Customer Reviews

HTC Advantage 7501 (Unlocked)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I got mine about 3 weeks ago and have been running it through its paces ever since. Before getting an X7501, you have to realize that this thing is really a mini-laptop/mega-smartphone. It was made for a person who prefers a single device with convergent technologies, the more the better. Besides making calls, I use it to navigate with its built in GPS, surf the web with Opera and/or Explorer via HSDPA/WiFi and run all kinds of windows mobile apps (from a TI-89 emulator to XCOM: UFO Defense). I have plenty of space for several GB worth of music/movies and the 3 megapixel camera is nice (especially the panoramic feature). Oh, and I can cut and paste text too, unlike a certain other iDevice I know... hihi.

Pros:

-The SIM chip from my old AT&T 8125 worked fine with no issues. I was immediately able to access the 3G/HSDPA network (I had been stuck with just EDGE before on the 8125). I have used the X7501 between Princeton NJ and Washington DC with no issues to 3G availability. Subjectively, transfer rates seem to be noticeably quicker than EDGE (several times faster). I had issues with slow Google Maps loading on EDGE, but HSDPA makes the application functional and practical to use while driving.

-WiFi connected just fine. WEP encryption was straightforward and easy to configure.

-Bluetooth headset works fine, but sound quality varies depending on the headset. I use a plantronics voyager 510 for calls (good sound) and Southwing 505 for music (some noise). You can also answer calls using the speaker phone or an included wired microphone. The microphone jack is 1/16" so you can use regular headphones with it to listen to music, but you will have to get an adapter for regular wired microphones or just go with bluetooth.

-I can't tell you how nice it is to have a 5" diagonal screen to surf the web and watch video with. The screen is even big enough to edit Excel and Word documents without going blind.

-There was a nice attachment cable included that allows you to output to a Monitor or TV if it has the connector.

-8GB microdrive AND miniSDHC slot. The 2GB card I have worked fine. I'll have to get a 4GB card to test the high capacity. 8GB+miniSDHC means I have effectively unlimited storage and can transfer files easily.

-WM6 has a feature which now allows applications to truly close when you press X button. No more of that annoying need to go into settings/memory/close all hassle.

-So far, most applications I loaded onto the X7501 work fine:
TCPMP (The Core Pocket Media Player) works. I was able to load and watch an .avi movie. I'll have to watch a long movie all the way through during my next flight out of town to test for stuttering midway through.
Skype installed and worked just fine. No complaints.
OctroTalk (for free GoogleTalk) works fine. No complaints.
VTI Pocket Emulator (free TI-89 scientific calculator emulator) works well. Slightly laggy, but usable. I was able to take derivatives and integrate functions just like on a normal TI-89. Not sure about loading programs to do Laplace transforms etc, but that's hardly a concern for 99.99% people.
GSPlayer was able to play Shoutcast music streams without a problem. HSDPA allows for higher bitrates than I was normally able to listen to using EDGE.
XCOM: UFO Defense (free old PC turn based game ported to WM) worked, although I had to switch to vertical mode.

-Comes with both Windows Explorer and Opera installed. I prefer Opera's tabular browsing and have been using it almost exclusively.

-Battery is removable, so having a spare battery is possible and even recommended. Battery life seems "okay", but I have not done a real runtime test yet. For the most part, I have had it plugged in a lot (either my car adapter for GPS or my laptop at work to stream music). WiFi and bluetooth do seem to run the battery down quickly. I wouldn't count on more than 3 hours of continuous browsing and streaming media.

-Using a universal USB charging port allows for a lot of recharging options and is compatible with my other portable electronics so I carry fewer plugs/cables. Works with my emergency usb charger.

-Nice complimentary leather wallet, screen protector and extra pen included. Small stuff counts!

Cons:

-Out of the box the intro screen says, "Test Only - Not for Sale". A little disconcerting but the unit works fine, so I plan on keeping it. I ordered my X7501 through Amazon a month before release. Hopefully later units don't have this.

-No stand alone GPS software like TomTom or iNavigator. It has Google Maps (which uses the GPS to track and show your location but this requires a data link (HSDPA or WiFi) to download maps, plot routes and get traffic info. It also has TeleNav Navigator (which is a subscription based payware GPS nav system)

-iNavigator 2.1.2 GPS software wouldn't recognize the 8GB microdrive. This was disappointing, but I am thinking of getting OCN6 to run on it since their website claims WM6/X7500 compatibility.

-FreeOTFE(Free On The Fly Encryption) wouldn't install correctly. I couldn't create an encrypted volume. I'll have to do more research to see what the problem is or if it's a PEBKAC error.

-There's no way to get around it. The X7501 is bulky. It fits fine in a pair of cargo pants, but is uncomfortable in a pair of khakis or jeans. It just barely fits. Get a bluetooth headset. You look like an idiot holding this to your ear.

-No vibrate mode to receive calls.

-The VueFlow operation seems kind of gimmicky to me. Basically, the screen will pan up/down/left/right by varying degrees depending on how much you tilt the screen. There's potential here, but it often moves when I don't want it to, so I've disabled it.

