Evo from TP2...Questions...

[ctasich]

Sorry for double posting this. I posted this in the phone comparison forum as well, but there isn't much traffic there so I haven't gotten any responses. Any advice and input is much appreciated!

I am planning on pulling the trigger on my upgrade on 10/01/2010 with the new Sprint SERO Premium plans. I've been playing with Android on my TP2 and absolutely love the more intuitive design in comparison to WP6.5. With that said, I've opted to go with either the Samsung Epic or HTC Evo. I have been on an HTC Device since the Mogul and am a little reticent to jump ship. Basically, as of now I am leaning toward the Samsung Epic purely for superamoled display and the keyboard. One thing that does concern me though is the dev community. My questions are as follows:

1) Which device has the larger/more active community? (I'm assuming Evo)

2) Do you anticipate the Epic's community to grow? (since it's a newer device)

3) How customizable are Android roms? For instance, WM roms seemed to jump from Windows Phone to Windows Phone, but it doesn't seem to be the case with Android. For instance, I haven't seen any Froyo roms for the Epic. Also, I don't want the touchwiz overlay. Are there roms out there that add Froyo and get rid of touchwiz for the Epic (possibly add Sense)? (Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

4) Windows Phone 7 Outlook: Should I hold off and see how these guys pan out? I haven't seen any super compelling information to suggest that they will be a game changer. Also, I use Google for everything (so Android is nice for integration).

5) Lastly, all the reviews I've watched compare these two phones as they come from the carrier. How do they compare given the fact that I WILL be flashing to a non-stock rom?

Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks,
Chris

[aman1127]

Originally Posted by ctasich

Sorry for double posting this. I posted this in the phone comparison forum as well, but there isn't much traffic there so I haven't gotten any responses. Any advice and input is much appreciated!

I am planning on pulling the trigger on my upgrade on 10/01/2010 with the new Sprint SERO Premium plans. I've been playing with Android on my TP2 and absolutely love the more intuitive design in comparison to WP6.5. With that said, I've opted to go with either the Samsung Epic or HTC Evo. I have been on an HTC Device since the Mogul and am a little reticent to jump ship. Basically, as of now I am leaning toward the Samsung Epic purely for superamoled display and the keyboard. One thing that does concern me though is the dev community. My questions are as follows:

1) Which device has the larger/more active community? (I'm assuming Evo)

2) Do you anticipate the Epic's community to grow? (since it's a newer device)

3) How customizable are Android roms? For instance, WM roms seemed to jump from Windows Phone to Windows Phone, but it doesn't seem to be the case with Android. For instance, I haven't seen any Froyo roms for the Epic. Also, I don't want the touchwiz overlay. Are there roms out there that add Froyo and get rid of touchwiz for the Epic (possibly add Sense)? (Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

4) Windows Phone 7 Outlook: Should I hold off and see how these guys pan out? I haven't seen any super compelling information to suggest that they will be a game changer. Also, I use Google for everything (so Android is nice for integration).

5) Lastly, all the reviews I've watched compare these two phones as they come from the carrier. How do they compare given the fact that I WILL be flashing to a non-stock rom?

Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks,
Chris

1)Without a doubt the Evo

2) It will grow more but will never be like the Evo. For some reason, HTC devices have a great developer base. It also depends on the phone....I have had touch pros and i have my Evo and have gotten lucky. However, my Tmo Dash had a terrible following as does the Hero (development wise). The incredible and droid doesnt have the same size base either. Beats me how the devices are chosen.

3) Windows phones dont jump plarforms like Android. Each needs to be ported to the respected device. You have so many rom choices and launchers like sense, aosp, touchwiz, miui.....check out my signature

4) from what I read, the platform is a huge improvement but still has a ways to go compares to android and iOS. But then again, no one really played with a finished product yet. But MS has been known to not support their devices that well in the past (think wm6-6.5)

5) Going back to the answer to question 2.......I would say Evo. Im not saying it because I have one or because Im a "fanboy". Hold the 2 devices and play with them. I would love to have a keyboard but the virtual one works so well.

These are my opinions and biases. The best think to do is play with them both. However, looking at different forums, you will clearly see which phone has the best community support.

Good Luck!

