DiscGo]

I have the touch pro. It is a touch screen but it also slides out to have a full qwerty keyboard. The screen is a decent size and having an actual email helps a lot for composing emails and types notes. But you can also use the stylus and write down notes and some of the programs will translate your notes for you (if you writing is at all legible). I think it is a nice hybrid of a touchscreen and a full keyboard.

I actually didn't care about the phone all that much until I discovered a custom rom called "Energy Rom". Since I have added the custom firmware, I have loved it.

[accadacca]

The iPhone market share is a good indicator.

http://fortunebrainstormtech.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/screen-shot-2009-09-30-at-1-34-20-pm.png

More: http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/30/admob-the-iphones-share-of-the-smartphone-market-hits-a-record-40/

[accadacca]

Another articles for the geeks: http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-smart-phone-market-update-apples-eating-everyone-elses-lunch-2009-10

[DiscGo]

The iPhone is certainly an awesome phone. Probably the best in the world. The initial cost is lower than most high end phones but they do get you in the end. You have to pay more in the end. AT&T requires you have purchase a more expensive data plan to use Exchange on an iPhone (which isn't a big deal for everyone but sucks if you have an exchange account), and really having Apple decide what can and cannot be installed on your phone sucks. But let's face it there is no higher status symbol in the cell phone world than an iPhone.

[Sombeech]

iPhone's definitely got the market, a great phone for sure. I witnessed this on our trip to San Diego.

The keyboard thing, I'm fine either way, on screen or an actual qwerty keyboard. I just don't text much.

I need 3G, and I like the idea of creating the mobile hot spot for laptops to get internet on the road. I also like the idea of remoting a desktop.

Hey Discgo, is this the phone you currently have? And your friend found a used one for $150? Not bad.



http://awaregeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/htc-touch-pro.jpg

[Sombeech]

oh, and it's gotta be able to fit in my side pants pocket - the painter style denims with that little "cell phone" pocket on the leg.

Cargo pants are ok but I'm not going to wear them every day just so I can put my phone in the big leg pocket.

And I'm not a "belt clip" kinda guy either. I have to wear one for my work radio and I hate it.

I was hearing the HTC Touch Pro 2 was a little too big for this purpose.

[DiscGo]

That is my exact phone. I tried to add a protective case but it was too bulky with the case. So I use it as it is and it fits great in my pockets. I am pretty sure there is an RDP app for the iPhone but I hear it is slower than normal RDP on Windows Mobile.

As far as speeds go my friend and I tested our phones with multiple web pages and my phone beat his original iPhone on every page. He upgraded to the new iPhone a couple of weeks ago and we tested our speeds again while surfing the web and his phone beat mine. It wasn't a huge difference either way but the new iPhone does surf the web faster than any other phone I have seen.

[Sombeech]

Thanks for the info DiscGo, I'm seriously considering the HTC Touch Pro. :2thumbs:

Another thing, how does bogley look on it? Can you post pretty easily, or is this not something that's possible? And if it's possible, I'm assuming you can't upload pics from your phone to bogley.

[stefan]

i would think the speed of the chip and OS should also be a big factor.

[accadacca]

Another thing, how does bogley look on it?
I was wondering this too. Could you post a screenshot DiscGo? Of course everyone knows that the iPhone was the first and still might be the only to develop a mobile browser that is nearly identical to a standard PC browser. The secret is XML. They have a patented way of extracting all the content and feeding it into the iPhone browser with XML.

FWIW. I have seen used iPhones on KSL and ebay in the low to mid 200's. The sad thing is that even the original 2G iPhone (nearly 2.5 years old) is far superior to so many of the new phones coming out right now. Just make sure you don't pay close to this for an inferior device or you'll continue to be stuck in the past. :blahblah:

[DiscGo]

I don't know how to take a screenshot without installing an 3rd party App.

In the end here are my thoughts on this issue:


I was recommending a HTC Touch Pro for you because I know you work in IT and the phone is an important tool for me in my job. I don't really know how similar our jobs are if it would benefit you enough.