Parting Thoughts:

The HTC Advantage X7501 does everything it is advertised to do and is a significant upgrade from a 8125 or even 8525. I chose this over the iPhone because I prefer more functionality when I travel and work. Thats exactly what I got, but at the cost of size and weight. I'll definitely be keeping my other older (and smaller) cell phone around to carry if I want to travel light. On the road however, this is the king of PDAs. I haven't seen anything out there that has the same set of features in one package.

Got mine two weeks ago and I love it! It does everything I need it to do very well. I was looking for something to take with me on short business trips (I am in aviation) so I wouldn't have to lug my laptop with me and the 7501 fits the bill perfectly.

The screen is large enough so that i don't have to squint to see what's on it (the biggest problem I have with PDA phones like my 8125), yet small enough that I'm not broadcasting everything I am doing half way across an airport terminal. The way the keyboard attatches to the PDA is the best I have seen yet. It is held by a magnet which is strong enough to hold the screen even if you turn the whole package upside down. This setup also removes breakable cables from the picture. You can not position the screen to any other viewing level this way, but the tilt angle you're stuck with is very good when placed on a table or desk.

I had no problems whatsoever with installing the ATT SIM card from my 8125 and making phone calls. I had some concern because I have read reviews elsewhere that mentioned once the 7501 goes to sleep you can not use your bluetooth headset to wake it up and place calls using your voice tags. I am happy to report that this is not the case. The 7501 is rather bulky to be taking it out of your pocket to turn on just to make a phone call, and this would have been a deal-breaker for me.

This brings us to the size of the unit. It is LARGE, and even if it came with a carrying case that included a belt clip (it does not) you probably wouldn't feel comfortable with it hanging off your belt. If you don't wear the type of pants that have that large extra pocket below the regular pocket you will either have to update your wardrobe or get used to carrying this thing around. I don't consider this to be a drawback because I was looking for a larger screen, but it is something you will need to consider before you buy a 7501.

I have not seen a device anywhere that compares to this for size and features and I am very happy with my purchase, but there are a few reasons why it only gets four stars out of five. One is that the keyboard is not lighted. The screen does not light up the keyboard enough in a dark room to see what you are doing and this can be a real problem but, hey, I have the same issue with my laptop keyboard.

Another issue is the memory card slot. You have to remove the battery to change it. I don't expect to have to do this a lot because of the onboard 8 GB hard drive, but if I want to transfer a file quickly to another computer it would be easier to simply pop the memory card out like I can with my 8125 and just about any other PDA out there.

Which brings us to MS ActiveSync. Every time Microsoft releases a version of this the features are fewer and the program takes longer and more frustration to get it to work. To be fair this is not a problem with the unit but is still something you need to be aware of. Windows Mobile 6.0, on the other hand, is the best mobile version Microsoft has come out with yet and is a pleasure to use.

All in all I am happy with it and I would recommend it to anyone.

Pros:
Fantastic Screen, Bright, Very Well Designed. This is a large screen oversized PDA. It works well for what it was designed for. Video, Phone, GPS, WIFI, Connectivity. Comes with Word, Excel, and PPT Viewer etc. Works with PocketPc software. Google it. PPC software is everywere.

Cons:
Bigger than most PDAs. Fits in my pocket barely. Expensive.

Full user opinion
Yes it's expensive but this gadget does it all. This PDA rocks. The GPS is super fast starting and works very well with IGO/MyWay software. I think it's better than my wife's NUVI GPS. Reading E-books and reviewing my vacation pictures is a joy now. No eye strain. The Wifi and Phone features are another gain. Hands free is easy with a Bluetooth earpiece (Not included). If you can afford it, buy this super PDA. There are many other features. It comes with a keyboard that is usable but I use FITALY or the QWERTY on screen keyboard anyway. I can easily type faster on this than the tiny weenie phone keyboard like the TREO and others like it. Received mine from Tiger Direct in less than a week with normal mailing. I've had mine for 2 weeks now and I just love it. I think you will too!

After reading a couple of the reviews here while shopping for other things, I just had to chime in. I got this from Amazon 2 months ago. I've had PDAs for years and years and this gem is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It is amazing. Enough said.

After using the HTC 7501 for about 2 months, this device seems to be quite suited for various work and personal use. Windows Mobile 6 means having the flexibility to customize it with built-in and third party software. See some of my uploaded images to see how much it can be personalized. On the downside, the flexibility implies that you have to experiment and potentially make mistakes that might force you to do a hard reset if you're not careful.

The strong points of the 7501 are the 5" screen (which is relatively large in pda & smart phone terms) given its weight and size, the ability to project through the VGA out, relatively fast boot time (compared to laptops or UMPCs with WinXP/Vista), and versatile information access options (e.g. WiFi, bluetooth, GSM, GPS, etc.). Still & video camera, as well as GSM phone features are nice extras.

The overall size & weight of the material makes it comfortable enough to cradle in the palm of one hand (without the detachable keyboard) and treat it like a mini tablet PC. For occasional e-mail reading/writing and web browsing, carrying the 7501 around is much better than having to lug a relatively bulkier laptop. The detachable keyboard is generally more convenient to use than the standard Windows Mobile entry modes (with the provided stylus): keyboard, block recognizer, letter recognizer, and transcriber. With a third party touch screen input called TouchPal, typing is even easier and faster. Most of the time, I found the latter to be good enough that I don't have to carry the detachable keyboard anymore.