[amw1972]

I jumped off the WinMo ship since the EVO launched. I also came from a line of HTC WinMo phones...Mogul, TouchPro, TouchPro2.

the transition is not as painful as I thought it might be. For every function/app that you had in your WinMo devices (old school)...you can find comparable OR better alternatives for Android. I say old school, because WM7 does NOT support the older WinMo structures...

aman pretty much answered your questions...but I have the following to add:

3) Android ROMs and WinMo ROMs can't really be compared...especially because you're talking about a couple of diff WinMo flavors at a time (6.5 and 6.5.x) From there...you add in the Sense ROMs...the Titanium ROMs...SPB MS ROMs...etc...you get the picture. In Android...it really basically boils down to Sense? or AOSP (Android Open Source Project) (vanilla Android) Take a look at the upgrade sections here and also give XDA a look-see and I'm sure you'll be able to find the different ROMs that are out there. As for looks and feel...I've found that Android ROMs are mostly easily customized. As for dropping TouchWiz from the Samsung device...its pretty much like dropping Sense off an HTC device...you mentioned adding Froyo and dropping TouchWiz. Let me clear things up a little: Froyo is the code name for Android 2.2 (similar to the different ver of WM 6.5 and WM6.5.3) If i"m not mistaken, the Epic ships with 2.1 which should give you good functionality...BUT...I feel that 2.2 is head and shoulders better than 2.1.

As for Windows Phone 7...I think that's a personal choice whether you want to wait it out. It will be a new "big" thing when it comes out...we won't know if it'll be a game changer until people have a chance to truly utilize the device before the general consensus can be made. This is probably more of a Andoid/Google vs WinMo/Microsoft decision altogether.

If you're already planning on rooting your phone and flashing custom ROMs...then I think it really boils down to hardware between the two devices. AMOLED screen and a keyboard vs the sleek and slim form factor for the EVO. I came from keyboards...and I thought I'd have a hard time without one. EVO's screen is SOOOO big that the keyboard is roomy...going without the k/b was a non issue. Besides...if you use Swype...you won't want an actual keyboard afterwards.

Note that the EVO's already has a good dev base out now...there are quite a few very stable and fast ROMs out by established chefs/devs (Cyanogen, OMJ, Fresh to name a few)

IF you like the Epic's form factor...you'll have to take the chance for whether or not the dev base grows for that phone. If you choose the EVO, you know that there is a pretty solid and large dev base out there already.

Hope my ramblings help you out in your process on picking a new device!!!

[gTen]

Originally Posted by ctasich

1) Which device has the larger/more active community? (I'm assuming Evo)

At this moment the Evo as it was out longer

2) Do you anticipate the Epic's community to grow? (since it's a newer device)

With the Epic it is kinda tricky...the community will grow but we also get a lot of things from other Galaxy S devices such as the i9000, Vibrant, Captivate and Fascinate...At this point though not many are familiar with Samsung so it may take some time to get full compatibility between all the devices...if this is done Epic would get a HUGE amount of stuff from the other communities(i9000 community is bigger then even EVO community as it is in multiple countries). But I can't exactly say how long this will take.

3) How customizable are Android roms? For instance, WM roms seemed to jump from Windows Phone to Windows Phone, but it doesn't seem to be the case with Android. For instance, I haven't seen any Froyo roms for the Epic. Also, I don't want the touchwiz overlay. Are there roms out there that add Froyo and get rid of touchwiz for the Epic (possibly add Sense)? (Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

At this moment Epic does not have Froyo...i9000 has Froyo at the moment based on leaks..It will officially be on other devices in Oct so its "probably" when Epic will get that upgrade..as for interfaces..you dont need to use TW, you can use Stock Android, or other Launchers like Launcher Pro or ADW Launcher...Sense has not been ported to the Epic yet though...maybe later..

4) Windows Phone 7 Outlook: Should I hold off and see how these guys pan out? I haven't seen any super compelling information to suggest that they will be a game changer. Also, I use Google for everything (so Android is nice for integration).

WP7 will have no similarity to winmo..that said generally I don't expect much from WP7 for at least a year so the platform can get maturity...

5) Lastly, all the reviews I've watched compare these two phones as they come from the carrier. How do they compare given the fact that I WILL be flashing to a non-stock rom?

It depends on what you are looking at...since Evo has bigger development at the moment there are probably more roms..but there are a few on the Epic as well and growing. In terms of raw hardware Epic has a better processor + GPU and a few other things..boils down to what exactly you use the phone for or whether you would be able to take advantage of it.

[supdawg]

Get the EVO, you won't regret it. I thought i would miss the keyboard of the TP2, but I do not.