I can tell you that if I were going to buy a smartphone for myself and I wasn't concerned with the price, I would buy an iPhone. There are some very intuitive features on the iPhone, amazing apps, and an amazing high quality design. So really for just about anyone who is considering it, I would recommend the iPhone over any other phone on the market. I really only recommend the HTC Touch Pro for the IT professional because of how many great tools there are for the job.

[Sombeech]

I really only recommend the HTC Touch Pro for the IT professional because of how many great tools there are for the job.

This is a strong factor in my decision too, although it would be a personal phone. I'd love to be able to afford the iPhone 3Gs but I can't. If I can get a 3G capable phone for @ 150, that will be nice.

[Sombeech]

Oh, and by the way, maybe just snap a shot of your phone surfing bogley with a point and shoot camera. Thanks. :cool2:

[blueeyes]

I have the my touch. I love it. I thought long and hard about leaving t-mobile and going to at&t also thought about the HTC pro. In the end money won was my biggest factor in choosing my phone and i went with the my touch.

Bogley looks great on the phone. The track ball comes in handy when you are trying to choose the page on a long thread or other small internet links on a page.

3G network could use some help in my opinion. But I was told that really is only for downloading vids.

I probably do not use the phone to its fullest potential, but I am working on it and learning.

I would like to know how to do the remote computer thing you were talking about?

If we ride this week Beech you can have a look at it if ya want.

[DiscGo]

If you have not decided yet and price isn't your biggest factor then I really really really recommend the iPhone. It really is cool.

[Ih8grvty]

price wise and what not I have no clue, and I have neither of them!
However, the techies that run the network and all the servers and all the brain intensive stuff at the company where she works all have the iphone, in fact nearly everyone there besides her have the iphone.
She tells me often about the geeks at work berating the touch.
From a hardcore techie view, or at least the ones I have any interaction with, the iphone rules.

My phone makes calls and sends and receives texts and picture and video, has no aps, and it does me fine. If I cared more about toys instead of saving the money for a motorcycle before spring, I might consider upgrading.

[jman]

Here is my opinions why I love my Iphone 3GS.

What disco said about the HTC is true and the same stuff can be put on a iPhone, although you WILL have to jailbreak it.

My 3GS is jailbroken and here's what I can do with my ATT, unlimited data (which is actually 5 GB/month), 500+ minutes including rollover, unlimited texting and pictures, etc, all for $85/month (which includes a 20% discount as an employee of IHC).

-Ipod built-in, including TV-out (I have a Ipod travel case which keeps a seperate dock and tv-out card so I can play the movies and tvshows on my iphone via ipod on any tv, like hotel rooms, or homes where there is no good tv on or movies that they own.

-Full-screen internet! (I hate Verizon's browser soooo much!)

-I can manage 4email accounts from one page (although I could do plenty more)

-All of my contacts/calendars/mail are sychronized via Google (I'm a google whore)

-Download Youtube videos natively

-Manage/add/delete torrents via uMonitor (free app in Cydia/Rock)

-Use MyWi and broadcast my cell signal into a WiFi (not adhoc mind you) for 5 other devices via 3G, or Edge networks. This is really handy and very sleek. One time I was being all geeky with my brothers on a trip to Zion, and we both had some Half-Life games on our laptops and I broadcasted my signal into a Wifi as we're driving and played ONLINE with 4 other people. And it was very fast too!

-I use a video-live app called Qik (qik.com) and can broadcast LIVE camera action to my profile page at qik.com and for free. I tried this out while climbing the Pffierhorn in Salt Lake City and when we reached the summit, I pulled it out and had a live-video session with my brother in L.A. and was talking to him and showing him the awesome views.

-Use a RDP app, just like the HTC, and remote into your desktop.

-Use the free Sirius/XM app. I have XM for my car and I paid an additional $1.99 a month for online access and now, anywhere I go I can have my XM radio, regardless if I'm in my car or not. Very handy!

-Games. Come on, you can't have a awesome powerful phone and not use it to play games. If its jailbroken you can play various emulators and at fullspeed with sound, and savestates. Currently I'm playing Zelda 3 for Snes.

-Also (this is more handy for me), I use app called Air Mouse, which uses the phone as a remote for my Home Theater PC (HTPC) while using Mediaportal. Very nice, since I don't wanna pay $65+ for a Harmony remote.