For those using Lotus Notes at work, the built in outlook combined with "mNotes5 for wireless synchronization" (not included) allows immediate access to e-mail, calendar, & tasks as long as you have data access (e.g. via ActiveSync cable, wiFi, a GSM account subscription with a data plan, or a pay-as-you-go GSM SIM card for those quick trips abroad, since the 7501 is unlocked and supports 4 GSM bands and 3 UMTS/HSDPA bands). Not all the Lotus Notes functionality is preserved, but reading & editing e-mail, creating & accepting/rejecting meeting invitations, reading & editing schedule, and reading & editing to do lists can be done. Supposedly, those needing access to company mail using MS Outlook need not even buy any add-ons. Access to gmail, hotmail, etc. also works well. One note of caution, if you use a third party software to shoehorn Lotus Notes into the 7501's outlook, and also synchronize with MS Outlook from the same desktop, be very careful in setting the synchronization & reconciliation options.

For .pdf files, the built-in Acrobat Reader LE works just fine, although there are other third party options such as the free PocketXpdf. The 5" screen is large enough to read & edit MS Word documents (note: certain objects like equations do not show up), view & present MS Powerpoint direct from the device or through a projector, read 2-column documents (e.g. patent applications), and occasional web browsing. There are third party solutions that offer a more complete desktop MS Office-like features & can read, edit & save files in native MS Office format.

As previously mentioned, the 7501 screen can be sent through a VGA out to a projector. For powerpoint presentations, the 7501 can work with bluetooth presentation remote devices. I've tried this using a Sony Ericsson K810i phone that has such a bluetooth presentation controller. The ability to share contents through a projector is a big deal imho, in terms of this being a practical replacement for a travel / meeting laptop.

As a GPS device, the 5" inch screen is quite generous, although the touch screen type makes its maximum brightness pale in comparison to some non-touch screen dedicated GPS devices available. The SiRF III chip is supposedly the latest generation GPS chip. The question is whether or not you get enough satellite visibility when using the GPS. For the US version, teleNav can be used (a subscription type service). I carried over Mapopolis, an old software from my Toshiba e310 (on PPC2003) that works just fine. At the risk of comparing apples to oranges, the computation time for rerouting directions on the 7501 using Mapopolis is considerably faster than the computation time for rerouting using my Garmin Nuvi 660, which in itself is a very nice GPS unit with supposedly the same SiRF III chip. Unfortunately, this mostly means that you need to spend extra to get the GPS software in a 7501 one way or another. There are a few free options (e.g. Nav4All, GoogleMaps) if you have data access / subscription.

Since I don't have unlimited data plan on my SIM card, I prefer to not use the HTC's phone capability for personal use. I've tried it while travelling and it works just fine. It also makes a nice bedside clock that can give you quick access to weather, time, e-mail, & news (via web browser), and it's not too heavy to pick up and use it for half an hour or so. You can do the same with a Mobile Internet Device for less cost and a potentially more refined user interface, but it can't do most of the work-related utility listed above.

If you're not looking to replace a laptop and cell phone entirely than this is a great device. I don't find it too big or bulky to carry around all day (unlike a laptop) and I don't find it at all clumsy or slow to do email, browse the web, or review documents and spreadsheets (unlike my treo). I still use both my treo and my laptop regularly but I am using the Advantage as much as either of the other devices for daily tasks.

The microdrive on the device is frustratingly slow for running programs but a 2GB SD card gives you plenty of room to install programs which then run just fine and the microdrive is perfect for storing all your music and video files.

Battery life is very good although it takes a long time to charge. I leave the device plugged into the AC charger overnight and it is fully charged in the morning and lasts me the whole day.

Been using the advantage for 3 months with Cingular.
Pros
Great for reading news on ride to work (train) love the screen size.
Instant messaging and internet radio also work great.
With 4 gig card you have over 12 gigs memory
Goggle maps looks great on large screen
you can download flash for internet explorer to view flash sites

Cons
Take long time to capture a satellite in Portland Oregon, but its free with Google maps
Works good as phone but it's kind of big, but I can live with that.

I have gotten in the habit of just carrying the unit in my pocket and leaving case and keyboard at home and it works great for me. Love the comments I get at meetings. very fast with cingular 3G.

...but I gotta tell you: not for one second have I been disappointed in this product. If I lost it I would buy another one tomorrow. I'll spare all the detailed stuff and just say it's great for organizing your business life and the internet surfing is genuinely workable...hook it up to my slingbox and give me some food and throw me on an island for a month and I'd be fine with the HTC Advantage. Buy it immediately instead of spending a month playing the should I or shouldn't I game like me. You'll be glad you did!!... I even find myself posting in product specific forums, I like this thing so much...go for it!

a little large, but the htc does everything stated and is an awesome machine.i am very pleased. it has good internet with the sims card and is a good phone.

The only thing lacking in this device for me is that it should have come with a handwriting recognition software.
Great Product!