In the end, the screen size, HTC, and the dev base makes the EVO a better choice over the Epic right now and in the forseeable future. Evo continues to be Sprint's flagship device, despite the Epic's launch.

The only think I miss about my Tp2, was Co0kies Home Tab Mod, and it's dual speakerphone. The Evo blows it out of the water and every other way.

[gTen]

Originally Posted by supdawg

Evo continues to be Sprint's flagship device, despite the Epic's launch.

Just to point out that is unrelated..Sprint sets a "flasgship" phone every June trying to face of with the iphone for the past 3 years...first year the Instinct was their flagship phone despite the existence of the TP and Diamond..next year Palm Pre was their flagship phone despite the existence of TP2..and etc...."Flagship phone" in sprints book is the one that comes out June and they spend their entire years advertising budget on..it states nothing about how good the phone is in any way..good or bad...

[webdude12]

Being a long term Windows Mobile User (PPC6700, Mogul, Touch Pro, Touch Pro2). The Touch Pro2 has an excellent keyboard, and I honestly the thought of losing a keyboard frightened me.

So what I did was. I waited til the Epic was available. Then I ordered both an Epic and Evo from Sprint, knowing I had 30 days to return one of them. The plan was to go 3-4 days on one, then switch, and go back and forth for a few weeks, since Sprint, lets you switch the phone active on your account online. Well I went 3 days on the Evo, because it came first. There were a lot of minor things that bothered me with the onscreen keyboard, but the device otherwise was perfect. I then switched to the Epic, went a day an half, before going back to the Evo. The keyboard on the Epic just plan sucks. After have had been on a keyboard like the Touch Pro 2, the Epic keyboard keys feel terrible. They layout for half the keys dont make sense, its just a major deal beaker. To be fair, about a week later. I forced myself to use the Epic for a week. Let me tell you at the end of that week, I wanted to throw the Epic in the river. Compared to the Sense UI, The widgets on the Epic just suck. Touchwiz doesnt add anything to the phone at all in my opinion.

I ended up sending the Epic back.

One of the things I have found to help me cope with not having a physical keyboard is the software keyboard called SlideIt. Some people perfer Swype, which is available on Windows Mobile, but I never used it because of the physical keyboard. I tried, Swype, SlideIt, and Shapewriter. To me the winner was SlideIt for many reasons. But I suggest you download all 3 and make that comparison for yourself.

If Sprint ever gets an HTC device with a keyboard that is similar to the TouchPro2, I will jump on it in a heartbeat. The one that is coming out for Verizon they reduced the number of rows on the keyboard which I do not understand. But for now, I will stick with the Evo because Android is better then Windows Mobile.

[PropagandaX]

Originally Posted by aman1127

1)Without a doubt the Evo

2) It will grow more but will never be like the Evo. For some reason, HTC devices have a great developer base. It also depends on the phone....I have had touch pros and i have my Evo and have gotten lucky. However, my Tmo Dash had a terrible following as does the Hero (development wise). The incredible and droid doesnt have the same size base either. Beats me how the devices are chosen.

3) Windows phones dont jump plarforms like Android. Each needs to be ported to the respected device. You have so many rom choices and launchers like sense, aosp, touchwiz, miui.....check out my signature

4) from what I read, the platform is a huge improvement but still has a ways to go compares to android and iOS. But then again, no one really played with a finished product yet. But MS has been known to not support their devices that well in the past (think wm6-6.5)

5) Going back to the answer to question 2.......I would say Evo. Im not saying it because I have one or because Im a "fanboy". Hold the 2 devices and play with them. I would love to have a keyboard but the virtual one works so well.

These are my opinions and biases. The best think to do is play with them both. However, looking at different forums, you will clearly see which phone has the best community support.

Good Luck!

I agree with everything he said! You will enjoy the EVO

[Nibis]

I just upgraded from the TP2, to the EVO yesterday. I was going back and forth on which phone to get, glad I got the EVO, and as Webdude said, the Epic keyboard makes no sense after coming off an HTC phone.
On another note, Sprint had the Otter Box Case, so I bought two, (one for my girlfriend phone) and really like it. I did however cut off the cap/plug for the USB/HDMI port, it just gets in the way

[jimmy82]

Get the EVO. Only thing i really noticed from playing with both phones at the sprint store was the screen display. I have to admit the Epic display was nice, but overall, the EVO is a better phone. Came from a TP2.