[Draiko]

I just disagree...

TouchFLO does only go so deep but for all primary functions of the phone (appointment information, time, phone functions, contact list, email, SMS, pictures, weather, media playback, internet browsing, Sprint TV, and Program launching), the user doesn't have to rethink the UI. Once you go into the more advanced settings, features, and programs... yes, that's when the UI breaks away to the standard windows mobile UI. The only time it really rips the user out of TouchFLO during basic use is when viewing a list of emails, an email, or a text message.

Other than that, unless the user goes to access the more advanced features of the phone, they are not going to break the flow of the UI.

Another thing that is often left out when guaging the iPhone is the difficult/annoying nature of actually using it as a PHONE.

TouchFLO 3D does a much better job than the iPhone for all major smartphone functions... appointment information, time, phone functions, contact list, email, SMS, pictures, weather, media playback, internet browsing, Sprint TV, and Program launching.

I do see HTC either updating TouchFLO 3D in the future to include email/SMS composition in the UI or releasing an update to Windows Mobile 7 that will update the entire UI.

I just wished that the Diamond would've had a microSD card slot instead of that fixed 4GB storage space. With Cloud Computing, WiFi, and Sprint's 3G network, I'm probably going to stream most of my media anyway (or just get the Touch Pro).

I could care less about multi-touch, I'd much rather use the phone with the same hand I hold it in (which is what TouchFLO 3D is designed for).

Some people complain about the lack of a 3.5mm audio jack. I have a Jabra BT8010 comvertible stereo bluetooth headset that I think blows any cabled headset out of the water. The sound quality is awesome.

It is 2008, wired headsets need to go away already. This is an advanced mobile device, not just a phone. People need to expect it to promote and use more advanced technology and phase out older tech. (microSD card slot excluded)

The iPhone 3G may offer a slightly smoother, less confusing interface and more storage space, but the unstable AT&T 3G network, unstable 3G/2G connection switching, unstable operating system, crappy GPS, outdated camera, lower-res screen, lower battery life, media-type restrictions, and company-imposed software limitations just completely trump the flow of the UI.

"But the iPhone is Apple's first phone!"... yeah, but they were late to the game. Like every other company, they know the capabilities of the competition and therefore should be expected to match the capabilities of other devices. Apple had the benefit of 5+ years of smartphone history to study and learn from, but they really didn't study it well.

Software can always be fixed with updates and patches. Bad corporate policies, defective data networks, and crappy/outdated hardware cannot.

Even if all software issues on the iPhone 3G were fixed, it would still have HSDPA 3.6, 2 MP camera, crappy GPS, lower battery life, lower-res screen, and AT&T's crappy network.

If the menial UI gripes are smoothed out, the Diamond and the Pro have the potential to be the ultimate phones.

Which scenario has the best chance of actually happening and which end result will make most users happy?