Loading ...It looked like we would be getting our hands on the Sprint Touch Diamond very shortly–as in a few days on August 28th. But now, the device has been pushed back for a few weeks. What was formally code named the Victor, the Sprint Touch Diamond will, in fact, have a red backing.
One thing to note besides the red hue is the fact that this phone will be a bit thicker than the GSM Diamond and will measure at 101mm x 51mm x 14mm. This CDMA model has a 1350mAh battery for greater use and talk time.
We’ve also heard that once the phone launches in a few weeks, it will cost you about $299 after rebates and with a contract. However, the Touch Diamond without a contract will run you $549.
[via Phone Arena]
September 21st, 2008 at 8:03 am
I’d like to share my .50¢ about Sprint’s new HTC Touch Diamond. First, and foremost—it’s important so remind you; if you are not able to emotionally get past the staggering lack of service from Sprint—read no further. Unless that is you see the benefits of their actual network and packages as part of your codependency. The Sprint Network combined with the Touch Diamond will quickly help you forget the last ticket number you got from Sprint customer service.
The Sprint HTC Touch Diamond was worth the pain of getting it set up with Sprint. I have to give credit to them as the phone was as new to them as it was to me. Right after I got up and running, my account put in sync with my desktop and personal e-mail accounts I realized that my phone was shipped without the 4GB internal storage. Try and explain that to Sprint.
But even in this early test-drive I have to say…it was so much fun; fast and furious—and able to really do what Sprint set out to do: Compete with the iPhone on a Windows Mobile platform.
Windows Mobile 6.1 is a vast improvement—but lagging with the mobile version of Internet Explorer that ships currently (Sept 2008)… yech. However: as promised, Opera’s highly rated browser is integrated into the Touch Diamonds zippy interface. Between the web and e-mail even without extra storage—the Diamond really is impressive.
The visuals are bright and updated for Sprint adding Sprints bells and whistles to the well-designd and slick-slider navigation menu. You’re Desktop on your Diamond has a wonderful big clock and notes from your Diamond.
and pending messages, e-mails or calls.
I had the phone customized to my custom backgrounds and titles in a quick-slick-minute. Even better than the interface is the gorgeous 640×480 touch-screen. Even when this unit crashed from having Sprint Radio running, with five other programs without the extra internal memory (while I waited for my replacement phone from Sprint,) I still was able to really crack around on my Diamond in the rough.
Get ready though—everyone will immediately think you’ve got and iPhone, so you better know where this phone improves on the iPhone. And if you’ve got your bars-up, Sprint’s speed with Opera is impressive in its own right over ATT—and it shows on Sprint’s Diamond. Definitely pull up the GPS.
Where this gem takes on the iPhone is the integration with Windows and the Sprint Network product offerings. The iPhone doesn’t have the voice activated (snappy) GPS with Turn-By-Turn navigation. And if you’re a Windows business tools mobile user—this unit integrates with your desktop like you ripped the Diamond off your Office Desktop. That said—you’re stuck with Windows cheesy integration of Windows Media Player and its clunky management of your audio and video files.
You’ll need a re-charge after about 4 hours of play time on your Touch Diamond—mine made it through a day of everyone playing with it and passing it around, setting up menus and everything you can imagine! Not to mention it held up to playing with Sprint Technical support for hours on end (early on.)
Also—the reception quality of the Diamond is more like a gem-stone… not as great as you’d like. If you’re down to one bar—you’re in trouble with the network.
Audio quality is great on calls—both Chitty and Chatty were heard great—crystal clear (why you could hear a pin-drop when they finally figured out the “Customer” was right and my phone didn’t have but 290MB of storage and not the 4GB it was supposed to ship with.) Think AM Radio if you’re planning on using the HTC as a desktop stereo or speaker-phone.
I’ve been very kind about the HTC Touch Diamond and only because of the few in the Technical Support department who really believed my phone shipped without internal storage. But I know how to tear into Sprint’s customer service and get a Supervisor or senior technician from years of fighting with their customer service department. If you aren’t able to spend a week getting your phone to work on the Sprint Network, you may not have it in you to find the love for your Diamond.
If you’re willing to stay with Sprint even in the most remote of inklings—the Touch Diamond with shine so bright it will make you forget how horrible their first-level customer support and billing have been proven to be.