-You can use Mobileme (paidsubscription of $12/month) and if you ever lose your iphone, you can locate it via GPS and celltowers, even if your phone is set on silent or vibrate, or even located in the basement.

-Google Maps, which includes street-view. I use this ALL the time, while I'm driving, especially in Satellite mode to get a better context of what I'm looking at.

The gripes I have are, 3 MP camera (3GS)!? come on...other phones have 5 MP and above. But, the pictures and videos it does take are quite good.

And here's some of the apps I use and their uses to, just to give you an idea of PRACTICAL apps, you would use daily/weekly:
-all of the included ones (Notes, Contacts, Calendar, Camera, Photo Gallery, Youtube, Compass, Maps, Caculator, etc.)
-DocsToGo - create natively Word and Excel documents on the go!
-FileMagnent - a file-disk browser to hold all of my documents.
-Print N Share - print off contacts, emails, etc. to my printer (although you will need a print server cleint always on to make it work)
-Diamedic - I'm a Type1 Diabetic for 11 years and use this daily to input my bloodsugars.
-iFitness - the greatest fitness app for any phone. Very cool. Use it all the time.
-Nike + Ipod - i bought a Nike Transmitter and strap for $20 and it keeps track of my mileage, etc.
-mSecure - keeps track passwords for websites/credit cards/etc.
-Voice Memos - I use this daily to record my professors speeches - especially for anatomy.
-Facebook
-Qik - like I said earlier, can enable live-video chat on the iphone
-Flixster & Fandango - look up closest theaters, and times, and even buy tickets from the app.
-Google Earth-Pandora
-OrbLive - I can stream my videos from my house (for instance, I can choose which The Office episode I want, pause, stop, and choose the next episode,etc.)
-Inside Redbox - locates closed Redbox machine, see's what inventory they have, and I can even reserve movies at that particular machine)
-pocket Universe - a fun, real-time observatory for your phone. Works especially well for the 3GS (compass). I hold it level and where I rotate the phone, the sky will shift exactly how it looks above me. Plus, I can look on any star/constellation/etc. and get its name and info.

As you can see there are a ton of things you can with the iphone, but ONLY, the above, if it is jailbreaked (which isn't hard to do at all, but will void the warranty-which is your risk).

[DiscGo]

I have heard horror stories of Jail Broken iPhones being broken with updates. Have you experienced anything like that?

[IntrepidXJ]

If you don't want an iPhone, the new Droid that gets released tomorrow on Verizon looks like a nice option.

[jman]

Yea there are plenty of horror stories, but not in the way it sounds like. It's more a cat and mouse game of devs discovering an exploit and the next version apple closes it. But what happens is people will get ansy and upgrade too soon and the upgrade loses their jailbreak (which brings it back to normal mode) and if they unlocked it (which means they can use it on another GSM network like TMobile) will cancel out. U just haveto wait for the devs to release a new jailbreak.
And FYI:
-jailbreak means allowing 3rd party software but stay within ATT.
-Unlocking means allowing 3rd party software but on different networks such as Tmobile.

And apple did create a failsafe so if anything happens within the upgrade process (jailbreak or authentic) you can easily restore back to factory.



The new stood does look ad sound like a really good phone. It would be fun to test it out.

If your interested about learning more about jailbreaking head over to www.quickpwn.com

[brookiekiller]

I have been looking at this issue, and I am on Verizon and have heard nothing good at all about the AT&T network - it is very bad. If I ever needed to leave the metro, then I would be stuck without data services, whereas with Verizon, I can travel to the middle of Wyoming and have 3g services.

[jman]

you are wrong and right. But you have to remember, that when Verizon puts up the comparison of 3G vs. ATT, those areas not covered by ATT STILL get Edge (which is enough for data services), which is still decent or adequate, and you can still tether off that, but yet - it will be faster than dialup that's for sure. But man, it sure is slow compared to 3G. You see the light once you go on 3G...

But yes, ATT's U.S. 3G coverage sucks really bad. ATT's business scope is that it's a "worldwide phone company" and not just a local, such as Verizon. That's why I believe Verizon can pump millions into building towers everywhere, even in the middle of Wyoming.

I just hope, ATT can upgrade their infrastructure here in the US and at least TRY to compete with Verizon.